Malmöfestivalen, Loud Applause, Pildammsparken, Rediscover the Gift of the Gospel

Malmöfestivalen

This last week has been Malmöfestivalen. It's basically a carnival that gets set up all over the streets in Malmö. There are rides, games, and food tents, which was about the only place we visited. Last Monday, after searching through about one hundred options of food choices, I decided to go for the reindeer kebab. It was a good day.

 LOUD APPLAUSE

The green sign on the side said, "Feel free to play a tune." So Elder Rowley played a wonderful rendition of Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. And at one point in the song, loud applause was heard. If you can see the little green between Elder Rowley's head and the pillar, that was a tv screen. The cheering was for Malmö FF the fotboll team here. But other people did enjoy the music as well.

Pildammsparken

Pildammsparken - I am always amazed by this park. It's almost like it comes out of a fairytale. In the middle is a circular section of grass, surrounded on all sides by these trees. 

REDISCOVER THE GIFT OF THE GOSPEL
Short and sweet :)  Tuesday, we got on a bus and started talking with a guy. He's here studying at the World Maritime University, and he was curious about who we were. He comes from China, where missionaries are not a common sight. We began talking to him about what we do. He was on his way home after class, but he asked if he could come with us to our next appointment. Naturally, we agreed. As we went, we continued to talk and it came around to The Book of Mormon. We have been reading through it with him and helping him to come to know Christ. It's a delight for me to help someone gain knowledge that I have had seemingly my whole life, and I am grateful that have this chance to rediscover the gift of the gospel. 

P-DAY, EXTRA HELP FROM GOD, TURNING TORSO, FURTHER THAN WHAT WE SEE, BEAUTIFUL CARS, WE WERE ANGELS, BEAUTIFUL PATHWAYS, STARK CONTRAST

P-DAY

On P-day, my first time on a driving range. It is quite a foreign feeling. And I was humbled by the kids who were taking lessons a few spaces behind me, but I may have a future in this. 

EXTRA HELP FROM GOD

We were sitting on the bus, on our way to an appointment Monday evening. Two empty seats were across from us, and the bus was relatively full. We came to a stop where a large crowd of people anxiously waited to board the bus. Usually this is done through the front, but one guy decided to slip in through the backside. As soon as he sat down across from us, I could smell the alcohol, but he seemed quite coherent to me. A lady came down the aisle to join seats with him, and I realized that he'd come in the back side to make sure that they had seats. We started talking to him, and he only spoke English with us. When we asked him how he knew us, he told us about how all the members of our church are always nice, clean-cut, look sharp, and he just knew it. We laughed, knowing we couldn't disagree, and we began talking more. He wasn't interested so much in what we had to offer, but as we were closing in on our stop, I had to take a call. There eyes got all wide, and they got confused. When I got off the phone, they began talking to me in Swedish, where'd you learn to speak that? I explained the system that we have for learning a language, and explained that we believe we get some extra help from God. Then we had to step off, so we gave them a card and told them to call when they wanted to talk more. 

TURNING TORSO

We went and checked out around the Turning Torso for P-Day. Pictured is Elder Rowley, Elder Ahlstrom, and myself. 

STARK CONTRAST

This is the area around the Turning Torso. It's in stark contrast to much of the city. the buildings feel much more modern.

FURTHER THAN WHAT WE SEE
After the appointment, as we were on our way home, a car drove past and the kids inside yelled something inaudible to us. Elder Rowley, excited by the fact that someone talked to us first, and yelled hello back, waving with a big smile on his face. The car was right by a round-about, and quickly reversed directions it was going. In my mind, I began to worry what Elder Rowley's eagerness may have brought on us. The kid in the passenger seat asked us who we were, and I decided to let Elder Rowley take it. When they found out we were from the USA, the conversation turned to English, as it almost always does. We stood there talking with them for about ten minutes, with a mix of questions like: Why are you in Sweden? Where'd you learn Swedish? Why wouldn't you stay in the USA? How old are you? And so on. Of course we rebounded with our own: Do you believe in God? Why not? Do you want to get to know Him? Would you like to listen to our message? I'll let you fill in the blanks for that conversation based on what you have there. But it did coherently mesh, and we passed our cards to all of them. These of those contacts that may not seem like much on the surface, but I think they go much further than what we see. 
BEAUTIFUL CARS

This was a Ford GT that we drove past. I don't know if my eyes were closed in the US, but I see Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, and other beautiful cars all the time here in Malmö. 

