Eye Opener of Life!

So to start off with I accidently left my voice recording home. So sorry family, going to get a bunch next week =).

We had an amazing week!!! The reason for the tittle of this week is because we taught a blind man!! We met this Danish man at the train station. His name is Andreas. Very nice man and very beliving. One of the most amazingest things ever is that he litterally grabbed Elder Christensen by the arm and led him to his home and back to the station. Like he was pulling Elder Christensen the whole way!!! Than he walked around his house to grab water, his awesome brail machine and some coffee!! It's like how can you trust in yourself so much in this world. He simply replied that he has people everyday that come and check up on him and make sure that he is taken care of. Yah but how are you doing what you are doing?!?!?! We sat down with him and taught him the Restoration. He is very curious on what the ''Mormons'' Believe in. He has had en expiernece in his life where a woman invited him to pray with her. He said that he was a little weirded out at first but when they did it he could feel the Spirit!!!!! He loved the story of Joseph Smith! It just fascinated him so much! At the Ende Elder Christensen asked him ''When we talked with you about this story, could you feel the Spirit'' and immediately he said yes!!!! He could feel the Spirit while we taught. It was just amazing that a man that has been blind all his life can connect with the Spirit so strongly! We gave him a website off of Mormon.dk and he was able to download the Book of Mormon in Danish and listen to it. And he is so excited to ''read'' it!

So I am sure everyone is wondering about the Hansen Family. Elder Christensen and I went by them this past week with some cookies. They were very happy to see us and for the cookies =). They told us that they have missed our visits and want us to come back this Friday!!! We were able to talk with them for about an hour and it was great to talk about life and any questions that they had. The oldest daughter, whose kids will be taken away from her, is going through a hard time. She actually also jsut broke her foot. When we talked with her it seemed like she really really wanted to meet with us again. They came to church yesterday and for Sunday school we watched the Restoration. The mom was able to feel the Spirit and say it makes sense! We truly believe that they believe this to be true and they really want it to be true but they are still searching. Which is okay! It takes time but they are on their way!

Me and Elder Christensen had a crazy story last Saturday. Where we were reffered to this African family and have knocked on their door maybe 5 times. Each time one of their kids answered the door and said that she (the mom) wasn't home or was really busy. We met with her last week and made an appointment with her. We went in and she told us that she couldn't find our number and tried to call us. Said that she needed to go visit a friend in 30 minutes. But she wanted to listen to us before we left. She told us that she believes in Christ, the Bible, praying and fasting. Than she said what do you believe? What else can you offer me besides this Bible of yours? We said we believe in the same things! That we believe we have a prophet guiding us today. We gave her a short run down of what the Book of Mormon is. She loves it. She asked us what are your gifts that you have been given before your mission? What has God blessed you with? I told her that I have been blessed to come to the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ! The Son of the Living God and our Saviour! And because I have been blessed with this knowledge I want to use this and help others. The line continued down to Elder Christensen and Alexander Kjeldsen!. She said wow that is amazing! To feel that when you testified to me! She then told us a story. How before we knocked on her door that she had a dream. She said in that dream their was a church. But the church was locked. than she saw two men dressed nicely with a Bible. she said that they showed her the Bible and taught her the Word of God. But the thing was it was new things!!!! Than she woke up and later on we knocked on her door. In her sons words, when we knocked ''we were dressed in suites and we were not Jehovas Witnesses'' =) She said that this is an answer to her dream and she wil read to Book of Mormon. Not just because it says Jeus Christ on the Front cover but she really wants to see if this is an answer to her dream! I SWARE THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MOVIES! Me and Elder Christensen couldn't believe it. It was such an amazing expiernce!

Well I thought that I would share that with you all. I just want to say thank you so much to everyone. This year has gone by so fast. I thank you for all your support that you have blessed me with. Thank you for all your prayers. I love you so much! Have a wonderful week!

Med Kærlig Hilsen,

Ældste Jantzen Richard Read

 This man collects everything nostalgic... he even offered us to take something from his collection for ourselves... he said anything, whatever we wanted. He was a very kind man... so fun to meet him.

