Jag har orkester I min magen!

From: Jennifer Juker <jennifer.juker@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 3:28 AM
Subject: Jag har orkester I min magen!


Hello Near and Dear ones!

It's getting dark and cold here in Sweden! It's fun! Syster Anderson teases me about being from California because I have a hard time having a jacket with me. So this past week I brought my jacket with me everywhere. One evening as we entered the Institute she told me "Congratulations on taking the first step in bringing your jacket. Now step two is to actually put it on!" I'm working on it! Don't worry I am not usually too cold. Just enjoying the chilly breeze! When it's rainy dark and cold I have my jacket with me and on, buttoned all the way up with a scarf! It chilly!

This week has been interesting! Last pday we were going to go hiking and take in a good view of Göteborg but it was rainy and overcast so the Elders changed plans. They decided to go shopping so we did some of that with them and they all tried on onsies. Like gigantic footy pajamas without feet and with a hood that zips all the way up. They are cool and I would wear them at home but certainly not out like people do here. I'll attach a picture of such nonsense. The elders in our ward try to pull pranks on us and on monday night they tried to get us to carry 7 or so Book of Mormons home in our bags but I noticed and pulled a switch. It was funny, although they didn't make it home with them either. 

On Tuesday we finally got our visiting teaching assignments from our ward. So we went on splits with Eva and Mary Malm. Syster Sprague and I went with Eva, She's the relief society president and we were visting the less actives that we figured would be home on a rainy cold day. So they were older. We tried one of our less actives, Kirsten, she didn't answer. We went to another lady's house and she didnt answer and her name wasn't on the plaques so Eva rang all the other doors until someone answered and we learned that she had died and no one in the ward had known about it. 

We had some fun missionary memories in that trip. Then we had time enough for one more visit. Instead of having her pay for parking and take her two month old baby again out in the rain we just jumped out to go try to visit them. The address said 5I (im glad you cant tell if its a number or not because she just told us to go check its number 51. But once we got out of the car we noticed the building was 5 and the doors were A through K. So she said it must be 5 E. So we didn't think anything of it and we got to 5E and checked it out on the nametag plaque thing inside of each building and she wasn't there. Then we just started laughing.We remembered an "E" sound in swedish is the English I. So she was telling us in swenglish where to go and we just took it for english. It was really funny! We had to share it with everybody. Who also got a kick out of it!

On Wednesday we had a spirit-filled lesson and lunch with a YSA who is adorable! Then as we were waiting to get on the spårvagn to go into town a group of little boys came up as we were speaking in english with each other and one just stopped and stared at us. We started talking with one of them in Swedish. He asked where we were from in swedish and we would answer in swedish and then any question we would ask him in swedish he would respond in English. It's pretty nice when it works out that way and they will speak to you in enlgish and you can speak to them in swedish. We are both happy people. His name was David and he is 11. He was pretty nice to talk to, we all understood each other. Not like some swedes who talk incredibly fast in swenglish so you can hardly keep up. We had our weekly meeting with the institute counsel and a teach sceduled at the same time so we got to go on splits and I was chosen to go into the meeting. It was good we got a lot accomplished. As always we had Syster Andersons delicious dinner at the institute after the lesson finished. We met a members younger brother who joked around about how the only reason why I haven't been translated yet is because I like strawberries more then raspberries. I told him its because Im from California and he determined that that was ok. 

Thursday I got the most adorable suit from my Mom and Dad! I love it! I sadly forgot to take pictures in it but I LOVE IT! I cried when I read the letter and pulled it all out! So much love in every stitch! 

We are working with a less active who has some issues with pride and I sent him the scripture in Alma 26:11-12 about boasting of Christ and doing all things through his power. He kinda got upset with it so we had to talk about that and relieve some concerns in the teach that night. He ended up giving us a wonderful closing prayer and my first kneeling prayer with someone else besides my companions or by myself. It is an amazing experience. The Spirit is really evident as we reference ourselves and show our humility in a kneeling prayer. 

For Friday I did something drastic! We had some time before an appointment at lunch and I couldn't do anything with my hair and Syster Jenson offered to cut some bangs. So we did! It feels like I have a Caterpillar on my forehead! it's definitely different than anything I have ever had before. I have to actually blow dry or straighten them everyday. But I didn't want to today so I just pulled them back. I'll send a picture in this so you can see and make fun om du vill! =) We had weekly planning and ran into Klebber- a nyomvand who left for Brazil the next day. We were able to set up a time to meet for later on and say goodbye. We had a teach with Sampath and he has developed a desire to believe in God! This was the one who prayed to energy the first time he ever met with missionaries. We showed him the video of the scientist who testifies of God and he really enjoyed it. He wants to look at more of the videos on our church website and things its awesome! Im really happy for the progress we have been able to help him with. 

