18 Hours

This week also went by like a blur, I swear this transfer went sooooo much quicker than the MTC went. This week was really great, but a ton of traveling (as in over 18 hours in a train/car), so I don’t have a ton of pictures or stuff to talk about, but hopefully I say something inspiring or wise… I guess we will see!
30 Day In
The 30 day in, which is basically where we go visit our MTC group at the mission home (which is all the way in København). It was really really refreshing to talk to them and kind of have a break. Præsident said that it was 80% social and 20% spiritual, which wasn’t too far off. It was really good to meet some of the other people in the mission. We drove up with Ældste Ogden and Ældste Laurence (my MTC comp), it was a pretty hyggeligt time. I slept a lot of the way, and then my comp started yelling randomly and it scared the heck out of me haha. We get to the 30 day in, and it’s just a hygge fest, we hang out with all the old bros, talk with them. Everyone was struggling hard core with the language, and some were just struggling with the mission in general. It’s helpful to know that we aren’t alone in this, we have our companions, but we also have a group of people that are tight that came from the start, that we know will always have our back. We had a few trainings, set up some standards for our mission, and went to the temple.
Temple
Speaking of the temple, it is absolutely beautiful there. The grounds outside are fantastic, and the inside is glorious. I absolutely love the baptistry, they have a ceiling where the light can shine in (because it is underground). It’s always a good experience to go into the temple, and it was really different because I couldn’t understand everything because of the language. But it gave me more time to focus my energy on what I can do to be a better missionary, and a better person. It was a great time to reflect on what I’ve done so far, how I’ve grown, where I can grow, but while doing it with peace of mind. There is a peace found nowhere else than inside the Lord’s house, a clarity if you will, that helps you focus on improvement while keeping the negative, discouraging thoughts away. Just doing baptisms brought me peace and that time to reflect, so truly it can be felt anywhere. I encourage you to go, visit an open house if you’re not a member, or work for the salvation of others, because both bring peace. Just being in the temple can help you feel his Spirit, and can clear your thoughts and your mind.
Splits
Splits were fantastic in Aalborg. I was with Ældste Brown, we went around town, talked to people (side note, but the people of Aalborg are wayyyyy nicer than the people in Frederikshavn, here they only have old grumps that cuss you out and wave their hands at you hahaha… it’s honestly the best =). Ældste Brown’s bike broke down, we did a ton of biking, talked to this guy about a ton of philosophy stuff (thankfully in English), and just had a great time. Splits are the best because they make you food when you’re not hosting haha. So he made me some good old Brown’s brown rice and chicken and a wrap for lunch. It was cool to be with him because he’s a relatively new missionary (1 more transfer than I am) and so we just kinda winged it in Danish, it was a great time.
Church
Church this week was really spiritual for me. It was of course fast sunday, so we had fast and testimony meeting. Well this is a great thing when you can understand the language… and guess what… I COULD! I could understand! And not everything, or everyone, but there was this one Sister who got up there and gave her testimony about the song “Lead Kindly Light” and how it brought her so much joy and guidance in her life. But it felt the room with the Spirit, and I could instantly understand every word that she spoke and it was fantastic. It was like a kindly light lead me to understand, the Spirit! I can’t explain the gift of tongues or how it works, but it does. I’ve been praying for it a bunch, and when they talk about it, they don’t talk about it as hard work that we can put in, it is a literal gift. Why I received it then and there, I may never know, but it felt amazing, and I was and am very grateful for it.
Bangsbo
I’ll probably send a bunch of pictures of this because this was pretty much the only pictures I got hahah. It was a great look out over Frederikshavn and there were a ton of Tysk (German) bunkers - if anyone could tell me a bit more about the history of this I’d be really interested! But just a beautiful place with a bunch of får (sheep), tons of cool places we could crawl in, and a ton of wind! Just a great P-Day if you ask me :)
Åndeligt Tanke
I want to talk a little about the Book of Mormon. First, the Book of Mormon has a lot of cool philosophy in it, and in Aalborg, that’s what he was taking the book as, simply a philosophy book. One can look at it that way, and it has a bunch of awesome allegories, metaphors, teachings, and parables. But then you look at it as what it really is, the word of God, and it becomes that much more powerful. Not only is it the word of God, but it is a record of the people of the Americas receiving a visit from the Savior. So hold up, we got a book of philosophy, scripture, and history? Yeah, it doesn’t stop there either, if you read it, Moroni 10:3-5 says that you don’t even have to take my word for it, but you can find out for yourself if it is true. It pains me when people say “I don’t read anything other than the Bible,” the Bible is absolutely fantastic, but what is wrong with being open to read another book? If you gave me your religion’s text, I’d probably read it, read a portion of it, study it a bit, probably won’t convert, but at least I tried to learn more about their religion and become more educated, right? But with the Book of Mormon, there has been answers that I have received that I know couldn’t come from anything else. I know you can get them to, you just literally have to pick up the book and read it, or listen to it online, or watch videos about it on ChurchOfJesusChrist.org, or ask a member, and I promise that if you really try to understand more you’ll learn more. I invite you, kind of as my last invitation, to learn more about the Book of Mormon. Find out “What is the book to you?” is it just simply a philosophy, or is it something that the Lord sent us for peace, for happiness, for joy, for comfort, for guidance? I know it is a book of all those things and more, not only is it entertaining (like just look at Alma 17, is that not the sickest thing ever, cutting off all of the arms and such haha), but it invites us to seek out the knowledge for ourselves. If you haven’t read Moroni 10 in a while, I invite you to do it again. Think about the significance of each promised blessing he gives us, because they are powerful and true.

I love you all, and I hope that all is well with you. Try to find the joy in life, even though for a lot of us, everything is changing. Keep smiling and remember that I have your back, the Lord has your back, and your family and friends have your back. Distance means nothing, I am miles and miles and miles away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t email me or anyone else for that matter of your struggles. I love you guys a bunch! 
Med kærlig hilsen,
Ældste Salisbury