Week 16--Transfers!

Originally emailed Sunday, June 11, 2017

Hi Everyone!

We thought the previous week was busy with zone conferences, but this week has it beat!  Transfers!  That word has taken on a whole new meaning to me, especially regarding:  arrivals, trainers, departures, early mornings and late nights, canceled flights, and loads of paper work.

Monday evening everyone decided to leave for the airport Tuesday morning (John's birthday and Swedish National Day) at 6:30 for the 7:00 arrival of the 8 new missionaries (7 elders and 1 sister) we expected.  John got up at 4:50 to check their arrival time and found out they were coming in 40 minutes early!  A quick text to everyone, speedy showers and we managed to be out of the house by 6:00.  When we arrived at 6:30, the plane had already landed!  Fortunately, the missionaries hadn't come out of the secured area yet. (They were late coming out because one of the missionaries had lost her wallet and they were looking for it. Poor thing, not a good way to start.)  Using a rented van just for luggage (2 bags per person) and a passenger van (owned by the mission) to transport them, we began the marathon day. (The office missionaries (POEs and Assistants) drove the vans; we drove cars.  We had extra time to kill and we wanted to keep the new arrivals awake so they could adjust to Sweden's time zone more quickly, so ran from one activity to another.

First, we went to McDonalds a few kilometers from the airport for "MacToast."  Really it was whatever they wanted for breakfast, but the word for breakfast is '"frukost" so we like the play of words.  

Next, we went to the Stockholm Temple grounds.  (The temple is being cleaned this week, so we couldn't go in.) However, Sister Beckstrand told us the story of the location of the temple.  Pres. Hinckley, counselor in the First Presidency at the time, had 4 sites to visit.  This one seemed to be one of the least desirable ones...it was completely forested and near a railroad line.  However, when he walked the site, he felt impressed that it was "holy ground" and had been saved to become the temple site.  As excavation began, Viking burial grounds were discovered, so the church asked the government what they wanted to be done...should we build a glass floor, abandon the site?  The government said to just go ahead and build, but the President wanted to honor the Vikings, who had hallowed this site, so a pile of the burial stones were left on the temple grounds as a memorial.  (see pic)  Also, artifacts that were found were donated to the museum.  It occurred to me as I heard the story, that just as the generations of Swedes had "saved" the land for the temple by leaving it undeveloped, once the temple was dedicated in 1985 we could then begin "saving" them. 

From there we walked about 1/2 kilometer down a 1000 year old Viking road, adjacent to the temple that lead to a  large park/Viking burial ground.  Here, there were plaques explaining the rock formations and burial practices.  Some rocks were rounded and in circles, while others were more like pillars and placed in circles.  Also there were ones that marked the outline of a ship.  Incidentally, this excavation/discovery didn't begin until after the temple was built.

Then we drove into Stockholm to take the traditional mission picture of arrivals across from City Hall, where the Nobel Prize is awarded.  (You may recall our picture taken there.)    As we walked to it, we passed a car show.  It always amazes us to see so many American cars.

Then we walked across a bridge to Gamla Stan (Old Town) and the Palace.  We noticed a crowd gathering at the palace and some Royal security stationed around and found out that the changing of the guard would take place at noon, so we decided to hang around as long as we could.  Tuesday was "National Day," much like our 4th of July.  Their celebration marks two historical events:  June 6, 1523 Gusta Vasa was elected king, and on June 6, 1809 the country adopted its constitution.  Although Swedes are not known for their patriotism, many were waving flags and one man was dressed in blue and yellow, with a flag wrapped like a cape.  He looked like a Swedish superhero--with pants rather than tights. A few were even dressed in traditional clothing, like the woman in the picture.  The royal band marched into the square and played several patriotic songs, then the troop of guards were examined. (pic)  Unfortunately, we had to leave before the actual changing of the guard.  I heard later that in the summer, this show is performed every day for the noontime guard change.  Maybe we can catch the rest of it on another day.

Lunch was at the YSA (Young Single Adults) center in Stockholm.  The missionaries received an official welcome and some training then, paired with an experienced missionary, they went into the streets of Stockholm to  contact for 45 minutes.  These tired, but excited missionaries jumped at the chance to begin their work and came back with enthusiastic comments like, "that was fun!"   I wish you could see them, so pure and bright, happy to be on the Lord's errand.  They are amazing!

