May flowers

There will be no pictures this week...we are so busy! It's great.

This upcoming week we have many amazing missionary moments planned for us. We have zone conference tomorrow in Sundsvall!! I am super excited to travel up north. Then I will have been all over Sweden. I feel very blessed. The most exciting news is that we are having a baptism this Thursday!! We have a very busy week ahead of us.

 

So, I will start off with talking about our baptism. About three weeks ago a couple came in to church late and no one knew who they were. We later found out that the lady goes to the branch in Våsteräs and is moving here soon because she is getting married to her boyfriend. He became interested in learning more about the church, so we started teaching him then. They have become our really good friends now! He is ready for baptism and we are very excited for this next step that he will be taking. He has the full support of his fiance and the branch has done a wonderful job of  welcoming him into the branch. I have a strong testimony of working with the members to help the missionaries teach. All of the lessons that we have with members seem  to always go better. Of course we are still teaching a lot at the church, but we are trying real hard to focus on getting all of our teaches with a member, and most preferable, in members home. This young man decided that he wanted to get baptized and he wanted it to be as soon as possible. So, we have met with him every day since then preparing him for baptism. Yesterday at church we had him try on the baptismal clothing and he was so happy. He came out in pants that were too big and just said "Rapper". Haha. Syster Jacobs and I are very excited for our first baptism together. We feel like we will be able to see many more.

 

This morning I was thinking about prayer and why it is so important. I started thinking about all the times that my prayers have been answered. I realized that Heavenly Father always answers our prayers. Sometimes it just takes longer than other times. I feel like Heavenly Father has recently been answering my prayers like crazy. I prayed to have a companion who would understand me and I got Syster Jenson and then I prayed to have a companion who would be like me. And Bam! Syster Jacobs. Life is going really well here in Gävle and we are witnessing many miracles.

 

Yesterday we had branch conference and a lot of people from the Stockholm stake came up and taught classes and spoke in sacrament meeting. We had five investigators in church and a lot of less-actives came too. The sweet older lady that we visit every week actually had the chance to come! This past week she asked us to pray for her that she would have the opportunity to share the gospel with someone. We gave her some pass-along cards and then the next day some of the nurses where she lives were talking about life after death and she saw that opportunity and took it! She was so proud of herself, telling us that she got to bear her testimony about life after death and that God´s plan is for every person. Evidence once again that God does hear and answer our prayers.

Three of the investigators who were in church were sisters from one of the African families that we have been teaching. They all stayed for all three hours of church and then after we had a big lunch with everyone and they stayed as well. The girls also got invited to come to a YW´s activity this Friday and we did too! So we are looking forward to spending time with the YW. We are also planning on making American nachos with them this week. Fun and Yum. We hope and pray that these girls will eventually get baptized and wíll be the leaders for the rest of theír family. I love how missionary work works!

 

Annicka also made me the coolest bright orange mittens this week! I am so spoiled by her. And yes, mom I did buy that fabric. No worries. I am planning to make a bag or something of that sort. That was my birthday present that you bought me. Thanks. 

Once again life is good and I LOVE you all! Enjoy the spring weather. Because the past two days here it has snowed! Blah. We had some really lovely days and then all of the sudden the rain and snow has come back. But  May is just around the corner. Spring fever is totally all over. Here in Sweden they have this cool tradition of selling a cute May flower pin at the end of April/start of May. Syster Jacobs and I each bought one. Yippee! I was kind of sad though because this year the flower is a brown color. Lame. You buy them from cute little Swedish girls who go around selling them for about 8 bucks and all the money goes towards helping children. I love Sweden!

 

Love, Talisa!