The Good, the Bad and the Ugly- Journal Entry

July 28th, 2015

 



Hejsan Familj och Vänner!

 

What a week! So much to say, so little time! Here is a part of my journal this past week- gives you a look into an experience from this week. I appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly. I really like it when people are real with me, so I will try and be real with you. Missionary work isn't all happiness and sunshine. You still have bad days. But the good far outweighs the bad and the sunshine always seems to win.

 

July 23, 2015

"Just do your best." That phrase haunts me like a plague. I know you are supposed to "do your best" and that is all you can do, but what if you never felt like you "did your best?" What if I always feel like I could have done better and I remember the choices I made that were not my best at all. What if you don't know what your best should be?

 

For around a week or so I have felt like I should have an Ariabic Book of Mormon with me. Sister Harkness and I have been carrying other languages with us recentely and I just felt like I needed Ariabic. I had it in my backpack some of the days, but I never ended up needing it. Today after lunch, I was packing my backpack and I just had this thought "you should take an Ariabic Book of Mormon." I brushed it off at first and thought "nah, I won't need an Ariabic Book of Mormon today. What language should I bring today?" The thought came again: "You should bring an Ariabic Book of Mormon." I grabbed it from the book shelf, stuffed it in my backpack with the Swedish and English Books of Mormon and went on with my day. Sister Harkness and I had a goal today to contact 100 people. It was a lofty goal, but we wanted to do it. We were making our way into town when we stopped this man and started talking to him. He says, "you know I am muslim...." and of course the thought is racing through my head "what language does this man speak?" I ask him in Swedish what his language is and of course it is Ariabic. Of course I pulled out the Book of Mormon in Ariabic and gave it to this man on the street. Wow, what a miracle! I feel like [God] had me carry that around this past week in preparation for me to meet that man! It was very cool. And Sister Harkness and I got 76 contacts today, so we didn't quite get our goal, but we did really well!

 

 

Sometimes on a mission, I wonder if I do enough. I wonder if I could just say it a little better or convey the spirit more if people would listen. But alas, I am forced to be humble and admit my weakness. But God expects us to try anyway, even if everyday is far from perfect.

 

I love you all so much!

 

Sister Nielsen

 

Insanity???? BEST FAMILY EVER!!!! Sooooooooooooo happy (Syster Harkness was happy too). :)

No way!! I have the best family ever!! Thank you thank you! I have already worn the skirt three times last week.

Sweden is beautiful.

Syster Harkness and I did Primary (both hours) for this cute girls this Sunday. This is our Branch President's children. Alise (in the orange) is Annika's twin, I swear!