Blessings of Freedom

This week, Aldste Haddon got another new greenie fresh off of the plane. He said he's a super smart, talented missionary so he is very hopeful that the two of them will be able to work together well and be successful companions.

They have been working with an investigator who recently moved from another country. The man told the story that he was on a train in his home land and was wearing a cross necklace. When the police saw it and asked why he was wearing it, they asked him what is was for. When he responded it was because he loves the Savior they took him to the back of the train and began to beat him. It became clear that he wasn't going to survive the ordeal when they grabbed a gun to shoot him, so he jumped off of the back of the train. He shattered his legs and bashed in his skull but he survived. He was rushed to the hospital and then told of a place where he could believe how he wished. He was put on the next plane to Sweden. A couple of weeks later, the missionaries contacted him and began to teach him the lessons. After awhile, they lost contact of him. But, recently he called them at 1am and said that he had been roaming around Sweden in search of a job and had found one and was ready to receive the gospel. Aldste Haddon and his companion have been teaching him and he is getting baptized on Sunday after church.

This story reminds me of how blessed I am to be able to live the gospel and profess my beliefs as I wish. We are so blessed to have the freedoms that we do, sometimes I take it for granted and this has reminded me to try to live everyday with a more thankful heart. 

I pray that I will always have the courage that this man had, that no matter what, I will stand up for what I believe. He is already such an amazing example and disciple of Christ.

 Both of the companions Ty had trained

Thank you for all of your prayers for Grandpa Larry Haddon. His health has declined significantly and it doesn't look like our time left with him will be much longer. We appreciate your love and support.

Expecting...again!

Aldste Haddon is doing well! The man they baptized last week was given the Aaronic Priesthood this week and has been doing his family history work to prepare to take the names to the temple to do baptisms for the dead.  Aldste Haddon is so excited to see him so eager to learn about the gospel and already begin temple work. It's one of those moments that really make all the sacrifices of missionary work worth it!

This week, they also continued to teach two other investigators who have scheduled baptism dates! They of course are working hard with these individuals to try to ensure that these dates stay firm.

Aldste Haddon has enjoyed working with is greenie. He is learning the language very quickly and is a steller missionary. But, this week he is being moved to the northern part of the city they are currently serving in and  Aldste Haddon will receive a new greenie fresh off of the plane and get to stay where he is currently located. He's thrilled to meet a new young man willing to serve and to be able to keep working with the investigators and members he has grown to love so much in the area!

Thank you for all of your prayers and support! We are happy to report another great week from Stockholm, Sweden mission!

Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts in Grandpa Haddon's behalf. He is being sent home this week and being set up with hospice care. We don't know how much longer he will have with us here on the earth, but we do know that we have learned so much from him and are grateful for his example and testimony that he has used to strengthen our lives. It is times like these that really remind us of how thankful we are for eternal families and the blessings that come from being sealed for eternity. This is why missionaries give so much, so that everyone has the opportunity to learn about eternal families!

Also, look for the new links on blog posts that will take you to LDS.org to explain the terms! I'll try to keep that feature updated from week to week!

This has been a pretty awesome week for Aldste Haddon and his companion!

They have been working with a sister who recently started coming back to church, his quote of the week is from her: “My life was a mess, I had nothing to turn too. When I came to Sweden I thought my life would get better but it has only gotten worse, My sons have a better life here but other then that I was miserable. So I finally had enough and thought about just giving up. But I had a strong feeling that I must go on my knees and pray. So that is exactly what I did, I prayed and as I was praying I couldn't stop crying. I felt so helpless and lost, I had nothing. Then I heard something I don't know if it was a voice in my head or what it was but it said to me, Calm down, it is going to be fine. I felt so much peace and warmth in my heart, then about 2 seconds later the phone rang. It was the Missionaries. They asked if they could come by and give a message about Jesus Christ. I most definitely agreed to it. I know now that my life does have meaning.”

 They had their first baptism on Saturday and confirmed him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (www.lds.org, www.mormon.org) the following day in sacrament meeting. The spirit was so strong, the man was introduced to the idea of the church when he was down in the dumps and his friend told him to look up the Mormons. (he thought that Mormons were a strange animal he had never heard of....maybe he was more right than we want to believe) He looked up Mormon.org and asked to receive more information, two days later Aldste Haddon and a previous companion showed up at his door and the rest is history. He was desirous to bare his testimony of the gospel but was nervous to do it on his own so he asked Aldste Haddon and his companion to stand on either side of him. As he bore his testimony, he said he couldn't have done any of it without his two angels standing next to him.

Aldste Haddon feels so grateful to have been able to be a tool in the Lord's hand to lift one another's burdens and find the lost sheep. (Luke 15) He knows that without Heavenly Father, none of this would be possible.

His testimony of this principle has rung true to me, and I am grateful of his example. I know that as we  earnestly seek out opportunities to share our testimonies and serve one another, even in small and simple ways, we will be provided with direction on how we can, in our own way, help gather His sheep and help others feel the love of their Heavenly Father through our actions. It doesn't take much to help another person feel loved and important, and sometimes, that is all it takes. I hope I can be better at that and learn from Aldste Haddon.

Dop (baptism) is in the air

As you might remember, Aldste Haddon and his companion had a baptism planned for this weekend, unfortunately, that baptism date fell through. They were meeting with their investigator who doesn't speak English or Swedish with a translator and part of the way through the lesson, the translator and the investigator appeared to be in an argument and from that time on, they haven't been able to reach him to continue teaching more. Of course, this is very upsetting but they are continuing to work toward getting back in contact with him. They think he is an amazing man who is very strong and they really hope to be able to resolve the concerns that arose.

