Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Letter dated 27Dec2014
This is the district caroling! Several of us were out talking to people, so the group was about twice this size.
It was great to skype you! And it was nice to meet Jap. He seems like a nice guy.
I will e-mail on New Years Day next week!
Love,
--
Äldste Daniel Schindler
Letter dated 22Dec2014
Favorite Family and Friends!!!
It's so good to be able to write you today, "the day before the day before the dipping day (Christmas Eve)!" That is the translation of the subject line, by the way. Christmas Eve is called "dipping day" because in days past, Swedes would make a stew, dip bread into it, and eat it on the 24th.
I haven't e-mailed very much recently, because the computers at the church's institute center have been disconnected from the internet, and the libaries' computers allow one on for only 30 minutes. And we can't send pictuers either, so all the nice Christmas pictures we've taken will have to wait.
It's a wonderful time to be a missionary, though! We have been wearing Santa hats recently and people are much more open and curious to talk to us now! Last Christmas, it seemed rather difficult to meet with people amongst their travels and traditions, but the hats have nicely combated that this year.
Several Christmas miracles have happened! Here's the main one: the neighboring ward's elders contacted a great guy, Arona, whom we have begun teaching. He wants greatly to change his heart and to become a better person. And there isn't a better message than ours for this! He is excited for baptism as well, and we are so pleased that we will be able to help someone be baptized. The way in which he was contacted is remarkable as well. The other elders had met him once, forwarded us his number, and we called it to no avail, and forgot about it. Then they met him again, two weeks later (this was two weeks ago), found out no one had called him, and reminded us about him! It's such a wonderful evidence that God is leading us and helping us when we aren't so attentive.
We also began contacting at the university. They are exceptionally open, and we have found three positive, new investigators through this this week!
This week is going to be so good! We have it planned full of fun and great activities. We will carol with about 20 other missionaries tomorrw, spend Christmas eve, Christmas, and the following day with members, and will go to Julbord (traditional Swedish Christmas buffet) at IKEA!
I cannot wait to talk to you (family) on Christmas -- 9:15! And I hope that Nicholas, Christopher, and dad had a wonderful birthday yesterday. Joseph's new haircut is incredible. Love you all!
Merry Christmas,
Love,
--
Äldste Daniel Schindler
Letter dated 8Dec2014
Dear Family and Friends:
It sounds like everyone hada great, busy week. I liked reading dad's Christmas story. More suspensful by a lot than previous ones!
This week we had a nice Christmas concert. Several ward members are coming together to help Narchisa. St. Nickholas came. I went on exchganes with a great Finnish missionary, Elder Noso, and another great missionary, Elder Hansen. Next week will also be good.
Love,
--
Äldste Daniel Schindler
Letter dated 1Dec2014
Dear Family and Friends!
This week was really exciting. Perhaps the busiest week I have lived.
Several of our friends are progressing super well in the gospel. We met Alberto and Dennis this week. They are beggars whom we had passed daily for a while, and we always said hi to each other, but this was the week that we came with a translator and got to know them. Even though he is always begging, Dennis is always happy (in fact, usually the happiest person I see all day), and it always makes me happy to see him and shake his hand as I pass by. Alberto's also a happy chap. They came to institute and really liked it.
Narchisa is also doing well. She is also happy despite the fact that she begs all day. Whenever she is given something, no mater how small, she says "Wow!" and is so grateful. She also says the phrase "Mac mac mac" often. We are not sure what it means, but it is quite funny. All these happy, grateful people attest to how happy each of us can be, and show me how happy I ought to be.
When we taught Abinash this week, we asked "Why do you think we are on the earth?" Then he rebuked us and said "One must not ask 'Why' questions." We were pretty stumped, so we asked "Why not?" That didn't improve the situation. All-in-all, it was a pretty awkward meeting.
We have been showing a movie from the church, called "He is the Gift," quite a lot. It works really well when we watch it on the street and subway. It's a nice miracle.
Äldste Mott has several neat pets in his home in Vernal. He has lots of hedgehogs, foxes, a bob cat, a lynx, etc. Here's a picture of his lynx (on the ground) and bob cat (perched in her home). Although they say there are no polar bears in Sweden, we saw one this week, and caught it on camera. (These baby animal costumes are very popular in Sweden. Have they caught in the States? This is Gabriel, by the way, who's Karina's son.) Brother Ramel has a Kaukalofin, and he lit it up for a good picture. The final picture is of a church we passed somewhere.
I am glad that you all seem to be doing well. Congratulations to Briggitte and Doug for their boy! Everything is going well in Stockholm. I decided this week to study Chemistry after my mission. Next Monday there is a presentation from the winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry! It's lucky that it fell on a preparation day, I am really excited!
Love,
--
Äldste Daniel Schindler
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