That Umeå grind { ;^p]

This week was amazing! Last Monday I was able to fly down the Stockholm for the mission leadership council meeting on Tuesday, then after the meeting and for Wednesday I was in Stockholm doing workover with one of my MTC companions, Elder Harden! That was a total party, we got so much work done and I learned a ton! It was so crazy to be able to converse with him in Swedish and think about the first day we had in the MTC... lots of improvement has been made. 

Other than that, I love Umeå! The branch is largerish and it's super nice to be in a bigger city, and everything is green! I love it here, I don't want to go home. The weather is perfect, around 18 C every day and sunny or rainy, slight breeze, TONS of sun, life is just a party. I love being able to testify of the Book of Mormon, I love that book. Anyone who has read it and given it a real chance cannot deny the truth of the book, the spirit testifies to every open heart. There are some really awesome members here and I totally love them, they've gone through quite a bit to be where they are with their testimonies but they have only been made stronger because of it. 

Until next week!

Äldste Wilson

ps, that picture of my companion and another missionary was taken in Stockholm after 9:00 pm, even though it looks like it was taken at noon. That's me in the blue exercise cloths, I'm so white!

I feel like I just saw most of you.....(Mother's Day skype)

Well because I got to skype home for mothers day just yesterday, I'll keep this one short and attach some pictures of my companion and Umeå. I love Umeå, it's just the dream. It was so fun to see all my little godchildren, Clair and Henry are so big now! It's so crazy how fast they've grown up, they were newborns when I left! Adalyn and Nick have grown a ton too, Nicks voice is super low now.

But ya, happy mothers day to all you mothers! I'll attach some pictures now and call this a letter :)

Love you all!
Äldste Wilson

​At the end of 4.5 months in Örnsköldsvik the time has come for me to leave, sad day. But don't worry, I'm going to the closest area to Övik, Umeå! Only 1.5 hours away, it's the closest transfer possible in this zone. But ya, it's actually really awesome that I'll be going to Umeå because the four missionaries in Umeå were in my district so I've already been there a ton for district meetings, zone conferences, baptisms, and splits! So it's not even like I'm transferring, just going on splits for a transfer. I'll be with Elder Beveridge, he's awesome! I look forwards to these upcoming 6 weeks, it'll be such fun!

However, I will miss Övik a ton. I've learned so much here, and I'll be leaving just as the flowers start blooming. It's actually been awesome to see spring start to come, when I first got here it was -15 C on a good day and over 2 feet of snow everywhere, today it got up to +20 C and there are only a few tracts of snow left! The members here are also amazing people, I love all of them! It's been so fun to serve the people of Cambodia in Sweden while my sister serves the people of Cambodia in Cambodia :)

We took a hike this morning, (ps the sun is awake before us and goes to bed after us now) and we got some great pictures followed by a super cool view over Övik, and a quick visit to the outdoor gym. Elder Hansen was all about that. Sweden is so beautiful, it's amazing. I'm so grateful I get to serve the Lord as a full time missionary, an apostle (notice the little "a"), up here. I love the chance I have to help others, and the chance I have to give, it's been so awesome to see the Gospel of Christ lighten up others lives. If you ever meet anyone who claims to be an atheist just keep asking questions. I've lived in this country of "atheists" for a year and a half and have yet to meet someone that doesn't have some kind of faith or hope in something. It's because no matter how hard you try, you cannot quench the Light of Christ, "The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed" (D&C 88:13).

Have a great week! 

Mycket kärlek,

Äldste Wilson

This was a great week! The highlight was...

Elder Renlund came to Stockholm and spoke to the church in Sweden!

This was a special visit because Elder Renlund spent lots of his childhood years growing up in Västra Frölunda (where I served for 6 months) and served his mission in Sweden, and is born of a Swedish mother and a Finish (Swedish speaking) father, so Swedish is almost his mother language! It was so special to see him address the church here in Swedish. He explained how much he loves Sweden because it's his personal Waters of Mormon (Mosiah 18:30) and Swedish because its the language he first read the Book of Mormon in, first prayed in to get an answer to know if the book is true, and first blessed the sacrament in. I connected with him because Sweden is where I've been able to strengthen my personal commitment to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and where I've been able to see my testimony grow the most. While I wasn't baptized in Sweden, Sweden is a holy land to me because I've seen the hand of God bless me and others here more than I've previously seen in my life. He also blessed the land of Sweden and the members here and re invoked previous prophetic blessings on the missionary work here, that was a very special moment for the members. It's not often a Swedish speaking Apostle blesses and speaks to Swedes.

The day after the fireside he also held a mission broadcast where he addressed the missionaries in Sweden, that was amazing. He stressed the nature of our calling a ton, and the blessing we have to serve in the beautiful country of Sweden. The biggest take away I had from him was that he was just a normal kid growing up. He was asked to read the Book of Mormon by a priesthood leader, he prayed about it and got the answer most every 11 year old gets ("it just felt good"), yet somehow he was able to live his life in such a way throughout his life that now the Lord trusts him to be a traveling Witness of Jesus Christ. 

The second highlight from the week is that we had family home evening with the Palethus and ended the night with a hot chili eating contest, that was a party. I'll send a video, that chili was hotter than a summer day in Cambodia.

Also quick explanation, I did not travel to Stockholm to meet Elder Renlund, the meetings were broadcasted to all units outside of the Stockholm and Stockholm South stakes. However, it's good that the Spirit isn't bound to physical locations like we are, because the spirit was plenty strong up here anyways.

Hope you all have a great week!
Äldste Wilson