100 Grand and Still Going

Another mile post was passed this week. When we arrived back at our apartment one evening I looked down at the odometer and discovered that it was at 99,999.

So Olivia insisted that I drive around the block until it rolled over (? an interesting term these days) to 100,000. 

Most mission vehicles are retired after three years or 90,000 kilometers, but this one is so new that we are going to have to wait for the first quarter to replace it.  It has been a workhorse, even though it has some issues that I would not expect on a Toyota or a Honda. Still, it is reliable, peppy, and can hold a lot of stuff. We understand that we will be getting another of the same model, but the next one will run on diesel. Along with Sister Garmin on the window, the Ford Van has become like family.

Earlier this week we said good-bye to a dedicated group of sister missionaries. We have been close to each one of them to varying degrees. That would especially apply to Sister Joanna Wagner who served in areas near us. We conducted several repairs in the Jakobsberg apartment when her companion tried to pry open the washing machine door with a claw hammer. She was also in the Täby apartment when we moved her and Sister Heaps into the little house apartment. She and all the sisters in her group were superb missionaries; willing to be obedient and work courageously. 

Pres.and Sister Youngberg, Sisters Joanna Wagner, Johnson, McWhorter,
Sidwell, and Elizabeth Wagner

We also met the incoming missionaries, but only briefly. We were not needed to pick them up from the airport or transport them to their various destinations on the day they arrived. We did, however, go to the Täby chapel to assist with the lunch and other details the next day. I met them each as they came in the door, but then Elder Hales informed us that he and I needed to go to the airport to pick up some lost baggage. 

There had been a power outage in Amsterdam and the computer did not find eight bags. Three had come in the night before and they hoped the others would come in on the morning flight. We went to the airport which left our wives at the chapel to manage lunch without our help. Everyone was so busy that no one took pictures.

At the baggage claim we were informed, after waiting half an hour for the attendant to reappear after he had acknowledged our presence at his door, that another four bags were in the building, but that he would have to bring them up from downstairs. After several more minutes he appeared once again and invited us in to pick up the bags as they came up and onto a special carousel. We put the bags onto a cart and wheeled it out to the hallway where we had been waiting. He informed us that the last bag could be on the next plane.

By this time it was after noon, so we called the wives and informed them that they would have to drive cars so there would be enough seats to take the new missionaries to Central Station with their trainers, so they could keep their connections. Olivia was fine with that, but Sister Hales was quite nervous about it. Still, both were good sports and made the trip.

Now, we had a little time to let the next plane land and unload, so we walked several minutes to McDonald's for a little lunch. As we left  we saw the young man who was supposed to be checking on our last lost bag, coming toward us to get lunch. He the look of concern on our faces and assured us that there was another person who could help us.

Back at lost luggage our doorbell ring was answered by another young man who looked at our paperwork, went back in to check, then came back out again. He informed us that the bag was on the plane and to wait right there and he would retrieve it for us. 45 minutes later the first young man appeared with the bag, having come back from lunch. Finally, we could go and meet the others...but no. The bag was damaged and the damage had to be reported. By the time we left our parking bill was through the roof, the drivers had been to Central Station and were ready to come back to the office and three sisters were about to board without their luggage.

Elder Hales called the POEs and got them to wait to help with the bags once we got there and to hold the sisters back even if it meant having to re-book their departure.We arrived with 10 minutes to spare. Elder Hales and the POEs ran the bags in while I waited in the van. "We are not paying for more parking, today!" said Elder Hales to me.

So, I didn't make the long story short, but now you know why I don't have pictures of the new missionaries. 

There were seven sisters and one elder. One of the sisters, Johanna Hulldin, is here for only a few months. She did not go to an MTC as a result. She is from southern Sweden and is missionary age, but for reasons known only to her and the mission president, she cannot serve a complete 18 months. We have met her at a couple of YSA conferences and were impressed with her. She has an excellent trainer, so she will have a great experience.

Another reason I didn't get to meet the new missionaries is that we got our first real snow that day, and people were slipping on the walks and parking areas, so I shoveled snow and spread sand while waiting for Elder Hales to tell me it was time to go to the airport. It wasn't like last November's transfers when we got 2 feet of snow in a matter of hours, but it was pretty. It's all gone now, which is a good thing, since we have to drive in it.

Our first snow left some pretty flocking on the trees

It was Thanksgiving in America, and we once again invited the elders and sisters serving in Uppsala to come to dinner with us. We also invited our Ward Mission Leader, Tim Conley and our friend Elsa. Tim's father lives in Florida, but Tim has only vague recollections of the holiday in America. Elsa got to taste pumpkin pie, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and Mama Stamberg's cranberry relish for the first time. Olivia cooked all evening Wednesday, all morning and most of the afternoon on Thursday. I helped where I could, but had to meet a landlord in southern Stockholm for an inspection for much of the morning. Elsa came to help for a good part of the afternoon. 

