Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Retreat, Retreat!

For those who are convinced that all we do is party on this mission, this post will seem to prove you right. If it convinces you that you could serve a mission, you are absolutely right. 😉

The week began with a group of sisters and one elder returning home a few weeks early because travel through the Travel Department of the Church does not happen from December 21 until after January 1. Elder Benson has been an assistant for the last six months and has left a lasting legacy of faith, faithfulness, hard work, and humor. When he came into the mission, he was the only elder with a group of sisters. The sisters went home six months ago, but even now he returns home the only elder among a group of sisters.
Sisters Dargan, Kineson, Trotter, McDonald and Hunter surround
the piano and sing Christmas songs with
Elder Benson

We had to take a picture with Sister Trotter who has been the subject of several entries in past blog posts. She is related to our friends Sam and Janet Sturgeon and their daughter Khrista Tiner, so we have reported all our interaction and photos of her throughout her mission. She has been the model missionary, trainer, cheerleader, counselor and friend. She has such a happy attitude that it is infectious. Her sister missionary group voted her as the most likely to be married before the next mission reunion. Maybe not, but wherever she is people will be uplifted and blessed by her presence.

We know the other sisters quite well, also. Without exception, they are superstars. We wish them well and will miss them sorely. So many of our sister missionaries are so new that some who have just finished training will become trainers in the next week. Luckily, they are all well prepared and hard workers.

Thursday began our Senior Missionaries' Christmas Retreat. Elder and Sister Hales were in charge of finding places to eat, visit and make travel arrangements. It was a welcomed break from some of the stress we had been experiencing. It also gave us an opportunity to see the couples who are out of the Stockholm area and enjoy some time with them.

We sometimes feel that our assignment is difficult, then when we talk to the other couples, we decide we have it pretty well off. It just shows us that "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies." (Pres. Monson).

We began with a trip out to the fortress on one of the islands that comprise the village of Vaxholm. If you go back to the blog in June about the visit of our son Cedric and his family, you will learn about this fortress.  An area that most people do not see is the restaurant beneath the building. It was probably a magazine for ammunition or a storage area at one time, but today it is used for special events and all December, it is a reservation-only Julbord (literally a Christmas table).

We have experienced several Julbords this year and last. They are typically buffet style and not too vegetarian friendly. Meats (including reindeer and moose), fishes, sausages, ham, chicken, duck, lamb, meatballs (they did have some vegetarian meatballs that could break a window if thrown instead of eaten) and some things I am sure I have left out. Some vegetables and vegetable dishes, some fruit, and salads were available. Desserts were also an entire table.
Vaxholm Fortress 

The ferry took us to the back of the fortress where the doors to
the restaurant were located. Outside the doors were some
fire barrels and a steamer used for who-knows-what. Behind is
a large Julbock with a sleigh. It was 2:30 PM, so the sun was
about to set. 

Inside the restaurant. note the walls and ceiling

This table had about 14 types of sill (herring)

Our table headed by Pres. and Sister Youngberg. Note the wall
behind - it is the rock upon which the fortress is built.
Our hostess was a young lady who was on Christmas break from her studies at a university in Småland. She had worked on the island for a few years, so she was happy to take us out to the top of the fortress and show us some of the other islands and give us a little history of the fortress. We have visited the main island where most of the commercial and residential buildings and streets are located. I did not know about the other small islands that are primarily residential suburbs of the main island.

At the top of the fortress. The wind was just right to make the flag visible.



Pictures of some of the surrounding islands taken from the top
of the fortress. It was  after 3:30 PM, so the sun was down. The
camera compensated for the lack of light, so it was actually
darker than it looks here.

We left the fortress at about 4:00, so it was quite dark. The
Julbock is all lit up with the sleigh behind it.
Us, Smiths, Bells, Johnsons, Youngbergs, Hales, Halls, Donohoos as we waited for the ferry to take us to the Julbord. Missing are the Kelleys whose train was late. They joined us about 1.5 hours later
Even though it seemed like 9:00, it was still only afternoon. We all went to the mission home where Olivia and I gave a little presentation about apartment inspections and the Bells, who are here to promote Self-reliance in Scandinavia, spoke about the concepts that need to be promoted all over the world.

We then exchanged white elephant gifts using a left/right story that I had made up about a man and woman who had become rivals, but eventually reconciled. I used 1860 Sweden as the background to the story and incorporated the names of each of the couples to make it more fun.

We were on our own the next morning, but many of us ended up at the Gingerbread House competition at the Moderna Museet which is a museum of modern art, architecture, and thought. The entries were of several categories including children ages 4 to 12 and professional bakers.

Some were quite good.
We braved the trains and busses
again. This is one impressive
escalator.

At Central Station in Stockholm waiting for our bus














It seems mandatory to poke fun at
and preach to Donald Trump









From there we all went various ways to look for Christmas items at the Christmas market in Gamla Stan (old town), or many of Stockholm's places to buy souvenirs. Olivia and I both found things we likely would not find at home that will remind us of this adventure.

