Week 67--Hottest Dog in Sweden

September 30, 2018

Week 67--Hottest Dog in Sweden

Tjena!

This week was actually an exciting one. I would like to start off this weekly with the cliche comment on the weather. It's definitely turning into fall here. This week I made the switch to long sleeves every day and I packed away the short sleeves. Hej då (goodbye) warm weather.

Wednesday I was on splits with Elder Sirrine in downtown Stockholm. He's from Bluffdale, UT. We had a cool experience with goal setting. We prayed at the door before we took off to try and set up a goal for how many interested people and I was thinking 1 or 2 but he said 3 or 4 so we went with 3 and then hit the subways. On the first subway ride we sat next to this swedish kid who was about 17. He asked why we were here in Sweden and so that started us into a conversation about how we were called by a prophet (leader of the church) to come here and he shared his christian beliefs with us. I noticed in the reflection of the window that there was a lady across from us that was listening in to our conversation. I turned and said hej! trying to bring her into the conversation. She smiled and said something like "Sorry for listening but I think it's so exciting that you young boys are all talking about such deep stuff here on the subway!" So I chatted with her and Elder Sirrine talked with the swedish kid. When we got off she said to me that she had just been praying recently to help find her "inner voice" and some guidance in life and that we were an answer. That always feels good to hear.

Later that night, we texted Folka, the swedish boy, just saying it was cool to talk to him and that we hope to meet up with him soon and he responded saying "Thanks for talking with me today. I was in a really dark place when you guys sat by me so it meant a lot". By the end of the day we had found our 3 people we felt like we could find. That taught me that setting goals prayerfully reaps results, and that people around us are always listening and watching what we do just like that lady on the subway.

I also went on splits with Elder Norin, a Swedish elder from Umeå that's serving in Örebro. Highlight was a full 24 hrs of straight Swedish, getting free apples from a couple we taught, and then making apple pie together that night. 10/10 asså

Now on to Joy. Joy is a lady that we have taught for about 2 weeks and she is set to be baptized this Thursday! I can share the story next week after the baptism. She has been prepared for years for the gospel and she's got a stronger desire to learn about the gospel than anyone I know.

Today we did something I have thought about doing for about 5 months now. We heard from someone that the hottest korv (hot dog/sausage) in the world is at a stand here in Stockholm in Gamla Stan (Old Town). So we met up with a member and all 4 of us elders headed to "Hell Dog". 4 of us tried the challenge which is to eat this thing in 5 minutes, without help of any liquid or ice cream, and to not spill any of the sauce that floats inside the hot dog with no spitting. The guy who worked there told us that he only could manage 2 chews before he had to tap out. We all made it 3 bites in but this thing was like eating straight fire. Our eyes went bloodshot, throats closed in, tears and nose streaming. It was a humbling experience, we all thought we could handle it but the hell dog lit us all up. It took us about 45 minutes before it didn't burn our mouth and lips to breathe ha ha

Sidenote: Korv was 1.6 on the Scorville scale. 2 is pepper spray!

Things are getting way busy here!

Love you!

Elder Gordon