KEBAB

{Annie pointing to her two dearly loved homes}

Hello all! 

Well...this has just kind of been a really interesting...interesting week.  I don't even quite know who to describe it.  It was a really interesting, random assortment of cool and sometimes lame things making it a really good week. 

{the wonky mirrors in the aquarium}

Since my fail stories seem to be a hit, I will just start out with that!  Okay.  So, one day, we were just out and about, and I started getting a really bad headache and just really dizzy. I remembered that I had awesomely packed away my little Advil bottle into my backpack, so I thought awesome...that will fix all of the world's problems!  Haha, yeah.  No.  

So, I figured that since we had just gone out and gotten some brunch an hour before, I was fine, and that it wouldn't be on an empty stomach.  But, apparently it was not enough. Within minutes my whole inside was burning!  I was burning up, and I got SO dizzy!  It was horrible, and one of the worst feelings ever!  I didn't even know what was happening! 

{lunch with the ever generous Pontus and Susanne}

I was just sitting there thinking...well, I have no clue what's coming next.  Who knows--this Advil might just be the death of me!  Haha--I was so confused!  How can something that's supposed to help you cause you so much pain!!!  It was horrible!  Basically, it felt like permanent heartburn for 48 hours. 

So, if any of you ever contemplate whether you should take some Advil to relieve the pain-- do it.  But first, just feed yourself a couple of Subway foot-longs and a couple Costco pizzas. Learn from my mistakes right now.  NEVER take Advil on a possibly empty stomach. LESSON LEARNED!

But along with that crazy journey, my body decided that it would be cool to see if I could handle being sick at the same time.  So, my sweet, patient companion so kindly dealt with a little additional inside time so I could get lots of sleep!  And I do feel lots better now! 

But now we can move onto the better parts of the week.... 

1st- We went to the ABBA Museum! 

  

Pontus and Susanne decided to surprise us, and it was so fun!  They also took us to this awesome Butterfly/Great White Shark Museum/aquarium!  It was awesome! 

{I'm sure this aquarium visit made Annie feel so at home--reminding her of her beloved Monterey Bay Aquarium}

{The Systers love these two special people so very, very much!}

2nd- I had my first Kebab!  It is a big deal here with all of the missionaries.  It's the equivalent of an initiation.  Every Greenie MUST have Kebab!  So, after Distrikts Möte, we all went out to get Kebab so I could become an official missionary here! 

So, basically kebab is just this big pizza with "kebab" meat on top...and often it comes with french fries on top of that. On our way over, they were all freaking me out because, as one of the elders put it, "Its like eating flaming swords!  Its the best thing ever!"  Haha, what?!  I didn't quite know how to take it! 

At first I just thought it was a joke when people got it.  I didn't even think they totally liked it, because if anyone ever talks about kebab, they make it sound like this epic/horrible adventure! 

Syster Bateman then clarified that that was only because most missionaries get it from like a little shack along the road and it is huge covered with random things and then topped off with french fries and they try to eat the whole thing and get completely sick after. Bottom line...it was actually pretty good!  I can't complain.  They all said I got off way too easy and that it wasn't a true kebab because it didn't make us feel sick after!  Haha!  But I am actually okej with that!  

{modeling the shirts they bought at the ABBA Museum}

SO, those were the more random fun parts of the week!  But all week I have just been up and down, feeling sick and then being sick of being sick and wanting to finally get out and work! 

I've just had a lot of time to think about my time here, and trying to really think if I was becoming the person the Lord wants me to be.  I've kind of had a hard time lately trying to find me.  Trying to remember who I was, and what I liked the most before coming here.  I don't quite know how to put it--so I'll just say it how it is......  

  {Annie loves these Midsommer maypoles}

I just have had a really hard time trying to figure that out and it wasn't until last night that I really started to see why that is.  Syster Bateman was talking about how she feels like there is just something that we are suppose to learn from each of our areas.  I was figuring I probably wouldn't be able to see what Täby has taught me until after I leave.  But, while I was thinking about it, one word wouldn't leave my thoughts.  Humility.  I didn't quite know if that was just my thoughts or actually coming from the Spirit.  

I thought about it more, and I just thought...Humility is probably the last thing I would think that I would have to learn.  I tend to think I am not prideful or anything, but the more I thought about it, the more it just seemed like that was what I have needed to learn.  I started to think about all of the ways I have felt different, and how I feel like I am just not the same and that everything is changing.  

I came to realize that I feel like it is just the Lord molding me into the person he wants me to be.  I don't know how to eloquently put it, but I feel like there are things that do seem the same or parts of me that are still familiar...I feel like I recognize half of me and then the other half just kind of feels up in the air, and I can't quite figure out why......  

