06/06/2009: Experiences from Sweden

 
Travelling through the countryside.
Travelling through the countryside.

In 2007 and 2008 we had meetings in five cities in Sweden. In each place we have held twelve meetings. In some cities the newspapers have written against us, even on the front page, and warned the people of this extreme preacher. Even two Seventh-day Adventist pastors have been interviewed, and they said that we are preaching a wrong gospel and have another view of the prophecies. When people saw this, they did not dare to come to our meetings. Some thought we were dangerous people. It is not so easy when people have sponsored these campaigns, when you have distributed flyers by hand and sent 40- 50,000 invitations through the post and advertised in the newspaper. 

In the first city, Jönköping, we had hired a hall at the University. All the papers were in order. When they saw what the newspaper had written against us, they called me (Abel) to their office and said that they could not hire out the locality to us. They had called a hotel and hired a room for us there, but when we came to that hotel, they had also seen the article in the newspaper, and then they did not allow us to have the meetings there. I went back to the university. It was just before the meetings should start. Then the leader there said that we could have the meetings there the first evening, but then we had to find a new locality. I could not accept that, since we had made an agreement. We agreed to discuss the matter the next day at noon. 

When we came to the university that first evening, they had set out guards. They were afraid that some trouble could occur. About thirty people came that evening, also the leader of the university and her secretary. The topic was Daniel 2. The next day when we met at the office of the leader of the university, she first commented about the meeting and said that it was a serious meeting and they could not cast us out of the university because of that meeting. But they had hired an advocate, and some of her near leaders sat there together with me. They had already decided to cast me out of the university. 

Then I pointed to the agreement we had made, but it was all in vain. Before I left the room, I told them why I had these meetings. I told them about the signs that the Bible has given that show us that Christ soon will come back again. I told them that I had a good motive with these meetings. I wanted to give this end-time message to the people in that city, so they could understand the time we are living in, and prepare their lives for Christ’s Second Coming. Before I left them I smiled and said that I did not agree with their decision, because we had made an agreement and I was not a dangerous person. They should rather listen to me than to the newspapers. But they had made their decision and I had to go out on the street. Now it was one o’clock, and I had the next meeting at seven o’clock. But I trusted in the Lord! By experience, I trusted that He would find a solution. And He did. 
Abel in front of the van they use to travel and share the present truth throughout Sweden.

Abel in front of the van they use to travel and share the present truth throughout Sweden.

Just after this I went to a school I had seen in the city. I wanted to ask for a locality there. I was just about to enter that school, when the mobile phone rang. It was the leader of the University. She said: No, we cannot treat you like this. We have found another locality for you in another part of the University. That was a locality just near the parking place, and it was new, big and open with all new instruments. That was a blessing. The Holy Spirit had called upon the hearts of the people and I had the remaining eleven meetings there. 

Between the meetings some friends and I passed out pamphlets about the end-time message. In each city we shared out about 15,000 pamphlets. Because we were friendly, the people relaxed and became friends with us, even though the newspapers had written against us. When this attitude or change occurred, then one big newspaper wrote a positive article about us, and in one newspaper the editor wrote a note in the newspaper and retracted what they had written against us, because he said there was no proof for what they had written. Once the newspaper had written a positive article about us, of nearly two pages, then the people on the street were so open to us, and it was very easy to distribute the pamphlets. 

Bente distributing literature despite the rain.

Bente distributing literature despite the rain.

We cannot tell about all our meetings and reactions, but in another city, Västerås, some people had phoned the hotel, and said that they would bomb the hotel if they let us continue with the meetings there. The police came twice and searched for a bomb, and the leaders of the hotel opened the door to our meeting hall just after the meeting that evening. They told us about this threat, and asked us to leave the hotel and continue the meeting at another place. We said that we understood them, because they feared for the hotel, the guests and themselves, but we said to them, “We are not afraid. We are used to reactions, and we trust in God.” We said that we should pray for them and the hotel, that God would protect us all. They accepted this and we continued the meetings. These meetings were especially blessed. Nearly thirty-five people attended all twelve meetings. That is remarkable as the people came every night. In another place we started with nearly eighty persons, but ended with only thirty. The last place we held meetings was in Borås. There we had about forty listeners each evening, and four people were baptized in the end of the campaign. 

In 2008 we have visited these cities again, and some people have now accepted the Sabbath as the Biblical day of rest. The seed has been sown, and now we look forward to a good harvest. 

God has looked down upon us. Even though we have had problems, because we, by God’s grace, have stepped forward with the end-time message, we have seen that He has always opened a way so that the end-time message has been given. We give all the glory to God for all He has done for us, and will appeal to all of you: Do not give up even though you have problems. When we are on His side, He will solve the problems for us! 

The Three Angel’s Messages to the Nordic Countries
 
We have worked as physiotherapists for about 30 years. Since 1990 we also have worked with our Ministry called the Christian Information Service. It became too much for us to keep up with. So we decided to give up our work as physiotherapists and only work with Christian Information Service. God has really blessed. 

On our webpage www.endtime.net you will find sixteen languages (soon to be seventeen), and we receive reactions from many countries in the world. Our aim is to distribute the Three Angels’ Messages to as many countries as possible, especially through the pamphlet called The Struggle Behind the Scenes

Spreading the truth through word and song.

Spreading the truth through word and song.

By the work of the Holy Spirit, through these pamphlets, many people have accepted the truth. Many people have been baptized, even Catholics and Pentecostals. Other people have been inspired anew, and now many people in different countries take part in the work to distribute this end-time message through these pamphlets. We give all the glory to God for the work that has been done. 

We recognize that many other ministries are working in the same way, and the message is the same. We see that this is a part of the last movement that God will use to fulfill His work, and no one can stop this movement. The work will be done! Are you willing to take part in this movement? 

Just now we have started a campaign to distribute this pamphlet to all the inhabitants in the Nordic countries. So far, by God’s grace, we have sent this pamphlet to all the inhabitants on the Ferry Islands and Greenland, and now we are collecting money in order to send this by post to all the households on Iceland. We have also bought a campervan. We are now holding street meetings, and we use much time to visit non- Adventists that we have sent newsletters and pamphlets to for many years. We are surprised that many of them already have accepted the Sabbath. God has His people everywhere, and most of them are in Babylon. Now they accept the end-time message when it is presented to them. Therefore we have to do our job now while we have the freedom! 

By Abel & Bente Struksnes, Christian Information Service, Vestrumsbygda 26, 2879 Odnes, NORWAY. Website: www.endtime.net. If you have the possibility to support us in this work, then please send your donation to Bank: DNB NOR, Bank ASA, 0021 Oslo, Norway. Swift: DNBANOKK, Ibannumber: NO 5623350911561 or account number: 2335 09 11561