This weekend was called Halloween Weekend where YSAs from all around the world really, come to celebrate Halloween together and have a couple days of partying and a special sunday testimony meeting. On Saturday they had a devotional that we were invited to so we attended. It was really good and about ways we can make our lives better by acknowledging things we can't change and moving on. He showed us a slide in the slideshow that had the top 5 fears of sweden. They were death, war, the dentist, sickness and speaking in front of people. So I made the comment to Syster Spraugue that they would really hate to have to speak at a funeral while sick after having gone to the dentist in war time and the YSAs in front of us overheard and laughed. It was silly! The YSAs here are amazing and have such strong testimonies! After lunch we had time to do some language study and then we had a teach. The Elders had made another prank and locked our bags together with a lock. So we had to find a lock before our member dinner with them. We are plotting revenge its funny. We made our way to the families house and we learned that they forgot us. It was a little depressing but instead we ended up having to buy dinner so I picked a salad and we all chipped in and made a gigantic chicken salad and soup as a district and finding out our color personality. It was fun.

Sunday we had lots to do because our church was at a different time and we attended the testimony meeting with the YSA. They are crazy strong! I felt so good coming out of that meeting! We had two less active members go up and talk about how they knew that they were missing something but they would have never guess that it was the church. Everyone was crying it was really cool to be apart of and knowing them each and what they have gone through to be able to do what they have done. Being a missionary rocks!

Challenge Time! This morning in my personal study I was studying from the conference before last in a talk by Cecil O. Samuelson Jr. on TESTIMONY ITS AWESOME! (I CANT FIGURE OUT WHY THIS IS IN CAPS SO YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT) TOWARD THE END OF HI S TALK HE BRINGS UP 10 POINTS "First, everyone has worth because we are all children of God. He knows us, loves us, and wants us to succeed and return to Him. We must learn to trust in His love and in His timing rather than in our own sometimes impatient and imperfect desires.

Second, while we believe fully in the mighty change of heart described in the scriptures (see Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:12–14, 26), we must understand it often occurs gradually, rather than instantaneously or globally, and in response to specific questions, experiences, and concerns as well as by our study and prayer.

Third, we need to remember that a fundamental purpose of life is to be tested and stretched, and thus we must learn to grow from our challenges and be grateful for the lessons learned that we cannot gain in an easier way.

Fourth, we must learn to trust the things that we believe in or know to sustain us in times of uncertainty or with issues where we struggle.

Fifth, as Alma taught, gaining a testimony is usually a progression along the continuum of hoping, believing, and finally knowing the truth of a specific principle, doctrine, or the gospel itself (see Alma 32).

Sixth, teaching someone else what we know strengthens our own testimony as we build that of another. When you give someone money or food, you will have less. However, when you share your testimony, it strengthens and increases for both the bearer and the hearer.

Seventh, we must do the little but necessary things daily and regularly. Prayers, scripture and gospel study, attendance at Church meetings, temple worship, fulfilling visiting teaching, home teaching, and other assignments all strengthen our faith and invite the Spirit into our lives. When we neglect any of these privileges, we place our testimonies in jeopardy.

Eighth, we should not have higher standards for others than we do for ourselves. Too often we may let the mistakes or failures of others, especially leaders or Church members, influence how we feel about ourselves or our testimonies. Other people’s difficulties are not an excuse for our own deficiencies.

Ninth, it is good to remember that being too hard on yourself when you make a mistake can be as negative as being too casual when real repentance is needed.

And tenth, we must always be clear that the Atonement of Christ is fully and continuously operative for each of us when we allow it to be so. Then everything else fits into place even when we continue to struggle with certain details, habits, or seemingly missing parts in the mosaic of our faith." tHE CHALLENGE THIS WEEK IS TO READ HIS TALK, APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE. EACH ONE OF THESE POINTS HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON THE HAPPINESS WE FEEL IN LIFE AND HOW WE CAN OVERCOME THOSE HARD TIMES. i KNOW THAT IF WE JUST TAKE THE TIME TO BE MORE OBEDIENT WE WILL BE BLESSED! 

I LOVE YOU ALL AND HOPE THAT YOU ARE HAVING A GREAT WEEK AND WILL CONTINUE ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

LOVE ,

SYSTER JUKER