Week 16 - We made it to Gotland

Hello from Gotland!! If you don't know where that is, I'm sure my mom will add a map and probably some pictures too. So check that out! haha It's a pretty cool place and I'm super lucky that I get to come out here! Since my companion is the District Leader, we get to come every other transfer. So, to get out here it's about an hour train ride then a 3 hour boat ride. It was a fun experience! It was the first time I've been on a big boat like that, so it was a blast. :)  Yesterday in church, there were more missionaries than members! it was crazy. haha but It was kind of fun to be in a small branch. :) 

I'm sure you all hear about the attack in Stockholm this past week. It was pretty crazy! But the cool part about it was within like 20 or 30 minutes after the attack, every missionary was accounted for. So that was really cool. There were a few of the missionaries in Stockholm that had an experience about following the Spirit and being lead away from the area where it happened. So it goes to show that you should listen the the Spirit the FIRST TIME and don't question what he is saying to you. :)

This week, I was reading is 3 Nephi 14;7-8.  I love how it says we can ask the lord for anything that we might need! No matter what it is. We just have to pray with faith and believe that we can receive an answer! 

I love you all so very much and hope you have a wonderful week. :) Keep the faith!

Love,

Elder Baggett

PS: Sorry it's so short this week, were going to go out an explore! So I will have lots of pictures and stories for next week!

Gotland is a large Swedish island and province in the Baltic Sea.It was a major Viking trading settlement in its time. The biggest town, Visby, is distinguished by its cobblestone streets and well-preserved medieval city wall.

On the boat to Gotlund!

Hey moms!  This is Ä Baggett and Nielsen!  We're taking the night boat to "the rock", and we ran in to the coolest senior couple this side of the Atlantic!  And Syster Richardson was nice enough to let us borrow her ginormous phone and send a pic (she's the one in the picture)

April 5th- Story from a member

Prayer answer deluxe! I was waiting for the ambulance to come to get an old man who was sick and (no one else had cared to help him). As I was waiting and trying to calm the man down I prayed- Heavenly Father please let the elders walk by... I really need their amazing spirit right now. Since it was close to their home, I knew that could actually happen. And it did! The ambulance came and we had an outdoor Ali Baba grilled chicken dinner and here's the picture proof! God is good!
Miriam Blanche

Zone Conference

It is amazing how fast the time flies by when you are in the Lord's service.  The end of March signals that April is here and that means it is time for another round of Zone Conferences with our missionaries.  Tuesday, April 4, 2017, and we started at the Gubbängen Church with the Norrland and Stockholm Zones.  President and Sister Beckstrand worked together for this conference and taught on "Carpe Diem" or "Seize the Day!"  The general question that was asked was, "How do we as Missionaries "Seize the Day?"  There are three main components required to "Seize the Day."  The first is Attitude, second is Direction, and third is Hard Work and a Cheerful Heart.

Our Assistants, Elder Jensen and Elder Pärkkä taught our missionaries the importance of "Knowing and Sharing your Story."  Why do you believe what you believe?  We must be able to share this with our investigator friends in order for them to feel how much the gospel means to us.  When we do this, the Spirit has so much power to drive it deep into the hearts of those we are teaching.  As President Patrick Kearon told us at Mission Tour, "Be the Message!"

 In the afternoon, we were treated to a special musical number by Elder Baggett and Elder Nielsen.

Week 15 - The Lord answers prayer

Hejsan! 

How is everything back in the Land of the Free? Things are going awesome here! Well for me at least, the country is another story. lol But anyways, this week was General Conference as you all know an that was the highlight of the week for sure. :) I even saw Will Thomas on the big screen! Great singing Will! Other than that, this week, We were able to meet with a few less actives that we have been working with. That all went super well! We also met with a few investigators, but mostly just finding!

Success story of the week, so our investigator with a baptismal date, Ammar, dropped off the radar a couple weeks ago, and we were super bummed. We couldn't get a hold of him, and whenever we tried to call it said, ''No Subscriber'' but then last Monday, we got a text from a random number that said,''Hey! It's Ammar, sorry I got a new number, I have been reading in that book and praying and I can't wait to meet with you again'' We almost jumped out of the bus!  We were so excited. The Lord really does answer prayers. :)

This week, I encourage you all to go though the notes you took at conference.  If you didn't take any that's alright too. haha But, find something that stuck out to you and apply just that one thing. I know just by making little steps, we can become more like the Savior. I don't remember who said it, but in the Saturday morning session, someone said, ''The Lord joys in seeing us progress'' So as long as you are trying to become better than you were yesterday, the Lord is proud of you.

Hope you all have a great week! Love you all and Keep the Faith!

Love, 

Elder Baggett

Our investigator Ammar, and his niece and nephew.

