September 17, 2013

HEY!!!!! 

This last week we did a lot of traveling. 

On Monday for P-day we went to Göteborg as usual and ended up hiking up this really cool staircase that led up to a castle type tower type thing, I took pictures, It was also really cool because we were overlooking the whole city. We also met two Americans! I didn't think it would be so weird to hear their accents, but it was. It was also super nice to speak American English to someone other that my companion or other missionaries. 

Tuesday and Wednesday were just normal days with a few lessons and then on Thursday, we went to Köevda for district meeting, it was a 2 hour bus ride there and 2 hours back. District meeting was really good though, and afterward we went to a Chinese buffet for lunch, it was really good sushi, and when I got up to ask for more water, I got complimented on my Swedish, the guy couldn't believe I had only been here for two months, and he had no idea where Wyoming was even after I explained it to him... although I have only met one person so far who knew where is was so that wasn't really a surprise. the day after, Friday, we had an appointment with Detlef a German guy in our ward who lives on the island called Orust, which is about a 3 and a half hour bus ride from Trollhättan. We went with the plan to visit less actives around where he lives by bike. It was super cool, he reminds me a lot of brother Card, because he makes instruments, he showed us three cellos that he made and I don't even know how many violins and violas, he also makes and repairs classical guitars, book binds and oil paints, and his house here in Sweden was pretty much just a studio to do all of these things. We went to the members house on bikes and I felt like I was in the sound of music, riding through Swedish countryside. The member that we visited was a very old lady, I felt really bad for her because her house was absolutely disgusting and she had no idea. We sang a few hymns for her and taught her a lesson which was a great experience. After we left and were getting on our bikes to ride back the way we had come, Detlef asked us if it was alright that we took a dirt trail into the forest, we of course said yes and about 20 minutes later my companion asked him if he had ever been that way before, he said " oh nej, men jag älskar adveture" which means no, but I love adventure. I was thrilled it had been a while since I had been on a bike and riding through forest trails in Sweden seemed like a fine way to build our relationship with this member so we followed him. It was really fun, he took us to this lake and then more forest trails as we made our way back to his house. when we got back he fed us soup which was made out of pumpkins and ginger from his own garden. We then taught him a lesson and he practiced his talk with us that he was going to give in sacrament meeting. Then we walked back to the bus stop and rode the three hours home. however the day was not over yet, because the Zone leaders wanted to go on companion exchanges with us, so after we got back we went and got my companions clothes for the next day and took a train to Göteborg. We switched companions and then while I was waiting for the next train back to Trollhättan with Elder Lawrence a man walked up to us and started speaking English, it turned out that he was from Palestine, and that he had been a member but that he had stopped going to church because of conflicts with some members but that a few days earlier he had met some other missionaries and he promised them that he was going to go to church on Sunday. He was really nice and we talked for about 40 minutes about strengthening faith. Splits the next day was nice.

On Sunday we had a really cool experience, we got to sing as a zone in an open fireside about Christ. It was super good, a few missionaries played violin, sang and played piano. There was also an organ solo and the bishop of Västrafrolunda ward played a children's hymn on his guitar and sang with it. The whole evening was great and afterward we got to talk to the people that were there as we all had refreshments, it was super fun and I could tell that the spirit was there.

anyway I am doing great, love you all and keep being awesome

Äldste Peterson 

This was on P-day in Göteborg overlooking the city.

           

this was what the tower\castle thing looked like

 This was the lake that we rode by with Detlef... he made us wear the orange vests... and those are the bikes

this was when we were riding through the forest...

we passed a bunch of cows... it reminded me of home.

This was taken earlier in the week in Trollhättan when we were on our way to Overby to get lights for our apartment. There are a lot of trees in Sweden.