Week 23 - Mom...I'm in a gospel choir!

Hello everyone! How is life for y'all?

This week was really great! It seemed really long, but it was good nonetheless! Pretty normal week, Elder Holt and I went on splits again. It was really good! While we were on splits, Sam Paris, the guy we have been working with, was having a rehearsal for a gospel concert (which was yesterday) at the church! So we came and unlocked the door, helped them out a bit. And without us knowing, recruited us to the choir! So last night was the concert, and it was so fun. It was really weird to be dancing and clapping, but it was super fun! Half way though, he said, "Can Brother Baggett and Brother Holt come up here and help me?" So we sang with him. No idea what the song was, but we just went with the flow and it was a blast. Let me tell you! How many people can say that on their mission, they have sung in a gospel choir with a guy that used to be famous?

This week, I was reading in Doctrine and Covenents, Chapter 52 and in verses 4-6 in says,

"4 And inasmuch as they are faithful unto me, it shall be made known unto them what they shall do;   5 And it shall also, inasmuch as they are faithful, be made known unto them the land of your inheritance.    6 And inasmuch as they are not faithful, they shall be cut off, even as I will, as seemeth me good."

How cool is that? All we have to do is trust in the Lord and be faithful to him and he will show us the way to go! He knows best for each and every one of us. 

Well, I hope you all have a fantastic week! Hope you have a good week and go out and enjoy the sunshine! 

Love, 

Elder Baggett

Elder Payne, Elder Chugg, Sam Parris, Me, Elder Holt.

Elder Holt, Sam Parris and Me!

Week 22 - مرحبا بالأصد

 (Hello Friends) مرحبا بالأصدقاء

How is everyone doing? Really awesome week here in Sweden! No complaints. I have worn a short shirt everyday this week, if you can believe it! Pretty normal week, a lot of lessons and a lot of people not showing up to them.  We were able to meet with a few people and they are super awesome! One of our less actives that we have been working with, Sam, has been wanting to go to the temple, but when he went to get his recommend they could not find his records! So long story short, we will have to re-baptize him to be able to take him to the temple. So that is kind of fun! haha Other than that, pretty normal week!

We had interviews with President this week, and it is really weird to think that, that was my last time to meet with him! President and Sister Beckstrand go home at the end of June. They have been so awesome to all of us! They have done more for this mission than anyone has in the past and I am very thankful for them. :) I am really excited to get to know President and Sister Youngberg. They seem really cool!

This week, we taught the Plan of Salvation to two or three of our investigators. As I was studying for those lessons, I came across a scripture in Alma chapter 40 verse 23. "23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame." I Love that! it gives us something to hope for. It is not about if it will happen, but when. All people here on this earth will be resurrected and receive a perfect body.  This week, I would invite you all to read in Alma chapters 40, 41 and 42 about the Plan of Salvation. and to grow your testimony about what is going to happen after this life.

Sending my love from Sweden. I hope you all have a fantastic week! Don't forget to Keep the Faith!

Äldste Pärkkä and I

lol. Typical me, snoozing. (on a P-day no worries) ;)

Plan of Salvation in some crazy language called Tigrinyan

Week 21 - Happy Mother's Day

Hey Homies,

Hows everything going? I hope everyone had a fantastic mother's day! Thanks to all my "Second Moms" out there, because if my mom had to raise me by herself she probably would have killed me. haha Love you all :) I got to chat with the fam yesterday which obviously was great! It was a little weird to sit down and talk to them, but it was nice. :)

Anyways, this week was awesome! We have a total of 5 investigators right now, that are all progressing! They are really awesome. Easy to meet with and love to read in the Book of Mormon. Most of them are just waiting for answers. So soon we will be having a party at the waters. ;) 

We have been having a lot more lessons which is super awesome. Still lots of talking to people and knocking doors! Put it is really nice to finally see our hard work start to pay off. 

I read the "Ricciardi Letter" this week and if you haven't read that I suggest you do. Super awesome. It's a little long, but it's worth it.  It made me think about our attitude. No matter how good or bad a situation may seem, if you go into it with a good attitude and an open heart, you will enjoy it and you will get things out of it that a lot of people won't. So I invite you all this week to look at the brighter side of things! Have a good attitude because I promise it helps! :)

Nothing has really changed this week. Same old, but its good! The weather is warming up and the work is progressing! The church is still true and I am still alive ;) Have a great week! Love you all! 

Elder Baggett

Week 20 - Tjabba grabbar!

Tjabba grabbar!

How it is it going? This week has been a really good week! We have been able to do a lot of finding like usual and we even got a member referral last week. So, we met with her and come to find out she has two kids ages 8 and 9. Perfect. haha They are super cool! She is from Tanzania and has lived here for about 17 years! So she speaks Swedish! Never thought I would be excited to teach someone in another language. But it is so fun! The work here in Handen has been picking up! Currently, we have 4 pretty positive investigators, one of which is that lady with 2 kids, and we had 6 people in sacrament meeting! Super exciting to see our work pay off. :) 

Last night, there was a fireside at a members house and a man named Rod Meldrum was there. He is from the States and he is the guy that does the Book of Mormon and DNA studies. He could have talked all day and I would have never gotten bored! He has some really interesting stuff and evidence about how the Nephites and the Lamanites actually lived in present day United States! It was really interesting. Faith along with Knowledge is very powerful!

This week, I started reading the Book of Mormon in Swedish! The First verse of the Book hit me like it never has before. 1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

Even though he had seen many afflictions, he still considered himself being highly favored of  the Lord! It's important for us to remember that even though we may go though hard times in out lives, we are still highly favored of the Lord! He loves us and knows us personally.  Turn to him and let him heal you.

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! 

Elder Baggett

No pictures this week.  But we did receive this picture from a friend who's daughter served in Sweden.  She is now doing an internship in Sweden and living in the Handen ward.  Charlie went to High School with her brother.

Week 19 - When it rains, it pours!

Hey everybody!

So first off, sorry I didn't email last week, I lost track of time and forgot. lol But I remembered this week, so no worries! :) This week was crazy and went by super fast. We had stake conference this weekend and the stake president asked one of the less actives that we have been working with to sing in the Saturday session and it went super well! He loves church now, and he has been pretty much every Sunday since I've been here. We found 2 new investigators that are pretty positive and I'm really excited to start working with them. 

To explain my title, long story short, on Thursday it started as a pretty normal day. We were out contacting and this black guy spit on me. Hit me right in the dang face! So that was gross. Then about 10 seconds later, I almost got hit by a bus. haha I got across the street and had to stop and recoup. I really didn't realize what happened until after. Then, probably 2 hours later, we realized that we were going to be late for a dinner appointment, so we were fast walking to catch the bus and we saw it at the stop so we ran. I hopped a little fence that I thought I could clear and you're not going to believe it, I RIPPED MY PANTS. Pair number 5, Gone... But I was able to keep a good attitude about the whole thing, so it ended up being a really fun day. haha

This week I have been reading a lot in the Bible in Isaiah, and a Chapter that really stuck out to me was Chapter 12. It is really short (I think thats why I liked it so much) no, it just gave me a lot of strength and encouragement for this week. I would invite you all to take like 5 minutes and read that. Ponder about it and see how you can more apply the scriptures in your life.

I love you all and hope you have a a fantastic week like always! Don't forget to Keep the Faith.

Love, 

Elder Baggett

The last day of April is a holiday in Sweden called Valborg.  It's where they have huge bon fires, some over 20 feet tall.  They burn away the winter and welcome the spring!