Monday, November 2, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Week
102; October 26, 2015 – ‘Till We Meet Again!
Well
this is it! After two incredible years this will be the last post I make for my
mission blog from Sweden.
I just
want to thank everyone in my life that has made this experience possible! First,
this would never have been possible without the love and support of my family writing
back and forth faithfully every week to keep me strong! Thank you guys so much.
I can't wait to see you all again! Many others back home have been huge supporters
as well… Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!
My
amazing companions were all incredible missionaries to be around and they
carried me through the struggles and the joy and gave me the strength to press
on. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to work with two wonderful mission
Presidents and I am so grateful for the contributions they made to build me up and
mold me as a missionary.
I've
loved all of the wonderful people I've worked with and shared the gospel
with. They have been at the heart of my experience and I count my blessing
for all of the people I was blessed to serve daily. Lastly, I want to
thank the members of the church here in Sweden. They are some of the strongest and
most spiritual giants I've ever walked beside! I was so blessed to work with
them and I will draw from their wonderful spirit for the rest of my life!
I love
this country and its’ people… This really has become my second home. I could
say so much more, but I will carry those thoughts and memories in my heart always!
We did it... I love you all!
Äldste Jacob
Stoeltzing
Signing off one last time...
November 6, 2013 to October 29, 2015.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Week
101; October 19, 2015 – Connecting the Dots
Steve
Job's once said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only
connect them looking back.”
Two years ago I had no
idea what to expect from a mission, or the nation of Sweden. I had no clue what
people I would meet or what lessons I'd learn. Now I'm on my last full week of
missionary service and it's crazy to think that in no time at all this whole
thing is going to be over.
Looking back, I don't
know if anyone can be fully prepared for all that a mission really is, but I am
grateful to everyone that did their best to help me get ready to come out here.
I know I couldn't have done it without my amazing parents and my brother, my friends,
and my church leaders, who have been such a support throughout my time in
Sweden.
I really do believe that
real life is the best classroom, and that's what my mission has been for me.
I've always loved learning, and the past two years have been an intensive course
in living the gospel, loving my neighbor, and surviving in the real
world.
It has been really hard
to find people to teach out here, but the people that have been willing to
listen have meant the world to me. Despite the challenges, I'm really grateful for
the people I've met. I know that the gospel works in every corner of the world
and testifying to the people of Sweden has strengthened my testimony greatly.
Nothing has strengthened
my faith more than the little, but powerful moments where I could feel the
spirit and know my words where helping someone to consider the existence of God
for the first time in their life. It means so much to have your testimony and
your words help people make decisions that will bring the gospel into their
lives.
I've learned a lot from
my companions and the other missionaries I’ve served with. I could not have
finished-up my mission without great people around me. There's a lot that
goes into making a great missionary, but to me, the ones that were always friendly,
seeing the good in everything around them, were the best examples. I was
blessed to be around a lot of people who became some of the best friends I ever
had.
By myself, I often fail to be
the person I want to be, but by emulating the examples of the people I admire most
has defiantly gotten me closer to my goals. I've learned that in all things,
finding joy in the moment, smiling, and laughing, are qualities never to be
overlooked. Looking past faults and failures with patience can build-up people
in amazing ways. I know I’ve tried the patience of a few people from time
to time, but their love helped me keep going and become a better friend and a
stronger individual. I want to say Thank You to everyone that was there for me,
you guys were always at the heart of my mission.
Lastly, I guess I've
learned that being an adult is hard, really hard. There's no one out there to
take care of you, and you are expected to take responsibility for your mistakes. You
have to be totally responsible for you. A few semesters of college was a nice preview
of real life, but a mission throws you in the deep end, and fortunately, I
learned how to swim. I've learned a lot of lessons that would have been
impossible without my mission and I know that they will help me every day with
my education, my work and my family. The great big world can be a scary
place, but I feel ready to take on the rest of my life and start the next
chapter.
