Elder Joshua Mason: Week 32, The Land of Snow, 4/25/16

SO.

Lot's has happened this week!

The work: We're mostly dealing with all our new investigators we have. We really kicked butt this last week and have update our board quite a bit. Mostly working on really meeting with these people and teaching them, getting them to church, etc. Osman unfortunately couldn't make it this week but has promised us next week. We'll see. But things are going quite well here we're still working super hard! Expecting to see some Baptismal dates soon.

Things are interesting here in Örebro. We've had quite a lot of crazy things happen to us this week but the weirdest thing was the weather. It snowed last night and we've been having random violent hailstorms which have been quite annoying. We literally got on a bus (sunny outside, some clouds) to go into the middle of Örebro to go street contacting and by the time the 15 minute bus ride was over, it was DUMPING hail outside. Not ideal contacting weather. Currently the snow on the church lot out front has a ton of melting snow on it. Other than that we had Zone Conference this week in Södertälje, which was super fun! Took like a 2 1\2 hours train ride just to get there, that's how things roll here in Sweden.

BUT: I did want to start updating you on some of the little things that make Sweden and Örebro so different. I've been writing them down in this sweet little notebook I have :) Here are some only in Sweden things:

There are all these basketball courts everywhere, but no one uses them. I don't understand.
Everyone here smokes. Everyone here bikes. Sweden in the only place in the world you see people riding bikes while smoking.
Sweden is super old. Which means many buildings are super old (like 1800's) and many are super new. Which means NOTHING is standard. Toilets, locks, elevators, doors, sinks, all have their own unique way of locking, opening, flushing, ect. The other day it took me like 5 minutes to figure out how to flush this toilet because the handle was super old and bizarre. I kid you not. It's super annoying.
Swedish people are lizards when it comes to the sun. When it's out they're constantly trying to stand in it, like sometimes 20 meters away from the bus stop even. It's pretty funny actually :)
Swedish people LOVE American culture. You'll walk around the street and see everyone wearing MLB NBA and NFL hats, (especailly New York Yankees hats because New York is one of the only places they know of). But they have no idea what those teams even are. I asked this one dude on the street if he knew what sport the LA Lakers played because he was wearing their hat, and he had no idea but thought it was pretty cool I was from California. Good stuff.
The weather here sucks. You probably knew that.
OH! They play a lot of pick up soccer here. We actually played with some of the members here in Örebro and a bunch of Somalians joined in. I've never played soccer before 1. in the snow 2. with a bunch of Somalians or 3. while shouting Swedish at everyone. It was more than a unique experience. Super sick.

Welp, I love all of you and hope that you all know that I LOVE my mission. I'm learning a LOT here and I value every opportunity I have to share my testimony because I know that Christ is listening. Sometimes He is the one I'm really talking to when I am speaking to people on the street, because unfortunately I know they're not going to accept what I say. But I KNOW that God lives, He loves me more than I know how to say. I have a sure testimony that the best way to defeat any trial or weakness in this life if to come closer to Christ, it does not matter what that trial is. I know that. I'll leave that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Pictures: