I feel like as time goes on my letters might just get more and more boring. Apologies.
So last mMnday a ton of missionaries got together at the YSA center in Stockholm for a surprise going away party for Äldste Sahlin. If this mission has a celebrity, it's Äldste Sahlin. Everybody loves and adores him and he's just so good. I feel like good is an underrated word. Because, wow, he is good. So that was really fun to see some of my cutest little baby friends from the MTC who I love with my whole heart.
Also this week we had a worldwide missionary conference that we got to watch. Elder Bednar and Oaks and Anderson and some other guys spoke and it and it was sooo good. Our internet was so jenky at the church so it kept pausing every 5 minutes but we actually loved it because during the pauses we would discuss with the elders what had just been said and how we can better help the people that we meet with. The theme of the conference was, *Teach repentance and baptize converts." After they had said the phrase a few times one of our fabulous pauses happened and we all turned to each other and were like "WAIT. THAT IS ACTUALLY THE COOLEST LITTLE PHRASE EVER." 'baptize converts.' Like honestly, who thinks of these things. Geniuses.
Also this week I organized my desk. This seems like a little thing but holy cow basically my whole life is different now. All the books are lined up from biggest to smallest and it is just so satisfying. Also probably I'll learn so much better now that there's no mess and I'll be a ton better missionary and cool stuff like that.
So turns out I'm actually quad lingual right now. You don't believe it do you? Yeah, you all thought I was coming here just to learn one language but apparently I've learned three. All three of my new languages are at different stages of development.
The first is obviously Swedish. That's at a mediocre stage of development.
The second, is Norwegian. We were talking to people on the street the other day and I said something and the guy was like, "Sorry, are you speaking Norwegian?" Me and Syster Crawford then began playing the Glad Game. Which is where you say things that you're glad for until you're actually glad. So instead of wallowing in the depths of pity where people think that my Swedish is Norwegian I just decided to be glad that apparently I know more languages.
(PS the glad game is actually hilarious and so effective. The funniest stories and when the elders play. The game is supposed to be like, I'm glad I'm alive. I'm glad it's not raining. I'm glad people will talk to us. I'm grateful for you. And then you realize that you actually have so many things to be glad about. But when the elders play it they just say things that they're actually not glad about and then it turns into a hating game. But guess what, still effective. Because then you just think you're hilarious for saying things you hate instead of love and that makes you glad.)
And my third language is Charades. I'm fully developed in this language. Completely fluent. Haha I have never used acting so much in my life. The people here actually use they're hands a lot as they speak but sometimes I just have to overly use my hands so people understand what I say. A couple days ago we taught the restoration to a man who speaks arabic and just a little bit of Swedish. Basically the whole lesson was in Charades. Haha it was hilarious and so fun. So yeah, I'm quad-lingual. Impressive right?
You all will be happy to know that I have accomplished the impossible and gave a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday. In case you don't understand why this was such an accomplishment, let me tell you. First. I do not know how to talk in front of people. Hence, my farewell talk. Straight read the whole thing. But alas, as a missionary there is actually no time to write a whole talk so you are forced to wing things. So yeah, I winged a talk. No big deal. Mom, I talked about your motto of Find out what the Lord wants you to do, and then have the courage to do it. And like, hey it was in Swedish so that was pretty legit.
I am serving in the BEST ward in the whole entire world. I love them. Afterwards so many people were like wow you did so good! You sound like a Swede. You've only been here 6 weeks? How kind. But legit, I love these people. During the final speaker I was just like Swedished out and I didn't really know what he was talking about so I was just thinking my own thoughts and I just got so sad that one day I'll have to leave this ward. And then I was just crying and I think the speaker was actually telling a funny story and people were chuckling so hopefully nobody looked at me. I love them SO much I can't even handle it.
Also yesterday at church me and Syster Crawford and the Elders were actually losing our minds because so many people came to church. Like 4 people that we had never even had a lesson with and then investigators. We had to use all of the English translation thingy's and we were like frantically trying to find members to sit with all of them. It was awesome.
Well, I love you all! I hope you all have fabulous weeks.
Oh, first let me just tell you that Swedish is such a convenient language because they have a specific word for when you're living with a person but you aren't married to them.
Pretty sure in America you just have to say, "They're living with a person but they aren't married to them." Excessive amounts of words. Also they have a verb for grocery shopping that isn't the same as shopping. So then you just have to say one word. CONVENIENT. (Also annoying because they have no accurate translation of the word 'excited.' This actually makes me annoyed daily because I reaaaally want to say that I'm excited for things.)
But, I love it here. I love these people. And I love you all.
Have a fab week.
Kram,
Syster May
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| Here's me with my cute name badge. |
Also:
So this past week we got two baptismal dates. They're both with Swedish people. This is like UNHEARD of in Sweden. Grated a baptismal date is not a for sure thing. Just a goal we set up with investigators to work towards and then if they're ready by that date, they get baptized. This is like a miracle for 2 reasons. One, TWO BAPTISMAL DATES IN ONE WEEK. No way. Like, the assistants to the president told us a few weeks ago that on a typical week, all the missionaries in Sweden combined get 4 or 5 baptismal dates. And we got 2. Second reason it's crazy is that they are both full on legit SWEDISH people. Like, probably 90% of the people taught here are African or some other race but just live in Sweden. But they're both Swedish! So me and Syster Crawford are super super excited! The first is with Rune (20 februari) and the second is with Svante (5 march). Rune is the coolest. They're both like 60 year old men and I just love them. Also the elders here in Jakobsberg got a baptismal date with a legit Swedish man (his wife is a member) this week too. So basically we're just losing our minds here in Jakobsberg. Like, we don't even know what's happening. It's so cool.
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