WE WERE ANGELS
One experience that really stuck out to me this week was walking along that pathway of trees I showed in the picture. We were walking to our apartment, and we were just stopping people who were coming in the opposite direction. There are benches lining the path, and occasionally people would be seated, but they all seemed busy or distracted with something else. But as we kept going, I noticed a guy sitting on the bench, and the thought crossed through my mind should I talk to him or not? Almost instantly I felt the need to talk to him, which is not normal for me. And I tried to play out how it would go in my mind. To my surprise, I found myself stopped and talking. As I explained who we were and what were doing, I only got a blank expression. His mind really seemed to be somewhere else. It was one of those instances where they talked to you only because they had nowhere to run to. However, I still felt that same feeling that there was something here, and I persisted. The discussion brought us to The Book of Mormon, and we talked about the joy and peace in the book. About this point he declined the book saying, he wouldn't read it, it would gather dust on his bookshelf. But I tried again to give it to him with something specific to read. He agreed and we were about to part ways, but then I decided to ask him if he had a specific worry or question that he wanted answered. And then it came out. He told us he'd been there for hours. He had come back from a therapist, and he wanted to try and collect himself before he went home. He was looking for something to help him out. Then we came along. We talked more about the problem, then searched for a chapter in The Book of Mormon that would address it. At this point he was showing interest and a yearning that this book would give him the answer. We found one, and as we were saying our goodbyes, he told us thank you. We were angels that came to him that day. And I really felt it. We had boosted him in a moment of need. We haven't seen him since, but I felt that I had done exactly what God wanted me to. And even now as I think back on the experience, I feel again, that I did His will. The church is meant for us to lift our brothers and sisters, and God wants to show us how. That's the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
BEAUTIFUL PATHWAYS

One of the many beautiful pathways of Malmö.

LAST DISTRICT LUNCH, FUNERAL AT THE BEACH, STOCKHOLM, LUCKY TO BEGIN IN MALMO, FEELING ENERGIZED, THE 6 YEAR-OLDS

 LAST DISTRICT LUNCH

Last District lunch together before everyone transfers around.

FUNERAL AT THE BEACH

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. 

STOCKHOLM

We all headed to Stockholm Tuesday night.Those two on their way home, and me to pick up my new companion. 

LUCKY TO BEGIN IN MALMO

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. 

FEELING ENERGIZED
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.

ON OUR WAY TO DENMARK, ANOTHER SIX WEEKS PASSED, UNEXPECTED TRAFFIC, COPENHAGEN TEMPLE---REST IN THE REFUGE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, THE BRIDGE THAT GOES UNDER THE SEA, RETURN TO STOCKHOLM, LONELY TRAIN RIDE, SEAS OF GOLD, BOOK OF MORMON-MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR-MARRIAGE-BAPTISM---AND IT ALL STARTED WITH SOUTH PARK, BAPTISM AT THE SEA

 ON OUR WAY TO DENMARK

Magnus driving; his wife peeking out from behind the seat; Simone, their daughter; Yours truly; and Elder Taggart all on our way to Denmark.

ANOTHER SIX WEEKS PASSED

The transfer is, once again, coming to a close. Another six weeks passed. The time goes, and continues to go. My companion, Elder Taggart, must soon go the way of all the earth and return to the dust he calls home. With that being said, out with the old and in with the new. My next companion will be fresh from the MTC eager to being the service he has prepared so much for. 

UNEXPECTED TRAFFIC

This was one of those typical times when everything seems to go wrong when it had been planned out perfectly. We gave ourselves a cushion of time to get to the temple, but unexpected traffic created a concern for us. We hit road blocks three times. We made it just in the nick of time, but it was nerve-racking. 

COPENHAGEN TEMPLE---REST IN THE REFUGE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD

Also this week, we had the opportunity to go to the Copenhagen temple. We are lucky enough to have a member who comes from Denmark, and it made the trip even better. They showed us the city of Copenhagen in a way that no missionary could discover on their own. And we had the chance to be edified and uplifted as we took a rest in the refuge of the house of God. 

THE BRIDGE THAT GOES UNDER THE SEA

Øresundsbron. The bridge connecting Denmark to Sweden. At the end, it leads into a tunnel that goes under the sea. It's slightly eerie seeing the bridge end into seemingly nothingness. 

