July 7th leter

Yay for pictures! First, the green shirt that Elder Arko purchased

Okay, about Elder Arko's week...although he is in a strange and far away land, he still remembered our little old country on the 4th of JULY! He said that his present for the 4th of July was getting to spend a lot of time explaining our holiday to Swedes. Most of them know it's an American holiday, but they don't know much about it. He also had the opportunity to SEE AND FOLD a real American flag!!! Elder Arko and Elder Stocks know this guy who lives down the street from them and he likes the missionaries and America so one of the previous American missionaries had his family send this man a full-sized American flag. He flew it on the 4th, so the Elders stopped by and asked them when they were planning to take it down and if they could show them how we Americans fold it. So they got to take it down, fold it, and teach them about the symbolism that is in our flag. Elder Arko said it was such a special experience for him! He didn't realize how much he missed it until he saw it on the flag pole and it felt a lot like home. Elder Arko has realized how much going without things makes him appreciate the little everyday things.

Elder Arko and Elder Stocks spent the rest of our holiday taking some "love cake" (a missionary invention) to an American investigator, and of course their amazing member Lennart! They had a good teach about the Holy Ghost and America's past with both Lennart and his brother so that was very fun for them.

This past week Elder Arko attended sharpening which is where the district of missionaries meet and receive a message from their zone leaders and Sister Anderson (their mission President's wife). Elder Arko also had and interview with President Anderson about how things have been going. The interview went very well and he will know on Tuesday if he's going to be staying in Alingsås or leaving and who his companion will be. Elder Arko has a feeling he's going to be staying in Alingsås and his companion, Elder Stocks, will be moving, but we'll see if he's correct!

Elder Arko has been Elder Arko for 4 months!! He states that 1/6 of his mission is already gone! He likes to think of it as Elder Holland when he said, "Everything good in my life came from that small 24 month gesture to the Lord." Now that he has a different perspective on it and realizes what a short time it is for him to be out there and he can do so much good during his time if his heart is in the right place.

Elder Arko would also like to give us all some advice after seeing things from a little different perspective...referrals are AMAZING! The Gospel is received much easier from friends or family than a stranger in a suit. With that, he also extends a challenge to everyone who reads this to talk about the Gospel to someone you know. He knows it's hard and strange, but in the end you won't regret it. Pray to know who the Lord has prepared that you know and just follow him.

Speaking of people who are prepared, they have a new investigator. They met on Thursday while Elder Baker was in Alingsås for splits and Elder Stocks went to Borås. They were slowly going to an appointment because they were a little early and they met three guys outside an apartment. They started talking to them and one of them recognized us as Christians, but none of them really knew about the Church. So they started talking to them and two of them had to go, but the other one was very interested in learning about what they are all about, so they set up a time to go and talk to him and on Monday they taught him the first lesson and gave him a Book of Mormon. He was very excited to begin reading and seeing what our religion is about and he really liked that they ended with a prayer.

Elder Arko says he has received a few letters, but would like some more (or I just added that last part). He said that he knows that life gets in the way so he understands, but allowing him to make excuses for you should make you feel really badly...so WRITE HIM!!! He expresses his gratitude for all the support and prayers that you all give him. He says he knows that God is watching over us all and he LOVES YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!