We had a good week up here in the north! We have been busy despite the cold and darkness haha, the sun goes down at like 2:30 some days! wow!
We had a dinner with this family who just got back from St. George, Utah. We shared a message about the Book of Mormon and then gave them all a book to give to their friends. Member missionary work at its finest! On Tuesday we had a beautiful specialized zone training about testimonies. We had many opportunities to share personal experiences and it was probably the most spiritual conference I have ever been apart of. It was beautiful. Elder Archibald, Sahlin and the Beckstrands are so in tune with the spirit. I love them all! I went on splits with Elder Halterman this week. We went ham and cheese and had a good day!! At the end of the day Elder Halterman said a prayer that we would have "something cool happen" and then the next family we contacted initially told us to Buzz off but by the time we were done talking to them, they straight up begged for a Book of Mormon and wanted to know more. That was pretty cool ;) On Thursday we had a big Thanksgiving dinner with lots of missionaries and with the a couple who are over all the young single adults in Stockholm. It was a super riktig american style Thanksgiving! Super good! We wrapped up our teaching with Barbara and she is going to get baptized on Wednesday. She is such a funny lady and yesterday in church, se was sitting by her friend Aina and then looked over at us and blew us a kiss. ( she is 70 yrs. old) She is so great!! We are way excited for Wednesday! We had this really cool experience on Friday. We were walking home and stopped and talked to this lady. She seemed very depressed. Come to find out, she told us that literally 30 seconds before, she asked God to send her someone who could help improve her life. It was amazing to see how the Lord puts us in the paths of those who need it. Sunday was crazy as usual. We went over to Pablo's for dinner. He is the most loving and humble guy I have ever met in Sweden. Everybody give a quick S/O to Pablo in your next tweet!! #TeamPablo In the spirit of it being Thanksgiving I just want to thank my parents and my family for their love and support they have always given me. They have always been at my ball games and always lent a hand when I needed it. I also want to thank Elizabeth, Kate, Ellie and Claire for being the best sisters I could have ever asked for. Thanks for putting up with all my teasing and loving me unconditionally. You six are the people I need most in my life, forever! You're the bomb! Have a good week!! Äldste Hemmingsen "It is best when friends feel like family and family feel like friends." - Grandpa Ross Swedes have this were obsession with speaking Swedish and English combined. till example: Sven- Ahhh jaa förstår, förstår.. han är super nice guy men ibland är han mean to his cat. Men over all, fett nice guy. Hahaha Swedes crack me up!! I was sitting in some Kebab pizza place this week eating a lamb and olive pizza when all of sudden I heard Christmas music!! It is already that time of the year!!! no way!!! #deckthehalls We played some volleyball this week and I feel so out of shape.. wow.. we played volleyball... I was so sore the next morning... my life is pathetic... hahaha I was blessed with the honor of going one splits with one of my favorite people of all time, Elder Carrigan (sorry Bailey), we had a super good day. We spent time running around the streets of Stockholm tracking down less active members and finding new investigators. Some young gal even invited us to a dance... it was at 9:30 (passed our bedtime) so we couldn't go :((( hahaha ;) We had 20 people show up to sports night. amen. We made BBQ pizza and fish tacos. amen. Stake Conference was this week. I lööv listening to converts share their conversion story. We got a new Temple President a few weeks ago. He is a convert as of 30 years ago. His wife loved the church and was actually the instigator of their conversion. it took 26 missionary companionships to baptize him! He gave a fantastic talk. Ah church is so good! We also set a record this week for the number of people to attend the weekly Pablo Sunday Dinner party... drum role please.... 26!!!! wow!!! ( he is a member and hosts us for dinner each Sunday) We have also joined the stake choir... I have been selected to sing tenor... there are a few notes that they had to make 2 or 3 more lines on the sheet music above the normal scale... I didn't know that note existed... struggle boat... S/O TO ELIZABETH PAIGE HEMMINGSEN FOR DOING THE DANG THING AND FILLING THE YEAR!! (tomorrow actually but heyyy it works) Sis I love you so much and please when you get home, watch Batman, eat la juas, and then bump in the Mazda for me. I LOVE YOU! And in the theme of it being Thanksgiving this year, I would like to let you all know how grateful I am for my family and for life. I love life so much. There is no better way to live then live happy. The thing that brings me the most joy in life is definitally my family. You guys are stellar! I hope your turkey is warm all the way through this time! #hemmingsentraditions Have a BLESSED week!! Catch ya on the flip side, elder hemmingsen
Sweden has the best nature walks. hands done.
