This week though was great!!!! November 23, 2015

Like good week. So on Monday we were supposed to have fufu but we got blåsted :'( but that is okay because we are doing it this week instead. I am so psyched!

anyways besides the food. (It makes it hard to focus sometimes) 

On Tuesday we just did a lot of Contacting and a lot of finding. Got to teach some lessons on the street. It was a good time. 

On Wednesday we had an English class again and I am starting to learn English all over again it feels like. I can speak it still but like somethings just start to Swenglish. We then went to a less active member's house and ate some food. She was very nice. Her name is spelled "Ewa" but there is no "W" in Swedish so it is just like "Eva." and her last name translate to power. So that is cool.

After that we taught Fadih again and just read in the Book of Mormon. It is really cool how much power there is in there. He really feels like it could be the word of God because it feels just like the Bible. 

On Thursday I went on Exchanges with Elder Larson. He is very good at Swedish so that was cool. I got to conduct another baptismal interview and we had a great Thanksgiving dinner and then later realized (like the next day) that is wasn't Thanksgiving. That is okay though because we are going to have another chance this Thursday. 

on Friday I got a ton of very real personal inspiration on how to become a better missionary, leader, and how to better help my investigators. It was at a zone training. The zone training was super duper cool and the spirit was there. The work here in Sweden is just picking up momentum and it is so cool to be a part of it. I love it. They talked about testimonies and about how they are personal. We really got to analyze our testimonies and practice using them. They made a good point when they said, "If everyone has a personal testimony why do they all sound the same." Remember that each of us has experiences that we can share with others that no one else can. I am so thankful for this gospel and for the supreme intelligence that our Father in Heaven has for putting me in Sweden right now when things are happening that help me grow. It isn't always super easy or even super fun, but it is super worth it and mostly super fun ;) 

Saturday and Sunday was Stake conference so we traveled to Stockholm and listened. It was super cool that I can understand what they are saying most of the time now. The gift of tongues is real. On the way to church on Sunday we visited the biggest graveyard in Sweden. I'll attach some pictures.

Thank you all for all the support and everything that you do for me. This really is the church that Christ is leading. I think we don't understand the magnitude of that sometimes.

Love you!

Elder Frankman

"He claims he was itching it."

Another terrifically missionaryie week! November 16, 2015

So this was a cool week. 

On Tuesday we went to meet this guy to teach him. He of course didn't show up but that is okay because we just taught two other people while we were waiting for him. One of them is meeting with us now and is investigating the church. His name is Nikolas and he knows almost nothing about God but it is cool. He is 19 years old so maybe he will get to head out on a mission if he finds the church to be true. 

We also met with the Holmdahls. We do that every Tuesday night apparently to talk eat with them and teach a message. It is such a good time. We use our hour of language study at their place because they teach us a lot!

Wednesday was a pretty full day of just teaching people. It was a good time. We teach an English class every week to three old ladies. It is really funny. 

Friday was looong. Just had to do finding work all day and the sun sets at 3:30 so it just kinda gets hard and cold... It is okay though because you just have to keep on working. Last year around this time the work in Sweden went down a lot. My district is not going to let that happen this year. Our zone still hasn't dropped down yet because we know if we keep working, the Lord will keep preparing people even if we are cold. XD 

At the end of the day though.... Just to let us have a little break: So we knocked this door and this Turkish man came out and couldn't speak hardly any Swedish (which happens a lot when tracting/contacting). But at the same time a member of ours comes out of the elevator and pushes us into his house. Like it isn't the member's house... haha it was funny. She then preceded to take this mans food and feed it to us. She apparently takes care of this guy. She made sure to tell us that she only takes care of him and she still follows the law of chastity. It was really cute. But we got to teach them a little bit out of the book of mormon. It was really funny. Tender Mercies of the Lord

Yesterday we got to teach Fadih again. He was incredible. We were teaching him the Plan of Salvation. First of all he stayed at church all three hours and then met with us. So that is four hours. Not to mention the fact that he can barely speak any Swedish so church must have been a little boring in that aspect at least. Second of all everything we asked him about the plan of salvation like, "what do you believe is going to happen after this life?" or "What do you believe about heaven and hell or after judgement." His answers were almost identical to what this church has received through modern revelation. I thought that was so cool. He is very grateful for the Book of Mormon. He is just incredible. Keep praying that he will have strength to go through his conversion process. 

