Photos from my last week! 3/29/14

Beautiful Streets! 3/24/14

Jonathan transferring to Stockholm

Beautiful streets in Scandinavia

Transferring to Stockholm!

Entrance to a mall in Malmo.  Sweden has interesting architecture.

Me and Aldste Muirbrook

I love these guys that I get to serve with.

Family Wilkstrom from Helsingborg

Hej everyone,

   This week is going to be my last one down in the south for now.  On Wednesday, I am moving up to be in Täby, an area in Stockholm.  I have heard the ward is great and loving, but I am as always, going to miss the people I am leaving here in Helsingborg.  It has been sunny for a while now but up in Stockholm its going to snow again today and it's still a bit darker.  So I get to go back into winter.  I am very excited though.  I will once again be companions with Elder Tomlinson and we got a lot done together back in Södertälje.  I haven't been in Helsingborg very long but the best part about leaving an area is thinking about the changes that happened while you were there, in yourself and in the ward, and in the people you knew.  Doing this I have been able to recognize growth in every area, in myself and in the work.  

  This last week, we had a conference in Göteborg and we talked quite a bit about the lessons we are teaching.  As missionaries a quality lesson is not necessarily a lesson where we present as much as we can, but rather when we have helped them come closer to Christ.  The assistants challenged us to find ways to teach more meaningful condensed lessons.  We were also reminded about the large help we can be in the wards we serve in, how we are still members and still part of our ward families, even if we are just there temporarily.  Also, this last week the entire mission received iPhone 5c.  The phones have already been helping us greatly.  They're going to continue to help the work go forward.  With all of these technologies and new duties the work isn't necessarily changing, just how we do it is changing a bit.  

     This last week, we were teaching someone again who is really coming to learn about Christ for the first time.  She learned about baptism and talked about how that is something she would love to do but she does not feel like her faith is there yet.  She spoke about how she wants to develop that faith to the point where baptism would have that sacred meaning it's supposed to have.  Her concern about baptism showed us just how much this meant to her and just how important she was taking it.  I know this is the gospel that can help people find peace.  I feel as if I often forget that myself.  

  One thing I really admire about the people in Helsingborg is the joy they have.  The members in Helsingborg are a happy people.  And their happiness does not come from the world but from Christ.  After having gotten to know them I realized that I have learned a lot from them and could learn quite a bit more from them.  They are perfect examples of 2 Nephi 27: 30.  When we base our joy and our happiness in Christ then as the wave of life take us for a journey we will continually have peace because Christ is immovable, and perfect.  When we ground ourselves in him we receive that sure foundation.  

Love,

   Äldste Jonathan Moe

A week of tragedy

 Hello all, 

Sorry for the short post last week.  This week there's been a lot of good, and a lot of tragedy.  

Towards the beginning of the week my companion and I had to travel to Stockholm for a leadership training.  To save money we drove the car all the way there.  I got to see some of the beautiful scenery of Sweden and drive through some of my old areas.  At the training we spoke a lot about progression and how missionaries are only really helpful when we invite others to act and make progression towards Christ.  

   A couple days after the training we lost the car.  We didn't misplace the car but rather they needed a car up near Stockholm so we gave ours away.  This means that we have to get real familiar with the Helsingborg bus system, fast.  We won't be able to get around as fast, but hopefully we'll able to keep our effective schedules.    

  Also, this last week we had two very cool spiritual experiences I would like to share.  The first was with an investigator who has not been Christian before.  We read in Alma chapter seven about the atonement of Jesus Christ.  There was a long silence after she finished pronouncing the last words of verse 13 in Arabic.  I then asked her what it meant to her that Christ had done that for us.  She immediately began crying but spoke of her thankfulness for Jesus Christ as her savior.  

  The second experience was with someone who has investigated the church for a while and right now is going through a really hard time.  We were offering our help in anyway we could be of service but then I felt the spirit tell me that I had to testify of the peace the gospel brings.  I shared again that we were willing to help the best that we knew how but the best way we could help was in sharing the gospel knowledge we had and helping her act on it.  She agreed and said that is what she needed the most, Peace, the peace the gospel could bring.

   This morning we received a text from the mission office, just last night a missionary here in the mission passed away.  He was hit by a car as he was returning home from his last appointment. It's not something easy to hear or to talk about.  I didn't know him very well personally, but it hurts knowing he was here fighting the good fight and now he's gone.  I would like to ask anyone who reads of this to pray for the family of Elder Bailey.  Elder Bailey was a wonderful missionary.   It is moments like this that the faith and knowledge we have are to be put into practice.  Like all of those that pass he is now in a state of peace.  A place where he can rest from sorrows and worries.  But not rest from doing good.  The restored gospel stands alone in the glory given to the righteous dead.  The unembodied are not dead, they may be more living then we are.  There is work to be done on both sides of the veil.  It brings me peace and happiness to know that we can be a force of good no matter where we are.  And the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring us happiness in every point of our existence. 

much love,

   Äldste Jonathan Moe    

Counting our blessings!

