Jönköping

From: Jennifer Juker <jennifer.juker@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 4:05 AM
Subject: Jönköping

Nära och Kära! (Loved Ones)

Well this weeks message is coming from Jönköping from Me and Syster Schneiber! It's pretty crazy how fast time flows these days! I can hardly keep up with the days. Luckily I have a great planner to keep me sane and remind me what is going on all the time. I love it here! It was certainly an adventure to get here. But I'll relay that in the timeline dealio!

Monday- last pday in Västra Frölunda and boy was it fun. Last thing you had heard was that it was snowing and that I needed to go out and play. I finished up and Mette and I went out to make snowmen and play around while waiting form my companions. We then went shopping. It was Syster Jensons last pday too. So we did what she wanted obviously =) I was struggling with staying interested at the task at hand so in one store Syster Sprague gave me a purple beard from a scarf thing. In another store Mette and I tried on bright green and pink pants, so we could be watermelons. It was pretty awesome. The center opened so all the YSAs were around and were able to write in my buddy book before leaving. I got a great blessing on monday from my zone leaders to help with my tooth pain. The priesthood is real and I am so thankful for that.

Tuesday- I woke up super sick. It wasn't fun, I think part of it was stress from moving and packing and things. We got to see Erik who is now home in a wheelchair. We watched 17 miracles with him and the Spirit was great and he could feel it. It was awesome. We the visitied a family that Syster Jenson wanted to go say goodbye too. But since Syster Sprague and I were sick we stayed in the hallway so that we didn't get them sick. It was quite commical. We hadn't gone shopping for food so we had to do that before the switch. We got to go to the Holdaways and say goodbye. They are awesome. Eli wasn't there but we got to say goodbye to Enya. Im going to miss them a lot! We then made our way home to pack up everything possible. It was ridiculous! We didn't stay up too late just 11 ish so thats good.

Wednesday- my train left central station at 8:02 so it was an early morning! Äldste Anderson and the zone leaders came to help with luggage for the two of us. Luckily Äldste Anderson came early and just took all of our bags. Äldste Jenkins and Nelson got me worried as 8 came closer and closer and they were not there. Mette was coming to the train station to say goodbye so I gave her the code for my ticket she printed it out and was waiting for us. As we race car drove to the station she gathered my bags from Äldste Anderson and took them to the spår where I was leaving. My companions and I poured out of the car at a distant red light and sprinted to the train. It went super fast. Äldste DeLeeuw and Nelson were there to give me my buddy book and say goodbye. Before I knew it I was on a train by myself going to somewhere I had never been before with no cell phone. It was pretty crazy! I had to switch trains and the transfer was ridiculous I had to take and elevator down and then go under 2 spårs and then back up. Luckily the train waited for me! The man was super nice. He helped me a bit. AsI sat down I realized I lost a bag. =( The one with my big journal that I love, most of my letters that I have received a blanket. Oh the list goes on. But we are tryin to track that down today. I got to the station and waited for my companion. I was a little worried when she didn't come at 10:04 when I got in but decided to wait till 10:40 because that had been the time we both had been given. She arrived and Äldste and Syster Rasmussen came and took us to our apartment to unload everything. The apartment is even bigger than Halmstad's. Its crazy! I'll attach pictures of it. We had 3 lessons. One with Emanual, a man from Ghana who loves the new testament and has lots of questions. Reminds me a bit of Sammy. Then I met Pam a wonderful lady from New Guinea, she is super! We had a member lesson with Robin and Aurora where we taught them the Restoration in preparation for them sharing the gospel with their friends. Its a system that Syster Dabb and Schneiber came up with that I think is going to work really well. It was a long day and I slept wonderfully!

Thursday- Our district meeting was postponed because we have Zone conference this week. So we had time to take a trip, finally to the dentist. It was super funny afterwards I had a lysp. So dont worry we made a video of me talking so that you can all see that one day. The synopsis is that I have to get a root filled. Its expensive and Ill have to go back a few times to get it all done. I dont know what to do. We shall see. We spent the day in the area book for a while getting to know the people and members we are working with. It felt awesome, but there are so many names and things. I am certain that it will take a while to get them all straight in my head. I met Pauline! She is absoluetly awesome! We met at the train station as she waited for her bus so it was a little noisy but the Spirit was strong as we talked about God and how we maintain a relationship with Him through reading our scriptures. Weve got her signed up for an every other day text to remind her to read her scriptures. Her daughter is adorable too! We were invited to have dinner with the YSAs, there are a few less then in Göteborg but they are super nice. A daughter of a member in Västra Frölunda remembered me from when we were all at her parents house for the holidays. Then afterwards we went to meet with a less active man who reminds me of Dad. He has had a rough life with many ups and downs but he still has a testimony and is super nice. He had lived in the states for quite a many years but now is back and sweden and is picking back up is swedish. He is cool and I am looking forward to working with him.

