Interview for the Swedish Newspaper

HI!! Things are going really well! Just 6 weeks left here and then I'm off to Sweden!

Our district is really fun. It's good that we get along because we spend A LOT of time together. We all came in at the same time and we'll leave the same time, and we're together all day every day in between.

Elder Tietjen doesn't know his genealogy very well. He said he'd ask home for them to send it, so maybe we'll see if we're related.

So I have some crazy news. Yesterday, a correspondant from Svenska Dagbloget, a major newspaper in Sweden, came to our classroom to interview us! She was really friendly, really impressed, and really Swedish. She mostly talked to our teacher, but I said a few things. At least there will be a picture of all of us. The article will come out in about 3-4 weeks and I'll get you the link! That was really exciting. We were expecting a lot of hard questions, but she didn't ask much. The article will probably be really positive.

Spencer K. Christiansen is the Manager of Human Resources & Support Services here at the MTC. He worked with us quite a bit to prepare us and was in charge of it all. If you need to contact him you can at 1-801-422-6963 or christensensk@mtc.byu.edu

Afterwards, Spencer said we did so well that they'd let us be the ones that BBC will interview on Friday. That should be a lot more intense than a nice old Swedish lady. He specially trained Elder Tomlinson and I in case they want to interview a companionship. So we're all really excited for that! Our district is practically world famous already. :D

The Swedish is coming along well. We teach a lesson in Swedish almost every day, which is challenging but also really good learning. I can get the gist of most simple conversation now. It feels really natural. I'm sure the Swedish in my blood is coming out. So I'm not too worried about the field. I'm really excited to get out there and meet all those wonderful people!

I kind of switched to volleyball this week. That's really fun and I'm actually doing pretty well! I've never really thought of myself as an athlete, but I'm doing better than I give myself credit for.

I saw Elder Vaughan twice this week! He seems to be doing REALLY 
well. His cheerfulness is such a great example to me! I'm excited to see what great things he'll do!

The devotionals here are great. There's one every Sunday and Tuesday, and the speakers are always great! We've had Elders Rasband and Jensen from the Seventy both give great talks. And our mission president is great as well. Also, after the Sunday devotionals we watch church films or talks, and two of the weeks we watched AMAZING talks by Elder Bednar given at the MTC. He's so doctinal!! He's now one of my favorites.

Our branch consists of us 8 Swedes, the 6 Norsk and a couple districts of English speakers. We actually got 20 new English speakers yesterday, 2 of which joined us in our residence. It's a little crowded now with 6 elders in there. But they're cool! Sacrament Meeting is in English and it's really good. Our Branch President is really nice and is all-the-time smiling a lot. :)

We're on our third Zone Leader now. When we arrived it was one of the departing Swedes. Since then they've been calling English speakers for a couple weeks each before they leave. A few weeks before I leave they'll probably call one of the Swedes or the Norsk since we arrived at the same time. We'll see. We all get along really well so it's all fun.

Epiphany of the week: The Swedish flag represents my Hogwarts Sorting. YES.

I'm working to enjoy my time here. It's a little hard sometimes. But there are a lot of GREAT moments and I'm doing really well! So no need to worry about me! It is SO good to be here.

Elder Day told us the joke he told at his farewell talk: "A few months ago when President Monson heard there was an opening in Sweden, he wanted to send the best missionary he could. So he looked through the applicants and found the most spiritual missionary he could. He asked him and he said no. So he asked the most intelligent missionary he could find. He said no. So he asked the best looking missionary he could find, and he said no. So then he asked me. I said, 'Well, if you're going to ask me 4 times, I guess I'll go.' " LOL!

Brother Harris has taught every missionary going to Sweden for the last year and a half, and he says there are NO missionaries who are problems. So I'm excited!

I love all of you SO much! Thanks for your prayers, support and letters! I'm doing really well.

Jacob, I hope you get well soon. I'm praying for you.

I know that this church is true. I know that God loves me because that fills me up each day. I can't wait to share that blessing with everyone in Sweden!

You are all in my prayers always.

Elder Lawrence