s t u c k

This week was filled with very many unexpected adventures. It seems like we were not the only ones who had a storm this week- sorry about the weather with all of your gift shows mom! What the-? not fun at all. The weather here continues to be insane. As I look out the window of the library right now it is sunny and looks as if everything is the same as the week before- which was not the case during the week.

On Thursday we had a one hour meeting with our whole zone in Helsingborg, which was kind of pointless especially due to what followed. Some people traveled three hours to this meeting and then afterwards we were supposed to stay to get an interview with President Newell. We were also going on sister splits for the rest of that night until the next day and in order to get to our teaching appointments in Karlskrona, we had to leave before President got there. I went on splits with Syster Bass who came in Syster Hosenfeld’s group. 

Syster Bass and Lucia

We got on our train at 1:30 when all of a sudden a storm hit and we had to transfer to a bus and didn't end up getting there until 5:30! We got off the bus and ran to our appointment with a new investigator that the sisters had not met with yet. We were nervous that she wouldn’t be able to meet because we were an hour late, but she was very kind and made us homemade hot chocolate. We had a normal first lesson on the restoration, and then I felt impressed to share a very random and personal experience with her. I told her the story and bore my testimony and afterwards she was silent- she didn’t respond to what I had said, and I was worried that it didn’t make sense and was not what she needed. She then said, "I am not sure I believe everything that you guys taught me tonight, it is a lot to take in, but once you shared your experience and said that you knew that this is true, it really meant a lot to me." 

SNOW!!

She thanked me for my testimony and said that she thinks it is a very powerful thing that we would come here and leave our families at this young age to share this message that we believe to be true. I think this is the first time someone thanked me or even acknowledged the power of my testimony. I know that it was the Holy Ghost who gave me the impression to share that story and it was the Holy Ghost who bore testimony to her through my mouth. I am grateful that I was able to experience the spirit that was in the room that night. She invited the missionaries to come back again, and I am excited to hear about her progression from the Karlskrona sisters. Afterwards we taught a member, Lucia, and then headed home in the storm.

I called Sister Hosenfeld to see how things went in Halmstad with Syster Richins, and because of the storm, they ended up having to take a bus home as well and missed all of the appointments we had set up. They got back to Halmstad and ran into one of our old investigators, Marcus, and they taught him a lesson as they were waiting for the Bishop to pick them up because no buses were running out to our apartment in Tylösand. After they finished teaching Marcus they were walking outside with him and all of a sudden he stopped walking and screamed out and fell to the ground- foaming out of his mouth and had a seizure. They called the ambulance and he got picked up and taken to the hospital- we were actually able to talk to him on the bus this morning and he is doing fine. But that is so scary! They got the numbers of the people who came and helped them with Marcus and we are going to teach them this week! ...miracles everyday. 

After that experience, they got in the car with the bishop and as they were driving home, there was a huge tree in the road and so the bishop said that he had a chain saw in the back of the car- they thought he was joking. He wasn’t. They got out and cut the tree and made an opening for the car to get through. Hahaha. Needless to say, Halmstad had a lot of adventures that I missed out on. The next morning we were planning on doing the big switch with all of the sisters to get us back in our areas before our lessons that day, so Sister Bass and I went outside to see the first snowfall in Sweden! We walked in the insane wind to the train station, to find that there were no trains leaving all day. We got on a bus to Kristianstad so that Syster Bass and Randall could get back together and I was literally stuck in Kristianstad with Syster Richin’s companion, Fawcett, for the rest of the night. There were no buses or trains leaving, so what was intended to be a one day sister split turned into three. Of course, being stuck in Kristianstad was actually a blessing! 

It was so fun to be back there walking those streets that are so familiar to me. It was the weirdest feeling to be there though because it was so familiar and everything was the same and yet I felt like I was supposed to be home in Halmstad! But it was so fun to see the apartment, and Isam, and the progress with the construction haha. We went to the Sandelins that night for dinner and oh do I love them. Noah was so excited to show me the new Smurf characters that he has collected and I had a lot of fun catching up with Sara.

