Christmas in Sodertalje Sweden

 Sankta Lucia

  Elder Jones and I on Santa's lap

Christmas decorations close to where we live

Me and the guys at the Christmas party

 Hej Family and Friends,

    Merry Christmas!  Christmas is getting closer and closer but still no snow that's sticking to the ground.  Very weird for Sweden, but I'm sure we'll not be sorry for a shorter winter. Yet winter has just started so who knows.  As long as there is permanent snow for Christmas we'll all be happy.  

     This last week, we had the opportunity to participate in the ward Christmas party and to see the Sa
nkta Lucia ceremony in the Swedish church.  The ward Christmas party was wonderful.  I know how important a ward family means to so many but I was reminded of it again.  It makes me happy to realize that I have a family to spend Christmas with no matter where I am around the world.  The St. Lucia festival was amazing.  It was cool to see more of the Swedish culture and some of their Christmas traditions.

   The work is still going very well.  Hopefully, we have someone getting baptized on the twenty-eighth of this month.  But it is depends on whether or not they can quite drinking before then.  They have a firm testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon but they just need to begin to live the commandments in order to be baptized.  We have others who should be baptized soon.  I'm so happy to have the opportunity to serve and to try to help people change their lives for the better but the real change comes from within.  I'm really grateful that I get to be a missionary during this Christmas time.  When I focus on the true meaning of the season I can feel myself grow closer to my Savior.

   Yesterday was definitely hard.  I got bad food poisoning and was throwing up most of the day.  As I got to rest I thought it would be good to stay in and rest but it didn't feel good.  About halfway through the day, I woke up feeling a bit better and had to go out.  Even when sick it didn't feel good being inside when we should be out trying to reach others.  Even though, I was still feeling bad we did as much as I could.  I woke up today a hundred percent better and so thankful for my health and ability to go out and serve others.   

Puss och Kram,

   Äldste Moe