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
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