The next day the winds calmed down in Kristianstad and there were blue skies but it was supposedly a blizzard in Halmstad. We tried calling every train company all morning long and none of them had any information about what was going to happen. Long story short, we caught a train later that evening, the sisters in Halmstad caught a bus and we all met back up in Helsingborg to be re-united! The Halmstad Elders along with 8 others had been stuck in the Helsingborg apartment for two days straight. Hahaha. We all made it back safely. And now the snow is melted and it is blue skies again. But we did lose a lot more trees. :( poor trees (again.) Well, besides that not much happened here! It was a long week and quite adventurous and I am excited for a full week of work this next week. I can already tell that I am going to be a weird return missionary because on days that we are stuck inside or can't get any work done- I go insane! It will be weird to not have something actively planned for every hour of the day when I get home and I am afraid that it will be a hard transition. Haha good thing I don’t have to worry about that for 9 more months.

This week I read a talk that Kristin sent me by Elder Oaks. It is called "The Challenge to Become." I don’t know if it was from conference this year or not, but it is awesome and I suggest reading it! He emphasizes that our gospel means a lot more than just testifying of its truthfulness. It is a gospel that challenges us to be "converted." He says that we as members cannot merely testify that we know that it is true and declare it, but that we must be converted- to do and to become. It requires us to always act and to become someone better. He also says that the importance of conversion and becoming should cause us as members to reduce our concentration and statistical measures of actions and focus more on what our brothers and sisters are and what they are striving to become. We need to be less judgmental of others, knowing that through the atonement, we can all become something greater. 

Senja said something similar. She said that we should treat our husbands (or anyone) as who they have the potential to become. I love that. It is not about what we have done it is about moving forward. We will not be judged according to every mistake we have made, rather, we will be judged on who we have become at the end of our adventures here on earth. I love that challenge: the challenge to be converted. The challenge to do and to become. The challenge to work hard and to never stop improving to reach the measure of our creation. I love the gospel. I love that it challenges us to do more than move through the motions of life.

I am LOVING this time of year. It is such a wonderful time to focus on the gospel and family. I love you my dear family. Thank you for your love and examples.

puss puss (kiss kiss)

Syster Christensen

Första Advent

outside our apartment at 8 am

Hallå!
What an awesome and busy week! On Monday we didn’t have a p-day because we went to the temple on Saturday instead. So after emailing, we went out and preached the gospel and had a successful day. 

happy birthday to me from Syster Hosenfeld!

I had a wonderful birthday on Tuesday and I cannot believe I am 20 years old! #oldievoldie. My companion is the cutest and blew up 20 balloons and wrote funny things on the outside of all of them and then on the inside she wrote one thing she loves about me and is grateful for. It was so so so nice and thoughtful. 

We got out of the apartment at 8 am to teach someone genealogy at 9:30. And once we get out of our apartment, we are out for the whole day since we live so far away. Our mission president has asked that we are in the church a certain amount of time every week to teach people genealogy and we have had no success. Every contact and tract we do, is inviting people to do genealogy and for the past two months, the only success we had, was with a member. 

But two weeks ago we knocked on a lady’s door, Jenneke and she said she would love to come do it! She came and we helped her get started but she didn’t have very much information. It was cool to see her call around to her family for information and see her excitement about getting her tree started. I know that President Newell is very inspired and that if we continue to do what he has asked us to do, we will find success with our missionary work. We taught lots of other lessons that day and then went to sushi and hot chocolate for dinner! It was the best birthday ever! 

 I even got a call from our old investigator in Kristianstad, and he wished me a happy birthday. It was good to hear from him but I don’t know how he remembered my birthday and got my number... "He's nice. But creepy. Like Santa!"- Despicable me.

syster haynes

On Wednesday, I spent the day in Lund on sister exchanges with Syster Haynes, a sister training leader and one of dad's old seminary students from East haha. She is so cute and I learned a lot from her. We have so many incredible sisters in this mission- Syster Newell told us that before my group of sisters, there were 14 sisters and now we have 50! Holy. There is also a transfer coming up on the 20th and there will be 12 Elders coming and 0 sisters- I am worried that I will be transferred because we will finish training on the 16th and I want to be here in Halmstad for christmas!

