Sunday, January 24, 2010

Time for Change (Wed., January 20)

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been completely crazy and busy. We have our P-Day today...which is why I didn't write on Monday. Thanks for all the emails you sent to me. I always appreciate hearing about what's going on at home. I'm just going to do a simple email this week, to update all of you on what's going on...and then I will send a longer...better email next week from my new area. :)

Just a little bit of background on transfers this week...we have many missionaries who are going home tomorrow and only 3 missionaries coming to Sweden. That has caused a need to shut down areas. With that knowledge...we have all been very interested to know what is going to happen with all of us. We heard through the grapevine that the Stockholm Elders apt. was going to shut down...so we have assumed that Sisters would be staying in Stockholm.

Well, when we found out about transfers we were shocked....because. The Elders will be the missionaries staying in Stockholm. Both Sis. Swenson and I have been transferred to different areas. Sister Swenson will be moving to Uppsala...about 1 1/2 hours north and I will be moving to Jakobsberg...which is about 10 miles down the road. I will continue to take care of some of the things in Stockholm and be moving areas to one of the outlying Stockholm areas this transfer. I will be companions with Sis. Smith, who has been on her mission for 4 months. She is from Salt Lake, and I think we will work well together. I still need to find out from Pres. Anderson what he wants us to continue in Stockholm and what he wants us to turn over to the Elders here. The other shock is that neither one of the Elders we have been working with here in Stockholm will be staying here. Elder Drake is going Zone Leader in Göteborg, and Elder Hanes will be going to Västerås and going Senior Companion. So...the last couple of days have been very stressful and very busy.

I'll just write a couple of highlights...

We have been teaching Swedish Classes for a while. Well, last night, we had 23 people come to Swedish Class. It was awesome! We are seeing some major things happeneing with our Language Classes here in Stockholm.

We have also started going into high schools here during the day and doing a presentation on America...the differences in culture, and all sorts of things. We then have invited them to an English Discussion Class that we will be having every Thursday...from there we hope to be able to influence some of these teenagers for good. It has been really successful and really fun...you all know how I like to be in front of a group teaching! :)

We have been able to see many of our investigators and members these last few days which has been really fun. We are very glad we have been able to run around and see those we have worked with since we are leaving the area...well sort of...

Other than that, I am happy, healthy and have very mixed feelings about leaving/staying in Stockholm. There will definitely be new challenges with a new companion...and then finding a balance with what we will continue to do in Stockholm and helping the Jakobsberg area to continue to be strengthened. I will miss the Stockholm Ward...they are all like family...but I'm excited to get to know the members in my new area.

I know that President Anderson is inspired in the decisions he makes with transfers. I'm so grateful for revelation and that we can know what we need to do to continue in the path that Heavenly Father knows will lead us back to him. I am excited for the new adventure I'm going to have.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Time is flying by. I'm trying to take advantage of every minute I have. I love this work and am so blessed to get to be a part of it.

I love you all!

Love,
Sister Suzanne Wood

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