Chillin in Seden

Hey y'all! It's been a good week. I am getting used to the area and a lot of good stuff is happening. We have been extra occupied with all sorts of lessons, finding and activities. We have two really positive investigators and had some good appointments with them.

During our lesson with one of them, she told us that every once in a while she doubts her faith and wonders if God and heaven really exist. It was during one of these times that the missionaries knocked on her door. Awesome!!

We bike a lot here in Seden. A lot. We have a lot of things in Odense like church and that is a 30 minute bike ride away. It's okay though because I biked a ton in Aalborg. I'm used to it.

The ward here is great and there are a lot of nice people. I'm excited to be here.

My companions name is Elder Stephens and he is a nice fellow. A little different but I am excited to work with him. He is from Tennessee and likes cooking. 

I can't think of anything else too exciting. 

The pics are of these cool xylophone things we found in the woods.

In church yesterday all the talks and stuff were on the Holy Ghost. It is so great to think of what an amazing gift we have been given to always have a companion at our side who will help us no matter what. I hope we are all striving to be worthy of the Spirit and listening to it's promptings. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder Smith

My new address is:

Hvenekildeløkken 198 st.

5240 Odense, DK

MOM:

Haha I wonder why I said that. It must have been a good day.

I am a very happy person. I don't know how often I say that as a missionary but I definitely have said it before.

I'm glad you all had a good trip to four corners. The pictures look like it was pretty cool. I like Coop's style haha. 

I am almost finished with the Believing Christ book. I like it a lot. It makes things really easy to understand and is awesome.

Haha that's a really funny story. Coop is a goof. I wish I had a good funny story but I don't you always make me feel guilty because I don't have anything exciting to write about. There are funny things that happen but you would probably have to see it to laugh. Like on Saturday we played soccer and someone kicked the ball into someone else's face. I will try to be better. I'm sorry I'm bad at funny stories...

Answers to questions:

Seden is a really small place outside of Odense. I don't think you would find much on Google. Search Odense :) It's a cozy little neighborhood outside of that place.

Elder Stephens is very different from all my other companions, but I will be fun. We get along well.

The apartment is small but nice. The bathroom is big which is opposite of most Danish bathrooms. I will send you a picture of the appartement next week.

The ward is great. There are a lot of really nice and cool people. It is a pretty good size too. About 100 people at church.

We haven't found anyone new to teach yet if that is what you mean by contacts. But there are some really good investigators already here!

I got pants! It was hard to find ones that fit, but I did it. They are nice. 

The first guy is Jan. The one getting baptised in may.

The other guy is an old member named Leif Olesen. He is cool. We visited him every couple weeks.

The man with the two boys is the ward mission leader Matts and his 2 sons. He is awesome. One of my favorite members ever.

The man with the baby is Mark Sørensen. He's a cool dude in the ward.

I love you lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots! Have a good week!!!

Love, Elder Smith

Hey Dad,

Glad you are all home and that you had a good time. I hope there aren't any messes too big you have to clean up.

I am doing good. I like the new area. There isn't a ton of work going on besides finding, but there are a couple good solid investigators.

Our area is pretty big but not nearly as big as my other areas. It covers the top right corner of an island called Fyn. The middle island in Denmark. I have been exersizing every morning so that is good. My new companion is different but a good guy. He is from Tennessee. He has kind of weird Danish but yeah he helps a bit with the language. I'm not sure how much I'm struggling right now. I definitely am at an up point. I mean some days are hard when we are just finding all day and can't find anyone, but we have just been busy and too occupied to worry about too much.

I'm glad Coop got to do some missionary work. 

Ooh. Don't talk about mountains haha. I really miss those. Sounds like some cool stuff though. Where did you ride a train to? I ride trains all the time haha. That is a ton of driving!!! We will all have to do it again when I get home.

That sounds like it was a really good fireside. Obedience is important and I definitely can see that when we do all the things we are supposed to that a lot more happens.

Those sound like a good talk. What stories did you share from your mission? I will have to look at that conference talk.

I love you lots dad. Thanks for everything. Have a good week.

