Hannah's Family Comes to Sweden

Our daughter Hannah, her husband Jeff and the children came on Thursday, the 10th of May and we began our travels with them over the weekend, so there was no opportunity to write a post. It is the first I have missed in the 20 + months we have been on this mission.

The air in our area is still thick with pollen. We washed our car last night (I started this post on May 20th) well after 10:00 PM and this morning it was covered with pollen. We are told that this is tree pollen, of which we were already aware, but the worst is grass pollen which will come later in the summer. Whatever it is, we have both been exceptionally allergic to it. Sneezing, itchy and runny eyes, coughing, wheezing - hardly able to draw a breath, We have tried all kinds of remedies and we are improving, thank goodness.

That green haze on the car is what we
are breathing.

Since I failed to submit a post from the prior week, I will catch us up on a few things. We had promised the elders who were serving in Jakobsberg that we would show them the remains of the Viking fortress that is located just a few kilometers from our apartment and is actually within their assigned area, so they didn't even have to get special permission. We couldn't take the elders without also inviting the sisters in Jakobsberg, as well, so all six of us made the trip. We had been there before a couple of times, so it was fun to take them to a place where we knew the shortcuts and interesting things to look out for.

Sisters Neilsen and Hall at the lookout spot above Lake Mälaren

Elders Francis and Petersen

On our own Lost Fox Adventure (a reference just for Scout)

The Elders & Sisters above the wolf pit.

This is an actual pit constructed by the
local Vikings who placed a live chicken
on a pole in the center, covered the hole
with branches and then shot the wolf
which was trapped trying to get the bait.

It was transfer week, so many of the friends we have made are now transferred to new areas or have gone home. Those included Elder Petersen and Sister Neilsen, both were quite sure they would be leaving, so they didn't want to miss the opportunity of seeing this area.

Elder Jarman who has been acting as the technology specialist as the new smart phones were introduced into the mission, was transferred, as well. We will miss his cheerful attitude through a difficult period. He should be proud of his service, here. Now he is back at missionary work in Boden.

The final traditional picture with the Happy Together pillow.
Elders Berlin, Harden, Jarman, Lee and Liljenquist

We were at the office after our meeting so we ate our lunch with
the Hales and the POEs.

We were also invited to be in the temple with the missionaries who returned home, this transfer. We have been close to all of them at one time or other. We also assisted in getting them onto their plane and train the following morning.

At the temple with Sisters Pickett and Eriksson, Sister and Pres.
Youngberg, Elders Stapley, Carlson and Cotton. Elder Brown's
train was delayed, so he missed the temple.

Sister Eriksson and Elder Brown who was not late for his plane.
Sister Eriksson is from Kristianstad, Sweden, so she saw the others
off, then went to another terminal and caught the train home.

This group (I am aware I say this for all the missionaries who have gone home, but it continues to be true) was outstanding in every way. We worked with all of them and knew their challenges and saw them increase their capabilities to meet those challenges. We will miss them. One of the senior missionaries who is now home once said that one thing that is not disclosed to us prior to coming on our missions is that your heart is broken every six weeks. There is a certain sadness each time we see them go.

Then came Thursday, the day our daughter Hannah's family arrived. Sleepy and disheveled, but excited to be in another country and to especially be in Sweden. The children have been doing special chores and saving their money for buying souvenirs, they have been learning about Swedish history and culture, Maisy has been trying to learn some Swedish on Duolingo and emailing Alice Holmdal from Uppsala. You can imagine their excitement.

Jeff was the first one to come out with
the children following behind him. 

Laurel with Maisy and Ollie just
coming out

Then Hannah and Norah brought up the rear.

These girls are taking art lessons, so
Maisy looked on while Laurel demon-
strated perspective by drawing a street scene.

We fed them and then took them to the Clubhouse where Hannah, Jeff and Oliver stayed the night. Olivia showed them the local grocery store so they could get food for their breakfasts. The three girls stayed with us.

At the Clubhouse. Ollie's jet lag had
fully kicked in by this point.

Norah, Laurel and Maisy getting ready for bed at our apartment

I won't try to detail everything we did or saw, but just caption pictures, for the most part.

Everyone loved Junibacken, the museum dedicated to Swedish
children's authors. It is very child friendly, with all kinds of
interactive displays that are related to the stories of these authors.

Most famous is Astrid Lindgren,
best known for her stories of Pipi
Longstocking, Emil, and The
Children of Noisy Village

Maisy and Laurel are the pictures of princesses

Oliver and Norah try to
ascend the ape

Norah made it to the top

Laurel at the burger shop. While these are only toys, the real
ketchup and mustard dispensers look just like this. You squirt
out the contents by squeezing the udder looking sort of thing.

Ollie and Norah shift gears

The story train takes you on a magical journey across and 
over dioramas, while rehearsing some of the Lindgren stories.

Laurel and Ollie build with blocks
while under the sea.

Outside was a playground with more
fun things to explore.

We did not take many pictures from inside the Vasa Museum. I
have written about it before. This giant ship was raised from the
floor of the sea hundreds of years after it sunk on its maiden voyage
that lasted only a few hundred meters.

