CHEF SWEAT, IT'S IRONIC, SMILED HIS LIFE AWAY, GIANT, MEMBERS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR TIME, Staffanstorp, MOVING MASS OF SQUIRMING CHILDREN, THE DARKNESS RETURNS

CHEF SWEAT

Some people know me as Demetri. Others know me as Äldste Sweat. In the kitchen, it's Chef Sweat.

IT'S IRONIC

I don't know how to explain this picture, other than that I think it's ironic.

SMILED HIS LIFE AWAY

On Wednesday, we went to Staffanstorp to visit an elderly member named Peter. We wanted to see how things were going for him, and ask if there was something we could do to help out. It was refreshing to meet him. I had never met him before, so I did not know what to to expect. But as we walked into the restaurant I was met by a face that is best described as being smiley. His whole demeanor was one of a person who has smiled his life away. He talked about his experience of coming to church, showed us pictures of previous missionaries he'd met, and gave us an opportunity to catch a glimpse of his past that made him who he is today. His conviction of the gospel was invigorating, and I am grateful for people like him.

GIANT

I had mentioned in an earlier entry that everything is smaller in Sweden. But I got a kick out of this. Giant bikes seem to be quite small. But that's just Swedish. :)

MEMBERS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR TIME
On Friday, we usually do what is called weekly planning. It's pretty self explanatory, but we call a lot of people. Most of the time it takes between 3 and 4 hours to complete it. We began the journey, and about 30 minutes in, we called a few people. The first person we called said they had time that day to meet; it would cut into our planning time, so we decided to try and find a different time. The next person we called said to come on over that day as well. We decided if it happened twice, we should just take it. So we set up appointments for an hour later, and we began scrambling to figure out the logistics. Elder Rowley went to one appointment, and I headed to the other. As missionaries we can't just split up whenever we want, so we had to organize some splits. Long story short, we found ourselves sitting down at lessons with members who sacrificed their time to come with us. And it went awesome! I was impressed with their willingness to serve, and on such short notice. When I look back on the experience and think of the craziness of it all, I realize my writing does not do it justice. But it was fun to see those ward members come together with us.

Staffanstorp

This is a little town outside of Malmö called Staffanstorp. Elder Rowley and I were confused, because it was so peaceful. I hadn't realized how used I'd become to all the noises of the city until we went to Staffanstorp. It was almost an uncomfortable silence. But we returned back to Malmö later that day, and I was back in my element.

MOVING MASS OF SQUIRMING CHILDREN

One more short experience. We got to help teach the primary kids who are between 6 and 8 years-old. I've talked a little about another experience teaching them. But this time was a riot. I am amazed at the amount of knowledge these kids know. They were tossing out answers to questions that I felt like I didn't know until I had gone to seminary. The whole class was a moving mass of squirming children, but their minds were just as focused as mine (take that as you will). It was a delight to have that chance to be with them again. 

THE DARKNESS RETURNS

The Darkness Returns

DR. SEUSS SOCCER FIELD, ELDER ROWLEY AND I, WARRIORS, EACH OF US HAS GREAT POTENTIAL, I ONLY BELIEVE IN SCIENCE

DR. SEUSS SOCCER FIELD

The Dr. Seuss soccer field. We played as a district last Monday, and it was quite the experience.

ELDER ROWLEY AND I

Elder Rowley and I couldn't decide which of the dogs best represented us.

WARRIORS

While I can't say that the mission was meant to be fun, there are definitely those moments. We were asked by the ward to accompany the youth on a mission of adrenaline and stealth. We are not by any means the warriors Teancum or Moroni were, but we did give it our best in the war of paint-balling. 

EACH OF US HAS GREAT POTENTIAL
This Thursday, I went on an exchange in Lund, leaving Elder Rowley behind to take care of the area for his first time. And he did magnificently. I was with Elder Higgins in Lund. My first time meeting Elder Higgins was his first morning in Sweden, nearly 8 months ago. At that time he was tired, worried about Swedish, but pressing forward. This last Thursday, I found myself with a seasoned veteran. Something that only time and experience can create, and it's amazing to think of all the experiences that has gone into shaping each of us. I feel like I don't see it as easily in myself, but seeing that change in Elder Higgins was awesome. I found myself sitting by him as we taught lessons in Swedish, no longer with words uncomfortably stumbling out. Being a missionary is a time of growth, and it shapes us in a way that will help us reach a greater potential. Each of us have great potential.

