Sugartosis

Editor Note:  Oops! Bad mom award.  I got a little behind in my posting duties but now we are all caught up!

II can't believe it's already been another week!! Times are flying and stuff is happening!!

One of our investigators and her daughters and really really progressing.  Sheis a FOR SURE baptism, just needs to pick out a date.  One of her daughters stayed with her instead of heading up to her dad's place for one week longer because she likes church and the missionaries so much!! Isn't that so great??? We play fodbold every saturday and we invited them to come play and it was SO.  FUN.  I could tell that the quiet, 15 yr old girl was having a blast and her mom was so so so happy.  And they both came to church on sunday!! Hahaha this week's meeting was extra extra hard to understand because the Copenhagen Temple President and his wife came to speak with us, but they're from Sweden so the entire sacrament meeting was in Swedish! Hahah I can feel that I'm beginning to understand Danish but it is one SLOW process, because the Danish they taught us in the MTC is NOT the Danish they speak here in Midt Jylland lemme tell ya, but it's coming.  I hope.

In other news, we had 3 new investigators this week! One of them is this lady in her mid-20's who has come to church quite sporadically for 2 years but has never agreed to take the missionary lessons until now! We had a fantastic lesson with here and I really hope that she'll invite us back.  All the other missionaries were so surprised and excited to hear that she had agreed to meet with us because she had resisted for so long!  We also met an investigator while in the midst of banke på - door knocking - which was quite refreshing! It almost makes those endless hours of rejection worth it. Almost.  Hahah just kidding TOTALLY worth it!   
Today was so so fun! I know it's Grandpa Gene's birthday, and it's also the birthday of Søster Forslund in our senior companionship!! To celebrate we, with them and the Ældster companionship, went to the other side of the island to the Hvid Sands Beach and ''hiked'' a bit around the sand dunes.  We went all the way to the top of the lighthouse and looked over to see an INCREDIBLE view!! I took many many pictures.  We also got to go down to the FREEZING water and put our toes in and it felt aaaaalmost like a vacation.  The huge icecream and danish hotdog really put me in a good, touristy mood.  It was so fun!! 

I have actually been thinking of grandma and grandpa a lot lately.  We teach the plan of salvation a lot, so I am thinking about it constantly.  I think about people I have lost in my life and it really reassures me that I have people looking out for me in the next life as I go about trying to invite others to come unto Christ.  I can feel their presence and their influence as I work.  

I have to mention this - I don't know if this is was planned or not, but our house in Utah is veeeeery similar to the Danish homestyle here! All the Danish houses have HUGE windows and tons of doors and you're never quite sure which one to knock on, just like ours! The basic home consists of light brow wood floors and white walls, making a clean and classy finish.  Everything is always furnished with IKEA or little knick knack stores which makes the Danish environment very Hyggelig.  I think that you both, mom and dad, would REALLY like it.  I keep seeing things like this and others and really just getting so excited to take you all back here!  I'm not just saying this because I'm a litttttle biased toward Denmark concerning travel locations.  Denmark is special.  It reminds me of home.  Honestly and truthfully it does.  One of my favorite parts of the week is going to Århus because we get to ride the train through the Danish countryside for 3 hours which I know Mom would love.  The culture and concepts, mixed with Scandinavian architecture is what Dad would goggle over.  The icecream shop playing Elvis classics today would have Gabe bobbing his head whilst blissfully licking his waffle cone.  Saul would be quite content with the sports talk and the fodbold fanatics and the shopping.  And Olive would love it all!! ESPECIALLY the amount of dogs I see!!   Denmark is a wonderful, beautiful place.  I am so pleased to be living here for the next 16 months, even despite the rain and the chill.  The blessings I see coming from the work make everything worth it.  The good people I meet make me wonder why I didn't get out here sooner!! 

Side note - 2 young adults in my branch are going to a church event called FestiNord this week.  I am DEFINITELY going when I get back. Just a heads up. 

Another side note - if you see my face getting a little bit bigger as the weeks go on, don't be alarmed.  It's just a case of sugartosis.  There is no cure.  All missionaries get it. 

 I don't have a ton of time to write this week because we got back from the beach a little later then we planned on, but as I sit here scrunching my toes in my shoes that are still full of sand I want you to remember how much I love you, and how happy I am to see the new Book of Mormon initiative that is happening in our family!! This week my challenge for you is to read Alma 32 and discuss why faith is so important and how to nourish it.  That chapter is definitely one of my favorites.  Let me know what you find!! 

I love you all and I am so grateful for the prayers and blessings sent my way! They help more than you know!!

Jeg elsker Denmark, jeg elsker Jesus Kristus og sit evangelium.  Jeg elsker jer og har det godt! 

Love,
Søster Esplin
raya.esplin@myldsmail.net







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