5-9-16

5-2-16

Hello my people. YOU are a winner because you took the time to read this. Thank you :) 

Okay, I flippin' love this country. The people here are just the worst, but I've never loved anyone more than I love them. I don't quite understand it. No wait, yeah I do. It's the love of Christ. Bleh, okay I just love everyone I see and I love it! 

This week was out of this world. I'll just jump right into the most exciting part and save the boring things for those of you who read the entire email ;) Okay, so 2 weeks ago we started teaching that guy F*, right? You know, the American Genius with 2 PHDs who speaks fluent Danish? Well, We invited him to be baptized this last Thursday. He said no to the date that we extended him, but promised us he would come to church. So. Yesterday at church, good old Frank shows up to church half an hour early in his BMW and Bertoni suit, lets himself in (we hadn't even seen him at this point) and introduces himself to the Bishop and First Counselor! They just sat and chatted for 15 minutes in Bishops office and got to know each other. Then sacrament started. It was fast and testimony meeting. Sister Keller got up to bare her testimony and Frank started tearing up!! He loved the meeting, then came to guest class afterwards. He participated as if he were a member, giving all the right answers!! 

Okay, so church was great, but the best part was after church! We were just sitting in our apartment making food when we get a text from F*. I'm just going to quote the text exactly because it was SO amazing!! He said '' ”I had a wonderful time today! I feel like I have come home. My heart is filled with love and acceptance. Several times, while driving home, i got tears of joy in my eyes. When i got home, I fell to my knees in thanks to God. I feel a peace and excitement I never have experienced. 

Today is a turning point in my life. How can i deny the gift God has shown to me - one that was always there, if I had been clear to see it. 

I want to learn all you know of Jesus and his ways. I want to accept him as my Savior and live by his example. I want to accept and follow the church teachings - the way of Christ. 

We talked about baptism... I welcome this as a demonstration of my beliefs. 

I am SO glad that you will 'double team' me on Wednesday kl 13.30. Looking forward to seeing you all. 

Be you all blessed in the name of Lord, Jesus Christ! And keep you well til we meet again!

Your humble servant in Christ, Frank.”

...... We couldn't believe it!! Never before have I seen such quick and absolute conversion happen in an investigator as this. I think the Lord has been preparing F* for a very long time. We immediately replied and set a baptismal date with him. He accepted with an open heart. Isn't that beautiful!?!?!? 

Okay, so that was the highlight. I also had my 'My Plan' meeting this week. That is basically a meeting that missionaries have right before they go home so they can prepare for going back home. It was actually very inspiring. I can't wait to get home and continue to progress in the Lord's hands. 

I love this country. I love my Savior. I love you all!! 

Have a great week!!

Ældste Jed Bradshaw 

4-25-16

Hello Fellas,

it's been an astronomical week. We had Stake Conference yesterday and that was just wonderful. We had our area seventy show up to speak to us. It's always funny to listen to them speak in English and have a Danish man standing next to them to translate to Danish at the pulpit. They don't always get the translation just right, but they do their best :) 

We've  been attending a local church in Slagelse  on Saturdays where they only speak Spanish. I do my best to translate for my companion and then we get a chance after the services to go around and talk to all of their members in both Spanish and broken Danish. We brought the Sisters with last time and introduced them to one of the members from Portugal. They have now been teaching her and she has a baptismal date!! I think working with other faiths is a great way to find those that are prepared to hear the gospel. We aren't allowed to preach in their churches, but we are definitely allowed to make friends and talk to them later :) 

We've been teaching lots of Old ladies this week: They're so funny... every single one of them sets up the same things in their living rooms for us. Two chairs at the coffee table with a plate, knife, fork, doily, fine china glass, and small cookies on a plate in the middle. We don't even use the fork and knife! I think they just like to set it up and make it look all fancy :) Haha they're adorable. But we taught this one lady down in Nykøbing this week and she's been somewhat of an eternigator, but we reset expectations with her and were very bold with our invitation to act. She's now heavily considering being baptized in June. I'll think she's finally come around. 

We also taught a crazy Australian lady who believes in UFOs, ghosts, and something called ''inner earth'' which is basically a society of people that live deep below the earth's crust that are watching and monitoring us until the day that they will emerge and take over. Haha, people are awesome. Funny thing was that she said lots of things about her spirituality that are very very close to Gospel truths, just construed a little bit. We hope to align some of her ideas with the truth. 

All is well here. Life is good. I love it. 

Have a great week!! I love you all!!

-Ældste Bradshaw

4-18-16

Hey everyone!!

Sorry for not writing last week. Life is crazy, as you all know very well. But I'm doing very well :) Couldn't be better actually. This last week Elder Gudmundson and I have been attending meetings with President and preparing for zone training. Then on Thursday we gave the zone training and let me tell you, it was phenomenal! The Spirit was so incredibly strong the entire time and I learned so much. Together we set the goal of putting 20 new people on baptismal date this transfer. It's been a long time since that has happened, but I believe we can do it!

Two weeks ago we got a referral from the office for a man that lives in a city called Glumsø. We went out and visited him last week and it went great! He's from America but has been in Denmark for 20 years and speaks fluent Danish. It was quite strange really. 3 English speaking human beings standing in a front garden speaking Danish to each other. I didn't even think to switch over to English until my companion said something on the way home! Anyway, we came back 3 days ago and taught him the first lesson and it went great! The Spirit was there, he accepted a Book of Mormon and a commitment to read and pray and even prayed with us there on the spot. Only problem was that when we tried to set up a return appointment he told us to come back in two weeks. Two weeks!! We were a little disappointed.

For investigators to really progress they need to be met with multiple times a week. Oh well... there was nothing we could do. BUT!! Last night we suddenly got a text from him and he said(and I quote) ''Hey guys. I hope it's okay that I write to you. I know our appointment is 2 weeks from now, but I thought I might be able to invite you over for dinner. I haven't been able to stop thinking about our last visit. You've caused me to really consider my existence and help me recognize a connection with God I didn't know I had. Feel free to bring a member of the Church along if it would make you feel more comfortable....''!!!!!!!!!! Isn't that awesome?!?! We were so excited last night. You should have seen us celebrating in our apartment. So now we are going to meet with him on Wednesday instead of 2 weeks from now and invite him to be baptized with a date. Can't wait!!

Also, since President gave me the commission, I have been putting all of the Mission Scripture Masteries to song in Danish and sending them to the entire mission. I'll send you a copy of one or two so you can hear what it sounds like ;) Maybe Dad can even put them on the blog for everyone to hear. It's a little hard to sing in Danish, but I manage. 

I know that this is God's work. He trusts us enough to give us our agency and make our own choices, but I don't doubt that he is involved in our lives and especially in the work of Salvation. I'm proud to be a missionary. I love it. I hope it never ends. 

Have a great week!!! I Love you all!!

-Elder Jed Bradshaw