RETURN TO STOCKHOLM

On Friday, I had the opportunity to return to Stockholm, again. Another long train ride. But this time the purpose was to ensure that we had the tools necessary to bring another young man into the life of a missionary.

LONELY TRAIN RIDE

When I got on the train to head to Stockholm, it was kind of lonely. 

SEAS OF GOLD

The once brightly covered fields of yellow blossoms are now seas of gold.

BOOK OF MORMON-MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR-MARRIAGE-BAPTISM---AND IT ALL STARTED WITH SOUTH PARK

The highlight of this week, was receiving two new members to the fold. I have been conflicted on reporting their progress, because the story has been awesome from the beginning. And is it better to get the whole story all at once? Or see the growth bit by bit. Since the baptism occurred yesterday, you can guess I chose saving the whole story for the end. About one month ago, Elder Downing and Elder Beck were tracting. It was about to time to go home, but there were three doors left. The option to head home was tempting, but they decided to go for it anyways. On the second door they knocked, they met Brandon. (Now, a small side story. Brandon was in his apartment and he knew the Mormons were on their way. He'd seen South Park, so he had an idea of what the drill was. But he also had seen that Mormons were some the nicest people, according to South Park. So, he decided to open the door even though it was not something he would normally do). He was given the Book of Mormon, and they set a time to come back. Brandon started reading with his sambo, and they read through 1 Nephi 13 in the following two days. The next meeting led to more questions, discussions, and they set on their way. Brandon, anything but an avid reader, found himself engrossed in the stories and messages of the Book of Mormon, and the rest is history. Subsequent visits to their home found the sound of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir filling the home. They were married two weeks ago and entered the waters of baptism this last Saturday. The transformation in their demeanor, attitudes, and joy has been a wonderful strength to me. Brandon talked about how much his life has changed in this past month, all for the better. To see that progress is amazing. Malmös församling has received two wonderful members. Brandon and Stina will have children who will be blessed for generations to come. Two more people have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And it all started with South Park. 

BAPTISM AT THE SEA

Elder Downing, Brandon, Stina, and Elder Beck. Yes, we had the baptism at the sea. It's actually perfect for it. The water is still only waist deep at the end of the dock in the background, which was where we had it. 

A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO END THE DAY, THE BEAST OF ALL BEASTS OR WE WORK FOR FOOD OR WE WORK BECAUSE WE WANT TO, DINNER APPOINTMENT, I'M PART OF A FAMILY IN SWEDEN, TRYING TO FLY? CLOSER TO FINDING HIS FATHER, LAST NIGHT, CANALS, MALMO

A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO END THE DAY:

I don't know, maybe I send too many sunset pictures, but it's always a beautiful way to end the day. Down below are the soccer fields that we have Sport's Night on. 

THE BEAST OF ALL BEASTS or WE WORK FOR FOOD or WE WORK BECAUSE WE WANT TO:
This week seemed to fly by. Due to this being vacation time for most of the people in Sweden, we had the opportunity to do a lot of service this week. One of them was helping with some yard work, and I used the beast of all beasts when it comes to mowers. It was electrically powered. I felt more like I was vacuuming the lawn than anything else. And then when I went to work on the hedges, same story. Electrically powered. No smell of gasoline, no rumble of an engine, it was all very low-key. On Friday, we were helping paint a house. After about an hour of work, they brought out some ice cream so that we could take a break. And to make sure that we didn't get any hunger pangs, we would leisurely pick cherries from the low-hanging boughs. It was a stressful situation indeed, but we pulled through. When we finished, the member was very pleased with how much we had accomplished in the time we had worked, and we were pleased with the working conditions under which we had found ourselves. But the important part was that as we worked, his neighbor came out wondering why our friend was getting all the help. His first question was whether we were Per's (the member) children, and at this point, Per took the opportunity to introduce us as missionaries to his church. I thought it was awesome, because he was bold in introducing us, which is a tough thing to do in this society. Per explained that we work for food (Disclaimer: We work because we want to, food is just a bonus). So now his neighbor wants to invite us over for dinner, and possibly helping him out with some painting. I enjoyed the experience, because the service was enjoyable, and we reached out to someone in a new way.

DINNER APPOINTMENT:

On our way to a dinner appointment with (from left to right) Nadim, Majeed, Fardin, myself, and Elder Taggart.

