Glædelig Jul!
More learning this week. It’s just amazing how much one can learn while being sent to a different country, not knowing the language the best, and having your focus set on serving. Bishop Blazzard always said that the mission is a springboard for the rest of your life, I know without a doubt he’s right.
Service
This week we did a ton of service and it was great. I love just getting my hands dirty, getting splinters, and then seeing the effects we made on the progress of the work. With the first one, wood chopping, we carried the wood into a trailer, drove it to a house and unloaded it. I wouldn't say I'm the strongest person ever hahah, but I could help with it nonetheless and the work continued forward quickly. The second one we helped take down a set for a play. It was just fantastic to talk to the person who built the set and ask her how long she's been doing it, which plays and musicals she's done. Just a super great way to connect over something. It was super cool to see how quickly it all went with just 6 people and an entire set. It amazes me how an hour and a half out of our day can give maybe 3 hours or more back to them. Although sometimes service is boring or difficult to do, I've found that going into it with the right kind of attitude is the best. One, it can really really change someone's day. Two, it helps us grow and learn while helping someone else.
Lion King
The movie we got to see for Christmas was the live action movie The Lion King. Now, before we began watching this show, Søster Olsen (mission presidents wife) told me that I was her inspiration for picking the movie. I had no clue at all what that meant hahaha. In fact, the entire movie I was thinking how does this apply to me. Call me crazy, but I found the Lion King to be an EXTREMELY spiritual movie. As I began to think about each of the characters and comparing them to myself, my situation, and everything, somehow, someway, I learned a ton from the Disney film. I'll begin with my comparison of me and Simba (writing this I already sound weird, but hear me out hahah!) I compared his situation from a strict, but loving father to a carefree life. He experienced a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations, big shoes to fill, but on the other side he experienced a life without any expectations, just living, not worrying. Now if you know me, I'm a worrier. I think a lot about stuff, I'm often in my head. It can be good in some aspects, however, the majority of the time it's useless anxieties that don't help me grow. I try to live with the highest of expectations for myself. In my last two companionship I saw two sides of the coin, my trainer was very awesome, hard worker, held me at high expectations, and my second companion was relaxed, wanted to chill more, etc... Although this was a change in style for me going from the first to the second, I understood that I'm in the perfect situation to know who I am as a missionary, just as simba was in the best position to become the king. He experienced both the care free and the pressure-full life. I pulled out of this that it's my time to learn and to figure out who I am, what kind of missionary I want to be, and most importantly that it doesn't happen immediately.
The second principle I found was that the past doesn't define who we are. This one was really powerful for me, as Simba thought he killed his father, so did I. That is completely the reason why I went on a mission. (just kidding, just wanted to make sure you were still paying attention ;) but most importantly, I can learn from the past (whether that be here on the mission or my life), I can learn everyday. What happened yesterday doesn't have to define the missionary I am today. Yeahhhhh I didn't wake up right at 6:30 yesterday because the sun doesn't come out until 9:00, but that doesn't mean I can't wake up at 6:30 tomorrow. One day at a time, don't worry about the past, but focus on the now.
Contacting in Svendborg
Talking to people in Svendborg is great, I've never been rejected more sarcastically or nicely. After introducing ourselves, we usually get a "ellers tak, men du må have en goddag" otherwise thanks but you may have a good day! Or some dumb sarcastic comment, which we usually just laugh at and walk away. I'm afraid of the day I snap and tell them that I'm out here for two years and I've heard that exact joke 200 times, but no, I have more self control hahaha. Hopefully one day, after I've been so nice to them and telling them to have a good day and a merry Christmas, maybe they will just listen one time for the next missionaries (or when we inevitably stop them again on the same street).
New Announcement
The sisters are going to Iceland... Permanently.
