Today I accomplished a goal that I've been working on for quite some time. I finished reading the unabridged version of Les Miséables by Victor Hugo.
I have had an interesting journey with this tale. I first purchased my copy at a Barnes & Noble in Orem, Utah while I was a freshman at BYU. It was winter of the 08-09 school year. My older brother and I laughed that day--after having lunch together we went to the bookstore, where he bought the abridged version of Les Mis while I purchased the unabridged. And now, almost 8 years later, I finally finished the book.
I hadn't started reading it immediately.... I think it took me a year or so to first pick it up to actually read. I read Part One: Fantine and then became distracted with life and stopped.
And then in 2012, I had the chance to see Les Misérables performed at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco. I loved it. As often is the case with musicals, I am familiar with the music before I ever see the performance. This was the case here.
Several songs have always stood out to me: I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home, and The Epilogue among others.
I read most of Part Two: Cosette then, but I had to leave for Sweden before I could finish.
I watched the movie in Paris, France with my family, right after they picked me up from Sweden. This ended up being one of first normal movies I had in about a year and a half. The message struck me just as much then as it did in San Francisco - particularly that of forgiveness.
Come December 2015, I knew it was my goal to finish the book in 2016, so I began reading, once again.
I finally finished today.
This book has so many lessons. I am so glad that I took the time to finish it. A story of love, lost, forgiveness, despair, hope, tragedy, history, war, conflict, and salvation. It shows the depravity of mankind as well as the innate goodness that exists in others. It counteracts between the two, showing that you do not need to be defined by preconceived notions. Despite everything that has been thrown at us, there is always a choice in how we react and how we continue to live each day.
This story is more than the life of Jean Valjean. The heart of those words lift beyond the pages, permeating to the soul.
For me, one of the strongest messages is that of forgiveness, particularly that of forgiving oneself. Jean Valjean's strongest critic and judge in the end invariably was himself. He was finally able to let go and find peace. He was a such a good man, forever trying to atone for the mistake of stealing bread and his later escape. He helped so many and left an impression on many lives, both in fiction and reality.
He sleeps. Although so much he was denied,
He lived; and when his dear love left him, died.
It happened of itself, in the calm way
That in the evening night-time follows day.
~Victor Hugo, Les Misérables, p 1201
And remember the truth that once was spoken
To love another person is to see the face of God!
~Epilogue, Les Misérables Musical
21 October 2016
15 August 2016
Books of 2012
*Just updating this so it's a blog entry as opposed to a separate blog page*
My Top Ten List!
Total count: 155 books!
Partial list of books read in 2014
11. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and Bruce Patton
12. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George Review
16. A Far Horizon (Shadows of Brierley, II) Review
21. A Modest Proposal (Butterfly Box Series) by Michele Ashman Bell Series Review
26. Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter Review
Complete Collection of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Finished two of the stories haha)
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (On Part 2, book 3).
Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff (Chapter 4 of 8)
Daughters in My Kingdom
Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey (I don't plan on finishing this actually - I couldn't force myself through it)
List of books to read/recommendations:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Miracles by C.S. Lewis
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
Mobbed by Carol Higgins Clark
Style Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams and Gregory B. Colomb
Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark
Star Wars the Essential Guide to Warfare by Jason Fry with Paul R. Urquhart
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Wild Ink-How to Write Fiction for Young Adults by Victoria Hanley
Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine
This is a list of all of the books that I finished in 2012 (listed in the order read). All books that were rereads are designated as such. As applicable the series name is listed in parentheses after the title of the book. Reviews are forthcoming! As a disclaimer/warning, I will say that I read a lot. When I say I read a lot, I mean I read a lot. If you don't believe me, well, you're just about to see.
My Top Ten List!
Total count: 155 books!
Partial list of books read in 2014
1. Spying in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday Review
2. Killer in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday Review
3. Undercover in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday Review
4. Alibi in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday Review
6. Fearless in High Heals (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday Review
7. One for the Money (Stephanie Plum Series) by Janet Evanovich. Review
8. Wolf Legend by Jennette Brown. Review
9. The 90-Day Novel: Unlock the Story Within by Alan Watt
10. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers—How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King
11. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and Bruce Patton
12. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George Review
13. Abinadi by H.B. Moore
14. Towers of Brierley by Anita Stansfield Review
15. The Wanderer (Shadows of Brierley, I) Review
16. A Far Horizon (Shadows of Brierley, II) Review
17. A Distant Shore (Shadows of Brierley, III) Review
18. In the Valley of the Mountains (Shadows of Brierley, IV) Review
19. Liar's Moon by Elizabeth Bunce
20. Star Wars: Apocalypse (Fate of the Jedi) by Troy Denning Review
21. A Modest Proposal (Butterfly Box Series) by Michele Ashman Bell Series Review
22. Hometown Girl (Butterfly Box Series) by Michele Ashman Bell Series Review
23. The Perfect Fit (Butterfly Box Series) by Michele Ashman Bell Series Review
24. Daughter of the Centaurs by Kate Klimo Review
25. Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon Review
26. Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter Review
27. City of Angels (Rhea Jensen Series) by Sheralyn Pratt - reread Series Review
28. Welcome to Stalk Lake City (Rhea Jensen Series) by Sheralyn Pratt - reread Series Review
29. City Limits (Rhea Jensen Series) by Sheralyn Pratt - reread Series Review
30. Kay's Ville (Rhea Jensen Series) by Sheralyn Pratt - reread Series Review
31. The Avenues (Rhea Jensen Series) by Sheralyn Pratt Series Review
32. Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark - reread
33. We'll Meet Again by Mary Higgins Clark
34. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick Review
35. Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
36. Cinder by Marissa Meyer Review
37. Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg Review
38. Everneath by Brodi Ashton Review
39. The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark
40. Delirium by Lauren Oliver Review
41. The Sacred Quest (Formally The Seven Churches) by Chris Heimerdinger reread
42. The Lost Scrolls by Chris Heimerdinger reread
43. The Golden Crown by Chris Heimerdinger reread
44. The Warriors of Cumorah by Chris Heimerdinger reread
45. The Tower of Thunder by Chris Heimerdinger reread
46. Kingdoms and Conquerors by Chris Heimerdinger reread
47. Seers and Sorcerers by Chris Heimerdinger
48. Illuminate: A Gilded Wings Novel, Book One by Aimee Agresti Review
49. Escape from Zarahemla by Chris Heimerdinger
50. Art of Disney-Pixar Brave by Jenny Lerew Review
51. Art of Tangled by Jeff Kurtti Review
52. All-American Girl Review
53. Ready or Not by Meg Cabot Review
54. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
55. Wildwing by Emily Whitman
56. Airhead by Meg Cabot
31. The Avenues (Rhea Jensen Series) by Sheralyn Pratt Series Review
32. Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark - reread
33. We'll Meet Again by Mary Higgins Clark
34. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick Review
35. Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
36. Cinder by Marissa Meyer Review
37. Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg Review
38. Everneath by Brodi Ashton Review
39. The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark
40. Delirium by Lauren Oliver Review
41. The Sacred Quest (Formally The Seven Churches) by Chris Heimerdinger reread
42. The Lost Scrolls by Chris Heimerdinger reread
43. The Golden Crown by Chris Heimerdinger reread
44. The Warriors of Cumorah by Chris Heimerdinger reread
45. The Tower of Thunder by Chris Heimerdinger reread
46. Kingdoms and Conquerors by Chris Heimerdinger reread
47. Seers and Sorcerers by Chris Heimerdinger
48. Illuminate: A Gilded Wings Novel, Book One by Aimee Agresti Review
49. Escape from Zarahemla by Chris Heimerdinger
50. Art of Disney-Pixar Brave by Jenny Lerew Review
51. Art of Tangled by Jeff Kurtti Review
52. All-American Girl Review
53. Ready or Not by Meg Cabot Review
54. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
55. Wildwing by Emily Whitman
56. Airhead by Meg Cabot
57. Mixed Magics by Diana Wynne Jones Review
58. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Review
59. Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
60. Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
61. The Selection by Kiera Cass
62. The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
63. Austenland by Shannon Hale
64. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
65. Entwined by Heather Dixon
66. The Healers Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
67. Rapunzel by Wendy Mass
68. The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker
69. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
70. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
71. Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin, Book I by R. L. LaFevers
72. Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
73. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack
74. I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark
75. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
76. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
77. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
78. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
79. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
80. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
81. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
82. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
83. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
84. The Second Summer of Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
85. Girls in Pants by Ann Brashares
86. Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
87. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
88. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
89. Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Swofford Nielsen
90. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
91. Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale Review
92. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott reread Series Review
93. Talking with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
94. The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
95. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
96. The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors
97.1. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
97.2. The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
97.3. The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
97.4. The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
98. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
99. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
100.1. Among the Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund (novella)
100. The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
101. First Love and Forever by Anita Stansfield
102. First Love, Second Chances by Anita Stansfield
103. Now and Forever by Anita Stansfield
104. By Love and Grace by Anita Stansfield
105. Return to Love by Anita Stansfield
106. To Love Again by Anita Stansfield
107. When Forever Comes by Anita Stansfield
108. A Christmas Melody by Anita Stansfield
109. Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
110. For Love Alone by Anita Stansfield
111. Home for Christmas by Anita Stansfield
112. The Tortall Project by Tamora Pierce and various artists from DeviantArt
112.1. The Shadow Cats by Rae Carson (Novella)
113. Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
114. Guardian (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
115. Guiding Star (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
116. Silver Linings (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
117. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
118. City of Angels by Sheralyn Pratt (Yes, that is the second time this year...) Series Review
119. An Eternal Bond (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
120. Miracle (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
121. Full Circle (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
122. Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
123. The Avenues by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
124. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (reread)
125. Welcome to Stalk Lake City by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
126. City Limits by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
127. Kay's Ville by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
128. The Neverending Story by Micheal Ende
129. Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
130. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
131. Defiance by C.J. Redwine
132. The Magician by Michael Scott Series Review
133. The Sorceress by Michael Scott Series Review
134. The Necromancer by Michael Scott Series Review
134.1 The Death of Joan of Arc by Michael Scott (Short story) Series Review
135. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
136. The Warlock by Michael Scott Series Review
136.1. Billy the Kid and the Vampyres of Las Vegas by Michael Scott (novella) Series Review
137. The Enchantress by Michael Scott Series Review
138. Twitterpated by Melissa Jacobson
139. If I Should Die by Jennie Hanson Review
140. The List by Melissa Jacobson
141. Not My Type by Melissa Jacobson
142. Eighteen Months: Sister Missionaries of the Latter Days edited by Melissa Baird Carpenter
143. Star Wars Republic Commando: Hard Contact by Karen Traviss
144. Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen Review
145. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones
146. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
147. Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
148. False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen Review
149. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
150. Princess of the Silver Woods by Jennifer Day George
151. Smart Move by Melissa Jacobsen
152. Matched by Ally Condie
153. Crossed by Ally Condie
154. Reached by Ally Condie
155. To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson by Heidi S. Swinton
Books I started but didn't finish:
58. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith Review
59. Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
60. Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
61. The Selection by Kiera Cass
62. The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
63. Austenland by Shannon Hale
64. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
65. Entwined by Heather Dixon
66. The Healers Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
67. Rapunzel by Wendy Mass
68. The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker
69. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
70. Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
71. Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin, Book I by R. L. LaFevers
72. Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
73. Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack
74. I'll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark
75. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
76. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
77. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
78. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
79. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan - reread Author/Series Review
80. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
81. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
82. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
83. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
84. The Second Summer of Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
85. Girls in Pants by Ann Brashares
86. Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
87. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
88. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
89. Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Swofford Nielsen
90. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
91. Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale Review
92. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott reread Series Review
93. Talking with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
94. The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
95. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
96. The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors
97.1. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
97.2. The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
97.3. The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
97.4. The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas (novella)
98. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
99. For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
100.1. Among the Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund (novella)
100. The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
101. First Love and Forever by Anita Stansfield
102. First Love, Second Chances by Anita Stansfield
103. Now and Forever by Anita Stansfield
104. By Love and Grace by Anita Stansfield
105. Return to Love by Anita Stansfield
106. To Love Again by Anita Stansfield
107. When Forever Comes by Anita Stansfield
108. A Christmas Melody by Anita Stansfield
109. Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan Author/Series Review
110. For Love Alone by Anita Stansfield
111. Home for Christmas by Anita Stansfield
112. The Tortall Project by Tamora Pierce and various artists from DeviantArt
112.1. The Shadow Cats by Rae Carson (Novella)
113. Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
114. Guardian (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
115. Guiding Star (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
116. Silver Linings (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
117. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
118. City of Angels by Sheralyn Pratt (Yes, that is the second time this year...) Series Review
119. An Eternal Bond (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
120. Miracle (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
121. Full Circle (Gables of Legacy) by Anita Stansfield
122. Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg
123. The Avenues by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
124. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (reread)
125. Welcome to Stalk Lake City by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
126. City Limits by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
127. Kay's Ville by Sheralyn Pratt (Second time this year...) Series Review
128. The Neverending Story by Micheal Ende
129. Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
130. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
131. Defiance by C.J. Redwine
132. The Magician by Michael Scott Series Review
133. The Sorceress by Michael Scott Series Review
134. The Necromancer by Michael Scott Series Review
134.1 The Death of Joan of Arc by Michael Scott (Short story) Series Review
135. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
136. The Warlock by Michael Scott Series Review
136.1. Billy the Kid and the Vampyres of Las Vegas by Michael Scott (novella) Series Review
137. The Enchantress by Michael Scott Series Review
138. Twitterpated by Melissa Jacobson
139. If I Should Die by Jennie Hanson Review
140. The List by Melissa Jacobson
141. Not My Type by Melissa Jacobson
142. Eighteen Months: Sister Missionaries of the Latter Days edited by Melissa Baird Carpenter
143. Star Wars Republic Commando: Hard Contact by Karen Traviss
144. Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen Review
145. The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones
146. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
147. Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
148. False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen Review
149. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
150. Princess of the Silver Woods by Jennifer Day George
151. Smart Move by Melissa Jacobsen
152. Matched by Ally Condie
153. Crossed by Ally Condie
154. Reached by Ally Condie
155. To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson by Heidi S. Swinton
Books I started but didn't finish:
Complete Collection of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Finished two of the stories haha)
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (On Part 2, book 3).
Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff (Chapter 4 of 8)
Daughters in My Kingdom
Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey (I don't plan on finishing this actually - I couldn't force myself through it)
List of books to read/recommendations:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Miracles by C.S. Lewis
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
Mobbed by Carol Higgins Clark
Style Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams and Gregory B. Colomb
Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark
Star Wars the Essential Guide to Warfare by Jason Fry with Paul R. Urquhart
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Wild Ink-How to Write Fiction for Young Adults by Victoria Hanley
Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine
Books of 2016
In 2016 I was able to read a total of 117 books (and I reread one book twice last year), which helps explain my upcoming goal of reading 100 books for 2017 (more on that later).
You can find a comprehensive list of the books from 2016 with my ratings and some reviews here on my goodreads page as well. Feel free to add me as a friend!
