ROBERT BAKER AND ELDER RICHARDSON

A few of the members of our district, and then
Robert Baker on the end. He was the first Swede I talked to when I was in the MTC. That was over Skype. Now I get to serve in his ward. He said my Swedish has gotten better. ;)
Elder Richardson is my new companion. He is the one to my left. Together we terrorize the streets of Handen. 

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST WAS ONE OF WORLDWIDE IMPACT
One of the treats we had this past week was our Zone Conference. The Beckstrands put together a conference with a focus on Christmas and why we celebrate it. They added some fun twists, and we even had a white elephant activity. But one of the focuses I really liked was on the birth of Christ in The Book of Mormon. His birth was reverenced by shepherds and wise men in the East --  a humble birth. But it was also rejoiced over on the other side of the world. His birth was one of worldwide impact. One that is not bounded by time. No other man who has ever been born into this world has had more of an impact than Jesus Christ. 



CAROLING ISN'T A THING IN SWEDEN

This past week we went caroling twice. Caroling isn't a thing in Sweden. But as we stood in tunnels out in the cold, people bustling past, we were able to reach out to people. We had people walk past and give us a smile, tell us good job, and pause to listen. We even had a few people who joined in. It was fun because we were able to touch people in the simple testimony of song.

MORE WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO BECOME FRIENDS WITH
Walking into church Sunday, was a crazy experience. There are three wards that meet in our meetinghouse here, and each ward is quite large. As people began filing in, I kept feeling overwhelmed by the number of people there. We had close to 150 people, which has been the biggest ward I've been in. I found myself feeling completely out of my element. No longer in the close company of our little ward in Kungsbacka, one can easily melt into the congregation. But the awesome thing is that each person I talked to had their own personality. It's a huge ward, but that just means more wonderful people to become friends with.

ELDER ROWLEY'S PAGE TURNER

One of the cool things about moving to Handen is that I'm around Elder Rowely again. 

He needed a page turner, and he knew the skills I have in that field. 

I was sight-read page turning. 

But it ended up sounding great. 

ALREADY A CHRISTIAN

Later that night, we were out tracting. We didn't have much luck as many were out of town, with friends, or just not interested. But the last door we knocked on, we met a friendly face. Already a Christian, she was happy to see two young boys out spreading the beautiful message of Christmas. She explained how every morning she listens to the radio. And about a week ago, they had a two hour talk show about Christmas. In the entire program, there was not one mention of Jesus Christ. And then we came along. She had us wait at the doorstep and came back moments later with a box of chocolates and two mugs to say thank you for the message we share. She was just as excited about the message as we are :)

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

President and Sister Beckstrand read us The Night Before Christmas with a little missionary twist.

SHOPPING AT IKEA, BIG CHANGES, WONDERFUL DAY, 24 HOURS LATER---HANDEN, PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE EDITOR, PHOTOS FROM HOME

SHOPPING AT IKEA
It's been quite the week. This last Tuesday we began preparing for the two new missionaries that would be moving in with us. The apartment is spacious and quite luxurious, but we were missing some of the necessary furniture, like beds. Naturally, we wanted a place for them to sleep when they got there, so we went shopping at good old IKEA. It was pretty fun being in Sweden and shopping at IKEA. Almost as fun as the next 8 hours that it took for us to figure out and assemble the bunk bed, desks, dressers, and chairs. But long story short, when they stepped through that door, everything was ready for them. We spent the next few days adjusting with all the changes that come with having two extra people in the apartment, and it was a good time.  

BIG CHANGES
Friday night, about when we felt like everyone was getting settled in, we got a call from President Beckstrand. My first thought was, what did I do wrong? That thought was quickly pushed aside as I realized I'd been a trying my best to be a good boy so Santa Claus will bring my some presents this year.  As he began to talk to us though, I realized some big changes were coming. So it was then that I found out that I would be moving back to the Stockholm area in a city called Handen. Elder Chugg would be sent to Katrineholm. And all the work we had put into that apartment to make it the 5-star living quarters it is, was for nothing. Regular transfers were a week before, so it definitely took us by surprise. 

WONDERFUL DAY
The next day we spent with the new Elders teaching them everything they needed to know about the area -- the people they should meet, where to shop for groceries, and everything. We had a wonderful day together, and we got in contact with many of the people we planned for.  Sunday came around, and we had to let the ward know. This was probably the toughest part of it. We had planned Christmas with the families I had been with last year, and we were all excited. But that was all pushed aside as we explained that there was a change in the plans this year. 