Elsa's birthday was earlier in the week, but we waited for her to come to us
to give her a gift

When it was all ready, we relaxed for a few minutes and presented Elsa with a birthday gift. It is an Advent candle holder with figures of the Lucia participants in front of each candle. We liked it so much that we decided to get one for ourselves and went back to the same store the next day. Olivia informs me that it is my belated Fathers' Day present.

The Thanksgiving group

Elder Grover, Sister Beck (one of the new missionaries),
 Elder Harrell, Sister Manning, Elsa and Tim

Same group with Olivia and  me. Sister Manning took the picture

There are four Advents celebrated in Sweden. They are the four Sundays prior to Christmas. Catholics put specially colored candles in a wreath circle and have a prayer accompanying each day. Swedes may read from the bible or sing an Advent song such as O Come, O Come Emmanuel, but most just burn the candles. The first candle is lit at the evening meal on the first Sunday, on the next Sunday, the first and second candles are lit. On the third and fourth Sundays the next, plus all prior candles burn during the evening meal. A final candle which is not in the Advent holder is lit on Christmas Eve.

Santa Lucia in center with star boys on the end and attendants next
to her.

The Stockholm YSA conference which for some reason is called Soul Night started on Friday and went through Sunday. We went to help on Friday from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, then came back with baked potatoes for the lunch the next day and today (Sunday) we were back again at 7:00 AM to help with preparing and sacking up the lunches the participants will take with them, so we were sleep deprived much of the week. We did get to see a couple of the former Swedish missionaries who came to the conference. We got a picture of Elder Päärka and his American girlfriend. Elder Castleton-Rudolf is back in Sweden studying Farsi and is dating a girl from Jönköping (yun' shipping). We saw them at the dance, but didn't get a chance to take a photo. 

Before going to the YSA Soul Night, we spent much of the day
shopping for items needed in various apartments and making
repairs to the storage and guest room at the mission office.
Typical lunch for those kinds of days is crackers, cheese,
tuna and carrots.

Sister Hales inventorying one of the
insulated containers with baked potatoes

Sister Hall and her husband are the
YSA couple. We told them they
deserve a medal and a raise
after and undertaking like this

With Elder Päärka and his girlfriend. She served her mission
in Finland. When she returned for a visit, his mother made
sure they met. 

The Swedish members who came to help certainly know how to
work. We were thrilled to have them. Sadly, we don't know them
and  can't remember their names. The missionaries are Elders Smith,
Kelley, me, Sister and Elder Hales, Sisters Kelley and Smith. Elder and
Sister Donohoo were serving breakfast. Elder and Sister Hall were everywhere.

Packing up the bags to deliver to the participants after Sacrament Meeting

You are asking at this point, "If you served lunch on Saturday, why were you late getting to bed and thus sleep deprived on Sunday?" Good question. Better answer - we got to go to a Sissel Christmas concert. You may be familiar with Sissel who sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir several years ago. We have the album from that performance as do thousands of others. We saw several months ago that she was coming to Stockholm for one night in a rather small venue, so we arranged for tickets several months in advance. 

We were not disappointed. Her vocal range is somewhere in the tenor at the bottom and glass shattering, beautiful, clear high soprano. She sang songs mostly centered on Christ and several in English. She did not sing In the Bleak Midwinter or Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker (My Heart Always Wanders) the two we liked best, but did several we loved. We walked out with light and grateful hearts. Here is a sample of her range. The song is Kopängen. It reminds me of Robert Frost's Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening. Some of the words are, "There is stillness and silence, as the ground is colored white. From the safe, old church the song is flowing out..."

Sissel  hitting the high notes!

The Hales did the same as we, and they got tickets right next to us. They scoped it out before hand and found that the venue is in downtown Stockholm where parking is next to impossible, so we had another great train adventure. This time it was combined with a bus trip to the train station. Train AND bus - pushing the envelope, right?! A great night to say the least. Good fun, good friends and Sissel all in one night.

 

Finding our train

Hales were our experienced guides

On the way back we got to sit down. It is not as popular after 10:00 PM

Yes, Scout they are popular over here, too! Poster on the train.
Grandma said we have to take a picture of this for Scout.

We walked around while waiting for the
concert doors to open and found The Bag Piper
Inn restaurant. Not much British food, though.

Olivia insisted that we had to get a picture, but the
light faded out the name.

Because today was ward conference, we got to hear from the Bishop, Stake President, and his Second Counselor. Before that, they asked the two new missionaries to bear their testimonies. Sister Beck has been in the country five days, now, but sounded great and bore a sweet, powerful testimony. Elder Grover has been here about four months and told the audience that Sister Beck's Swedish is superior to his. At that, he launched into a wonderful testimony with no hesitation or having to think of the right word or phrase in Swedish. They are going to do well here.

The stake presidency has been emphasizing missionary work and today reminded us of the #Lighttheworld initiative that will start December 1. Priesthood and Relief Society were all about temples and temple work. 

It was an inspiring day, despite having only four hours sleep. 

We hope your Thanksgiving weekend was a wonderful time for connecting with family and friends, eating well, but most of all remembering in gratitude all the blessings we enjoy. We are all truly blessed.