Elvis in the bathroom

I LOVE life as a missionary! As a missionary you give up your normal life for
a year and a half and serve God with all your heart, might, mind, and
strength. That is something that I am very grateful for. 

This week we went to a member's house to teach one of our investigators and I
had to use the bathroom. When I opened the door to her bathroom
Elvis was staring right back at me. Haha. That made me very happy and
got me excited to listen to my music again and reminded me about my
life before my mission. Sometimes I forget what I was even doing
before I came on my mission. This member is an older lady.
She is great.  I love her so much! We have made plans to travel together
to Graceland. Haha.


Last pday we had another adventure with a great couple in our branch.
They took us for a tour of southern Sweden. One of these photos is us visiting a
castle. We actually visited many castles with them. We have become
really good friends with them and they said that they would adopt
me so that I could stay in Sweden. Haha. I now have some
Swedish grandparents.


Now onto the spiritual side of last week. I don´t know what it is
but my weeks just seem to be getting better and better. We had a very
high teaching week this past week. We were able to accomplish
this by talking to everyone and teaching every moment we
had. We had a total of 44 teaches! And the best part of that is 25
of them were to investigators!! Thirteen of those we had a member
present helping us teach! This past week I really felt more like
God´s tool. It really is the best feeling. I am doing all I can to
find, teach, and baptize before I go home.


Every Thursday we travel down to Lund for district meeting and it is a
highlight of every week. Elder Lerimaa, our district leader from
Finland, taught us about the importance of prayer and making sure that
our prayers are sincere and how we can then help our investigators
with their prayers. After we left Lund that day we taught everyone
about prayer!  We actually had ten teaches that day after the powerful
district meeting that we had. I am so grateful for spiritual leaders
who are worthy to recieve revelation for their folds.


When you are surrounded by the Spirit every day sometimes that makes
it hard to really feel the Spirit. So, this past week I have been
paying close attention to the still small voice of the Spirit and
acting upon all the promptings I recieve. We had a miracle teach with
the Chinese student who was baptized two months ago. We had planned
to talk about service and callings, but the moment we walked into the
door I knew she needed something else. We sat down and started talking
about prayer because that is just what we had learned and that led
into one of the most amazing spirit led teaches I have ever had. We
asked her how she feels her prayers are going. She thought for a
moment and then looked up at us with her eyes watering and said, "How
does God have time to listen to me?" At that moment we realized
excatly why our district leader had been inspired to talk about prayer
that morning. For the next 30 minutes we testifed of the power of prayer
and how much God loves her and will always have time to listen to her.


Another investigator of ours is having a hard time recieving answers
to his prayers. So, we actually fasted for him yesterday that he may
be able to recongize the answers that God is sending. He came up to me
in church and saíd with a huge smile on his face, "My friends invited
me to go swimming this morning and I told them that I had something
much more important to do." AHHH. I love the Spirit and the power of
prayer! and fasting! It´s real and God does love us and hear our
prayers. Most of the time he actually answers in ways that we are not
used to. Once we are looking for answers and really listening then we
can feel of His love.


Well, there is so much more that I could write about but I think that
is good for now. I love you all and I will see you in 3 weeks! America
here I come!! My last zone conference is this Wednesday in Göteborg.
We will be traveling up there tomorrow to sleep over at Syster Jacobs
and Syster Talbots place in Alingsås. A member of the Seventy is
actually going to be there.. Elder Kearon. I am looking forward to
that. I will also be given the chance to bear my final testimony! Wow.
I never thought that day would come.


Love, Talisa!!!

The week of Change

It´s been quite the week of non-stop craziness. .Saying goodbye to Syster Jacobs and then hello to Syster Schneiber. This is only the second time that I have been the companion who has stayed in an area and a new companion comes in. It feels really strange. But, I think the strangest part is thinking that I only have one more month left. So, everything I am doing here is to help Syster Schneiber feel ready to take over this wonderful area. My heart will be here forever.