Helsingborg  with afternoon light

Biking around Helsingborg

Steps of Helsingborg

Helsingborg Zone

  This last week has been very good.  When I look back now it doesn't feel as if much actually happened or was accomplished but we feel very accomplished.  By anyone's standards this last week was very hard. We had to go out and work hard making cold contacts, and we only had one person come to church who we had taught during the week. We know that we have worked very hard and every night we could feel the peace that comes from that.  This being said I saw something else very interesting.  We did see a lot of progress.  We have been blessed because we've worked hard.  We were over at a members house for dinner and after talking of the gospel we asked who they know who is ready to accept the gospel.  We left their house with six names and numbers to their friends.  That is always inspiring seeing members doing their own missionary work.  On Sunday, the boyfriend to a girl here in the ward showed interest in becoming a member of the church.  Sometimes it is easy to forget that missionaries are not alone in the work.  The work of salvation is done by members, missionaries, and the Lord is directing us.  With that team you can't lose.  Even though this last week we didn't see the fruits of our work.  When we look around and count our blessings they're always many.  Often times blessing come unnoticed or when we are least expecting them.  I've learned to be thankful for the small things and to keep a tender heart towards the Lord so I can recognize his hand in the small things of life.

Love,

   Äldste Jonathan Moe

The sun is shining in Southern Sweden!

The snow is gone and the sun is shining.  Southern Sweden is being blessed with good weather right now.  And good missionary energy.  People don't find it too amusing when stopped on the street in the pouring rain or snow.  This last week we had zone training, we were able to prepare a powerful message on opening our mouths.  It is one of the hardest parts of missionary work.  Everyday talking to the first person never becomes easy, but we have been asked to talk with all those along the way.  But missionaries are not an inconvenience to people.  They are inviting people to eternal life.  They are freely offering a chance for people to find happiness.  There is nothing to be ashamed of in that.  

  This ward has some of the greatest members.  Every Friday night here there is an Innebandy activity which is like floor hockey.  It is really fun and I am getting better at it.  Still not anywhere as good as the Swedes are but slowly better.  While there and in church you honestly feel as if your part of the family.  Whenever new faces are there, they are always welcoming and friendly.  It's a well organized part of Christ's flock.  I haven't served in a ton of large wards on my mission but I have been blessed with my assignments when measured by testimony and love.    

   This last Friday we had open church, this is a time when the chapel is open for people to come, receive tours, use family history resource, and learn about the gospel.  So we are there for a set number of hours weekly.  A man came to the church because he had played ping pong in the past with missionaries.  He came and although he was in no way interested in meeting with missionaries again to learn about the gospel he brought a friend.  We were able to play ping pong and have fun but also talk to his friend.  While the other two were playing I showed the man the chapel.  He said he felt peace there and I told him it was the church building, and the Holy Ghost.  He showed sincerity in wanting to meet and so we exchanged information.  Often times when people are approached by missionaries on the street or at their doorstep they don't give it a chance.  But when missionaries are able to meet people in more relaxing situations it takes the pressure off both parties. 

    I love the work.  We are depending on the Lord and praying for help and guidance and working as hard as we can to see some miracles here.  Please pray for us.  Thanks for all of the support!

love,

 Äldste Jonathan Moe

It's pretty here but COLD!

Kära vänner,

Helsingborg is amazing.  I love the city.  Its the eighth biggest in Sweden but the biggest city I have served in so far.  And the ward is great.  This last Saturday there was an MTC day activity.  We had youth come from all of the south of Sweden and we were able to teach classes on how to use Preach my Gospel.  These youth all received fake mission calls to countries around the world.  They were then taught a little about the language, about missionary life, and about how to teach.  It was a really cool experience for us missionaries because it was like seeing 30 perspective missionaries with fiery testimonies.  That is definitely one of the things the church needs the most is strong youth who are familiar with and living the gospel.   

  As a mission we have been focusing a lot on contacting.  On opening our mouths more often.  Elder Ballard taught that if we want more people to teach we need to open our mouth more.  And so we have been increasing our personal finding efforts.  This last week we approached someone and asked what they believed the meaning of life to be, at first they answered about how they were not sure.  We testified of families and the happiness Heavenly Father wants us to have.  We could tell he felt the spirit as we exchanged numbers.

   It is starting to get warmer and brighter again so it looks like we are barely getting a winter this year.  Weird for Sweden, but I'm not going to complain.

   Right now we do not have too many people we are meeting with often but hopefully we change that.  We have been setting high goals and planning on how we can do as much good as possible here in Helsingborg.  My companion, Elder Stafford and I get along really well, so we're excited to see what happens in this area.      

puss och kram,

        

Äldste Jonathan Moe