51.

Happy mission week 51! :) The time just keeps on flying by! It really feels like this past week has been the shortest week of my life!!

Last week we enjoyed a great day of Zone Conference all the way up in Aarhus! We had just been their the previous sunday for Stake Conference, so it was nice to make the trip up there again! To get a distance perspective, it took us about 1 ½ hours going about 140 km/hr most of the way :) It was super nice to be in a car again! haha, whenever that happens, we cherish the moment! We rode up to Århus with the Missionære Ægtepar (the Senior Missionary Couple) here in Odense, Elder and Sister Turpin :) They're so sweet! I'll have to get a picture of just them someday :)

But Zone conference went great! It's nice being back in the South Jylland zone, like I was in Vejle!

​I got to see 3 of my previous 5 companions (the ones before this one, and minus Sister Køster who is in Australia) while in Århus, since Sister Woster now serves there, Sister Mann is in Horsens, and Sister Noorda is still in Esbjerg!

 
​
​me, sister Mann, and sister Orr!

Here's a side by side comparison of Sister Mann and I pre-Denmark and Mid-Denmark! Last November and This September! What a difference! Denmark really is the happiest place on earth :) hahaha

I also got to see Sister Sorensen on Saturday! But we sadly have no pictures of our adventure together.

Sister Ripa travelled all the way to Frederiksberg (right outside of København), to go to the Temple with someone she has worked with on her mission, so Sister Ackerman and I jumped off the train in Slagelse to save on expenses, and we traded places with Sister Perkins. Lots and lots of switches happening! hahaha, but it was really great!

We took an ''essentials'' pday last monday to have this little expedition, so we had some Pday hours to make up while in Slagelse!

Look at this great record we found at a genbrug!

​I think some of you would really enjoy that! :D I sure did! 

The weather is beginning to get really cold here in Denmark (and by really cold, I mean we're at 13C right now, so I guess it's not too incredibly bad....)! The tights, sweaters, winter coats and thik scarves have surfaced their way into our attire! We were suprised that the morning dew wasn't frost yet the other day! The leaves have begun to change, and I admit that I've already broken out the hot chocolate and Christmas music :) But there is no shame to be found!

I don't have enough time today to punch out the deets on all the people we're working with like I was planning on doing, so keep your eyes open for that next week :) Until then, I hope you all have a fantastic week, and that you enjoy the wonderous changing of the seasons around you :) <3

I wish I had some words of wonderous wisdom to give y'all, but alas, the mind does not know where to begin with all of the amazing stories and experiences! I'll do a better job of writing next week :) haha, even though I'm sure I say that every single week!

I love you all!! <3 Have a great one!

Med Kærlig Hilsen,

Søster Morgan Soelberg

Good Times

Hello Dear Family and Friends :) It has been another great week here in Odense :) It's been full of traveling between Aarhus and Copenhagen, Eating deathly spicy food, and once again being mistaken for someone/thing I'm not! Fun times!

To start off this week, how about a little lesson I learned from the scriptures this morning? :) Yes, I'm a missionary! And I love it!

I started in the Book of Ether this morning, and we all know that when we get to that point, we're all pretty down in the dumps feeling bad for the Nephites (but only kinda.....you feel bad for Mormon and Moroni.....). So really, the Book of Ether is a nice breath of fresh air full of happy people and stories (at least in the beginning!).

Those who know the story, I pose the question- isn't it super awesome?! Those who don't know it, hang on- I'll take ya on a little ride.

We start off reading about the people who came from the Tower of Babel all the way to the American Continent. As they begin their journey, the Lord blesses them with His presence, showing them the way. After they come to the ''great sea which divideth the lands,'' the people kinda chill and get a little lazy with remembering the Lord in their lives for about 4 years. And then the magic happens. The Lord reminds them of their need for Him, and our dear friend the Brother of Jared regains his amazing relationship with the Lord. 

Up to this point, we can kinda apply this to our own lives- We know that the Lord leads and guides us, especially when we are extremely aware of His helping hand. But when times and seasons start feeling good, sometimes we become little lame slackers and aren't so good with our daily recognition of our Wonderful Father in Heaven. 

This next part is awesome.

The Lord proceeds to instruct Jared's Brother (that's the direct translation from Danish) to once again build some boats, or barges, to be able to make their journey accross the ocean. The Lord gives them specific instructions, as He did with Noah and Nephi, but this story is really special. The Lord places obstacles in the plans for the Brother of Jared to discover and work out on his own. The Lord loves us so much that He gives us opportunities to grow in ways that we didn't even know we needed.