Cute Sys. Hosie

This week we lost my favorite investigator, Jolanka. She is so sweet and loves us so much but we are having some serious communication issues. She doesn’t know very much Swedish and she cannot understand us- We are so sad. It breaks my heart to be holding something in my hands that I know could bless someones life and see them not have the patience or time or courage to take it. I pray that she will come in contact with the gospel again in her life. 

On a better note- I was talking to a guy named David on the bus and we ended up teaching him the next day! It went really well and he is super interested and cool. I love our investigators and I see so much potential with all of them. Sister Hosenfeld and I have really been focusing on increasing our effectiveness this week and we talked to more people than usual which resulted in more phone numbers and random lessons on the bus or in the park and being blessed with more lessons than we have ever had here in Halmstad.

hot chocolate!

I am so excited for this Christmas season. The Swedes do something called "The First Advent" where they have four candles and every Sunday before Christmas, they light one of the candles. It began yesterday, so we went to a members house for dinner to begin the advent! Here in Halmstad they do a "light fest" every Sunday until Christmas for the advent- where they light up all of the Christmas lights all over the city. It is beautiful and so fun. I love the Swedish traditions and I am trying to soak up all of it because I will only be here for ONE Christmas! It's all going by so fast and I am enjoying every minute. Whenever I have feelings of wanting to just take a break or stop- I imagine myself being home at this time next year, and I know that I will be missing this place, these people, and my experiences.

Every month for the past eight months, I have chosen one Christlike attribute to work on. There are nine Christlike attributes listed in Preach my Gospel, and this month is my 9th month. Which means by the end of this month I will be half way and I will re-focus each month to a Christlike attribute- going through each of them again until I go home. I have learned so much from applying myself to be more like Him. This month I have chosen knowledge. I want to focus all of my studies to learning more about the doctrine of the gospel so that I can better understand and therefore, help our investigators understand. Instead of trying to finish the Book of Mormon in a month, I sometimes spend a whole hour on one chapter. New ideas and thoughts have been opened up to me and I have been able to apply all that I learn to every aspect of our teaching and work in general.

you must know I love pez :)

Recently, I have been studying a lot about Satan and his power that he has over us as imperfect humans. In every scripture that I studied, it talks about how powerful Satan is and how he can influence the hearts of man. On my mission, I have strongly felt his influence. These are personal feelings that I have not openly shared besides to my parents, but I feel that I should share them now. He has made me feel "lesser", inadequate, guilty, and I have had real feelings of doubt and sadness in my heart. He knows my weaknesses and he knows that if he makes me feel low, that I will not be as focused on the work that I have been called to do. I am grateful for my parents who have strengthened me and have uplifted me. For their inspiring words to choose God and to fill my mind with light. I have been happy and grateful my whole mission, but I have also struggled. These struggles and feelings from Satan have taught me so much about the Light of Christ. I know that Satan is real and that his power is real. And I also know that God is real. That his love, his grace, and his mercy is infinite. It is my wish to all of you to choose God. He is love. He is light. I have a testimony stronger than ever that Christ’s atonement is real and that He loves me. He loves all of us. I am grateful for what I have learned from this experience because my testimony that I share several times a day, is so much more authentic. Because I really do know that what I am saying is true. I love the gospel. I love the scriptures. They are good and they are true. I love feasting upon them everyday. I love teaching from them. They are up-lifting. They come from God. Read them. I love you all,

Love,
Adelidie-lou

Turning 20

Adelide's Birthday Celebration, Thanks to Isam

I have been showered with letters and gifts this week and I feel so spoiled on my birthday! Last night Isam came all the way up from Kristianstad and threw me a birthday party with his famous dinner! It was so fun to see him and catch up on life from my first home here in Sweden. 

He is so thoughtful and printed out a ton of pictures of me and hung them up- when I walked into the room, I was not expecting to see what he did for me and I started crying. Haha. It was very special. I am all partied out and ready to get to work on my real day of birth. 

