April 27, 2015

I had a pretty good week here, I mean... I'm on a mission, so that's super awesome. Okay, so here's the deal.... I forgot my planner, so you're just going to get the really condensed version from memory. So basically, you're getting two things that happened this week, pday, and Saturday.
   On pday we went up a mountain to a place where they have this obstacle course. Two of them, actually. It was super fun. I had a good time, jumping around on the rocks and the ropes just hanging out with everyone. Good stuff.
   On Saturday, we had a baptism! It was super cool. I love this kid and his family. Great great people.
   And I guess I should be thankful, so here you go.

Thank you Swedish Printers, for not printing. You never work until hours of convincing and a fika. Kinda like a Swede.

Thank you hospitals for looking and smelling like a warehouse. It's a bit unnerving, but hey, if it cures an allergy to electricity, go for it.

That's all I've got! Have a good week!

Äldste Heiner

A random pic from the week.

Great view.

Getting ready for the baptism.

Playing the part of Joseph Smith
in primary.  Elder Steen was Oliver Cowdry.
Perkins was Angel Moroni and Allen was
John the baptist.

April 20, 2015

   Hej på alla er. Hoppas att dt går bra! This week was good! I enjoyed it, we had a good time, we were able to get out and work a bunch, so it was good! Really short, but good. So unless there are any other orders of business we need to address, let's move on with the program...

   Måndag was fun. We all just brought our lugnt game to the church and chilled out for the day. It was really good. After a good long time of that, we hit the tanning booth so we could feel really happy. And we did. We always do. At the end of pday, we went to an appointment, but he was working, so he couldn't meet. We were a bit bummed, so we hopped on the bus to get to the next thing, and lo and behold, our appointment that canceled was our bus driver! It was crazy! So we talked to him for a bit. It makes so much more sense why he's so busy all the time. He drives buses, duh, what was I thinking?  Then we were able to get into the home of a member family we've been trying to visit for a while now. We helped them move a hide-a-bed, but it wasn't that bad.  An evening that didn’t seem it would be successful ended up being great.

   The next day was a bit interesting. We had things planned to do, but they all fell through, and every time we went to the next one, we would be early, so we would have more time to do it. But we couldn't for some reason. So eventually we just went to the other side of town and had a lesson, then went to the church for family history night. I guess we also picked up the ZL's from Umeå up at the train station that evening too.

   On Wednesday, we went on splits. I was with Elder Tanner, who is a very hard working young man. He's in the same group as Elder Steen, so he'll be going home in a few weeks. We first had distrikt meeting and lunch with the peeps, then we swung by a ton of people in Timrå. That evening, we met with Jesper and he had his baptismal interview! Can't wait until Saturday! I don't really know if I've told you about Jesper. Eh. I'll take a picture. He's chill. He's a son in a less active family, and the family is going to come back to activity because of him. I know it.  So that's awesome! We had some more lessons that evening.

   Next day, tons of swingbys that were a bit uninteresting. Sorry. Uninteresting day.

   Friday was the same, actually, just up in Härnösand. Yay. Sorry....

   Saturday was my birthday! That was fun. We took a train to Umeå. All day. Then we had a conference. I was asked to sing a special musical number when I got there. That was interesting. Then the next day continued the conference. It was a stake conference. Then we came home last night. And that was the week. 

   So here we are on Monday again, and it's time for thank you notes!

Thank you train rides to Umeå for being long enough to teach everyone how to solve a Rubik's cube. President just thinks we do it during comp study...

Thank you Conference in Umeå for having everyone in Norrland present. I don't think I've ever felt such heat in a room in a place that was so cold.

Anyway, have a great week!

Äldste Heiner

Must be trash day!

Fun in Umeå

The Tolley's, the apartment couple.

In Umeå, also.

Translation:  Perfect for your butt.

April 13, 2015

Okay... here we go... the week... again... I feel like I wrote yesterday. And the day before.
   This last Monday we went on a mini splits right after tanning and all that shopping stuff. I went with Elder Perkins, who is helt ny, and went to a couple of lessons. He's a good one. He has a great heart. He'll do well.
   On Tuesday, we finished our grocery shopping (we cut pday in half for some lessons), and then we went to the church and watched the final session of general conference. If you haven't watched general conference, look it up! It would be a great thing to see. Then we went over to a member home for a lesson with their son, and the father was chopping down a tree, so we chopped down the tree for him. It was fun.
   Wednesday evening was good. We went to one of our investigators, who is the son in a less active family, and he's ready to be baptized! I'm super excited. We just need to find a good date that works for him and the family.
   Thursday was full of car junk. We had to change out winter tires and stuff. Annoying! In the evening we were able to get out and teach a British guy named Lee on the bus. It was super cool.
   Friday was full of being on a train to Umeå and sitting in a zone training. Yay. Then we came back after kebab. It was great actually. I love to see all the other missionaries.
   During the weekend, Elder Steen wasn't feeling well, so we weren't able to do too much. I did a lot of organizing in the area book, so that was good. I learned to bake more. I made a pizza. Some cookies. Biscuits and gravy. Tons of stuff. It was fun.
   So that was the week! Hope you enjoyed! If not, here are some thank you notes...

Thank you Sweden for being obsessed with American things. I too enjoy cheep plastic things designed in Japan and made in China to be sold by an Indian man to an American.

Thank you Swedes for not knowing how to use a turn signal. You only paid 18,000 crowns and two years in driving school to get a license.

Everyone have a great week!

Chopping down a tree.

"I just finished reading this really interesting
book" said no one ever.

Fun Graffiti.

Notice something a little weird?

Pizza making.

New Stamps!

Gas receipt.  Ouch... glad I didn't pay for that.

April 6, 2015

I'm afraid it's another shorter letter this week... sorry mom... we have plans to go tanning and shopping at the mall. Yes we go tanning. Every week. I forgot to even mention that bit. There's just no sun here in Norrland. It's actually quite fantastic.

   Monday we hung out at the church for pday. And went on our weekly tanning, of course. Called a bunch of people later in the day trying to set things up for the week. On tisdag we drove up to Härnösand to talk to some less active members and old investigators and people like that. It was good. I enjoyed it. In the evening, we visited with Familjen Samuelsson and they are doing really well. We're helping their son prep for baptism. Onsdag, We had some other investigator lessons and a new greenie showed up! His name is Elder Perkins, and Elder Allen is his father. It was a good day. On Thursday, we had district meeting. After a bit of lunch and a few hours of work, we all met back up at the church and were picked up by a Finnish family, and they drove us to their home out in the boonies. They make really good food. Fredag had us back in Hsand for the first half of the day and with a member in the evening. On Saturday, we celebrated Easter with a member family for the entire afternoon until conference started in the evening. So yeah, the rest of the week was taken up by General Conference! 3 kilos of Godies! Yeah! Anyway, you should all listen to the prophet. He has great things to say. Anyway, that's my week! Here are some quick thank you notes!

Thank you Willie's for having Godies at 30:- per kilo. My dentist loves you and all the business you get him.

Thank you Finnish family for making... Well I'm not actually sure how to spell it, or how to describe it, but thank you anyway!

Have a great week everyone!

Äldste Heiner

A cool church we walk by.

Another one.

Sundsvall has a ton of these dragons around town with different
looks.  Because this one is in front of a big old church, it
gets to have Jesus on it.

An American cop car.  Here.  In Sweden.