Meet and Greet plus a Baptism

We bid our final farewell to our good friends, Keith and Margo Clouse. Monday morning we picked them up at the "Clubhouse" and took them to the airport. They flew to Ireland to see some distant relatives of Margo's and then, after a few days there, flew home. We are already missing their humor, friendship, easy-going attitudes and their love.

Because I have found old shirts and ties to wear while working on apartments, rather than what would normally pass as work clothes, Keith often accused me of overdressing by saying, "where's your cummerbund, Brad?" So to properly see them off:

Keith and Elder Cummerbund

With Elder Hales who has replaced him in
the office

Clouses with the office elders: Benson,
Stapley, Craun, and Jämsä

With Sister and Elder Hales

Just before they boarded to leave us at the airport

😢

The rest of the week was filled with service to the missionaries and being with President and Sister Youngberg as they introduced themselves to the missionaries.

After the airport run, we went to the Jakobsberg sisters' apartment to do the repair to the washing machine (again). This time it went much better. I found how to open the front panel enough to look in and Olivia found the switch unit with the electrical connectors that had fallen off when I replaced the latch plate. We reattached the plate attaching the switch unit, this time and it really worked. I should say prayers really worked. Really.

Why does it have to be
next to the toilet?

Why women live longer
than men.

Front panel propped open
we worked together to
reattach the switch

In case that wasn't disgusting
enough, Olivia thought it
would be a good idea to clean
the drain in the sink.

We spent the next morning in Uppsala where we were able to meet with our special friend Elsa and the missionaries. Afterward, she showed us around the central part of this beautiful city. The city center is a quaint area of cobblestone streets, mostly for walking. It is still a vibrant area of the town. We were looking for some items Olivia wanted to include in the centerpieces that would go on the tables at the zone conference the following day. We found some fun shops including a well appointed fabric shop. Those are not as plentiful here as at home. Sister Hales had the idea of placing vinyl fabric, like table cloth, inside the van when we carry food, as it sometimes spills a little. It was on sale, so I got enough for our van and for their car, as well.

Elsa then showed us St. Erik's Spring which now has a well and hand pump over it. It didn't seem to work that day, but the important thing is that we saw it. You may remember that the Dom Kyrka in Uppsala is built on the spot where he was executed. No records of him exist from his time, so most of what we know is from legends. According to the legends, Erik was the king who fought to make Christianity the preferred religion of the realm. On Ascension Day in 1160, while he was attending mass, a rebel army was seen approaching. The king refused to leave the church until mass was concluded. He then went out with a few men was killed and beheaded. His head rolled to a stop and where it rested, a spring bubbled up to the surface. A blind man came sometime afterward, washed his face in the spring and was healed of his blindness. Others, praying to Erik had miracles occur, so he qualified as a saint. He is not officially canonized as a saint, but is considered as such and has a feast day on May 18 in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. What remains of his bones and some relics are in a gold casket in the Dom Kyrka.

Elsa sometimes reads this blog, so if you are reading it today, "Thanks, Elsa!"

Wednesday was taken up from morning to evening at the "Meet and Greet" multi-zone conference where President and Sister Youngberg introduced themselves to the missionaries. As they shared their vision of the work of the ministry, there was a noticeable feeling of enthusiasm among the missionaries. The Spirit was bearing witness of the message, the work and of the inspired calling of this young president and his wife.  It was an awe inspiring, testimony building experience. We spent a lot of the time preparing the building and hauling food, then serving the missionaries, but still had time to listen in on much of the program.

Olivia likes to take the before picture. It was July 5, so we
decorated in red, white and blue. Click to see the centerpieces

We always like to get
a picture of Sister
Christensen to send to
her mother.

And Sister Trotter to send
to the Sturgeons

We were so busy, we didn't think to take pictures of the missionaries.
Someone lined up these sisters for a photo, so Olivia also took
advantage. There were actually about 100 in attendance. Here
are Sisters Sidwell, Kinnison, Argyle, Otterson, Datwyler, McWhorter
and Johnson

Thursday we were back in Uppsala and Gävle (yev'la) to do apartment inspections. Everyone passed with flying colors, but I did get to do some repairs, so I felt useful. We see Sisters Young and Christensen often as we attend church with them. Sister Trotter is training Sister Neilsen. We have the greatest respect for Sister Trotter, not just because of her connection with our friends, the Sturgeons, but because she is cheerful always, even in the face of adversity and because she really understands the meaning of missionary work. Sister Neilsen is lucky to have such a companion. It turns out that Sister Trotter has an exceptional new missionary to train. Already, neither of them is comfortable praying in English. They work well together.

Sisters Christensen and Young in their apartment

After the apartment inspection,
it was time for lunch, so we
treated Sisters Neilsen and
Trotter to a Max meal. 

The Gävle apartment had these nasty mercury bulbs everywhere.
You can't just toss them, we have to take them to a special stall at
the Återvinning Central (environmental dump). These start off
dull and by time to leave, they are almost bright. I replaced them
 with LED bulbs.

We traveled back through Uppsala as we had items we needed to give the elders. They asked us to come to the church building because they were meeting with Pierre who was scheduled to be baptized on Saturday. We delivered their boxes of Swedish and other language Book of Mormons and some clothes Olivia had mended. While we were there, Pierre asked if I would confirm him on Sunday. I was surprised, but happy to do so.

On Saturday, we attended the baptism where Olivia played the piano for the hymns we sang and for the prelude and interlude. Elder Roylance performed the baptism, Brother Tore (tor'ah) Burman and I were witnesses.

Elders Roylance and Harper with Pierre Ingabire.
Pierre is from Burundi and speaks Swahili, French,
Swedish and English. Solid young man!

Some of those who attended the baptism. Sister Burman, Elder Harper
Pierre, Brother Thorsten Hernon, Tore Burman, Elder Roylance,
Brother Hammar (a counselor in bishopric) Peter Stegeby

Julia Stegeby, Elder Harper, Peter Stegeby, Pierre, Brother Hernon
Elder Roylance Olivia, Judy Hammar

Bishop Holmdahl with Pierre and the missionaries who taught him.

We were also able to purchase and assemble two bikes for the Täby sisters. They have been using the train to get to the church and to appointments, but now the train is out of service for the rest of the year or longer as tracks are updated and moved. With bikes they save over an hour each day getting around. They were happy campers, to say the least.

Sisters Gill and Sidwell testing out their new bicycles 

We will be moving the elders from the Stockholm I area to a new apartment, so we also met with them to show them where their apartment accouterments are located and acquaint them with the building. We will be moving them tomorrow. Some heavy work ahead.

We capped off the week with our church meetings today. I was asked to pass the sacrament and, of course, to confirm Pierre a member of the Church and bless him with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I practiced all the way to church and even after I got there. I performed the ordinance entirely in Swedish. I offered the blessing part in English as I have almost no command of the spoken language and I still think in English. It was a thrilling, frightening and holy experience. I think it came out alright as no one commented one way or the other. Like it was normal. I choose to take that as a compliment. It may be the opposite, but I am happy I tried.

Brother Hernon has been especially helpful with Pierre as he not
only speaks excellent English, but is also fluent in French. 

We were sorry to have missed a big Dahl reunion that took place Saturday. All of Olivia's siblings were there, as were many of the grand- and great grandchildren with their families. Her sister, Jennifer, counted 86 in attendance. We were pulled in by Messenger, so we got to talk to some of the attendees. All of our children (except Tavan who couldn't pull it off) attended with their families, so it was cousin heaven at the ranch.

We love all of you and hope you find yourselves and your families well and happy. Write and let us know how you are doing and what is happening in your lives.