Two busy weeks have flown by as we enjoyed Stuart and Corinne's visit, celebrated Easter, watched General Conference, and tried to keep up with our duties in the office.
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| Arrival! They look pretty great after about 20 hours of traveling! |
We hope Corinne and Stuart enjoyed being here as much as we enjoyed having them visit. It is so nice to have family with us! True to the Hales Way, we packed as much as possible into each day, leaving us exhausted each night. Although John and I had previously experienced almost everything we did with Stuart and Corinne, it was fun to share in their excitement and enthusiasm as they learned about Vikings, stood on the shore of the Baltic Sea, stood awe-struck as they viewed the Vasa, and wove through the streets of Gamla Stan. They took a 2 1/2 day trip to Amsterdam which gave them an exciting adventure together and gave us time to catch up on our work.
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| On the shore of the Baltic, Nynashamn peninsula, one of our favorite places. It was a cold, blustery day and Corinne was grateful for the coat a missionary left behind! |
Easter Eve we joined with members around the world in a Solemn Assembly, to sustain our new prophet, new First Presidency and two new Apostles. It is so reassuring to know that the prophet is chosen by God, not man, and President Nelson is absolutely remarkable. Even at ninety-three years old, he wears the mantle of the prophet with vigor, wisdom, vision, humility and love. A renown heart-surgeon and dedicated man of God, he has been prepared for this day, and seems excited and comfortable in leading this great church under the direction of the Lord. With the "adjustments" announced comes a refreshing excitement as we learn to be more Christlike in our service and love for others. If you missed conference or are just curious about what a modern prophet and our leaders have to say check our
April 2018 General Conference. I believe you will be impressed with virtually any talk you listen to. I am, and I know that if I follow the impressions I have received as I listened, I can become a better person. As I grow older, the importance of following the prophet and the inspired teachings of the General Authorities of the church becomes even more important to me. Perhaps it is because as I watch as parts of the world swirl in turmoil, I realize that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what can bring true peace into individual lives. And also, maybe it is because I am beginning to glimpse the end of the path of this life a little more clearly. I know that each day, time is drawing shorter, so my sense of urgency increases to learn more and to work harder.
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| Pres. Russell M. Nelson, speaking at General Conference April 2018 |
In the meantime, I am trying to embrace life, the gospel, my opportunities and to learn with an open heart. Having Stuart and Corinne here was fabulous! Family is our greatest blessing, and with their recent announcement of baby #2 on the way, they brought a special joy with them! We are so grateful that all of our children have the opportunity to visit while we are here. I offer a special thanks to those who have watched our grandchildren (or will be watching them) enabling our kids to visit us.
Here are some highlights from Corinne and Stuart's visit.
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| At Drottningholm Palace |
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| Hedwig Eleonora Church in Östermalm. (We learned the day before that Hedwig Eleonora was the queen who built Drottningholm palace.) Stu and Corinne loved the old churches, and this was one we hadn't seen before. |
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| Market in Östermalm...another new discovery. It is a food hall from the 1880's, although they are in a temporary site while the old hall is remodeled. It reminded me of Quincy's Market in Boston. Corinne enjoyed her juice there, but about an hour later we realized she left her wallet on the counter of the juice shop! We retraced our steps, and as soon as the proprietor saw her, he raised it up so she could see it! What relief! We decided to have lunch there, before we headed out again. |
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| The next day we discovered the lunch deal at the Radio Tower. We had been there before, but had mistakenly gone when it was a very costly buffet. This time we were able to get the 125 SEK lunch... $15 which includes entrance to the observation deck. You can't beat the view, even on overcast days, it's great! |
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| This was an advertisement I saw in the subway for Easter fare from one of the grocery stores! I always thought Dad's red beet pickled eggs were Pennsylvania Dutch or German, but maybe they are Swedish!? |
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| Katarina Kyrka in Slussen (another part of Stockholm we had never been in before.) |
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| Inside the church--this is the altar piece. The modern sculpture is a cross with an empty shroud and a crown of thorns...a fitting reminder of the resurrection. However, I am so grateful to know that Christ lives as a resurrected being. His resurrection is real and that gift will be extended to every person who has lived or will live on this earth! That is the joyous of Easter! |
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| The city feeds the ducks and swans near the Royal Palace. The trough is full of fowl food. |
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| Our last trip home on the bus Friday night...Bye Corinne and Stu, we had a great time! |
