A Marvelous Work is About to Come Forth

This week was filled with much of the same work we always do, plus some things that were unique, but overarching the mundane was the realization that the work of the Kingdom is taking on a new approach. One that I think will be enormously successful over the years. Unfortunately, you can't take pictures of an idea or an approach, so I hope you will bear with me as I introduce mostly text, at first.

On Monday evening we went to the Mission Home where the Youngbergs hosted a dinner for the departing Pettits and welcoming the new Bells. We started to get a feel for what he is doing based on some of the conversation, but not entirely.

Front: Pettits and Bells. Behind Smiths, Donohoos, Andersons,
Youngbergs, Elder Hales (Sister Hales took the picture)

One thing we did learn at that meal was that both President and Sister Youngberg are excellent cooks. It is always fun to get together with the other senior couples, especially the Smiths who seldom come out of the archives where they are preserving the records of Stockholm all day.

It was the next day that we learned more of what is going on behind the scenes. Unfortunately, Olivia and I can't be in two places at the same time. We had been invited to assist with the planting of the fall flowers at the temple which she wanted to do more than breathe, but we also had an office meeting that we were supposed to attend. So she missed the office meeting and I missed the planting.

What we learned at the office meeting was reemphasized Sunday in the Uppsala Ward as President and Sister Youngberg attended and presented. What is happening is that as President Y is going around the country and meeting with stake presidents, other priesthood leaders and members, he is asking for their opinions as to why what we have done as missionaries in this country has not been as successful as we would like. He got a load of information. As a result, he has also received a lot of encouraging responses.

Commonly, in Sweden, your friends are the friends you went to school with and your relatives. It is quite unusual, for example, to invite someone with whom you have worked at the office, plant, store, etc. to come to your house for dinner. You may get involved in associations, clubs or organizations, but again, it is unusual that you would form any kind of friendly bond with them. So, unlike in the US where we would invite someone over whom we want to know better, in Sweden it would be very awkward to invite someone into your home to hear a message from the missionaries.

For that reason, while the missionaries have baptized about 120 individuals so far this year, 80% have been immigrants, mostly from eastern Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East; mostly single men; mostly from countries where, if they return as Christians their livelihoods, if not their lives are forfeit.

Today the vast majority of these immigrants are not only absent from church, they cannot be found at all. We have learned that many seek baptism in order to get the certificate to show the authorities that they are Christian, so they can seek asylum. On the other hand, there are some who do remain faithful and have made a significant difference in their wards and branches of the Church.

How do people who have moved, or whose friends have moved, find other relationships? They join some association and find others who become their friends. Then, they become so involved in the organization that it crowds out Sunday activity.

What President Youngberg is finding out is that there are ways to approach this work, but not to expect that it will happen in the same way that it does in America. Already, we are seeing the fruits of this approach, as the missionaries apply the president's approach and the lessons learned from Elder Ballard in the broadcast to the European members a couple of Sundays ago.

The missionaries who attend the office meeting have begun asking members what they think would provide success in the work. They write it down and it becomes that member's personal mission plan. No pressure; no guilt, but a good deal of success as referrals increased in just the past week or two. They were so animated in our meeting that we hardly had time to conduct the business of the day.

President and Sister Youngberg spoke in Sacrament Meeting Sunday and gave excellent talks. Sister Youngberg even spoke in Swedish. The meat of the day, however, was the president's presentation in the third hour where he verified what he has learned over the past few weeks and received even more ideas from the members there. Even Elsa, who is not yet baptized, had some great ideas that she shared with him. It is an exciting time to be in this mission, indeed.

Olivia's time at the temple gardens was well rewarded as she joined 25 other missionaries and the head gardener. Olivia and Brother Lindahl, the gardener, have shared ideas and frustrations (war stories) about serving as the head gardener at temples, so he always invites her when new planting is needed. This time they had delayed a month because of some upgrades to the planters that were needed. They also took all the plants out and replaced the soil with new, very rich topsoil. The result, however late, is breathtakingly beautiful.

Sisters L to R: Johnson, Eriksson, Heaps, McWhorter, Wagner, Cook,
Hickman, Hill, Pickett, Manning and Matwaychuck
Elders L to R: Greenhalg, Black, Pack, Hartin, Nelson, Ashford, Winkel,
Barney, Warnick, Cluff, Oleveson, Langford, Lee, and Malone

Sister Hill (center) had worked at a floral shop, so they put her in charge of the
center displays. Then, the entire bed was covered with heather.

 

In the background is one of many stacks
of the flowers that were planted that day.

Sisters from Täby, Västerhaninge, and Jakobsberg

Olivia with Brother Lindahl and his boys. He is the head gardener at the temple.
The temple is in the background.

We finally finished the apartment for the Halls and got them moved in. We are still waiting for a parking space, but there are very few. There is free parking nearby, but it is often full. Still, we are out of the old one and into the new one.

Olivia putting the final touches on the
Hall's new apartment

Elder and Sister Hall helped get everything moved
over to their new digs

It is rare, but once in a great while, we are separated. This week, twice. Once when I went to the office meeting, then to work on the Halls' apartment, while Olivia was at the temple gardens. Again when she attended a baby shower for a young wife in our Uppsala Ward. A couple of women in the ward made it clear that only sisters are invited to those affairs, for which I expressed my profound gratitude. So while I cleared emails, took a little nap and watched a detective show. Olivia was enjoying the baby shower.

Gabriela is the guest of honor. She is the one in polka dots. To
her left are Judy from the US, and Gredia from Peru. Right is Kele
from Botswana

Olivia tells me that decorating hair
with the ribbons from gifts is traditional.
Another reason men don't go.

The missionaries with Annalise our ward organist.
Sisters Pickett, Cook and Manning

 The baby is due in January and is their first child. We enjoy being involved with the ward members and loving them. We have grown close to so many of them and keep them in our prayers.

The Pettits finished their mission and flew home today. They invited us to a game night on Saturday where they won the game (hmmm). Before the games began, Olivia and I coached the new couples in the art of inspecting apartments and gave them their assignments. Last night we were invited to join the Pettits, their replacements, the Bells, and the Hales for the Pettit's last supper in this country. This morning, we joined the Hales and saw them off at the airport.

Some who came to the game night. Sister Pettit took the
picture. Olivia, me Elders Pettit and Hall, Sister and Elder Bell

Olivia took this picture, so Sister Pettit
could be in it. 

The rest of the game night group. The Donohoos and Hales

Elder and Sister Pettit have become close
friends and we will miss them

Seeing them off at the airport with the Hales

It was a good week and a full one. This week we are in Norrland inspecting apartments and assisting with the zone conference. We will try to be better with pictures and news.