Oh How Swede It Is!: ett år (One Year)

Hello hello!!!!!!!

So this was by far one of the funnest weeks of my mission! I loved it!

On Monday, we went to the Tolley's for the final "tjejfest" (aka sister party) of the mission. They head home next week and I am devastated! I feel like my mission parents are all leaving, and it's really not okay with me. But that was super fun! I was able to see a bunch of sisters and a few people snuck birthday presents into my backpack. I have the best friends ever.

Tuesday was my birthday!!!!!!! Wooo!!!!!!!!!! I had so much fun. Syster King is the cutest and just made it the best day ever for me. She decorated everything and made me breakfast and we partied the entire day! She and the elders planned a surprise birthday party for me too :) Elder Held made me falafel (my new favorite food that I don't know how to describe) and Lofgren made me a cake and I felt soooooo loved! It was a ton of fun. Although I really don't feel 20. That is so old and gross.

The birthday breakfast, compliments of Syster King. :)

Celebrating Erin's one year mark with a bonfire....or celebrating Valborg. Either way.

Wednesday was our only real proselyting day of the week, and literally everything fell through. Haha gotta love it. We did some service and ended up talking to a bunch of people, and it went really well. But Thursday is what was really fun! YAY YEAR MARK!! I can't believe I have been on my mission a whole year. That feels ridiculous and not even real. We celebrated with Valborg! It was too windy to light our bonfire at the ward party we had, but on the way home we drove by a bunch of bonfires and it was AWESOME. I loved it. Uppsala was crawling with drunk people and parties, but it was fun. Haha, makes contacting exciting ;) (don't worry, we didn't contact the super drunk people)

Sisters Beckstrom, Mod & King at the tjejfest

On Friday, we took a 3 hour train ride up to Sundsvall and did workovers! That was way fun. I love the sisters in Sundsvall. They take care of us so well! We got to drive up a mountain there (like the only mountain in Sweden) and it was breathtaking. I miss Utah mountains, but Swedish ones. I'm telling you. They are something else!! We came home on Saturday and tried to proselyte as much as we could. It felt like we had like 5 hours in our area this week total. I miss our investigators....haha.

Sunday was so sad! We said goodbye to Elder Johnson, who goes home today, and the Hawleys, who are moving to Göteborg. Uppsala is changing so much and it is breaking Syster King and I's hearts. We are dying. We LOVE this area. Transfer calls come this Saturday and I really want to stay here!! I don't think I can handle one more goodbye! You think when you come on your mission you are done saying goodbyes. Nope! They just get worse!! I am so grateful for all of the people I have met though. They have taught me so much.

The Uppsala Crew

And finally, my thoughts about this last year. :) I have never been more grateful for anything in my entire life. This has been the hardest/best year I have ever had. I have learned so much. I wish everyone could go on a mission. It has changed my life and I will be forever grateful I came!! CHEERS to the next 6 months. May they go as slow as possible so I can enjoy every single minute!!!!

Love you guys :) Happy early Mother's Day shout out to my mom!! She is the best!!

xoxox Erin