 I ONLY BELIEVE IN SCIENCE

"I only believe in science." What was once a humorous statement from the movie Nacho Libre, has seemingly become the statement heralded by people all over Sweden. There are so many that are convinced by that which science offers. And I must say, I believe in science as well. However, I used to think that it was widely understood that science is imperfect and incomplete. We read about theories and hypothesis. Each of these are written with room for exception. If we took a look at the science we have today and compared it to what we had 200 years ago, it would be amazing to see the growth. So often, people seem to be focused on the narrow scope that scientific discoveries offer, when in reality, their picture is obscured by doubt and human limitations. As we speak to people each day, we do it with the intent to show them a way they can find their own knowledge. It must sound funny, hearing a 21 year-old kid trying to offer advice on life. Not only here on Earth, but in the life to come. But that's what we have. We have a way to expand our understanding and receive more light. People reject us, because they do not understand what they could have. 

THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND, THE WEDDING PLANNER, WARMTH AND HAPPINESS, NO ELEVATOR, OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE, LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, FOG

THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND

On the outside, this looks like any normal hedge. But then we saw an opening, and this is what we found.

THE WEDDING PLANNER

 This was a great week. One of the highlights was the marriage of Su and Jing. Unfortunately, I also don't have any pictures of it. I was stressing out the whole time making sure it went well. It's tough to be the wedding planner and I have gained great respect for them. But we had a nice ceremony in the chapel where our bishop united them until the separation of death. 

After the ceremony, as we were eating cake, I asked Su if he felt different. He responded with, "Yes, I'm married now." (I should add that they had been together for several years.) 

So then I asked a follow up question, "Well, is it good?"  He smiled big and said, "Of course." 

We have talked with Su a lot about the purpose of life, who God is, and why prayer is important. But at this point, these are not major roles of his life. However, marriage is still a priority in his life. And that's what the Gospel is meant for. It is meant to strengthen and build strong families. We have talked about eternal marriage and what that means. And it is amazing when one considers the importance of such a statement or a claim. But it is backed up with evidence. We cannot slap down the evidence of such a union; rather, it is a truth that each person can receive for themselves. It's a personal witness. And once we have the witness we can move forward with great hope. The commandments and everything we have to guide us will improve us. And we have it all, because God loves us. 

WARMTH AND HAPPINESS

These ducks are probably just taking a break from the flight coming down from Boden. They'll soon be on their way to warmth and happiness.

NO ELEVATOR

No elevator...

OPPORTUNITES TO SERVE

To go in a little more detail with the tall building, I should explain that missionaries love opportunities to serve. When we are serving our men, we are practicing true religion. On Saturday, we had planned to help a family move. When we showed up, I instantly noticed the grandeur of the building. Then as I looked on the board to see which floor we were heading too, I just had to chuckle. It seems that it's always the top floor. Even better, there was no elevator. So five flights of stairs later, we reached the door and were welcomed in. Needless to say, I could feel it in my legs the next morning.

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS

Then there was General Conference. We have a slightly different schedule of watching the sessions here in Sweden. But the words are still the same. I had prepared several questions that I was looking for answers to, and it was awesome to see the talks addressing my questions and concerns. With one speaker left, I had one more question I wanted answered. And then, there it was. Every single question was hit. The conference was wonderful, and I enjoyed hearing the inspired words of our leaders. Three new apostles have been called, and with each of them I can see the wonderful potential they each have in this service. I am grateful that we have a prophet and apostles, just like in the days of Christ. And I am grateful that we have a Father who loves us and gives us guidance. The modern day scripture of conference is a treasure that we can continue to study in the months to come. It's real-time scripture. :)

FOG

This isn't typical either. It's the first time I've seen the fog since the spring. But the gray skies visit us frequently.

Södervärn, MODERN DAY SCRIPTURE, CHILDREN OF GOD, STAFFANSTORP, A BEAUTIFUL STRETCH OF WEATHER

Södervärn

A glimpse of Södervärn. I remember it by the landmark of the circular building, which is a hospital.