Last Monday we went to Gekås which is the biggest store in all of Europe! And it is only here in Halmstad about an hour away. People from all over go there and spend ridiculously amounts of money and I am proud to say that I only bought three items- fruit for lunch, chocolate, and gluten free pasta. It was funny to be standing in line next to people with three carts full and I just had three little things. 

My Birthday package from home and a pillowcase from Aunt Christine!

We had a fun party that night at Senja's with Elder Christensen and his parents and his mom gave me my birthday package from you! THANK YOU. It was an awesome package. I am very blessed with a wonderful mother. :) 

This week has been a mix of miracles and busy days and of some days with nothing planned. I loved mom's message to me to "try again tomorrow" in a quote she sent. I wrote about that phrase after a long day of nothingness and the next day was a perfect example of why it is important to take courage and "try again tomorrow". Because then it was tomorrow and that "tomorrow" was a wonderful day. 

Ferry from Sweden to Denmark

Senja picked us up early on Saturday morning and we drove to the Denmark temple! She is so awesome- she went separately with just us so that we could go otherwise it would have taken too much of our day to go with our whole ward. It was so fun to ride in the car with her and talk. It always feels so weird to be in a car because I am so used to buses. When we got to the edge of Helsingborg we took a ferry over the ocean to Denmark. It was my first time on the ferry because we took the train last time! I felt like I was on a cruise! Haha. It was HUGE. 

Adelide and Senja on the ferry

There was a gift shop and restaurant and we went out on top and got some beautiful pictures of the ocean and Denmark. The temple was a very personal and special experience for me. I had not done a session since the MTC and doing it in Swedish was an experience that I wont forget. 

Denmark Temple

On our drive back we listened to a talk by John Bytheway where he mentioned Joseph Smith and his experience in Liberty Jail. I don't even know how many times I have read D&C 121-123 because they are some of my favorite chapters to learn from, but as I listened to him explain Joseph's experience, it became so real to me of what he went through. That it isn't just a story of him living in that tiny room during a bitter cold winter with no privacy, but that it really happened. And in this place he writes honestly of his feelings and of what he went through. In D&C 121 he explains his sorrow, he says 

"O God where art thou?" He also receives peace and comfort that his afflictions, though large, will only be but for a moment. And in 122, he is given a list of "ifs" and how if he endures these "ifs", these trials, he will grow and learn from them. And in 123 vs 17, it reads one of my favorite versus of scripture, 

"Therefore dearly beloved brethren, let us CHEERFULLY do ALL THINGS that lie in OUR POWER; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed." 

Here, within these three sections, He goes from crying out to God in sorrow, to receiving guidance, to teaching his beloved brethren of how to cheerfully endure. 

Sometimes I imagine myself dressed in rain boots, dirty pants, a t-shirt, and dad's yard gloves that are too big for my hands- holding a large brown sack filled with seeds. These seeds are precious and my duty is to plant each one of them and watch them grow into something beautiful. In my other hand I am holding a pail of water. I walk around day after day holding these seeds. These seeds are the invitation to the gospel. As we open our mouths to God's children, our brothers and sisters, we are giving them the opportunity to take this seed and plant it and let it grow into something beautiful. 

Some wish to not take the seed. Instead, they let it fall to the ground so that it doesn't even go under the soil. Others take the seed and plant it but they don't give us the opportunity to water it- to nourish it. A seed cannot grow without being planted. It also cannot grow without water and sunlight. To me, the water represents the gospel- lessons, our testimonies, the Book of Mormon. The sunlight represents God. You can't give someone the knowledge of God, or the sun, with out the knowledge of the gospel, or the water. The sun can't make the seed grow. We as planters can't make the seed grow. It must receive it all- the soil, the water, and the sun. And all that I have in my power is to give out the seeds, the invitation. And to nourish the seed with water, my testimony. And I will do all in my power with a cheerful heart. I would love to see someone soak it all up and become something beautiful -but until then, I will give out these seeds, these precious seeds, with love and happiness in my heart- knowing with assurance that if I do all that is in my power, God will reveal his arm, He will do the rest. 

