Ballerup w/Tolman & Wright - Oct 17, 2011

Hey guys.  So first email in two weeks.  Sorry about that.  We were moving in the whole day last week so there wasn't enough time to email and then the same thing happened over the next couple days, so there wasn't any time to write a legit email.  So we're moved in and almost everything is unpacked.  Last Sunday, a member, who's really cool, came up to me while Æ. Tolman was in the bathroom with these two packages, saying this is for you guys.  When I gave it to Tolman, he's like, uh-oh.  "everytime I've been at their house, I've had my socks with holes in them.  They probably gave me socks and then, so that you wouldn't feel bad, gave you some too."   So on the way to our eating appointment after church, Tolman opens his package and its.......SOCKS!  HAHAHAHA.  It was so funny.  And, of course, I got socks too.  But it was one of the funniest things in a while. 

On Tuesday I went to Slagelse for the first time in about 5 months.  It was weird!  Really weird!  We got some good work done, but its the same Slagelse.  But it was a good experience. 

Wednesday: TRANSFERS!!!!  We had to be there at10am.  I was very nervous.  I didn't want to let my greenie down, and I wanted to do all I could.  But I also wanted to know WHO I was getting!  So, of course, we didn't find out who we were gettting for TWO hours!!!  I was going crazy.  It's not like you could just guess who you were going to get, there were 12 of them!  Finally, the time had come!!  All of us are sitting in the chapel and President starts announcing who is getting whom.  Apparently, President was changing things up from what he originally decided while he was at the pulpit.  Anyway, I was one of the last ones to get someone.  I got Elder Wright.  He's tallish, with glasses, but he's pretty cool.  He's a way hard worker.  He's from Georgia and is the oldest.  On Saturday, we had 10 hours of total work.  I was exausted and if I had had any other companion, I would've gone and taken a break, but he works me harder than anybody else.  So it was a way good week, work wise!  But after we found out our greenie, we went to Fredricksborg Slot in Hillerød.  That was cool.  I'll take you there when you come visit. 

The highlight of the week, came yesterday at church.  There is a family that just moved into the ward from Skive.  I had heard that their kids had gotten some of the lessons in Skive.  I talked to the dad and he said that he needed us to do something for him.  Give his kids the rest of the lessons and get them baptized as soon as possible.  I was like YES!!!!! RIGHT ON!!!!!  So I'm hoping to have two baptisms (these two kids) in early November. I'm really excited.  But yeah, so it was a good week.  Hoping things go good this week too.  Love and mis ya'll tons!!!

MKH

William

The family still in Denmark (William and Ence are brothers since they were both trained by Elder Mauler)

Sept. 29 group on our year mark, missing one.

Æ. Wright and I with Pres. and Sis. Anderson in front of Christus

Our whole group was training.  Us in front of Fredricksborg Slot

Æ. Veach Ballerup - Oct 3, 2011

Hey guys, how was you're week?  It sounds like last week was better with conference.  This past week, was good but frustrating.  On Tuesday, we had splits with the Zone Leaders.  They have responsibilty of Nykøbing which is closed right now and so they go down there once a week and do work.  But they go on splits so that they can still work in their own area.  That's all well and good, but that just killed our area this week.  I was working in Søborg Tueday and most of Wednesday.  I had a cool experience though while we were on splits.  We went to visit a new convert who had just moved from Portugal.  The problem was that she moved with her two children with NOTHING!  They had a couple plates and forks and one mattress.  The kids slept on the mattress while the mom slept on the floor with a single blanket.  It was really humbling to see these people move here trying to find a job but they had nothing.  They got money from a friend and they used all of it so that they could rent an apartment to sleep in.  It was really humbling because I haven't really seen poor on my mission.  Because of the government, even if you're poor, you have money enough and it doesn't look too much like this.

On Thursday we had interviews with President Andersen.  Again I was told that I was training, but I still don't know where.  It's pretty likely that I'll stay, but it's not for sure.  You'll get another email this week when I find out.  So it should be interesting. 

General Conference was fun but tiring.  On Saturday night, we had the Sat morning session, and we were the only one to have investigators come, that felt really good!  Pachara, our Thai investigator came AND he brought a friend.  I think they were a little bored, but it was good that they could see it.  I went to watch it in Danish with them and was surprised to see that I was the only missionary to watch it in Danish.  In fact most of the members watched it in English! 

