Monday, March 28, 2016

DO YOU BELIEVE?

Well, hard to believe but today is my 5 month mark!  I hate it that it has already been 5 months--but needless to say, 5 of the best months of my life. 

Every day I have to do a reality check and make sure that this isn't just a dream.  I absolutely love my mission with all of my heart.  It has made me work harder than anything else in life, and it has brought me so much more happiness than I every could have imagined! 
To start off the week though, we just had the BEST P-Day ever--I am thoroughly convinced of it.  Well, that is, right along with the last P-day in Täby where we played Mush Puck (or mushroom hockey) on a frozen-over swamp!  But, this week we went to Ales Stenar! 
I don't quite know how to eloquently describe this place, so you will just have to see the pictures for a better description...or look it up.  But it is this old Viking fishing village... 
Back in the Viking's time, they put up all these rocks to be like a sundial.  So, pretty cool--it was so beautiful there.  Ocean in the background and a bunch of old rocks makes for an awesome p-day! 
But the best part--we played SOCCER in the middle of all of the rocks!  And if you know me, you would know that there could not be anything better than a day filled with beautiful sights, fun people and soccer!!!  It was perfect! 
Well lets see...this week we also had a Relief Society party called Årsfest, and in Swedish it sounded like ostfest, which are very different things.  Årsfest= Year Party, but I with my interesting Swedish, I heard ostfest which means Cheese Party!  Haha!  So after the announcement for it in Relief Society, I turn to Syster Stetler and say, in a confused manner, "a cheese party?" 
Naturally, she just starts laughing!   Yeah, that was not the last time that was brought up! But once the "Cheese Party" actually came, we had invited out Nyomvänd, a lady who is a new member--and it was wonderful! 
This week we also had a combined Zone Conference with the Göteborg Zone, and it was so so good!  I absolutely LOVE our Conferences! 
This Conference actually had quite a few focuses, and all were just so perfect and oh, so needed!  President spoke a lot on Diligence, the AP's spoke on working with members, the ZL's spoke about language study, and Syster Beckstrand spoke about our relationship with Christ. 
Recently, with General Conference coming up, I have really been thinking about how to prepare and how to receive personal revelation.  So, I tried preparing for this Conference too, and it made so much of a difference.  I felt like everything I heard was just for me...
President's section about diligence got me thinking a lot about limits, and just how so much of the time we set our own limits in life.  I feel like with so many things in life, if we would just allow ourselves to see ourselves through Christ's eyes, we would be able to accomplish SO much more in life. 
If we set goals--and not limits--we would actually give ourselves the chance to let the Lord help us.  I feel like so much of the time we give up too early, that we just say, "I can't!" Instead of focusing on "I can't", I think we need to just start saying, "With the Lord, I can!"  If we acknowledge our need of the Lord, we will get so much further in life, and will be able to find so much more happiness and purpose. 
My favorite part of Conference was Syster Beckstrand's part.  She started out with this beautiful video about Christ.  It was of people from all different faiths that were asked some questions about Christ...and they answered without words. 
It was so powerful and beautiful.  They just asked simple questions; like if they believed in Christ, and if they loved Him--and then they just answered by their reactions to the questions.  It was so beautiful.  I found myself crying by the second question, and I just thought how beautiful it is that no matter what faith you come from, we can all feel the love of Christ. 
We have actually been able to see that a lot lately, as we have been showing the Easter video to people, and it is just so fascinating to see who Christ is to people.  I often find lines from the video going through my head throughout the day...
" Och om jag låter honom, om jag älskar honom, om jag följer honom, kan han ta bort mina synder, mina sorg, min smärta, fölåta mitt förlutna. I Jesus Kristus har jag fått nytt liv."   "If I let Him, if I love Him, if I follow Him, He can take away my sins, my sorrows, my pain.  In Jesus Christ I have found new life." 
Five ways Syster Beckstrand recommended that we could strengthen our relationship with Christ are:
Increasing the quality of our personal prayers.  Making it truly personal and trying to picture that we are actually speaking directly with Him.  Because we are. 

Selfless service...

Daily striving for perfection... 

Seeing the Lords hand in our lives... 