The Stevenson family outside the Vasa Museum.

The recreated Viking farm is only open on Saturdays until June 1,
so we had to get there as soon as it opened. It is called Gunnes
Gård after the name of the Viking who erected a rune stone in
honor of his son who was lost in a battle.

Spring is in full bloom, here

Over the fence and across the meadow
are some friendly sheep who are quite
patient with those who are making their
way to the rune stone.

Children and animals
have a special attraction
to each other.

The girls found a black sheep

Inside the sleeping cabin of the farm

Dad shows son the special features
of Ollie's new phone.

While hiking through the woods near
our home Ollie found this troll. Someone
has wedged him between boulders and
just left him there for others to discover.

Everyone on the stone rise where the trolls were discovered.

On Sunday, we went to our usual meetings at the church in Uppsala, where we proudly introduced the visiting family to our friends in the ward. Their visit doubled the size of the Primary, so much of the program there was in English. Most of the Primary children at least have some idea of English; several are quite fluent. The fun part was that Maisy got to meet her pen pal, Alice. They had written to one another prior to then, so they were both excited to meet each other.

That afternoon, following the meetings, we went with the bishop's family to Gamla Uppsala where we shared a picnic. Alice is the bishop's daughter, so she and her sister Emelie were exploring and talking non-stop with the Stevenson girls. Ollie, on the other hand was being tormented by and tormenting little Milla, the bishop's four-year old daughter.

From there we traveled to Mora where we spent the night, so we could be at the Dalahäst workshop early the next morning. We had lots to see and do all that day as we traveled back to our apartment in Stockholm.

Hannah with our Uppsala sister
missionaries: Sisters King, Jones
and Chapdelaine.

Of course, she had to meet Elsa pictured here with Julia in center.

Outside the chapel

Alice, Bishop, Elisabet, his wife, Hannah, Laurel, Maisy and Norah at the
Gamla Kyrka in old Uppsala

Bishop, Emelia, Milla, Elisabet, Alice, Laurel, Oliver, Maisy, Hannah, Norah,
Jeff, Olivia and me

Ollie was still on Idaho time, so while the rest of us were ready
for bed, he busied himself making a fort from the sheets on his
bunk bed in our hotel room in Mora. 

Between the hotel in Mora and the Dalahäst workshop in Nusnas,
is a troll village. It is sort of run down and in disrepair, but the
children found it charming. Laurel and Maisy in front of a picnic shelter.

Ollie is good at finding trolls.

In Nusnäs, we visited one of the workshops and the shops of both
of the brothers who create these fun symbols of Sweden. You can
get quite close to the people who are cutting, dipping and painting
the horses.

The little artists thought this would be
a fun job. Here they are watching an
artist finalize the designs on a horse.

Outside of the Carl Larsson home in Sundborn that has become a museum.
We were not allowed to take pictures inside the house because
the rooms are often included in his paintings. They want to
maintain the integrity of the place, I suppose.

This room, for instance is much the same today as depicted in
this picture.

Viking burial mound in Anundshög,
just outside of Västerås.
This is the highest burial mound in the
country.

Maisy and Ollie can see the rocks in ship formation below where
a Viking chieftain is likely buried.

Laurel and Norah are below near where another Viking ship-shaped
burial spot is located. There are five here.

Back at our apartment, the children
were catching and naming a dozen
snails. Only Ollie was interested
in the slugs, primarily because
they are disgusting to the sisters.

At home we had a hamburger/hot dog grilling night.

We also had marshmallows, chocolate bars and
Digestive crackers for making s'mors. (Smör in Swedish means
butter, just so you are not confused.)

We spent time in Gamla Stan, the old
city of Stockholm. This is the plaza
in front of the ocean and behind that
the city offices where the Nobel
Prizes are awarded.

In Stora Torget which is the center of the old city. 

Water was coming from
the ancient fountain in
the center.

Maisy catching a drink. Others were
filling their water bottles here. Good,
tasty water is available from the tap,
in this country.

Below the statue representing Saint
George slaying the dragon

One day was spent trying out all the
methods of public transportation. At
the train station is one of the longest
escalators, ever. 

Getting closer.

Traveling first by bus to the train, then to the water taxi, then
to the trolley and then back to train and bus. Along the way
were some beautiful flowers, trees and bushes including these
amazing tulips.

Lunch was in the downstairs dining table of the
Under Kastanjen (under the chestnut tree) restaurant.

The bus was crowded, so we hung
onto the rings for standing riders.

Down the cool escalators to catch the
train back.

The inevitable day arrived when we
had to say goodbye. Olivia took the
girls into the airport, while I went with
Jeff, Hannah and Oliver to return the
rental car, so we only have pictures
of the girls for that day.

The visit was, of course, packed with activities, and yet, we felt that they hardly had a glance at this beautiful country we have come to love. Hannah has a presence on Instagram that has some of her impressions of the visit that you may enjoy. 

Got to end it here. I am another week behind, so I have to begin a new blog post for last week. We are busier than we have ever been, I think, so it has not been easy to keep current. Have a happy week!