The books I read (finished) in 2016:
1. The Paper Magician (Paper Magician) by Charlie N. Holmberg
2. Shatter Me (Shatter Me) by Tahereh Mafi
3. The Glass Magician (Paper Magician) by Charlie N. Holmberg
4. The Master Magician (Paper Magician) by Charlie N. Holmberg
5. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search
6. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Rift
7. Avatar: The Last Airbender Legacy
8. Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer) by Rae Carson
9. Out of the Past - Once Upon a Time
10. Broken Things to Mend (Power of the Matchmaker) by Karey White
11. Crucible by Troy Denning
12. Aftermath by Chuck Wendig
13. Someone Else's Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts
14. The Siren by Kiera Cass
15. The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling & Brooke Passey
16. Not Always Happenstance (Power of the Matchmaker) by Rachael Anderson
17. Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt
18. Gideon's Trumpet by Anthony Lewis
19. Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
20. If We Were a Movie (Power of the Matchmaker) by Kelly Oram
21. Princess Diares (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
22. Princess in the Spotlight (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
23. Princess in Love (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
24. Princess in Waiting (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
25. Princess in Pink (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
26. Princess in Training (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
27. Love, Lattes and Mutants by Meg Cabot
28. Party Princess (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
29. Princess on the Brink (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
30. Princess Mia (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
31. Forever Princess (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
32. Ransom My Heart (Princess Diaries-Loose Adult companion) by Meg Cabot
33. The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure by Jason Fry
34. Royal Wedding (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
35. Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbaca Adventure by Greg Rucka
36. Evidence, Cases and Materials by Roger Park
37. Criminal Law and Procedure by Donald Dripps
38. California Community Property by Gail Boreman Bird and Jo Carrillo
39. Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure by Cecil Castellucci
40. Constitutional Law by Jesse Choper
41. Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis
42. Love is Come (Power of the Matchmaker) by Heather Moore
43. The Heir (Selection series) by Kiera Cass
44. Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diane Wynne Jones
45. All Dressed in White (Under Suspicion) by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
46. The Crown (Selection series) by Kiera Cass
47. A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnson
48. Star Wars: Dark Empire Trilogy by Tom Veitch
49. Stars Above (Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
50. Four Chambers (Power of the Matchmaker) by Julie Wright
51. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R. R. Martin
52. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
53. Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard
54. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
55. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
56. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
57. Intellectual Property in the Modern Age by Robert Merges
58. Dracona's Rebirth by V.J.O. Gardner
59. O'er the River Liffey by Heidi Ashworth
60. Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt by Patrick Q. Mason
61. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
62. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
63. A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin
64. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling
65. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
66. After You (Me Before You) by Jojo Moyes
67. Blood of Ancient Kings by V.J.O. Gardner
68. The Martian by Andy Weir
69. The Inferno by Dan Brown
70. The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) by Rick Riordan
71. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
72. Juliet by Anne Fortier
73. Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean
74. Between Heaven and Earth by Michelle Paige Holmes
75. The Husband Maker by Karey White
At this point I officially reached my goal to read 75 books for the year on August 23, 2016
76. Winning at Trial by D. Shane Read
77. King of the Friend Zone by Sheralyn Pratt
78. The Match Maker by Karey White
79. The Wife Maker by Karey White
80. Pottermore Presents - Heroism, Hardships, and Dangerous Hobbies
81. Pottermore Presents - Power, Politics, Poltergeists
82. Pottermore Presents - Hogwarts, Incomplete and Unreliable Guide
83. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
84. Princess in Black, Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale
85. Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
86. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark
87. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
88. Mormon Feminism - Essential Writings edited by Joanna Brooks
89. Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
90. Three Dark Queens by Kendare Blake
91. To Move the World by Regina Sirois
92. Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
93. A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin
94. The Bluebook - Legal Citation
95. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
96. Walk of Infamy by Sheralyn Pratt
97. Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt (reread from earlier this year)
98. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
99. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
100. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
101. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
102. Essential Swedish Grammar by Julian Granberry
103. Tomorrow's Lawyers by Richard Susskind
104. Remedies by Russell L. Weaver
105. The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
106. The Ex by Alafair Burke
107. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
108. Norse Code by Greg Van Eekhout
109. How I Met Your Brother by Janette Rallison
110. This Thing Called Mistletoe by Cortney Pearson
111. The Reformer by Jaima Fixsen
112. Hungerspelan (Hunger Games in Swedish) by Suzanne Collins
113. Tur by S. T. Bende
114. Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke
115. Elsker by S. T. Bende
116. Endre by S. T. Bende
117. Tro by S.T. Bende
118. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
You can find a comprehensive list of the books from 2016 with my ratings and some reviews here on my goodreads page as well. Feel free to add me as a friend!
The books I read (finished) in 2016:
1. The Paper Magician (Paper Magician) by Charlie N. Holmberg
2. Shatter Me (Shatter Me) by Tahereh Mafi
3. The Glass Magician (Paper Magician) by Charlie N. Holmberg
4. The Master Magician (Paper Magician) by Charlie N. Holmberg
5. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search
6. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Rift
7. Avatar: The Last Airbender Legacy
8. Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer) by Rae Carson
9. Out of the Past - Once Upon a Time
10. Broken Things to Mend (Power of the Matchmaker) by Karey White
11. Crucible by Troy Denning
12. Aftermath by Chuck Wendig
13. Someone Else's Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts
14. The Siren by Kiera Cass
15. The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling & Brooke Passey
16. Not Always Happenstance (Power of the Matchmaker) by Rachael Anderson
17. Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt
18. Gideon's Trumpet by Anthony Lewis
19. Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
20. If We Were a Movie (Power of the Matchmaker) by Kelly Oram
21. Princess Diares (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
22. Princess in the Spotlight (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
23. Princess in Love (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
24. Princess in Waiting (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
25. Princess in Pink (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
26. Princess in Training (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
27. Love, Lattes and Mutants by Meg Cabot
28. Party Princess (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
29. Princess on the Brink (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
30. Princess Mia (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
31. Forever Princess (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
32. Ransom My Heart (Princess Diaries-Loose Adult companion) by Meg Cabot
33. The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure by Jason Fry
34. Royal Wedding (Princess Diaries) by Meg Cabot
35. Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbaca Adventure by Greg Rucka
36. Evidence, Cases and Materials by Roger Park
37. Criminal Law and Procedure by Donald Dripps
38. California Community Property by Gail Boreman Bird and Jo Carrillo
39. Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure by Cecil Castellucci
40. Constitutional Law by Jesse Choper
41. Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis
42. Love is Come (Power of the Matchmaker) by Heather Moore
43. The Heir (Selection series) by Kiera Cass
44. Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diane Wynne Jones
45. All Dressed in White (Under Suspicion) by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
46. The Crown (Selection series) by Kiera Cass
47. A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnson
48. Star Wars: Dark Empire Trilogy by Tom Veitch
49. Stars Above (Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
50. Four Chambers (Power of the Matchmaker) by Julie Wright
51. A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R. R. Martin
52. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
53. Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard
54. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
55. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
56. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
57. Intellectual Property in the Modern Age by Robert Merges
58. Dracona's Rebirth by V.J.O. Gardner
59. O'er the River Liffey by Heidi Ashworth
60. Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt by Patrick Q. Mason
61. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
62. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
63. A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire) by George R.R. Martin
64. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling
65. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
66. After You (Me Before You) by Jojo Moyes
67. Blood of Ancient Kings by V.J.O. Gardner
68. The Martian by Andy Weir
69. The Inferno by Dan Brown
70. The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard) by Rick Riordan
71. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
72. Juliet by Anne Fortier
73. Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean
74. Between Heaven and Earth by Michelle Paige Holmes
75. The Husband Maker by Karey White
At this point I officially reached my goal to read 75 books for the year on August 23, 2016
76. Winning at Trial by D. Shane Read
77. King of the Friend Zone by Sheralyn Pratt
78. The Match Maker by Karey White
79. The Wife Maker by Karey White
80. Pottermore Presents - Heroism, Hardships, and Dangerous Hobbies
81. Pottermore Presents - Power, Politics, Poltergeists
82. Pottermore Presents - Hogwarts, Incomplete and Unreliable Guide
83. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
84. Princess in Black, Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale
85. Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
86. The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark
87. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
88. Mormon Feminism - Essential Writings edited by Joanna Brooks
89. Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
90. Three Dark Queens by Kendare Blake
91. To Move the World by Regina Sirois
92. Princess in Black by Shannon Hale
93. A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin
94. The Bluebook - Legal Citation
95. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
96. Walk of Infamy by Sheralyn Pratt
97. Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt (reread from earlier this year)
98. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
99. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
100. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
101. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
102. Essential Swedish Grammar by Julian Granberry
103. Tomorrow's Lawyers by Richard Susskind
104. Remedies by Russell L. Weaver
105. The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer
106. The Ex by Alafair Burke
107. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
108. Norse Code by Greg Van Eekhout
109. How I Met Your Brother by Janette Rallison
110. This Thing Called Mistletoe by Cortney Pearson
111. The Reformer by Jaima Fixsen
112. Hungerspelan (Hunger Games in Swedish) by Suzanne Collins
113. Tur by S. T. Bende
114. Damsel Distressed by Kelsey Macke
115. Elsker by S. T. Bende
116. Endre by S. T. Bende
117. Tro by S.T. Bende
118. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
12 August 2016
Always double check your car door...
This is a bit of an older story from last year. For those of you who don't know, my family has two homes, one in the mountains and one in the city (Fresno and Coarsegold area specifically). My parents and sister go quite a bit from one to the other, but I'm primarily in the Fresno home. But I do go up to visit every once in a while (for instance right now I'm currently in the Coarsegold home). There is one downside to the the mountain home--you can find more critters out and about. Last year, I headed back to Fresno earlier than the others because I had something school related to do. I unpacked my car and go to close my back door, and I find a stowaway.
Not quite Sure what it is? Let me zoom in a bit for you. You'll want to appreciate it in it's full glory.
Huddled up like this, the spider was still bigger than the length of my pinkie finger. I'm not exactly afraid of spiders, but I'm not really a fan either (just ask Rikki who has seen first hand how I deal with spiders). It hadn't moved the entire time, so I figured it was dead and had been stuck in my car for who knows how long. So I look around and find a stick to knock it loose, since I didn't want to have a dead spider hanging onto my car.
So I find a long enough stick and muster the courage to knock it out to find, that nope it wasn't dead. It was very much alive and not happy to be poked! It ran around in a circle, was posed to engage before sprinting off into the bushes. I totally freaked out and ran back inside my house. That thing was fast. I'll even include some texts I was sending to Rikki (this was all "live" as I first found the spider)
There were no future sightings of this particular spider. Maybe it hitched a ride back home to Coarsegold.