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers! Have a great week.

Missions are great! November 9, 2015

So this week was really good. We got to go visit a less active who is pretty sick. She has cerebral palsy but she is very strong and faithful. This branch really takes care of it's members. It is great. I just found out that she is visited twice a week by branch members. We got to give her a blessing and I really got to feel love for her. 

We had Zone training on Friday and it was really inspiring. My current zone leader is Elder Burgin who was my first district leader and his companion is Elder Featherstone. (I don't know how closely related he is to the 70 if he is) They are very talented missionaries who really inspired us to do better. The zone I am in right now is ready to work and it is awesome. I think the work in Sweden is about to explode!

Then I got to take home with me from zone training Elder Baquedano (The French one) and we did splits here. He is a funny guy and very skilled at the language. He is almost as good as me if he isn't and he has only been out for like 8 weeks. He inspires me to do better!

We swung by a less active who has not been to church in over a year and so I figured there would be something stopping him when we were going to commit him but we asked him to come and he just said sure. Like whatever?! It was awesome. He also recommended the best pizza place in town so I am super excited for that. So we had two Less active members in Sacrament meeting this week so that was really good :) It is one of the most important indicators if they come to sacrament meeting I think. 

Yesterday we met with two investigators  that we just got. One's name is Lilly. She came to church as was genuinely curious and said that our church just felt different. I hope and pray she will do her part. We had some members with on the lesson and it was really good. 

The other person is named Fadih. He is Christian and thinks that in our days today that we really need more scripture and more guidance and he thinks The Book of Mormon could be his answer. He is just happy to meet and we will meet him next week. 

We also met a less active yesterday. His name is Daniel and he moved here about 7 years ago. He is super cool and he said that we could come over tomorrow (today) to eat pizza with him and I said yeah absolutely. He is black and I have heard all about this African dish called fufu (I don't know if that is correctly spelled) so I told him that I would pay and stuff if he would make me some sometime. So we cancelled pizza and next week we are making fufu! Yesss. He told us he feels far away from God sometimes because of his work schedule so I told him we could fast with him. He liked that idea and I told him we would fast next Sunday and break our fast on Monday with Fufu and he LOVED that Idea. I am so excited. He is very humble and very fun. 

That is my week! Like there was a lot more but as usual I am out of time! Thank you all for everything!

Rubber Duckie

Translation: "A pizza a day keeps the doctor away!"

Like what a Week- Nov 2, 2015

Monday we went to Stockholm and we had a good time all together. The last P-day in Stockholm before I headed off to Västerås.

On Tuesday we had an entirely booked day with a member dinner and all. The lesson that we had that day with Thomas went pretty good. He is starting to understand that it depends depends depends on The Book of Mormon and we had some powerful testimony in that lesson. We even had a member with us to teach it. That was super good.

Wednesday I went up to Stockholm and then over to Västerås to meet my new companion Elder Purkey. He is great. The area right now is pretty dead again. I mean I guess we have a few investigators but I have never seen evidence of their existence... They don't answer text or call. It is okay though! We are going to kick start this area. There used to be four Elders in this city but now there is only two due to the "great greenie drought of 2015." This just means we get more city to work with though so it is okay!

On Thursday we had my first district meeting! I was scared and unsufficient feeling in about every way but it worked out splendidly. I am the youngest missionary in the district besides the trainees which was why I was a little scared but that gives me a lot of experience that can help me. Everyone in my district is awesome. If you could keep them in your prayers that would be great. The work load in this district seems to be higher. I just feel like Sweden is picking up pace as a mission. If you want there names they are:

Karlstad Elders: Elder Castleton-Rudolph and Elder Loumeir

Örebro Elders: Elder Larson and Elder Baquedeno (he is French)

Örebro Sisters: Sister Beckstrom  and Sister Hoke

I am sure they would appreciate your prayers!

Then we met Edi. He is a great guy. We are going to teach him. He lives in the same apartment of one of our less active members. He is very nice and kind.

On Friday we went to see the Frid family. They are very cool. The wife used to go to BYU-I about 6 years ago. They like to speak English but their son doesn't so I got to do a language study with him. (He is 11) He likes mine-craft and he likes motorbikes. :) After that we left from our area (The middle part of the country) to go to Stockholm (The eastern side of the country) then to Karlstad (the Western side of the country). Don't ask me why that was supposedly "faster" but whatever!!!