 

My new companion is wonderful! I really don´t know why I have been so blessed with such amazing companions most of my mission. She is very little and from Connecticut and goes to BYU Idaho. She actually will be going home in four months and this area will be her last area as well. It is really neat being with an older missionary - we have become the testifying machines. Once I leave she will be training here. Lovely. It is the same situation that happened to me with Syster Jenson. I can tell that we are going to have a great month together. She is a ball full of energy. I love her.

 

This past week we have seen so many miracles.. when I think about everything that happened this past week I am amazed that I still have energy to keep moving. On Monday we had an amazing goodbye FHE party at the Jacobssons for Syster Jacobs and we had six of our investigators show up, some less-actives, our new converts, and some members there. It was such a sweet night full of love for one another. The best part of the night came when Syster Jacobs and I were going to give our final lesson together. Lately, we have been going around to members homes and talking about having your foundation be in Christ. We always read Helaman 5:12 and we get an egg and ask if anyone thinks that they can break the egg. It is impossible to break an egg in your hand if it's held a certain way. You just can´t break it, no matter how hard you press. That´s what we thought. We asked who was the strongest in the room and our African male investigator was chosen. He took the egg and squeezed as hard as he could and the next thing we knew Syster Jacobs was covered in egg!!! Haha. The egg popped so easily and it really surprised Syster Jacobs. The entire room burst into laughter. So, she went and cleaned herself up and then we came back and talked about not being like the egg and making sure that you have that foundation in Christ so you will never pop! Haha. It was very memorable and a great last lesson together. I love that girl!

 

The next morning we took Syster Jacobs to the train station Hadi and the Correas came to say goodbye. After that I went and got breakfast with the Correa girls and Hadi. It felt super strange being without a companion. The Correa girls became my companion for the morning. Then at 12:30 I picked up my new companion. We went straight to work. I want her to get familiar with this area as soon as possible because I really don´t have that much time to help her. Syster Schneiber is an amazing teacher and a great contactor! What a good example to me. We had a 34 teach week! By the end of the week I was exhausted. And 12 of the those teaches were to an investigator with a member present! The highest I have had on my mission thus far. I can already tell that my last month is going to fly by.

 

We had some amazing teaches with our investigators who are working towards baptism. On Thursday night we had a great teach on the law of chastity with two of our investigators and the man looked at us after we had asked him if he had read the pamphlet and he said, "Up until I read that pamphlet, I had been living in sin." The room went dead silent. And we said "okay, well what are you going to do to change that?" Together we came up with the idea of a small marriage in a couple of weeks here in the church and then their baptism the same day!! September 8th is the big day. They even sent in the papers for marriage the next day! They are very prepared and I love them so much! They said that they would just have two weddings... one now and one for everyone else next summer. Lovely.

 

We currently have six baptismal dates and I would really like to see at least 3 more baptisms before I go home. So, we are going to work our hardest and see what miracles we can see before I go home. Wow. This really was an amazing week. We even got five new investigators! We met most of the standards of excellence for our mission! Life is good.

 

Prayer works. A scripture that I really enjoyed this past week was 2 Nephi 9:52. "Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto Him continually by day, and give thanks unto His holy name by night. Let your hearts REJOICE."  

I love the scriptures and I am looking forward to taking some really good institute classes when I get home. Maybe with Serina at UVU. ... I would love that. Start getting everything ready for Talisa to be home.. ! I would like my room to be yellow. Yes, that´s a great bright color. 

I love you all! And I am getting really excited to be home again! Rock and Roll hard until I get home.

 

Love, Talisa!

AKA: Syster Vistaunet

Five months together

We are the eagle district. We will all miss Syster Jacobs so much!!  We all went and got lunch together. It was lovely.

