AWESOME B-Day Party!

Making the cake! I got to use the BIG knife! hahaha


The finished product! (Kinda looks like a big doughnut right?.. I guess that's the idea with a bundt pan!)


My AWESOME fur hat!!! It is so warm! :)


Matt's AWESOME fur hat!!! Can't touch that! Bamm!!!!

Hej Familj!!!

Well, this week has been great! We have worked hard and enjoyed being in the service of the Lord! I want to start off by letting you all know about the awesome birthday party the Sisters threw for me last Thursday at District Meeting. Äldste Maxwell's birthday is on the 27th of October so his will be celebrated this Thursday at District Meeting. We traveled to Norrköping and gathered for lunch at a local Kebab shop. After having some delicious pizza (Pasta sauce, ham, cheese, curry and bananas!!) we all headed to the church. I was carrying the cake I had made the night before!! We actually had a spring-form bundt pan to cook it in. Just like Mom! I did not cook the cake for long enough however, so it was a pain getting out of the pan, but it came out and was really moist and delicious! I cut it into three layers and put chocolate frosting and strawberry jam in between the three pieces. Yum! After placing Reese's Pieces on the top and candy dots on the outer sides the cake was ready! We had our District Meeting and then the Sisters took over! They made me close my eyes and promise not to peek. I did so. They placed something on my head and something around my neck. They told me to open, and then the laughter erupted! It was then I realized that I had a sign on my neck that said, "Spank Me!" This comes from a conversation we all had on the train ride back from Stockholm. We were talking about birthday traditions and then Sister Tanner mentioned something called a "spank machine??" It is basically when people line up and the birthday person crawls through the tunnel formed by their legs and gets spanked by each person. I, as you could probably guess, took the opportunity to express what a terrible tradition that was. Who wants that on their birthday?! Is this something normal?? Do people actually do that? Anyway, I guess they got me back for the comments! Not to worry, after looking at the sign I exclaimed, "There will be NO Spank Machine!!!" :) hahaha It was a good warm-hearted joke. On the other side the sign read, "Birthday Boy!" That was nice of them... lol After all of that commotion I realized that I was still wearing something on my head... It was a huge crown they had made from plastic and a balloon and some blue and yellow ribbon! Beautiful! haha We put ALL of the candles Mom sent into the cake and took it outside to light it. Sadly, our attempts outside failed. So, we took it inside and with very controlled variables lit the cake and I blew out the candles. It was fun! We then lit the sparklers that were also sent (because those were probably not a good idea in the church! ;) After eating some DELICIOUS cake we left for home. It was lots of fun, and I will never forget it! :) So, in other news.... haha The weather is getting colder. We woke up to a morning of frost the other day, and the air smells like snowfall! It is only a matter of time... Only a matter of time.... AGH!! haha

I want to get to the e-mails because we are running behind today! Matt! I love you Matt! It sounds like Peak is incredible, but I am a fan of free... Take advantage of that! The mission life is GREAT! Thank you for asking! I have had lots if experiences while out here. I will save most of them for another time though. Just know that I am safe and loving my time as a representative of the Lord, Jesus Christ! Congrats on the win in Kalispell! Sounds like all of their smoke and mirrors wasn't able to cover up their playing! Way to go! You're awesome! #1!!! haha I just thought I would go off on some sticker slogans! ;) Yes, I have heard of "the jerk" dance move. Sadly, I don't really remember the steps. Äldste Deleeuw, who is in my group, still does it all of the time! haha Fun stuff! You got a fur hat?? Does it look like mine?! I absolutely LOVE mine! It is so warm and soft! Thats what you get with quality Swedish goods! :) I hope you are doing well brother! I love you very much! Keep on making me proud of you!

Okay, now on to Dad! I love you Dad! I hope you and Mom have lots of fun on your Mexican trip... Still bitter!!! We will take that trip together some time. . . Right?? hehe! As for a contact number... Our number here in Linköping is 0735250247. You will have to figure out the country code, because I am just not sure! (I don't make too many international calls to Sweden...haha) Anyway, I hope that number is not needed, but since you asked, you have it! My Doctor's appointment on the 1st of November is just with a regular Doctor. I called Örnsköldsviks Sjukhus and had them send my paperwork down here to Dr. Morten Ericsson. So, he should be up to date on my health. Pray for him!! We will get this figured out! :) I am pretty sure that I mentioned the bike questions in my last e-mail... We did get a new one, and the mission paid for it. The money came from the bike fund I contributed to when I first came to Sweden. As for the BYU thing for Matt.. If I remember correctly, the early registration gave you a higher chance of acceptance. As for Summer or Fall... I am not sure because I never questioned that. I think they were under the same registration period?!?!?? Maybe?? Because I was accepted for the Summer Term.. Anyway, let me know if I can help any more with that! As for what I would like to do... Maybe work the Summer and return in the Fall?? Or jump right in at Summer... I will have to give it some more thought! But thank you for looking into it for me! Thank you for your words of comfort and advice! I always love those! You are right, this mission is a life changing experience. But it is sooooo much more than that! This has changed my eternity! haha It truly has! My faith has strengthened so much, and I KNOW the Gospel is true! What a GREAT blessing!!!! I didn't know this much joy was available on Earth. I am so glad I have been led to it! Thank you Dad! I love you so much! Have an awesome week!

Okay, now on to Mom! I love you Mom! Yeah, my B-Day party was awesome! So fun! Äldste Maxwell and I both laughed at your Spongebob shirt comment. I think he is okay without one... haha TV was not really his thing.. hahaha He is awesome! Speaking of Äldste Maxwell, we are still together! haha They had transfer calls on Saturday, and we were not called! Yay! So, we are together for another "transfer".. I hesitate to use that word because they are not at scheduled times anymore... As I have explained before. So, we are together for another "period of time". We are both happy about that! I am sure you are too! Wow!!!! You got Travel WHAT?!? I can't believe they sent you my release date this early! I guess they need to get things organized! As for the decision of which airport to fly into... I am not sure. It would be GREAT flying into Salt Lake City and being able to see everyone! But I would not be released... That is something to think about. I am leaning towards SLC, but give me a week or two to think it through. Haha, that rhymed! :) As I told Dad, I hope you have a great time in Mexico! Soak up all that sun and enjoy the relaxing time! It is going to be hard coming back to the cold weather though! haha I guess every good thing has a little bit of a bitter side.. I used that word twice in my e-mail so far! :)

One last thing.. Landon looks soooo good! That hair cut is spectacular! He should be in adds or in a magazine or something! He deserves more "glamour shots" haha Did you notice the Napoleon Dynamite reference? Sorry. haha :) Okay, I love you Mom! Have fun!

Now a Spiritual Thought! We were able to travel up to Stockholm yesterday to watch stake conference. The theme was "temporal and spiritual welfare". One of the talks really got me! The part I want to focus on was when the speaker said, "I am without trouble, in a world full of troubled times." How can we say this for ourselves and mean it? How can we find that peace? It is simple. Faith in Jesus Christ. The speaker went on to talk about the blessings of Faith and action. I have a testimony that faith can work miracles! I see them EVERY SINGLE DAY!! When we look around us it is easy to become discouraged and frightened... But when we look around us with an eye of faith it is easy to see opportunities to do good, opportunities to grow, and opportunities to feel the warmth the Savior of this very world offers. I know Christ lives. I know he loves me. I know he loves you. Let us all be at peace knowing that FACT. I hope you all have a great week and feel the love I am sending each of you from this wonderful land of Sweden!

Trogen och Stadig, Är Jag Redo!!!!!
Faithful and Steady, I AM Ready!!!!!

Äldste Kundis :) :) :)