Trip to the Fresno Zoo
I recently I had the opportunity to go to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo with my mom and sister. I've grown up going to the Fresno Zoo and must say it's grown quite a bit over the years. There is a relatively recent addition, the "African Adventure" which I haven't had the chance to see and which is honestly the main reason why we were headed there in the first place. When I say recent, I mean within the last couple of years--I've been so busy with school that I was not able to attend the exhibit earlier, even though my family are members of the zoo and attend fairly regularly. The new exhibit is so much nicer! I'll admit that going to the zoo reminded me a lot of my nieces and how fun it would be to bring them along (though I'll admit they'll have a ton more energy and want to see a lot more than what we actually did last Friday).
We left early, getting there right when the zoo opened. Going early is a must! It cuts down on crowds and with it being so hot lately, we selected a day where it was going to be a bit cooler (93 degrees fahrenheit, around 34 degrees for my non-American friends) though it helps to be there before the worst of the heat. My sister was posed to play Pokémon Go and catch Pokémon she had never been able to see before, while I was more focused on seeing the new exhibits. **As a side note, even though I was really into Pokemon when it first came out and I'll openly admit that I have at least one game in each generation, I never downloaded the Pokémon Go game and I don't think I will--I just have to much going on that I know I won't really get very far along; and if I was going to play Pokémon, I would focus on the ones I can play with my Nintendo DS.
The African Adventure exhibit is very nice! Wide/open air and even though the pictures don't quite do it justice you can get an idea of how expansive it is.
This elephant came up close and personal to us! Our buddy for the day. There was a hole with food near the observation area and he wanted to grab a mid-morning snack while we were there.
Kelly even got to feed some of the giraffes (the tallest one was definitely the most persistent one of the bunch, he definitely wanted that lettuce!).
We were only there for a few hours, but it was a fun time!
We left early, getting there right when the zoo opened. Going early is a must! It cuts down on crowds and with it being so hot lately, we selected a day where it was going to be a bit cooler (93 degrees fahrenheit, around 34 degrees for my non-American friends) though it helps to be there before the worst of the heat. My sister was posed to play Pokémon Go and catch Pokémon she had never been able to see before, while I was more focused on seeing the new exhibits. **As a side note, even though I was really into Pokemon when it first came out and I'll openly admit that I have at least one game in each generation, I never downloaded the Pokémon Go game and I don't think I will--I just have to much going on that I know I won't really get very far along; and if I was going to play Pokémon, I would focus on the ones I can play with my Nintendo DS. The African Adventure exhibit is very nice! Wide/open air and even though the pictures don't quite do it justice you can get an idea of how expansive it is.
 |
| I know the lighting is a little wonky here, but since he was in the shade my phone was having a difficult time focusing on the elephant. Figured it was best to see our new friend and not necessarily focus on the background. |
Kelly even got to feed some of the giraffes (the tallest one was definitely the most persistent one of the bunch, he definitely wanted that lettuce!).
We were only there for a few hours, but it was a fun time!
24 July 2016
Two years ago...
Two years ago, my time in Sweden ended. Those eighteen months were difficult, but I met so many wonderful people there and I learned so much more about myself. I recognized my ability to love and the consequences of my newfound anxiety. I grew bolder and learned that sometimes I am allowed to have fun even during those serious moments. My love of writing continued and I fell in love with a beautiful country.
I had the opportunity to see many lives change, including my own. I grew a greater appreciation of the world from teaching others (if you're curious, I have a list of where individuals I thought were from here). I worked hard when everything was telling to stop. I pushed through to the end and I will never regret having the opportunity to live in Sweden.
Jag saknar Sverige. Jag vet det var för bara en kort tid, men det ändrade mig för alltid. Alltid in hjärtat. Jag hoppas jag kan besöka snart!
I had the opportunity to see many lives change, including my own. I grew a greater appreciation of the world from teaching others (if you're curious, I have a list of where individuals I thought were from here). I worked hard when everything was telling to stop. I pushed through to the end and I will never regret having the opportunity to live in Sweden.
 |
| This was from the reunion in October 2014 |
Countries represented
This is a list of countries represented by lessons. For one to qualify, I had to teach a full-fledge lesson (so not just a street contact or meeting them at church). They are not listed in any particular order. The names on this list stand for so much more than just a number.
1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Finland
4. Norway
5. England
6. United States
7. Afganistan
8. Iran
9. Iraq
10. Pakistan
11. Israel
12. Spain
13. France
14. Germany
15. Austria
16. Italy
17. Bulgaria
18. Macedonia
19. Serbia
20. Croatia
21. Hungary
22. Romania
23. Poland
24. Russia
25. Turkey
26. Portugal
27. Lebanon
28. Syria
29. Jordan
30. Azerbaijan
31. Kazakhstan
32. China
33. Vietnam
34. Morocco
35. Algeria
36. Niger
37. Sudan
38. Eritrea
39. Ethiopia
40. Somalia
41. Senegal
42. Gambia
43. Sierra Leone
44. Liberia
45. Ghana
46. Nigeria
47. Cameroon
48. Congo
49. Democratic Republic of Congo
50. Uganda
51. Kenya
52. Tanzania
53. Zambia
54. Angola
55. Canada
56. Mexico
57. El Salvador
58. Guyana
59. Peru
60. Brazil
61. Bolivia
62. Chile
63. Argentina
64. Cuba
65. Iceland
1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Finland
4. Norway
5. England
6. United States
7. Afganistan
8. Iran
9. Iraq
10. Pakistan
11. Israel
12. Spain
13. France
14. Germany
15. Austria
16. Italy
17. Bulgaria
18. Macedonia
19. Serbia
20. Croatia
21. Hungary
22. Romania
23. Poland
24. Russia
25. Turkey
26. Portugal
27. Lebanon
28. Syria
29. Jordan
30. Azerbaijan
31. Kazakhstan
32. China
33. Vietnam
34. Morocco
35. Algeria
36. Niger
37. Sudan
38. Eritrea
39. Ethiopia
40. Somalia
41. Senegal
42. Gambia
43. Sierra Leone
44. Liberia
45. Ghana
46. Nigeria
47. Cameroon
48. Congo
49. Democratic Republic of Congo
50. Uganda
51. Kenya
52. Tanzania
53. Zambia
54. Angola
55. Canada
56. Mexico
57. El Salvador
58. Guyana
59. Peru
60. Brazil
61. Bolivia
62. Chile
63. Argentina
64. Cuba
65. Iceland
21 July 2016
Jönköping - my final resting place
Noted: In mission lingo we you leave the mission it's referred to as "dying" and your last companion/partner "kills" you off.
Gorgeous, beautiful Jönköping! I can easily see myself living in this wonderful place. I was only here a short four weeks, but they immensely changed my life.
Kjanela (Syster Fawcett) and I moved into the just vacated couples' apartment in Jönköping... which was pretty dang nice. Even had a piano in it :-)
That first night there we had dinner with Alex where I was properly introduced to him. We also got to meet with Helen (who I met on exchanges before) and Rikki that first night.
My second day there we traveled to Gislaved which is a cute town that's a ways out from Jönköping by bus. We had quite a few lessons that day which was very nice. This lovely statute to the right was along the drive.
Kjanela and I had a blast together. We spent a lot of time finding and trying to build the area. We will never run out of things to talk about.
One very memorable dinner with a family was with the Rasmusson family. All of us missionaries came this night. They just recently had kittens so that was super cute. We also played mafia. During the second round I was chosen to be Mafia and I most definitely won. I killed off everyone else, including my fellow Mafia partner. So win through a thorough betrayal mwhahahahaha! The excessive laughter was most definitely necessary.
We spent lots of time walking! Which was good because we got to sharing each others novel ideas--a retelling for me and brand new for her. During the second week there, we went up to Vista Kulle with Lasse and Nema. I was able to get some really pretty pictures (most of the scenic pictures that you see throughout this blog entry come from that hike).
I did end up getting sick a week and a half into my time here. Being sick as a missionary is always interesting--I had taking time away from missionary work (always feels a bit guilty to do so) especially since I had precious little time left. We had a slightly embarrassing moment where we street contacted a member. But she was super nice about it and invited us to teach her the lessons. She said it was a "MTC" experience for her in preparation for the next life (she was 90 years old at the time). After the lesson, Kjanela all but forced me to go take a nap to heal up a bit before heading out for some swingbys. A little girl tried to hold Kjanela hostage after stealing Kjanela's water bottle.
I also had a really embarrassing moment. We were swingby a former investigator, who was home, answered the door and invited us in. I then asked if there was a woman home (because we can't go alone into a single's man apartment) to which I received the reply that essentially said "There is no man here. I am a woman and I am alone--is that okay?" I instantly turned bright red when I realized my mistake. She thankfully didn't mind too much and she invited us back again.
July 3rd was a busy day! We traveled to Göteborg for a conference/meet-and-greet with President and Syster Beckstrand. They seemed really nice and I was a little disappointed that I would only serving them for three weeks in the end--not able to actually get to know them that way. I also gave my dying testimony--we have a tradition that the last zone conference of the mission, the missionary has to bear their testimony in Swedish and it was my time. Saying goodbye is always hard, but in the end we couldn't linger since we had to sprint to the train in the pouring rain so we wouldn't miss our connecting train back to our area. So it was kind of a shouted goodbye as I was running past haha.