MODERN DAY SCRIPTURE
During this past week, we have had a large focus of our teaching on modern day prophets and revelation. With this focus, we have been teaching a lot from General Conference. For those who don't know what General Conference is, 

What Is General Conference?

SALT LAKE CITY — Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide gather twice yearly for what they call “general conference.” This is in addition to their weekly worship services each Sunday.

General conferences are conducted each April and October and comprise five two-hour meetings held over two days. The April meetings are called annual conferences and those in October, semiannual.

The sessions on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon are open to everyone, while a session on Saturday evening is for Latter-day Saint men and young men who hold the priesthood.

Latter-day Saints travel from all over the world to attend general conferences, which originate in the 21,000-seat Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Free tickets are distributed for each session, with standby lines available for those without tickets. Overflow facilities on nearby Temple Square accommodate those who cannot fit in the Conference Center.

Since the vast majority of the Church’s 14 million members are unable to attend general conference in person, the meetings are broadcast via satellite to over 7,400 church buildings in 102 countries. Members can also watch conference on television through Salt Lake City-based station KSL or BYU-TV. In addition, the Church streams the meetings live on the LDS.org website and on the Mormon Channel. 

During the conference, Church leaders speak on a variety of spiritual topics. They address Latter-day Saints as well as government, faith and community representatives and other conference guests. Speakers include the worldwide leader of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson, and his counselors in the First Presidency, the governing body of the Church. Talks are also given by the members of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and other leaders.

General conference talks vary in length from about 5 to 20 minutes. Topics are not assigned; each speaker chooses his or her own subject matter. Talks usually cover basic gospel principles or address significant issues of the day, with speakers encouraging individuals and families in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ.

After the conference is over, the talks are published on the LDS.org website and reprinted in the Church’s Ensign and Liahona magazines so members can read and study them.

Music for the conference sessions is provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and organists, other Church choirs and the congregation. The music emphasizes gospel themes.

Church leaders have conducted general conferences since 1830, when the Church wasorganized by Joseph Smith. According to historian Glen M. Leonard, “about 30 baptized members attended the first conference along with others who were interested in the Church.”

Today, the conferences are simultaneously interpreted into 92 languages ranging from Albanian to Yapese to serve a large and growing international membership. American Sign Language interpretation and closed captioning are also available.

The idea of a modern day prophet is huge.  When you think of Moses, Noah, Daniel, and other prophets, that's one thing. But when someone tells you that there is a prophet today, I can only imagine the image that pops into their minds. But it really is a wonderful gift that we have. And this week, I saw much growth because of it.  

On Wednesday, we visited Eva. She is at a point in life, where she wants to move forward, but she is not sure how. We decided to read "The Music of the Gospel" together. As we read the talk, it was silence broken by occasionally voicing of agreement. As we finished up the talk, we had a wonderful discussion on hearing the music. The words had a powerful effect on her, and it brought an excitement for moving forward that I had not yet seen. I am constantly amazed at the impact that the words given by an inspired person can have. It is modern day scripture, and we get a chance to hear God's words through the mouthpiece of one of His humble children. And those words can be what we need to hear, what a family member needs to hear, or maybe a friend. But there is something for everyone in General Conference. One must only listen.

CHILDREN OF GOD
On Tuesday, Anas invited us to a dinner at his university. The dinner was in honor of a Muslim holiday. As we mingled and met people, we quickly found out that the majority of people were there to celebrate the diversity of our cultures. If I understood the holiday correctly, it is a celebration of friends and family honoring the experience of Abraham sacrificing his son. And it was a time of great joy. The Muslims who were there were gracious hosts, and they did everything they could to create an atmosphere that could have easily been a family party. As I was eating, and looked around, there were students from over 40 countries gathered in that room. But we were all gathered together, as children of God. There are many different beliefs, traditions, and cultures. But at that moment, it was reaffirmed to me that God loves each of us. We are all His children, no matter our background. And that love God has for each of us, can be felt as we serve our fellowman. I am thankful I was welcomed with open arms, and I am thankful for wonderful friends here in Sweden. 

STAFFANSTORP

The quiet suburban area of Staffanstorp.

A BEAUTIFUL STRETCH OF WEATHER

A large church in Downtown. I also need to put down a disclaimer. Although the pictures all have blue skies and seem to be beautiful days. It has not been an accurate representation of the weather. That being said, we have hit a beautiful stretch of weather, and I hope it holds out for as long as possible.