And meaningful daily personal scripture study. 
One of my favorite things that she said was that whenever we feel like Christ isn't there, then we had better see where we are because we must be far far away.  We must make the effort to Come Unto Christ because we are the only thing keeping us away from Him. 
She said, "We must come unto to our Savior, close enough that at times you feel like you can touch Him". 
The concept of faith is so beautiful to me.  Something so simple that we can increase it every day, every hour and every second.  As we have faith to find Christ, we will find Him.  We will be able to personally know Him and love Him. 
In Jesus Christ, I have found new life.  Follow Him, and see what a difference it will make. Christ died and rose again for us.  Follow Him and find new life

Med Kärlek, 

Syster Campbell

Monday, March 21, 2016

TRUE HAPPINESS

Oh, my goodness--I saw the Northern Lights!!!!   Dreams really do come true! 

We were walking to the bus stop last night, and I see a distant cloud with a slight green tint... slowly it started moving, and I said, "Syster... is that.......?" And Syster Stetler says, "Um... yeah, those are the Northern Lights!" Haha, oh my gosh!  Best night ever!  Got to check that off my bucket list!  I am telling you...Sweden is the place: Northern Lights, reindeer, castles, adorable homes, beautiful old buildings...this place is just simply BEAUTIFUL--I am obsessed!
Alright, let's see...this week was great!   We got to completely pack and deep clean one lady's apartment,  then we got to rake an older lady's lawn..and many other odd little service things all throughout the week! 

Oh gosh, and then last Monday we were playing soccer with the Sandelin Family in our ward!  I was so excited to play--maybe a little too excited!  I went to go get the ball, then one of the sons, Joel, got in the way and took the ball--so I tried to kick the ball, but accidently kicked his leg!  He goes down and were all laughing...then 2 seconds later, Äldste Walker (who was on his same team) goes to kick the ball out into the field, misses, and it nails Joel right in the head as he's already down on the ground!!!  Oh, man!   All of us just drop down to the ground laughing hysterically!  Kick to the shin--goes down--and seconds, later ball kicked from 3 feet away totally nails him in the head!  Poor Joel!
This week we also went on splits, and I got to spend Wednesday in dreamy Lund!  I got to be with Syster Irene again, who I went on my first splits with! 

So, the last time we were on splits together, I got a bag full of muffins that this guy on the street just bought and then gave to me...then this time, during the first 5 minutes we were together, we go and talk to this guy.  We talk to him for a while, and then randomly he says, "Would you believe me if I told you I could make snowballs appear?"  Syster Irene says, "Um, no." 
I say, "Um, I wouldn't say yes, but I also wouldn't say no...." Then, he reaches into his pocket, and hands me a bag of chocolate candies that are called Choklad Snöbullar!  Haha! Then he says his bus is here, and then totally disappears!  Oh, it was the strangest thing ever!!! 

We just look at each other in shock...we were so weirded-out and just started laughing!  It seems to be a trend that whenever we are together, random people give us food!  As we were walking some more, I saw a lady with a bag full of apples and I was like, "Let's go talk to her, I want apples!"  Haha, sadly we didn't but hey--we got snowball chocolates!!!
Well, needless to say there were many fun times this week!  But, it has also been really cool for me personally.  As far as personal growth, though--I had one of the most amazing weeks. 

Earlier this week I had really been thinking about General Conference coming up, and how to prepare for it.  My thoughts were quickly directed to my testimony of the Book of Mormon.  As a missionary, I share it everyday with people on the street, and for some reason, I just felt that I really needed to do something to strengthen my testimony. 
For years, whenever I've prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true, I always have just had the thought--"I already know it's true."  I do know, but I just felt like I needed to actively seek to strengthen it some more. 
So, during personal study this week, I would kneel down and pray--pray to understand whatever it was that I was reading, and then pray to know if it was true.  I started off my personal study with a prayer and began to read in Words of Mormon...I read, but nothing really stood out to me.  I thought to myself, "I am reading the Words of Mormon, praying to know if the Book or Mormon is true--I have to get my answer!"  So, I just kept reading and soon I finished that short chapter, and felt good, but not like I had gotten an answer......
{This is NOT Annie--but it's a Mormonad that really LOOKS like Annie!}
I thought about it, and realized that I had prayed but I don't think I really prayed.  So, I prayed again.  This time, my prayer was a little different.  This time I could tell that I really wanted to know.  I asked more sincerely than I think I ever had in a prayer.  I truly did want to know. 

As I began reading again, I started in Mosiah--and then I just started feeling different.  I felt the sincerity of my prayer, and knew that that was what it was supposed to feel like after prayiner like I did.  With every verse, it just felt better and better, and then I got to Mosiah 1:6--and I got my answer:

 "O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true.  And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes."

