MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Hello all!  It´s P-day again!  

Due to the LOVELY holidays we have had 3 non-proselyting days in a row, Julafton (Christmas Eve), Jul (Christmas), and Annan Dag Jul (Another day of Christmas, or the day after!) They just changed p-day to Saturday for this week and next! 

Well, it has been a lovely week over here in Sverige!  I hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas week! It started off with a fun Family home evening night with one of the Families in Täby!  The Emmanuelsons, they are just such a lovely family!  They had us over for dinner, and then Syster Bateman and I gave the FHE lesson and activity, and then we got to help them put up their tree and decorate it!  It was SO fun!  Oh that just made us two of the happiest girls ever!  Decorating a Christmas tree, classic Christmas music in the background, and being with this wonderful family!  I just love it here! 

{With the Emmanuel Family on Christmas Eve}

Tuesday we went to one of my favorite ladie's home and we got to help her clean and put up Christmas decorations for Christmas!  It was so fun!  I just love that people want us to come and help decorate, it's my favorite thing!  After that, we went to help a member, Azam... she is really cool, she's from Syria and let me tell you, I have never seen someone with as many clothes, shoes, and bags as she has.  No joke.  It's impressive!  After helping for a few hours she fed us dinner.  But saying she fed us dinner is an understatement.  It was like a feast but more.  

She has us sit down at the table and comes over with this HUGE plate of pasta!  HUGE!  I swear that thing was suppose to be for 6 people at least.  She goes and puts it in front of Sys. Bateman.  And a minute later she sweetly brings over my plate for 6!  I don't know how much she thinks people are suppose to eat... but I think that the amounts might be just a little high!  So, prior to coming, Sys. Bateman had warned me about her serving sizes...but this was bigger than expected--and surprisingly, after we overlooked the pile and powered through, we walked out and Sys. Bateman said, "You got lucky... it´s usually bigger than that!"  WHAT?!  I physically cannot see how that is possible!  But we did it!  

After Azams', we had a District activity of Christmas Caroling!  It was so fun... we went to one of the main train stations and stood outside as people were coming in and out, and then we had one or two companionships at a time walking around contacting and passing out pepprakakor cookies!  It was so fun, and people were actually stopping to listen--and we talked to a lot of people and showed "En Frälsare Är Född"! ("A Savior is Born").  It was so fun!  And then we all went to Täby Centrum (a mall right by where we live) and got hot chocolate!

Wednesday we went to a less active members house like an hour and a half away--and we love going over there because we get to take this awesome double decker bus and its so relaxing, and I can't seem to go on it without thinking of Harry Potter, when they are on the bus.  Anyways, we were going to Veronica's house for a Julbord! Which is like a bunch of random Swedish foods that you put together during Christmas time... She was so sweet and it was fun having my first Julbord at a home, since the only ones we have been to were church activities. 

{Syster Campbell's favorite seat on the double decker bus}

Well, after eating she said okay. Let's give that a minute and then we can have some glas (ice cream) for dessert... literally a minute later, okay are we ready for glas? Haha yeah okay.  So we get the bowls out and scoop the ice cream and she said, "I'll be right back, I'm just going to go do something you guys aren't allowed to do!"  We just look at eachother and we are like, okayyyyyy..... so um, what's that supposed to mean!  Haha!  We were so confused! 

We just sat down at the table for like 5 minutes and we had no clue what to do!  The ice cream was already soup because she asked up to bring it and we had to travel an hour and a half to travel, so it was soup!  So here we are, sitting, not knowing where Veronica went, not knowing if we should eat our soup or not--but then we hear her call out, "you can go into the living room!"  So, we grab the bowls and make our way to the room we thought she was talking about.  Still totally confused, and we just sit there... in the dark, so we just decide to eat our ice cream soup.  

A few minutes this side door opens right by me and I freak!  It scared me so bad!  Then all of a sudden this overwhelmingly strong cloud of smoke flows into the room, and Syster and I just look at eachother and just start laughing to ourselves!  We had been so confused and then all of our questions were answered.  She just needed a little smoking break!  Haha! We keep just saying, "I'll be right back, I'm just going to go do something you guys aren't allowed to do!"  Oh man, good memories are being made! 

{Their apartment--Annie is pretty proud of their "MORMON.ORG sign in the window!}

Then Thursday....CHRISTMAS EVE!!!  Julafton!  Oh, we started on a great note...woke up and went on a run right away.  After running for a little bit, I just choose to do a random little heel click and then told Sys. Bateman to do one, too!  She then goes on to try...jumps up--good form--but just can't seem to actually make the heels click!  Shes like "Hey! That wasn't too bad, for not even being able to see anything without my contacts in!"  She then proceeds to do another and this time she jumps up and comes down right in a HUGE puddle!  Oh, I just about died!  I don't know if I have ever seen a better reaction!  Oh, just pure shock and just the fact that she trudged through the rest of it... it was DEEP!  Haha! Past her ankles, and I was just laughing SO hard!  I kept saying "do you want to go back? ", but she just wanted to keep going!  So we did!  It made my morning! 

