I Ate Trees!!

Oh man what a week! so, I'll start out by just reiterating that my p-day is not permanently on Wednesdays, it is just for today. so I will be email home again on Monday the 6th, just to avoid any confusion! ha ha


So man I've got a lot to tell you about this week! But I'll start by responding to everything that happened at home this week.

So congratulations to Tyson and Hallah! I'm glad to hear that the wedding went well. Thanks for all the pictures! It really looked like a great day so that is good. Man I still can't believe that my baby brother is hitched! Ah, so weird! ha ha I'm glad to see that I was able to make some kind of appearance at the wedding, even if it was just my head. ha ha That is super funny. I can't wait to see more pics once the professional ones come back, and mom, if you include a wedding video in my package I would be able to watch it. Each apartment has a mini DVD player to watch Church movies and stuff so I could play it on that. So definitely send a copy if you can! Thank you for sending a package by the way! I really appreciate it. I'm glad to hear that the few words I wrote for Ty worked well. I really had no idea what to write so I'm glad you all liked them, and hopefully Ty did. ha ha. It sounds like the wedding was an all around great day so that is good.

Man, I've got a lot to go through from this last week and a half so I guess I'll get to it!

So last Tuesday morning Elder Whitworth and I got up and he got all ready and finished packing and then I drove him to the airport to catch his flight up to Stockholm, then, about 15 minutes later, Elder Brown's flight from Umeå landed and we got his luggage and headed back to the apartment. Elder Brown is awesome, he is one of the funniest guys I have ever met. He is like perfect mix of my friend Cameron Tribe, and Jack Black. ha ha So needless to say, we get along great together and are having a lot of fun! He is from San Diego California and has been out for four months longer than I have. So he's about to his  six month mark. So on Tuesday night we had a couple lessons set up and then we went back to the apartment for the night, Elder Brown got unpacked, and then we went to bed. Well, right before bed, Elder Brown pulled out these essential oils that he had gotten from a member up in Umeå and he had one that was frankincense... ha ha like what the wise men gave baby Jesus. Apparently you're supposed to put one drop under your tongue and it's supposed to help your memory. ha ha So I decided to try it. Well, the best way I can describe the taste is trees. ha ha It seriously tasted like I was eating a forest. All in one little drop. It was crazy. ha ha So anyways, we went to bed afterwards and I felt fine. Well, I woke up at about 3:00 and felt awful. I laid in bed for about half an hour and then I couldn't stand it any more and I got up and threw up. After that it was like clock work, every half an hour, for the rest of the night and into the next morning. About 8:00 or so the next morning I finally had had enough and asked Elder Brown to give me a blessing. After the blessing I didn't throw up at all the rest of the day and was able to finally get some sleep so that was good. The best part of all of this is that the assistants were on their way down to do exchanges with us. So at nine o'clock I had to muster the strength to put some sweats on and walk down to the car so that we could go pick them up at the airport. The car ride almost killed me and I about passed out walking up/down the stairs in our apartment building, but I made it okay and then we just went back and I went back to bed. The assistants ended up taking a train down to Malmö and working with the missionaries there for Wednesday and then came back up and worked with us on Thursday once I was feeling better. I had a pretty consistent fever the whole day but it broke later that night so that was good. I lucked out and didn't hallucinate like I usually do when I get fevers. ha ha. That dang frankincense really did it to me! ha ha Nah I'm just kidding, I'm pretty sure it was just the flu, but we decided to blame it on the frankincense. ha ha.

The rest of the week was really good. Our investigators are still doing well. Danii and Rebeka were not able to make it to Church on Sunday because their car broke down the night before. But they are still very positive and are keeping all of their commitments. We are working right now on helping them receive an answer that they need to get married. Other wise, we are really working hard with an investigator that we have who's name is Robin. Robin has investigated the church for a couple years now and comes to church every Sunday. The whole ward loves him and he has been taught everything multiple times. He just can't quit drinking coffee. We also think there's something else holding him back, we're just not sure what right now. So we are hoping to help him figure that out and take the step of being baptized.

