A good week

It sounds like Aldste Haddon has a had a good week in Sweden, he was able to go to zone conference and see some of his MTC friends and meet with the mission president who he loves and is very grateful for. He said that things are going well in the mission, and there are some excellent ward missionaries and mission leaders that are making his job a lot more fun...I mean more successful!

We're not exactly suppose to copy and paste his emails, but he shares the following story, it's almost a quote but I have changed some things...sorry aren't rules meant to be broken every once and awhile?

 

This is a story about someone they have been working with:

 

...We get there and she has her whole family there and a Preacher. Oj då! So they were all very upset that we were trying to Baptize her. So we taught them the Restoration and why we have to baptized in this church, Spirit was strong but it was also very hectic because of all of the different opinions. I was some what quiet for a while because everyone was talking. I finally just said (In Swedish)

"Can I say something." They all stopped talking. I looked at our investigator from across the table and said pointing around the room,

"You can't listen to them, you can't listen to us." Paused for a second, then said,

"You have to feel and listen for the Holy Ghost, that is how God will answer you. You have to find out for yourself."

The spirit was so strong, Everyone in the room agreed and said that if she knows in her heart it is true, they will support her. We left and I just knew that, the spirit touched everyone of there hearts. I'm just some 19 year old boy, I can't convert these people, and I can't speak the language that great or change these peoples hearts. But, I know that through the Power God has given, kids like me, anything is possible. I never thought that i would feel this way but i love missionary work, Its the greatest thing I will be able to do my entire life. I'm so happy to be here!

 

 Ty's new haircut:

 



A Tough Week

This week, (much like last week) Aldste Haddon doesn't have much to report...he did say they were able to schedule another baptism date with a sister he has been working with since the first week he got to Sweden, so that is exciting!

The rest of the week however he has faced a lot of the typical missionary rejection, one person told him to find his own family to be with instead of theirs, which was hard to hear but he knows that is just part of missionary work and he's trying to not let that kind of thing get him down.

 

 

He wants all of those he loves here at home who have experienced great loss and tragedy this week to know he loves them and their families and that they are in his prayers individually.

He hopes the love of the Savior is with all of you this week.

 

Thank you for your support of Aldste Haddon, our family has felt your support and prayers in our lives so much already.

Facebook Picture

This picture of Aldste Haddon and his first companion was posted by his companions mom on facebook, she said that her son really liked working with Ty and that he's a good missionary and hardworker. Aldste Haddon feels the same way about him and is glad he's been able to have such a great first companion who taught him so much!

 



First New Companion

After six weeks in Sweden, Aldste Haddon has been transferred for the first time, he is the only greenie in his group who has been transferred, and he is starting to realize that he probably is done with his training period and really in the thick of things now.

 

He said that last week was mostly an adjustment with having a new companion and having lost all of his serious investigators. They spent the majority of the week tracting and contacting so they've been trying to work hard and find some people they can start teaching more seriously.

 

Other than that, there hasn't been much new going on, he did send home some chocolate last week (super yummy!) and he doesn't even like chocolate usually but he loves Swedish chocolate, we're not sure what he has been cooking for himself there, so he might be living on chocolate for all we know!

 

Thanks for all of the emails and letters being sent his way! He loves to hear from everyone!

1st Transfers

Aldste Haddon had another good week. He and his companion set a record for their area teaching 20 lessons this week! Because of that, they are being separated tomorrow at transfers and Aldste Haddon is sad and nervous about that because he likes his companion and the training period with your first trainer is usually at least twelve weeks, but he's excited to start a new adventure!

 

Unfortunately, both of their scheduled baptisms have fallen through but Aldste Haddon just says that's more incentive to keep working harder and reaching out to more and more people. Other than that, this week is pretty slow on the new information. Here are some long awaited pictures though!

 



Lots of Investigators

Aldste Haddon had a good week this week (except he didn't hear from his most favorite sister because I tried to attach pictures of my kids to the email and apparently that makes it so your email doesn't go through so when I got up this morning I saw it didn't make it...let this be a lesson to you all! :) I sent it again and hope he gets to check his emails again because he has checked them as late as 9:30am our time before...enough about my sob story...)

 

 So things are going well in Sweden, they have a baptism set for next week as of right now, sadly they didn't see that individual at church on Sunday but plan to catch up with him this week and hopefully his baptism will still go as planned.

The man they met last week on the bus is continuing to learn about the church and they feel encouraged by that. He said that they even met with his parents and answered some questions and misconceptions they had had about our beliefs.

Aldste Haddon and his companion are also learning that befriending people and helping them to feel truly loved is the best way to teach. (I might be biased, but Ty always seemed to be good a befriending people anyway, He's a good example to me of that.) They are working with a young man about their age who has had trouble making close friends so they have become good friends with him and even take him to young adult activities where he is making friends in the ward.

Lastly, the family they have been teaching since the first week he got there is also doing well and allowing them to come teach the gospel.

 

All in all, it sounds like they're doing their job out there in Sweden. Aldste Haddon is a hard worker and loves his companion and that seems to show with all the people they're able to reach and teach right now. As always, thank you all for your love, prayers and support!

First Baptism Dates!

Well it sounds like it really has been a great week for Aldste Haddon! They have been working hard to make sure he has mastered the language. It was their Swedish only week and he thought that his head might explode with all of the the Swedish, but it's helping him learn it and he's had some conversations with people which is a huge step!

 

This past week, they were trying to decide where they wanted to go and Aldste Haddon suggested they go to Värberg which is a two hour bus ride from where they are, but they decided that it would be a good idea. So they went to the bus stop and found they had missed the bus and had to wait for a long time until the next one so they just talked to people and tried to help others where they could. When the bus finally came, they decided to split up and sit by different people. A friendly man sat by Aldste Haddon and asked him what he was doing and he told him he came from The Church of Jesus Christ. The man said he had been struggling with things in his life and he really wanted answers and to get help. Aldste Haddon promised him that if he allowed them to teach him and if he listened to what they had to share, he would receive the help he needed from Heavenly Father to overcome his trials. Aldste Haddon said then man agreed and they began to teach him. From that moment until now, that man has been able to overcome many of his trials and has set a baptism date for mid March, another investigator that they have been working with is scheduled to be baptized that day as well. They are so glad they were able to teach them and share the gospel with people who were ready to hear it. Pretty exciting! Thanks for keeping him in your prayers!