ELDER DOWNING, A SWEDISH CHURCH, :P, THE LORD'S TIMING, WE ARE MEANT TO PROGRESS

 ELDER DOWNING

Elder Downing just transferred up to Sundsvall. We've been around each other for over a year of my mission, so it was weird to see him go. But that's one of the perks and the downsides to being a missionary. We meet many people, but we are constantly moving. It just makes the journey more exciting. 

A SWEDISH CHURCH

A Swedish church

:P

:P

THE LORD'S TIMING
On Tuesday, we were able to meet with Earnest. As I mentioned before, everything that we had planned for seemed to fall through, but I think it was for a reason. As we went in to that lesson, I felt good about what we had changed it to. And as we sat down and began, the lesson moved forward. We had our scriptures open as we read from the words of prophets who have taught us what we know. We showed him the words of Christ as he taught the doctrines that we now relay through our lessons. And as we taught that lesson, the truth was confirmed over and over to me of what we taught. Earnest, who is himself a preacher, thanked us for the time. But he also said one thing that really stuck out to me. He said that it was a powerful lesson, and he felt that. The lesson we had planned for him the week before was knowledge that needed to be taught, but it was not what he needed. And I appreciated that chance to be shown the Lord's timing. 

WE ARE MEANT TO PROGRESS

On Wednesday, we met with Bill and talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is it that we need to do to return to Heavenly Father? Faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost are all steps that I have taken. And they are necessary. But the fifth step is perhaps the most difficult. This is the step I find myself on, and many others are here as well. And that is to endure. But even better, to endure it well. This is best accomplished through the ways that God has shown us. That is reading the scriptures, making the Sabbath a holy day, and praying to our Father in Heaven. He recognizes the need to continue to push forward and continue, but I also realized that it's not just those who are new to the gospel that need to move forward, it's everyone. We are meant to progress, and that's what the gospel can give us.  

IS THIS A SIGN OF AGE? SMALL MIRACLE, IT FELT WEIRD WITHOUT MOM, P-DAY, MEETING THE GROUND, ..., IT EVEN FLUSHES, ALES STENAR, WALK ALONG THE SEA

 IS THIS A SIGN OF AGE?
So first off, I forgot my cord to my camera, so the pictures will come next week. I'm a little worried by this though, because throughout the course of the week, there have been other small things that I have forgotten or left behind. And actually, as I write this, I just remembered I was supposed to grab a jacket that one of the missionaries in Lund had left behind when he was in Malmö on exchanges. All I can do now is face palm myself. Is this a sign of age? Or is my mind just deteriorating at a faster rate than normal? I suppose that I should set a goal to not forget anything this week. But by Wednesday I'm sure that I will have forgotten I made that goal.

SMALL MIRACLE

On Thursday, we had set up a time to meet with a guy named Earnest. We had our lesson planned out, and I felt good about it. However, we got there and gave him a call so he could let us in, and no answer. We called again about five minutes later and he was off on the other side of Malmö. We had planned to swing by a newly baptized member as out backup, because he was just across the street. We went there, rang his door phone, tried calling, and nothing. We paused, trying to decide what to do next. And we came to the decision to walk around the area, speaking with people as we went. It began to darken, and no one seemed to be listening to us. So we headed to the bus stop and change our plans. About 5 minutes into the ride, we remembered someone else we had been wanting to swing by, and we checked on the map. Sure enough, it was back the way we had come. So we headed that way, walked to the building, and we faced with a new obstacle. Almost all apartment buildings are locked at the bottom, probably to prevent unwanted visitors like us. But most of the time, they have a way to call or let the person in the building know that you want in. This building didn't. So we stood there, trying to decide what to do. I'm sure it was a strange sight, two young guys in white shirts standing there looking to the top floor where they wanted to be. We stood there and talked about what are options were. At this point, I was thinking maybe we should cut our losses and leave the area, but just as I was about to mention it, someone walked up to us and asked us if we wanted to get in the building. Next thing we knew, we were in. We were able to meet with the person, although nothing spectacular happened there. I was grateful for that small miracle of getting into the door. Also, the next morning when we studied, we talked more about what we had planned for Earnest, and we felt like we should change our whole approach to the original lesson plan. We haven't met with him yet, but I'll be sure to update on how the lesson goes. 