Although I I’m just finishing-up
my mission, my testimony of what I know is true and it’s pretty simple. I
know in my heart, there is a God. I know that because he created us he loves
us. I know a loving God does all things with a purpose and he has a plan
and a purpose for our lives. I know that he has shared that purpose with us
here on earth and I sincerely believe that the restored Gospel contains the fullness
of that truth. There is no greater peace that comes from knowing who we
are, why we are here, and where we are going. That desire lead to my Dad's
family finding the church, and my Mom finding the church, and our family being
raised with the gospel in our lives. Although I've been raised with this
understanding, the Lord gave me an inquisitive mind and I worked really hard to
find out if all of this was right for me. I've never personally seen or heard any
sort of divine manifestations, but I feel in my heart that the gospel is good and true. These are about all the things I know for certain and
I'm so happy that I've been able to share that with the people of Sweden over
the last two years. Thank you everyone for your love and support and I look
forward to seeing everyone in a few short days.
If you are thinking about
going on a mission please go. I can never tell you all that a mission is, or
all it entails, but as difficult as it may be, you'll feel so happy serving.
Looking back at all the dots along the way, I can see that the Lord was there for
me every step of the way and he will do the same for anyone who has a desire to
serve. It's not easy, but it’s definitely worth it.
Gud väre med dig tills vi
möts igen!
-Äldste Stoeltzing
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Week 100 - HAAPPPYYYYY
Birthday DAD!!!!!!
Sorry I
wasn't able to get a letter out last week, but I remembered it was your birthday
and I had to write!
I have been doing a lot
of thinking and I’ve realized just how central you have been in preparing me
for a mission. Every single time I've struggled with questions growing-up
it was your testimony and love of the gospel that ultimately helped me build my
faith. You were the perfect Dad for me and the one I needed help me grow a
strong testimony of my own.
We've had pretty different
missions, but the result, I believe, has been the same, helping others come to
Christ, and returning with a firmer and more resolute faith of my own. Thank
you for always having the patience to guide me through life’s struggles, I
don't know what I would have done without you before, or during my mission, and
I'm sure I'm going to need you a ton after too.
I can't believe this is
all almost over, and I wish I could have been home a few weeks earlier to
celebrate your birthday, but I'll see you soon and I hope this lets you know
what an incredible father you've been to me!
Love you a ton and I’ll see
you in 11 days!!!
Jacob
Best Friends Forever! Welcome home after two amazing years! |
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Week 99; October 5, 2015
– Numbers Rarely Tell the Whole Story
It's weird for me to
think this whole journey's almost over. Two years ago the nation of Sweden was
more of a concept than it was a tangible reality, but now this place has become
a second home to me. There isn't really any way of gaining an understanding about another culture until you've walked a mile in their shoes. Superficially,
Sweden has a lot in common with the United States, and in many ways they've
influenced our fashions and our music, but this is very much a nation of
individuals that think, act, and believe in a very different manner than what I
was used to. Nonetheless, I have grown to love them all.
I don't know what other
missions around the world are like, and I don't care to compare them, but I
would venture to say my mission experience has been unconventional at best, and most of
my preconceived notions of missionary work and the people of Sweden have been
turned upside down. If numbers matter, I have not had a numerically successful
mission. I have never baptized anyone here, and for most of my mission teaching more
than 15 people a week has been a nothing short of a miracle.
Yes, if one could look
at the baseball card statistics of my mission and compare it with other, more
traditional expectations of a mission, they might think that my two years has
been a waste of time. I however, have learned that a mission, regardless of
where you may serve, or what language you may speak, is far more valuable than
what can be quantified into numbers.
I have enjoyed a deeply
meaningful, cultural, educational, and spiritual experience over these past two
years that I would not trade for anything. My mission has given me a unique perspective
and preparation for the rest of my life that would have been impossible to
develop in any other way. The challenges, trails, hardships, triumphs,
failures, and friendships that I've developed during my time away from home couldn't
be traded for anything. But, before I talk about life-lessons that can't
be quantified, I want to briefly describe a few experiences and conclusions
I've made that do have numbers attached to them.
Until recently, Sweden has ranked as the
128th most culturally diverse country on earth. I was expecting a pretty
ethnically homogeneous experience here. However, Sweden has had a strong open-border
policy over the past decade that has rapidly shifted the demographics of this
nation. In my two years here, the world has undergone the largest international
refugee migration since World War II, and Sweden has taken-in immigrants from
every corner of the globe. I've done my best to keep track, and in total, I have
met and worked with people from 85 countries. I’ve become acquainted with grad
school students from China, and demoralized refugees from places like Syria,
and Somalia. I have met displaced Americans who have moved for love, or for business,
and Africans that have given-up everything they own for a fresh start in
Sweden. I have seen the results of war and poverty, and the hopes that this
nation has brought to so many for a fresh start.