Sorry Mom but like this email might not be too swell.... I'll just give the bullet points, you know the drill! - We had a FHE with a less active member and his wife is not a member. We taught about the Restoration and she was very open and postitve! Wow we have been blessed so much lately! The couple have a roommate and he works at a GoKart place and said he would invite us there. #dreamsreallydocometrue - Tuesday we had StAkE rEpOrTs so we spent 7 hours on a computer filling the progress of the missionary work in the Stockholm Stake..... tråkigt - On Wednesday the YW made us a classic Swedish dinner and then then we got on the topic of America and they challenged us to try and draw a pictire of USA and then label all the stakes and the sizes etc. It was so hard!! Try it, you will fail.. guaranteed. - had splits with the man Elder Bailey (S/O) this week!! He is a stud!! We are going to room in college probs!! - We were forced to join the ward choir and I am singing tenor... I am light headed.... - Played some ball on Friday, life is good - Ludwig said he wants to get baptized but his parents want him to wait... ya we'll see about that ;) Dudes life is super good here! It is getting cold but I love it!! See ya soon! Äldste Hemmingsen This week was helt galet... but it's super good.
We had MLC this week. Th AP's and President trained us on diligence and faith. That will be the last MLC (weird) of the year so we are focusing on being diligent in all that we have learned. We had the wonderful opportunity to go to he Temple Tuesday night. Our ward's youth were doing baptisms and they needed some more help so they asked us. Boy do I love going to the Temple, it is a holy place. The Temple in Stockholm is kind like in a "foresty" (is that a word?) setting. It just is so peaceful and perfect. I can't wait to take you mom! On Wednesday we spent time getting things together for Zone Training and also saw some of our investigators. Barbara gave us some soup and we taught her about the Temple (ironic). She is doing super duper well fellas! #dec2 Thursday we had Zone Training. Peterson and I tried our best to get the whole zone involved in sharing their testimonies of why they are on their missions. It was a super spiritual meeting and was exactly what we wanted to happen. Many of you might not know this but before my mission, Jeff and Jodi would ask me "I wonder what kind of missionary you will be? I wonder if you'll be obedient?" To be completely honest, before my mission, I planned to work hard but to do things how I want them to be done. But as I went through the MTC and got the best trainer that came through Sweden (love you Raz), I had a change of heart. I shifted from worrying about what I want to what the Lord wanted. I now am so grateful for that decision. It seriously changed my mission, submitting my will to the Lords. And that is a Life principle, not just a missionary principle. We had a lesson with Shabnam this week. She is doing otroligt well!! We taught her about The Restoration and answered all her questions about everything. She said "it just makes sense" We invited her to be batized and she said she would definitely do it if she felt prompted by the Holy Ghost. #superdownsupergood We also had our weekly ball-sesh with our basketball friends. we played 2 on 2 to 11 and Petey and I lost 15 to 13. I couldn't feel my body the next morning... #oldman... stay in shape kids Sunday was super crazy! The ward is so good! Not quite Malmö (S/O to Magnus and the gang) but it is soooo good. It was the misisonaries turn to make dinner at Pablo's and so Petey and I made Lasagna for 12. #toomanychefsinthekitchen #wifepoints Guys life is fett bra. I miss America and all but Sweden is a good place. Super chill and super swag. Kate and Ellie would do well here #sweggy Have a good week friends!!!! S/O to Elizabeth for entering her last transfer! #theendisgnar I remember when Ash went home... crazy!!! ha det bra homies #peace äldste spencer jeffrey hemmingsen eFirst off S/O to good ol' Jorgen who is chillin in the US of A with mom and dad..... dang you are the best trainer ever!!! Miss you!! See ya soon!!!! I love living in the Big City. Stockholm is such a good place and there is no other country I would rather serve my mission. Y'all gotta check it out!! I remember Allie Oniki (my A+ cousin to all you readers out there) telling me one time that "Sweden is a place that people go on vacation ...." Hahahahhaha it is the best!! No joke! Well this week has been awesome!! We'll just drop in like Donkey Kong. - Elder Peterson came Tuesday night and we hit up starbucks for a smoothie #whitegirls - This week was "alla helgars dagen" so we went to the graveyard to see all the candles and what not. We live by the biggest graveyard in Sweden. It was so beautiful! - We had a Halloween party for the Youth and we were asked to make some pizzas... 40+ pizzas... I love cookin! So I have one funny story and one story with meaning. What do you wanna hear first? Funny? ok. So Elder Peterson and I were helping people move on transfer day. Sister Hong and Elder Bliss were getting on the same train and we were carrying their bags onto the train. There was absolutely no place to but their luggage so we were running around trying to find a place when all of a sudden the wistles blew and the doors locked... we got trapped on the train.... and the next stop? K-Holm..... 1.5 hours..... oops..... hahahahahah So I called Elder "AP" Archibald and was like..... "Uhhhhh Stockholm is in good hands...." hahahha But hey!!! Free trip back to Katrinaholm!!! When we were looking at the candles in the graveyard, Elder Archibald and Sahlin "just so happened" to be there too. And Elder Archibald and I "just so happened " to be talking and all of a sudden Ludwig and his mom "just so happen" to walk by!! We were able to meet his mom and then they both came to church this week!! It was super good and if his parents allow him, Ludwig can ge baptized! He is only 16 and has found the church through his own personal looking. He is SOOOO prepared!! The most prepared person I have ever met. Now I say that a lot but I mean it this time!!!!!! I know it seems like a coincidence but I know it wasn't. Dudes life is too good. S/O to Elder Burton because my fam went to Canada ehhh? S/O TO MY BOYS IN BLUE FOR GETTING IT DONE IN 5. ROYALS ARE THE 2015 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS BABY!!!! #CROWNED #missionblessings Y'all (is that better Chad Jensen) Have a good week och ta hand på er! Fortsätt i allt. Älskar er!!!!!!! äldste hemmingsen Another week down and in the books:
