Finding Alligators with Baptismal Plants

Finding Alligators with Baptismal Plants

June 27

Well Hello Everybody!

Halmstad has been an eventful place this past week. We had our first appartment inspection, which was really funny. We didnt have much time to clean up before hand, especially with all of our clothes everywhere with the bed bug situation. So we were cleaning in our sweats and such when all of a sudden our doorbell rings. We didnt feel right answering the door in our current apparel so we ran around finding our skirts and nametags and such. Our suitcases were on the table from cleaning the floor so we ran around making everything look a little better and then ran downstairs to get the door. We couldnt help but laugh afterwards.

We are working a lot with less actives and trying to get them back to church. Its seems like the one thing they all have in common is a desire to read the Book of Mormon more regularly. So you know me and my schedule skills, I created a little graph and help aid to encourage them to read. We come back every week and see how it is going. Its really awesome to see the change in people as they take a challenge we give them and learn so much more then what they or we as missionaries expect. I love less actives, but I just wish they would be active again! But thats why we are here!

On thursday we had our last district meeting this transfer in Halmstad. We took funeral pictures as Syster Page and Syster Sumner are dying this transfer. It was pretty funny. Ill include some random pictures. They are kind of far away but we didn´t have anybody there to take the picture so we set out all the cameras on a window sill and set timers. It was a fun experience.

Thursday was our midsommar (not working day) We planned for next week and celebrated with Familijen Stode. During planning we were discussing how we are to find more investigators to teach and syster Page made the connection that Alligators and INvestigators sound a lot a like. Later in the day we were trying to make baptismal plans and I texted our distrikt leaders about baptismal plants instead, thus creating my title for this email. They are awesome. The whole day we thought was going to be gloomy and rainy but when the may pole experience came around there wasnt even a drop shed. We were in Kärleken when we danced around the may pole. It was pretty intresting, Ill add some pictures of that. The traditional ´food at midsommar and christmas is sill- raw pickled harring! Its gross! I tried it! The Stode family had there kids who are married back for the celebration and so there was about 20 people give or take a few and only Syster Stode liked the sill.

We have been doing lots of finding work here in Halmstad, seeing as most of our investigators have gone home for the summer. Lots of trackting and contackting. I have now realized how important it is as members of the church to do member missionary work. If the members are out talking with their friends and inviting them to activities we can focus more on teaching and inviting others to come unto Christ. My challenge to you this week is to seek a missionary experience. Study about how missionaries in the Book of Mormon went about doing good (not necessarily chopping anyones arms off, but you get what im trying to say). Pray for guidence from the Holy Ghost so that you can find and know who and what to say to your friends. Have the missionaries over for dinner the same night, Missionaries need food no matter where they are in the world, even in Sweden. Í know that if you have a righteous desire to find someone to introduce to the gospel and you pray to have Heavenly Fathers Help He will guide your footsteps and your thoughts to have success. I have seen this many times as I have jumped way out of my comfort zone (by the which is super comfy) to talk to random people on the street, in swedish about this gospel that I hold so dear. I know that those desires are fullfilled as we rely on the Lord and do all we can to accomplish them. Will you all please find someone to help come unto Christ? Responses to challenges are gladly accepted =) also if you have had any experiences that have helped grow your faith in Christ those are welcome as well!

Thank you all for your love and support!

Love

Syster Juker

pictures included, rainbow on midsommar afton, the day after midsommar apparel (scarfs and long wool sweater), a cake that is delicious (we celebrated my half birthday and syster pages anniversary of missionness), midsommar dancing around the maypole, syster page and i by the may pole, traveling back from Falconberg (our train was delayed 2 hours) a dead animal we werent sure what is or how it died, and some other random things!

The Weather is so Complicated!

The Weather is so Complicated!                   June 20

Hej!

So time is running low but I am going to piece together a little email here =) The weather here is pretty unpredictable. Evidently summers are rainy and often times only a few days of warm sunniness. Right now its cold rainy and pretty gloomy. We were trying to set up another appointment with our friend francis and he said that the weather is complicated. it made us laugh. He really is awesome!he brought a friend to our game and movie night (only because it was raining was there a movie and game lol not like at home movie night) usually its sports. I realy dont use () these right. lol but he and his friend committed to be baptised once they know it its true! Its pretty sweet!

