It's like my own personal version of the Birds!

Okay, so, first off, I'm really getting sick of this whole 'ice' thing. This is the story: it finally decided to snow in Sweden! And then it snowed for three days. And then it started raining. And then everything froze over, and now I think I should really just get a pair of ice-skates from a second hand store, because I'd probably get around just as fast on skates as I do on my boots. And it's never quite cold enough for the snow to stay, but somehow, the ice manages to just keep getting thicker and thicker. Jag fattar inte.

Let's see, other news, I got chased down the streets of Uppsala by a flock of about 200 ducks. I swear, I did nothing to aggravate them or suggest I had food (aside from carrying a shopping bag, but there was no way that thing smelled like food!), but for some reason, as Syster Bass and I were walking along down the river behind the Domkyrka, talking to the elders on the phone, a few of the ducks sitting on the frozen river decided to come over and see what we were up to. And then the other 190 decided to follow after them, and they were literally falling over the edge of the snowbanks and walking on our feet. Deciding a quick get away would be best, we retreated to the other side of the street. And they FOLLOWED. Like, there was probably only 20 or so that actually RAN after us, but the full 200 was definitely making it's way down the street towards us. For some reason, the ducks decided I was more fun to follow, and so, Syster Bass was left to take pictures and laugh as I ran two or three more blocks with the 20 fastest ducks following right after me, and the rest doing their best to catch up. Guys, it was terrifying.  And the videos and pictures afterwards were hilarious, but I still have no idea what we did to convince the ducks we were worth following after for that long!  

Among other stories is trying to get out to a member who lives about 40 minutes from Stan by bus. And we initially went to the wrong bus-stop. I was running for about 20 minutes straight on solid ice. Again, I'm excited to be done with this whole ice thing, but luckily, we made it to the member's and had a fantastic dinner, and there was no more than the usual slipping and sliding on the ice.

And another ice story: we were climbing up the hill to our apartment, and I literally started floating away. Syster Bass had to get up to a snowband and then pull me in so I didn't float off into the street and down into a field. Have I mentioned that I'm done with ice?

Let's see, otherwise it was a good week. We had meetings in Stockholm off and on all week, and I got to go on splits in Uppsala, and I'm still so proud to say that I did not get us lost on the side of the street in some ghetto corner of Uppsala. Like, it's something I still don't get about missionary life how you can get to know an area and the members and investigators, and then you get a call that you're moving to the other side of the country, and within 3 weeks, that new area is home, and you know your way around, and you know the people, and it just feels like you're right where you're supposed to be. It's so weird, but I can honestly say that I do feel like I'm right where I'm supposed to be, and I'm so happy that is Uppsala!

Let's see, let's see... otherwise, it's been a good week. We have an investigator who is progressing well towards baptism hopefully in the next week or two, and we've been able to get in contact with a few more of our less actives. We were in and out of our area so much in the last week that things feel just a little slow, but just the same, it is so good, and I love love love it.

Other news: I'm in Luleå right now. For those of you who don't know Swedish geography (and we don't hold it against you if you don't), that's far, far up at the North end of Sweden. We're on workovers with the sisters today and tomorrow, and we're hoping to get to go up to the Arctic Circle (like, the actual, literal Arctic Circle, and not just the burger joint that I miss so much) tomorrow, and if it clears up, it's my hope and prayer to see the Northern lights, but, I'll have to let you know next week if that actually happens.

And yeah, I love you all tons, miss you like a fat kid misses cake, and I hope you have a fantastic week!

Kramar!

Syster Maxwell