24 HOURS LATER---HANDEN
I was lucky that I could play my violin with the choir for our last Sunday there, and 24 hours later, I'm sitting in Handen typing up this email. Missionary work can often fall into a monotonous cycle, but there are definitely curve balls that can come our way. I was so glad for the chance to return to Kungsbacka, and I thank the people there who have had an impact on my life. But I also look forward to my new adventure here in Handen. 

P.S. Sorry, no pictures this week. My hard drive is deep inside my suitcases, and I haven't had time to unpack yet. :)

PERSONAL NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Since Aldste Sweat wasn't able to send photos, I will add some personal photos from home.  Merry Christmas!!!

PHOTOS FROM HOME

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, missing our 2 missionaries this year.

Denzel, the youngest in our family.

Giovanna, our oldest child.

Dominique, our oldest son.

Dante, our 4th child, at BYU Jerusalem.

Elder Sweat, far right, our 5th child currently serving a mission in Guatemala.

Arianna & Tiana, his two younger sisters.

Denzel, the baby, sitting on Santa's lap.

Terrell and Becca, the wonderful parents of Aldste Sweat!!!  

Flashback photo from the good old days of watching our boys play baseball, eating seeds together, and giving the refs a hard time!  

VARBERG

The Swedish coastline in Varberg.

THE WORST OF THE STORM HAS PASSED

On Friday, we had Elder Roosendaal with us. His companion traveled to Stockholm for the day to attend meeting, and he would be back later that night. However, there was a huge storm around Northern Europe that created a change of plans for us. Elder Roosendaal stayed the night with us and his companion was left to fend for himself on the streets of Stockholm. Trains were cancelled and there was quite a bit of damage done. For me, though, it was just another rainy day. Although, the gusts of wind did make it slightly unpleasant as I found myself assaulted by rain that found its way into my ear hole. That was a first for me. But the next day, Elder Roosendaal's companion made it home safe and sound. And as far as I know, the worst of the storm has passed. 

IT'S BEGINNING...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ME?

If you haven't had the chance to check christmas.mormon.org, I would recommend it. This has been one of my favorite videos that I have seen in awhile. The story of the birth of our Savior is a reason to rejoice! But why? It's a question I have taken time to think about. Why is it important to me? And now, I extend that to you, discover why. 

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

Joseph and Mary hold the baby Jesus on the night of His birth.

THE YOUNG CHRIST CHILD

A portrait of Mary and the young Christ child at the time the Wise Men brought gifts.

THE WISE MEN

The Wise Men present gifts to the child.

KUNGSBAKA FOR ANOTHER TRANSFER

This Saturday, we received the calls for transfers. Elder Chugg and I will be staying in Kungsbacka for another transfer. We will be receiving two new missionaries this week in our apartment. There are a lot of changes this week as we are receiving around 25 new missionaries to the mission. There will be many eager faces drinking in all the novelties Sweden has to offer. 

THE WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY

The bishopric dressed up to do a short sketch at the Ward Christmas party. As you can see, the kids are all mesmerized.

A LOT OF RAIN THIS WEEK, THANKFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BRAINS, I KNOW MY SAVIOR LOVES ME, SWEDISH KIDS RIDE TO SCHOOL IN STYLE, AWESOME TO BE IN SWEDEN, A LITTLE RED HOUSE SET IN THE WOODS, I AM THANKFUL THAT I HAVE A WONDERFUL FAMILY AT HOME, BLUE OPEL CORSA, ELDER AND SISTER HAWLEY

A LOT OF RAIN THIS WEEK

The rain has been coming down, and the floods are going up. You can see the differences in the water levels from the picture I took last week. It's been a lot of rain this week.

THANKFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BRAINS

On our way through the middle of nowhere, we came to this towel factory. The member we were with wanted to show us it. Apparently it has been producing cloth for longer than America has been a country. As I looked at the machine and the complexity of it, I realized I am thankful there are people who have brains that are mechanically minded to make life easier. Because if it had been up to me, we probably would just wear the largest leaves we could find.

I KNOW MY SAVIOR LOVES ME
On Sunday, we had one of my favorite meetings of the year -- the primary program. I found myself humming along to the songs that I learned in my childhood. It was fun to hear the way the text had been translated over to Swedish. The songs may have been slightly modified, but the message was the same. The theme of the program was, "I Know My Savior Loves Me." I thought it was wonderful and a great introduction to the Christmas season. The theme contains all the simplicity of the Gospel, and contains the strength and power we can find therein. I know that my Savior loves me, because I have felt it in my heart. 

SWEDISH KIDS RIDE TO SCHOOL IN STYLE

Swedish kids ride to school in style. They might not be able to drive at as young of an age as we do. But a segway will do just fine. 