4th of July! We did celebrate the holiday with the American and British families in the ward. It was a good thing that we won the American quiz (admittedly by just one point).
Kjanela and I tried to continue to do service here and there. We tried to "doorbell" ditch Rikki and totally failed... we were way too loud! But it's the thought that counts?
Actually I don't remember the weeks after my concussion particularly well---a little more on the hazy side haha. I do remember that Swedish was particularly difficult for me at the time. I also remember that I had absolutely no filter, so anything I thought came out of my mind, for better or for worse. We starting preparing for a music night that would take place my last Sunday as a missionary--learning new pieces was a bit interesting for me at the time. I started feeling significantly better a week after the incident.
My last week had a lot of piano playing/practicing. Even had a music lesson with Rikki wear we focused on how music can influence you in your life, where I played quite a few songs. We found out that Rikki really likes Jolly Ranchers (almost to the point where he had too many of them, so now he doesn't really like them as much anymore).
Service at the Strömbergs helping Melanie in her garden. We helped removed some stubborn plants including a rhubarb with gigantic roots that was extremely difficult to dig up, but with all of us working on it, (both sets of sisters and elders were there) we were able to get it out. I was just excited because I got to play with her grandson quite a bit--though we did end up losing half of my nametag in the process).
We were able to celebrate Helen's birthday. I baked her a cake which she really enjoyed. Rikki made sure to scare her. We had invited Alex and the other missionaries to attend and it was a lot of fun. It was nice to spoil Helen for a bit.
My last sunday (July 20th) I played a musical number at church with Elder Farley (again haha, him on cello with my accompanying him on the piano). We had the musical night/recital that night and everything went incredibly well! All of the sisters in our district (the other Jönköping sisters as well as the Borås sisters) ended up staying the night at our apartment. We made pumpkin cookies and just talked which was nice.
The other missionaries in Jönköping gave me a funeral on Monday (July 21st)--the view from the park we were at was gorgeous! I loved it :)
We completed all of the last minute errands we needed to do before Tuesday (since Syster Fawcett was heading up to Stockholm a day early so she could be trained on how to train new missionaries--she was going to train a new missionary as soon as I left). We had one last lesson with Rikki which went well and ended up with me deciding officially to come back the next Saturday to Jönköping with my family. On Tuesday, it was hard saying goodbye to Kjanela, but it helped that I knew I could see her again in a few days.
On Wednesday, I traveled up to Stockholm by myself, meeting up with the other missionaries going home. I even got to see Camille at Stockholm central station and we made plans that my family and I would take her and her new companion out to dinner the next day. We drove to the temple from the central station and it was a surreal experience. So many memories of the past year and a half. That evening we spent in the mission home with President and Syster Beckstrand.
I will forever love Jönköping and how my time there altered my life forever.
Gorgeous, beautiful Jönköping! I can easily see myself living in this wonderful place. I was only here a short four weeks, but they immensely changed my life.
Kjanela (Syster Fawcett) and I moved into the just vacated couples' apartment in Jönköping... which was pretty dang nice. Even had a piano in it :-)
 |
| Yes I totally took this from the bus haha but you never know when you need to go on a magic carpet ride! |
My second day there we traveled to Gislaved which is a cute town that's a ways out from Jönköping by bus. We had quite a few lessons that day which was very nice. This lovely statute to the right was along the drive.
Kjanela and I had a blast together. We spent a lot of time finding and trying to build the area. We will never run out of things to talk about.
One very memorable dinner with a family was with the Rasmusson family. All of us missionaries came this night. They just recently had kittens so that was super cute. We also played mafia. During the second round I was chosen to be Mafia and I most definitely won. I killed off everyone else, including my fellow Mafia partner. So win through a thorough betrayal mwhahahahaha! The excessive laughter was most definitely necessary.
I did end up getting sick a week and a half into my time here. Being sick as a missionary is always interesting--I had taking time away from missionary work (always feels a bit guilty to do so) especially since I had precious little time left. We had a slightly embarrassing moment where we street contacted a member. But she was super nice about it and invited us to teach her the lessons. She said it was a "MTC" experience for her in preparation for the next life (she was 90 years old at the time). After the lesson, Kjanela all but forced me to go take a nap to heal up a bit before heading out for some swingbys. A little girl tried to hold Kjanela hostage after stealing Kjanela's water bottle.
I also had a really embarrassing moment. We were swingby a former investigator, who was home, answered the door and invited us in. I then asked if there was a woman home (because we can't go alone into a single's man apartment) to which I received the reply that essentially said "There is no man here. I am a woman and I am alone--is that okay?" I instantly turned bright red when I realized my mistake. She thankfully didn't mind too much and she invited us back again.
July 3rd was a busy day! We traveled to Göteborg for a conference/meet-and-greet with President and Syster Beckstrand. They seemed really nice and I was a little disappointed that I would only serving them for three weeks in the end--not able to actually get to know them that way. I also gave my dying testimony--we have a tradition that the last zone conference of the mission, the missionary has to bear their testimony in Swedish and it was my time. Saying goodbye is always hard, but in the end we couldn't linger since we had to sprint to the train in the pouring rain so we wouldn't miss our connecting train back to our area. So it was kind of a shouted goodbye as I was running past haha.
4th of July! We did celebrate the holiday with the American and British families in the ward. It was a good thing that we won the American quiz (admittedly by just one point).
We went to a smaller town to drop off a wedding invitation at a member's house for someone. She wasn't home so we were going to do some contacting and head back into Jönköping. But we learned that the bus would take over an hour to come again, so we walked to the train station. The train station was small enough that it had this sign, which essentially says that if you want the train to stop, turn the sign so that it signals the train.
I was thinking about the concept of love at the time. One of my better friends in Örebro was going back to Africa even though he knew it was going to be incredibly dangerous for him to do so. This meant that I was going to miss him when I visited Örebro at the end of the month. I don't know why certain things happen--but I just need to do my best to learn from those experiences. My ultimate goal in life is to just be happy--I learned a lot about happiness and love while on my mission. Love for friends, love for family. The deep feeling of truly caring for the well-being of others and wanting to serve them. I always have a torn desire/wish of being able to see into the future, but not wanting to know the unknown at the same time. At this time, I had a hard time seeing past August 2014. I just kept wondering where I would be ending up in the end: California? Utah? Elsewhere?
On the 9th--two weeks before I was headed home, Kjanela and I were making lunch before heading out for the day. I was slicing zucchini when the knife slipped and sliced my finger. So being the nice and clever person I am, I just quietly go to the bedroom to take care of it since I knew Kjanela wasn't particularly found of blood. I was getting a bandaid and some medicine from the closet when I noticed that the edges of my vision were changing and I have the thought "Oh no, I'm going into shock. I cannot go into shock."
The next thing I knew a weird rushing feeling was going through my mind. I was worrying about Rikki and Helen and how we needed to do something for them and it was then I realized that the rushing feeling wasn't normal and that I was lying on the floor. It took me a few seconds longer to realize I wasn't supposed to be on the floor, that my head was really pounding, and that my finger was still bleeding. Once I had enough control of myself, I bandaged my finer and walked back into the kitchen and sat down at the table - shaking a ridiculous amount, before I tell Kjanela, "We have a problem. I just fainted."
I ended up giving myself a slight concussion. The cut itself wasn't actually all that bad, like it didn't need stitches or anything. There's just something about the sight of significant amounts of my own blood. So the next few days were interesting since I needed to recuperate... riding buses and trains were not a good idea. We did keep our lesson with Rikki that day... which was interesting. I just remember it was in the park and I don't remember much of it.
 |
| It rained a lot my month there. But lots of rain means plenty of vivid rainbows! |
My last week had a lot of piano playing/practicing. Even had a music lesson with Rikki wear we focused on how music can influence you in your life, where I played quite a few songs. We found out that Rikki really likes Jolly Ranchers (almost to the point where he had too many of them, so now he doesn't really like them as much anymore).
Service at the Strömbergs helping Melanie in her garden. We helped removed some stubborn plants including a rhubarb with gigantic roots that was extremely difficult to dig up, but with all of us working on it, (both sets of sisters and elders were there) we were able to get it out. I was just excited because I got to play with her grandson quite a bit--though we did end up losing half of my nametag in the process).
We were able to celebrate Helen's birthday. I baked her a cake which she really enjoyed. Rikki made sure to scare her. We had invited Alex and the other missionaries to attend and it was a lot of fun. It was nice to spoil Helen for a bit.