The time has come that the epic duo will be split up. Saturday morning we got the call that we have been dreading from President telling us that Syster Jacobs would be transfered. She is moving to a town closer to Göteborg. She will be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning and we will miss her dearly. We are not too sad because we both know that President Newell is inspired and that it´s just time for new adventures. We feel so blessed for all the time that we have had together.. five months 24/7 with someone is a long time. I will miss her, that´s for sure. My new companion will be Syster Schenbier. And I will be staying here in lovely Kristianstad until I go home. Which I am very thankful for. That means that I will be able to see Senja´s baby at Stake Conference the Sunday before I go home. Tender mercy. I will be getting Syster Schenbier all ready to train once I leave. She is a great missionary and I am exctied to be her companion. New adventures ahead.

I am glad that you guys got my package. Haha. Sorry about all the melted choclate... I didn´t really think that one through, because it´s not too hot here. Thanks for the new camera card.. I got the package from you. Don´t worry, I will take plenty of video and pictures until I get home. Five weeks of hard working bliss.

Last week we had a mini Zone Conference and it was wonderful! Every month Zones will be meeting together right after zone leader road (training) for the zone leaders to train us and tell us all the updates from zone leader road. I am really looking forward to this new training idea. I can already feel the closeness of our zone coming together. President Newell is such an inspired man. I am so grateful that he is my Mission President. I have learned so much from him and his wonderful wife. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father who knows exactly what I needed for my mission and where I would learn the most and be able to serve with my full heart. I love love love my life! Our mini zone conference was all about helping the members fullfill their duty of finding people for us to teach. We will be having a missionary fireside before our Stake conference on Sept. 2nd and then Stake conference will be my very last Sunday in Sweden!  Ahh. What a blessing to be able to end my mission in the Malmö zone and to be able to see people from two of my old areas. I really feel very blessed.

This past week Syster Jacobs and I had a rockin´ week! Which is good because it turned out to be our last week together. We were both very surprised to hear that we would be split up. But we know everything happens for a reason. I love that girl and we will be friends for life! Last night she actually went through my closet and picked out all the clothing that she wants me to send her when I leave. Haha. I am glad that I will be able to pass on my missionary clothing to someone who will appreciate it.  I will be sending her a big box full of clothing once I leave. Haha.

Anyways... our week was full of miracles. We were able to use five of our branch missionaries this week with the work. They all helped out.  The success of missionary work really comes when you work hand in hand with the members. So, for the last month of my mission, I am going to focus on getting a member on every teach that we have. I know that it is possible with a lot of hard work and planning. Which is two of my favorite things. Done and done. We even started a branch choir this past week and I am hoping that my new companion will be able to play the piano because we really need that. We are practing together to sing on Sept. 9th in sacrament meeting.

Lu Xiu is back! Our Chinese friend who got baptized just before she left to China. We met up with her last week and she was so happy to see us and she gave us some yummy chinese candy. I remember white rabbit candy from Grandma and Grandpa and I loved them. We had a great welcome back teach and she is excited to have us keep teaching her. She came to church and everyone was so happy to see her. Bonnie gave her a ride and after church Bonnie took us home to have one last dinner at her house with Syster Jacobs and Lu. It was a wonderful afternoon and just what Lu needed. We told her about home and visiting teachers and she was really excited about the idea. Then she said "and then I will have the missionaries too?"  Haha. Yes. We love Lu and are happy to have her back. The church has a wonderful support system. Heavenly Father really looks after his children. Bonnie actually found a place for Lu to move to, which is a huge blessing because she really needs a place to live. So, this Wednesday we will be going out to look at the apt. and meet Bonnie´s friend who we have been praying for for the past three months and having dinner together! What a great way to welcome a new missionary to this wonderful blessed area.

Okay now I will tell a story of a good teach we had and listening to the Spirit. After we said the prayer I felt very strongly to start talking about the Book of Mormon and how important it is to read from it´s pages every single day of our lives. Syster Jacobs and I both testified strongly of scripture study and the power of prayer. Which are both commandments from God. Later on Syster Jacobs told me that after the prayer...scripture study and prayer were the exact same things that came to her mind. We were so grateful for the Spirit´s influence. 

