Great week of training: 11/23/2015

Well, I have already been in the field for over a month now! Pretty crazy when I start thinking about it. This past week has been an absolute blast, but before I tell you all about it, I want to share a story with you. This is a story I came across that really means so much to me and has changed my outlook on my mission as well as my perspective on others. I'd love to hear what you think of it as well!

The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. A young man, just before leaving on his mission, stood in Sacrament Meeting and bore, in essence, the following testimony. "My Brothers and Sisters, as you know, during the past few weeks I have been awaiting my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream I was in the pre-existence and was awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same excitement and anticipation that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream, I was talking to a friend. He was a very dear friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked, a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. The letter said: You have been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born into the true church, and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will be raised with many advantages and many blessings. You will be born in a land of plenty-a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America." My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call. And while we rejoiced, the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. The letter said: "You have been called to go to earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be frought with political and social difficulties which will hinder the word of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica." We wept, my friend and I as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "when we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, come and find me." Then this young missionary, with tears in his own eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica." There is a special sequel to this story. About a year after this sacrament meeting, the Bishop to this ward received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it, and on the sheet was written in inch-high letters four words: I FOUND MY FRIEND.

I LOVE that story. It really has given me such a different outlook on our relationships with others! I know that what was said is true and I hope that we search for and find our "Friends"

So yeah, this past week was really fun! I spent mostly all of it in Copenhagen, with the all of my MTC group, for a training. We did a lot of fun things! So before we left to Copenhagen, Ældste Jensen and I were up in Esbjerg with the rest of our district (Ældste Allred, Ældste Gerber, Søster Van Orden and Søster Ferguson) We had a great P-Day together! We took this ferry and went to this island off the west coast of Esbjerg called Fanø. The weather was really crappy, but we walked across the width of the island (heading west) trying to get to the beach on the other side. We finally got there and it was such a cool site! Huge beach with the intimidating North Sea in the Horizon. Ældste Allred and I walked all the way out to the shore line where HUGE waves were just crashing down! It was pouring rain and the wind was strong enough to blow you over, but it was a BLAST!

Tuesday morning, I split up from Ældste Jensen (He stayed in Esbjerg) and Ældste Allred and I hopped on a train and headed to Copenhagen! Once we arrived in Copenhagen we met up with the other 12 members of my MTC group and the trainers as well. There were police with heavy machine guns and dogs roaming around the station, probably because of what happened in Paris as well as a soccer game that day with Denmark and Sweden. We all hopped in vans and went to the mission home!

Staying there was absolutely great! The food was DELICIOUS and it was really good to see how everyone was doing! Everyday we had training which consisted of Family History and Missionary work and how we can become more successful in our work. We had two big activities though which were the highlights of my week.

On Wednesday, we went to the Frederiksborg Castle. That place is jaw dropping! The pictures I have posted surely doesn't do it justice! The palace is HUGE!! It was built in the beginning of the 1600's and has so much to it! Thousands of statues and carvings throughout the building and it's grounds. All of Carl Block's (We use a lot of his paintings in the church) are in this castle! It was soo cool to see and is somewhere I definitely want to return to!

On Thursday we went to the temple and that made my week! I have missed going to the temple so much so I was really excited to go! The Denmark temple, even though it's not big, is beautiful! It has a really special spirit to it. I wish I was able to go every week! Even though Copenhagen was a blast, it was great to be back in Sønderborg at the end of the week! We had the trainers over at our place for splits Friday night to Saturday night. On Sunday, familie Kunts had Ældste Jensen and I over for dinner! I can't tell you guys enough how much I love Danish meals!! Oh yeah, I have gained 12 pounds so far on my mission and I'm feeling pretty proud of that:)

This week was a lot of fun and I got a lot from it, but now it's time to get back to the real work! We were able to have one lesson this week with a woman we contacted on the Gågade. Her name is Puang! She is a young lady from the middle of China who is living and going to school here in Sønderborg. She is completely new to Christianity as a whole but is really interested. We taught her about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! She thought it was really cool and accepted our challenge to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and the things we teach her. I have really high hopes for Puang and would love to see how the Gospel betters her life! She is such an amazing person!

Well, I gotta go, but like always, I want all of you to know how much I love you and thank you for all the support you have given me!! Vi ses på mandag!!

Ældste Weese 

Pictures from training in Copenhagen with my MTC group

Pictures from Pday - Island of Fano

Frederiksborg Castle