Dear Family,
I woke up this morning with the light shining. At
6:30 in the morning it looks like it could be 10 or 11 o'clock. Its
amazing. I woke up staring at the ceiling. I had just dreamed about
being home and going back to school. A very odd dream. But as I realized
where I was, what I was doing, who I was with. I was filled with a
peace and happiness. I love being a missionary. :)
This whole week feels like it has been my birthday. We have just had
a fabulous fun miracle filled week :). Some highlights:
We
found an old shelf outside of our new member and asked their neighbor if
we could take it home (we are low on shelf space). She gladly handed it
over. So Sys Sprague and I came up with a wonderful way to carry it
home... we just put it across our two bike seats and walked it home. :)
We walked past this woman picking flowers on the road and I asked her
what kind they were. She smiled up brightly and we ended up talking for
the next 15 mins. She immediately looked at my name tag (I LOVE MY NAME
TAG.. i think all members should have them ,) ) And I told her about the
Book of Mormon. She had lots of questions and as she had to go she
said.. "Here, here is my number... why don't you give me a call tomorrow
and come over. I live in that yellow house".. ! I think that is one of
my favorite parts about being a missionary. Taking courage, opening my
mouth and spreading the gospel message. We ended up meeting with
Ann-britt later on in the week and I think I made a life long friend.
When I come back I'm visiting her! Funny addition to this story. While
we were talking to Ann-britt one of the members came walking around the
corner. She and her dad had been driving and seen us. They thought we
looked soooo ridiculous walking around with this shelf. So they stole it
from us! They just came and lifted it off our bikes and drove it home
while we stood and talked with her. haha I love our members.
We decided we had to show our love back to these wonderful people so
yesterday we took some time to make some hearts with little notes on
them and "Heart Attack" them. We also took some banana bread we had made
during the week and a card to the bishop to drop off. They lived in the
same area .. so we decided to be secret agents with the assignment of
spreading love! We got up to the area.. turns out the mothers were on a
walk! so we had to sneak around them. Fortunately, one of their sons,
William was out and about. We decided to recruit him. He helped doorbell
ditch the bread to the bishops and then helped us heart attack his own
house. It was too much fun! So I'm thinking once again about being a
CIA agent ,)
My birthday was WONDERFUL! We had the chance to meet with Nahid.
Nahid is a woman who works at a restaurant. A member family (Hulldin's)
were eating there and were talking about church. Nahid was serving them
and ended up asking them loads of questions about what they believe. She
gave them her number and said she would love to meet with the
missionaries. I LOVE IT when members help in the work! So after we had
an amazing teach with Syster Hulldin and Nahid, we stopped by some other
members named Natascha and Anton. They are recently married and both
served missions. Natascha is amazing. We walk in and tell her about
Nahid and other miracles we had that week with members helping in the
work--and she pulls out her phone and says.. "humm... who can I give
you..." She proceeds to go through her contact list and gives us three referrals. !! I have a special list at the back of my journal. Things I
want to do when I go home. I wrote down be like Natascha and give the missionaries referrals.
That night we had a member dinner and they made me a wonderful Torta
(cake). I think my favorite part of the dinner though was getting to
share our message. All of our messages here in Alingsås have been
focused on helping members invite their friends to learn about the
gospel. As we told them about the miracles that had been happening, and
invited them all to take the next step with their friends. Asking for
referrals from members.. is not easy. It is uncomfortable.. and it is not
really easy to invite your friends to learn more about the gospel. So I
often feel a little guilty asking for it. But! one of the sons (who has
come back from his mission a few years ago) said, "you two are the
first missionaries in a long while who have inspired me to do member
missionary work and really get me thinking about which of my friends are
ready for the gospel. I'm sure all those other missionaries were still
great... But it felt good to know we are on the right path and making a
small difference.
Church was also another blessing for me. Sometimes you try and do so
much.. but you really don't feel like you are doing anything. Nothing
seems to be changing. Well.. I was feeling a little bit of that at the
beginning of the day. But sacrament meeting blew me away. As people got
up to bear their testimonies.. missionary work was a theme. Sys Hulldin
got up and talked about how grateful she was to come with us to teach
Nahid. She was reminded that she really did have a strong testimony of
the gospel. She was so grateful to have Syster missionaries so that she
could take more part in missionary work. Then almost all the youth got
up one by one and bore simple and pure testimonies of how the gospel was
helping them in their lives. One young woman named Josefin made me cry.
(Josefin is the girl I went on splits with the very first time I came
to Alingsås when I went on splits with Syster Sprague.. when i was still
living in Jönköping). She talked about her family and her friends.. and
then talked about Sys Sprague and I.. how we were such good examples to
her.. and how we had helped her so much by just loving and trying to
uplift her. Wow. Then David Hulterström (I was at their house for my
birthday.. he hasn't gone on a mission yet) got up and talked about missionary work. He asked the ward to all try and invite their friends
to meet with the missionaries. He knew it would bring them happiness in
their lives and it was what the Lord wanted. When we asked David at
dinner if he had any friends to invite to learn more.. he was quiet and
didn't really feel like he had anyone. So I worried a little that he felt
bad or stressed.. or that he really didn't think much about it. but after
hearing his testimony.. i guess he really was listening and really does
want to spread the gospel :)
So! I just want you all to know that you are making a bigger
difference than you think. Cant wait to talk to you all next week! :)
LOVE SYSTER SCHNEIBER!
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