It's all a deck of cards

Things are going well for Aldste Haddon in Sweden. They have two baptismal dates set for next week which is extremely exciting.

One of the men they have been teaching is from Iran, he has been smoking for 45 years and had really been struggling with quitting. They decided to teach him about priesthood blessings and the blessing and power of the priesthood. They had a member there translating for them who offered to give the blessing. Aldste Haddon said that the spirit felt there was incredible even though he didn't understand a word that was being said. After the blessing was over, the man turned to Aldste Haddon and his companion and said: "he's done smoking now." And the man hasn't had the desire to smoke since. It's amazing.

The other man they are working with is a stud, in proper missionary terms. He is having his son flown in for his baptism and when they first met him, they left him with a Book of Mormon of course, and by the next time they saw him he was almost to the end of Alma! That is pretty impressive, I don't know very many people that can read The Book of Mormon that quickly. Aldste Haddon loves him.

Here is the final story he shared, I don't think I could tell it any better....

"So I had a cool experience this week with first a member, then out in Stockholm. I was pretty stressed with all the things that have been happening but still doing my best. (Its not all that easy to whitewash, train and you've only been in the field for 6 months.(Classic Elder Haddon complaining about his situation. Sorry.)) But after P-day we had a member Dinner with an awesome family. He said somethings that really just clicked in my head how to do missionary work. One of which was finding. He said that our areas are like a deck of cards. In ever Deck they have good cards and bad. Our job is to to find those Aces (Prepared People.) They are in the deck you just have to flip some cards. He said how fast you find them is completely up to you. You have the option to just flip the deck as fast as you want. Go find the Aces.

I took that to heart. I then knew no matter where I was out there going to a lesson or whatever I need to be flipping the cards. So we were on a subway to an investigators house. I had that just pounding in my head. Flip the cards, Flip the Cards. So I looked down this extremely packed subway and saw a man who stuck out from the others. He was sitting next to some other people on the train. I had the thought in my head, “You can't just walk over there in the middle of the ride, you'll look super weird and it will be awkward, just stay where your sitting.” Then I realized, I am a missionary I am freakin weird and awkward. So I just looked at them and said in my head.

“Flip the dang card.”

Just got up and walked over sat next to him and tried to talk to him. He couldn't speak Swedish, only Spanish. But lucky for me I have a Spanish speaking companion. He taught him about the church gave him a Spanish book of Mormon. (We didn't think we were carrying one but we just happened to have one.) Going to meet with him soon. He's is defiantly an Ace.

I'm super excited to be out here and doing The Lords work, it is hard, but it is defiantly worth every second. Thanks for all the support, I love you all."



"New" missionary attire, and getting pretty good at chess