A Lovely Snow Day

I agree, time is slipping by so so fast. It's kind of making me have a panic attack, you know what I mean? Sister Hale has two weeks. TWO WEEKS left on her mission. If I hadn't extended, I would also have 2 weeks left! I'm really really glad I extended, for lots of reasons, but most of all right now because I don't have to worry about going home yet! ;) 

This week has been so so good. It got reeeeally cold for a few days (and almost 100% humidity!) and we had a snow storm, but the next day the sun was out and the snow was melting away. If that's the worst it'll get this winter, I'll be very very happy! Ok I'll find a way to be happy either way but it's always nice when I can feel my fingers and toes.

It was a lovely snow day!

Last week Sister Hale and I decided that the next time we were in the library, we would get some hot chocolate from this hot chocolate machine. It was only 5 crowns, and it tasted delicious! Plus it was really entertaining to watch it make the hot chocolate. 

Søster Barrett and Søster Hale

So, T, our friend with baptismal date, has disappeared! He hasn't answered our calls or texted us back, and we don't have his address because he always met us at the church... it's way sad because we have no idea what happened, and he was SO happy for the message. I know it'll all work out in the Lord's timing, and I hope he's ok. Sister Hale and I are totally disappointed though! Sådan er det bare. Keep him in your prayers. Hopefully we'll run into him this week. It's happened before, it could happen again!

Exchanges were fun and crazy and awesome! This week I was with Søster Rovig on Monday and Søster Moseley on Friday. They're both relatively new sistas, and it was really motivating to be with them! On Tuesday, Søster Rovig and I had an appointment with our investigator Y, in VIA (the local university). We were waiting for Y and decided to find someone to start a conversation with - we found D, who is from somewhere in Eastern Europe I believe! We have another appointment set up with her for this Wednesday, so I'm really excited to see what happens there. 

And the appointment with Y was great! She is the sweetest girl, from Africa, and very believing. She came to church yesterday and is coming to dinner with us tonight. So fun! I think she's around my age, and I know that I am away from my family in a foreign country, but if it was for school, not a mission, I don't think I would be brave enough to leave my family so far away! Her brother lives here in Horsens as well though, so at least they have each other.

We had a lot of computer work this week because we had to do the monthly zone reports for all of the sisters in Jylland and on Fyn. I can't believe I once spent 3 or more hours staring at a computer screen and enjoyed it! Ick!

A few weeks ago Søster Hale and I saw that our apartment complex was going to hold a late Julefrokost on the 23rd for anyone who wanted to participate. We thought it would be really hyggeligt, so we signed up! We realized this week that we would be on exchanges on that day, and started worrying that the dinner would be reeal awkward. But Søster Moseley and I went and it was so fun!!! We were a few minutes late getting there, and before we opened the door we could hear them saying "Those Latter-day Saint girls were supposed to come!" We walked in and everyone was really happy to see us - I thought it was so sweet of them. 

So we ate a delicious dinner with a lot of the old men and ladies in our complex, got to know them a lot better, and played a few games together. Everyone was asking us about what we did as missionaries - I'm sure they've been curious about it ever since missionaries started living here, but people are really respectful of privacy here so I would imagine none of them have ever really asked before - so it was a good chance to explain a little bit about the church. We live with some really awesome people! Søster Hale and I are going to make them all cookies in our free time this week. Fest!

I love the way church is set up here - we have Relief Society and Sunday School before Sacrament Meeting. It was kind of a weird adjustment but I think it helps me get more prepared to take the sacrament. And this week the topic for Relief Society/Priesthood was partaking of the sacrament. It was such a great lesson, and I was so reminded of how great it is that we get to renew our baptismal covenants every week. 

I want to do a better job of  setting personal goals every Sunday for how to follow Jesus Christ better so I can renew my commitment to Him with more conviction - I think it would help me be a lot more effective in how I follow Jesus Christ. I've been pondering on Him a lot in the last few days. 

We shared a spiritual thought with a family last night where we offered everyone there a cookie, and in order for them to get the cookie someone had to do 5 pushups (I don't know if missionaries have ever done this spiritual thought with you, but I think it's a pretty common one). But even if they didn't want the cookie, that person still did pushups to give them the opportunity to accept it or not. It's supposed to illustrate what Christ did for us - He Atoned for each and every one of us, so that we would each have the opportunity to choose to accept His sacrifice or not. 

It got me thinking about the Atonement - Heavenly Father must love us so much, if he would send His son knowing that not everyone would accept or even appreciate the sacrifice, and Christ must love us just as much if he would be willing to go through that for us knowing the same. So I need to use the gift He's given me! And I NEED to share it with others! So we're doing it, as much as we can!!

Today we're taking an essentials P-day, because on Thursday we're having a District Activity and going to Himmelbjerg! The highest hill in Denmark! ;)

President Sederholm is going to do my endorsement, and I just got an email from BYU saying that as long as I remember to do the endorsement, my scholarship for next year will be reactivated for me! Woo woo! I don't think there's a ton you need to do before I get back - but you could look into the Colony and see when their deadline is for signing up for housing.

Yesterday a really awesome lady in the ward gave a great talk - and she mentioned some of the things people who are dying say they regret the most. I can't remember all of them, but some of them were that they wished they had let themselves be happier, and spent more time with the people they loved, and spent less time focusing on their job. I don't want to finish my mission wishing I had let myself be happier, or wishing I had savored every moment more. I want to reach out and love as much as I can, and accept that sometimes things don't go according to plan, but find a way to be Christlike in every circumstance. I still have time left! I'm going to do better!

I love you all so much. Thank you for being so great. Thank you for raising my vision and helping me see things with a better perspective.

Have a good week!

Love,

Søster Barrett