Love, Elder Smith

Transfers and Easter

Well it has been a good week and it has been a good time in Aalborg. Today I transfer to Seden it is close to a city called Odense on the island called Fyn. It will be fun. My companion is Elder Stephens and he was in the Aalborg ward a few transfers ago so we know eachother. I'm really excited to work hard here this transfer.

We had a couple lessons with Jan this week and he is planning on being baptised either the 6th or the 13th of May. That is super exciting. I will be visiting Aalborg again for his baptism if all goes well.

On Friday we went up to Frederikshavn for splits and we visited a little place called Skagen, the very tip of Denmark. It was sweet! I got some good pics.

On Saturday there was a baptism in Frederikshavn so we stayed and attended. It was so cool to see their friend Matt start his journey of becoming like Christ.

That's about all I've got for the week. I hope you all have had a good easter and whatnot. I'm loving my mission and time here in Denmark. It has been the best testimony builder whether it is a hard day or an easy day. I know the church is true and I assure you I wouldn't be out telling people about it every day if it wasn't.

I love you all. Have a great week and stay happy!

Elder Smith

Hi Mom Smith

I miss you and love you too. It sounds like you have all had a good time with Gramps and Grams. I'm glad the missionaries there get to spend some time with you. Haha that is crazy that they had you speak in a ward as visitors. Some members invited us over for dinner and we had rice with curry chicken gravy. It was fun. I packed for Easter. Jan came to church!

I liked the rest of my package too. The books are great! I ate all of my candy before I transfered today. It was good. I don't know if you can get swiss chard here. There is a lot of stuff that they don't have. Or I just don't know the name for it.

I really can't think of a funny story. Maybe I will have one next week. 

I can't believe Cooper is 16. That's impossible.

I'm doing President Neslon's challenge and reading your books. You should do it too!

I love you lots! Have a good week! Happy second Easter! (they have that here).

Love, Elder Smith

#FredsFyrsten

It has been a good week in Aalborg. We have been busy with a lot of random stuff and having a lot of fun.

We had a zone conference this week and we talked about the Plan of Salvation and focusing on our purpose when we teach. It was very helpful for me.

Elder Hager and I went on a search for A&W root beer. It was extremely difficult but we found some.

We visited some old viking graves earlier this week and got some cool pictures.

Our ward had an Easter concert last night and they had Elder Hager and I sing in it. It went pretty well.

We taught our investigator Jan about the Gospel of Christ and he has decided to pray about a date of when to be baptised.

That's about everything I can think of, but please refer to my email subject. The church has made a new Easter video called Freds Fyrsten (The Prince of Peace). It is very good in my opinion. Share it on Facebook or text or wherever else you can put it that people will see it.

I love Easter so I am very excited for next Sunday. It is so special to think about our Savior and about how he suffered and died for us, but then he rose from the dead. His resurrection is so amazing. He conquered death so that we can do the same, so that we can have peace. He truly is the Prince of Peace and that is the gift he brings to all of us. Check out https://www.mormon.org/

Elder Hager and I sang the song "Oh Lord, My Redeemer" in the concert. The chorus says

Oh Lord, my Redeemer,

Thou hast done so much for me,

Oh Lord, my Redeemer,

All my love I give to thee.

He is our Redeemer and he has done so much for us. So we should give all our love and everything we have back to him.

I love you all. Have a good week and a great Easter weekend.

Love, Elder Smith

Pics

Viking graves and an æblekage that I made. Yum!

Hey! It has been a good week. We had an awesome zone conference. Transfers are next Monday. I have been here for a long time so I might leave, but it could go either way.

That's awesome that you have finished your first semester. Keep working hard and trying. What classes do you have this semester?

That is so much driving. I miss drives though. I only go on bike rides.

It is pretty crazy that everyone is growing up and going on missions. I remember Frank. I had to laugh a little when you said Righteous Lane. I forgot there are streets named like that.

I can't believe cooper is turning 16. Is he doing drivers ed online? 

I don't know what I am going to drive when I get back. I am going to have to find a car. I will just have to work every day from the time I get back until college. I also still don't know where to go to college.