Granted, the system here
is not perfect, but most of the experiences I’ve encountered have been positive,
although sometimes they’ve been a little scary. That being said, my time in
Sweden has shown me that amazing and inspiring people come from every walk of
life and from every corner of the world.
It's been prophesied that
the gospel of Jesus Christ will be preached to all people from across the four corners of the globe.
Quite frankly, that is not possible right now, there are still some places that
missionaries just simply can't reach, and they won't be able to for quite some
time. Sweden has, however, helped to fulfill this prophesy by taking-in people
from literally everywhere. As wars and political unrest spread across the
globe, groups that have never before had a chance to hear the gospel message
are now getting that chance in Sweden, and I am glad to say I extended this
opportunity to countless people. This is something that I am very proud of, and
I hope that some of the people I've met will be the first from their nations of
origin to accept the gospel message.
There is a wonder willingness and a desire to accept the gospel that is found among the weak and
simple of the earth. Humility, born from circumstance, certainly adds to ones’ willingness
to seek for something greater, but what about the rest of the country.
Well here's another statistic...
Sweden ranks as the number one most atheist country on earth. This is a
daunting truth that I've been aware of since the day I came to Sweden. The
Swedes aversion to faith made it hard for me at times, to believe I could
connect with anyone and share the gospel on their level. Of course, I have
been teaching Swedish people my whole mission, but attracting an interest in
religion has been one of the most frustrating challenges of my life. That is,
until I had an interesting experience in a town called Norrköping.
I approached a group of
young people and asked them a simple question… Did they believe in God? They
all laughed and said no, but I could tell that saying ‘no’ seemed to bother one of the youth.
After the laughing died down, he admitted that he actually did believe that
some sort of God existed. One by one, all of the youth admitted to a hope that
there was indeed something out there beside empty space that they, to some
degree, believed in. We explained that contrary to their prior belief,
they were not in fact, atheists, but searchers of truth, and there was nothing
wrong with searching.
Time and time again I've
had experiences like this. It's not been often that our lessons have come to
fruition, but I would say it is incredibly uncommon to find a passionate
atheist, even in the most atheistic country on earth. Nothing confirmed this more
than my time serving in Halmstad, where I found the greatest number of people anywhere on my mission who were willing to listen. I left there thinking, “I’ve
spent the past six months in an ecclesiastical utopia,” but it was only later
that I realized Halmstad was actually the most atheist city in Sweden.
This was such a shock to
me! How did I have my greatest successes in the least believing city, in the most
atheistic country in the world? I've thought a lot about Halmstad and it has led
me to the conclusion that belief in a higher power is a fundamental part of the
human condition. No amount of social conditioning or collective ideology
can truly take away a person’s desire to understand the mysteries of their
existence.
Yes, it's true I have
met atheists. And, it is possible, by means of enough reason and worry, to
conclude that there is no God, but it is my conclusion that belief cannot be
completely quenched from a society. The average person will always, to some
level or another, believe that there is something greater than themselves
governing the universe.
That being said, Swedes
are naturally distrusting of religion and have struggled to take any collective
leap of faith necessary to build on their uncertain, yet ever present, hope. But,
having seen that desire in the eyes of thousands, has kept me going through all
the rejection. There have been points on my mission where I thought religion
and Sweden were incompatible, but I am leaving this place with the hope that
the gospel of Christ really is for everyone, and I do sincerely believe I have planted a lot
of seeds within people's hearts who had previously given little or no thought about
religion. I am leaving with the peace of mind that many people will be more
open to a relationship with God because of my efforts here. There is
always hope… And there is a God who is willing to fulfill that hope that
naturally resides in the hearts of all men.
These are just a few of
my thoughts in regards to numbers. Numbers can be good benchmarks and they have
their place, but numbers rarely tell the whole story.
I have a lot of stories
to tell that have meant a lot to me and literally changed who I am. In next
week’s letter I'll write about some of these lessons… The ones that can't be measured,
and those I will take home as blessings for the rest of my
life.
Thank you to everyone
who has soldiered through reading this blog. I know that some weeks have been
interesting and some weeks have been pretty mundane, but your love and support
means a great deal to me. I really enjoy writing and I hope that I will be able
to share my thoughts as clearly as possible in their raw form, as I bring my
mission to a close in the coming weeks.
