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| Last District lunch together before everyone transfers around. |
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| We held a funeral for Elders Taggart and Beck. The beach was especially crowded that day because we've had a string of cloudy days, and it was finally gorgeous. So we got a lot of strange looks. We even had a group of people gathering around us as we dug. I think they were hoping we'd find something cool. |
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| We all headed to Stockholm Tuesday night.Those two on their way home, and me to pick up my new companion. |
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| This is Elder Rowley. Class of 2015, he is fresh from the MTC and excited to be in Sweden. I made sure he understood that he was lucky to begin in Malmö of all places. It's a gorgeous city, wonderful ward, and filled with awesome people. And the kebab is exceptional here. |
On Monday, we met with Magnus again. Every time I get the chance to meet with Magnus or someone like him, I feel energized. There are people who will listen, and there are people who want to gain knowledge or a faith. But Magnus thirsts after knowledge. He thinks and ponders about the words we say, and continues to ask questions, searching for the answers. He is an agent, acting to gain and become what he wants. He told us this last time, that as we talked with him in our first meeting, he was skeptical. Each question was an attempt to uncover something that was off. But as the meeting went on, he began to recognize the truth in it. And since then, he has pondered and read in The Book of Mormon, praying to God, and he has found strength in it all. He told us about how every time he reads The Book of Mormon, he feels a power from it, even just holding it gives him a boost. It was a good time, and as we talked, I gained new insights that have helped me as well. I am always grateful for the amount of teaching that is done of both sides of the lesson.
THE 6 YEAR-OLDS
On Sunday, we got to help teach the 6 year-olds. This is an awesome opportunity, especially to improve in Swedish. They are swift to correct and very blunt, with no attempt to protect your ego. Luckily I escaped there with my pride relatively unscathed. But teaching that class lifted me that day. Their bubbling personalities and desires to be heard were at times a little overwhelming. But the honesty, I think, is what makes young kids so awesome. Out of nowhere, one of the kids said, "Sometimes my mom gets mad at me, but she still loves me." This led to a string of comments as kids rattled of how often their parents get mad at them, which parent is nicer, and I couldn't help but laugh. We all came from those same beginnings, and as we've grown, we've developed certain characteristics and dropped others. But as we learn from Jesus' words, "And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God" (3 Nephi 11:38). That statement highlights that there are many wonderful things about children. And sometimes I wonder if I have dropped some of the characteristics I had as a child, that would actually benefit me in my life. This experience helped me understand how every responsibility in the church improves us in our lives.
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