Stoeltzing Surfing Stockholm

Week 92; August 17, 2015 – Spicing Things-up!

Wow we packed a lot into this week and we got a ton done, but I'm exhausted in the best way possible!  

Monday was a fun, relaxed P-day. We did some exploring and ate at an Indian restaurant called Indian Express… It was the bomb! I asked for the hottest thing on the menu and enjoyed some Tikka Marsala, it was delicious, but not too spicy! Everything is watered down in Sweden because Sweds hate spicy foods. Some people in the restaurant thought I was crazy for ordering all that spiciness, but it wasn't too bad. 

Atop a Church Tower

Afterward, we went to the local music store. We've gotten to be pretty good friends with the owner and he let me take the most expensive electric guitar and bass in the store for a spin. I played a 1960 re-issue Gibson Les Paul in the custom shop, which is like taking a Lamborghini for a test drive, and Elder Blackburn played a Fender Precision Bass out of the old Custom shop! We played some Red Hot Chili Pepper covers and our rendition of Kolab Rock! The owners were pretty impressed, I'm just glad I can still play. I've forgotten a few songs, but my technique is still there and it helps to have a companion as musical as Elder Blackburn. 

We started a great project with Mattias to help him read the Book of Mormon. We read one chapter a night with him and we discuss it together… It’s been going great! 

On Tuesday we practiced a lesson with our friend Stellan and then we taught Mattias. We contacted potential investigators the rest of the day.

We went to lunch with Mattias on Wednesday and he showed us a great new Kebab place that serves pizza with cheesy garlic sauce it was Toppin! We also discussed his progress with the Book of Mormon. He's already read a ton on his own and he’s really diving into the reading! 

Removing 100 Year-old Sawdust Insulation

Later that day we helped the Carlson family tear-out some old insulation from the roof and walls of a turn-of-the-century home. The two of us aren’t real happy with the guy who invented the use of sawdust as insulation. It’s not a good idea when you have to tear it out. It was a super hard project, but we were rewarded with pepperoni pizza, so worth the effort! 

We went on splits last Thursday when Elder Perkins came to town. We taught Mattias with the Sisters and we discussed overcoming our weakness and finding our true potential. That brought tears to everyone’s eyes. Mattias is having some trouble getting-off some of his medications and he’s afraid of the change, but I know that he has felt the spirit and the gospel is changing his life for the better.

Missionaries Contacting People on a Bus

The rest of the day was tough. We did a lot of contacting. Just when we had called it quits for the night and we were returning home, we thought it would be good to speak with one more lady and she gave us her number right away! It was awesome, and it taught me that there’s always someone who is prepared if we’re willing to keep working to find them! 

We had a great zone training on Friday. It was about planning our studies and speaking Swedish more often… Goals that we will take to the district during the coming weeks! 

Mattias’ brother was visiting from Stockholm, so we got to teach him on Friday. He is searching for truth as well, and he really liked what he heard. The best part of the lesson was hearing Mattias testify to his brother of new truths he has been learning and explain it to him in a way that only he could in order to help his brother understand. His brother seemed super interested and he wants to learn more when he gets back to Stockholm! 

A Lawn Game Called "Cube"

Saturday was a great day. Our friends the Sahlins baptized their son Christopher! He is a great little missionary and he invited a lot of his friends to the baptism. It was such a cool experience and it was the only 8 year old baptism I've seen in Sweden so far! 

On the way to the baptism we had a really cool experience. A man contacted us and asked if we were missionaries. He explained he was searching once for truth, but he had given up on the existence of a God. We shared our testimony to him that God wasn't worth giving up on, and if he had a desire to search again, we could show him something that will fill what he was looking for so long. He agreed to talk to us and gave us his number! 

Sunday was kind of tough. Mattias said he wanted to push back his baptismal date. We listened, and his reasons made sense. Getting off of his medications is a huge hurdle for him and it will be really tough. But he's promised to keep meeting with us and stay active in church. We understand and think it’s a necessary step for his progress and I'm still really hopeful that I can be here to see him get baptized! 

But, it was a great week and I'm defiantly finishing strong… I'm so fired up for the work! I may be getting physically tired, but I'm in this 100%, and loving every second of my mission. This is the greatest work in all the world, and now, as I near the finish line, I don't ever want it to end! I am so thankful for the wonderful eleven weeks I still have ahead of me! 

Thanks for reading!

Äldste Stoeltzing

P.S. Please pray for the father of a recently-returned Swedish missionary who suffered a heart attack just days after his son’s return. Your sincere prayers are truly appreciated!