On Saturday we walked out of the apartment and some guy asked us to walk him back to his apartment and we did. He was limp one side of the body, couldn't remember his name for a while, and didn't really make sense when he talked. I was remembered that this was all signs of a stroke. Right after we dropped him off I told the other Elders and they agreed and so I got to call Swedish 911. They came and then we left. I don't know what happened. I am just thankful for what I am sure was the spirit letting me remember the signs of a stroke. Maybe it was nothing but I am sure glad I acted. I feel good and now I don't have any "what if's" in my conscious.

I also got to do some baptismal interviews.... That was one of the coolest things ever. They were so ready. Baptismal interviews are really an honor to conduct and honestly the highlight of this week. They were so ready for the gospel and so happy to have it in their lives. Sometimes we forget the great blessing it is for us to just have the gospel in our lives. If you could pray for Robin, Adrian, and Mattias as they prepare for their upcoming baptisms, that would be great!

Sunday I just got to meet the ward and establish contact with some great less actives that want to give us food!!! Sounds like a blast. Hopefully they want to listen to the gospel and come to church too. We will see!!!

God has a plan. It is crazy. It is crazy good.

Thank you all for everything! You have my prayers. Thanks for the emails!

Jag är gravid!

So this week started off with a call from President Beckstrand. I have been teasing my companion all transfer that he is about to train this coming transfer and he wouldn't believe me. But on this fated Monday, President Beckstrand called and said that we are both training! Like that was a little weird. I am officially at the point now, that my trainer was when he picked me up. 

I went on splits twice this week and then on Friday we had a training meeting to train the trainers on how to train the trainees. :) It was super duper good and I was super excited to get my greenie. At the end of the meeting the President let us know that none of the greenies are coming except for one because they didn't get their visas. The one that can come is a Finnish kid. :P So I have to wait until next transfer for my kid and then it through everything else into wack because transfers had to be entirely remapped. Which means I am now done with my one transfer stop in Handen and I will be headed to Västerås where I will be the district leader over the Karlstad and Örebro. My new companion's name is Elder Perky. I am super excited. With a last name like that, it is going to have to be a crazy good transfer coming up. This means that I get to go on splits like a lot. haha 

Handen was a good stop and I am super happy to have been here. 

Bjorn is doing well. We set up the expectation to meet with him more and he has now been taught The Plan of Salvation. I look forward to seeing him baptized after I leave. 

My Companion Elder Richardson is a great, hardworking, fun loving, missionary and I am so glad to have served with him. 

This church is true. God answers prayers. Thank you all for everything you do!

The following is fun info from Aj and I's correspondence. I asked AJ how he was getting his fill of music without his guitar,( which he played 3-4 hours a day prior to leaving for Sweden). This was his reply:

"I have a guitar actually. I got it last week. I got it some new strings and then jimmy-rigged it with a pen to make it play better. The pen then started to leak so I decorated. :) I will send you a picture if I remember. It was left in an apartment and the other Elders just gave it to me. I guess we did sing in sacrament yesterday. I wasn't even scared at all like.... It was kinda eh. I think I just need more fun music, or I need to do it in a language that I understand, or... Idk. It was good though :) Like it wasn't bad it just wasn't as exciting as normal. I have also started to learn piano a little more. I started to learn an arrangement of "Where can I turn for peace" but my next apartment had no piano and the part I was at had sixlets with eighth notes at the same time so I kinda just put it on hold until I could get help XD."

Good week!!! Good Gospel

We had a splendid lesson one Tuesday with Björn. He said taht once he got an answer that the Book of Mormon is true, he would be baptized. God prepared this man out of his mind. It was just a really good restoration lesson. After that we had a lesson with Peter George Minne. He is an old less active guy who loves for me to play the guitar for him. He is so sweet. After we meet every time. He says, "krams!" and we give him hugs :) 

On Wednesday I talked to some older people on the train who like to do family history and they have been married for 48 years. I like how they stayed together for so long. 

On Thursday I had dinner at a members house who told us about how he got into a street fight on him mission and how his mission president at the time wasn't really happy with him when he got the police report. He is so funny. 

On Friday my companion and I did splits with some twins in the ward. It was good until the lesson we had set up just fell through. We started to do some swing buys and I told him (Sebastian) that he needed to pick the next swing by. They weren't home but we helped people move out and we got to teach a lesson about the Book of Mormon. It was really good :) I love doing splits.