{Helping the Emmanuel Family with their Christmas decorating on Christmas Eve}

Then a little later, the Elders came and picked us up and we were on our way to the cutest little family-the Percivals--for Julafton! (a young mom and dad, two little boys and the grandparents).   It was so fun because Swedes celebrate Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day, so it was so fun to be able to be part of that!  We got to see all of the cute traditions that Swedes do and we all just fell in love with it!  

We started off with a delicious Julbord (Swedish Christmas Feast type of thing), and then we wathched "Kalle Anka"! Which is bacically Donald Duck!  EVERY Swede watches it on Julafton and it was just so fun!  It was just like a movie length compilation of old Disney clips...  it was so cute!  But honestly, between 3:00 and 4:00pm on Julafton,  you won't see a single Swede out, because they are ALL in watching "Kalle Anka"!  Everybody says they don't know why they watch it, but EVERYBODY does!  It is the funniest thing!  

After a while, they all opened their presents and then Jultompten (Santa) came!  One of the grandpas dressed up in this quite elaborate Santa costume and knocked on the door, and then they had the little boys go open the door...and it was the cutest thing...they were SO happy!  Then we didnt want to overstay our welcome, so we went on a lovely Christmas Eve walk until our ride came! 

Then Christmas!!!!  Oh, Christmas was just lovely!  We were fortunate enough to be able to go to President and Sister Beckstrand's house for Christmas, along with the AP's and our office Elders.  It was so fun, and just the funnest, most relaxing day!  And best of all...I GOT TO SKYPE MY FAMILY!!!!  

Oh, it was just so wonderful!  Cried quite lots, but it was so wonderful!  Even got to connect with my dearest Sister Sarah in Argentina for a little bit!  Crazy--she comes home in 3 WEEKS!  How is that possible?!  

{Syster Campbell in Sweden and Hermana Campbell in Argentina--what a wonderful Christmas blessing for our family!}

But it is pretty crazy to be on the other side of the screen with the nametag!  Oh, but it was just the loveliest day--we had a big homemade breakfast, and then played some games, watched a bunch of Disney shorts, then opened presents! 

{The District on Christmas Day with President and Syster Beckstrand}

Okay and we just have the BEST Elders ever!  So, apparently its been made clear that I love soccer and I'm dying to play again, and our wonderful Elders got me a soccer ball!!!  

They're bringing the presents over to President and Sys. Beckstrand, and then just bring one over to Sys. Bateman and I, and we are just like "Crap! we got them cheesy little things and they probably got us legit things!"  So, they all tell me to open my present--and its this big box I thought it was just going to be the Book of Mormons we recently ordered...but I open it and may have screamed a little...It was the best present EVER!  Oh, it was so fun!  They said, "it was pretty easy to know what we could get for you!"  Haha, oh it just made my life!

Throughout the rest of the day, we were all just playing with it and passing it around.  It was SO fun!  Then, after everyone skyped, we had a lovely Christmas dinner and then watched the new "Cinderella"!!!  Oh, I just love that one, and nobody else had seen it--and I assured them that they would like it if we watched it, and I'm happy to say I didn't let them down! They all loved it, and it was just the most magical Christmas! 

Well, I must be off, but just know that I love you all dearly and remember who you are and what you are doing. You are here for a reason, and never forget that.  Although Christmas may have passed, there is no need to not think about the true meaning of it everyday.  Never forget the Savior and never forget what he did for you.  Its truly been amazing to be a missionary right now.  Just getting into the mission field when they have asked us to really push the Christmas initiative "A Savior is Born"--its pretty amazing to see what it has done for people.

A Savior Is Born

Although just a two minute video its has become part of us.  Its been amazing to hear from my sweet sister all the way in Argentina talking about her using the video, and what an impact it has made for her.  The Spirit of Christmas and the Spirit of Christ are strong.  Let us never forget them but carry them with us continually!  

There is a special love that people seem to find again every Christmas Season--but what if we never let that go?!   What if we made it a point to think of the Savior everyday throughout the year like we do around Christmas?   

Thats my challenge for anyone who will take it--to really try everyday to have that same light and spirit about you that you have around this time.  Carry it with you everywhere you go, remembering Christ in all you do.  I love you all... NEVER forget that! 

Med Karlek, 

Syster Campbell