Friday- we had an early morning as we went and helped people pack up to move. Then to visit Ulla an investigator at a members house. The Wiklöfs are awesome. Torstan is sick but is probably the sweetest man on earth. He helped us begin the lesson and then went and layed down. Ulla is really searching but is involved also with the swedish church, so its really good to teach her. We talked about her helping us with our swedish and she thought it was a great idea. We can teach eachother! It will be awesome! We then headed home and did some real weekly planning and it was absolutely awesome! (notice awesome is the word of the email!) We did take a pause to get more focused. We walked into town to find a single hole punch. Like the handheld ones we have at home. But they are not in existance here. They have no such thing! We went all over the place and we cant seem to find one. Its super difficult to keep everything organized in an american binder with not an american hole punch. But we havent given up some other apartments have them so we are hoping.

Saturday- It was a busy day and it felt awesome! We haven't really been this busy in a long time. We met up early with Tony and he confirmed the 28th for his baptismal date! We are super excited he comes from Uganda and is great! Syster Rasmussen then drove us out to Pauline's house where we were able to teach her husband as well. He read in the Book of Mormon and wanted to read more about The Family:A Proclamation to the World. They are an incredible family! We had a lunch with the Thorn family, who are super awesome! The Rasmussens were with and I am really enjoying having missionary pairs around. They bring so much to the table. Both the Andersons and the Rasmussens have helped me out so much its awesome. I am so grateful for them. We met Johannes a less active who has an awesome outlook and attitude about life. We just need him to spread that to the people at church and life for everyone would be better. We were working on making a map for the area when Sala came in, a bus driver who the previous missionaries contacted. He is pretty nice we taught him and he wants to learn more. We are excited about all the miracles and all of the great things happening here! We had a lesson cancel so we were able to have some swedish study with a YSA. It was interesting to see how much that whole not hearing sound differences comes back as you try to work on your pronounciation. I still am no good at some words in swedish. I just can't hear the sounds.

Sunday- we had a YSA counsel meeting before church. I met so many members that I cant keep straight their names in my head. This ward is awesome at making you feel welcome. It seems like every ward has a little bit of a different way to do it but they all work super well. During Relief Society I got the chance to translate a little for Syster Rasmussen. I really enjoy doing it because i can English, I have a hard time with Swedish still. Its going forward though! In Sunday school we taught Tony about keeping the sabbath day holy and he told me how much more it made sense to him as we sat and waited for Sacrament meeting to start. I had to introduce myself in sacrament meeting again. Its crazy that its been about 6 months since I had experienced the crazy, "I don't know anyone" feeling that comes when you go to a new area. We had a dinner with Kjell and his girlfriend and it went wonderfully. We were able to visit a less active on the other side of town and read scriptures with her. We then thought of an investigator who lived near. As we got closer to the stop it didnt feel right. As I turned to Syster Schneiber to tell her how I felt she shared the same apprehension. We determined it was the spirit and we decided to visit a different less active near church. The Holy Ghost does guide us! We just have to be listening and worthy of it. I dont know what could have happened or what would have happened had we gone but I do know that Heavenly Father was guiding us last night and It felt a whole lot better as we past the bus stop still on the bus.

So my new area is awesome, I'm still working on learning the area but Syster Schneiber is great! We get along great and I really enjoy being her companion. Its crazy only being two again. I have to talk a lot more often now. I like it though.

Challenge time! While I was in sacrament meeting on sunday there was a member who was talking about the gladness and happiness that we are given as being members of Christ's Church. My challenge to you all is to find a time to give that a chance. This week take a conversation and make it go the way of the gospel. I know that as you have the desire to do so in your heart and you pray for Heavenly Fathers help he will help you to have the courage to speak and that he will inspire you with the words to say. He has done that so many times for me I know it works and it will for you too. Just test your faith and do it to it!

Have a great week! I love you all!

Love

Syster Juker