This week, they are also working with another man who plans to be baptized this weekend. He is awesome according to Aldste Haddon. They took him to church on Sunday and an area Seventy was there (a general authority who is over specific areas in the world, they report back to the Prophet and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on their area's successes and concerns) speaking in church. Afterward, he came up to Aldste Haddon, his companion and their investigator and asked the man if he liked these young men, he answered saying they are his dearest friends. He then asked if he believe in the Savior, and the restoration of His gospel on the earth. The man replied that he had a testimony. He then asked why he wasn't getting baptized tomorrow then. When the investigator responded that he didn't feel he knew enough, the area Seventy said, it sounds like you know as much as I do.

This story was touching because it reminded me of the importance of the simple things. Our Savior lives and loves each and every one of us and he does all he does just so we can live with Him again. This is His gospel, and I feel grateful to be able to live it and share my testimony of it. 

Aldste Haddon feels the same way, he is a great example to our family of the blessings that come from sincere sacrifice and hard work and how we can be blessed from giving all we have to Heavenly Father.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support. It means the world to us.

Also, Grandpa Larry is struggling to gain strength and motivation to overcome this huge trial and illness in his life. Our Dad Charlie and Hunter were able to go spend the week with him and family in Oregon, we are unsure of what the future holds but are thankful for the love and support.

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

An Awkward Word of Wisdom?

Aldste Haddon's favorite quote of the week comes from his greenie:

“OK! Sorry next time I will teach about the right commandment.”

They were working with their investigator who has set his baptismal date for the first weekend in August and Aldste Haddon and his companion were planning on teaching about the law of chastity that week. So, Aldste Haddon told the investigator that it would be a sensitive and possibly awkward topic but it was a very important principle and with that his companion said:  ”when we keep the word of wisdom we can feel better so don't drink” Needless to say everyone was a little confused, but they worked it out and for only serving for two weeks, Ty is very impressed with his companion; he is picking up the language quickly and is doing a great job. Ty says that he's a stud if he ever saw one!

They had a pretty good week this week overall, earlier in the week Aldste Haddon felt impressed to call an investigator he had worked with in a previous area whom the elders (aldste's) there had lost contact with. When he called him, he said the man was very happy to hear from him and had some amazing experiences to share...He had had a dream that Heavenly Father came to him and the feelings of joy and peace that he felt were indescribable and he never wanted to wake up. Awhile later, he was working his security job when he saw a young woman tattered and torn and in terrible condition. He asked to take a bathroom break and went and prayed for her. He told Aldste Haddon that the spirit he felt on that bathroom floor was incredible and he felt so close to his Heavenly Father. Ty took that opportunity to teach him about the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ and that he can repent and return to his Heavenly Father someday. The conversation was filled with love and the spirit and he is sending the missionaries in that area to continuing teaching and loving this individual.

Aldste Haddon and his companion currently have 2 baptism dates set, the one posted about in the previous blog is doing great and Aldste Haddon loves him. He said he is a full Swede which is very rare to teach, they usually teach people who have immigrated to Sweden so it's very exciting to be working with a native born individual. The other investigator is also doing great and although we weren't given much info. about him, Aldste Haddon is thrilled to be able to teach not only investigators and his new companion!

 

It has been a good week and they are continuing to progress in the work in Sweden! Thanks for your love and support!

 

 

A quick update on our Grandpa Larry...he hasn't been able to stay awake for more than an hour and isn't very coherent when he is awake. He has been diagnosed with non hodgkin's lymphoma and they are still working toward finding why blood pools on his brain and a couple of other issues that he is experiencing. Grandpa has already survived leukemia while our dad was on a mission so we don't know how well his body will be able to fight yet another cancer, and if he will be willing to go through such invasive treatment again. So far, that is all we know, thank you again for your support.

Learn about the Word of Wisdom click the link and scroll down to read/watch a video about the Word of Wisdom
 



NEW area, NEW companionship, NEW baptismal date

What a crazy week it has been for Aldste Haddon in Sweden...

He has been called to be the district leader and a trainer of a new greenie fresh off of the plane, the new group of elders and sisters arrived from the MTC on Wednesday and that was also the first day Aldste Haddon stepped foot in his new area. He said that he picked his companion up and he asked him where they lived and Aldste Haddon said I don't know elder let's go find out togther so they carried their luggage through the city unti they found their new apartment together in a downpour no less! It took a couple of hours to find, but luckily they made it home before it had gotten too dark out.

They have since been working hard doing missionary work, they came across an awesome young man who was a self refferal looking for the truth. They have been teaching him and have set a baptism date for the first weekend in August and of course they feel thrilled and blessed at the opportunity and have really enjoyed getting to know this individual. He said that one evening they were talking and Tyson felt impressed to give him the biggest hug and reaffirm to him how important he is to his Heavenly Father. He said the spirit was strong and it was a great experience for all of them. He said that it is moments like those that make all of the hard times of walking through the rain with loads of suitecases worth it!

He really wants to thank everyone for your love and support, he can feel your strength and prayers for him even though he is a world away!

Also, our grandpa Larry Haddon (Our dad's dad) has fallen very ill, he was found having a seizure and passed out when grandma returned home from church yesterday. Late last night he opened his eyes for the first time, and has had an MRI. It appeared to be a brain tumor, but we have also been told that he possibly has contracted a virus that appears similar to brain tumors on MRI scans. They also think he might have blood on his brain. Of course, our hearts and prayers are focused in his direction and we appreciate your love and support as he is struggling with this scary turn of events.





The Aldste that trained Ty is on the left and the Aldste he is training on the right