I'M PART OF A FAMILY IN SWEDEN:
Another person we met this week is named Sarah. And it was awesome getting the chance to meet her. We went over to her place with the other missionaries, and when we showed up, the smell of cake was wafting through the air. We sat down and started talking, and she pulled out the cake. And she told us it was a family recipe, but she had done her best to Americanize it, because she was hoping it would be like our moms' baking. The other missionaries had all met her before, when I was in Stockholm, but I felt like I was at home very quickly. We talked about many different things, and she kept stopping us and asking, "Okay, but what is wrong with you guys?" Haha, we tried to explain that she would find the fault in no time at all, but to simply accept the good while it was there. Over and over again, she told us how good we were and how she wants sons like us. She even offered to write letters to our parents to tell them they were lucky to have us. I was about to accept the offer but was cut off as the other missionaries said it was no problem, their parents already know. I nodded my head in agreement, still thinking it wouldn't have hurt for some time in the future when I do something stupid. I had a wonderful time there, and as we headed out the door, she told us to let her know if anyone gave us trouble. I had to smile as we walked away, because it's not often that I get the feeling that I'm part of a family here in Sweden. But when I left there, I felt like I had a family member here in Sweden rooting me on. And that's a cool feeling.

TRYING TO FLY?

You can't really see it from this picture. But the wind was reminiscent of my days in Rexburg. Elder Taggart was trying to lean against the wind, with not too much success. As he was doing that, a car drove up and the driver asked him if he was trying to fly. From there, the conversation naturally flowed to who we were and what we were doing in the area. It's amazing the many different ways that we get the chance to talk with people.

CLOSER TO FINDING HIS FATHER:
There has been one other experience that stuck out in my mind during the week. We were walking through the streets, talking with people as we went, and we came to an empty stretch with no one in sight. We kept trekking forward anyways, and as we went, we saw a guy standing off to the side. We stopped and we talked with him. As we spoke with him, he told us about some of the struggles he had with his life. Particularly with drugs. He explained how hard it is to believe in a God, but how he wishes he could. And he kept saying, "I see you guys, and I wish I could be as happy as you, but..." at which point he would trail off. We persistently witnessed that we know God is there, especially for us in our hard times. He is waiting for us to find him. Each time I explained these truths, I felt that love that God has for me. He is our Heavenly Father, and He loves all of us. The guy again expressed his desire to have what we had, then he shook our hands and headed off. This is the rejection that hurts. Not in the way when someone gives you a snotty reply or does something to hurt your dignity. I wanted to rush after him and plead with him that he is so close to finding that happiness. But he did not feel like he was in a position to accept this message, and that is something that hurts. I hope that he finds that happiness he is looking for, and maybe we'll see him again one of these days. But at any rate, I think he is that much closer to finding his Father. 

LAST NIGHT:

Walking along last night, trying to find someone to talk to. The hardest part was deciding who to talk with. 

CANALS:

One of the many canals that runs through the city. 

MALMO:

The city of Malmö.

THE WRONG TROUSERS, WALLPAPER, THE BOOK OF MORMON---A GIFT, MIND-BLOWING SAFT

THE WRONG TROUSERS

When I saw the paint roller, I instantly thought of Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, and I knew I had to use it. They never showed the pain that is in your neck after doing that for 30 minutes or so. 

WALLPAPER

We had the opportunity this week to help renovate a bedroom. It all started with taking down the wallpaper, which seems nonexistent in the US, and is almost finished. This project has one again reminded me how important tools are to get work done. We had a steamer that would melt the glue and make it much easier to peel the wallpaper away. Unfortunately, there was only one steamer, so in the meantime, we would chip away, bit by bit. But, it was an experience that I have never had, and may never get the chance to have again. Then we spackled and sanded the room, and made it a smooth surface. Again, the sanding would have taken hours by hand, but we got to use a pretty heavy duty sander. It made all the difference. We are now in the painting stages, with hopes to complete the project before they travel. It's been a fun project and helps break up the routine. 

Scraping wallpaper is serious business.

