Failed Caramel Sauce

From: Jennifer Juker <jennifer.juker@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 10:17 AM
Subject: Failed Caramel Sauce

Nära och Kära, (there just isnt a better way to begin a letter home!)

This week was an absolute WHIRLWIND! Its been crazy! It definitely takes a transition time to get into the swing of things. We are ready for this week though!

Last Monday, That was Syster Schneibers last day so we got to visit with some investigators and say goodbye from her. Äldste and Syster Rasmussen gave us swedish pancakes for lunch at their apartment with an investigator so that was great. We were able to do our swedish study with Leif and a bunch of other YSA people came in to help us learn the language. I think its a tool to get to know them. We have a weakness and its their strength so it makes them feel good and helps us do better. Wilson was in charge of the activity after fhe so we stuck around and played basketball with them it was fun. They definitely play differently then back home. But it's fun none the less.

Tuesday, we had planned to have more time together before my train, that we would be able to say goodbye. Time proved to be different. The Rasmussens came and picked us up after we ate lunch and I was headed off alone on a train to Stockholm. It was really different feeling. I kinda got teary eyed as the train passed everyone waving goodbye to the train. I figured I could talk with whoever came to sit by me. Rarely do we sit alone. This time was one of those rare occasions. I felt like an island as no one was on my side of the train it felt like. So I studied a little bit and got some more kunskap of the gospel. I then had a connection I had to make and I talked with a lady about the train coming. She was very put off that I began to talk with her. She began answering in english but i just continued in Swedish because she could understand. She helped me out and I thanked her for her help. Once in Stockholm Syster Hill and Talbot came and picked me up. We put my bag at the church and we went to a member dinner. We met with Maragreta and her husband. She knows Annalisa from my ward and so it was great to pass on the greeting to her this last sunday. We taught a lesson about the forgetmenots from President Uchtdorf. It was great. As we sat around the table it was remarked that I was the oldest missionary at the table. That had never happened to me before, it was a humbling experience. Her husband was Danish and it was definitely difficult to understand him but we got him feeling the spirit and I was able to talk with him. It felt great to understand swedish and even with his danish accent. We went home and got ready for an early morning.

Wednesday We got up at 5am to be able to make the train into Stockholm to meet up with all the other trainers. It worked well and I got to see Syster Jenson and Brown off at the station. We got to the church had a little breakfast, had a trainers meeting about our twelve week program and then I became a mother. Syster Pool! She is a great daugther and we get along great. She is from Canada and has been jumping rope for 14 plus years. (She's going to teach me in the mornings) She is a convert to the church of 2 and a half years and is the only member in her family! Her story is amazing! We got to get to know each other a little bit more over kebab and waiting for our train to leave from the train station later. Syster Vistaunet and DeTinne Cassel are training as well so we got a cool picture of that. We got to share a bit of our knowledge about buying train tickets and that was just fun. As we were waiting for the train to come and watching all of our bags, a bunch of the Elders came to watch them so we could use the restroom. We got the chance to talk with the Restroom attendant about the church and he was very encouraging of our work here in sweden. I was thankful that the first real contact went well. We got back and got to share the experience with the other missionaries around. We waited a little while longer and other missionaries I had never met before came and asked to see my journal. It was random and made me laugh that people actually know about it that I don't even know. We then were able to catch our train. We did some more getting to know and Syster Pool was tired so she slept on the way home. I was able to set up some appointments and take a cat nap myself. We got home got some dinner and unpacked. It was the only time we had set apart for it. We got to know each others families via pictures and got some unity going on in our companionship.

Thursday was a slow day. We began our twelve week program and did lots of studying together. It's going to be difficult but well worth it in the end we feel. We got to meet with Sabrina and had a lesson with her at the school. We were not entirely sure where the school library was. I called her for directions and she couldn't tell me. As I was on the phone Syster Pool stopped someone on the street and began to ask him. I was somewhat shocked. It was awesome! She didn't really know what he said. (He was looking for a bank) But she stopped him anyway! I was proud! I asked another lady and she showed the way. We taught about baptism and she doesn't quite feel the importance of it yet. We got into a great discussion and the time flew. We missed our next bus which threw the rest of the day off. Luckily we were able to find some service to do at the church as we helped Syster Rasmussen cook dinner for the YSA. I made sure Syster Pool understood that it wasnt a normal day of events. In planning we planned an awesome day.