Left to right, Peter Gunarsson, Elder Nielsen, me, Elder Payne, Elder Jämsä, Elder Jensen, Elder Mecham and Mikael Gustafsson passing out Books of Mormon at the musical in Stockholm.

PDay fun!

(Taken on a polaroid, thats why its so blurry) Top row, left to right, Elders Mecham, Cragun, Muirhead, Schwitters, Gergetz. Bottom; Elders Payne, Barker, Kabo, Nielsen, me, Lohmeier.

Week 14 - Be on the Lord's team!

Hejsan!
(Hello!)

Awesome week this week! It's starting to warm up so that's super good! I didn't have to put on my coat the past 2 days, it was great! :) It's so crazy to read my friends emails and hear the difference from my mission to theirs. Crazy how diverse the world is! But, one this is always the same, you find drunks everywhere.  We did some Friday night contacting, which is prime drunk time, and talked to a few ladies that were just wasted. They were really funny, but it kind of makes you sad to see them drink their life away, but maybe one day they will figure it out.

This week, we had some crazy things happen! Saturday, the elders in the Vendelsö ward had a baptism! So we got there and we brought our investigator and we were really excited! We get there and nobody really knows whats going on! So we walk over to the font, and no water! Long story short, since its a new chapel, everything is automatic. The water pump broke and we didn't have the piece to fix it. So no baptism.. It got rescheduled for this Saturday which is awesome! Right after that, we went to a members house, the Palm's, to do service! We were cutting up trees and burning wood and such so he had a chain saw to cut up the logs. He was cutting a big tree and then he stopped and came running around the corner taking his pants off. haha But he cut himself with the chainsaw!  Kind of crazy. Now I know the number for 911 in Sweden! He is all good now and he even came to church the day after! Good guy.

This week, I started the war chapters in Alma, all I have heard it how hard it is to get through them, and yada yada. But I love them! Yes, it can be a little hard and a bit repetitive, but it's there for a reason. Something that I have been getting out of it, are to trust your leaders! They know what they are talking about. And the righteous always prevail! So be on the right team, the Lord's team! 

Sending you my love all the way from Sweden. I hope y'all have a fantastic week! Keep the Faith. :)

MvH 

Med Vänlig Hälsning (Best regards)

Äldste Baggett

Elder Baggett and Payne eating at a members home.  They brought out about 25 different types of ice cream and they thought they had to eat them all!

Elders Nielsen, Mecham, Baggett, Payne

Dinner at a members home on the 9th floor of an apartment building. Elders Payne, Baggett, Mecham and Nielsen

View of Handen from a member's apartment.

Week 13- We're going on a diet elder!

Hej Hej kompisar! Hur går det med er? 
(Hello, Hello, friends.  How is it going with you?)

Such a good week this week!  First, to explain my subject. Elder Nielsen goes home is just over 6 months, so he has to be in tip top shape to find his eternal companion! So we're going on a diet together, because honestly I've gotten a little chunky as well. haha It's really hard with having member dinners all the time, but we make the most of it. :) Everything is going well here in Handen, transfers was last week, and we got a new Zone Leader. His name is Elder Payne and he is super cool! I like him a lot. The work is going well and we set up a lot of lessons this week, but most cancelled.. lol so we're working on that.  Peter was able to come to church again! It's always great to see him there, he is still progressing, getting him ready for baptism. Hopefully before the end of this transfer.

This past Saturday, we had a really full day planned. We had service, then 3 lessons! Long story short, all three lessons ended up canceling on us.. But we were able to stay and help Brother Palm which was good. :) It was really fun! He is building a house, so he has to take up a bunch of trees and bushes and such before he can start the building. So that's what we helped his with. It was really fun! 

This week, since it is a new transfer, we set goals for the next 5 weeks (short transfer). My number one goal, is to finish the Book of Mormon! I'm on Alma 31 right now, so were getting there. But, I was reading in Alma 30. It's about Korihor the Anti-Christ. It is so straight forward and says, do not fight against the Lord! We as Latter-Day saints, we know whats right and wrong. Doing anything contrary to what the Lord asks is fighting against him. We need to follow his teachings and be a light to those in the darkness!

I almost forgot, couple little shout outs, congrats Evan for you mission call to Argentina! Better brush up on your soccer skills. ;) and Keira for getting her call to Brazil!! :) Good luck to you both, you will have amazing missionaries!

Love you all and hope you have a great week! and don't forget to Keep the Faith! :)

Love,

Elder Baggett

Fettisdag means "Fat Tuesday".  Traditionally, rather than eating pancakes on fettisdagen, Swedes eat a bun called a semla, a delicious cardamom scented bun filled with mandelmassa (almond paste, a bit like marzipan) and whipped cream.