Going off the Rails on a Crazy Train

Hej hej!

Well, another week come and gone. And like, it was a crazy week. We have been pretty much everywhere possible this week, and it was SOOO FUN. Like,Tuesday was crazy just because we were all over Uppsala and then were rushing like mad for a train up to Sundsvall that night, which, luckily, we made it to in time.

And that train ride.... we got put in a four-seater with one of the sweetest old men you'll ever meet.  He was VERY talkative. Like, the entire three-hour ride, he would have talked to us if we could have heard him well enough over the sound of the train. I think he still is convinced that we're JW's, and as sweet as he was, he wouldn't let us get off the train without giving us both chocolate bars, a few crowns, and trying to convince us that we should go to Max burger with him once we got off the train. Never fear, we just went on to the sisters' apartment, but I got off that train thinking there was no way I would ever have a crazier train ride (I was wrong).

Splits went great up there, we have great sisters up in Sundsvall, I made the amazing discovery after 16 months that chicken nuggets exist in Sweden, and it was so cool to get to see a little more of the area, but it was on the way back..... oj. Like, Friday and Saturday are party days in Sweden. Apparently Wednesday was the mid-week party to make it through to the weekend. We got on the train at 6:00, and that entire train ride, we were sitting in view of the bistro car, and I just stopped counting how many people were going back and forth with alcohol that night. Like, by the end of an hour, the people ahead of us were speaking the loudest, most slurred Skånish I've ever heard, and I lived in Malmö in the summer! I'm still not sure if it was the lurching of the train or the effects of alcohol, but most people walking past us to and from the bistro were NOT walking in a straight line, and I think the highlight of the night is when one man stopped to wait in front of the bathroom with a large 'Out of Order' sign on the front and started singing at the top of his lungs. Not necessarily what I envisioned when I opened my call, but roligt none the less.

And then the day after that, we went out to Borlängefor district meeting, and since we were already that far out there, we got to take a little detour to the Dala häst factory and see them actually making the beautiful things. Guys, they are so freaking talented. Like, while sitting talking to people in both english and swedish, they're just carving away and painting those things like it's no big deal, and meanwhile, the horses come out SO BEAUTIFUL.

So pretty much, I didn't get a ton of time here in Uppsala, but what time we did have was fantastic. We've finally started building up our teaching pool a little, and so we have one investigator who's so close to baptism, and it's so fantastic to see the change in him since I came here a few weeks ago. He literally looks different. There is light in his face, and he is so much more alive in so many ways. Guys, it is so crazy to see what a blessing, a light, and a joy the gospel can be to people, and I love that I get to be here to see it. We've also started working with a woman from Mexico who is absolutely amazing. Like, the sweetest woman I've ever met, and she really has a desire to come closer to the Savior.

Otherwise, life is great. Like, seriously, the sun is starting to come back out. I have gained a solid testimony out here on my mission that a little light can go a long way. After several months of just not seeing the sun, it's crazy how much just 10 minutes of sunlight can lift and change your day, and I think it's so applicable to the work we're out here to do. We NEED to have that light the gospel brings into our lives, even if all we get at different periods is a brief glimpse of sun before it goes back behind the clouds of trials and temptations. And I can feel the difference it makes each and every day as I realize the sun is starting to come up before studies, and setting around 5:00 rather than coming up as I'm leaving after companionship study, and starting to go down an hour or two after lunch.

So, there's my week! Love y'all! Stay classy!

Kramar

Syster Maxwell

Happy Love Month! a.k.a. February....

Hejsan!

Well, it literally hasn't stopped snowing in Uppsala since Friday night. But, lest any of you think that I'm experiencing that freezing Swedish winter everyone warned me about when I was coming out, it's been sitting right around freezing the entire time, so there's only about 4 inches of snow to show for it, and walking around, I feel like my big coat and gloves are an option rather than a necessity. But, on the plus side, my white winter finally came. In February! 

This past week was really good. We're still putting a really big emphasis on finding work.

I know that there are people here in Uppsala who are ready and waiting for the gospel right now, but, we're going through a trial of both faith and patience before we can find them. So, we swing by everyone on every list, call them, and then talk to literally everyone we see. And repeat. And repeat again. There's a quote that comes to mind- 'insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.' The difference here is that essentially everyone I've ever taught has been found through this exact same process, so I know it's not insanity, it's just.... taking longer than usual right now. We'll blame it on the snow.

