October 27, 2014

Hey, I need y'all to send me some drum scores!!  I don't know if Pres. Sederholm would allow it, but I'll ask him this week about getting something together with Elder Gudmundson for a zone talent show coming up, so I'd like to at least be practicing if the opportunity presents itself :) 

I haven't done the wreath class yet... If I do it will probably be in the future though so I'll let you know :)  I'm so happy to hear about everything in the family and back home.  I know that my family is being blessed because of my missionary service. I just wish I was there to partake of it a little bit! ;)  Aunt Val is in my prayers, and I'm really glad to hear that you have that opportunity to go with her for the first time.  Elder Lester and I got to go to the temple this week as well, since we took an 'essentials p-day' and went down to Copenhagen on Friday. 

Silver Boy at Helsingor Harbor

I didn't get pictures though. I know you probably want to beat some sense into me, but in my defense my camera was broken, and the thought didn't occur until later anyway.  So sorry again.  I'll repent and be better one of these times :P 

Here's kind of how my week went:

This was a wonderful week in Helsingør for teaching.  We know we still have a lot to improve on, but we are really working hard, and we've been seeing success, and progression in those whom we teach.  ‘V’ was in church this week, and even talked a little about her own new found faith in Christ in guest class!  ‘R’ has completely stopped drinking and even agreed to a date when he would come to church for the first time in a very long time. 

We also just recently started teaching another man named ‘O’.  He's a Jehovah's Witness, but surprisingly open to hear about our church.  We have met with him twice now, and he has already started talking with his family about the Book of Mormon, and was upset when he told us he gave away his only copy for his sister to read!  We have plenty of Romanian Books now, and he says to bring everything we can for himself, and for the family members he would like to share with.  The lessons with him right now are a little all over the place, but we've seen improvement in the concepts he is grasping. 

Elder Lester and I also were able to attend the temple this week on Friday.  It was an uplifting experience, and something that I feel both Elder Lester and I really needed. 

Afterward we went by the office to pick up our Romanian books, and pamphlets and I could tell that there was something up.  I greeted all of the office missionaries, and talked a little bit about how I missed being in Copenhagen so I could see them all more often. 

Before we left we asked if there was anything we could do for them before we headed out to get some lunch on the way home.  Sister Hamblin looked at Sister Swena, then at us, and asked if we would be willing to give Sister Swena a blessing. 

Beautiful Helsingor

I'm not sure if you've heard about this yet or not, but it was a comforting experience.  After gathering in an office we said a prayer and gave sister Swena an anointing and blessing.  She could probably better tell you how the experience was, but what struck me the most was what Sister Swena said to us on our way out.  She said "thank you both for being worthy of your priesthood, I could feel it through the blessing."  

That hit me right between the eyes.  I always knew it was important to be worthy to properly administer to others, but for them to be able to RECOGNIZE any kind of difference made me realize that I always want to live worthy of that privilege.  Needless to say, I had a good week, and I'm still loving it here. 

‘V’ just came and surprised us at the library.  She said that she sent mom a friend request on facebook, so go check for that, she wants to send you some pictures :)  It might be good to just drop her a note as well to say thanks for taking care of us. 

We are with the ‘D’ family a lot, and they really do take care of us. 

Love you both!

Ældste Pitcher

October 20, 2014

Hey Mom,

I promise I didn't forget your birthday, I figured I'd just save the B day greetings for the P day that was closest.  Looking back now though, I should've done it last chance I had to email.  Hope you don't mind.  Happy Birthday!!  :)  I'm glad you enjoyed the tag.  I was going to put a note with it, but it was really rushed/ I didn't think of that until Breanna (that's weird to say) told me to at zone training and didn't have time to ;)  I'm glad you got to meet some of the missionaries.  They are a good feel for just the caliber of missionaries that this mission produces.  They are all fantastic, and especially those you sent pictures of :)  

Go ahead and just buy the camera and ship it to my address.  It's:     Belvedervej 52. 2, 32

                                                                                                             3000 Helsingør DK

Let me know if there are any other problems you have with it, and maybe I can just find one here.  I just feel like I'm always way too busy to look around for anything like that so this way seems easier, but let me know.  

Here's how my week went... It's been a pretty exciting week here in this part of the country.  Last Monday Elder Lester and I went to our investigator 'V's house so that I could get my hair cut.  It was the first time I got the experience of teaching as someone else cut my hair.  It was a great lesson and she accepted the challenge to pray for an answer if Jesus really is the Christ (since after using the baptismal questions we realized we needed to start right from the beginning).

Fast forward to splits on Thursday and she got her answer, she knows Christ is her Savior.  I was ecstatic, and what was more, Elder Bradshaw and I had an incredible experience of our own happen the same day.  

While out knocking in Frederiksværk we knocked into a man that showed a lot of interest in the church.  He said he was busy at the moment, but told us he would really like us to come back, so we exchanged information and left to knock the next door.  After knocking the next door though Elder Bradshaw got a call.  It was 'F', the man we had just exchanged information with, and he wanted us to come back. 

Elder Bradshaw and I started to get anxious... We weren't sure what to make of this man telling us to come back.  When we got to the door he invited us into his house and had us make ourselves at home.  He went on to tell us that after we left he sat down alone in his house and felt suddenly awful telling us to come back later when he had time right then.  He felt prompted to call us back.  He added that he knew we were servants of Jesus Christ, and that he had a desire to come back to Christ, being religious himself, and knowing that the Savior had helped him through so many of his life struggles. 

I felt the prompting to tell him exactly what he needed to do to follow the Savior, and extended him the invitation to be baptized.  He said 'one day' and then started off into another topic.  We were running late to another appointment, but he said we could stop by at any time, and that he was willing to meet again. 

It was an incredible lesson, and experience for both Elder Bradshaw and myself.  Things like this always happen on splits. 

'V' also asked me to make a wreath for her out of branches from her front yard.  It actually turned out quite nice... And that's just the trouble ... Elder Lester is now showing everyone he possibly can and bragging about the stupid thing.  'A' (a Norwegian women in our ward) is even talking about setting something up with the relief society so that I can hold a class on it...  not that I'm not flattered, but.... Hopefully everyone just forgets the whole thing ;)  

I also found out that the girl that gave me her phone number at Matt Boulton's wedding reception is Elder Lester's ex-girlfriend's sister.. Ha!  It was a funny little connection.  I've had a pretty great week.

You are all in my prayers, I love you all so much!

Ældste Pitcher