Some days it is hard to pick up the heavy bag of seeds and go out to work. Sometimes I am rushed to get these seeds out so that I can rest, but as I imagine my Savior going out among these people, I picture him gently and humbly placing these seeds to God's precious children, and it helps me slow down and remember the hope that I can spread by patiently opening my mouth and placing seeds. 

After the temple, we decided to go tract in an area by our church. We walked by a woman standing outside pulling out a cigarette. I almost kept walking until I felt an impression in my heart to open my mouth. I did, and she gave me the weirdest look. My first thoughts were that we are wasting our time and that she was probably going to say "I'm not interesting," but instead she began to tell us that her sister killed herself two years ago and that she has been wondering what the purpose of life is ever since. We told her that we think this message is something that she needs to hear. She gave us a big hug and her number. 

We then tracted two buildings with no success, but the last door we knocked on in the third building was a girl about our age who invited us in immediately. We taught her the plan of salvation, gave her a Book of Mormon, and have another lesson to meet with her in a couple of hours today. 

I am always surprised with the tender mercies we receive here. Like when people say "yes I am interested" or "yes come into my home, I want to hear". It does not happen very often but when it does, I am so grateful and honored to be in this place at this time being an instrument in the hands of the Lord. These mercies, are testimonies to me of God's love for his children and for this work. 

Isam's Famous Dinner

Tomorrow I am turning 20. It is a new year for me to become better. I am grateful for the completion of the past 19 years of my life. This birthday, I think I have realized the beauty of birthdays. It is not a day for everyone to celebrate me and my life, although they do and I am so grateful. But rather, I view it as a day for me to be grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life. This birthday I am grateful to give this day to the work, to not focus on myself but of what I can give of myself.

Keep smiling. I love you all.

Love, 

Adelide Syster-Christensen 

beautiful people

6 o'clock p.m.

Hello dear ones.

Last Monday we got to go to the Bishop's house for dinner to say goodbye to Elder Tanner and then they invited us over again yesterday to say hello to Elder James and we are lucky enough to go there again tonight with some of the families in our ward for a party! So needless to say, this past week has been amazing. 
 

Senja making us dinner

We have the coolest bishop in all of Sweden and his wife, Senja is a big example to me and is also my "mother figure" here in Halmstad. I have truly met some amazing people here in Sweden who have welcomed me into their lives and have also helped me to see what kind of person I want to be. It is such a blessing to be a part of a work that is so centered on people because i. love. people. I love how everyone is so unique and has their own story about who they are.

making dinner at Senja's yesterday

Isam called me last Monday and said that he didn't understand any of the words I was using. haha He said that I need to write more simply so that everyone can understand. He is so awesome and we still keep in touch. In fact, he is so great and is planning on coming up next week on my birthday to make us dinner. And I do have to say that Syster Swenson is probably the best friend right now. We still write each other hand written notes every single week. She sent me a birthday package this last week as well. 
 

Syster Richins :)

And Syster Richins and I can't hardly wait to see each other at zone conferences to catch up on everything. And I love Syster Hosenfeld as well. She is h.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s. She says the funniest things. We actually took a test this week that tells what your top 24 strengths are and our top three strengths are the exact same (1. gratitude, 2. faith- being spiritually sensitive, and 3. easily loving others and being loved) and our last one is the same (humility- haha). I'm so grateful to be meeting some of my greatest friends on my mission. 

hej då äldste tanner

As for the other people that I am loving and meeting- One of our investigators, Jolanka, is seriously the cutest lady. She is in her early 60's and comes from Serbia- she knows the bible inside and out but doesn't belong to any church. I love teaching her and discussing things with her but I most of all just love HER. She gets so happy when we come over and wants to give us things and make us feel at home- which is such a great feeling after long days of "no's" ... to have someone that is excited to be with us. Another lady named Ingvor is a less active member and she also has us over every week. She used to be in a pretty well known band and she has an amazing voice- but now she is lonely and so we go over and sing hymns with her. She's great. 

cloudy with a chance of meat balls or its raining meatballs

Another less active that we are working with, Paola, was not at all excited when we first moved here to Halmstad. She ignored our calls and didn't want to meet. A couple weeks ago we felt like we should make her cookies and bring them by- so we did and she invited us to come over the next week. We went over and shared a comforting scripture with her and got to know her better and after we left she texted us and invited us over for the next week! We went over this past week and she told us that she loved the scripture we shared last time and she actually shared it with a friend who was struggling. Paola is from El Salvador and was baptized when she was about 16 but she has never been to the temple and is married to a non-member Swede now. We taught her about the temple and we are trying to get her ready to get a temple recommend so that she can do baptisms for the dead. I am grateful that the Lord softens hearts and also helps us know what to say, specifically, to his sons and daughters. 

