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!