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På Svenska?

 Hello friends!

Time is starting to fly. 

This past week has been VERY Swedish-focused, which I guess makes sense since we're going to be speaking it 24/7 in just two weeks now. 

A couple funny things:
- last week Sister Cook received an ENORMOUS bag of Swedish fish (svenska fisk) in the mail, so one of our favorite pastimes during our study breaks has been throwing Swedish fish into each other's mouths. Not to brag, but I did, in fact, catch four (4) Swedish fish in a row, all thrown from a considerable distance away. Probably one of my proudest moments. 
- at district council, we all decided it would be a good idea to go around and make pros and cons lists about everyone in our district. We were all laughing really hard. 
- one of our district's ~less spiritual goals~ is to learn the dance and lyrics to a popular Swedish song from the 80s called Diggi-loo Diggi-lay. 
- One morning I put my bagel in the toaster, and when I came back to retrieve it, a random elder had stolen it and was spreading peanut butter all over it. It was a pretty tragic morning actually, but at least I know how to say "the evil elder stole my bagel" in Swedish now.
- my district thinks of me as the sister who will eat anything put in front of her, including the questionable cafeteria beans. And honestly, that's a reputation I'm happy to have. 

This past Saturday, me and my companions taught a 20 minute lesson in Swedish! Actually--let me rephrase. Me and my companions TRIED to teach a 20 minute lesson in Swedish! 
It actually ended up going okay, but I didn't realize how poor I am at understanding it, haha. We would pose a question such as "Do you have a job?" or "Have you ever prayed before?" and then none of us could understand her response. But hey, that'll come with time, right?

Overall, I am having a BLAST with my companions. We laugh together, we stress together, we speak terrible Swedish together...it's fantastic. One of our goals is to recognize the little miracles that happen every day, and one of our most recent miracles is that Sister Cook was carrying a bag of popcorn upstairs from the basement of our complex, and dropped it...BUT, ONLY TWO PIECES OF POPCORN FELL OUT!! It was amazing. A true testament of God's love for his children. 

I haven't gotten my visa yet, but I still have until next Friday for it to come before I'm sent to a different mission in the US for a transfer. I'm optimistic. 

Now, pictures!
Selfie taken on Sunday of our companionship quad. I told everyone they had to be serious.

Äldste Hurren got Crumbl delivered to him on Monday and was kind enough to share.



We played a game in class that required us to wear sheriff badges. If someone spoke specific words in English we would all point finger guns at them and force them to do 10 pushups. 



No background to this photo except for the fact that it's a great picture. Enjoy. 


District selfie at the temple this morning!


And finally, Sister Cook running to the bathroom so she wouldn't kissa sin byxor.


I love this gospel, and I love being here at the MTC. 
I've been thinking a lot about that quote by Russell M. Nelson, which says:
"The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives, and everything to do with the focus of our lives." 
As I've spent the last month of my life focusing on the gospel of Jesus Christ, I've found increased peace, joy, and happiness. Additionally, in Mosiah 24:15 it says:
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
As I do my best to focus solely on Jesus Christ, and give him my all, I've seen my burdens be made light. When we turn to Him, He strengthens us. 

Have a good week everyone!

Syster Naatjes

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