I did pretty good with exercise this week. I really want to just go really hard for a while and lose some weight but it is hard to get going.

When are you going to see grandma and grandpa? That sounds like fun.

Something you might want to try is President Nelson's challenge he talked about in conference. I sent a link to mom. I am starting it and I am super excited.

I love you dad. Thanks for the email and help and advice and everything. I hope you have a good week.

Love, Elder Smith

Hello Mother!

Wow. That is a lot of hours of violin. What was your solo? I got a letter recently from grandma and she was excited to go see you both in the concert.

Are all the questions from the same people or are they from a lot of missionary moms? Haha

Learning the language is different time for everyone. It is difficult to learn. Don't worry too much about the language. Especially in the MTC. Learn all you can there but the gospel should be priority over language. Most people here can speak both English and Danish but Danish is the language they use most. 

As far as how receptive people are to the gospel it is hard, but so is every mission. We teach repentance and baptize converts in the Denmark mission, it just takes a little effort to find those who are willing to listen.

I really liked how both of President Monson's messages were so simple. The Book of Mormon and then kindness. I love conference.

I got your package! Thanks! I love easter candy. You can't get any of that stuff here.

The singing went alright. We made a video one of the times we were practicing. I don't know if anyone got the actual performance. I will send you it if I can.

Haha what stuff should I put in smoothies? My blended sandwich actually just tasted normal. I just didn't have to take bites. Just put it in my mouth.

Haha that sounds like a fun part of the concert. Your second story almost made me laugh out loud haha. 

The other day I was craving A&W root beer and we set out to find it. It is not easy to find. Only a few grocery stores have it and then some little shops. We started searching everywhere and we finally found a little shop and it had root beer! The funny part is that every grocery store we went into and asked if they had root beer really confused them. I was amazed at how many Danes had no idea what root beer was. They are very educated on their different types of beer so I think that is what confused them the most. Oh well. At least we found some.

Jan and Ingeman are doing well. Ingeman is on vacation. We have an appointment with Jan on Tuesday.

Different stuff. A smoothie or a sandwich. Or leftovers.

Yes we still bike everywhere. It's good the weather is getting better.

I don't know about every day, but my first two transfers I was here we biked about 900 miles so I would guess around 1800 in my time here in Aalborg.

We don't walk very much.

I am learning good budgeting skills and resisting ice cream sales.
I am going to try and be more kind and loving. I am also going to start doing President Nelson's challenge he talked about in conference. https://www.lds.org/blog/i-studied-more-than-2200-scriptures-about-the-savior-in-six-weeks-here-is-a-little-of-what-i-learned?lang=eng https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2017/01/prophets-leadership-and-divine-law?lang=eng
Yes all the time. Lots of different music. Motabb, vocal point(hymns), piano music.
Like 2 to 4
Like 2 to 4
I should probably fast more often. Usually fast Sunday then maybe one other time during the transfer. I like to make a goal with my fasting or try and think about what I am fasting for. Like if I want to be better at something I study it while I fast.
I remember an article from this summer that was about the sacrament. It was awesome. https://www.lds.org/liahona/2016/07/youth/remembering-the-savior?lang=eng

I love you mom!!! Have a good week.

Love, Elder Smith

Generalkonference

Well it has been a good week. It is warming up finally. We were even able to go out a couple of times without a jacket on. It was great.

Nothing too exciting this week. We did some knocking and searched for more people to teach. We went out to Blokhus again to visit a less active and it was fun to see the ocean again. After that we did some service for some older members and threw a bunch of branches in a wood chipper.

The only other thing for the week was general conference which was awesome! I loved all the talks and there was so many things I learned from them. If you haven't gotten the chance to see some talks you should find some time for it. 

It is always an amazing opportunity to hear our Prophets and leaders speak to us. I loved hearing Thomas S. Monson speak to us about the importance of a firm testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Jesus Christ. There were talks on God's plan for us, the atonement, and everything else you could imagine. I hope you all get something out of it. I know that Thomas S. Monson and our other church leaders really are prophets of God and I sustain them. They will help us through this life where sometimes things are hard and we aren't sure what we should do. They, like God and Jesus Christ are on our side and want to help us.

