Letter from June 8th

Kære familie

så...yup, I am training. Everyone before I got sister Ripa said "oh you're going to have to train a baby" or they kept making comments about how difficult it would be to train a young 19 year old who didn't speak any danish. So I prepped myself mentally for this younger missionary who would not be able to speak or understand any danish. Well, Søster Ripa is completely the opposite of that. She is 23 years old, graduate from BYU, she served as a relief society president for a year so she has actually had more experience in ward councils and working with ward leaders than I really have. She also speaks beautiful danish and understands nearly everything. I was blown away by her danish and so is everyone else who meets her. Oh and she's also about 5 inches taller than me. Haha, so yes, she was completely opposite from what I expected. I don't feel like I'm training her, haha, I guess I'll never have the "classic" training experience. The first time I had know idea what I was doing and the second time my trainee already knows everything.

But earlier this week, I was in copenhagen a few days until Søster Ripa arrived. So I was able to see what it would be like to be a missionary in Copenhagen. I think it would be hard, people are much more busy and they speak københavnsk, which is very different from the jysk i've gotten used to.

Well on wednesday I picked up Søster Ripa and then we headed back to my wonderful beautiful city of Aarhus. Oh how I love this place. The elders met us at the train station to help with luggage so that was really nice of them. Then we went straight to an eating appointment with Maria (it was her birthday that day). She is awesome. Maria makes the best food and is always just so nice and open to new missionaries.

Then after our appointment at Maria's we went to a lesson with this recent investigator named Mahtab from afghanistan. she is so sweet and so open to hearing the gospel. She had a friend there to interpret into persian for her. We taught a simple explanation about the Book of Mormon and the spirit was so strong. It was a neat experience to be able to feel the spirit was Mahtab explained in Persian some of her past experiences with God and with Christ. Even without being able to understand the language, we were able to understand the point of what she was saying.

So it's pretty much been a normal week after getting back to Aarhus. We've taught some people, found a few new people. Went to church. Hmmm, not much exciting is happening.

Oh! Except for Ashley. Ashley has been sober for over a week! He is such a different person now. The light in his eyes is so much brighter and he looks just so much happier. He has so much hope for his future and he's keeping busy and he is really seriously beginning to take the time to figure out if this church is the true church or not. He's reading and praying every day and coming to church and coming and doing service with us or the elders. Ashley is amazing.

We also met with David. Oh David, haha, love that kid. he's reading the bible from the beginning now. He also has changed. He seems happier, lighter and laughs a lot more now.

I love how the Gospel brings peace and happiness and joy. Pure joy. that's how the gospel feels. We are the happiest when we live the Gospel. Really, we are. I've seen it not only in my life but the lives of hundred of other friends that i've made here in Denmark.

Thanks for being wonderful family, I'll hopefully be able to send some pictures next week!

Love you! Jeg elsker jer!

Søster Briscoe