Dani and I attending a baptism

Elder Christensen and I

Elder Christensen and I can be serious

The incredible Hansen Familien

Love it here in Taastrup

The Pizza is Big in Taastrup

Celebrating a year for a misionary... Mexican Buffet style

Me and Elder Ludlow

Hack Saw, Jig Saw, & a Monster Tree Stump

Well I feel like I just emailed you all. So this might be a little short. After Splits we met up at a members home and did some service. The week previoulsy we were pulling out that giant field of weeds/ stinging needdle. Got bit a few times. The size of those black tarps. We took a total of 4 hours to cut and pull out a giant tree. We started digging on the one side of the fence and the member totally thought ''oh the tree grows how I want it to grow. It wil only grow on my side of the fence''. Don't know what he was thinking. After 3 hours we found out that the trunk went to the other side of the fence and we started digging in the neighbors back yard haha. Luckily another neighbor noticed that we were doing it all with a hack saw by hand and he came over with his Jig saw. Thank you Technology!!!! It reminded me of doing sheet rock with my dad. Man I miss that so much!

Me and Elder christensen had many appointments this week. But a lot of them got cancelled. so we spent a good portion of the week finding more people. It was absolutely fantastic! We have made several appointments for this next week and we are excited to teach and talk with new investigators. One of them is Blind!!! Any tips anyone haha. He's already walking in faith? haha. We also were able to go down to Køge and see if any of the sisters ''hugely postive investigators'' were worth even going down. Come to find out that a good portion of them said no. ouch. But we have an appointment with a blind man so we are excited about that haha. We'll see if it will be worth it to continue to go down there.

Yesterday me and Elder Christensen had a ridiculous time at church. Got bashed by one of the High council members about how Sunday school is horrible and that we are horrible as missionaries and mission leaders. Ya we are not happy with him still. haha. but the mission leader was on our side which was the best part haha. Said that the member has his own personality haha. But the more spiritual part is that Elder Christensen and I went out to a city and did some drop by's. No one was home so we started knocking. After about the 10th house we found a young woman. She was also possibly one of those people you would avoid. I actually judged at first and thought oh great shee won't be interested in the Gospel. But come to find out that she wasn't very religous but she was interested in reading the Book of Mormon and checking out our website. And she said it was okay to come back another day!! Quick lesson to learn is don't judge a book by it's cover.You seem to learn that as a missionary a lot. And the matter of the fact is they are all Children of GOD. We all accepted this plan once in the pre earth life. Why wouldn't they accept it again?!? This gospel and message is truly for everyone! Than we continued knocking and found another family!!!!! that said it was okay to come back another day. Things are picking up here in the city we were working in.!!

On the sad side of the news. In Danish law the city has the right, or the government, to take away a families children if they find Child abuse, or that the children are not being taken care of or for other reasons. We called the Hansen Family to make an appointment with them. At first, because our phones are the old brick phones, I couldn't hear them. But it sounded at first that it might have been medical. They said that they would call us back. A few days later we got a text message saying that 2 out of the 3 children would be taken from them. We didn't know what to say other than offering any help with anything and that they would be in our prayers. The last text that we got was ''Where is God?'' My first response in mind was Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail. But we both came to the conclusion that they needed to leave it at that. This possibly might be a way for them to find God in there lives. But it's a hard thing to say. It is so sad. I have been teaching these children for a couple months now. And now they are gone. Where is God? I don't know how to answer that now. Or possibly ever. But I have a strong testimony of the Gospel and the saying ''My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. And my ways are higher than your ways'' We truly need to trust God and look for good things to come. I don't know but I know that it will be alright in the end. We are hoping this next week to drop off some cookies or cake and let them know that we are thinking about them and that they are in our prayers. Thank goodness for the Plan of Happiness and Salvation. The assurance that families can be together forvever!

Well that's the update for the week. I thank you all and love you all! thank you for your prayers and support. I truly can feel it on my mission. Love you all. and HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng&cid=HPTU061014222#2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng&cid=HPTU061014222&_suid=1402913628266021425786917668993

Love you Dad!!!! Happy Fathers Day Miss and love you Tons!!

Love you all!!!

-Ældste Jantzen Richard Read

Napoleon Dynamite brings comic relief

Okay I only have about 20 minutes left on the computer so this will be interesting.....

Me and Elder Christensen have had a wonderful week this week. We've also had a couple of appointments cancel on us. So we have had the wonderful opportunity to continue to find more people.

