Tjena Tjena!!
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| 5) me and veronika |
Wow, and just like that, another transfer is in the books. 4 whole transfers spent here in Gävle and these past 24 weeks have been some of the best weeks of my life. I learned so much here in Gävle and I'm so happy that I had the chance to serve here. The members here in Gävle are just the greatest people in the planet and it's going to be really hard to say goodbye to them this Wednesday. Yep, I'm moving from Gävle this week. I am getting transferred to the beautiful city of STOCKHOLM! I am so excited for the next step of my journey here in Sweden. Stockholm is exactly where I need to be for the next little while and so I'm super pumped for all that I'm going to learn over the next few weeks after living in such a big city with so much going on. It'll be quite the change-up from Gävle when it was just me, my companion, and the city to ourselves. I also think that there will be 5 other sets of missionaries at church with us on Sundays, so yeah, a lot happens in Stockholm!
This past week could not have been a more perfect ending to my time here in Gävle. Veronika, our investigator that we've been working with since about the 3rd week I was here in Gävle, was baptized and confirmed this past week as a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! It all started on Wednesday when Veronika had her interview before her baptism. I was so so nervous, because 1.Our district leader was running late because trains are always running late when you need them to be on time and 2. I had no idea if the interview would go well because Veronika is a little shy and I don't know, there were a lot of factors that were making me super super nervous and stressed out. Well, there was no need to stress out about it, because Veronika passed with flying colors and was just so ready for baptism!
2 days later, we were invited by Veronika and Araz to have dinner with them the day before the baptism. We were able to come over and teach the last few things before the big day, focusing a lot on the temple, that being Veronikas next step! Everything went super well, the food tasted amazing, and everyone was looking forward to the big day. It was kind of funny, because I said the prayer of the food and said something like 'vi ber att allt ska gå bra med Veronikas dop imorgon' and then Veronika was like 'oj just det...jag ska döpa mig imorgon' The week had gone by so fast, she didn't realize that it was already time for the baptism! haha Well, then at the end of the dinner, we asked Veronika if she could say a few words after her baptism, maybe about what she learned and what she knows to be true. At that point, she started freaking out not knowing what she was going to say, but we assured her that it would be okay and that even if it was 5 seconds it would be great.
So, the next day, we all get to the church early to fill up the font and make sure everything is in order. Veronika shows up a little bit later and she is just nervous out of her mind that she's going to talk after she's baptized. She wasn't nervous at all for the baptism, but she was so scared to talk, but we assured her that it was all going to be okay.
A little bit later, Tage and Ingrid Wall showed up. I don't quite remember if I had explained this earlier, but Tage and Ingrid Wall are members here in the Gävle branch that took care of Veronika and her siblings when they were really really little. Veronika would come to church with them when she was 5 or 6 years old. So this was a really special day for them. It was almost as if one of their own daughters was getting baptized. Tage Wall was actually the one who baptized her, so how special is that!
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| 6) Tage, Veronika, Ingrid |
The baptismal service went super super well, and Äldste Lewis, Eric Hodin , and I even had a special music number. We sang 'Oändlig nåd' which is Amazing Grace, and we sang that song acapella with only one hour of practice. I hope everyone at least felt the spirit, because we aren't the best singers. But overall, just a fantastic baptismal service. Both Tage and Ingrid gave talks and everyone was just crying their eyes out because of how special of a moment it was and even Veronika did such a good job with her testimony!
The next day at church, I was able to confirm Veronika, and everyone in the Gävle branch warmly welcomed her as the newest member! Veronika was just so happy and so thankful and she said that the whole time she just felt this warm feeling all over. I hope that Äldste Lewis and his new companion to do all they can at help her stay active in the church and never forget the feelings she felt this past week.
I thought to end this week with a scripture in D&C 18:
15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
I truly experienced joy this past week, and that was when my sister decided to follow God and enter the waters of baptism. Life is good, life is good.
Pictures:
1) District Lunch
2) Post Interview selfie!
3/4) Dinner with Veronika and Araz!
5) me and veronika
6) Tage, Veronika, Ingrid
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| 1) District Lunch |
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| 2) Post Interview selfie! |
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| 3/4) Dinner with Veronika and Araz! |
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| 3/4) Dinner with Veronika and Araz! |
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