- Monday we had our little Halloween fest! It went super good and we had a great time - Tuesday we did some splits with the other Gubbängen elders. I was with Elder Gergertz. He is a greenie and has only been out for about a month. We worked super hard and had a good day full of finding ;) - We also got some transfer calls this week! (dets to follow :P) - We went to a baptism that the APs had. It was for a guy named Ken from China. Elder Rasmussen did the baptism and I was happy to see him be able to baptize someone just before he goes home! - Ludwig came to church Sunday! Archibald asked him if he has been reading The Book of Mormon and he said "Yeah and while I read it, I feel really good and I know that is the Holy Ghost telling me it is true." Then a member asked him how he liked church... "Yeah it just feels so good to be here and I know that is the Holy Ghost telling me that this church is true." Ludwig is so prepared!! He is only 16 and his parents are atheist so that could be a problem... but they are neither for or against the church. We met his dad and he was very nice so hopefully it ends up well! - Well I can't believe it has already been another six weeks here in Gubbängen... Elder Archibald will being going to the office and replacing Elder Rasmussen as the AP. I will be getting Elder Peterson!!! He was in the MTC with me and I have never seen him in Sweden and now we are going to be comps!!! Alright I have two funny stories :P Isaac and Elizabeth will get a kick out of this one ;) 1- So we had a dinner at the Seguras (they are from Chile). I know like 5 phrases in spanish and so like during the dinner I used a spanish phrase when ever I could. After the meal it gets quiet and I turn to brother Segura and said "gracias por el caballo" everyone started laughing and then Vanessa (a member) said "you said thanks for the horse! hahahahah" ....... the word is comida not caballo... thanks for nothing mr. webber.... 2- We have this funny investigator named Erik who works for some nature company. So like one of his job risks is being eaten by a bear. You wanna know how he got the job? The other dude working before him was eaten by a bear.... they keep a sign in the office for the number of days no one has been eaten by a bear.... they have gone 57 days.. hahaha Well I have been thinking a lot about the work here in Sweden. There are not a ton of people who believe in God and are not willing to try and find out if He exists. They won't even put it to the the test. So if anyone out there within reach of wifi is seeing this and is unsure if God is there or if He loves you, I would recommend doing what the prophet Alma did to get his testimony. Listen here: 45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? 46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me. Through fasting and prayer you too can feel the love of God. I know that this works. I have seen it happen in people and I have experienced it for myself. It is so important that we continue to strengthen our testimonies our whole lives. Conversion never stops. Continue to do the simple things (pray,fast, read your scriptures, go to church) consistantley over the course of your entire life and you will find yourself in good hands. Thanks for the love and support. Y'all are fantastic!!! I wanna give a S/O to my father for giving absolutely fabulous talk in stake conference. I honestly don't know why I have been blessed with such amazing parents and family. Have a good week y'all!!!! puss o kram grabbar äldste hemmingsen Well life is good in The Vince of the North! We have been seeing dew every morning and temperatures have been around like 9 Celsius this week. Winter is a coming!!
So we had a super duper busy week (way more than normal) of lots of random things.... - Once a month we have a meeting with the stake pres and Pres Beckstrand about how the work is going in the stake. So we have to call all the companionships and fill out this report... it took 9 hours from Monday to Wednesday to fill out! - I went on splits with the bro Elder DeMourdant himself! We had a lunch with a member that lived 2 hours east of Stockholm by bus.. I am sick of buses haha - We were asked to help with a funeral on Thursday. The man was a less active member (due to health problems). There were quite a bit of non members there and sweet Brother Håkan Palm just bore his testimony on how the Plan of Salvation is true. It was very sweet and the missionaries were even asked to lower the casket into the grave. The funeral was very nice and I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation. - On Saturday we had a ward party! The party was a clothing exchange and the YW did a fashion show with all their ugly clothes. We (Archi, Carrigan and I) were asked to be the emcees of the show.... hahaha Well like that is all I got! We are hosting a Halloween party today with of 40 missionaries so it should be good! Well life is super good here. Transfers are this next week. I am guessing that Archibakd goes to the office and I stay here for another six! Gubbängen is such an amazing place and I love Stockholm! I am so grateful that I have been able to serve here. Well I would like to rap this up with a little spiritual sugar: 17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you; 18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours. Oh the gospel is simple, let's keep it that way :) I love you guys!! Keep on keepin on. I love you all! Äldste Hemmingsen PS S/O to Carter!! Dude you're a stud! Miss you bro!o edit. Random similarity Archi and I have number 23125: We both dug holes in our moms flower pots as kids.