I found this guy in my ward that co-wrote a song with yellow card!!! Just a fun thing I found that most of you probably won't know. But he is friends with them so that is super cool. 

Sunday was good and I love this church and everything it teaches.

It was a good week!

Thanks for everything!

Week... 6? jk

Life this week was rough. We only had like two member dinners... Life in the Hand (Handen translates to the hand) is good though. I am totally mostly kidding about the member dinner thing. 

So on Tuesday we met with the guy named Björn. He is so great. He was an old investigator and we called him up and he wanted to meet. When we met we asked what happened last time, why did they stop meeting. He said that he did not know. I am guessing it has to do with the fact they took missionaries out a while ago. Anyways he is super solid and he wants to meet. He loved reading MB (Mormons Bok in Swedish for BoM). We read in Alma 32 and he said that he can feel the seed in his heart growing. IT WAS AWESOME. haha that might be too much excitement... oh well. He is going through a hard time right now in his life but he loves to meet with us. So that is awesome. 

We got a Jehovah's Witness member to come to our church last week so we went to his this week... It was kinda like a boring Sunday school class. It may have been in part because it was Swedish and in part... Yeah I don't know. The people were extremely nice though and they all wanted us to come back... We were like yeah... probably not... ha It was a good experience though to teach people a little about what we do. They were all very impressed with how fast we learned Swedish. I think it was good.

Well I am out of time. 

Thanks for everything. You are in my prayers. 

Another Splendid Week

This week was really great but I am really tired and can't remember. Sorry the email is late, we had a lesson during P-Day so we had to switch some stuff around and do half the emailing today. Anyways. 

This week was a great week if not only for conference. It started out just pretty slow, but we kept pushing and we knew that we just needed to make it to conference. So we got there and it was well worth the wait! I loved conference. I think it is better as a missionary (except for the lack of pajamas). I love the new apostles and I got a confirmation, as they all gave their testimonies, that they are really apostles of a living Savior. They are who The Lord needs right now. My companion was pretty upset that there wasn't a black apostle, but after he heard them talk he agrees they are from God.  

We got an investigator to come to the Saturday afternoon session (which was just a rebroadcast for us) and he wasn't really sure what he wants to think about it. That may have something to do with him being a strong member of the Jehovah's Witness church. We made a blood pact with him to go to his church next week. Okay not really a blood pact. We did agree to that though. 

Our other investigator Fredrick was kinda just stagnant. He was taught a few months ago and then dropped because he was not progressing... We recontacted him and I was afraid of the same thing happening. He is nice but just wasn't really acting. Then he came to conference! He was so happy after conference. I am pretty sure whether it registered in his mind or not, he knows the truth of these apostles and prophets. He had a big smile after the meeting. 

Life is good here in Sweden. We are working hard and The Lord is definitely starting to reward us. 

Thanks you all!

Blåstdogs

WE set up quite a few appointments this week and when those people doesn't should up, it is called a "blåst." Needless to say when had quite a few of them this week. That is totally okay though because we get blåst hot dogs to make up for it. There is this place right by where we do the majority of our planned lessons where hot dogs are only 5 kronor. (62.5 ish cents) It has made me almost want people to not come! I love my hot dogs.

We were going to a member dinner here (since this is basically the "Utah" part of Sweden and we have a dinner every day this week) and this lady walked up to me and said, "for you." and she handed me a back of salad. She then promptly walked away and my companion and the member we were with just were kinda stunned. My companion said it was an answer to his prayers cause he wants vegetables. I am pretty sure that there are drugs or something in the bag but we'll see. Well he will, I don't got time for vegetables.

We have found a 3 new investigators this week, 2 of which still want to meet with us.

Elder Richardson and I taught a lesson this week that was admittedly not very unified but we are definitely doing better. During the lesson though, as I shared the first vision the library we were teaching in got more and more quit until finally it was silent. I thought it was a little tender mercy and another affirmation for me that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father and Christ.

The work here is really progressing. I love to be a missionary. It is hard, stressful, and tiring. Most of all though it is rewarding, fun, and spiritually uplifting. It is what God has for me right now and he knows what I can and can't handle. I am so thankful to be here. 

Thank you all for all!

Taught English to these Guys

I'm escaping Linköping!