Feeling At Home
It's quite rare that one can say they feel at home here on a mission. I mean I'm thousands of miles from home, in this different country, with different traditions and everything. However, I've had an absolutely fantastic time at Familien Nørrung's house. It was honestly the first time on my mission where I've felt fully refreshed, ready, and at home. They were just so friendly and loving. It was the first time I met them, and they were a musical family so we just hit it off. We sung a little bit, ate some good old American Burgers, they understood English so we could talk a little bit English, and we made so good marzipan. It felt like christmas. It definitely feels like Christmas as we are always talking about Christ, but this was the first time (yesterday) that it felt like christmas back home. I can't explain how much everything members do for missionaries means to us. It's super tough being away from family and friends, with people rejecting you all the time, but it makes it so worth it when even the smallest things that members do, like say hello, ask you how you are doing, what they can help with, bring a little treat, or even just talk to you about anything. It means the world. It really does. We had one guy named Mathias bring all three of the companionships in our district a huge bag of snacks. He said it was just a little thing, but he has no clue how happy it made us all. He also doesn't know how he started a chain of love and joy, because you know when I come home I'm gonna do something to help make the missionaries days just a little better. It means the world, and from me on the other side of the world, I want to thank you all for anything that you have ever done for the missionaries, an eating appointment, a gift, a hug, a smile, a chat, all of it. We might not be able to explain how much it means to us (especially if it's not our first language hahah), but we truly are grateful for it.
Potato Juice
Of course potatoes are instantly brought up when I say I'm from Idaho. So in light of this, I convinced the family that we drink potato juice in Idaho. After saying it, they didn't believe me (rightfully so) so their son started pulling up facts about how potato juice is healthy for you (weird articles like 19 Reasons Why You Should Drink Potato Juice) hahhha. Don't worry, I told them I was joking hahah, but it was fun while it lasted.
Sacrifice
Élder Garner, this is inspired by your email! Last week he wrote about how he's going to try to make a sacrifice everyday to the Lord. I thought that was a fantastic idea, so I began writing down in my journal one sacrifice for the next day. I started with "contacting 10 people on the street" (I'm always a little out of my comfort zone when I'm contacting people). It started really slow, and I started stressing out trying to find someone. I stopped stressing out a little bit and focused on what's important, just the next one. Don't think about ten, think about one. Currently, I’m reading this book called “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie. Here’s a quote, and it counts as a scripture too, >>Many men have rejected those words of Jesus: "Take no thought for the morrow." Three hundred years ago the word thought frequently meant anxiety. Modern versions of the Bible quote Jesus more accurately as saying: "Have no anxiety for the tomorrow." By all means take thought for the tomorrow, yes, careful thought and planning and preparation. But have no anxiety.<< This is a powerful principle that I’m still learning how to get down. We can focus on today, the next one, the next step, and not have to worry a second about what is happening tomorrow. He also talks about how the difference between good thoughts and bad thoughts is one leads to productive planned out days, while the other leads to mental breakdowns and stress. I’ve found that the combination of Elder Garner’s sacrifice method and thinking about the now have brought success and worry-free missionary work, but it also shows the Lord that we are willing to make daily sacrifices for him. That we acknowledge our weaknesses, but we have a desire to give them up as a sacrifice to the Lord. I know that the Lord will provide for us. I’ve seen it just by the little sacrifice of talking to 10 people on the street. The first 3 people were terribly hard because I was focusing on the big goal, but one step at a time, one contact, it became easier and easier. I won’t say it’s super easy now, because it is still out of my comfort zone a little bit (especially in crowded places haha), but the Lord provided me with people that I felt comfortable contacting, whether it was the situation, the person, or whatever. I have felt promptings multiple times such as “speed up,” “slow down,” and more that I can’t explain, every time I don’t follow them, I see someone walk by that I knew I could have talked to if I just hurried up a little bit. It’s amazing how the Lord works like that. I guess what I’m saying is two things, don’t stress, take it one step, but also follow the Lord’s plan and remember that the Lord has a plan for us, if we will just listen.
Challenge: Write in your journal for one week a sacrifice and the blessing you saw from it everyday.
Scripture: D&C 84:84-85 “Therefore, let the morrow take thought for the things of itself. Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man”
Word of the Week: speciallægepraksisplanlægnings
Pictures: my comp, a church building, a really awesome letter a newly returned missionary brought us, car
I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic Christmas! Have a great week with family and friends!
Med kærlig hilsen,
Ældste Salisbury
Comments
Post a Comment