But, while thinking about it more, I just started feeling like that half of me is just the half that the Lord is molding, and that even though I may feel like I can't see what it is, He does. And I think that is just the biggest thing to me.  

This has taught me to take the biggest leap of faith, to go out and serve others who are trying to find themselves while you yourself are trying to figure out who you are...and I guess that is kind of the whole thing behind "if you lose yourself you will find yourself." 

{Annie described this as "a super weird, wet tunnel in the Shark place"!}

I realized that as I feel like half of me is changing, I see that I am relying on the Lord so much more than I ever have.   I feel like whenever I think, well..."what would I have done before?"--I have a new opportunity--a fresh view to just think, well, I don't know what I would have done before, and it allows me to turn to my Savior and ask what I need to do. 

{in the tropical butterfly gardens}

After thinking about that for a long time yesterday before going to bed, I just came across the best talk in the June 2014 Liahona, called, "Becoming Perfect in Christ", by Gerrit W. Gong...it was absolutely perfect, and just what I needed.  

Becoming Perfect in Christ

In the beginning, it talks a lot about how damaging the idea of "Perfection" is.  He says, "Understanding the Savior's freely given atoning love can free us from self-imposed, incorrect, and unrealistic expectations of what perfection is.  Such understanding allows us to let go of fears that we are imperect--fears that we make mistakes, fears that we are not good enough, fears that we are a failure compared to others, fears that we are not doing enough to merit His love."  

The Savior's Atonement not only helps us overcome sin, but it also gives us opportunities to see the good.  It gives us the ability to live without the fear of needing to be perfect!  His Atonement allows us to be more forgiving of ourself and others.  "His atoning love changes our concept of perfection...Fully accepting our Savior's Atonement can increase our faith and give us courage to let go of constraining expectations that we are somehow required to be or to make things perfect."  

This talk has really changed my view of the Atonement.  It has made it more personal to me and has helped me to see what the Lord expects of me.  And the quote that popped out to me that made me read the whole talk was this:  "For those prone to see their own weaknesses or shortcomings, celebrate with gratitude the things you do well, however large or small!"  I just love that!  Focus on the good, and be grateful for it!  

And now I will just leave you with a little invitation that Elder Gong gives:  Focus on the positive, and express more gratitude.  "For those burdened by cares to find perfection or to be perfect now, our Savior's freely given atoning love assures us, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  

Älskar, 

Syster Campbell

MIRACLES IN SWEDEN

{Thank-you, thank-you, Kimberly Pence!!!}

Oh, my favorite people! 

Wow...well, what to even say!  I feel like there is just so much to say!  This has been another really cool week full of learning and growing....needless to say, I just absolutely love being a missionary--especially here in Sweden! (Honestly, I don't know how I got to go to the best mission!) 

Well, last Monday--P-day, we had a little mother daughter (trainer and greenie) fieldtrip! We went to the Vasa Museum!  

It was so cool...we just set off for the big, beautiful city of Stockholm all by ourselves...it was really quite fun to just be able to explore Sweden!  Well, as long as the activities are approved and done within the hours of 12:00 to 18:00! 

So, the Vasa was a HUGE ship that was apparently a little too big.  It was supposed to just be one of the greatest ships but, sadly, it was just too heavy!  

It sunk the same day it set sail!  Quite sad, actually--and it wasn't brought up out of the water for 333 years!  That's a long time I'd say! 

 Without trying to sound too morbid, one of the coolest things was to see the bones all laid out from those that were stuck when the ship went down.  

 I just stood there and since I just recently took anatomy, I was trying to name all of the bones I could--and I was happy to realize that I had remembered almost all of them!  

But then we had to walk away because we both started to get a little light-headed!  But the rest of it was just super interesting!  I think our next museum adventure will be to the Abba Museum in a couple weeks! 

Then Tuesday, we went to one of my favorite member's house, Catarina--she is just the sweetest lady!  She wanted to have a little spa day with us, so we painted our nails!  While we did, she told us one of the coolest, most random stories I have ever heard! 

She said that there is this guy that manages her money, and he has always had a problem with her wanting to pay tithing because he just doesn't think she can, with everything else to think about.  Apparently though, just as of last week he said, "Because those sisters from your church always come by I'll let you pay."  

WHAT?!  Hahaha, how the heck?!  What even is that?!  It is so random and awesome!  I don't know what us coming over has to do with her paying tithing, but WOW!  So cool! When we left we were just like...how does he even know we come, and why would that even make him change his mind on tithing?  But, we decided to not question it anymore and just be grateful for it! 