However, lest things sound all gloom and doom, things have actually gone well with the people we've met with in the last week. The investigator we've been focusing on has been making huge progress, and right now, we're just helping him to overcome his last few issues before baptism. We were hoping he'd be ready by last weekend, but when it came out that he still had a few things to work through, we decided to post-pone the baptism. However, I know how much he wants it, and I know that since coming to Uppsala 5 weeks ago, I've seen a change in him, and that, even though he may not be ready this very instant, it will come. So, we're going to continue meeting with him.

We've also been working with a few ny omvänds and less actives, and they're all doing really well. It's amazing to see the difference having friends in the ward can make for people, and really, I do feel like we've got a great ward here who are fantastic about helping new people and very missionary-minded in that when someone they don't recognize comes in, they go talk to them and take care of them. It really is such a blessing!

Otherwise.... we went to the ward knitting night on Friday, which was super fun! We had a few less active members who came, and it was great getting to see them interact with the ward, and in the meantime, learn a little more about knitting. Like, I'm very aware I sound like an old grandma as I say this, but it seems like everyone here can knit, and they make these beautiful scandinavian patterns, and ultimately, I've decided I want to get that good. I'm not sure when, given that as missionaries, we don't have a ton of time to just sit and knit to our hearts content, but one day, I'll be freakin' good.

And outside of that, really, I just feel in so many ways this past week that I've gotten the chance to see a little bit more of how much our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of his children. Not necessarily in any specific instance, but just generally speaking and in my studies, I feel like my faith that everything our Heavenly Father does is out of love for his children and their well-being has been strengthened so much this past week. He DOES love us so much more than we can understand, and while there are things we don't always understand about the gospel or about why things happen in life, we can rest assured that there is a kind and loving Heavenly Father guiding us along who knows and understands everything.

So, there's this past week! Love you all tons! 

Syster Maxwell

"It's so pathetic; it's frozen milk and it's stronger than me!"

Hejsan! 

Guess who didn't turn into a popsicle up at the arctic circle? That's right, this chick! So, the week got off to a great start by doing work-overs up in Luleå and then heading up to Jokmokk and the arctic circle the day after. On the way up there, the thermometer said -34 C, which is still around -34 F. So, cold. Like, my hair, my eyelashes, my eyebrows, my nosehairs- frozen in about 20 seconds out there. It was COLD.  But also freakin' cool, like, I can now say I've been so far north that there are days of the year that the sun just doesn't rise. 

Other than that, it's been a great week. We got to go to Stockholm for ANOTHER meeting (I swear, I have been in Stockholm every week since October. Or at least it feels like it). It was a really good meeting; lots of great ideas for changing up things with planning and the area book, and my favorite was that we got the special surprise of watching 'Meet the Mormons' at the end of the conference. Guys, it's so good! Like, being 100% honest, I was crying. My mission has turned me into a waterworks, and I was very definitely crying. But hey, that's how you know it was good, right????

Otherwise, missionary work continues as always. Yesterday was especially full of tender mercies and miracles. I got to play 'Be Still My Soul' in sacrament meeting, and I can still say after however many months I've been out that music is my favorite way to bear my testimony. There's just so much power and feeling that I can put into music that I find hard to put into words. Unfortunately it doesn't work to take a violin out in Swedish winter, but on the rare occasions I do get to play, I always feel that much more effective.  We also had a tender mercy yesterday after church. The bishop came and grabbed us to say a woman had just walked in to the chapel wanting to talk to somebody, so we went through most of the first lesson with her. The spirit was definitely there helping us all in that lesson, which was so wonderful. And after that, we got to go to a member dinner that was DELICIOUS, and in which I lost a battle with a bucket of ice-cream. It was frozen SOLID, and I struggled to get more than a half-scoop of it out. I felt a little better when the elders and members ALSO struggled, but still, it was pathetic, I was defeated by delicious frozen cream.

And yeah, there was our week. I love you all tons, and I hope you have a fantastic week. Lycka till med allt!

Kram!

Syster Maxwell

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

It's not that it was a Bad Day, it's Just That the Best Part Was when I Ran Through a Field Throwing Snow and Singing "Let it Go"

Hejsan!

