This week was another good week in Täby. The weather was generally a little bit nicer, so we got to see the sun out a few times. It seems like it is pretty windy in Stockholm and so a clear day can quickly change into a cloudy one and then back and then cloudy again. But a little about my week:
Monday- was a pretty good p-day. Got to go play some basketball at a chapel on the other side of Stockholm. It was fun, I always love to play basketball! Didn't get to teach anyone though.
Tuesday- following the family's pattern, I got sick! I have been so blessed on my mission that I haven't been sick at all until last Tuesday. We still went and tried to swing by some old investigators without much luck. But it was good to go over to that part of the area where we hadn't been before.
Wednesday- We are at the church every Wednesday and Friday to have the chapel open for people to come in who are interested. We also do family history, so on Wednesday's a lady comes and does it and then a member is there to help out as well. But I was also able to do some family history this week actually and I found out that Ezra Taft Benson, one of our ancestors (my great, great, great grandpa, on Dad's side, was the 20th apostle called in this dispensation and built apparently an amazing and beautiful house across the street from Temple Square, where the Zion's bank head offices are, directly south from the Joseph Smith building! It was pretty cool to find that out. I also found out that his son Frank Andrus Benson, had a house in Logan across the street from I think Logan High. He married Amanda Charlotta Eliason, who had immigrated with her parents, Anders Eliason Jr and Hedvig Carlson from Sweden! They are the other connection I have found to Sweden and they are from a place close to Göteborg, called Alingsås. I have actually been doing work for their ancestors, not anything too exciting but fixing a few of the errors that were in the website, and looking through old Swedish 1700's church records for information. I can not read what they say most of the time but the nice member who comes can translate into normal Swedish for me :) I also read a little about Earl Eric Holmstead and how great an athlete he was. Apparently he was very good at baseball and had scouts showing interest but decided to not play professionally. However the gloves were thinner those days so his hands got a little curved from catching those hard pitches again and again and so he couldn't flex his fingers out all the way when he was older and they mentioned that it was funny when he was a teacher and would point to have one of the students answer they wouldn't know who he was pointing at! And one more thing, about Hans Jorgensen now. He was introduced to the gospel by his son who had just shortly heard it from Erastus Snow, one of our ancestors on Dad's side! But yea it is exciting to find all the neat things about our ancestors! To wrap up Wednesday we went and did a little family home evening with a family of 3, a mom, son, and daughter from Iran.
On Thursday we went and visited this old lady, who lived on the 14th floor of a building. Also went and tried to swing by some people and talk to people on the way, then went to ward council and talked a little about the missionary work here.
On Friday We had district meeting before we went to the church. It was my first district meeting that I taught and I was a little nervous but I actually think it turned out pretty well. We talked about the many characteristics that Ammon had as a missionary. There were a lot mentioned in the scriptures! We were at the church again on Friday and I did a little more of the family history stuff I talked about earlier and then after the church time we started our way over to a less-active member's house in the rain and talked to this one weird guy for like half an hour, but he wasn't really interested in learning, just discussing. We visited this lady and that was nice and then she gave us this yummy Swedish treat called a Semla. It is like a roll with almond cream and then sugar on top and I didn't think I would like them too much because of the cream but they are actually pretty good.
Saturday we spent the day around this one street and visited a few investigators, including J and then an African family, and a couple of members living over there and also was able to meet a few people on the street. One was an older lady who said that her son actually rents out his apartment in Stockholm somewhere to 2 missionaries! It was a funny little coincidence and then another one when we ran into her later that day!
Sunday- had church and President Newell wasn't there but Syster Newell was! So I got to say hi to her. The joke with the missionaries here is that President is a less active member in his own ward here. Also yesterday got to teach another investigator named Leif, who we are trying to get to pray everyday and then come and see what church is like.
But that was pretty much my week! It started off not so great since I was sick for the first few days but then I think we were able to salvage it haha. It actually snowed here this week and we had snow for 2 days and then the snow turned to rain and now there is less snow than there was before haha. But that is so exciting about each of your weeks! It is neat that we now have a pet jaguar :) and that skiing was great, Abby had a fun dance, and a fun after party at our house and that is too bad that Jake got sick :( but at least he got one day of skiing in, and Estee is becoming an amazing skier! I can't believe it is almost March! Where has the past year gone!? It doesn't feel like it has been too long since I was sitting watching March Madness without my wisdom teeth! And Dad yes I remember having a great time at Red Robin with you and sometimes Jake and how fun that would be with all that great food! Abby how are all your intense AP classes going? Is it hard to keep up with all of them? How is Calculus? Oh and last week I forgot to tell Estee thanks for her beautiful picture she sent me, I love it!
Thank you guys for being the wonderful parents and family you are! You guys really are the best and I can't imagine a better family! I miss you and love you so much! Have a great week!
Love,
Äldste Andy Ward
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