June 2^nd 2014

Mom:)

You have asked a lot of questions about what the week is like schedule wise so I will answer those questions:)

We are very busy haha. The main forms of travel are buses & trains. We pay for the travel from our missionary fund which we receive every month but we get refunded for them.

When we go on exchanges we are with the missionaries for 24 hours of work. So we arrive, for example, Tuesday evening, work all day Wednesday, leave early morning Thursday & we do this at least once a week.

Yes that is the mission home in the office part. Our apartment is very close to the mission home.

I am a very clean & neat missionary & I eat well in terms of amount but I could eat more healthy& more balanced.

We follow the mission handbook & Preach My Gospel. So we are to be in our apartment by 9.00 pm & 9.30 at the latest if we are in a lesson. I would have to say "good areas" is subjective haha but we are safe if that is what you are wondering.

We follow the spirit & follow the rules to be safe & protected. I eat..haha but need more balance with vegetables! I exercise every day for 30 minutes like it says in the handbook. We go running & do weights:)

This week has been very good, every week is like a blur, I can't believe it is already June! My time is already dwindling! On preparation day we prepare..& teach family home evening in the evenings. But for example, today Elder G& I are going to play tennis for our last preparation day together. We will go to the mall too & eat there, perhaps buy something.

During the day we are looking for people to teach by talking to everyone haha& we teach lessons:) we have lunch, dinner, & language study every day. In the mornings we study, exercise, & eat breakfast. In the evening we plan for the next day.

Basically we do everything found in Preach My Gospel.

I will pray for Ivy, it is time for her to go I feel. I will pray for the family as well. She is such a strong woman!

This week I have thought a lot about returning to simplicity. Working smarter, not harder. This is the Lord's way. On Saturday there was a special Priesthood conference broadcasted in the East European area & we watched it. Elder Bednar presided & taught for the majority of the time it was way awesome! I learned a lot of great things. I will be involved in a lot of member missionary work when I return home.

Probably the most important thing I learned this week was being true to the faith & truth which I already know. "The size of our faith & knowledge is not the issue; but the integrity we demonstrate towards the faith & truth we already have"

I don't understand a lot of things, I have many questions every day, but there are some things which I do know & it is my responsibility to be true to them. I know God is there, He loves me & knows me personally. I know this is His church. I know these things are true.

I love you, I am constantly learning & growing. I am striving to push myself every day!

Love your son, Elder Gustafsson

June 9^th 2014

Mom:)

Thank you for all of your wonderful letters. I want to let you know that I love you & appreciate you for YOU. I will always love you & cherish you.

When we sleep at other apartments sometimes there are beds, floors, couches etchaha. It works out very nicely. There are always cushions so no worries.

I know that Ivy is a better place:) Please send my love to the family, let them know I love them.

I am really glad to hear about Carley& Kim going on missions. What a blessing! As well as Brother Walker getting married. Do you know if he got married in the temple?

I'm sorry that there is a flu going around during June..haha I will write Ingela a letter but tell her happy birthday for me:) I will also pray that she gets better/endures.

I received grandma's package.. I absolutely loved it hehe:)

For the package just send the two most recent Conference talks, I don't need any more Ensigns/Liahonas than that. My clothes are holding up but don't send any socks or shirts or suits haha I can buy these things here (for cheaper). Speaking of suits, Dad asked what I would like for my birthday, the only thing I can really think of is a little spending cash for perhaps a suit & other little things here. I normally don't spend much of my personal fund so that is all I can really ask for at this moment but I will continue to ponder some real ideas which you can send. I am thinking letters & photos would be nice.

So we are now at the new transfer &my new companion is Elder J& he is from Redding California. He was in the MTC with his group just at the tail end of my groups time in the MTC. I am still in Sofia as a zone leader. Elder J is already with me right now:)

ELDER S. IS LEAVING FOR HOME TOMORROW MORNING! FIND HIM hahah. He is absolutely my best & favorite friend (besides Susan & you all:))

So the week has been really wonderful. I went on exchanges with Elder M, one of the assistants, I really look up to him. He is such an example to me. I learned about a lot of ways I can improve.

This last week we had Mission Council & we have all sorts of exciting things happening. June 20th we are having President Lawrence from the East Europe Area Presidency come down for a mission wide training. Even the missionaries from Turkey are coming! It is all way awesome:)

We have been working with a large variety of people. Kapka has disappeared off of the map sadly but hopefully she will resurface. We are setting a big goal of working extra hard with the members. It is a little exhausting haha. I am learning many lessons especially about how to deal with & love people more. It has been a great blessing in my life.