Oh How Swede It Is!: Yes, We Do Have Snow!

Syster Mod & Syster Bolton. New comps!

Hi everyone!! After a grand total of around 30 travel hours this week, I am finally settled into life in Luleå :) My Polar Express ride from Halmstad to Luleå, that I thought would be so wonderful, was 19 hours straight. I had a lot of fun looking out the window and seeing Sweden change from fall to snowy winter as we went into Norrland! However, needless to say, the first day in Luleå I was not lookin' so hot. Haha! This week, we have been traveling around to members, to Umeå for zone conference, etc etc, and I think I would be okay if I didn't get on a train for a while. But you can only get these experiences in Sweden!;)

My new companion is SO cute! Her name is Sister Bolton, and she is from Layton, UT. We met when we were at BYU together last year, so we have had so much fun reminiscing about the good old college days :) She is my first younger companion in the mission! I am greenie breaking her, which means I am the first companion she has had after her trainer. Big shoes to fill! But I really just love her and we are already having a ton of fun together. :)

Luleå.....Luleå is just a wow. It is absolutely beautiful. Winter has already started here. It snowed all day yesterday, and stuck! The lakes and ocean here are already freezing over. I am wearing my winter coat and starting to collect beanies and gloves. Yay. October. Haha! But I really do love it. The branch here is AMAZING! I am so excited to get to know everyone here. And the work...also a wow! We got a baptismal date with our investigator, Ehsan, at church on Sunday, and we have a lesson with him tonight to make sure of everything:) We have another cute 12 year old investigator, Stefan, who will be setting his date for the end of this month. I am just blown away by all of the prepared people here! I am having SO much fun working with all of them. People here are so nice and welcoming, even if we are strangers. It really cannot get better:)

My favorite experience so far was probably yesterday. We had an awesome time at church (s/o to Syster Mod for translating all of Relief Society, which turned into a lesson about how to protect yourself from Ebola...#gettingcreative) and got a baptismal date for Ehsan! After church, we didn't have any set plans, so we planned in faith for 5 lessons and went out and did swing bys. 5 lessons + swing bys = should be impossible. Just so you guys know. But we ended up getting all 5 lessons and met some really cool people. Faith!! It totally works!

I am so glad I can finally (hopefully) settle into an area and stay here for a while. I have this feeling that I am going to love Luleå. :) Thank you for all of the love and support all of you have shown me! Coming on a mission has made me realize how blessed I am with amazing family and friends :) I love you all! Have a good week!!

xoxoxo Syster Mod

also fun facts:

60 miles from the arctic circle. holla.

they have reindeer crossing signs here. lol.

we have a car!! I drove for the first time in 6 months...in snow. no one died. ;)