 I am so grateful for the different and unique days that we have here on the mission. Every day we follow the same routine and guidelines but each day we experience different joys, hardships, lessons, beauties, and of course people. I was humbled by the line that Meisha Christensen wrote in her email last week due to the destruction in the Philippines. She said "if the church does a clothes drive, feel free to donate my closet." It is a beautiful thing we learn out here on the mission of how little worth our material things are. I am in a Country that is taken care of by the government and that is also pretty up to date with the style and technology- but I have also been humbled in a different way with how the Swedes live. They live with "just enough". Its kind of like when Jon Stewart went and interviewed a Swede who was pretty famous and they went inside her apartment that only had one room and one bathroom and she had all of her garbage recycling piles etc. and he asked her "why don't you have three flat screen tvs or 3 bathrooms or a maid to do your garbage?" (like most famous people in the US) and she was almost shocked because she didn't need more than what she had. I love that and have learned from their simplicity. 

heating pads\ awkwardly kneeling

Thank you for your letters this week and for the special little things you send me. I put rice in the feet warmers you made me and sewed them up and they keep me so warm :). I guess it has been snowing for a while up in Norrland and we might be receiving snow next week but im not sure! I love you all. Have a ponyriffic week! as Lillie would say. 

Elin and Alice at young women's

XO Adel

Gratitude

As I reflect on this past week, I can't pick out any tremendous successes that occurred. In fact, as we retired home each night, I thought back on the day not really knowing what kind of impact we had or if we had done or changed anything from the day before. Lots of lessons fell through and most of our investigators are not too excited or anxious to meet with us- but I cannot describe to you the joy and gratitude that I have in my heart. I just absolutely LOVE being here. I have loved this week, walking in the pouring, freezing rain singing the same three songs over and over again with my companion as we went by old investigators who are not interested or shall I say they are not "interesting". (They get confused with interested and interesting and think that they need to answer us in English so we REALLY understand. haha). I have also loved the small opportunities that I have had this week to prepare lessons, study the scriptures in depth, and learn more about this wonderful and beautiful life. I loved loading wood piles last Tuesday for 4 hours in the rain with the Elders and our 73 year old ward mission leader from Finland who can't speak English and only speaks a little Swedish. He is seriously one of the coolest people I have met here in Sweden. 

Nana is the one that got baptized and he is the one on the left next to me.

And I also   l o v e d   receiving a call from one of our investigators in Kristianstad inviting me to his baptism this past Saturday. His name is Nana and he is from Africa. I think I mentioned him in past emails, but he is so incredible and I got the biggest tears in my eyes when he called me to come. I am so happy for his decision. We can't leave our areas so I was unable to go but I know that he made the right decision and I know it will bless him the rest of his life.

the library at night

This City is beautiful. It is so artsy and the people here are all very down to earth and very cool. There are a lot of dreadys (people with dreads) and I love them. As Christmas approaches, they have begun to put Christmas lights on the trees around the center of the city and I have heard that this is one of the only cities that does this. I just smiled and stared at them for a good ten minutes the other night because they reminded me of temple square. The weather is pretty cold, but we have not received snow yet! It usually rains a lot in November and December here and they don't get snow until the end of December- March. But it is very windy over here by the ocean. I am very grateful for my warm coat, tights, hats, and gloves. :). It gets dark around 4:00 pm. here but it will slowly start getting dark around 2 or 3. And at 5:00 pm it feels like 9:00 and that we should be in bed, but the night is just getting started! It's definitely a great experience.

This is a statue in the park to represent the poor children in the world.