 Immediately, tears filled my eyes, and I knew the Lord had answered my prayers.
Well, time's a little short this week, so I must go--but if there is one thing I want to leave you with, it is that the Lord is so very aware.  He is there--anxiously awaiting for you to sincerely come unto Him.  Coming unto Him is not just a once in a lifetime thing--we must seek Him daily. 
In personal studies, I have also really been studying humility, and it has kind of changed the way I look at everything.  I realized that everything we do, everything we are, truly depends on our humility.  "The Lord will strengthen you as you humble yourself before Him." and "Recognize GRATEFULLY your dependence on the Lord.
Once we humble ourselves, we will be able to be made into something so much greater than we could ever make of ourselves alone.  "Humility is not a sign of weakness, timidity or fear--it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies."   I am learning that true Strength comes from Humility.

I am so grateful for my Savior, and for the simple fact that we can ALWAYS turn to Him. That no matter where life takes us, as long as we have our foundation built upon Him--the Rock of our Salvation--we can never falter. 
And lastly--I just want to share with you the oh, so beautiful and simple words written by one of our investigators.  Hours after a lesson with her we got a text from her.  She said that after our lesson, she was just staring at the picture of Jesus that was left on her computer screen, and she said: "I started to cry--and I had to write a song about what I'm feeling right now...

There is something powerful,
going on in my heart. 

There is something truthful, 
I've felt the bad be torn apart. 

In every word that I'm writing, 
I feel truth and respect. 

And all my feelings are colliding, 
a sign I'm taking the right step." 

Once I read that, I just started to cry.  This gospel is true--and I have never felt so much happiness as I do from sharing it with others.  
There truly is life to be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Come unto Him and find new life!

Med Kärlek,

Syster Campbell



Monday, March 14, 2016

RUNNING THROUGH THE DAYS!


Well hello there, lovely people! 


Looks like we are already into the second week way down here in Kristianstad!  Crazy how fast time goes by!  Okay--and even crazier--in 14 days I hit my 5 month mark!  What is this?!?  

This is going WAY too fast and I don't like it.  I will have to look into extending for another year and a half I think...

Well, needless to say, I absolutely LOVE it here.  There is never a dull moment in K-stad, and especially not with my new companion, Syster Stetler!
Oh, my goodness...I just love her so much and we just get each other!  We laugh way too much and I don't even think 5 minutes have gone by where we haven't laughed.  It feels like we have known eachother forever, and that we have been companions for months.  The Elders the other day said, "You guys have WAY too many inside jokes for only knowing each other for a week!"  Haha, it is all too true! 
People on the street have also asked how long we have even known each other, and have been so shocked that its only been a week!  Haha! So, things are going good-- let's just say I have been very blessed with the BEST companions.
So, Kristianstad is interesting, as I was telling you all last week--it's a funny place...and I absolutely LOVE it!  Let's see... 
1.  So people here are just so straight forward.  Last week, as we are doing our laundry--just pulling all of our clothes out of the wash--all of a sudden, three construction workers just come in and say "we need to measure the window".  Um...What?  Haha, they just walk in because the door was finally open, and just barge in right as were pulling our things out of the washer to come and measure the windows!

{the son of a Chilean family in their branch.  He took their camera and "took about 50 selfies"!}

Seriously, most Swedes completely believe in personal space--and at the same time they just come up all in your space!  Haha--Sys. Stetler wasn't so happy...and I was just cracking up the whole time! 

2.  Oh, and then yesturday we were running to the bus, and it just pulled up to the stop--we were still running--not too far away from the bus--make eye contact with the driver, and then she just drove away!  WHAT?!  NO!  If you see someone running, you stop!  And then a few minutes later, we get a text from the Elders and they said, "Sorry...we tried to make her wait for you guys!"  Haha, so they were on that bus and just watched us pathetically miss it! Oh the struggle.... 
3.  So, along with the last running story, we have been waking up at 6 every morning to get in an hour of execise, and we just run for most of it--and let me tell you--that has been so very needed.  I can't even tell you how many trains and buses we have sprinted to and have barely made.  Oh, man...that is definitely one of the best feelings ever!