IT FELT WEIRD WITHOUT MOM

Yesterday, I got the chance to play violin in church. It's my first time since coming to Sweden, and I must admit, it felt weird without Mom accompanying me. It was a lot of fun to be back in business, and it was fun to be able to share that talent I've been able to develop.

We just got a phone cord, so I can send some pictures now. 

P-DAY

 This was from our P-Day as a district. We went to a place called Ales Stenar. Basically, they are old Viking stones that were in the shape of a boat.

MEETING THE GROUND

Elder Ahlström wanted to run through the field, but this next step finds him meeting the ground.

...

...

IT EVEN FLUSHES

Swedish port-a-potties. It even flushes.

ALES STENAR

Ales Stenar

WALK ALONG THE SEA

It was a short walk to the stones, but a gorgeous view and walk along the sea.

A CUTE LITTLE RED SWEDISH HOUSE WITH WHITE TRIM, HOPES AND DREAMS, THE LORD'S TENDER MERCIES, GEORGEOUS CAR WITH MATCHING TRAILER. THE RAINS CAME DOWN AND THE FLOODS CAME UP

A CUTE LITTLE RED SWEDISH HOUSE WITH WHITE TRIM

Lovely red cottage in the middle of the Swedish woods.  (download from internet)

 HOPES AND DREAMS

This week, we went over to visit on the member's in our ward named Eva. Over the course of our discussion, she talked about how she found a list of her life goals. One of them was to have a cute, red cottage, with white trim. She said at first she was bummed, because she is still in her same apartment, so nothing had changed. But then she remembered a cat house she had bought a few years before. She pulled it out to show us, and sure enough, it was red cottage with white trim. So, her dream had been fulfilled. Not necessarily in the way she had imagined it, but almost. I liked the story, because it is a principle that I like to try and remember. We have our hopes and dreams, and sometimes they may seem unachievable; but maybe we are just looking at it from the wrong perspective. A little humor and flexibility, and we can see that our our dreams may, in fact, be realities.

Fluter, the student from the World Maritime University I talked about 3ish weeks ago, got up in Sacrament meeting today to present himself. He leaves today and wanted to thank the ward for the time he got to spend getting to know them. I enjoyed getting to know him a little better and wish he could stay, but it was time for him to return home.

4 MINUTE MILE

This principle can be continued through our Zone Conference we had. A man named Håkan was teaching us the history of the Church in Sweden. He explained when it started, who it started from, and so forth. But at the end of it, he presented another story. It was about the first man to break a 4 minute mile. Up to that point, scientists and doctors said it would be impossible to run under that time and still live. But then, he did it. The next year 17 people people also broke that record. The idea he wanted to point out to us was that there are things that people claim are impossible. However, that doesn't make it impossible. The second thing he wanted us to remember was that after that record was broken, 17 people followed. It wasn't because the nature of the race became easier. It was simply their understanding that it could be done that drove them to achieve it as well. Between these two experiences, I felt like I have much to learn from goals. My expectations are perhaps the most affected. I think, for the better. 

THE LORD'S TENDER MERCIES

I took this picture to demonstrate one of the tender mercies of the Lord. We did our shopping last week and were heading on the fifteen minute walk from the grocery store to our apartment. The bags were heavy, and we decided we'd get a thing of ice cream. Which, without thinking, we put in the paper bag at the bottom. There was quite a bit of weight in the bag, and on the home stretch my shoulders and traps were burning. All I could think about was getting through that door. We made it, and as we were putting our groceries away, we came to this. At that moment, I was grateful that the bag held up in spite of the thoughtlessness on our part. 

GEORGEOUS CAR WITH MATCHING TRAILER

A gorgeous car with a matching trailer. There are quite a few older cars that Swedes take the time to restore. Sometimes I feel like I've fallen into the 70's. People may disagree, but I think the styles of cars changed for a reason. 

THE RAINS CAME DOWN AND THE FLOODS CAME UP

On Saturday, we had planned to paint the outside of the house. We showed up ad began the preparation work. About 15 minutes into it, the rains came down and, and the floods came up. We had to abandon our work. And maybe it is too tough to see, but there was one board nicely painted before the storm hit. Of course, it is right in the middle of the all the unpainted boards. See if you can find it, ha :)