A Visit from Home Already

This past week we were privileged to have a short visit from Olivia's sister Jennifer and her daughter Jessica, both of whom have played significant roles in our lives. Jennifer came to live with us when we were in Portland, Oregon, where I attended law school, so we became quite close at that time and have stayed close ever since.  As we prepared to pack up the house and leave for our mission, she came and efficiently helped us get through that ordeal. She has been a guardian angel to us.

Jessica came to live with us when we took in Olivia's mother during her final years. She was the primary caretaker for much of that time. Jessica has many talents and is very knowledgeable on many subjects. She even assisted us for one of our Burns' Suppers by playing the bagpipe to pipe in the haggis!  During this visit she was my personal GPS to all the places we wanted to see.

Here they are in front of the front door to our apartment.

We took the opportunity of travelling a little north and visiting some of the sites we don't normally see in our responsibilities, here.  We toured a little of Old Stockholm's many museums, the palace, and a few other places where we could. We even watched the changing of the guard (not quite the ceremony it is in London, but still fun to see. Note: they perform the "about face" like we did in Boy Scouts, not like the US Army. It allows them another opportunity to stomp their feet. Our army is less into such noise, I suppose.)

It is always interesting to see structures that have existed for millennia. Europe and surrounds, including Sweden are full of them. So many that it is impossible to protect them all. For example, farmers have put up with large  mounds in their fields for centuries, but recently it was discovered that many are ancient burial grounds for the Viking era. When the temple was under construction, it was discovered that it is located in a Viking burial area, The government was unconcerned, but the Church has built little memorial gardens to honor them. I will take pictures the next time we are up there.

In Uppsala, where we attend church is the largest cathedral in Scandinavia, as I think I mentioned in a previous blog. Also in Uppsala is the Gamla Kyrka, one of the oldest Christian church building in the country.  In the 12th and 13th centuries they went all out with the structure to honor Christ.

 

One of the more ancient churches was found in Mora, where we stayed prior to driving to the Dala horse works. In the Mora Kyrka we found ancient paintings of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ as well as a painting behind the alter of unknown, but also ancient origin. It was humbling to see the depth of appreciation these ancient folk had for the plan of salvation.

They all have amazing organs. Many have large, beautiful pipe organs as well as smaller pipe organs that are played for their normal services. In the Domkyrka we were witness to the youth and children's choir rehearsal just prior to the Sunday services. The acoustics were amazing and the young people obviously enjoyed it.  Many of the churches suffered serious fires in those early days when the buildings were only a few hundred years old, then the locals would rally to rebuild them. As we entered the Mora Kyrka, we noticed a display of ancient-looking symbols carved into wood laths. I thought they must be symbols taken from the runes which date back to the coming of Christ, but it turns out that when the church was being remodeled in the 1700s, these were found under the roofing material and were a mystery to the builders. A farmer happened by and informed them that these were symbols identifying the farms of ancient farmers who helped to rebuild after the fire some hundreds of years prior.  I guess we would call them brands! We didn't get a photo of them, unfortunately.

In the Dalarna district are several towns and cities, including Mora. In Börlange we met with a pair of Elders who needed some items for their apartment. They seemed to be obedient, hard-working and of a happy countenance. It was fun to talk to them.

We went on to the works where the famous Dala horses are carved and painted. The two most prominent are next to each other and are owned by the Olsson brothers. Visitors can just wander through and watch the whole process for the most part. Most of the horses are cut out using a template, then sent out to people in the village who carve them into the shape we normally see.

 

[cut out with band saw]                                   [carved by village folk]

They are then brought back to the workplace and dipped in paint, dried, sanded again and painted again, then hand painted. Of course, the women had to have one. I wanted one of the several kinds of knives and hatchets they sell there. They are exceptionally sharp, tempered and shaped for maximum effect. Actually, Jessica bought one of the hatchets and I was sorely tempted, but we will go back when it is closer to our departing date... Olivia, don't look at me in that tone of voice!

[Outside the Nils Olsson works]

We also visited Falun, because it reminded us of Fallon and we were feeling a little homesick. Of course, Jessica saw a steeple and had to see the ancient church building there. Like most of the others, it is ornate and reflected the feelings of the wonderful people of the past who loved Christ and wanted their church to reflect their adoration.

[Falun Kyrka]

We finally had to distract Jessica whenever a steeple came into sight as we were running out of time and couldn't see every church in every town. :)

Falun is better known for its copper mine. It became more or less an open pit mine after it collapsed in the 1700s, leaving a huge pit where the mine had been underground. Luckily, it happened on a holiday and no one was in the mine at the time. It continued to serve as a mine from the 10th century until 1992 - a millennium. 

They still mine minerals today as they have since the 16th century used the tailings to create the red pigment used on so many of the buildings from small farm housed and barns to the mansions in rural Sweden. It is considered to have great preserving properties and is still available in stores today.

While travelling through the rural woods we came upon a little village that called out to the women in the car. "A troll village! Brad you have to stop and turn around." We discovered a little village all built by a man now in his late 70s. It was certainly a fun place at one time, but no longer well kept. However, it held great charm for the women. It turns out that he still rents out the little homes during the summer. One communal bath house and bathroom, didn't seem all that charming to me, but Olivia wants the children and grandchildren to stay there when they come to visit. I will be in the motel in Mora - pick you up in the morning.

[Välbäckens Holiday Village]                                      [In front of larger house] [By trolls & animals]

We had to travel back to the apartment Monday night so our visitors could be at the airport early the next morning. It was a packed, fun adventure as it was as new to us as it was to them. Thanks for the visit, Jennifer and Jessica. Come again!

As soon as we dropped them off, we hurried to the mission home for our monthly meeting with our wonderful mission president and his wife. We are invited to the office meeting each week, so we get the report of the progress of the mission as well as the inner workings of what it does to keep the mission functioning.  It makes us grateful that we can play a small part in relieving him of tasks so he can be more involved in the work of the mission.

We spent the rest of the week looking at the apartments of some of the missionaries in the local area, hauling their junk that has been left by prior missionaries and recycling it. Recycling is a religion here. We understand that much of the electrical power is supplied by the combustible waste which is segregated from plastic, metal, glass and other recyclable materials.

Saturday we were invited to Elder Clouse's birthday party. The office elders and APs had created a video and the sisters had passed a birthday card around for people to sign. The Clouses are very popular because of his humor and her calm demeanor as well as innumerable other virtues. They even prepared pork steaks, biscuits and gravy, and cupcakes. Olivia and I made a pinata of a Swedish fish and filled it with gottis (candy) which delighted the young missionaries. Like most of my pinatas,  it took a jackhammer to break it open, so when one of the elder's pounded it off the twine, they took off the blindfold and one threw it to another who batted it like a baseball and it finally broke open. They all gathered up the candy like Mexican children and then wore the pinata like a hat.  Great fun.

  [Elders Halterman & Johanson]   [The birthday boy at age 66]        [Sister Trotter takes a swing]

[Elder Chugg and the broken pinata]

Wonderful time in our little ward today. They are implementing the Self Reliance program in small groups in the ward, so the bishop asked if we would facilitate the English-speaking group. We got to know many of the ward members better and to look confused by the language. One of the sister missionaries can interpret almost a fast as the speaker can talk, so Sacrament Meeting is a little less confusing.

In all, a wonderful week. We love and  miss you all and hope your lives are blessed and happy.  In reviewing Elder Nelson's talk today I was reminded that we have the privilege of knowing joy in all our circumstances. We do find joy in our service here.