Stockholm Innerstan Area!

President and Syster Newell

Stockholm!  I have wanted to serve in Innerstan Stockholm since I was in the MTC.  And now I am here. I really do like this city, it has a good feeling to it and is super clean as well.  Now that is is summer the city is filled with tourists.  Luckily, it's very warm and beautiful during this time of year.  And the north light makes cities seem even more magical during the summer, with sunsets being later in the evening it stays light until well past ten.  Today, P-day, we even went down to Södertälje and played beach volleyball.  We're enjoying the Swedish summer for it's short stay.  

   Most of our teaching we do here is in the outreach center, also called the institute center or YSA (young single adult) center.  It's a place where activities are held for YSA's multiple times throughout the week. Also, it's a home base for YSA's here in Stockholm.  One of our roles as the Stockholm missionaries is being responsible for the YSA center.  So we teach a large portion of our lessons there and also go to YSA activities and meetings.  During the summer there is not so much going on here but it's still a very useful tool.  

    My first Sunday in my new ward was really good. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet many people. But I will soon. During sacrament we had a lady walk into the church building.  She had come into contact with missionaries almost a year before and got the church's information from them.  Both her and her daughter in Spain had been looking for the true church.  She sent her daughter the church's information in Spain and the daughter met with missionaries then and was baptized.  The mom came to church today talking about how she too wants to join this church because she also had prayed and feels as if it is true.  We spent a lot of church teaching her (with translation).  But in the end she decided she would be baptized this upcoming week.  We want to make sure she understands the gospel.  She lives in another area so we are teaching the next lesson with those missionaries so they can pick up the teaching.  Just another testimony to the fact that there are people searching after the true church.  The spirit directs and teaches those who are truly seeking.

   This last week, we also said bye to President and Sister Newell.  We will be meeting President and Sister Beckstrand this Friday at a conference meeting.  Change is hard but necessary and good.  The Newells have given so much to the mission and Sweden.  They'll really be missed.  I have so much love and respect for them.  They are simply amazing, wonderful, great people.  I've been so blessed to get to know them and I'm so grateful to them and all they've taught me.  

Lots of Love,

Aldste Jonathan Moe

Midsommar as a missionary

The Office Crew at Midsommar

Täby ward council

Elder Haddon, myself and the ward mission Leader

 Missionary P-day

  This week has been another week filled with traveling and conferences.  We have been in every part of the country, from Norrland, to Västergötland, to Skåne.  The country is beautiful.  Although people always think of winter and cold when they think of Sweden the best time of year here is definitely summer.  When we were in Norrland last week we even got to see the Midnight sun.  It is light pretty much all of the time now, especially when your farther in the north.  Its not too bad here in Stockholm, the sun sets at 10.10 and rises at 3.30.  Sometimes it gets hard to keep track of time because of how much we revolve our lives around the sun, it really does mess with your inner clock.  

        This last week I did splits with the Stockholm Innerstan elders and was able to work with Elder Corbin, a fiery elder from Texas who I have a lot of respect for.  We taught a man from Brazil.  Having been busy with conferences and everything with the Newells leaving we have not been able to teach that much.  Sitting down and teaching him reminded me of why I came on my mission, reminded me that the best times I have had on my mission have been in the homes of others, teaching.  I have grown a lot, I have been able to learn how the church is organized, and been able to help the mission quite a bit.  But the reason I came to Sweden was to bless people with the peace and security that comes only through the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He talked about being baptized and his interest in becoming a member, his energy and excitement helped me to be excited about missionary work.

   This last week was a highpoint for Swedish culture.  It was Midsummer!  The 21st of June is the brightest day of the year and so in Sweden that is when we have midsummer celebrations.  Everyone gathers with family and friends and dances around the maypole singing traditional Swedish songs.  Eating Strawberries and other Swedish berries is a must as well.  During midsummer every grocery store and bodega gets completely emptied of all strawberries.  Its, in general a very happy occasion.  

    I had a few other run ins with Swedish culture in the last two weeks.  One of the Elders living in My apartment comes from Göteborg (Gothenburg).  And so he is able to cook very authentic Swedish meals.  Recently we have made Flygande Jakob, or flying Jacob in English, and Blood pudding.  The Flygande Jakob was amazing, and very Swedish.  The Blood Pudding I was kind of dreading, but either its not half bad or Elder Sahlin is the greatest chef there is.  After having both I gained a lot of respect for Swedish food, that will definitely be something I bring back with me, is some of the food and culture.  Although the Blood Pudding might not make it over the Atlantic...    Also this week we were able to visit with one of my role models here in Sweden.  He stands taller then most other people, even if he is in a wheel chair.  He has had progressive MS which has been attacking his body and now it just took a steep dive for the worse, on top of this the doctors said that he may be developing a strain of skin cancer.  Through all of this he doesn't question God or life but is as cheerful as he can be.  Because of the MS it is very hard for him to simple things such as read and pray. Things that we often take for granted.  