Guess what magic happened this week..... IT SNOWED! Duh-da-da-DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After more than a year in Sweden, I was beginning to doubt it was even possible, but then, this week, it snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed. Meaning, we've got about 4 inches, but watching it come down was 1) one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and 2) looked like if we were in Utah, there would have been a foot and a half by the end of the night. I still have some hopes; it's supposed to snow more later in the week, but as it is, I'm loving that Uppsala has become a winter wonderland.

Other than that, it was actually a pretty chill week. I think that the weeks around New Years  (at least in Sweden) are universal finding weeks because everyone starts saying "contact me after the new year" and so, the new year rolls around and you have to start doing more swing-bys than you thought existed in your area book and more ring-stunding than you knew you had phone-numbers for. It's seriously been a huge push for finding, but I think in the next two or three weeks, we'll start seeing it pick up again- tomorrow is tjugondedagen Knut- "tjugondagen knut körs Julen ut" or in other words, "on the 20th day of Knut, we'll drive Christmas out!" meaning, people can stop blaming their inability to meet on the holiday season, and we'll get back to missionary work as usual!

Other news.... sorry, guys, there isn't much. We got a new elder here this past week, and his train came in 5 HOURS LATE. So, that was an adventure. And then I got to make cinnamon rolls. Like, really, it was just a slow, placid week. Yesterday, after a solid day of letter writing (we have a woman who doesn't want us to go by to teach her her, but she wants a letter explaining what we believe in), and updating area-book stuff, I think I must have snapped to some degree, because, on the walk home, there was no one there, and so, I literally started singing "Slå dig loss" ("Let it Go"- both the English and Swedish were involved here, so both deserve credit), and right after the big dramatic moment "... don't let them know. Well now they now! Let it go!" I would run out into the field, grab a huge handful of snow, and just throw it as high as I could. Seriously, it might just be the strange missionary part of me, but I can honestly say it was the best part of the day to just "let it go" and laugh a little extra. 

And yeah. I pinky promise there'll be more fun stuff to tell y'all next week, but until then, I love you all, I hope you have a great week, and stay classy!

Love,

Syster Maxwell

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Hey! Well, it's been a more than average week here in Sweden.

So, let's start with back in Norrköping- we got invited to one last members for Annandag Jul (the second day of Christmas), where, luckily, I think they realized we'd had four Julbords in the last 2 days, so they just gave us pasta and a little salad, and then, we tried to teach them how to play scum. This poor couple.... they were giving it their best, but between our Swedish skills (how often do you have to explain card games to Finns???) and their trying to figure out the game mostly by watching, we only made it through a few rounds.

Then, Saturday. Saturday was dramatic. So, we'd already gotten the call that I'd be transferring from Norrköping to Stockholm to be with Stewart, and the elders and Syster Allen had decided we should go to lunch to celebrate my last day. And, then, on the way there, we get a call from the assistants to say that they hadn't thought through that Sister Stewart and I both go home in the beginning of April, and they didn't want to double us out of Stockholm, so they had decided to send me to Uppsala with Sister Bass, and Sister Stewart would be staying in Stockholm with Sister DeMille joining her. 

Sunday was some saying goodbye, especially to our family of nyomvänds from Syria. I loved getting to know them so much, and it was so hard to say goodbye, but I know I've left them and all of Norrköping in good hands. 

Monday we got up, and I got on a train just before 8:00 up to Uppsala. And things have just been crazy ever since then. Literally, I have not had a slightly normal day since Sunday. Monday was getting my things into the apartment, and then lunch with a member, and area work with the elders, and then running around to teach lessons, and then packing up so that we could spend all day Tuesday doing work-overs. The sisters in Gävle doubled in when I got to Uppsala, so we went up to help them sort through their area book and get some stuff set up for the next few days. It was a lot of fun for a few reasons, 1), I finally made it north of Stockholm, guys! 2), it was a lot of fun to get to spend some time with Sister King and Sister Jacobs and get to know them better. It was Sister Jacobs birthday, so we got some kebab and put candles in it, then sang to her in English and Swedish. They're both amazing missionaries, and I'm excited to get to work with them more in the next few weeks.

We spent the night in Gävle, then took a train back to Uppsala the next morning to get ready to go to Upplands Väsby at the north end of Stockholm to spend New Years eve with a lot of sisters and the Tolleys. SOOOO MUCH FUN. They'd gotten special permission from President Beckstrand for us to watch Frozen and a few other movies, so we played games, watched Frozen and a few Hallmark movies (and bawled our eyes out watching one of them), and then they drove us back to the Täby sisters apartment right around midnight so that we could spend the night there before they came back to drive us to Uppsala this morning to manage our tvättstuga (laundry).