My last sunday (July 20th) I played a musical number at church with Elder Farley (again haha, him on cello with my accompanying him on the piano). We had the musical night/recital that night and everything went incredibly well! All of the sisters in our district (the other Jönköping sisters as well as the Borås sisters) ended up staying the night at our apartment. We made pumpkin cookies and just talked which was nice.
The other missionaries in Jönköping gave me a funeral on Monday (July 21st)--the view from the park we were at was gorgeous! I loved it :)
We completed all of the last minute errands we needed to do before Tuesday (since Syster Fawcett was heading up to Stockholm a day early so she could be trained on how to train new missionaries--she was going to train a new missionary as soon as I left). We had one last lesson with Rikki which went well and ended up with me deciding officially to come back the next Saturday to Jönköping with my family. On Tuesday, it was hard saying goodbye to Kjanela, but it helped that I knew I could see her again in a few days.
On Wednesday, I traveled up to Stockholm by myself, meeting up with the other missionaries going home. I even got to see Camille at Stockholm central station and we made plans that my family and I would take her and her new companion out to dinner the next day. We drove to the temple from the central station and it was a surreal experience. So many memories of the past year and a half. That evening we spent in the mission home with President and Syster Beckstrand.
I will forever love Jönköping and how my time there altered my life forever.
17 July 2016
Kungsbacka Part III
I'm going to write a bit about every day as taken from my journal. The one thing that I didn't really mention in my writing is that every night we were trying to clean out our apartment bit by bit (which steadily increased as time went on) since you could tell missionaries had been staying there for years with lots of accumulation of random things. I also was telling the story of my book trilogy to Candace throughout our companionship.
June 12th (Thursday) - Candace and I started off our companionship with Elder Morley's birthday so we made sure to make him a cake. We were able to meet with Saeed again and had dinner with Cindia Mattsson before finishing off the day with swingbys.
June 13th (Friday) - District meeting -> weekly planning -> swingbys. One of those days where we actually had a girl contact us. She had lived in the States for awhile to be on a gymnastics team was interested in meeting, but she was off to be an au pair for the next couple of months, so we just exchanged contact information.
June 14th (Saturday) - Lesson with Tomas, and a few new investigators. One man we contacted him on the street and taught him the entire restoration... little did we know until towards the the lesson, he had recently met the elders, who had tracted into him. He was super positive though! We had some more positive contacting experiences, which was good, because the investigator pool was rather low.
June 15th (Sunday) - had a meeting with the elders to discuss the area with the elders after church. Had a really nice dinner with a family from the ward. Lots of swingbys--I had a bit of a rough day honestly, but it all worked out in the end!
June 16th (Monday) - Normally this would be p-day, but because President and Syster Newell were shortly leaving for home and we had our last Zone Conference with them. I didn't have to give my last testimony as a missionary - that would be July 3rd with a combined Zone Conference welcoming in President and Syster Beckstrand. I couldn't help but think about everything that's happened in the last 17 months. It was a sad but good moment - utterly bittersweet. It felt like every goodbye I have in the mission--it is not a "goodbye forever" but rather we'll see each other again. The Newells did a lot for me during my time in Sweden, and I am forever grateful that I was able to serve under them. They were definitely what I needed!
June 17th (Tuesday) - Today was our p-day! Sports was a major theme of the day. After emailing we headed up to Göteborg and we met up with almost our entire zone to play games. We decided on beach volleyball which was totally fun but exhausting! During our proselyting time we ended up playing football (soccer) with the ward because a cousin of one of the missionaries was curious about the church. She seemed to have fun-we just need to get more young women to come and play! I felt utterly spent by the end of the day.
June 18th (Wednesday) - A lot happened today! After waking up and attempting to effectively exercise at 6:30 (hard because of how sore we both were from the the day before) and completing our normal studies we headed out the door shortly after 10. We were headed to an investigator who lived a three minute walk away, but along the way we contacted a woman and even through she couldn't speak Swedish or English (she was from Romania) she was still interested. Se we ran back to our apartment to grab a Romanian Book of Mormon - took so digging, but we found one! We were able to give it to her, because she patiently waited outside for us.
The investigator we were going to visit wasn't feeling well so we set up an appointment for the following week. We swung by a former investigator, who said we could come back because we didn't look dangerous.... Then we headed off into the mysterious beyond (the part of Kållered I've never been to in the entire 9 weeks I've been in Kungsbacka). We found some cute neighborhoods to work in later. This one little kid opened the door and we quickly realized that his parents weren't home and that we should come back alter--so this kid just walks back into the house, leaving the door wide open. We awkwardly stepped inside enough so we could secure the premises for him. We contacted others and handed out a Book or Mormon before we headed back to have tacos for lunch.
We headed into Kungsbacka. Just as our train pulls in we received a frantic call from the elders asking if we could give them our key to the church--they had left their key with the car keys, and their car was being serviced. We headed to the church to let them in for their lesson.
We then ended up walking the longer way through town so that Syster Richins could see some more of the Northern part of the area and a girl contacted us because she thought we were lost. We ended up walking and talking with her the 15 minute walk to the mall. Super cute! Only religious one in her family and she had just recently graduated.
We ended up tracting a couple of doors - the one that we though was a former investigator invited us to come back, even though it wasn't the same person since we were looking for a man, and she was clearly a woman. Figured we would find out when we came back. We found another man who had met with the missionaries before (he didn't realize that there were sister missionaries). We found this door, which being the Zelda fan I am, I had to take a picture:
We then headed across town to meet with the Bomgrens and their friend/neighbor that the elders had contacted and referred to us. The friend had three cute little kids all under the age of five. We planned on going back Monday night for some service and a lesson.
We hurried to the train to Lindome so we could teach a man we had contacted the previous Monday as well as his wife. They asked us to come back Saturdary. We had another lesson before we went home to eat dinner. At the end of the day we had 38 unplanned contacts, 1 member present lesson, 3 other lessons, 1 referral received, 2 referrals contacted, and 3 new investigators.
June 19th (Thursday) - Bit of a catch up day for paperwork/area book and a great dinner with some members. Got an idea for a romantic book haha. Found out that Elder Morley was going to transfer on Saturday, which was a little quick for a transfer (typically we have about five days notice instead of two and at least one Sunday to let the ward know).
June 20th (Friday) - Midsommar! We went up to Utby to celebrate! We participated in the dances around the pole and this was my first time to really celebrate since we had missed it during Örebro the previous year. We met up with 18 other missionaries and ended up spending the entire day with the others ince it was a non-proselyting day and not one had wanted to set up an appointment with us. After celebrations and lunch at Max Burger we went to the YSA center - peaceful day!
June 21st (Saturday) - A lot happened this day, a bit of it rather unexpected. We started weekly planning before heading up to Lindome for a less, which cancelled when we knocked on their door because they weren't feeling well. We swungby a couple of people - well tried to. One guy goes by a different name, but refused to answer by the first name listed on the ward records to it was just awkward.
After dinner we went into Kungsbacka for a lesson and to practice for a musical number that was originally supposed to be a duet between Sister Richins and Elder Morley, but had to be changed to a solo since Elder Morley was transferred. We definitely needed time to choose a new song and get things arranged before the next day.
5 minutes until 6 pm, we got a call from President Newell. He told us that I would be transferring to Jönköping for my last 4 weeks to be with Sister Fawcett and that Sister Richins would be transferring to Västra Frölunda to be Sister Training Leaders with another sister there. They would consequently be combining the two Kungsbacka areas into one under the the watchful eyes the elders. The elders would be moving into our apartment. All of this would be going into effect the following Wednesday. It felt right to me, but it was definitely different than expected!
We had one last lesson with an investigator, practiced, explaining the new transfer to other missionaries and really got home, we really started prepping our apartment for the elders by thoroughly deep cleaning everything.
June 22nd (Sunday) - It was super hard telling the ward that they were losing their sister missionaries. I know they were able to get sisters again after a few months, but it was definitely hard! Sister Richins sang "Be Still My Soul" while I played. We had dinner with some members before turning for the night.
June 23rd (Monday) - We spent most of our p-day getting our apartment ready for the elders. Ate lunch at my favorite little place by the Kungsbacka train station, emailed and rested a bit before heading over for the service I mentioned earlier. We helped her clean her apartment a bit and get a little more organization back into her life (she had recently became a single parent of three children under 5 and she needed the help).
June 24th (Tuesday) - We got the apartment ready and finished packing. The funny thing was that there was enough clothes left over from other missionaries in the apartment to fit two large suitcases and a carryon - so we basically had a third missionary's worth of belongings with us.
We started the day with some service, helping a member organize and clean out her storage from 10 to 12:30. Headed off to the church for open hours and a meeting with the elders, where we were able to tell them about the different people we were working with in hopes our investigators would keep working with the elders even with the sudden change in missionaries. Last lesson with Tomas and then with Saeed.
