Monday, November 18, 2013

Hello Family (Letter From Katherine - 11/18/2013

Hejså!

Well, another week has gone by here in Esbjerg and I can hardly believe it. Sister Packard and I have had some pretty neat experiences. 

Like I mentioned before Sister Packard plays the violin. It's actually her major, so she is very very talented. We have had a lot of fun playing together. Monday after our p-day had finished we planned to visit some inactive members of the church. We stopped by one to invite them to a reliefsociety activity and then planned to go visit a man who was on our ward list. It's super dark outside early now, so we went into a store near by to try and find where he lived on the map. We did our best to figure out how to get there but we were a little hesitant that we would be able to find his house. Well we got on our bikes and rode. We were able to find his house easy. that hardly ever happens! It usually takes some time trying to get places we have never been before, especially since Denmark doesn't like street signs very much. haha but yeah we were guided right to his house. Their lights were on and we could see that they were cooking dinner. As missionaries we seem to interupt peoples dinner a lot. haha but afte we knocked and he opened the door he told us he wasn't interested . We kept talking and then out of the blue he said he would ask his wife if we could come in. I honestly thought she would say no, but we got a very hesitant yes, which is all we needed:) We went in and just started talking to them for a while. They kept saying that they weren't interested in the missionaries visiting them. The wife isn't a member and the husband hasn't been to church since he was little. I just kept praying that they would have a change of heart, when suddenly I noticed a violin hanging on the wall. I looked at that violin and it was almost like it was glowing. I knew right then and there that it was an answer to my prayer, and it was our way in. I asked them about the violin and it turns out that the wife use to play. they had just recently been to a violin concert and talked about how much they love the violin. I don't think it was a coincidence that my companion just so happens to be a violin major. She asked if she could play it. They said it hasn't been touched in years, but that she could try. She tuned it and played beautifully, leading them to tears. They told us they would love for us to come back. It was such a neat experience. It is amazing how music can bring the spirit so strongly. 

We are teaching a young family right now, Anne Marie and Min. I think I mentioned them last time. They are some of the most wonderful humble people I have ever met. Min has commited to be baptized and he isn't even able to understand the book of mormon because it isn't in Burmeese. They are the sweetest family. Yesterday we had planned to talk to them about Joseph Smith. I thought we were about done with the lesson when Sister Packard pulled out a picture of the temple and began talking about the temple. I was kind of like...uh...where did that come from? Well, It was definitely inspired. We started talking to them about the blessings that the temples bring. When we explained that only worthy members of the church could enter the temple we heard Min say something. We were both kind of like uh oh what did he say. We asked him, and he sait that is great. You have to know Min in order to understand that him saying that is like a normal person jumping up and down and shouting for joy. haha When we started talking about baptisms for the dead and families being together forever Min said, "If this is true, I am so happy." Anne Marie said, "My heart is singing!" It was so wonderful. I can't even describe how special they are. Everytime Sister Packard and I leave their home we just have the biggest smiles on our faces. Oh they are just so wonderful.

Church was great yesterday. IT was the primary program and the children are so dang cute. Anne Marie and Min were there with their two little children as well as Nikolaj. Nikolaj is one of the members grandsons who we have began working with. He is 17, and yesterday was the first time he has been to church since he was very little. The elders just started working with a man who was a referral from the office. They went to meet him and he said I have studied your church and I want to be baptized. They gave him a book of mormon and asked him to begin reading. They went back two days later and he had read the whole thing. Pretty amazing huh? The work is hastening and people ARE prepared now, more than ever before. 

Wednesday was our zone training and that was fun. We had a thanksgiving dinner. My zone leader actually went to riverton High, he was in one of my math classes, so it was a lot of fun to see him, He's a year older than me, his name is Nathaniel Vanderborghe. There's actually an elder in my district who also went to riverton high, he was pretty good friends with Peter James, his name is Elder Ennos. Small world huh? So we had our training, a talent show, and then ate thanksgiving dinner. Oh yeah, it was in Odense! So that was great! I love Odense. It will forever be a very special place to me. AFter eating we went and played football. Or should I say the elders played football. They're not the greatest at involving the sisters. haha whatevs they just missed out on my awesome football skills. jk jk 

It was fun talking to Sister Olsen again. She was very excited that I knew the Ericksons. She invited us over for dinner tomorrow:) 

Today a class came on a field trip to the church to take a tour. There was about 20 kids ther age 13-14 and it was a really good experience. We showed them the restoration film and then took them on a tour of the church. We took them to the chapel last and Sister Packard and I played come thou fount for them. They were very respectful and had a lot of questions. One of the girls said she had goosebumps the whole time. It might have been because the church was cold, but I think she was feeling something:)   

We are working with this man named Sven. How do I even begin to explain Sven. When we go to visit him we have the elders come with. Okay, I lost it in our lesson with him. I got the giggles so bad. We were trying to sing a hymn when he pulls out his guitar. We asked him to give us an A chord, when he played an a minor. His apartment is super dark, so elder hansen was standing behind sister packard and I holding a flash light so we could see the hymn book. The whole situation was just super bizarre and I just couldn't stop laughing. Sven got a kick out of it though. 

I wish I could just give you every detail of who i'm working with and exactly what i am experiencing. I am coming to love Esbjerg even though it is dark and cold and sometimes smells like fish. 

I hope you have a great week! Happy Thanksgiving! I love you!


Love Katherine

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