I guess I have been made the new Relief Society teacher- not really, but I taught last week and this week! For an hour. In Swedish. On topics that are not a part of the main missionary lessons where I have the vocab down. It's hard for me because I have so many thoughts that I want to express in my own way but I can't fully express myself in Swedish. But it has also been good for me. Yesterday I gave a lesson on putting God before all other things. I began by sharing the story that I shared in my farewell talk about the huge mirror that dad made and gave to me for Christmas a couple years ago. I shared how dad related the mirror to sometimes being in relationship to vanity and how another word for vanity means meaningless. I then asked what are some things that everyone does that are "meaningless" and we talked about the "vain things of the world." Then I asked how we could better prioritize our time and put God first in everything that we do. The women had great feedback and it was interesting to really think about all of the things we do in our day to day lives that don't necessarily invite God or his spirit to be with us. Or maybe they are just things that are not the most important for us to do. I switched gears a little and read a poem that dad had sent me in a letter earlier in the week called "the lanyard" by Billy Collins. He talks about the Love of a mother and how we as children can never repay our mothers for everything they do for us except for by the small and simple things like being grateful. I then used dad's idea to tie this into God's love for us and how we will always be indebted to God for all that he has done, as King Benjamin talks about in Mosiah 2. We read Mosiah 2 vs. 21&40; Where King Benjamin says that God has given us breath and our lives and even if we served him our whole lives we could still not fully pay him back. I liked these two contrats (scriptures?) because once we understand God's infinite love for us, we understand why it is so important to set him before all things. If we love God, we will serve him. And we will serve him by doing small things. And all that God wants from us in return is to be good and to be grateful.

As I focus on gratitude in this beautiful month of November, I have reflected on my gratitude book where I have written one thing that I have been grateful for, for everyday of my mission. I have loved being able to notice the smallest of things on my mission- the things that I am so grateful for on a daily basis. Gratitude lifts me up and helps me to see my life as a wonderful and glorious adventure- which it is. I love my life. And of course as I bring my attention to what I am most grateful for, the obvious ones stand out while I am here: The gospel, my family, the lessons and experiences I am having- and especially today, my mother.
 

This is my picture collage for you this year since I can't do one on instagram hahaha

Happy birthday to my beautiful mother and best friend. In dad's letter to me he wrote: "I am filled with gratitude for you and your mother as the official month of gratitude inches closer- my two November babies. There is so much that draws you and I together: Language- love of words and writing, trees and mountains, adventure, hiking and exercise, gospel ideas and meaningfulness, trying to be contemplative, music, and now Sweden and Swedish. There will be new bridges between us in the future. But the very most important thing you and I have in common is an uncanny, deep, abiding love for your mother. And it has been one of my greatest joys to watch her care for you and love you." How true that is. And this November- this month of gratitude, I am more grateful for my mommy than I have been in all my life. For her constant service to me. For her funny and loving personality. For her example and testimony. For her humility. I am even grateful and love that she is so touchy. Dad said "I think the reason your mom is so touchy and loves everyone so freely is because she thinks 'hey we are all in this together!'" She just wants to help people out and be their third arm. It used to really embarrass me- especially when she pulled out Scott Long's diabetic insulin thinking it was a tag. Or how she tucks in anyone's tag that is sticking out no matter who it is- but now I see the beauty of it. She truly does so openly and freely invite herself into others lives and make them feel important and loved. She is in other words- the opposite of a Swede and I miss that. She doesn't care what the world thinks of her. She lives a beautiful and graceful life. She easily laughs at her mistakes and continues to be better. She is ready to serve and help anyone at any time of the day. I am so grateful for the person you are and I love and miss you.

Have a wonderful week! I got gram's birthday package and letter! She is so sweet. Also- the Bishop asked me if I would start teaching a yoga class every Friday from 6-7 when we normally play innebandi and then we will play innebandi from 7-9! Hahaha. I'M STOKED. I am also so sad for the Philipines. I am glad to hear Meisha is doing okay. --Prayers going her way. Also Congratulations to Sarah Christensen for getting her call to England! So cool. I love you all! I am happy and healthy. 
xoxoxo
Me
Sorry I don't have a lot of pictures this week. LOVE YOU!