Update with the Hansens. It's been a little hard getting a hold of them right now. They are a little busy with a few things. But I thought that I would share a wonderful story on what happened with me and Elder Enniss yesteday while on splits in Taastrup. After getting pumped up from Zone Conference we went and tried doing a couple stop bys. Nothing much at the beginning. So we tried finding a previous investigator. We were on our bikes and passed a man who was carving a piece of clay. After a couple seconds he yelled at us and ran towards us. Guess who we found again. It was the crazy Michael man who told us to ''Halt in the name of the lord.'' We had another interesting conversation with him. But at the end he pointed towards an apartment and told us to check out a person who lived there. ''She comes from Boston and might be interested''

We stopped by the person. We buzzed boxed her and was able to have a wonderful conversation. She is here because she is fascinated with Danish interior Design. She said she wasn't interested at the moment to meet with us. She said that we sound like wonderful people and invited us in for a cup of tea. Unfortunately the 3rd man rule came into play. And we had to sadly decline. she totally could have been a member!!!!!!!! AHHH! I hope in the future she will remember our conversation and want to hear more about our message.

And so before my 8 minutes are up I want to share one of the funniest stories ever. first off we have this huge inside joke about Napolean Dynamite. And quote it all the time. So Elder Enniss was riding on Elder Christensen's bike. And was standing while peddaling. I was a head of him and I hear a Ugg and look back to see him almost fall of the curb and turff it. I asked him if his chain fell off again. He said yes. And painfully walked up to me. Come to find out while he was standing up and peddaling his chain fell off and he lost his footing and ''racked himself'' in between the frame of the bar. After a few minutes we started back home. And all he could say was. ''ughh... ah... kills'' We both just started busting up laughing. ''It's a sledge hammer'' ''You got shocks pegs lucky. Have you ever taken it off any sweet jumps.You got 3 feet of air that time can I try real quick.'' ..... hahaha it was so hilarious. So much irony hshs. Well I hope you all have a wonderful week. I have to log off. but I thought you all would enjoy this story. Have a good one!

Med Kærlig Hilsen,

-Ældste Jantzen Richard Read

President Pulled a Rambo/Barney 5

It has been a wonderful week! Me and Elder Ludlow were able to be on exchanges in Taastrup. We ended up teaching Familien Hansen. They are doing wondeful they are making so much progression. We were able to teach them the Plan of Salvation again and I was able to use my Diagram. They loved the baptism on Saturday in Frederiksberg. They asked so many questions to the man who got baptized. They are asking great questions, some of which have changed from ''if'' to ''when'' we get baptized. I was able to talk to Gitte yesterday at a fireside that we had at the church. She loves the idea of us doing work for our anscestors. She has been touched by the Spirit of Elijah. She is really curious on Family History. I was also able to check up on her reading. I asked her if she has prayed about the Book of Mormon again, especially right after she reads from it. She responded that she hadn't tried that before. She has read all the way up to 1 Nephi 11. And she is going to try again this week to pray after she reads from the Book of Mormon!
They working to being baptized. They want to be sure that this is correct and they want to be able to have time to get an answer, obey and live the commandments. We let them set a goal for themselves They are doing so wonderful and are on their way.
Funny story. President Sederholm came to District meeting this past week. He gave me and Elder Christensen a ride to our appointment. On the way we saw him on the street walking the opposite direction from his home. (He totally was going to burn us). President Sederholm pulled a Rambo/ Barney 5 and made a U turn. He drove past our investigator and into an alley. We just jumped out of the car and intersected him like we were already on our way to the appointment haha. We were able to walk with him to the grocery store. He also opened up a lot more than he has in the past. We went back to his apartment and he basically gave us the feeling that he is not interested in investigating the church. So it was a little sad to see that happen, but if we wouldn't have gotten a ride from President Sederholm we would have never met him. haha
Me and Elder Christensen have also been making a list of all our members in our area. We want to try to work with members more and help them out any way we can. We are going to try an idea and start setting up 15 minute stop by's with the members. We are really excited to try this and just share small messages with the members and help them build their faith.

Yesterday, one of the Primary leaders came up to us Elders and asked if we have our line of the Priesthood. She planned on asking her husband/sons but forgot (ask the missionaries they can help you) =) Luckily my father was smart enough to tell me to keep mine on me. So she took mine wrote down the names and we did a mini priesthood line with the primary. They all held a name and we demenstrated that the Priesthood started with Christ and was passed down through men, all these little kids that held their names, to me. It was a fun expiernece. I loved it. It was great to be in Primary again. I kind of miss it haha.

So unfortunately no voice recordings this week. Forgot it in my apartment. Next week. But hope everyone has a wonderful week! Thank you to everyone for everything! Love you all. Until next week. (might be next Tuesday.)

-Ældste Jantzen Richard Read