But good news is its midsommar this week. (the longest day of the year) We as missionaries are told from our mission president to not work an this day and to be with our ward and celebrate the holiday. No one works or anything. Swedes are big on their holidays it seems lol. But our ward isnt doing anything until saturday. so we get to throw a party for ourselves in our apartment friday and then spend saturday night with our ward mission leader Brother Acevedo and his family. It will be fun. He has two little girls and they remind me of Monica and Maliah when they were little =) So we get along great lol only thing is that I cant hold them. thats the tough part. lol

As for the work, it goes! This week we had lots to do out of town we had sharpening with the mission president and stake conference in malmö and then a broadcast from slc on suday ´so we spent lots of time on the train but also learned tons. In stake conference last week we had to write our conversion story in swedish to the stake president and he picked people to tell them in stake conference. My swedish was sketchy so i figured he wouldnt pick me. we waited for him to tell us who was going to speak. He came up to syster page and I and asked Syster Juker will you speak about Facebook? I was utterly confused lol My conversion story had nothing to do with facebook... needless to say he got me confused with another syster who had to speak! Saved by the Bell!! During the meeting we had a Malmö ward choir we sang in, the missionary choir and it was awesome, we sang For the beauty of the earth with a special arrangement and Called to serve, but in swedish its more about the choice to serve. ITs awesome. The broadcast from slc had a great deal to do with knowing that Thomas S Monson is the prophet today. Syster Julie B Beck, Elder David A Bednar And President Henry B Eyring spoke It was AWESOME! It was all in swedish (translated) and I still got great notes! =) 
I learn so much everyday. My testimony grows everyday, I feel the lords hand holding me up everyday. Everyday is awesome! He is there if we but ask him for help. and boy do i need lots of that these days!

As for a commitment this week, I take it from a commitment we gave Annette this week. She knows the Book of Mormon is true but is having issues committing to living the gospel and be baptised. She doesnt know the eternal truth of Gods love for her individually. So we came up with this commitment, before you go to sleep every night this week, take a minute and reflect on the day keep track of the little things that God has done to show you that he loves you. It may be hard at first but I know that He loves oss each individually and that is why he has restored His gospel to the earth, So that we can again find peace and happiness, and be lead by his Prophet in ways of righteousness. That doesnt mean that he takes away all of our problems, but he does strengthen us so that we can overcome all that He has given us to help us grow.

Thank you all for your love and support! I pray for you lots everyday! Keep the prayers coming and try to serve someone today!

Love you!

Syster Juker

Pictures included: =) Still washing clothes from bed bug adventures! Syster Page watching our cookies bake on planning day, A building called the turning torso in Malmö its pretty cool looking, Syster Andersson ´Sumner, Tanner, Page and I at Sharpening, Innebandy!!! Waiting for a bus on a pretty day in Oscarstram (spelling wrong), Central Station in Malmö, endless rows of bikes =) a super long bus, (well we thought it was but it was actually two in separate lanes =) Pretty buildings, from the train ride home, and Swedish cows! The first I saw, they really look happier then california cows not gonna lie =)

A Duet

Jun 13

Well Hello Everyboday!

This week we got to deal with our friends the bed bugs! We got to clean everything, wash all of our clothes, it took forever. Luckily we didnt have to cancel any of our appointments though. And I havent had another bite since they came to spray. It might be the fact that I switched to another bed but we shall see. lol We have had a few slow days recently lots of tracting and contacting and not much success, nevertheless The Lord has guided us in all we do.

We met a man from africa on tuesday and he was super nice. It was when we were looking for a less active member who lived in the same apartment complex. The whole complex was locked so we were bummed but just as we went to try the main door that was locked Francis went to get his mail and kindly let us in. We were greatful and asked him for some directions which he helped and then we started talking about what we were doing and such. We shared a short message about the restoration and got an appointment for friday. Friday went really well and we invited him to church yesterday! He came!! The first of our investigators to attend sacrament meeting! It was an awesome experience to see him in the building and feeling the spirit. Now to the title of this email, lol Syster Page and I sang a duet in sacrament meeting! Yeah it was pretty awesome, We sang I stand all amazed. I sang Alto and I was as nervous as could be. It was pretty cool to go up and sing in front of everyone. A lady here had that motherly look in her eyes as we sang. It reminded me of how Mom would look had she had been here. =) All in swedish mind you! lol The Lord blesses us when we work hard and have faith to act! We work hard for moments like that and I am so thankful to be a part of it.

Ive had lots of opportunities to practice my swedish as we go out and contact people and go knock doors. A few times while we are out waiting for a door to open or running for a bus I think to myself, Oh Yeah! I am a missionary! lol its an amazing feeling to remember why I am here and who has called me to work in this field. I know that I am here with purpose. As members of the church we can accomplish lots as we take that opportunity to remember what the Lord has given us and to share it with others. I thínk Heaven would be a different place if we dont do our part to share the gospel with those we care deeply for.