AWESOME TO BE IN SWEDEN

Wednesday, we had the opportunity to visit some of the members who live out in the countryside. We were blessed to have one of the other members in the ward follow along with us and describe the history of the area as we drove. The countryside was breathtaking, but simple. As we drove along, I couldn't take my eyes off the beautiful fields of green. I wanted to explore the forests of pine where the thickness of the boughs blocked the light of day. We covered a lot of ground, and I just kept thinking how awesome it was to be in Sweden. Each area is unique, and who knows when we'll ever see it again? It's a wonderful opportunity to be here in Sweden.

A LITTLE RED HOUSE SET IN THE WOODS

This is more what I had in mind when I thought of Sweden. A little red house set in the woods.

I AM THANKFUL THAT I HAVE A WONDERFUL FAMILY AT HOME

It was nice to spend Thanksgiving with some of the other missionaries in our zone. The senior couple in our area was nice enough to prepare Thanksgiving for us. We all brought ingredients, and they went to work. As we had our district meeting, the familiar smells of Thanksgiving began filling the room. It made me grateful for all those great memories I have from home. But I have also had time to realize how grateful I am for this time I have been here in Sweden. There are so many people that I would have never crossed paths with, but now I have those connections. I am thankful that I have a wonderful family at home. Parents who have given me great opportunity. Siblings who are some of my best friends. A life of joy and sorrow. I am thankful that I have a Father in Heaven, and I am thankful for His love I have felt. 

BLUE OPEL CORSA

This what we found the other day when we went out to our car. We drive the blue Opel Corsa. 

ELDER AND SISTER HAWLEY

Thanksgiving lunch with the other district in our area. It wouldn't have been possible without Elder and Sister Hawley. And we were all very grateful for their help so we could have a wonderful time together.

TODAY IS GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONAL, KUNGSBACKA, NOVEMBER 23, 2015, I COULD HAVE BEEN AT GRANDMA'S HOUSE, ENDLESS FIELDS,

TODAY IS GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONAL

When we stepped out of the apartment this morning, the first thing noticed was how cold it was. We had a drop of 15 degrees from yesterday to today. The next thing I noticed was the beautiful morning sky. It's not often we see it blue, so today is going to be exceptional.

KUNGSBACKA

This is the main square in Kungsbacka. We live in the buildings behind me. It's a cute little Swedish city teeming with people.

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

Another shot of this morning. This is actually the first time we had to scrape our car windows.  November 23, 2015:  Not bad considering how far north we are.

I COULD HAVE BEEN AT GRANDMA'S HOUSE

Just before I left Malmö, one of the members asked me to go visit a friend in a city outside of Kungsbacka. Of course I agreed, and headed on my way. I guess I should back track a little bit first. I have talked about this member before. Her name is Märta, and she is 96 years old. She has physical impairments that make life that much tougher, but she has a love for life that is invigorating. I'd also received an autobiography from her as a gift. I had glanced through it a few times, but this week I decided to pull out my Swedish-English dictionary and learn some new words. She writes with an eloquence in Swedish that dwarfs my little conversational vocabulary, but as I got deeper into her story, I found it more and more compelling. We see people as they are, and they can be wonderful. We may appreciate them as they are, but each person has a story. Their own experiences: the good and the bad. It was cool to learn her history and see what she had experienced. As I read, I was reminded of her friend and we made the preparations to make the trip to her house. When we showed up, there was some ice to be broken, but once we got past that, I felt like I could have been at Grandma's house. We talked about Märta and how these two know each other. She gave us some of her homemade baked goods, and we talked about what we do as missionaries. She let us in only because she knows that Märta asked us to come, and it was such a good reminder to me of the good influence we can have on other people through our lives and examples.

ENDLESS FIELDS

Those green hills in the background are a pretty typical sight for Kungsbacka. No mountains are towering in the sky, but they break up the monotony of endless fields.

ELDER PEARSON AND I, DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THEIR STORIES, GOD IS THERE FOR US, IT DOES THE TRICK, BATMAN

ELDER PEARSON AND I

 

We are at Specialized Zone Training. Basically a meeting where they teach us how we can improve as missionaries. Elder Pearson and I. We are what's left of the group that left the MTC all those months ago.
D&C 6:34. 

DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND THEIR STORIES 
I am still amazed at the people we meet as missionaries. When I received my call to go to the Sweden Stockholm mission, I pictured lots of tall, blonde haired blue-eyed people. But Sweden has become its own melting pot. So many different cultures are mixing and learning to adapt to different customs. In many ways, I imagine that this is how the young American nation was. It's interesting to be living in a country that is going through so much change. But as I said, it also brings in a lot of different people and their stories. 

