Halla Halla

This week was the first week in July that it has rained. Members are saying that it is the warmest summer they have had in a while! I am loving the sunshine but it is definitely not as green here as when I first got here... So the rain is much needed.

 This week we went over to Bonnie's house and painted her fence with her and had lunch and then we went to the beach in åhus with our relief society on Pioneer Day. We had Sister exchanges (with Sister Pieksma), and President Newell came over to our apartment for an interview.

 I have been learning how to cook thanks to Julie Ethington and her healthy recipes she sent me last week.

And we are so close to getting baptismal dates with some of our investigators and I am just praying that they will accept the invitation to be baptized this week. In all, LIFE IS GOOD.

 Me and Sister Pieksma hahahahahaha

This week in a Zone meeting, one of the elders shared a quote from President Hinckley that is for missionary work that says

"Do your best. Your very very best. 

Say your prayers, work hard, and leave the harvest to the Lord." 

What an amazing quote. I was thinking this week a lot about what I am doing to contribute as a missionary. We have not seen very much success here in Kristianstad and at times I feel like it personally is my fault and that I am not doing the very best I can do. Of course I am not a perfect missionary- I don't think anyone ever told me I had to be, but it is still hard to not have those thoughts. However, this quote by President Hinckley, perfectly describes the kind of missionary that we should be. And that is our best. My best. And my best is all I can do.

 An Elder that recently went home sent me a talk called "The Fourth Missionary." I read the talk this week with Sister Swenson and what I kept getting from it was exactly what President Hinckley is saying... To be your best, to be full of charity, to have your heart be in the work- to LOVE what you are doing. Once I realized that I truly do love what I am doing, that I am saying my prayers and working hard then the Lord truly will do the rest. He will lead us to those that are prepared or those that are prepared will be lead to us.

I can't say right now that I have seen a lot of baptisms and that the work is rapidly growing here in Kristianstad, but I can say that the Lord is blessing and helping us. We have so many awesome investigators and I know that with the Lords timing, they will accept the gospel and it will be so joyful when they do.

Here is a picture of one of my favorite people INGE. She is amazing and is so humble. She would literally give her shirt off of her back to us. I don't think we have ever left her house with out 2 arms full of bags of food. She just finds whatever she can in her kitchen to give to us. So sweet.

Good luck on TREK! I cant wait to hear all about your amazing experiences! Love you all.

 Sister C

PS- It was cool to get the letter in the mail this week from mom with a letter that Papa sent to her while she was on her mission. Although his words were for mom 25 years ago, they were exactly what I needed to hear this week- I felt like he was writing them to me.