Friday had a half day because we were going to go to Stockholm again with the YSA. We decided to do weekly planning another day and proselyte during the day. We were able to go to the Wiklöfs and help there first. Then we went out and visited two less actives and an old investigator. We made contact with both less actives and one doesn't want to be contacted anymore and the other wants to meet this next week. We made goals and it was super cool, we decided to make them alone and then show them after to each other. For the first time they were the same! This time together is going to rock! I'm loving it already. We made a goal more serious, as our standard of excellence is to contact 10 people and invite them everyday. I have seen this difficult to do outside of planning time to contact. We made it a goal to do it multiple times together. As we got up from the bench a lady was walking up. I thought to myself we gotta talk to her. As this was in my head Syster Pool already had it going. Its awesome! We made a goal and got to work as soon as Heavenly Father gave us the opportunity and we have kept it up since then. We then got contacted in a store by a less active woman that we have been trying to meet with and she wants to meet with us as well this week. It was great! The trip up to Stockholm took a while but we were able to watch as our YSA members took great care of our newly converted members. They were on the internet looking at ways they could do their own families work in the temple. We just had to bear testimony to what the YSA were already teaching them about. I wish everyone was so open like they are. We got into town and went to bed pretty much again with Syster Hill and Talbot to have another early morning.

Saturday Li and Wilson were able to do baptisms in the temple and the Spirit was strong as Oscar did the ordinance in english so they could understand him. They were great. We were able to attend a session and we went through in Swedish. It was so great to be able to understand it and not get lost! There is an amazing Spirit there! I love it! We were able to go home in the early bus and got to study and plan for our lesson that evening. It was great! Johannes is really doing great as he shared with us that he is doing home teaching and is willing to help teach Li and Wilson more about the priesthood!

Sunday plans were changed  but it all worked out great. We studied and we had a great lesson on strengthening and supporting our leaders. It's kind of a touchy subject but the member who taught it did it great and unbaisly. I loved it. We were able to then teach Sabrina during our sunday school time unexpectedly as our Mission leader was sick and couldn't attend church. We talked about the prophet with help from Syster Rasmussen. In Sacrament Meeting Syster Pool got to bear her testimony and we heard from the Stake Young Men presidency. She is skilled in swedish and the whole ward was impressed by it. She is awesome. The Young Men Presidency people spoke of the importance of the Book of Mormoon and how sometimes we feel like a Nephi and Sometimes we feel like a Lamen or Lemual and that's ok. As long as we are always striving to do what is right. After our meeting we were informed that our dinner was cancelled. Syster Rasmussen and Äldste Rasmussen were kind enough to invite us over for tortilla pizza and it was great! We were able to catch up on some companion study. We made cookies for a family in our ward and went to deliver them. While on the bus we ran into their daughter and she had a missionary opportunity with a friend that she just became friends with. We were able to deliver the cookies and now recieved inspiration to do a program with them and get them involved in the work here in Jönköping. It was great!

Challenge time! This was brought about by this Nephi Leman Lemual concept. There are days where we are a combination of Leman and Lemual and then part way through the day we repent and become as Nephi, with courage and diligence! I think that sometimes we have those "L" days and we get down on ourselves, thinking that we cannot become an "N" day. I am here to tell you all that that is not from our Father who Loves us. Its from that one who I frankly dont appriciate somedays. I know that as we remember our worth in the eyes of our Father we are able to become that which we want to become. We just have to make a choice and listen to the one who will help us. There are always going to be days where we feel that we are not good enough but as long as we remember that that is not so, we must rely on the knowledge of our Savior and never give up our fight against Satan. We need to find the courage to stand and strive to be better. I've seen this in my life and I have seen this in the lives of those investigators who meet challenges as they strive to change there ways. The only sure way to make a change last is to never give in and never give up. When you get knocked down you get back up. When someone talks to  you in english because you dont have a great swedish accent you continue to speak swedish! Heavenly Father wants to bless you and your diligence! Keep your head up and the blessings will continue to grow! Take a step back, give 10 big deep breaths and give yourself a big huge hug! It's from Our Heavenly Father who is proud of everything that you do! Mistakes included when we repent! I love you all and hope you all have a great week! 
love

Syster Juker