So, in response to the question, 'how's Uppsala?' it's good from what I've seen of it. There's more snow here  than I've seen for quite a while, although it's currently doing its best to melt away. We live a ways outside of central stan, so we have to walk through a bunch of fields and rådhus to make it to the church, but is in in walking distance, so that's a bonus. Hopefully I'll have a little more to report next week on how things are actually going here, but for the time being, I'm loving it. 

I love you all tons, and I hope you have a great week and an amazing 2015!

Love,

Syster Maxwell

God Jul Allihoppa!

With the Holiidays the P-day schedule is all over the place for this week and next but we will be back on a regular schedule soon.  


Well, my mind is kind of boggled right now in several different ways. For one, it's about -10 Celsius outside and we have no snow. This is my second non-white Christmas in Sweden, and I thought I was guaranteed one at least 1 year. And then there's the other part- I've had two Christmases in Sweden. It's a little freaky, but so cool at the same time, especially since I actually understood what was going on this year!

Let's see, we'll start with last week. We made popcorn balls with cards and spiritual thought for ward-members, investigators, and less-actives, and it's been a lot of fun to see the general Swedish reaction which is usually something along the lines of 'Oh, the sweet sisters..... what is this strange American concoction?' Caramel popcorn just isn't a thing here, poor people! But, it's been really nice getting to share EVEN MORE the importance and power of our Savior's birth. It honestly has been so wonderful this Christmas to get to witness of the Savior's birth and ministry to literally EVERYONE. It's been great to hand out popcorn, and it's been great to realize what a miracle modern technology is so we could share 'He is the Gift' with our street contacts and members using our phone in just about any language. I think what I've loved especially about this Christmas season is that in sharing the gift of our Savior's birth with so many people, I've brought it a little more into my own heart and I've realized at a much deeper level that we celebrate so much more than a baby's birth every Christmas. We truly celebrate our Savior and the fact that he loved us enough to humbly come to Earth as a baby and one day offer up Himself as a sacrifice for each and every one of us, as imperfect and flawed as we all are, and for that, I am so, so grateful. 

Zone Conference was great; I got to play a duet of 'Away in a Manger' for the  Conference, and it was so fun to see so many of the friends I've made in the last year one last time before a lot of them head home.

Other news.... well, we had a little heartbreak with our investigator who travels so far to make it to church. Her husband and sons have all become Christian, but her father who still lives in the Middle East is still Muslim, and wasn't too pleased when he got the news that she was seriously considering converting to Christianity, so for right now, she's taking a little break until she can sort out what she wants to do. I know how strong a faith she has, and I know that she truly has gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but for right now, we can't tell her what to do, both because it needs to be her decision, but also because of the potential for more serious problems that could come from this, so for now....  we don't know what to do with her until she knows what she wants to do.

And then, there was Christmas. It's been so much fun; I got to watch Kalle Anka again this year, and it was amazing to realize I do actually understand what's going on in all of the cartoons now (take that, Swedish!), and as always, the Swedish tradition of Julbord has been great. But think Julbord on steroids. Seriously, I've had three or four Julbords in the last 2 days, and I'm really starting to get sick of meatballs and Janssons Frestelse, although it was fun to convince Sister Allen there was no fish in the Janssons Frestelse only to tell her a few hours later it was some of the fishiest stuff I've ever eaten (no pun intended), as well as to get the chance to try some Finnish foods, and to try eating bear, boar, and hart meat. It actually all tasted really good, I just don't know that I can eat many more Julbords after the last week!

And now for the big news. And just so no one is surprised, let's think this through: what do they always do to Syster Maxwell? They transfer her! And since there's a pretty large group going home next week to make it home for school, guess who's getting pulled out of Norrköping? This girl. And do you want to guess where I'm going? Stockholm! Yup, I spent seven months in two of the three or four sisters areas around T-Central in Stockholm, so it makes sense they would send me back just to make sure I really get the full Stockholm experience. Haha, it should be lots of fun, especially since they're putting me back with Sister Stewart, my MTC comp!

And yeah, that's Christmas in Sweden! I love you all tons, and I hope you have a fantastic Annan dag Jul!

Love,

Syster Maxwell