Another crazy event that happened this week is that we got a visitor on Friday night! ha ha So we had just parked the car and were walking into the apartment when this cat came out of nowhere and just walked straight up to us, so we pet it a little and then started walking again. Well, it started following us. It followed us all the way into the building and up the three flights of stairs to our apartment on the top floor. ha ha So we just let him in and let him chill with us for a while. We named him chill kitty. He had a collar on so he must have been one of the neighbors cats. But yeah, we just let him chill with us for an hour or so and then we took him back outside. ha ha it was just so funny though because he just came right up to us and then just followed us all the way into our apartment. We haven't seen him since.

So last night, Tuesday, was the Valborg celebrations and it was so awesome! The ward here does a Valborg party every year at one of the member's house's that live out in the country a little bit. So we went to that and it was a blast! It's kind of hard to describe Valborg, but it's basically a Holiday where everyone gets together, lights a huge bonfire, and then bbq's and plays games together. Sounds kinda like America huh? ha ha It was great. We played this awesome came called kub, which is a fun, lawn game, that I'll have to introduce to you all when I get back. Then we did like a scavenger hunt and things and then ate hot dogs and hamburgers and all sorts of good stuff. It was a blast! The reason why we switched p-day to today even thought the festivities were last night is because, like all Swedish holidays, they are at least two, if not three days. So yesterday was the festivities but today is the actual holiday. So everyone is off school and everyone is basically home just sleeping off their hang-overs today. It's whats called a red day today, which means it's a national holiday. So yeah, that's why we have p-day today. So our plans are to finish emailing here, go to H&M (I had another pair of pants give out so i think I'm going to buy some slacks today, if that's okay! I promise I'm not getting fat! My clothes are just starting to get worn) and then we are going to head down to the beach for a while. Helsingborg is such and awesome town and has really nice beaches. Helsingborg is definitely on the top of the list of places to bring you guys when we come back. I love it here. So yeah we'll probably head down there for a while and just hang out. May skate a little bit. Elder Brown got it okayed by president and bought a skateboard at the first of his mission so we got skate for morning exercise sometimes. It's super fun.

The rest of the week looks like it'll be super fun. We are flying to Stockholm tomorrow for mission leadership council, then we will be in Lund on Friday to teach zone training, then we got Saturday which is always a good day, then Sunday, and then p-day again! So that will be fun!

About mothers day mom: yes it looks like I'll be able to Skype home on mothers day:) The computers here are pretty slow but one of them does have a camera and then Elder Brown has a web cam too so it looks like we'll both be able to Skype so that'll be fun:) We can work out details on time and things when it gets closer but I'm excited to see and talk to you all again! Especially you momma :)

Well fam, that's about it for this week! I am still absolutely loving life here in Helsingborg, but I definitely miss each and every one of you each day! I know that this gospel is true and man do I love sharing it with others! Everyone go out and find an opportunity to talk with someone about the gospel this week and see how good it feels! I promise you you'll get addicted. The gospel is like Pringles, once you pop, you can't stop! ha ha.

Well I love you all so much! Have a good week!

With all my love-

Äldste McKay.

Another Swedish Week

The Hive! A few weeks ago Elder Whitworth and I found this huge apartment building and the entire thing is unlocked (most apartment buildings in Sweden have codes on the outside so that you can't get in) So we dubed it the hive and started going there and knocking doors every time we had an extra few minutes or an appointment would cancel on us and this week we finished it. We conquered the hive! ha ha

 Hallå min älskade familj!


So good to hear for you all this week! Thank you so much for the emails you each send, they really do mean so very much to me! Reading them is definitely one of the highlights of my week each week :)

So this week was a really good one here in good old Helsingborg. spring is definitely in full swing here. This week has been a little colder than last but it has still been nice and sunny for the most part. It's actually decided to be a little murky today and there are some rain drops starting to fall. But hey, that's just the first signs of a Swedish summer. Rain, rain and more rain. ha ha. It really is beautiful though! Everything is starting to be green and the flowers are starting to bloom. Down here in the south of Sweden everything is just huge rolling fields and in the summer the fields turn bright green and yellow so the whole landscape basically changes. I'm so excited to be down here for summer! That is why I think it would be better for us come back around May or June instead of you guys picking me up in March. Everything is still dead and dark in March, but come May/June, it is light all the time, and everything is green and blooming. It is amazing. nothing beets a Swedish summer. I seriously can't believe that this is my second summer in Sweden already! So crazy! It really is scary to think that I have less than 11 months left now. But at the same time nice. ha ha... but no worries, I'm not trunky! Not in the slightest. I absolutely love it here, especially in Helsingborg. Ah I just love Sweden!