I love you all and hope you have a good week. Stay happy! Spring is in the air!

Elder Smith

Dear Mother Dear,

I haven't been able to see the Sunday afternoon session yet. I have loved conference so much. It is so great as a missionary. I don't have a favorite talk yet, but they were all so good.

That is good that Aubrey came. You get to spend a lot of time with her. I would love some key lime pie and cinnamon rolls. I miss that kind of dessert. 

I'm glad you got my letter! That was fast. I usually just put it on pasta and chicken or something. It's nothing too special. I don't make it a ton because it is pretty unhealthy but it is pretty quick and easy. I can't wait to get my Easter package either. I should get it this Thursday if it made it to Denmark by now. Did you send it to the mission office or my apartment?

That's too bad you couldn't make it so you could see Eva Stockholm. She is great. That is awesome that they got to see Utah. By the end of Summer every one of my companions I have had so far will be home. It's pretty crazy the mission is old, but lots of new missionaries will be coming soon.

There are a lot of members I really like. I think it has gotten better over time. Some weeks we don't have any eating appointments but others we have 3 or 4 so it's alright.

Elder Hager and I got a text this week and one of the members wants us to sing next Sunday at the wards Easter concert so we will see how that goes. We are singing Oh Lord, My Redeemer.

Haha your stories are gross. I don't have any funny stories. Elder Hager and I got a new blender thing and we decided to test it out so I blended an entire sandwich and ate it and we thought that was pretty funny. We named the blender Kenneth and he makes us lots of smoothies. Smoothies are healthy right?

I don't need more suit pants just some everyday pants. The suit pants will probably last my whole mission. I just need to find some pants that will fit me.

Answers to your questions:

Lately a smoothie, but I also just like granola, or yogurt and berries and granola. Or breakfast burritos.
People usually don't say mean things but they act really irritated and ignore us or just say nej tak and shut the door.
Hmm. I don't know which one is most fun. I like tallerken, or skildpadde, or rød grød med fløde. Haha I can't say the last one.
Some nights I fall right to sleep and other nights it takes forever. I guess it depends on the day.
Slow. I am working on it. I don't think I am going to finish it this time. I am going to start another study project. Maybe the challenge that President Nelson gave.
I have been pretty good friends with all my companions so yes. It is like that a lot. It is really fun.
Usually just the big ones. I don't really ever take either one around with me. I just use them for studies. I sometimes take the small ones on splits.
No, I usually just start my morning and then have my morning prayer like a half hour after I wake up. 
A couple we are still doing a lot of searching. We still have Jan and we were able to get in contact with one of our investigators from a while back named Ingeman.

I love yoooouuuuuuuuu! Have a good week.

Love, Elder Smith

Hey pops,

I had a good week. Nothing too exciting. I can't believe it's April already. I didn't play any April Fool's jokes, did you?

Wow I can't believe you drove all week. That's a big surprise! So what are all the places you drive now? Is Vernal's economy picking up or is it still poopy? Hopefully things keep going well for the store.

That's good Aubrey could come for conference. I feel like you guys do something with her almost every week. How is the train station going? Does Cooper like it? I think I need to just go really hard for a couple months and try to lose some fat. I just don't know what to eat. What game did Aubrey bring? Was it fun?

I loved conference. I got to see all but the Sunday afternoon session. There were some really really good ones. I thought about you during Elder Bednar's talk. Your mission assignment was nothing like it said on your letter, but you were still called to serve the whole time. I'm not sure which one I like best yet. I will tell you after I see the last session.

I love you dad. Thanks for all the advice and love. I will try and set some good goals. I miss you all too, but the mission is going by almost too fast. Have a good week!

Love, Elder Smith

Wonderful Surprise Email

Dear Family. Smith

I'm writing to you because we've had missionaries to eat agreement with us today, we have had a lovely time together, a spiritual message of Easter, we would like to give a little back to the family at home, so here are just a few pictures which I took as a thank you.

Regards Vandy