IT DOES THE TRICK

We have a great apartment, and we thought of an idea that could make it even better. It's not quite regulation size, but it does the trick.

GOD IS THERE FOR US
This week we got to hear the story of one of the members in the ward and his experience in his pursuit of happiness. He first moved to Norway from his homeland of Iran. He received a visa to stay in the country and began his life. One day, about six years later. He was in class learning Norwegian. Then, two men (in regular clothing) came into the room asking for him. He went out with them and they told him that he would have to follow them. He asked if he could get his bag, to which they said no. Obviously confused, he was taken out of the building and thrown into a cellar. He told us that it was completely dark, and he had no perception of time as he sat and waited. He had recently become a member of the LDS church, and his wife and children would be waiting for him at home. From his end, he was simply confused and worried. He was then questioned, and at the end of the interview, they informed him that he would be deported back to his home country. Understanding the culture he comes from, to convert to Christianity is punishable by death, so he pleaded for them to allow him to stay. They didn't give, and put him back in the cellar to wait. Eventually, they put him on a plane, and he began the journey back to Iran. He tried to describe the fear he felt on that journey, as he headed back to an almost certain death. Over and over he asked the guard, who was sent to escort him home, to not send him home to no avail. He said that the burden of fear was crushing him. He had his head buried in his hands, when he felt a hand on his shoulder and voice telling him not to worry. He would return to Norway. He looked up, shocked, and asked his escort if he was messing with him. The guard was confused, and when we heard the experience, he scoffed at him and told him he had snapped. But this brought peace to this member's mind. He arrived in the Iranian airport around 3 in the morning, and as he came to customs, he was met by a familiar face. His uncle was the manage working at the time. His uncle asked him why he was back. He said it was because the government had sent him there. His uncle asked him if he would like to go back to Norway. To which he replied in the affirmative. His wife, kids, and home are all there. The guard had already gone on his way to catch his flight home, when he heard a familiar voice. That member was being sent back to Norway on the same flight. You can imagine how surprised this guard must have been, especially when he saw our member friend seat himself in business class. When they arrived home, he was thrown back into the cellar. But within a short time, he was released back on the streets, a free man. And the next day, he was in church, where he related his story. God is a god of miracles. He cares about every one of His children, and He will give us the aid we need. I was grateful for this member's story and the reminder it gave me that God is there for us.

BATMAN

These towers always remind me of Batman.

NICE VIEW OF THE CITY, THE ONE WE NEEDED, HOW OUR HALLOWEEN WAS SPENT, MAYBE SMILING KEEPS US LOOKING YOUNG OR SOMETHING, I LOVE THE WAY THE WARD LIFTED WHERE THEY STAND, A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO SPEND THE FALL, WALKING HISTORY

NICE VIEW OF THE CITY

These are some of the Elders in my zone. We got together and climbed on the hills to get a nice view of the city. 

THE ONE WE NEEDED

Sunday evening we had a lesson set up with a lady named Monica. We tried calling a few members who we thought would be good to have in our lesson with us. Unfortunately, for various reasons, they could not make it. We were thinking about it, and then another member we hadn't thought of popped up. We decided to ask him, and he gladly agreed to help. We met Thomas (the member) outside of Monica's building, and headed to her door. None of us had met her before, so we weren't quite sure what to expect, but when she let us in, we found out that Thomas and Monica had actually met before. Thomas would buy groceries from the place Monica worked, and they'd talked a few times. Then as we talked, we discussed what she thought about the Church, any worries she had, etc. And as we talked about some of her main worries, Thomas jumped in with his own experiences. He talked about overcoming his own struggles, and I couldn't help but be amazed. He wasn't the first person we had thought of, but he turned out to be the one we needed. 

HOW OUR HALLOWEEN WAS SPENT

This really should have been with last week. This is Alla Helgons Dag. Basically, this is how our Halloween was spent. There aren't any huge cemeteries in Kungsbacka, but the one we found was a beautiful sight to see. 

MAYBE SMILING KEEPS US LOOKING YOUNG OR SOMETHING

On Friday, we met Eustadius. Again, I had never met him before. But as soon as he walked around the corner, he had a smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile as well. They can be quite contagious. We had our lesson, and had a good discussion. But more than anything else, I was impressed with his positive outlook on life. He had his own problems and worries, but he is doing it with a smile on his face. I may add that we thought he was in his late twenties, but he told us he was 44. So maybe smiling keeps us looking young or something. But I appreciated his positive attitude.