June 25th (Wednesday) - I was able to finish telling my novels to Candace a half hour before I was picked up by the Tolleys. The Tolleys were so happy to see what we had done with the apartment and impressed that with it. It felt good to leave it in good shape with the Elders!
Otherwise, goodbye Kungsbacka! Hello Jönköping!
And some more pictures to round off our two weeks as companions (representing 4 different days of our 14 haha):
June 12th (Thursday) - Candace and I started off our companionship with Elder Morley's birthday so we made sure to make him a cake. We were able to meet with Saeed again and had dinner with Cindia Mattsson before finishing off the day with swingbys.
June 13th (Friday) - District meeting -> weekly planning -> swingbys. One of those days where we actually had a girl contact us. She had lived in the States for awhile to be on a gymnastics team was interested in meeting, but she was off to be an au pair for the next couple of months, so we just exchanged contact information.
June 14th (Saturday) - Lesson with Tomas, and a few new investigators. One man we contacted him on the street and taught him the entire restoration... little did we know until towards the the lesson, he had recently met the elders, who had tracted into him. He was super positive though! We had some more positive contacting experiences, which was good, because the investigator pool was rather low.
June 15th (Sunday) - had a meeting with the elders to discuss the area with the elders after church. Had a really nice dinner with a family from the ward. Lots of swingbys--I had a bit of a rough day honestly, but it all worked out in the end!
June 16th (Monday) - Normally this would be p-day, but because President and Syster Newell were shortly leaving for home and we had our last Zone Conference with them. I didn't have to give my last testimony as a missionary - that would be July 3rd with a combined Zone Conference welcoming in President and Syster Beckstrand. I couldn't help but think about everything that's happened in the last 17 months. It was a sad but good moment - utterly bittersweet. It felt like every goodbye I have in the mission--it is not a "goodbye forever" but rather we'll see each other again. The Newells did a lot for me during my time in Sweden, and I am forever grateful that I was able to serve under them. They were definitely what I needed!
June 17th (Tuesday) - Today was our p-day! Sports was a major theme of the day. After emailing we headed up to Göteborg and we met up with almost our entire zone to play games. We decided on beach volleyball which was totally fun but exhausting! During our proselyting time we ended up playing football (soccer) with the ward because a cousin of one of the missionaries was curious about the church. She seemed to have fun-we just need to get more young women to come and play! I felt utterly spent by the end of the day.
June 18th (Wednesday) - A lot happened today! After waking up and attempting to effectively exercise at 6:30 (hard because of how sore we both were from the the day before) and completing our normal studies we headed out the door shortly after 10. We were headed to an investigator who lived a three minute walk away, but along the way we contacted a woman and even through she couldn't speak Swedish or English (she was from Romania) she was still interested. Se we ran back to our apartment to grab a Romanian Book of Mormon - took so digging, but we found one! We were able to give it to her, because she patiently waited outside for us.
The investigator we were going to visit wasn't feeling well so we set up an appointment for the following week. We swung by a former investigator, who said we could come back because we didn't look dangerous.... Then we headed off into the mysterious beyond (the part of Kållered I've never been to in the entire 9 weeks I've been in Kungsbacka). We found some cute neighborhoods to work in later. This one little kid opened the door and we quickly realized that his parents weren't home and that we should come back alter--so this kid just walks back into the house, leaving the door wide open. We awkwardly stepped inside enough so we could secure the premises for him. We contacted others and handed out a Book or Mormon before we headed back to have tacos for lunch.
We headed into Kungsbacka. Just as our train pulls in we received a frantic call from the elders asking if we could give them our key to the church--they had left their key with the car keys, and their car was being serviced. We headed to the church to let them in for their lesson.
We then ended up walking the longer way through town so that Syster Richins could see some more of the Northern part of the area and a girl contacted us because she thought we were lost. We ended up walking and talking with her the 15 minute walk to the mall. Super cute! Only religious one in her family and she had just recently graduated.
We ended up tracting a couple of doors - the one that we though was a former investigator invited us to come back, even though it wasn't the same person since we were looking for a man, and she was clearly a woman. Figured we would find out when we came back. We found another man who had met with the missionaries before (he didn't realize that there were sister missionaries). We found this door, which being the Zelda fan I am, I had to take a picture:
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| It says no advertisements - so basically asking for no junk mail. I wish that was an option here haha |
We hurried to the train to Lindome so we could teach a man we had contacted the previous Monday as well as his wife. They asked us to come back Saturdary. We had another lesson before we went home to eat dinner. At the end of the day we had 38 unplanned contacts, 1 member present lesson, 3 other lessons, 1 referral received, 2 referrals contacted, and 3 new investigators.
June 19th (Thursday) - Bit of a catch up day for paperwork/area book and a great dinner with some members. Got an idea for a romantic book haha. Found out that Elder Morley was going to transfer on Saturday, which was a little quick for a transfer (typically we have about five days notice instead of two and at least one Sunday to let the ward know).
June 20th (Friday) - Midsommar! We went up to Utby to celebrate! We participated in the dances around the pole and this was my first time to really celebrate since we had missed it during Örebro the previous year. We met up with 18 other missionaries and ended up spending the entire day with the others ince it was a non-proselyting day and not one had wanted to set up an appointment with us. After celebrations and lunch at Max Burger we went to the YSA center - peaceful day!
June 21st (Saturday) - A lot happened this day, a bit of it rather unexpected. We started weekly planning before heading up to Lindome for a less, which cancelled when we knocked on their door because they weren't feeling well. We swungby a couple of people - well tried to. One guy goes by a different name, but refused to answer by the first name listed on the ward records to it was just awkward.
After dinner we went into Kungsbacka for a lesson and to practice for a musical number that was originally supposed to be a duet between Sister Richins and Elder Morley, but had to be changed to a solo since Elder Morley was transferred. We definitely needed time to choose a new song and get things arranged before the next day.
5 minutes until 6 pm, we got a call from President Newell. He told us that I would be transferring to Jönköping for my last 4 weeks to be with Sister Fawcett and that Sister Richins would be transferring to Västra Frölunda to be Sister Training Leaders with another sister there. They would consequently be combining the two Kungsbacka areas into one under the the watchful eyes the elders. The elders would be moving into our apartment. All of this would be going into effect the following Wednesday. It felt right to me, but it was definitely different than expected!
We had one last lesson with an investigator, practiced, explaining the new transfer to other missionaries and really got home, we really started prepping our apartment for the elders by thoroughly deep cleaning everything.
June 22nd (Sunday) - It was super hard telling the ward that they were losing their sister missionaries. I know they were able to get sisters again after a few months, but it was definitely hard! Sister Richins sang "Be Still My Soul" while I played. We had dinner with some members before turning for the night.
June 23rd (Monday) - We spent most of our p-day getting our apartment ready for the elders. Ate lunch at my favorite little place by the Kungsbacka train station, emailed and rested a bit before heading over for the service I mentioned earlier. We helped her clean her apartment a bit and get a little more organization back into her life (she had recently became a single parent of three children under 5 and she needed the help).
June 24th (Tuesday) - We got the apartment ready and finished packing. The funny thing was that there was enough clothes left over from other missionaries in the apartment to fit two large suitcases and a carryon - so we basically had a third missionary's worth of belongings with us.
We started the day with some service, helping a member organize and clean out her storage from 10 to 12:30. Headed off to the church for open hours and a meeting with the elders, where we were able to tell them about the different people we were working with in hopes our investigators would keep working with the elders even with the sudden change in missionaries. Last lesson with Tomas and then with Saeed.
June 25th (Wednesday) - I was able to finish telling my novels to Candace a half hour before I was picked up by the Tolleys. The Tolleys were so happy to see what we had done with the apartment and impressed that with it. It felt good to leave it in good shape with the Elders!
Otherwise, goodbye Kungsbacka! Hello Jönköping!
And some more pictures to round off our two weeks as companions (representing 4 different days of our 14 haha):
13 July 2016
Kungbacka - Part II
One of the best and most memorable parts of Kungsbacka: Tomas. We went to the cemetery with him so we could double check the information for his parents. We helped him get all set up with Familyseach so we could print off the names for his parents and he was just so happy! We were able to get permission from President Newell to be able to travel with him down to the Copenhagen Denmark Temple for the baptisms in a couple of weeks!
The following weeks:
That week all of the missionaries in the Göteborg zone were invited (okay, asked) to put on a fireside (a devotional) about pioneers and the gospel for the youth activity. The youth were doing a trek sort of activity complete with handcarts and camping. We met up with all of the elders at the Utby building and then made it out to the designated area a little wait. The original plan was to have a social hour at 19 and then the fireside at 20, but once we got there, we learned that they were running over an hour late. We eventually went out and looked for them and we found them! We ended up starting a little before 21 instead (cutting the social time short, but making sure they were able to set up their tents). We spoke on enduring to the end part of the Gospel and I think it went rather well!
