Happy New Year, or as they say here:
I am writing this before the new year actually begins, because we will be celebrating the new year with the other senior couples tonight. One couple has a great view of Stockholm from their living room apartment, so we are going to be there to watch the fireworks, which is one of the primary ways Swedes celebrate the new year.
However, let's back up to last Monday. This week started with Christmas morning and the breakfast we provided for the four missionaries upstairs and the two sister missionaries who live nearby. All eight of us crammed around our kitchen table, which helped eradicate the little bit of holiday-homesickness I had been feeling for the past week. Then we went to he office, where Christmas presents waited under the tree, and we enjoyed watching each elder and sister open their long-awaited gifts. One of the best presents was a book for Elder Harper made by his mother, two pages for each month of the past year. One page featured a collage of the pictures he had sent home during that month, and the opposite page displayed the activities of other family members during the same month. He loved it! Another clever gift was actually on the flaps of a box. As Sister Heaps opened the box from her father, there was wrapping paper glued to the inside of the flaps with pictures of her with her siblings through the years. By the time they were finished, my motherly-longing for family was appeased, and I was ready to go to the Mission Home for delicious Christmas dinner. Later, we called home and talked to everyone except Kim, who was at her in-laws.
 |
| Our Christmas tree, waiting for the arrival of the missionaries. |
 |
| Christmas breakfast--our surrogate family. |
The rest of the week presented a little bit of holiday let-down. It was good to relax after the past couple of hectic weeks, but this week was almost too slow and quiet. However, I decided to accept President Youngberg's invitation to all the missionaries to read the entire Book of Mormon from Christmas Day to New Year's Day. I've never read the book in such large chunks before and it has been an interesting experience for me. At first I was picturing the Hill Cumorah Pageant as I read; the Isaiah chapters didn't seem quite as long, while the poetic qualities seemed more evident; and the voices of the various writers were more distinct. As I read, I realized that I was receiving multiple witnesses from the Holy Ghost, teaching me and reminding me of truths that have deepened my testimony and increased my desire to improve my life. Reading this way has truly been a more intense spiritual experience than I anticipated and I'm grateful I have had the time to do it.
Friday night John and I, along with the Self-Reliance couple--the Bells, went into Stockholm to see the holiday lights. Various designs (hearts, angels, pine cones, crowns) and displays (moose and deer mostly) decorated the city's streets and parks. We walked for 2 hours enjoying the sometimes surprisingly quiet streets, a few busy cafes (where people are still actually eating outside!), the gentle chilly night, and city sounds. There's no snow in Stockholm, nonetheless it reminded me of being in NYC during the holidays with the same pulse and excitement in the air.
 |
| A city center in Stockholm |
 |
| chandeliers surrounded by candles |
 |
| delicate heart with red balls |
 |
| a herd of moose |
 |
| Kungsgården's ice skating rink reminds me of Rockefeller Center |
Saturday we joined the Andersons and two of their out-of-the-country guests to another Viking burial ground, Anundshögen. This is in Västerås (about 1 hour from our home) and touts the largest tumulus (burial mound) in the country with 3 stone ships at its base. There are also several other burial mounds in the vicinity. In the 3rd to 10th centuries, the area was an important trade center and became known for "the Thing," which was a type of judicial court. The royal highway, on which newly coronated kings would tour the country, also passed through this site.
 |
| A view of the stone Viking ships at the foot of the tall tumulus, with a smaller tumulus to the right. |
 |
| View of two stone Viking ships from the top of the tallest tumulus. The cremated remains of important people such as kings and shipbuilders are buried in the tumuli. The stone ships symbolize the travel to Valhalla. People are also buried within the circle. |
 |
| Badelunda Kyrka, originally built in the 1300s and renovated in the 1600s. |
So far the weather here is remarkably mild....in the 30s most days...with occasional rain and very little snow so far. It can feel pretty chilly at times with the humidity and wind, but the temperature only fluctuates about 3 degrees between the daytime and the night. I guess the sun isn't around long enough to really get the earth warm. Fortunately, we have passed the winter solstice and days are getting longer again! Hurray!
 |
| Some people think it is really cold, I guess! Aaarf! |
