So on Monday, we had some fun
service!! We got to clean out the attic of the church! We went out to a little
hill with cannons (Nordre Skanse) and then biked over to the church. We were
there forever! There was so much stuff up there! Chairs, paintings, wooden
cutouts of the Nativity, at least 4 old printers with matching age of
computers, etc. It was pretty fun! We also got to see the weird Danish dumps!
They're just a couple of large dumpsters like the ones used for house
construction. After that, we went contacting in order to get some normal work
in. The rest of the day was pretty relaxed with emailing home and trying to
coordinate Skyping the next week (by relaxing, it was kind of stressful because
we didn't have a place to Skype from confirmed yet).
Tuesday was Zone Conference! We got
to ride down to Aarhus with Ældste and Søster Ravn, which was pretty fun! We
arrived a little late though, so we snuck in during some announcements. We
learned about Preach My Gospel and talked about Personal Revelation. It was
awesome! I definitely felt like I just needed to be a little more confident in
what I'm doing and more faithful that the Lord will guide me to do as He needs.
I also loved being able to see and talk with so many of the missionaries! It
was really fun! We got home after interviews (my last interview with President
O'Bryant since he is released this summer), had our studies, and did some contacting!
On Wednesday, we had a lesson
planned with a lady named Mary, but after a reminder text, she cancelled because
of sickness. So that was disappointing. So we did some stop by's and
contacting. While we were doing stop by's we got a text cancelling floorball
that evening. Then while contacting, choir was also cancelled. So we had our
whole day open up really fast! So we headed out to Provst Dreslers Vej to knock
a bit out there. While out there, we talked to a lady named Liza. She was a bit
curious and after I saw her husband was home, we asked to come in. So we taught
a Restoration lesson with a good focus on the Holy Ghost's power! And, what's
more, we invited her to be baptized and she said she'd think about it! So we
made another appointment for Saturday.
Thursday was kind of uneventful.
That morning I did some weird/bold things which had moderate success (gesturing
and telling atheists to look at the world created by God, but they took a book
because they were interested). Our lesson with Dorthe and Søren was rescheduled
so we didn't have that anymore. So we went to Fælledvej to knock a little bit.
We talked to a lot of people, but the most interested was an older lady who has
eye problems but wanted to give us soda and talk outside a bit. Not too much
there.
Friday, we decided to head out to
Sulbæk to follow up on a referral. There was a girl who had visited BYU and
stayed with an LDS family who they said might be interested. So we biked out 8
kilometers to stop by. Her dad was outside working on a patio, so we offered to
help. One thing led to another, and both the parents (no kids were home) were
talking with us on their porch as we drank soda and ate fresh fruit. They were
super nice and really love Mormons, but they weren't interested in learning
more themselves. They said we could stop by again and that 'our parents have
wonderful sons.' We tried some knocking in Sulbæk, but there were very few
home. So we biked back to finish off the evening in Frederikshavn. We talked to
a man who was not believing. He was very passionate that we should be able to
see the news as missionaries. He also talked about some clothing that is
debatably Christ's, and a lot about how I apparently have something inside me
that drives me to meet people and should therefore be a door to door salesman.
It was pretty interesting. (I'm not considering door to door sales though.)
Saturday was also uneventful. We
went contacting, met a lot of people that don't like religion. We went knocking
and talked to a guy who did not want God more in his life because he works to
get what he needs. And to top it off, Liza cancelled and dropped us. So
Saturday was fun.
Sunday was great though! Mothers'
Day is always wonderful! Church was a lot about mothers, and we were invited
for lunch with Ivan and Kirsten Kristensen, which turned out to be their
extended family as well! So we gave a spiritual thought to about 20-25 people.
That was pretty exciting! Then we biked out to do some knocking before we
Skyped at Kurt Holm-Larsen's house. Calling home was great!! I loved seeing all
my family and hearing how they're doing! It was also fun to see all my
grandparents! And Kurt might know one of our neighbors too! After we Skyped,
Kurt talked to us for a while, then as we were leaving he came out after us to
give us some saft (juice)! He's an awesome guy, I really like him. The rest of
the evening was basically study. It was good!
So my spiritual thought is from a
scripture in Daniel 3. The story is about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when
they refuse to worship the Golden Calf. It says: "If it be so, our God
whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O
king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou
hast set up." I've thought about this scripture a couple
times this week. Of course God wants to bless us as we are doing His work. Of
course He wants His children to benefit from the gospel. Do I have enough faith
to find those He wants me to find? But at the same time, do I have the faith to
work hard regardless of finding some one who really does want to listen?
President Packer once said: "You exercise faith by causing, or by
making, your mind accept or believe as truth that which you cannot, by reason
alone, prove for certainty." Faith is truly a choice. I love that
he says "you cannot" because that defines faith, something we don't
fully understand and cannot prove "by reason alone." And yet, as we strive
forward and keep pressing along with the things we do know and believe are
right, we are blessed. So this week, be faithful. Be patient. Know that the
Lord is preparing you through your life, so keep pressing hard on the trials
you do have because you will be able to work wonders because of them!
I hope everyone had a wonderful
Mother's Day!! Just a quick shout out, my Mom is amazing!! She's by far the
best Mom I've ever had. She's been an incredible example to me in testimony,
love, strength, service, and noticing the small things to uplift others. I
would have never been blessed the way I am, nor be able to bless others as I
hope I can, without her example and love. I love you Mom!
As for the rest of you, have a
wonderful week! And make sure you told your mom you love her if you haven't
already. Or just do it again. ;)
--
Ældste Bryant Jepsen
- Mothers Day video call! (first one has Kurt Holm-Larsen in it)
- We had some Star Wars Lunch boxes
to use for our bike ride to Sulbæk
- My mom was proud I can make some
food, so there's an example :)
- A very large wild bunny!
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