We had six investigators at church yesterday and it was a great way for Syster Jacobs to say goodbye. This branch is really going to miss her. She is such an amazing strong missionary and will do wonderfully in the Göteborg zone. I love you all!

Love, Talisa!

More connections.

Hello mom! I am not online for long... but Syster Jacobs parents are in Provo this week and I thought that it would be super cool if you guys could meet up!

I love you and thanks again for everything!

Love Talisa!

We met Sister Jacobs parents for lunch. What a tender mercy. I love how small the world is when you have a missionary.

--Tonya

Åhus Grill fest!

This week has been great. Summer is winding down here finally. School starts in two weeks and then we think that things will get back to normal. Although we have become super busy again. 

On Sunday we had 8 investigators at church! Our branch is really amazing and we now have six branch missionaries who are ready and willing to help us with everything we have to do. We also have a great branch mission leader. This is good because we have so many positive investigators right now who are working towards baptism. We have five investigators right now who have baptismal dates and we are working really hard to get them baptized in August. Our weeks have really filled up with teaching our investigators. We are trying very hard to meet with each of them two to three times a week. I love the gospel!

 

Lately, people around us have been asking Syster Jacobs and I if we are twins. Haha. We don´t really look the same at all but, we have gotten it a couple of times within the last week. Haha. We think it´s because of our short hair and the light that we carry with us. It´s really funny. Some members from the branch have started calling us the twins now. Haha.

 

Last Thursday night we had an amazing party at Åhus,  which is a really pretty beach town about 30 minutes away from Kristianstad. The Eriksson twins invited a bunch of their friends for a BBQ and to meet us. It was a great experience. Syster Jacobs and I were bouncing around talking to everyone. We counted 15 non-members! The members here are really amazing and are some of the best missionaries I have ever met!  Most of our branch missionaries were there too and they were really helping out with the work as well.  I love seeing the full time missionaries and the member missionaries really work together. That truly is when success comes. We had made a triple batch of American chocolate chip cookies for everyone and we walked around passing them out and everyone loved them. They were dang good if I do say so myself. Syster Jacobs has the best recipe for them, which I will be bringing home. No worries. And I can´t even imagine them with real chocolate chips instead of cut up candy bars. Yum. By the end of the night we had taught two different people about Joseph Smith and the importance of prayer and got some phone numbers and even an lunch appointment for the next day! Heavenly Father really knows what we desire and if we but show our faith then miracles will happen.

 

This past week we met with a couple who will be getting married soon and then baptized the next week... anyways they have been out of town for the past week camping and so we were a little worried about them actually reading and praying. While they were camping they met another couple who were members of the church! They invited them to read from the Book of Mormon with them every night. We were shocked when they  told us that. Heavenly Father provided another couple to help them along with their conversion process. The church is true and God loves each one of His children! Both couples had one person who was a member and had one who was working towards baptism.

 

Heavenly Father also led us to another Swedish couple last Monday while we were grocery shopping on pday. The man from the couple stopped us and asked us if we were twins and if we had gone to a certain school because he recognized us. We said no and told him that we were actually from America.  At that point he noticed our nametags and said, "oh, you"re missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ." He knew exactly who we were. He then told us that he had grown up in the church and that his dad was a very faithful member. WOW. We got their phone number and set up a time to meet them again. We actually invited them to the Åhus party and they traveled there with us. And they both came to church yesterday!! We have plans to meet with them again this upcoming week. The best part of all this is that the members recognized him and were so excited to see him back in church. We truly are just the Lord's hands here in Sweden.

 

I love the work and I love the gospel! The church is true and I know it. I have started reading the Book of Mormon for the third time and it´s amazing to me all the new things that I am learning. Scripture study is so important and really is something that helps strenghten our testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I love you all and see you in 6 weeks! AHHH.

 

Love, Syster Talisa Vistaunet!