We also learned the importance of following the rules in the white handbook,
specifically having someone guide the car while backing up. The car went over a ledge and the back tires got stuck. With the help of 10 men and 4 planks of wood, they were finally able to lift the car enough so it could move.
So that night, we did end up getting home late (which happens sometimes)--but at least we were able to walk in the door around 2230 so we didn't get to sleep too late!
The one negative about the event - Syster Larson and I ended up having over 40 bug bites between us! The elders ended up getting 2 or 3 a piece (if even that), maybe something about tights attracted them?
June 2 P-day and Exchanges - we went up to Göteborg to spend time with the others and shop a little and help one of the elders pick out a pair of glasses (he wanted an opinion from someone of the female population). He ended up buying them in the end. At the end of p-day hours we switched with Borås. Syster Smith came back to Kungsbacka with me--that's when we learned that one of the train companies was on strike so that explained why half of the trains had been cancelled recently and and indeterminate time in the future. Ended up being one of those times with lots of walking and plans falling through. We switched back the next afternoon.
That's when Syster Larson and I realized the overall ridiculousness of our travel plans for MLC the next day. For us to be able to make it to the bus at the airport Wednesday morning, we would need to take a train at 1 in the morning from Kållered--there was literally no other option (train or bus) leaving between 1 a.m. and 5:27, which would have made us miss that airport bus. Instead of our original plans, we did a couple of swingbys in the general area, hurried home for dinner and get ready for the next day headed back in to Göteborg/Väster Frölunda to stay the night at the sisters' apartment there (this way we would only have to leave at 420 instead of 1--a lot better).
Our Wednesday travel ended up being train, bus, plane, bus, switch buses, train and then after MLC train, bus, another bus, plane and car (we didn't end up back at our apartment until about midnight that night). Our plane had ended up being delayed--fog and a closed runway in Stockholm adds up after awhile--we ended up waiting most of this hour on the plane. The plane back ended up being delayed over an hour as well - but we did make it home!
This was the last MLC with President and Sister Newell before they would be leaving Sweden. I had my last interview with him which was a bittersweet experience. He gave me a parting blessing, which is fairly ingrained in my mind. It felt like the beginning of the end. We also learned that Syster Larson would for sure be leaving the next week, but that we would find out where on Saturday (the day we were going to Denmark with Tomas)
The next day was Zone training and studenten - the day that the high school students graduated and are out celebrating. We don't have anything like it here in the states, but here's a video:It's kind of crazy, but fun!
June 6th - Sweden's National Day - it was really rainy, windy, and cold and we were both feeling a bit under the weather (puns galore!) We did some family history and ran into the elders, who took pity on us and lent us an umbrella.
June 7 - We left early 5,27 so we could be at the train station at 630 to be picked up and drive down with the others. We drove through Malmö and the bridge on the way down to Copenhagen. It was very nice seeing a glimpse of the city again! I certainly loved it! And I was grateful for the chance to be able to go to this temple again during the daytime. The temple was wonderful and you could just see how much everything met to him. While we waited for the others to finish their session, we had some Danish kebab. Definitely tasted different from Swedish kebab--don't know if it was just the place or not, but it almost had a sweet flavor in comparison. Not sure if I entirely liked it honestly haha.
On the way back we took the ferry and passed by Hamlet's castle (seen below).
Once we got back to Sweden and were able to turn our phone back on again, we realized that we had 2 missed calls and 56 text messages waiting for us. Because it was Transfer Call Saturday! We played phone tag a bit with President. We refused to look at our text messages until we talked to him (to keep up the surprise haha). We found that Syster Larson would be transferring to Uppsala and that Syster Richins would be coming from Jönköping to be with me. With this transfer, my MTC group of sisters would officially be the "oldest" group in the missionary--a very surreal feeling!
The next few days we went all over so that Syster Larson could say goodbye to everyone. Transfer day, ended up being with a bunch of other missionaries coming in and out and finally got to meet up with Syster Richins at 19 that night! :D
12 July 2016
Kungsbacka Part I - STL
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| Blossoms from the train station in Kållered, where we lived We had to take a train to Kungsbacka everyday |
I was called to serve as a Sister Training Leader in the Kungsbacka area. In our mission, a STL was over a group of roughly 10 sisters. We attended Missionary Leadership Council (MLC), conducted exchanges with the sisters we were over for training and learning purposes, performed trainings at Sister Training Meetings (and Zone conferences upon request) and reported the progress of the sisters to President and Sister Newell. We were supposed to lead by example in contacting and lessons each week. President Newell had initiated a similar sort of program before it became official as a more church wide policy, so my entire experience as a missionary had sister training leaders. You'll see this come into effect as I mention various stories.
My welcome into the area: My first night in Kungsbacka we had dinner with Andreas and Cindia Mattsson and the elders. First it started a little awkwardly, because the elders had told us that the time had been changed to a half hour earlier than originally planned (which was a miscommunication/misunderstanding because the dinner time was not moved up in the end). We had to get there earlier anyway since we road the bus, and so we were standing awkwardly outside when Andreas and Cindia drove up and the elders were still awhile aways.
The absolutely first question I was asked was if I played the piano and shortly thereafter it became official that I would be playing a musical number with Cindia and Elder Morley singing with Elder Knecht (on cello) and I accompanying them the following Sunday. We ended up performing I Believe in Christ in Swedish.
Also plenty of exchanges while I was here, during this first month I went on exchanges with Syster Randall in Göteborg and Syster Miller in Kungsbacka, Syster Hauglid (hi Camille!) and Syster Fawcett in Jönköping with more to come!
You can hear the most random things.
I overheard this conversation on the bus between two older women:
"Is she dead yet? She should have died years ago--are we sure she's not dead yet?"
At one point we were inadvertently part of a marathon. We were just walking back to the train station when all of a sudden all of these runners started to run by and we were just surrounded. It was a little bit weird feeling haha.
We hiked Utby mountain with most of the zone which was super fun! Even though it was my second time I've been in a Göteborg area, I never went to Utby the first time around (but then I was only there for 5 weeks and we weren't necessarily able to get into Göteborg every p-day)
Celebrated my second Valborg in Sweden! (The first was back in Västerhaninge my first area) I felt it was a little more anticlimactic this time around but it was still fun to see all of the missionaries!
Also was able to go to Bohus Fortress again. We weren't able to walk around inside like last year since it was apparently open only on weekends during the time we visited but we were still able to walk around the edge of the fortress and take some pictures. Super green this time of year! I always love seeing older architecture (this ended up being a busy p-day with lots of shopping).
Had my first experience with Zumba led by Cindia. It was super fun but exhausting haha! We also were planning a music night for Kungsbacka (I ended playing three pieces - two accompanying singers and a solo in the end, but more about that later). But on of the best days as a missionary: May 11th aka Mother's Day! I got to Skype home to my family for what would be the last time as a missionary before seeing them in person in July. Those few times that you can speak with your family are so precious, definitely enjoyed it while it lasted. Haha one of the first things they reminded me was that I only had 2 and a half months left.
The week of the 11th of May ended up being a big traveling week. We had exchanges with the Jönköping trio (I actually went to Jönköping), then we traveled back to Kungsbacka on Tuesday, before traveling to Stockholm for MLC and then back so we could have Zone Training led by Syster Newell the next day in Göteborg.
Exchanges with Jönköping with Camille and Kjanela was fantastic! Little did I know then that I would be transferring there is just over a month and a half to be companions with Kjanela (more on that in a future entry). Ended up telling my book stories again haha. Camille had been talking me up! Met Helen for the first time, heard Rikki's voice for the first time, met Alex (and made I think a somewhat poor impression on him since we were in a hurry and I wasn't particularly chatty...oops). I thought the city was absolutely gorgeous!
I also started to write more for fun during the few free minutes we have a day.
We also had Sister Training Meeting on 22 May 2014! Gave me a look into what it would be like to be an assistant to the president. We were in charge of a decent portion of it and helped run tech support. I actually like running trainings like this and teaching, so even though it was a lot of work, it still was a lot of fun! This was my very last sister training meeting as a missionary. With only two months left to my mission, time was running out fast. We focused on goals and what numbers really meant. We gave them a drawing and letter we wrote as a thank you and sign of our love.
Afterwards we learned that all of the trains back to Kungsbacka were canceled so we had to take a bus that got us there 2 hours later than planned, but we did make it!
The 24th of May (a Saturday) was an interesting day, since I was a little out of it. I kept entering addresses incorrectly into the phone so that the GPS was taking us into drastically different places than where we were supposed to go. And it wasn't until the middle of the day that we realized while we were contacting someone that I had put on one of Syster Larson's extra name tags! So... we were Syster Larson and Syster Larson for the day!
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