At 4:00 PM we met at the Nobel Museum and walked together to a smaller square where we were met by a guide who explained where the church, and other buildings of a monastery had been located. They had been built and maintained by the Black Friars' order of Catholic priests. The Friars were part of the Dominicans who were interested in returning the Catholic Church to what they considered its original intent. They eschewed gaudiness, expensive cloaks (theirs were plain black with a black hood - thus black friars) and ornamentation of the clergy and the rituals not based on holy writ.

The monastery was built in 1336 and was upgraded and added to over the centuries that followed until it was destroyed and the brothers deported or worse in 1528. King Gustav Vasa declared himself the head of the Swedish Church, which was then Lutheran and either "converted" or expelled Catholic clergy.

Still remaining are five rooms below the streets of Stockholm that had been used for temporary quarters by wayfarers and pilgrims. It is maintained by the Medieval Museum which provided our guide.Black Friars





Elder Hales shared some great pictures of the caverns with their
archways of very ancient brick and mortar.

Our guide explaining some of the history of the monastery and
the rooms she showed to us

Our guide and Elder Hall holding an old
street sign that would have pointed to the
 now-secret door leading to the stairs
down to the caverns. It is now closed to
the public and only available by reservation.
The entire group including the Kelleys (far right)

The destroyed buildings and much of the statuary were used to build and furnish a castle that was built by Gustav Vasa according to records from 1547.

You may recall that Vasa's father was killed by treachery along with 90 other noblemen as a Danish king took over Sweden. Vasa led a rebellion and became Sweden's king, and then became as tyrannical as his predecessor. While many consider him the father of Sweden, many, including our guide find his methods appalling and are quite vocal about it. The idea of gaining and maintaining power as the primary purpose of governing a country was ancient and well established by those days. Of the people, by the people and for the people is a fairly modern concept, so it is hard to judge a 1500s king by 1776 standards.

Topping off the evening we went down far below the streets to a Viking-themed restaurant where we enjoyed a meal of either lax (salmon) or venison. Appetizers were several kinds of cold meats such as ham, reindeer sausage, moose heart, etc. Dessert was saffron pancake with blue raspberry sauce and whipped cream.

For two days in a row we went to bed stuffed.
Waiting to enter.

As people confirmed their reservations
the host would blow a ram's horn and
invite everyone to welcome the next
guest. The Kelleys came after us, so
they were announced as part of the
group from Jesu Kristi Kyrka

Waiting staff were all in period costumes

Our waitress


The musicians played period instruments and sang not-necessarily-
period songs

Elder Smith threatens Elder Hall. The ax is rubber. the helmet
is leather. Inside it said NY Giants 1910 :-)

Above us were the skins of wild boars.
Saturday we ´gathered at the mission home again for a brunch to celebrate Sister Kelley's birthday which she shares with the prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith. Afterward, everyone left for their various destinations. Ja mÃ¥ hon leva uti hundrade Ã¥r. Javisst! The gist of the Swedish birthday song (yes, may she live a hundred years. Of course!)

After the brunch we decided to spend some time with just each other for a while. We drove to the Viking farm near our house where we knew we would be the only visitors. It was just a fun walk and good memories of taking Cedric's family and other senior missionaries to see it in its glory during the summer.
By the rune stone that gave the farm
its name Gunnes GÃ¥rd








Sunday we and the young missionaries  from Uppsala were invited to the Burman's for Christmas Eve and another Julbord. Tore and Sol-Brit are a couple in our Uppsala Ward who are always so gracious to the missionaries. They have become good friends - especially Olivia and Sol-Brit. Again, more food than a normal person can or should eat. We spent the day visiting with the family and a friend who also came, exchanging gifts, and playing games. Of course, we had to take time out to watch Kalle Anka (Donald Duck). The entire country stops whatever they are doing to watch an hour of Disney cartoons hosted by Jiminy Cricket from the 40s, 50s, etc. with some of the new ones that just came out or which shortly will debut. They are all either dubbed or voiced over in Swedish.
Sister Beck and Tore at the beautiful Christmas table

Sol-Brit adds some final touches

Sisters Manning and Beck are gearing up for a feast

Burman's son Christopher 

Sol-Brit's beautiful cake with a cheesecake filling

Watching Kalle Anka

Sister Beck, the selfie master, Sol-Brit, Tore, Maj (a friend), Elder
Grover, Christopher, Sister Manning, Olivia, me, Elder Harrell
Christmas day we were invited to the mission home for lunch and just visiting. We stayed and enjoyed each others company until about 5:30, then we went home and called as many of our children as we could and enjoyed hearing the excitement of all the grandchildren who explained what they got for Christmas and why they liked it so much.

 At last we just enjoyed a little of Christmas with each other.
We lit the 4th advent candle

And all the other candles, too
We hope your Christmas was happy and blessed. Ours certainly was. We also wish you each the happiest 2018!