Monday September 14,2015

So I got transfer calls this week and I will be leaving my Finnish friend and going to a place called Handen. The weird part is that, in Handen I will be closer to the temple that I am to the Logan temple back home! Instead of a 30 minute drive. It is a 30 minute walk! How crazy is that! I am so excited. I think it will be exciting too, to be part of an actual ward again. I will be serving in a four man apartment and the other two people are zone leaders so there is a lot that I can learn. My new companion's name is Elder Richardson. 

I got to give my leaving and are testimony yesterday and that was great! I am so grateful for how much the Lord helps with the language. I am by no means fluent but I can understand quite a lot and talk to people. It is so weird. 

We went to lunch this week with a Baptist Pastor. His name is Pelle and he is the best. He loves to meet with the missionaries every once in a while and just learn a bit about our church. He really loves Jesus and really follows Christ the best that he can. I know that God has a plan for every singular person to accept the gospel in their own time. 

Hampus is almost ready for baptism! He has been waiting for almost a whole year and now he only has three weeks left. He even is going to get his parents to come. He is very unique. He found the church himself and he held fast once he found out it was true. He lives over 2 hours away and is only 17. He is the great! 

I really really loved serving in Linköping and everything that I got to learn here. I know that God answers prayers and that he can comfort me! He can comfort you. Use the scriptures, pray honestly, and have faith. 

Thank you all for all that you do! 

Elder AJ Frankman

#1 Really wet guy

So this was a week. We went to Zone Conference this week. I currently am living in Linköping and we went to a city named Handen. It took us a few hours to get there and then we had a sleep over at the Handen Elders apartment. It was a good time. Elder Archibald made delicious no bake cookies just in case anyone was wondering. 

At zone conference we learned how Preach My Gospel really is not a book that once you get off your mission, you put it on the shelf. It is something that can really help in everyday life. I think I am starting to understand more and more every day the value that that book really has. Boyd K. Packer once said, "Preach My Gospel was designed beyond the veil and put together here."

On Thursday we had splits and I taught Thomas his last lesson before coming a member. It went well! I also got to give a blessing on Thursday. It is really a miracle that those who I give blessings to understand my Swedish and all of the Swedish that I study is brought to my remembrance. I have enough to say what they need. I am thankful for the opportunity to see miracles through learning a language. 

Saturday at 11 was the day! Thomas was really actually baptized! It was so good. Every time I see that man he has more light about him. He definitely does not have a perfect knowledge, but he is trying and desiring. THAT  is what counts. When he showed up to be confirmed on Sunday he had a really big smile and was just happy. His testimony was very funny but sweet when he said "som din tjänare i hans namn" which translates to, " as your servant in his name" he was very proud to have a six word testimony and sat down. It was kinda funny. Then he got up again in the same sacrament meeting and gave another testimony. He loves the family he finds in the church. Do not take it for granted!

I had a hard week this week sometimes but it helped me renew my testimony that prayer works. It really does. It is not always instant, but if you listen to the whisperings of the spirit that come to your heart or mind during a prayer, it works. I am so thankful for an all powerful father who loves every single one of his children. I am so thankful for all of you that are here to support me on the way. Thanks for everything!

From bottom to top XD Äldste Frankman, Mikael, Thomas, Äldste Kiikko

From bottom to top, Thomas, Äldste Frankman

​Celebratory Baptism food. (This is all pretty much strictly american food)

My Purpose

"Thomas is getting baptized on Saturday! We got a member to do it so that if he ever falls away, it is his job to grab him back. ;) He has really changed. The gospel does so much to a person. I wish you could've seen how much Thomas has changed. He is still a proof based, intellectual Swede, but somehow someway God makes things work out. Thomas is much happier. This Gospel is true! I will make sure to send pictures next week of the baptism. :D

No more time but Thank you for everything!"

Elder Frankman

Here is a little snip from his letter to me. It might be of interest to the inquiring mind:

"I ride bikes a couple times a week. Not a ton but I do. We just pay 150 dollars to a bike fund at the beginning of my mission and all repairs and stuff are paid through the mission. We eat with members in my area about once a week or less depending on the week. Sometimes it is like three times, but that is when we go into another area as well. I really don't know the size exactly of my area but it takes 2 hours by a pretty fast train to get to the opposite end of my area. The main city where we are stationed is the 5th biggest in Sweden. So it is a LOT bigger than state mission areas."