 Oh, and the best one!  So, we had a Zone training last week, and some Elders that had to travel far, noticed that their train was coming soon, so they just booked it out of the church! Then after a couple minutes, Sys. Stetler was like said, we should probably take that one too. So, we grabbed our stuff and just sprinted to the bus stop to make it. 
After 5 minutes of straight sprinting, we caught up with the Elders at the stop, and we all missed the bus that would take us to the train station.   The Elders called the ZL's to drive them really quick, and so they came and took them to the train station--but we were wanting to get on the same train too, so we waited for the next bus and it finally came, and we had 11 minutes to still get to the train, so we felt fine--and then we were one stop away and out of nowhere, we only had 5 minutes left, so we decided to just sprint to the station! 
We get into the station, and we are just frantically looking for where we need to go.  We see the sign, and run down the escalator.   Once were down there,  the sign says the train is coming in at a different spot--so we quickly run up the escalator--and by this point, our legs are just dead!  Back at the top, we look at the sign and see that our train is at another spot, so we run down as fast as we can--get to the train, get on, doors close--and we barely made it! 

Oh, gosh!  We then walk through, and find the Elders and sit by them--and their faces just drop--they were like, "How did you even make that!"  Haha! It's all thanks to running and doing sprints at 6 in the morning! 
Well... those are just some of our adventures of the week.  On the happy side...it's starting to look like SPRING!!!  Oh, it is just gorgeous!!!  One random day last week, hundreds of little blossoms just appeared out of nowhere, and every day there are just more and more, and I just can't wait till they are just EVERYWHERE!!! 
Okay, and Sweden is so funny--so, the seasons seriously make a difference in peoples' attitudes!  So, at the beginning, it was just cold, and the people were just more closed and didn't really want to talk at all.  Then, it started to get warmer--and people got happier and just started talking to us!  Haha!  It is so weird!  But, hey...I ain't complaining! 
And that leads into my favorite new thing...CONTACTING!!!  So, we are starting to do it in a little different way.  We are just putting our whole heart into each contact, and trying as hard as we can to show them that this seriously is something that they want!!!  It has been so fun! 

So much harder that just saying that "we are missionaries", and if they listen, then cool, and if not, then we just give them a card.  But now we say that we are with our Church, and we're going around asking people about their beliefs--and if they say, "no thanks", and start to walk away, we say, "Har du an annan kyrka?" "Do you have another (or your own) church?"--and just about all of them stop and answer, and then after that, they are usually a lot more willing to stay and talk! 
We have just had some of the coolest experiences since doing that, and I really just feel the biggest difference!  I feel like I am just putting my whole heart into each contact and just really try to talk to them and teach them.  Basically we went from teaching 19 lessons last week to 28 this week!!!  That is crazy for here!  
Contacting has by far been my favorite thing.  Just stopping people on the street and then asking them that question--they come back, and then teaching them the about the Restoration.  Unlike anything else, if you ask me!  It's so crazy how even though this can be so exhausting, we just find that the work just gives us so much energy--more than ever before--to just teach everyone and spread the thing that has brought us the most happiness in life! 

So that's that.  And now for just a little example of what a week here will be like, we met with (including members) 2 ladies from Kosovo, 6 Swedes, 1 American, a lady from Ghana, a guy from Syria, a Chilean family, a family from Iraq, and a girl from Eritrea.  And that is not even including street lessons!  Oh, I just love Sweden! 
Now back to contacting a little...So, out on the streets, we often hear the same things over and over.  One of the most common--the well-known reference in Revelations 22:18, " If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."  Hard stuff, right?!
Well, the ancient American prophet Nephi answers that like this:   "Thou...that shall say; A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible."  "Know ye not that there are more nations than one?  Know ye not that I am the Lord your God?  Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall recieve more of my word?...And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today and forever and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure...For my word is not yet finished, neither shall it be until the end of man."   It's pretty clear.  I have yet to use that--but I just love this whole section: 
2 Nephi 29:6-11. 
But, on a happier note, Jacob 3:1-2--Pray to God, every day.  Have faith, and "Feast upon his love, for ye may if your minds are firm, forever." 
Put God first.  Set your sights on Him and you will soon start to see that everything will start working out for the better--that you will have a clear mind, a clear vision, and as you focus on the Lord, everything that is less that important will slowly start leaving you.
You will start to find that you are happier.  That there are less of life's worries on your mind, and that you can feel free from previous burdens and trials. 

The Lord is there and the Atonement has already been done for you and for me.  So apply it. Start now to make it a habit for the rest of your life.  Rely on the Lord and He will never let you down. 
I know this to be true, and my testimony of it grows more and more every day.  I promise that as you try to apply the love of the Lord in your life, you will soon see that there is no other way to live life! 
I love you all with all of my heart!  Jag älskar alla er med alla mitt hjärta!
Med Kärlek, 

Syster Campbell
{Her young Chilean friend--pictured above--did her hair before he took all the selfies--a multi-talented young man!}