Marissa's Mission Musings

Things are skippin along here in Kungsbacka! I love this little city. Pontus is always a highlight-- chugging steadily through the Book of Mormon. Sweet this week was how moved he was by the allegory of the olive tree in Jacob 5. Bishop waved me over on sunday and was just so tickled to tell us how they had discussed it throughout the entire skjuts to stake conference. He is awesome. Please pray for Pontus! He is incredible and making such progress, but has to make some hard changes and choices before baptism. Stake conference was absolutely incredible. Over and over again I am amazed by these members of the church - how strong their faith is and how much they put truth to the phrase 'ward family'. They feel like it here and I am so grateful for it. One happy silly tender mercy this week, during a rather unfruitful rainy knocking stund, was knocking on the door of a 95 year old woman, the sweetest little swedish grandma-- who could not hear a thing we said. We yelled and yelled...

Good good week! (two.. three weeks ?) - Pontus is incredible and going strong towards baptism. Making big changes in his life, it is an amazing thing to see. Also watched pride & prejudice at our request. The gospel really can change a man - Our awesome friend Daniel has decided to be baptized! We found Daniel my first day in Kungsbacka, have only had a few lessons. He is awesome. Sweet quiet Swedish man-- his catch phrase is "jag tror det." Do you want to be baptized and come closer to Jesus Christ? "jag tror det." - our gym buddy Leif came to church-- this was a very happy surprise. after weeks of nothing but jolly god morgons at the gym, we finally talked to him and found out he is Christian. Invited him to church and he came!! We didn't even have his number then. He loved it and is coming back! -our best friend old lady members Anne-Mari and Sonja fed us surströmming! but better yet was watching Anne-Mari bring out a hammer to open the can after several ...

After saying a bittersweet goodbye to my dreamy trio and so many memories in my short six weeks in Lund, I am now in Kungsbacka! Quieter rainier cute little city. Sister Nelson is a dog of a missionary-- capable in every sense of the word. I'm excited to see what happens here in Kungsbacka. I'd like to share one of the beautifuls from this week- one of the most spiritually powerful experiences of possibly my entire mission. Yet another evidence that this picture is so much bigger than me, and that Heavenly Father is coordinating everyone's stories. We have a friend named Pontus. Six+ foot tall jacked tattooed Swedish man. He was stopped on the street by my companion about 6 weeks ago, was given just a card, and the interaction was left with my companion thinking nothing would come of it. He showed up at church the next Sunday, which was a miracle in itself, and has come every week since. Yesterday after church, he had arranged to get a blessing from our bishop. We got to be...

After hearing about a conversation between my dear Grandma Jan and now elder Child that consisted of her saying "Derek, you need to be better than your sister at writing emails," I've vowed to be ännu bättre. My grandparents love deeper than anyone, I'm convinced. It was quite possibly the most eventful week of my entire mission. Zone conference, Farhad's baptism and the wondrous few days and lessons leading up to it, the long awaited temple trip and tender mercy of my little brother receiving his endowment on the same day, and transfer news. Busy busy happy days in between all of it. I love Lund a lot. Farhad's baptism was wonderful. In our lesson the day before, he asked us if he would share a testimony at the baptism. We told him that he of course could, but didn't need to-- he then proceeded to read out a carefully written testimony, all about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and how he was grateful for every person who had helped him progress towar...