And  a paragraph from his letter to James a few weeks back:

"Oh yeah, so this week I got invited to go crab fishing with this part member less active family. I didn't go because it wasn't really an effective use of time. But I thought that was super cool!

Oh and we sometimes go to the next area to do service for a member there because he really likes me. He took me in the car and we went on "splits" and bought me and my companion a gift certificate because I "work the hardest out of all of them." I just thought you would be proud that your son knows how to shovel dirt ;) I don't want to come across bragging, but I thought you would be proud and I guess I kinda am...

Thanks for teaching me how to work ".

Cobblestone Roads Everywhere

So on Monday we did some fantastic tracting! That was the best... I think just getting out there and working is really how it is done. It also helps when the sun goes away. I am so excited for this famed Swedish winter where the sun doesn't stay up all the day long making everything super hot. 

On Tuesday we were going to the church when we ran across a person who is Hindu. That was super duper cool. He really listened to the message. I love the opportunity I have to be here to find all those children of our loving heavenly father that he has prepared to hear the gospel. 

On Wednesday I got to teach an English class to a bunch of kids from Somalia. Their parents make them come. I think they are starting to like me though, and I think that it is a great way to plant seeds in their hearts.

On Thursday we swung by a few members and less active members that we got to teach. There is this member that is less active named Joseph. He is a really cool guy and really has a lot of ideas for missionary work. He said he would start coming to church again  so that was really good!

On Friday we got to do some service. We went to a far away city called Kisa. It is really pretty. The members house is up on the "mountain" (not in Sweden...) and it overlooks this small city and a lake. To top it all off, we were working on the roof so we got an incredible view!! Sweden is very beautiful in its own way.

On Saturday I got to go teach the Language class again. 

THOMAS IS BACK!!!! Thomas traveled back from Norway and was dead tired, but he still came to church. He is going to meet with us tonight. We only have one more lesson he needs taught before the interview for baptism. I think sometimes on the surface he acts like a Swede, but in his heart he believes this church is true. 

I am so thankful for the love that, through prayer and the atonement, Jesus Christ can give me for all of our brothers and sisters. I think that it is amazing the love that I have been starting to attain for all of these people.

The church is true! 

That still small ambiguous feeling!

Not very much time to write this week but here is a bit!

So we had an hour before we needed to be back at the  apartment and our plans kinda just fell through. I decided to say a prayer in my heart to know where to go. I felt, not overwhelming, prompted to go to this certain area and nothing happened. Then we went to the buses the long way and found a guy who was not only kind, but also Christian, open, willing to listen, and speaks English as opposed to Swedish. So that was really cool! We are going to meet him soon!

I love to serve and though it is hard work, this church is true and led by Jesus Christ himself. I am so thankful for prophets and apostles that we have the privilege to have in our time! I don't know what I would do without them. Thank you all for the emails and support. Special thanks for the prayers for my investigators.

Some stuff happened and such

So about Thomas.

He has a baptismal date now! 5 of September. I think that he really misses Elder Johnson. I am super excited for him though. He is a real friend and he wants to know what we have to say is true. 

I love that guy. ;)

I left my first companion in Sweden. We were sad to leave each other. I got my new companion though. His name is Elder Kiikko. He is from Finland. If you didn't know Finish is considered one of the worlds hardest languages. He is cool. He has been in Sweden now for about 20 months. He is about to "die" as we call it in the mission. I don't know if they do that in other missions but when a greenie is getting trained, the trainer is called the "father/mother." When missionaries go home, they "die." If you come back to Sweden and get married to a Swede it is called being, "resurrected." 

Anyway Elder Kiikko seems like a good guy and we are having a good time. 

This week we are planning on teach language classes... I am going to teach English and Elder Kiikko is going to teach Swedish. Wish us luck haha

We visited the old man again. He was happy to see us. He says he enjoys our company because his daughter lives in Stockholm. He is so spry for an old guy. (see that rhyming?) 

Thank you all for the support and for the letters and the prayers!

Sincerely,

     Elder Frankman

Good times!

So my transfer is almost over. First off Thomas!

So we talked to Thomas and he is actually genuinely searching now. He wants this to be true. We taught him about fasting and committed him to fast about whatever is holding him back from baptism (although it was phrased a lot better and more missionarily than that). He came to church yesterday and got up in fast and testimony meeting and gave a great testimony on how he sees God in groups. He just like how we organize families. He loves having the branch as friends. We are meeting him today at 6PM (10AM) your time. (probably. Assuming you live in Idaho/Utah) I am super excited. I think that things are going to go really well. 