But yeah, hopefully it'll be a better week this week.  Love you and miss you tons.  I don't know if we'll be able to email next Monday because we will be moving into our new apartment next Monday!  But if not, we'll email on Tuesday, and then transfers on Wednesdays!  Should be an exciting week.

MKH

William

One Year Down - 9/26/2011

Kære Familie,

How are you guys doing?  We had a pretty good week.  After we emailed you on Tuesday, we went to Hanne and Henrik Olsen's house.  They are way cool.  They have a son who went on their mission the same day as I did.  So I kind of relate them to you guys, just because they're in the same boat kind of.  They love telling us about their son and what's going on with him and comparing his experiences to ours.  There is actually a picture of him in my MTC pics if you remember.  That was a lot of fun and I love hanging out with them they are so nice and so fun.  We had an eating appointment Wednesday and Thursday with some really cool families.  Despite eating with some cool families, the work this week has been really slow.  There's no one who wants to stop and talk to us. We decided to knock on this kolligium that hasn't been knocked in a while.  I love knocking there.  It's like college dorms and there are only young people there.  The young people are more rebellious, but much more open to hearing about new stuff.  If you were to look at all the baptisms in the mission most of them are younger Danes.  So yeah we're going to start that this week.

This upcoming week we have only two eating appointments.  But on Tuesday Tolman and one of the ZL's is going to Nykøbing (Area Tolman came from, but is closed right now because there isn't enough missionaries) to visit some investigators down there.  While the other ZL and I are going to Søborg to work for the day.  I'm excited because I'll get to see Jack and Malene who moved there a couple months ago from Slagelse.  And then we have interviews on Thursday in Roskilde and we'll hopefully find something out about Transfers.  Oh yeah, thats our year mark too!  :) 

Speaking of a year, I decided to give you guys a little thing that probably is just my selfish skewed opinion of what I have learned over the past year.  So first off, a new language.  A year ago, zip zero notta Danish in my life.  Now my life is almost nothing but Danish.  I can now hold my own in conversation and convincingly fake that I understand what people are saying.  But yeah, hopefully I'll be even better in a year from now!  Another thing I've learned is how to talk to people and how to be patient with others around me.  Something that I definitely struggled with before my mission.  I've learned more about the gospel than ever before.  It has strengthened my testimony so much!  I've come closer to my Savior since coming on my mission and that has helped me be happier in my everyday life.  So that was really short and probably disappointing, but hopefully I'll have more next week, after I've been here a year ;).  Anyway, love and miss ya'll tons!!!!  Have a great week. 

MKH
William

P.S.  My camera is being weird right now so i'll get on the computer and send you some pictures tomorrow.  We're in Helsingør today!  Top of sjælland!

Less Than One Year Left - 9/20/2011

Hi guys!  How was your week?  Things went ok last week.  Sorry I didn't have time to write yesterday.  We were moving stuff out and cleaning all day.  From 8am to 430pm.  It was a long day to say the least.  Ballerup house has been the storage place for the past 10 years so it just has a ton of accumulated junk all over the place.  That was what we worked on getting rid of.  We had our whole district and the APs have a huge van that we loaded up three times to take to the dump.  Not exactly what I wanted to do for my Pday but what can you do.  Our move date is the 10 Oct.  So we still have three weeks until we move the last of the stuff in.  The house is so empty.  Literally all we have is a couch and our beds and dresser.  About as much as I had in Slagelse but if you could've seen it before you'd be shocked at how empty it is now. 

 

The work is still going slow, but we are plugging away and knocking a ton.  We had splits last week and that was really good.  Had some good appointments and it's always fun to hang out with them.  Anyway, this is another one of those not so much to report weeks.  This coming week, we have eating appointments every day until Friday, so that's always nice.  Yesterday, was our year left according to our tentative release date (Sept 19, 2012).  That feels so weird.  I was talking to Koop, who is two groups ahead of me and we feel like we just got here.  It feels so crazy to be half way done.  Anyway, love ya'll and miss you tons!!!!!

 

MKH

William