That Was A Blast!

We have been seeing signs for fireworks all over the area and we assumed that they were advertising that a fireworks show would be held at various locations for the New Year celebrations. On closer inspection, however, we discovered that they were selling fireworks. Almost every hardware store and supermarket we saw the advertising. We also assumed they would be like the fireworks we can buy in Wyoming and on the reservations in Nevada. They are not.

We retired for bed at about 11:00 with the noise of a few going off around us. I had a problem with an irritated sinus so I got up at about 11:30 to take an antihistamine and more started. Then at just before midnight it was a war zone outside. Even with the blinds drawn, the windows lit up like daybreak. The explosions were all around us. We stepped outside to see almost Sommer's quality fireworks (Danny Sommers is our amazing stake president and a professional pyro. He never gets tired of that job), not from a professional in the park or over a lake, but at dozens of backyards, roadsides, streets, parks and wherever there was room. Serious money had been spent on some very cool fireworks...and fire water, it seems. We seldom hear or see our neighbors, but we certainly both heard and saw them last night. Not too many out this morning when we left for church, however. The video does not do it justice as the explosions were ear splitting. I can only imagine how loud them must have been for those who were setting them off.

[ It went on for at least half an hour. For some reason this video came out sideways and I can't seem to rotate it.]

In the days leading up to New Year' Eve, we were able to get in some serious planning and organizing. We have (Olivia has) recruited the help of the other senior couples to inspect apartments, so we organized and made assignments, mostly by zone and sent them a list of the apartments, addresses and phone numbers. We had an evening at home with the other couples where we enjoyed a delicious meal, mostly Olivia's doing, but added to by some of the other women. We also went back to the giant safe at the office and finished organizing the keys. We made a note of all the apartments for which we do not have duplicate keys so we can make a duplicate next time we are out there to inspect or visit.

While we were in the safe we noticed a stack of old books. On closer inspection, we discovered that they were binders containing the history of the mission from 1852 to the present. I wish we had time to read each of them, but most interesting were the pages that mentioned Olivia's father who served here from Christmas Eve 1934 to the beginning of 1937. We figured out how to unbind the book without damaging the pages and copied the pages that mentioned him or his older brother Arthur, who had served here three years earlier. It was fascinating to read of the challenges and successes those missionaries experienced. Much like what missionaries face today.  We will scan and send the pages out to her family and Arthur's family, as well.

We also met a member of the stake presidency at an apartment he owns and would like to rent to the mission. He is a very interesting man with a history of faithfulness. His parents joined the Church when he was quite small. His father was a medical student and wanted to purchase a house for the family. They found a new house, but knew they could not qualify for a loan to purchase. The builder/owner said he had never heard of a medical doctor who went bankrupt and agreed to take a note, personally. The family still owns the home and all the children live nearby except two who live in the US. He is an architect having graduated from BYU and then U of U for architecture school. He worked for a short time in the states, and was the primary architect for the Vernal Utah temple.

[President Karlsson and me in the apartment. Here, I am trying to send needed information to him for the contract.]

The apartment is in the old, but gentrified area of Stockholm, just a short walk from the Swedish Historical Museum. It is quite small, but in a very nice building. The top floor of the apartment building is leased by the Israeli Embassy. Each morning the ambassador leaves the building from a different door, is picked up by his limo and driven a different, circuitous route to the embassy, which is also walking distance from the apartment. They take no chances that someone will know the route he will take and sabotage him. With that kind of excitement, I think the missionaries will enjoy their time in that apartment.

Today is New Year's Day and unlike the wards at home, it was Fast Sunday. Many of our members were traveling today, so we only had about 30 in attendance. Even with fewer numbers, there was only once that there was a lull in the testimonies and that lasted only several seconds. We really do have a good ward. Only one investigator came today, but she is progressing well and seemed to enjoy the meeting.  She has become Olivia's friend because her name is Elsa and we have a granddaughter with the same name. Olivia has made her feel special because of that. A couple of weeks ago she shared a special Swedish Christmas song and its history with Olivia - a very nice gesture. We hope she will be baptized soon and set the example for Jessica.

We got to the end of the week and realized that we had taken almost no pictures. We are sorry and will do better in the New Year, we promise. We have felt very blessed and loved by so many of you. We appreciate your comments and your kind support while we serve. We hope our example may spur others to exercise their faith and make the necessary arrangements to serve, as well.


OUR LOVE TO ALL OF YOU.