So mom, it's funny that you talked about change and embracing it in your email today because we got a call from president this week and there is about to be some change here in Helsingborg... ha ha. Elder Whitworth, will be transferring tomorrow to Täby as an assistant and I will be getting Elder Brown down here in Helsingborg. I'm not gonna lie, I am really bummed to be losing Elder Whitworth. We are super good friends and had a lot of fun together. He is definitely my favorite companion on the mission so far, and he actually said the same thing about me. So it kinds sucks to be getting split up after just a couple months together but hey... that's life as a missionary for you. I'm actually really excited for Elder Brown to come down. He is from California also and is one of my really good friends in the mission. Me and him have pretty similar personalities and will get along great I think. He is a super good missionary so hopefully we will baptize like crazy!

As far as investigators go, this week was great! Things are going forward with Danii and Rebeka. We continue to meet them twice a week and they are making progress towards their goal of the 18th of May for baptism. They both have a very long way to come seeing that they basically have problems with every single commandment, but they are both very willing to learn and very humble. They came to church for the first time yesterday and had a great experience. The talks in sacrament meeting were not on topics that you would consider the best for first time investigators so we were a little worried but Elder Whitworth and I silently prayed all of sacrament meeting that they would be able to feel the spirit and sure enough, after the meeting ended they both began to tell us how amazing the talks were and how much they loved it and what an amazing feeling of peace and comfort they had as they sat and listened. gotta love the spirit! It was a really great first experience with church for the both of them and they both expressed their desires to begin to come to church on a regular basis. So that is awesome! Molood and Azar, our two investigators from Iran are still looking positive. We weren't able to teach them this week but we did swing by their work mid way through the week and made contact with them. They are both so nice and want to learn and come to church but they both are just so busy so that makes it really tough.

Dad asked how my clothes and things are doing or if there is anything that I want like in a package or anything.... hmm... well clothes wise I'm doing pretty good. Like I said, one of my suits gave out a couple weeks ago but that is okay. We don't have to wear suits that often in the summer anyways. But I might need to replace it once winter comes around again. But we can take that one as it comes. As for a package... you are never going to believe this but man I am craving peanut butter lately! I never liked peanut butter back home but now I love it. The only problem is... peanut butter here is awful, and really expensive. So that would definitely be much appreciated. One thing that Elder Whitworth's mom did is she took a big thing of Skippy smooth peanut butter from Costco and put it in of of those vacuum bags that you put like meat and stuff in and then suck all the air out. You know what I'm talking about? I can't remember what they're called. But yeah... that's just an idea. Other than that, the only thing I can thing of that I've been missing lately is cheese its. ha ha I had the most random craving for pepper jack cheese its the other day.... ha ha So yeah. there's just a couple of ideas. Of course, as always, American deodorant is always greatly appreciated. I still have a stick and a half but you can never have enough good, American deodorant! ha ha.

So Elder Whitworth and I started something crazy last Tuesday. ha ha So last Monday night we both were talking and we were like man, we are fat! We need to lose weight! So we decided to go on a diet. so... the next morning we made a quick trip to the store and bought a blender and about 300 crowns of fruits and vegetables. Now, for the past week we have been on an all natural fruit and vegetable smoothie diet. So for two meals a day (breakfast and lunch) we drink a smoothie made of just straight fruits and vegetables and then a little bit of milk and yogurt. Then for dinner we eat a light, high protein meal. Am i hungry all the time? Yes. But have I lost 2.5 kilos (5.5 lbs) already? You better believe it! And I feel a ton better! So hopefully Elder brown is down with this diet because I'm definitely not stopping. ha ha You should see our fridge, it just looks like a wild garden on the inside. It's chuck full of fruit and vegetables. So yeah, that was our random impulse decision last week. ha ha.