THE BOOK OF MORMON---A GIFT

On Tuesday we had a specialized Zone Training. Which basically means that President and Sister Beckstrand came down to say hello and see how we are doing. It was a good time. The group that I came to the Sweden with was all there. We have now assumed the nickname "The Flock." But as a Zone, we had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the Book of Mormon. It has been enlightening for me. I have always gained wisdom and counsel from the Book of Mormon, but the recent focus on it has led me to look even deeper. There is so much to this book. And it excites me to think about all the knowledge I have yet to discover. Not only that, but it was real people who wrote this book. There are stories of parents urging their sons to try and improve their direction in life. Kings teaching their people the equality and importance of all. A leader who struggled to lead an army that were deaf to his counsel, yet wanted him to lead them. The triumphs and the struggles of multiple leaders all trying to defend their life, liberty, and family. This book is filled with people, who have had real experiences. And we can learn from them. They have written them down for our benefit. It is filled with pleadings from their souls and praises to our God. My love and respect for the Book of Mormon and all those who sacrificed their lives to bring it to us today grows as I truly seek to learn and understand. And that makes life a gift. You never know what you will find when you open the book, hungry for knowledge. 

MIND-BLOWING SAFT

I mentioned that we made some saft last week, and the results blew my mind. I expected it to be good, but it surpassed all my expectations. And perhaps it comes with a sort of sense of pride, knowing that we picked the flowers and made the concoction that now graces our table. But, from a purely non-biased opinion, it turned out perfect. 

Elder Taggart thought this picture was very well built. With the focus moving in towards the setting sun. Another glimpse of Malmö, through the window of a bus.

LAST WEEK'S PHOTOS, SOLO TRIP TO STOCKHOLM, ELDERBERRY TREES

LAST WEEK'S PHOTOS

On Thursday, we were taking the bus home. We were in an unfamiliar area, but we hopped on our bus home and sat back for the ride. After about 10 stops, we should have arrived at our stop, but instead we came to the end of the line. At which time, we stepped off the bus very confused. The bus driver asked us where we were headed, and we told him. Apparently we had gone the completely wrong direction, so he told us to hop back on the bus so we could get home. It was going to be a 15 minute wait before he went back in the other direction, and we saw the sunset. Naturally, we had to go check it out and take a few pictures. It was such a peaceful night, and a great way to end the day. The water was feathery and the breeze, warm. These moments don't come often, but when they do they are much appreciated.

The first sunburn of the year. We were sitting by the canal in Malmö and I chose a spot in the sun. Unfortunately my little white arms couldn't take the hour of sun. And even worse, that line. No one has a tan/burn line right there on their arms. 

Getting ready was quite the ordeal for the king, back in the day. One person to do the hair, and two others to tell the king how good he looks.

This was an exhibit that shows the criminals from a certain period of time. It gives each of their names with their reason of incarceration.

 SOLO TRIP TO STOCKHOLM

As my train came into Stockholm, I had a walk down memory lane. It was great to be back.

This week I got the opportunity of renewing my visa to stay in Sweden as a missionary. We are all listed under one address in Sweden to make it easier to keep track of us due to the amount of moving that we do. So naturally, the government wondered what was up. We usually would just go to a Migrationsverket near us, but they wanted all the people renewing their visas to come in to Stockholm to do it. We were the first group to have to do it, and hopefully the last. But because of the expense of traveling to Stockholm, I made the journey on my own. For a missionary that's a pretty big deal. Pulling into T-Central after 2 months of being away, and walking through the subway station alone was a new experience. I felt incomplete. I got on the tunnelbana I needed and reached my destination, where I was picked up by the Office Elders, and that feeling disappeared. The next day I went to Migrationsverket, and within 5 minutes, I completed the visa interview and could return home. So my visit to Stockholm was quite the trip. An hour later I was on the train home, with only lingering memories of Stockholm to keep me company. 

ELDERBERRY TREES

These are blossoms from an Elderberry Tree. Believe it or not, but this is soon to become a drink. It is still in the process of creation, because it needs to sit for 5 days. But tomorrow we will get to see how it turned out. 

On Thursday, we met up with one of the members in Malmö's ward, and we headed to the park to find elderberry trees. Our goal: Make some saft, basically juice concentrate. It was a fun experience, because I felt especially Swedish. The Swedes love do-it-yourself projects, and this is no exception. So to have the opportunity to enjoy the culture a little bit more was awesome. 

It's amazing the way this city changes, flowing from urban to green parks. It's one of the things that I love most about Sweden.

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Mine and Elder Taggart's apartment. Mom will be proud to see that there aren't any clothes on the floor. :)

Pildammsparken

I have now seen what an ugly duckling actually looks like in real life. And it's actually, really, really, ugly. Ha, no, but it was cool to be so close to this family of swans. 

Due to the fact that there are no slopes in Sweden, they wanted the experience of the burn of running mountains. And these are pretty killer. 

My desk