Jared's Brother realizes that because the barges are ''tight like unto a dish,'' there is both no way for light to reach the people inside, neither fresh air to come into the ship, thus making it impossible to make the long journey and survive. Approaching the Lord in prayer, he expresses these concerns to the Lord. God gives him the solution to the first problem, telling Jared's Brother to create holes that can be stopped up on both the top and the bottom to allow for air, which the Brother of Jared does immediately exaclty according the the instructions of the Lord. But God doesn't give him the solution to the second problem. Instead, the Brother of Jared asks again, and in reply, the Lord says ''What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?'' 

Up until this point in time, the Lord has led the people of the Brother of Jared pretty much hand-in-hand, and Jared himself had instructed his Brother what to do in the very beginning. But now was the time for the Brother of Jared to make a decision. Now was the time to exercise his precious gift of agency. Now was the time for him to apply all the things he had learned in his life. In the case of this story, the Brother of Jared turns to the Scripture and discovers the perfect solution to the problem. We can all read about this amazing experience in chapter 3 of the Book of Ether (https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/3?lang=eng), in which the Brother of Jared meets the Lord face to Face.

Now time to apply.

As we see in this story, the Lord gave no easy reply to the first question.

sometimes we may feel as if the Lord doesn't answer us! But fear not! He is really preparing us for something great, something unimaginable for our own minds! The Lord has prepared us with the tools necessary to make the most out of our experience here on this earth, to help us learn how we can become more like God Himself :)

One of the character traits Jareds Brother needed to overcome in mortality was his passiveness- in which he allowed himself to be lead so much to the extent that he didn't realize he could come up with solutions and ideas all on his own. The Lord provided him with a way to recognize that potential he had in himself.

My thoughts are going crazy, so I hope you all can understand the point I am trying to make here. 

The point of the story that I reaped today was that we cannot expect to have optimal growth without stretching ourselves. We may be on the right path, doing all the right things, helping people and holding the commandments- but it's all too easy to coast by. We need a stretching expereince to help us progress. In the case of Jared's Brother, he needed to come to the Lord with a question and a solution, and then be ready to act on all that the Lord asks/instructs. We can all receive personal commandments and instructions from God that will guide us to the exact path God would have us take.

As General Conference comes once again in 2 weeks (I am so indescribably stoked for this!!!!!), I challenge us all to really pay attention and be ready to receive personal inspiration and revelation from the Prophets and Apostles and other leaders whom God has called and qualified to guide us as He would guide us :)

And with that, how about some good ol' fun stuff happening here in Denmark

we made our way to Copenhagen once more for Sister Ackerman to take her Language Test!! That's my 5th time coming here to this statue!

​Super spicy food made as a district with our ''secret ingredients!'' never let Elders bring secret ingredients!!!

on the ride back to Odense from Aarhus! Sister Ripa was pretty drained from Stake Conference!
​

​Someone in the library just scooted their chair backwards and it sounded like Chewbaca! And that's a wrap!

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

-Søster Soelberg

Odense Week Two!

Another week completed in Odense!! And WOW has it been busy!! Working it 2 wards has been a blast, but it seems like it's not going to be that way for very long :( An explanation takes a little bit of a story:

The Sister Training Leaders (Sisters Mann and Mandla) came by this week on exchanges, and it was a blast!!!

But as we were all talking together and seeing how we could work even better in the areas, We all came to the conclusion that one tripanionship working two sepereate areas and trying to have a steady increase of work was just not physically possible. We're still working out the details, but we're probably going to be switching to just one area and closing the other until some new sisters come into the mission (and there should be 2 coming in at the end of this Transfer). So we're going to try to see how to make this all work out. But for this week, we're only counted in one of the districts, and one of the wards. But we'll see if that changes by the end of the week!

In other news, it's been a grand ol' time here in Odense! There are statues all over the city (like every other town and village in Denmark!), but here in Odense, most of the ones I see all tie back to a story by Hans Christian Andersen, which is AWESOME! I absolutely ador Odense, it's so great! The people are helpful and friendly, and the members are all so sweet! 