Man I really can't believe that Tyson is getting married on Friday! So crazy! Baby brother is all grown up! ha ha I'm sure it's really stressful but I'm sure everything will go great and that they will be so happy. Make sure to send lots of pictures!

That antique boutique you went to sounds like a blast mom! I'm glad you found a cool typewriter too! You will definitely have to send me a picture of it one you get it all cleaned and fixed up. I love old stuff like that.

That is so sad about the bombings in Boston! I'm glad they have caught the suspects though. I hear that a factory exploded in Texas too? Was that just an accident of something more? And what's the deal with North Korea? I hear they have been freaking out and threatening everybody with nuclear war? Man... the last day's seriously are here, the world is going to crap.

Well family... that is probably it for this week. I hope you all have an amazing week and know that I love you all so very much! Good luck with the wedding and everything else this week and know that even though I can't be there, I'll be thinking of everybody on Friday. Especially you Ty! Love you buddy, good luck being a married man. ha ha

I love you all so very much! This gospel is true and I love it! I'll end with my favorite quote from the man himself, Brigham young, "I wanted to thunder and roar out the Gospel to the nations. It burned in my bones like fire pent-up, nothing would satisfy me but to cry abroad in the world, what the Lord was doing in the latter days"
Get the dop!

love-

Äldste McKay Vance. 

 This week we went on splits with the elders in the area of Växjö and we saw this awesome viking rune stone! It dates back to around year 1000.





An awesome Rapunzle tower in the city of Landskrona in our area!



Hej men tjäna familjen!


How is everyone this week? This week was really good here in Helsingborg! It wasn't as action packed as last week but it was still really good! Elder Whitworth and I still continue to strive forward in the work and we are seeing success. Hermina's baptism went really well! It was a very simple, small baptismal service but the spirit was amazingly strong. There were only about 15 of us there total but everyone was so excited for Hermina and she was so excited to finally be baptized! She came to church for the first time back in 2011 with her member friend Lucy. So ever since 2011 she has been coming now and again to church and has always felt the spirit here. She had received a book of Mormon from missionaries before but had never been formally taught. So when Elder Whitworth and I started teaching her it went so smoothly! She was so prepared and ready. She was just waiting for us to get our act together and teach her what she needed to know! ha ha For the opening hymn we sang "I am a child of God" and as soon as we started singing both her and Lucy started to cry. She was just so happy and so grateful to have the gospel in her life. I have never seen someone with such innocent and pure faith. She accepted all we taught her without hesitation because she felt the spirit, and recognized his voice testifying to her of the truthfulness of this message. Just before the baptismal service started she began to cry and hug me and just kept saying thank you, and then, as I baptized her and she came up out of the water she just looked me and in eyes and kept saying "Thank you, thank you!" It was a really amazing experience! That is why I love this gospel! Nothing else in this world can give one such simple but perfect and pure joy. This gospel is happiness. The plan our Father has for us is one of love. I am so amazingly grateful for the great blessing I have to walk among these people in Sweden and spread the good message that we have!

Other than the baptism, The week was a fairly normal week. We went on exchanges with the elders in Lund on Thursday so Elder Whitworth went to Lund with Elder Roberts and I took Elder Roberts' greenie, Elder Mangum, back to Helsingborg with me. Elder Mangum is one of Sammy Draper's friends and he is a total stud! He has only been here for three weeks and he is fearless! He didn't hesitate to bear testimony and participate in contacting people and teaching lessons. It was a super fun exchanges. We got to know each other better and had quite a bit in common to talk about. He also was a lacrosse player so he played with Scotty on the high school team a little bit. But yeah, I can see why Nate Lords loved Lund so much. It is one of the coolest little towns! That is where we always have our zone trainings because they have a YSA center there. It is one of those classic towns that you would imagine when you think of old timey Europe. Cobble stone streets and all.
Well family, I know that this email is pretty short but the Internet is being really picky today and giving me a headache so I'm gonna call it a week. But I hope you all have a great week and know that I love you all so very much and that I

love this gospel and my mission so much!

with love-

Äldste Keetch.