We met them at the mission office--in the "clubhouse"--the basement apartment where visiting family members can stay; where the Clouses are staying, now that we are in their apartment; where we had a movie night last night; and where meeting such as this can happen in a home-like setting.  Here, John and Elder Clouse presented some rules and regulations of the mission concerning cars, apartments, etc.  Sister Clouse and I presented and collected documents that had to be signed.  Then we went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, and the missionaries went to the mission home for interviews and a good night sleep.  Sister Clouse and I finished up some office work (sending a quick email to parents letting them know their son/daughter had arrived safely) waiting until 10:30 for the the President to let us know he had finished the interviews and closed the "transfer board."  We were waiting to find out which new missionaries were matched to which trainers so we could finish preparing their written assignment--a letter from the president given to the missionaries just before they meet their trainers, which they would receive the next day. No word, so we had to get up early Wednesday morning to do it before we left the office.

Finally, we were able to relax--not much of a birthday for John, but the day was crowned by the email from home which Kim orchestrated and Brandon created--a video of all the kids and grandkids singing "Happy Birthday" together!  Wow!  What a sweet message from home! 

Wednesday morning we finished up the letters and were at the mission home by 7:30, so we could get all the missionaries to the Migration office for their 8:30 appointments.  Fighting our way through rush hour traffic, we got there on time and everyone was interviewed, photographed, and fingerprinted in 12 minutes!

Back to the suburbs where we set up and served lunch at the church near the mission home.  We took a break before lunch to join the missionaries as they received their assignment letters.  First, their trainers filed into the chapel where the new missionaries were waiting, having been in a meeting with the APs and president.  Each letter was opened, one at at time and the third paragraph was read aloud, identifying their trainer and area where they would be serving.  Each trainer ran up  and hugged his/her new missionary. What a secure welcome to the young, inexperience and overwhelmed but devoted young missionaries!  Next they stood by a wall map of  Sweden, pointed to their area, and had their picture taken so it could be emailed home with a letter from the president.  After lunch, well-wishes and they boarded a chartered bus to take them and their luggage to the train station.  (Are you getting a picture of the logistics?  That's just the arrivals!  Also, that day, all over the mission, many of the missionaries traveled to their newly assigned areas.  They move every 12-36 weeks. And I haven't even talked about the departures--that's next.)

After the bus left, the POEs and APs went to the train station to pick up the 12 missionaries who had completed their missions and were headed home.  Sister Clouse, Sister Anderson and I cleaned up from lunch and returned to my apartment where we "bonded" as we talked and got to know each other better.  Suddenly the husbands rushed in, just before it was time to go to dinner.  "Where were you?  You missed the meeting at the mission home!"  We were so embarrassed!  We were supposed to have had the missionaries fill out their  departing the country documents!  Just before leaving for dinner, John received an email stating that the first leg of the return flight had been cancelled!  SLC Mission Travel was working on new plans. After dinner that night (with the missionaries), John and I returned to the office to talk to Salt Lake so we could explain what the new flight plans would be.   We returned to the mission home during their "going home" testimony meeting. They talked about their personal growth, love for the people they've met, love for the Savior and Heavenly Father.  What a beautiful experience! Back at the office, we sent word to the parents of the changed flight schedule.  In my delirium I sent the wrong one and had to redo it. Embarrassing!  I didn't get to bed until after 11.  

After another late night, we had to leave by 8:00 AM to take the missionaries to the airport.  It's a good thing we left early because there were some complications at the airport and 3 cruise ships of people flying out!  However, once we got to check in, all was well. We said our good-byes and watched as they went through security. We were certainly relieved!  

I'm sure you are tired of reading this, but I wanted you to get a sense of what we are doing here, how different it is from our work in the Norrland, and how busy this week has been! It was non-stop, burning the candles at both ends, and spiritually uplifting.  Next time it will involve double the numbers-- as twice as many new missionaries are coming in and almost twice as many departing. To add to the excitement, there will be a new mission president and we will be on our own--yikes! Yet, I am so grateful to be able to participating in this work.  The light that these young missionaries exhibit because of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives attracts the attention of everyone.  They are a powerful group and one can feel their goodness.  What a privilege to be with them!  

So my ending thought today is a tribute to missionary work.  I was reading a conference talk from 1971, the year I graduated from high school.  It said there were 3 million members of the church then and 20,000 missionaries.  Today, 46 years later, there are 15.8 million members of the church and 75,000 missionaries.  That growth has come in a large part because of the valiant efforts of countless missionaries who have served--searching for people who want to know the truth about God, life, and salvation. When Joseph Smith was martyred, many people thought the church would just die, just like when Christ was crucified, people thought Christianity would disappear.  Not so. That is because this church is Jesus Christ's church restored upon the earth.  Joseph Smith stated, "...the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear; till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."  John and I are grateful to be a tiny part of this great and eternally important work.

Best wishes and our love to all of you,

Mom/Dad, Grandma/Grandpa, Linda/John