    This next week is proving to be a week of changes.  This Friday I am transferring from Täby, and I have really loved this area, to Stockholm.  I am very excited to be in the middle of Stockholm as a missionary.  The center of Stockholm is made up of 14 islands.  The day after I leave Täby President and Sister Newell leave the mission.  They have done so much for this country, the people, the missionaries, and for me that could never be quantified into numbers.  I am very excited to meet President and Sister Beckstrand, our new mission President, but President and Sister Newell will be greatly missed by Sweden.  I have grown to know and to love them very much.

love you all,

   Äldste Jonathan Moe

The fruit of the Spirit

Colorful Swedish Homes

Jonathan with Runestones

 This last week went by so fast, it was amazing.  Time is going faster and faster.  Just as I can't imagine it going by quicker another week is gone.  It's summer 2014, and I left end of summer 2012.  I am excited to see friends and family again but it's coming too soon.  There are things on the mission that can be frustrating, or annoying, or discouraging.  But I love being a missionary, and I love being one here in Sweden.  It's the best.

      At one point last week, we were teaching an Investigator who had never really before had a faith.  He spoke to us about how he had always had Mormon friends and liked the church.  We taught him about Gods plan for us, how all will live again, and all will have a chance to follow Christ.  He said a lot of what we said spoke perfectly to his thoughts, to his concerns about the afterlife.  When we were finishing the lesson he talked about how much he needs to read the book of Mormon and we were just able to agree.  As we were wrapping up though one last thought came to me, to speak of recognizing the spirit.  We had to share the scripture from Galatians 5:22-23.

      22.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering,gentleness, goodness, faith,
      23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

     After reading the Scripture he was able to speak of how he has felt the spirit in his own life, and how he feels as if he has been guided by the spirit even while growing up.  Part of it is having the ability to recognize the spirit in our lives. The spirit was very strong and I know that the spirit is able to carry to the hearts of all men and women the words of eternal life.  The word of God fills holes in the heart, but it's the spirit that delivers the message.

     This upcoming month (June) is going to be a month of invitation throughout all of Europe, every member is challenged to invite their family and friends to come to church.  The saints here are amazing examples.  And the work is hastening in Europe!  Never before in European history have they had so many people attend sacrament meeting as they have had this last year.  Europe is growing in church activity at unprecedented rates.  There is a special spirit of hastening here.  Last quarter Europe was the highest baptizing and reactivating continent (per capita active membership).  I am blessed to be a part of all of these miracles and progress.

love,

   Äldste Jonathan Moe.

Running into a NY Friend in Stockholm!!!

Aldste Moe was just walking to an appointment with his comp when he ran into Alex's very best friend (Heather) from High School.  Before Heather left for Sweden she was visiting with Alex and Alex said, say hi to my brother as a joke.  Heather will only be there with her husband for a week while he is working.  You can't imagine the joy and surprise we felt when Heather emailed this photo and said THIS JUST HAPPENED!!!

Conferences held all over Sweden

Vasa Museum

Gamla Stan

 This last week has been crazy! I checked it on google maps and we traveled a total of 2500 km.  Sweden is the largest mission in Europe and we definitely were able to see quite a bit of it. We traveled to Gothenburg, down to Skåne, up into Norrland, and back again.  Sweden is definitely a blessed country.  It is so beautiful here it's crazy.  And its great being able to see the different cultures that exist among the Swedes.  Each area is unique and very special.  That also means that this has been a tiring week because I'm switching between the different cultures of one given area.  I thought that I didn't have time to relax before as a missionary, but I have none now.  

   Sister Newell has been training the mission on planning again.  She did this more than a year ago when I had barely been in Sweden a month.  The principle of planning is so important.  Before the mission when I thought of planning, I would only think of planning for something that was surely going to happen. As a matter of fact, I thought planning for something I was unsure about happening would be a waste of time.  When we plan on things happening we help bring about their result.  When we plan on seeing miracles then work as hard as we can to plan them out and work towards them the Lord is able to bless us in the work, but also us in our lives.

   Just yesterday we met with someone who was a referral from some members up north in Luleå.  When we started talking with him we wanted to see how much he knew about the church as some of his best friends are members.  He explained, he didn't know a lot about the church or our beliefs, but that he loved all of the members he had met.  He said, he didn't know about the beliefs but he likes the lifestyle the church creates, and the teachings it gives us.  He has only had a few member friends but their examples, have made him interested in meeting with missionaries and finding out for himself what is so special about the church.  Members have more power as missionaries then a lot are aware of.

   When we visited Norrland last week we were able to participate in District Conference.  The northern part of Sweden is not part of a stake but is its own district.  Being mission president, President Newell is the Ecclesiastical leader for all of northern Sweden.  This is the last district conference that President and Sister Newell would be at.  The spirit was strong as President Newell spoke of the second harvest and the state of missionary work in Sweden.  At the end of district conference they had everyone stand and sing hymn number 107.  In the Swedish hymn book that is God be with you till we meet again.  I had a hard time singing the hymn, I could barely say any of the words.  President and Sister Newell have done a lot for the work here in Sweden, they will be missed.  I'm thankful that I've been able to learn so much working closely with President Newell.  He has all my respect and love.  