Some happy things from the week:

We had a baptism this past Saturday in the 2nd ward! A man the Elders down in Svendborg have been teaching was baptized and confirmed :) He's moving up to Århus this week, but we'll all see him this coming Sunday because we're having Stake Conference in Århus! I'm looking forward to seeing all the lovely people I worked with on Jylland at the beginning of my mission again :)

Sister Ackerman and I were blessed to give talks this past weekend - Sis Ackerman spoke at Ronni's baptism, and I got to speak the following day at church in the 2nd ward! This was only my second time holding a talk in Sacrament meeting here in Denmark, but it went so much better than the first time, which was while I was still in Vejle! It really is amazing how much the Lord blesses us and qualifies us to be able to do the work He has asked us to do! As we focus on Him and try our hardest to follow the guidance that He gives us, either personally or through our leaders, we will be able to do anything He asks! And that is amazing :)

I felt very blessed to be in Church yesterday (as always, but a little more than usual ;) ). After I spoke, a member named Eric played a piece on the piano. He played a really beautiful arrangment of the Primary hymn, ''Jeg er Guds Kære Barn,'' or as you would know it ''I am a Child of God.'' It was fantastic, and I couldn't help thinking about and feeling the love that our Dear Father in Heaven has for each and every one of us :) He knows us personally and individually by name. I know with all my heart that this is true!
​

The Lord guides us to places we need to be and people we need to meet. Sometimes we cannot notice the bigger picture, or even understand how the small, little things play into the future. But what we do now affects us, and affects generations! I think back to the decision that Great-great Grandpa and Grandma William Karl and Dagmar Soelberg made to join the Church and move from Denmark all the way to the United States! That act has impacted so many lives, including mine! And it's all been part of God's large plan. Their decision to leave Denmark eventually led to my opportunity to Return and serve the Danish people- and I am extremely thankful for this opportunity!

Never give up doing hard things, and always rely on the Lord! He will help you in all things as we accept his hand!

I love you all, and I'm always surprised at how quickly the time flies by as I try to tell you about all of the things I am learning! We'll all just have to talk for a long time in person when the time comes :) 

Have a great week!

-Søster MBS

Odense Week One!

It has been a FANTASTIC week here in Odense :) Full of berry picking, wonderful people, and trying my hardest to remember all the members and investigators in 2 different Wards and Areas!! These next 7 weeks are going to be a blast, but will definitely take some work remembering who's who and how to get places! Our area[s] that we work in pretty much encompasses the entire island of Fyn (for a size comparison, see the map below).

*

So life has become quite exhilerating :) Not that it wasn't before, I just feel a lot busier with 2 wards in my hands!!

But it's been really great, as of yet :) Sisters Ackerman, Ripa, and I in 2 different districts, as well! The Odense 1 District, and the Odense 2 District! So we also have 8 elders to work with- so many people!! hahaha

​I was able to get a picture of the Odense 1 District last week - still working on getting one of Odense 2!! We'll try to get that one today!!
​

One of the greatest things this week has been getting a re-boot on an area, companions, and the daily routine!! It's always so fun to get shaken up once in a while! With all these new imputs bombarding my senses this week, I've been able to reevalute and recommit to so many different things! As I said last week- ''Sometimes, life changes are really quite frustrating...But no matter what happens in life, and no matter what God asks of us, we can have an absolutely pure trust in the Lord and the plan that He has for us.'' I'm nearing the end of the Book of Mormon again (it's only taken me 9 months this time to read it all the way through), and this morning I read in Mormon. In chapter 5 verse 23, Mormon asks us - ''Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?'' He then continues to encourage us to be humble and always be repenting of things that keep us from reaching our full potential. As we let God lead us, even during the good times, and especially during the hard times in our life, we will come to understand God's will even more. And as we come to understand God's will, we will come to trust Him, and will want to prove to Him that He can trust us.

I am forever striving to be someone that God can rely on. We're all imperfect people, but through God, we can be made perfect. In a re-lyric-ization of a dearly loved Josh Groban song, I would say 

''I am not a hero, I am not an angel, I am just a [wo]man... who's trying to do all that I can to serve those around me, so that they can feel the same love of God that I feel every day of my life.'' 

That may have gotten off beat and off rhythm, but it's the truth!! :) (thank you Joshua Winslow Groban!!) hahaha, but seriously, why wouldn't we want to share the love with those around us?? :) I hope you all feel the same way as well!

Time goes by so fast, and we have reached the end of this emailing session, but I hope you all have a great next week :) I love you all, and I look forward to talking to you all, soon :)

here's a special shoutout to cousin Dane who reports to the MTC this week!! I'll see you in 6 weeks!! 

Peace out, and keep it real :) <3

​