He's HOME!!

Week 101 - I'm on my way home!

Hello once again my friends and Family!!

First and foremost, HAPPY DECEMBER!!!!  crazy how fast time flies and now it's snowing and its the best time of the year. Yes, even Christmas. :) this week has been one for the books! We had a lot of fun things going on. We were able to spend lots of time with members and get them hyped up about #LightTheWorld. We had a few lessons, a few member meals, district council, we got an oil change on the car, it dropped down to -13 degrees.. Still no snow.. We had FHE and watched the restoration. :) Elder Dumas found out he will be training next transfer!!!! So we had a Skype train the trainers which was cool. And last but not least we had a Christmas concert!! Awesome week! Wouldn't want it any other way!

We had the annual Sundsvall branch Christmas concert on Saturday evening and so many people came!! Okay like 100. BUT we filled the chapel!! We also had a few of our friends come which was sweet!It was such a good time. We were able to feel the spirit while we sang and listened to others sing. :) we were in the choir as well as the missionaries did a song together. Good stuff. :) i love Christmas time. For me, it's so much easier to feel the spirit when we're with family and close friends, we are able to focus of the birth of our savior Jesus Christ and give as he gave! Love Christmas time. Get out and serve! Spread his love and Light the World!!!

Crazy story from this week. So we were sitting in District council with the sisters having a good discussion when all of the sudden, they got a phone call from one of their friends who is pregnant. Like, very pregnant. And it was just like the movies, she just says "sisters, I think the baby is Com... Yes THE BABY IS COMING" haha so they dipped. Took the car and didn't give us the bus cards.. So we were stranded at the church literally all day. Lol but they went and helped her get to the hospital and were there for her while she delivered. Haha only sisters man. This baby, came out 14 FLIPPIN' POUNDS. Straight up bowling ball. Exciting stuff though!!

Well, I guess this is it. After a long/ not long enough 2 years, its time for me to hang up the suit and come home. There are seriously so many emotions going through my head right now. But the thing that I keep coming back to though is thankfulness. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have had, for the past 2 years of my life to live in this BEAUTIFUL country of Sweden and learn some gibberish they call Swedish. Grateful for the opportunity to be a full time representative of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To take the message of his restored gospel to his children. To help them is someway come closer to him.

I have learned SO many things on my mission, but I would say the biggest thing would be that we are ALL sons and daughters of Heavenly Parents who love us more than we can imagine and they want the best for us!! Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can all become better every day and achieve our divine potential. The truly is happiness is obedience! The closer we follow him, the closer he promises to be with us.

Before my mission I would say, I know the church is true and the Book of Mormon is God's word, etc... But I don't know if I really knew for myself. But now, I have tested it. I have lived after it and I can say with every fiber of my being that I KNOW the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God. It was translated by a living prophet named Joseph Smith. And he, through the power of Jesus Christ restored the church we have today. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. As we follow our Prophets council, we will not be lead astray. We will be able to enjoy the blessings which come from gospel living.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;" Romans 1:16

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." 3 Nephi 5:13

I love you all more that I can explain! Y'all are seriously the best!! Can't wait to see you this week! As always, Keep the Faith. :)

Love,

Elder Baggett 

Week 100 - Don't forget to...Keep the Faith!

Hey again!

I hope you have all had a sweet week full of miracles as we have here!! :) lots of cool things happening! This week has seriously flown by! Crazy. Some things that happened this week; last Monday, elder Dumas and I decided to go bowling, it was a BLAST! Haha it was pretty funny. We were the only people in the whole place. And we just had a good ol' time. And I smoked him. NBD ;) we took at 3 hour train up to Umeå for work overs with the Zone Leaders! Way good time. I got to see Elder Sirrine again which was cool! And I was able to go with Elder Simmons. We had a few lessons and had some time to find! It was a awesome last exchanges! Wednesday we took another 3 hour train ride back home. Haha we had district Council and it was THANKSGIVING!! What an amazing day. There is this amazing family in the branch. The mom is from Utah. So she invited us and the Branch Presidents family to Thanksgiving dinner. Man, that was good. Rolls, potatoes, sweet potatoes mmmmm. Good stuff. I miss America. God bless the USA. 🇺🇸 Other than that, normal week, lots of finding, spreading #LightTheWorld getting people excited for that! Fun stuff!

This week, I have been thinking a lot about time. How little time we really have! Time goes fast and if we don't use it wisely, that's when it goes even faster and we lose a lot of it! There is a line in the missionary Handbook that says, "Time is one of the most precious resources Heavenly Father has given you. The period when you are able to serve the Lord with all your time and all your efforts is extremely short. Use it fully and wisely. Such an opportunity is a privilege." I know y'all aren't full time missionaries like I am, but I think the principle can apply to everyone. We don't have a lot of time here in this earth really. From an eternal perspective, it's a blink of an eye. And we need to use it well! And as we do, as we prioritize and make the most of what we have we will be able to get more done! Feel better about our days and have more time to serve others. :) so make the most of now! It is a gift and that's why is called the present. :)

Well my friends, as usual, I hope you have a great week! Sorry for the short email again, but you can count on a hefty one next week. ;) Thanks for your prayers, encouragement, love, support. Y'all are the best. :) aaaand, don't forget to keep the faith!! Love y'all and miss you, but not for long!

Love,

Elder Baggett

Week 99 - Tjena Vänner!

Tjena Vänner!

How are y'all doing?? Hope life is well in the home of the free, land of the brave. This week has been and eventful one! It's getting dark here so so fast. Yesterday the sun set about 3 o'clock and it's only getting darker! Crazy! Highlights from this week, we had Zone Conference which was awesome!! Learned so much and I was able to see some old companions and friends. So that was fun. It was my last one which was pretty weird. I still feel like a new missionary sometimes, but that's how is goes! I had 3 interviews for West Point which was pretty cool/ weird/ terrifying. They went well though. We were able to work out on the farm again which was sweet. We broke a beaver dam there and we were knee high in a river in the dark with headlamps. Pretty sick actually. Cool pics. I'll send those. We did some service and painted a ceiling. Had a few lessons, got some good finding time. OH MY HOW COULD I FORGET! Last Monday we (the sisters and a member) ate surströmming! Which is fermented herring and it was actually way tasty. Pretty gnarly smelling but so worth it. :) Lots of cool things happening this week. So yes it was a good one!!

So, about those interviews I had. I had to meet with representatives from West Point and reps from Hatch, Love and Lee's office. I was pretty nervous to say the least. And it was actually way cool. When I was getting ready, I got down on my knees and said a prayer and asked for some comfort and all that good stuff. And it was such a testimony to me because as a missionary, you pray for everything and it's like, I know he will help because it's like churchy stuff. But it was cool to see that even with worldly things he is so quick to help us. :)

I was reading in the Book of Mormon and came across one of my favorite parts, the war chapters!! I found this really cool verse I thought to share with y'all. It's in Alma 48:19 and it says, "Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would hearken unto their words." Moroni is like the star of this part of the story. About how he is leading armies and just being a stud. And it said that Helaman and his brethren were "no less serviceable" because they were doing the work of the Lord! So as long as we are doing what the Lord asks of us, it doesn't matter our calling, we are just as important as the next guy. Remember that. :)

Well my friends! Hope you all have a wonderful week full of miracles and adventures! Thanks for all the love and prayers and support. Y'all are the best! :) as always Keep the Faith!

Love,

Elder Baggett