Oh, yeah--and then there was this random time that I was writing  "Moron.org" on a bus stop wall in the ice, and this old man asks Sys. Bateman why I wrote "Moron.org"........Haha, embarassing!  MORMON.ORG!  Wow...I'm ashamed that I am even telling you all this! 

Now onto the sweetest little new family we found!  As we were tracting this last week, we meet the cutest little family--OH, the one that we gave the Chinese Book Of Mormon to that I talked about last week!  Well, we went over to their house and thankfully they were all there and they let us in, and it was just the best lesson ever! 

They have the 2 most darling kids!  We were just talking about the Book of Mormon and answering questions...and the mom, Jessica, had super good questions!  But the sweetest part of it all was at the end we were showing them the pictures in the front of the Book of Mormon,  and then stopped on the picture of Christ--and then we started talking and asked them if they would want to come to Church, and they said they would, and they wanted to!

 And then the sweet little girl comes up and points to the picture of Jesus, and says, "I want to meet him!  I want to go if he's there!"  Oh!  It was just the cutest thing ever!  And they DID end up coming to church yesterday, and they loved it!!! 

Then Friday, we had a little day trip to Norrtälje!  The dreamiest little town!  We had some pretty interesting experiences...but we'll just keep it to the best two for now.  

First off, we were just talking to everyone while walking through the main part of town, and we see this cool looking old sailor man down the road and were like, "He looks cool!"  Haha, well he definitely was interesting!  

Sys. Bateman starts talking to him, and pretty soon he is just yelling at us in public about how religion has killed more people than Hitler and Stalin combined, and the whole time he was yelling at us, his dentures kept falling out, and he would just shove them back in and then continue on with his little rant!  It was pretty hysterical actually!  I have never tried so hard to not laugh while we were talking to somebody!  I thought I was going to lose it!  I was just crying, I was laughing so hard inside! 

Then, the next story was a little scarier!  We were just tracting in some apartments, and we run up the four flights of our last building--and the very first door, I knock...and then Sys. Bateman taps me on the arm and points to  a sign hanging by the door...

I read it, and it has every single cuss word under the sun--basically saying 'there better not be any church people knocking on our door', to put it nicely.  It was actually quite a freaky sign. 

We look at each other in a very confused and slightly scared way, and then decide to quickly run down to the next level.  All of a sudden, we hear the door open and we just freeze.  We were freaked out! We were just SILENT!  But the worst part was that they wouldn't close the door!  We could still tell they were there for like 2 minutes, and it was so freaky!  We finally just decided to book it down the rest of the 3 floors and run to our bus stop!  Haha, it was pretty freaky!  

But aside from that, Norrtälje is just SO dreamy!  We took so many pictures and just enjoyed it all!  

The day before, we had an interview with President, and he told us to make sure that we were having fun and enjoying ourselves while working hard, so we did!  We enjoyed the beauty, did heal clicks, and talked to everyone we could!

Then, after working on my talk and slightly stressing about it all week, I finally got to give it. I actually do enjoy giving talks...but it's a little different when it comes to giving it in a foreign place and in a new language!  But, with much prayer, I actually think it went pretty well.  

As I was reviewing it my hands were just shaking, and then I came across a part where I was talking about how much the scriptures can bless us and bring us peace and comfort.  Then, I read the scripture I was going to share--L&F 6:36, "Vänd er till mig i varje tnake, tvivla inte, frukta inte."  (D&C 6:36, "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not fear not.")  One of my absolute favorite scriptures.  It just made me feel so calm.  The scriptures really do bring peace and comfort! 

One of my new favorite quotes comes from Elder Packer.  He said, "Peace can be settled in the heart of each who turns to the scriptures and unlocks the promises of protection and redemption."   Among all of the great things I have done and experienced this week, I think my favorite was being able to see just how much the scriptures mean to me--and to see all of the ways that they can help me in my life, and all of the ways that they have helped me in my life.  

{Syster Campbell's District leader and her trainer...aka...her shoulder angels, of course!}

I hope that all of you will find that the questions to any and all of our answers can and will come from the scriptures.  All we must do is open and read, and the blessings and answers will follow.  It is such a simple act of faith to just open up the pages and read.  Whether your book is worn and marked all over, or yours has hardly been opened and is covered in dust. Start now.  It is never too late to start.  The Lord is inviting all to come unto Him, and everyday we have the opportunity to chose to follow Him!  I love this gospel and everything I have learned and experienced because of it.  It truly is the greatest blessing in my life. 

I love you all dearly!  And one last thing...don't forget to have fun and be weird and just laugh! 

Med kärlek, 

Syster Campbell