I am in Eskilstuna! I got transferred!!!!

 Äldste Judd and me in our new area of Eskilstuna! 

My neighborhood in Eskilstuna

Hello Everyone,

   Crazy things have happened in the last week.  Last Tuesday President Newell called Elder Tietjen and I.  He said that the new missionaries who were visa delayed all got their visas (not fair, they waited seven days I waited nearly two months, but its really good theirs came fast).  He said Elder Tietjen will be staying in Skövde and training!  This is the first time I heard I might be moving from Skövde.  He then said I will be moving to Eskilstuna... and training!  I've been in Sweden for a a bit over two months and now I am training a new missionary.  I am excited for the opportunity but it's a big responsibility.  I was so fortunate to have Äldste Geddes as my trainer, I'm just hoping I can do as well.  Also, I'm not so sure if I am ready to leave Skövde, I have loved it here so much.  I love the branch and all of the people that I have gotten to know, to serve,  and to teach about the gospel.  At the end of the phone call with my heart still beating, President Newell said, that we would be leaving tomorrow morning at 6am (waking up at 4.30 to shower and get to the station with bags).

   We went into speed mode.  Elder Tietjen  and I ran around trying to say goodbye to as many people as possible.  I didn't quite do the job I would have liked and so I would love to visit again one day and see the people in Skövde that I have grown close to.            

 The next morning we woke up at 4:30 to get on a 6 o clock train to Stockholm to pick up our new missionaries the day after.  The office Secretaries booked us on a train going in the wrong direction and so we started heading for Malmö.  We didn't realize it until we were on the train in the wrong direction.  We called them at the office and before the train actually got in we had new tickets going all the way back up to Stockholm.  Traveling took close to ten hours because of this.  Next time, I guess I'll look closer at the tickets.

   We went to the training meeting the next morning and again President and Syster Newell re-affirmed the trust they have in us to help guide new missionaries here in Sweden.  They are so inspiring, and we are all so lucky they are our mission presidents.  

   My new companion is Äldste Judd.  He comes from Payson, UT and is a sweet guy.  He is 6'4" and 220.  So together we look like secret service just arrived on people's doorsteps.  I am very excited to train and show him Sweden and help him begin on his mission.  He is solid and I believe I got lucky.

   We both took our bags and got here to Eskilstuna.  We are living in a part of town called Valhalla.  It's a brand new apartment that missionaries have never lived in.  However, that means it didn't have anything in it.  No missionary supplies, pamphlets, not an area book, records, nothing!  Just furniture, cooking, eating, and cleaning tools and a bit of non-perishable food.  But I'm thankful that we have at least that to get us going. 

  Our first night, I called the Branch President to introduce ourselves and to ask if we could come by and say hi.  We went by and immediately he began talking about the members and past investigators.  He is a convert of four years ago and is now head of the branch.  He's super excited about missionary work and it will be great working with him.  

   We are joining two other missionaries who have both been here in Eskilstuna.  So the branch now has four missionaries.  Every branch and ward in Sweden will soon have four and some will have six missionaries.  We were able to get old teaching records from them for people who lived in our half of the area.  We found one named Arrey that seemed promising until he left to Africa.  He even had a baptismal date before, and since no missionaries have been able to contact him since he's been back from Africa there had been no follow-up.  We went by and he was there.  Not only was he there but he was happy we came by.  He was so excited to see us and meet us.  He is now being baptized on the 30th of March.

   I am excited to be here and see the potential this area holds.  I love my mission.  I'm so happy.  Winter is still holding on but Spring is just around the corner. 

Biggest museum in town, center of town and the square is called Fristadstorget.

Lots of love,

  

This is the biggest church here in Eskilstuna called Kloyster Kyrkan

Äldste Jonathan Moe