Random similarity Archi and I have number 23126: We both had catapults built to launch pumpkins. Random similarity Archi and I have number 23127: We both got our glasses at Shopko. Random similarity Archi and I have number 23128: Both of our moms didn't allow us to play Call of Duty when we were younger but we played at our friends houses secretly. Well we this week has been all over the place. Not a ton to report but I got a few things :) 1. So this week we were helping sweet Aina Enker (82 year-old recent convert) move some furniture. After we had finished and were about to leave she asked if we could hold a prayer together. She asked us what we needed and Elder Archibald said "someone who will listen to us" We went through the whole day and had very little success and then around 20.00 we contacted this dude and had a super duper good little street lesson for 45 minutes about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. After that, Archibald reminded me of Aina's prayer and we both knew that her faith is what blessed us with Ben! She is the best! 2. We went on spliits with the APs this week. I was with the infamous Elder Sahlin. He is from Göteborg. He was very sick for a year before his mission and has had some major surgeries. It has really really effected his energy levels but he is so happy and is honestly the most Christ-like person I have ever met. It was cool to be with a native Swedish speaker and it helps a lot honestly. We spent most of the day doing finding work and talking about how we can serve our missionaries and help them. I am grateful for peers who are good examples all the time. Well like tha ths thsss thatsass that's all folks! Nahh like actually one more thing. So church was supper good! We had a total of 7 investigators come to the Gubbängen ward and after the meeting we had a ward fika. Fika is kinda like a brunch you could say but anyway it was a super good way for the ward to fellowship the investigators! Plus Brother Thijssen (from the netherlands #s/o to Morrell) made Belgium waffles and they were to die for!! Uhhmm so good!! Have a blessed week!!!!!!!! #blessed #staysweet S/O to the DV homecoming week and for all the kids not TP-ing! Too bad, that was the best part of HC in high school. #peaceout Äldste Hermmingsen Gosh I love that Quote! General Conference was too good. Too good!! My favorite talk (note, I still have not seen Sunday afternoon session) was President Eyring's. I love the way that he talks about his parents and the Holy Ghost. They were all so fantastic!
Wow where do I even begin! This week was good! We had some splits this week with the Uppsala Elders. I was with Elder Blackburn. He is a young missionary from Cali' and he has that Cali vibe flowing off of him hahaha :) But it was great! We went ham and cheese and had a super duper good day! Funny story but I had to renew my visa this week and we took a 1.5 hour trip to north Stockholm just to find out that we needed to set up an appointment. #fail Soooo we'll be doing that again later hahaha It was Elder Archibald's Bday this week so make sure y'all hälsa på honom! We had a good little lesson with our cute little Barbara! We had a lesson on the Word of Wisdom and she told us that she stopped drinking coffee and wine once she started meeting the missionaries! She is so golden! Well that family that showed up to church last week didn't come again this week :( But a son and his father showed up! The son had lots of questions and he was already super knowledgeable about the church! Like we asked if he had been baptized and he said "Yes, but not by the right authority!" Ludwig is the man! BUT THE BEST PART OF THE WEEK So after conference on Saturday, I checked the phone and found a text from a unknown number. It was from Su (he was an investigator I found in Malmö and the reason I was called to Sweden) and the text said that he got married to his girlfriend and they are going to be baptized soon!!! I called him and he is doing SO GOOD. Like he sounds so happy and all! Like the gospel truly changes lives!!! General Conference was so great and I can't even begin to write all of my thoughts right now. I would like everyone to know that I know that the leaders of the church, now matter how big or small, are all called of God. This is his work and His church. As Äldste Bailey would say "God is too good." You are all such super stars and thanks for all that you have done for me! Time is going by soooo fast!! catch you on the flip side. spence the bull. "Oh be wise, what can I say more." |
Aldste HemmingsenI am serving a mission because I feel that I have blessed so much by the Lord to have been raised in a loving family where gospel principals are taught. I do not know why I am so lucky to have been born into our faith but I know that this church is true and that the Lord needs me to serve a mission in Sweden. I have been preparing my whole life for these next to years and I know it is what I need to do. I hope to be an instrument in the Lords hand as i serve my mission. I know without a doubt that this gospel is true; I wouldn't be serving a mission if I didn't! Archives
May 2016
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