We were talking to a Potential Investigator and we were going to meet him in his house on Saturday, but he broke his arm and didn't really want to meet. He is such a good person. He is a healthy Seventy five year old man. He always tells us about his mother. His mother was a great Christian and he has been influenced by her example. I have too. She really knew what it meant. But anyways he really loves Americans... He thinks that Swedes are a lot more rude than Americans. He asks us all the time, "People don't spit in the streets in Salt Lake City do they? The Swedes spit in the streets." haha He also tells us this story every time we see him, "My mother always says, 'If I were to do it all over again, I would move to America.' And I always ask why is that? She would say to me this one thing. This one thing she would say to me, 'Americans... they are so fine.'" So he loves the missionaries and he loves the LDS Church. So we happened to run into him on the street right by our church and he said, "How about we go in your church and you tell me why I need to be a Mormon." We of course gladly accepted. He in the course of the lesson said, "What do I need to do again to be a member?" We said baptism. He was like, "I can do that. How is that done?" He said he is sick of other churches just being basically for the social aspect. He said also that he is going to come to our church from now on. He is so prepared!!! It isn't even funny. I really hope that paragraph makes sense. 

I get a new companion in two days! Guess where he is from? come on just guess. Utah? no Idaho? no Finland? yeah!!! I am super duper excited to learn from him. 

We had another lady show up in church names Touhida who is a single mom with a three year old daughter who is sooo cute. God is just tying everything together to work. Please pray that I don't unravel it all XD

Thanks for the prayers, the emails, and everything else.

Sincerely,

     Äldste AJ Frankman

7/29/2015

On Monday we went to talk to this old guy that we met the week before. His name is Ekret. He is so funny. He has given everything that he owns to his daughter and now just lives in his house (that is now his daughters) and takes care of the yard. We went inside to talk to him and he is super hard to understand. My trainer was having a hard time too. He told a ton of funny stories though. He apparently doesn't allow male CNA or Nurses or Sweden's equivalent into his house. Like one time a male and a female showed up and he wouldn't let him in! He is so funny. He said he usually doesn't let people into his house, but he could tell that we were different. That was really cool. These 94 year old Swedes really know how to stay healthy. He just works in the yard. Anyways he is great.

On Tuesday we went to go help a member work on his roof. That was super funny because my companion failed about every other nail and got them all in bent... Haha We also finally got in contact with Andre, who's girlfriend was baptized but he hasn't been because he doesn't quite feel ready. So that was super cool. We just need him to meet with us more. 

We went on splits again this week and I got to take over my area for the day. (I was actually "in charge" all week) I went to Branch Council and the entire thing was in Swedish and I felt pretty good to be following and participating. I now feel like my Swedish isn't working again but I guess that is just how it goes. 

We did some more service on Friday. This member is the best to serve because he gives all the missionaries that come over Root Beer. (Everyone in Sweden doesn't like it so it is really hard to find.) We got to dig. Reminds me of home whenever I do manual labor XD

We got a lesson with our baptismal date investigator Hampus. His dad wanted to feed us!!! That was super good. His dad loves us. He isn't interested in the church really, but I think that he thinks we are a good example for his son. We might not be (kidding) but the church is. 

On Sunday during Sunday school Thomas turned to me and said something along the lines of, "My parents were Pentecostal, I need to go there right now." So our investigator left our church and went to the Pentecostal church... That was pretty great. Don't worry though, it wasn't really anything big. He still is investigating the LDS church and not the Pentecostal XD 

For P-Day, the mission all played volley ball. We did it as zones. My team was... like the worst. We played one game that we didn't score a point and we played another game where we were about to win but then there was a terrible call... anyways. It was good. XD

We taught a guy yesterday who apparently believes the Book of Mormon and that Joseph was a prophet but doesn't believe in this church being the only one with authority. My companion got a little frustrated with some of the things he was saying and the loops this guy was walking in... Ha The Great Apostasy is real folks. He is a good guy. He will understand eventually! 

This has just been an exciting week! I love you all and thank you for the support and great examples you are to me!

Elder AJ Frankman

Do you know what this is? Thought you would like it

Cool feature huh?

​Every morning these guys just sit outside our apartment