An activity we have been doing as we go and visit our less active members here in Halmstad is to have a random box of normal everyday items you can find around your house. You pick one out and apply a principle of the gospel to it. for instance if you take out an eraser its repentance because it takes away your sins. This is also like the sacrament, as we take the sacrament we are reminded of the sacrifice the Savior made for us. The world is full of ways to remember the Lord in all that we do. No matter what we do, where we go, or who we talk to, there is a way to recognize the Savior. My challenge to you all this week is to take 5 minutes everyday and remember the Lord, think of how he has helped you in your life and write those things down in your journal or a note pad or your iphone. I know that as you remember the Lord you will more fully feel his love for you and you will be able to recognize the blessings He has given you each and everyday. I know this will help make you happier, It has helped me as we have been trackting for hours and no one has let us in. I remember that we have a great message and the more no thanks we recieve the greater chance the next door will have someone just waiting to hear our message.

Im very thankful for the love and support everyone has sent me =) All the prayers too! Pray for swedish help, if I can ask that lol =) Search, Ponder and Pray everyday and I promise that you will recieve answers to your questions! i love you all soo much! Have a great week!

Love

Syster Juker

Pictures include =) Our adventures of Bedbugs and how our apartment looked at the beginning and remnants of how it looks right now. A picture of Syster Page Cleaning with all of the random items we found from the Elders, Misspelled english grafetti =), a really pretty bus stop that we visit quite often, we actually ran to it yesterday and made it there 2 minutes before the bus came! We were stoked because we would have had to wait a long time to catch the next one. =) til next week!

A Week of Firsts

From: Jennifer Juker <jennifer.juker@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jun 6, 2011 at 2:57 AM
Subject: A week of Firsts

Hey Everybody!

This week has been an adventure all the way around! So much to do, so much to talk about and yet so little time.

Last monday we were in the library and I thought I saw Jordan Markham in the library, it was like his exact replica in all! It was really funny I laughed. Its interesting how being away you start to connect people from home to people you see here. One of our investigators reminds me of Stephanie a less active member reminds me of Aunt Teri. Its cool to make connections because then its more real to me to share my testimony and help them develop their own. =) 

On Tuesday we did a lot of trackting and didn't really find anyone who was prepared. We did some contacting in an area where we don't normally like to contact, after a prayer for guidance and found Rodrigo, he is awesome, his cousin is a member and he has a strong faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost really does guide us, all we have to do is ask and act. 

We did some planning and decided that missionary work is like dating. You have to get your second appointment while on your first. It was a great conversation. Thursday we had our district meeting here in Hälmstad and it went pretty well. Afterwards the systers went on splits. Syster Tanner stayed here with me and Syster Page went with Syster Sumner to Lund. It was an awesome experience to go through. We had a teach that night with Annette (our investigator who doesn't speak any english) We decided to teach her Frälsningsplanen (plan of salvation). It was a stretch because I hadn't ever done part of it in Swedish minus in the mtc with my other two companions. Syster Tanner is in her second transfer so her Swedish is still being developed as well. The lesson went AWESOME!! The Spirit was so strong and helped me to communicate all that I needed to. We helped answer her questions, talked about scriptures she didn't understand and invited her to read some more about prayer because she had a lot of questions about the importance of prayer. I felt the Holy Ghost work through me to convey my knowledge of the gospel in Swedish to her. It was awesome! My Faith was strengthened greatly!!! 

Friday was a lot of traveling as we had to get our companions back then we had a sports night and bbq with the ward. It was cool. I did my first splits, my first contact and my first wedding proposal all in the same week! lol The First contact was funny because we had been contacting for a while and I hadn't talked to anyone. So I told Heavenly Father the next person to come around the corner toward us I was going to contact.  He was pretty far away when I began to talk to him about the plan of salvation. He read our name tags and said in English Don't talk to me. Lol The wedding proposal came from a muslim guy who said he was just joking but it was super awkward. I told him no not even. I'm here to share the gospel not to get married. lol

Sunday we had a special fast for missionary work. It was an awesome experience to fast with the members of our ward for Missionary work and for those who are being prepared to receive the gospel. As we met together in sacrament meeting there was a great sense of unity as we all shared testimony of how this gospel has changed our lives and how we have grown so much closer to Christ because of it.

I hope that you can all take some time this next week and study a principle of the gospel that you just don't quite understand fully. I know there are many different principles but use the scriptures and try to get a clearer understanding of it. I know that as you show the Lord that you are wanting to know more of his gospel He will bless you and help you to know what is true.

The pictures included are of me numbering my bedbug bites one night before bed, we switched beds with the extra one and had to see if I got anymore. lol the next is of the shopping square fountain, it's questionable in nature but it was really pretty that day. The cookies Syster Tanner and I made. Syster Tanner in study mode. Swedish flags and a speed limit sign! Hope you like them! lol

Love you all, be good and pray always, That is where Strength is found.

Syster Juker