I Can't Believe it is November!!

Hello.

I can't believe it is November. I received my mission call on November 16th LAST YEAR. It is crazy that it seems like yesterday because I have done and learned so much this year.

After the storm

Last Monday we had quite the storm. After emailing we all had to go home and stay inside all night! Syster Hosenfeld and I decided to go out and brave the elements.. #yolo. So we went out and ran around in the class 3 storm! This is how I would describe it: Being in the ocean when the waves tumble you and you can't breathe. That is how strong it was. It would hit you and just knock the wind out of you. haha We wanted to go out by the ocean but we saw all of the flag poles swaying back and forth and thought it probably wasn't the best idea. The next morning no one was out, leaves, branches, and roof shingles were all over the road, and so many of the trees in the forest had fallen over. 
:( poor trees.

We had many miracles this week. We met five different people on the streets or tracting at the beginning of the week and we met with all of them! One of them is a lady named Jolanka who is older and is Christian. We met her on the bus and she invited us to come over the next day. We went over and it was pitch black outside at 5 pm and she threw her keys out the window for us to come up to her apartment and they got lost in all of the leaves from the storm. We were on our hands and knees digging through the leaves for about 5 minutes and then she had to come down and look with us with a flash light. We looked for 20 more minutes and Syster Hosenfeld and I were just PRAYING that we would find them and we did! 

We also met with a guy named Hossam that contacted us and then Hannie who we tracted into. They are all interested and want us to continue meeting with them. Another kid named Erik was at the bus stop and we started talking to him but our bus came so I literally threw a mormon.org card at him and told him to call us and he did! He is 15 and is actually from Russia but has lived here his whole life. On Saturday we met with him and he showed us around Halmstad and took us up 150 stairs to the top of a hill and we had fika (means "snack-break) and talked about the gospel. He believes a lot of the same things as us and has awesome standards- so we are excited to continue to meet with him!

Erik

I love our ward here in Halmstad. Have I already said that? They are so incredible. On Wednesday we had an activity and played games and we had so much fun. And every Friday we play Innebandi (floorball) with our ward, investigators, less actives and whoever else wants to come. Syster Hosenfeld and I are sooo bad but we have so much fun. Everyone takes it so seriously and we just look like idiots but its so hilarious. 

 For Halloween we didn't do much but on November 2 it was All Saints Day and this is where everyone puts candles on the graves- so we took Alice, a young woman in our ward to the top of the 150 stairs to visit a cemetery that was in the middle of a forest. It was beautiful but really creepy. The cemetery was for animals and it was SOOO dark. We only had a little flash light but it helped a lot and this is kinda cheesy but it really just hit me of how much we need light in our lives. When it was completely dark- even this small flash light made a huge difference. And I have felt even the smallest glimpse of Christ's light in my life when I seem to be wandering in darkness. The light is what guides us and comforts us.

HAHAHAA Look at Alice's face. Swedes don't smile.

This week I have been focusing on God's grace that comes through Christ. I have been reading the New Testament in Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians and the word GRACE has stuck out to me so strongly. I often question myself if I am doing all that I can to apply the gift of the atonement and God's grace to my life. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 it says 

"And he said unto me, My grace is SUFFICIENT for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

His grace is sufficient for each of us. His mercy and love reaches to us at our lowest of lows. All that we need to do is take a hold of His hand that is already stretched out. I am so grateful for grace. For the gracious atonement that I am so needful of every day. I sometimes wish that I was perfect and that I didn't make dumb decisions or fail or struggle. But I love how it says "Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." It is through our imperfections and our weaknesses that we become perfect. Not perfect as Christ was perfect, but perfect as in complete or whole. We become whole from failing and by trying again and by taking ahold of Christ's gracious atonement to heal us. I know I probably sound like a broken record with my letters about what I am learning, but that is because I have to learn these things again and again and again. Hopefully one day it will all stick. :)

I love you all. Thank you for your love. "Be perfect. Be of good comfort. Be of one mind. Live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." - 2 Corinthians 13:11.

Love Adelide

Castle in Halmstad