I love you guys!
Äldste Stoeltzing
Äldste Stoeltzing
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Week
98: September 28, 2015 – Making the Best of Things!
Another
week in the books! This one was a little slower, some plans fell through and
changed a bit, but we made the best of things along the way.
Back in Goteborg |
Elder Treat scaring a frog |
On
Monday we met with Mattias for pizza and Elder Treat got to know him a little
better. But, Tuesday was wild. We have some American friends in the ward,
the Murray's, and they needed some help with a project. They heat their
house with fire wood and needed us to clear some logs they'd cut down near the
Bishop's cabin. We drove about 40 minutes into the wilderness and came to a
large dirt hill we tried to drive up it in the car, but the complete lack of
friction made that too difficult, so we pushed the trailer up the hill, it reminded
me of pushing handcarts on our pioneer trek, but with a significantly heavier
cart.
I'll miss the beautiful Swedish countryside |
Saying goodbye to the Murray's |
We finally
made it up the hill, and started loading the wood. We loaded about two pine
trees full and then we cleared a bunch of branch clippings, all during a rain
storm, but it was really good to serve and they we're really thankful we could help
them before their trip back to the states. I even got a tick bite to
remember the experience.
Working on the woodpile |
Afterward,
we met with Julia and Oliva, the two girls we meet at church last week. Religion
is a pretty new concept to them, but they listened and asked us a ton of
questions. They are willing to give God a chance and we hope to keep working
with them.
We had
a dinner with the Ågren family on Thursday night and got to hear mission
stories from Alice, their daughter who just got back from serving at Temple Square
in Salt Lake City. She said it felt pretty weird for her to speak Swedish again.
The Streets of Goteborg |
Borås at dusk |
Friday
was Zone training. We talked about how to work more effectively with
members. Later I went on splits with Elder Payne, but we had a ton of
lessons cancel. Kind of a long split, but Elder Payne is super cool so he
made it fun.
The Borås water tower is pretty cool |
Well,
other than that, there were no major highlights to report this week, but next
week it will be cool to listen to General Conference!
Love
you guys!
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Week
97; September 21, 2015 – The Art of Borås!
Wow
crazy week! My last transfer is finally here and it seems completely
surreal that it will be all over in less than six weeks! The idea that my
mission is going to end so soon isn't firing in my brain right now. But, I'm
really happy to be ending my mission in a ward full of some of the greatest
people ever!
Farewell Elder Blackburn! |
Saying
goodbye to Elder Blackburn was really sad. We went on a great tour of the
ward, including practicing some acapella music and having one last jam session
at the Bishop's house. This was one of my all-time favorite companionships, and
it was a hard goodbye. Going to Uppsala was definitely a nice incentive for
Elder Blackburn to part ways with Borås. Especially since his new apartment
will have a washer, dryer, a dish washer, and a sauna, in a gigantic college town
filled with open minded young people... It may not be Borås, but I’m sure he'll
have a blast there.
Our worst nightmare... Being chased by a giant Pinocchio! |
Okay, so the new guy is
Elder Treat! We actually lived together during a 14-day transfer in a four-man apartment
last year, and had we a blast. But we hadn't heard from each other since then…
Until this week. So, we hit the ground running and we’re going to have an
amazing time together! Elder Treat is awesome and he will be a great companion
to finish-up with!
On Wednesday we
contacted people around the city and I got to show him a lot of the culture and amazing art
work. It was definitely a good way to show-off Borås! This place is
beautiful!
Later that day we had a
district meeting and I taught a lesson on setting goals, and the profound affect
that a vision, backed by belief could bring.
We also went on splits with
the Elders in Skövde. We taught a great lesson to an older lady and then
contacted a little bit more. Elder Jones is a crazy good banana bread
maker and he made me ‘trunky’ for mom’s banana bread (I wouldn't mind some banana
bread waiting for me at home… Haha). It was a great split and we spent most of
Saturday planning for next week. Elder Treat got a warm welcome from the
ward and he seems thrilled to be here. We got a surprise in our Sacrament meeting
when two girls we'd meet the week before decided they'd come to church, and they
showed-up unexpectedly. They said they wanted to meet with us some more
and we set a time to teach them next week!
Well, here goes my sprint
to the finish and it looks like it’s going to be a great last transfer in
Sweden!
I Love you guys a ton… Thanks
for reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)