WATCHING AS A HAS BEEN

We were walking through the neighborhood when the lights caught my attention. We were the only people walking out on the street, and the moment just seemed so poetic. The misting rain seemed to quiet the entire night, and all we could hear was the tweet of the whistle and players communicating. Then I realized that I was watching as a has been. I never thought I'd be in that position, but that's where I am now. Or maybe I'm a never was, hahaha.  

I LOVE THE WAY THE WARD LIFTED WHERE THEY STAND

I'm not sure how much the conflict in Syria is talked about at home, but it is a pressing issue here. Every day there are families looking for a new place to call home. They walk, drive, or do whatever they can to find a land of peace. I can only imagine their thoughts as they come into the new land. I felt overwhelmed, and I had people waiting for me at the airport. I had a warm home, food, and friends to welcome me. I still felt out of place. So I can't imagine what they are going through. But one of the things that we got to help with this week was a flea market for children. The members in the ward decided to help out and began organizing the project. There was a lot of effort put in, and it turned out great. All the money that people paid for the stuff went directly, by text, to help the refugees. We can't stop the conflict in Syria, and we may not have the means to help every person in need. But I loved the way the ward lifted where they stand. They made an effort to help their brothers and sisters in need. 

A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO SPEND THE FALL

One of the big differences between Skåne and Göteborg is trees. Trees and their "mountains" which are really rocky hills of granite. But it is a beautiful place to spend the fall. 

WALKING HISTORY

On Thursday we were in Varberg. Our bus cards don't work down there, so we were walking to visit some people when we found ourselves on this little path by some suburbs. We hadn't seen many people walking past, due to the rain, but then this lady came along. We started talking to her, and we found out that she was the first woman in Sweden to get a hunting license. And even now, at 75 years old, she is an avid hunter. Unfortunately, she's not hunting for the truth, but I was nonetheless impressed. She is walking history. 

HANDSOME SONS, SHORT AND SWEET, 3 PHOTOS TO ADD

HANDSOME SONS

"Sister Chugg and Sister Sweat, here are your handsome sons tonight in Sweden! They are doing awesome!"--Sister Brown

SHORT AND SWEET
Well I forgot the cable again. But there weren't really any pictures to add to this week. My new companion is Elder Chugg. We have been working hard to get in contact with all the people that the previous missionaries left notes for. It's been fun readjusting to Kungsbacka and testing my memory of places and people. Luckily my noggin is still working fairly well, and the names are flooding back. I have moved into a different apartment than the previous one I had, and it's nice. The biggest struggle is when I forget my planner upstairs, and I have to climb the stairs to get it. But it is weird adjusting to all the extra space. In my apartment in Stockholm, I would eat, sleep. plan, and study all from my bed. Now, the extra space we have just stares sadly back at me. Things are going well here, and I am excited to be back. I look forward to what Elder Chugg and I will do here. 

3 PHOTOS TO ADD

The Del Barco family 

Björn and Christian 

Majeed and Reza

SELFIE, DINNER IS SERVED, I GOT IT ALL DOWN, TRANSFERS OR MALMO HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME, Malmö, FALL, 154 MILES TO KUNGSBACKA

SELFIE

Selfie with Jesus and the Sjödin family. 

DINNER IS SERVED

Dinner is served!

I GOT IT ALL DOWN

This describes what you see above. When I explained to Brandon that missionaries just eat whatever is placed in front of us, he decided to test us and make the culinary delicacy you see in the other picture. He didn't eat any of it, but I got it all down.

TRANSFERS OR MALMO HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME

Transfers are here once again, and I must say, I did not see this one coming. I am heading up north to Kungsbacka. I wasn't writing my blog when I first came out, so this may not mean much to you. But this was my second area. So almost exactly a year later, I am returning. I am excited for what the future holds there. However, moving means that I no longer get to be in Malmö, which is definitely a bummer. After six months in this ward, it feels like I am leaving home all over again. I have met so many wonderful people, and I have many close friends here. If one were to read my experiences over the past six months, it is most certainly a gilded image. As a missionary, our lives are full. Packed with memories of the good, the bad, and the ugly. But these experiences are the ones that I look back on now with fondness. You may not have a full picture of the journey I am experiencing, but this is a wonderful time in my life. Malmö has been good to me, and I will always treasure my service here.

Malmö

Last glimpses of Malmö.

FALL

Fall is officially here.

The driving distance from Malmo, Sweden to Kungsbacka, Sweden is:

154 miles / 248 km

Map of driving directions from Malmo, Sweden to Kungsbacka, Sweden

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