    This last week we also went to the famous Vasa museum in Stockholm.  The Vasa is a ship from the 1600's which is the oldest ship on display in the world.  It is also the only preserved ship from the 17th century that we have today.  The ship had only been finished for a couple months when it sank.  As a matter of fact it was the first time the ship tried to leave the port that it sunk right in Stockholm harbor.  Pretty embarrassing actually.  The problem was they tried to build it a little too big.  It was going to be the first ship with two levels of cannons.  So the ship was also too heavy.  Another problem is they had two engineers working on it, one was Polish, and one Swedish.  They worked from opposite ends toward the middle, the problem is they used two different systems of measurements.  So the Vasa was sailing to its doom.  If it had been completed the Swedish naval force would have looked very different.  Stockholm is full of culture and history, I love being in the middle of it.

   The mission makes a dvd called "Den Andra Skörden", it is a film which portrays the prophecies of the second harvest.  Right now we are re-making it into an updated version.  As I have been studying and gathering research/pictures/clips for this film the greater my testimony of the second harvest has become.  I know this is God's work and that he is hastening it, it will go as fast as we do.

Love
,

   Äldste Jonathan Moe

   Hey everyone,

  I have been very good, and very very busy.  In the last couple weeks we have had baptisms, we've traveled around Sweden, Met some new missionaries at the airport, saw some old missionaries off, celebrated a few Swedish holidays, and more.  I'll try and do it all justice with this blog update. 

   First and best, a 19 year old Swedish girl we have been teaching was baptized this last Saturday.  She is super cool, and super outgoing.  In Stockholm there is an institutes center for YSA's, she fits in there perfectly and gets along with everyone.  She is even super close with some members in the ward.  Her family is not super religious but she has seen the roll it can play in our lives.  She is a very good example to me and it is meeting and teaching such people that makes me really feel like I am making a difference.  She sadly is moving closer to Göteborg in a few weeks and so wont be in Täby ward for much longer but it will be really good.  

    This last week I got to go back to Södertälje, the city I served in six months ago, it was just on splits but I got to see quite a few members as it was ward cleaning day.  They all remembered me and seeing them helped remind me of all of the good times I had there, with members, non-members, and other missionaries.  I am super grateful for the people I have been able to visit and get to know as a missionary.

    I mentioned that we had new missionaries come into Sweden!  And yes, we had two new elders straight from the training center in Utah.  We were able to meet them at the airport and it was a wonderful experience getting to walk them through their first couple days in Sweden.  As their first day came to a close they were so tired they were falling asleep in orientation.  It wont be the last time they are tired on their missions.  At the same time they came in with such strong faith and energy, it is admirable.  They will be amazing missionaries here.  It is comforting knowing that as good missionaries leave there are always new ones coming in eager to push the work forward here in Sweden.  

   Now to speak of the flip side.  The day after being with these young missionaries we were able to spend time with six missionaries leaving the mission.  Talk about a change of scene.  I think one of the most powerful moments of the week is when we were sitting in the mission home with all of them and President Newell and they bore their testimonies one last time in Sweden.  The spirit was so strong in that room, their gratitude was amazing.  It makes me super grateful and happy for my mission. All six f those missionaries who left are amazing people and good friends of mine.  I had been companions with one, Elder Tietjen in Skövde.  Then two others I had served near, Syster Haynes when I was in Eskilstuna, and I lived with Elder Newkirk when I was in Vendelsö.  I will definitely miss all of the people in this group, the mission is worse without them.

   I would like to end with an amazing experience I was blessed to have this last week.  The first man I taught who was baptized is named Ståle Bryde.  He is an amazing man, I have always known that but just today I found out something very cool.  Over the last year he has been a ward missionary and this last Sunday he received the Melchizedek Priesthood.  I called to congratulate him and we were able to catch up quite a bit.  He shared that he had in fact given out 7 copies of The Book of Mormon to people around him, and he had introduced many to the missionaries.  He is so missionary minded.  He is amazing!  He is making plans to go through the temple soon.  I am very excited for this.

  So, to sum of this week, I am extremely grateful, I love my mission, I try and work hard and be the best I can to make up for these blessing but I will always fall short.  I'm grateful for Jesus Christ and his atonement, and grateful for everything that he does.

love,

   Äldste Moe

p.s. the church's amazing easter video, a must watch, http://easter.mormon.org/

Crazy Busy!

Sweden Stockholm Temple

Valborg-Bonfire before May Day to officially welcome in Spring

Aldste Moe and some departing missionaries

Barbecue with the office crew

Jonathan is doing good. He's just very busy right now and will send a blog update soon.  We just received photos today.