Week 74 It's a Miracle!

Everyday we anxiously await the mail, checking the box multiple times before it actually arrives, praying for an envelope from Migrationsverket. We are expecting visas for 6 missionaries and 3 couples.

Tuesday morning I received an email from the couple who will be replacing us in the office (the Baileys) asking us if we had a washer and dryer, an iron, etc.  After answering, John said, "Why don't you ask them if they have received their visas at their home?"  That is how it worked with us--our visa came to our home before we left for Utah.  At that time, visas were usually going straight to Mission Travel in Salt Lake City, so ours was an anomoly.  Lately, they have been arriving at our mission office first, and I share them with Mission Travel.  So, I thought, "It is worth a try."

Several hours later, on our way to Malmö for our "last" zone conference, we got a phone call...Elder  Bailey.

"You gave us quite a worry this morning when we read you haven't seen our visas!  We just thought we would get them at the MTC.  What does this mean?  We applied for our visas in February!"  After several more thoughtful questions, Elder Bailey said, "I am going to call Mission Travel.  Maybe we can come to Sweden as tourists first." That is exactly what I had been hoping would happen if their visas were not here in time.

Meanwhile, a text arrived from the elders in the office....no visas in the mail today.  Ugh.

A few minutes later the phone rang again.

"We have our visas!"

I was dumbfounded but thrilled!  Mission Travel had just received their visas!  They had been processed on the 16th.  This was the 17th!

The miracle we had been praying for occurred!  Now, the Baileys could come on schedule---August 7th,  receive their training, and we could return home as planned!  (We are so relieved to have a definite plan!)

And it IS a true miracle!  The Baileys were the last couple we expected to arrive during this transfer period. Yet, they were the first to get their visas.  Since Tuesday, we have also received visas for the Clouses, the couple replacing the Andersons.  (The Clouses are arriving this coming Saturday, in time to be trained before the Andersons return home on August 10th).  Two young missionaries' visas have also arrived, but none of our visa-waiting missionaries who were expected in June have their visas yet!  Of course, we will continue checking the mailbox for more envelopes from Migrationsverket, while our hearts fill with gratitude for those we have received.

In the meantime, our heads are teeming with all the things we need to do before August 24th and once we are home again.  (Our actual release day is August 20th, but we are taking a trip to Norway before heading home.)  We can't wait to see you! 

Back to reality.  The work goes on and we still have a job to do.  Here are some pictures from our trip to Malmö.

On our way to Malmö we had to stop at every missionary's favorite hamburger joint...Brooklyn Burger in Huskvarna.

This interesting tree caught my eye in a park near the center of Malmö.  Also, notice how brown the grass is.  Even Southern Sweden is suffering from the drought.  Although we actually had some rain in the middle of the country as we drove to and from Malmö, it appears to be too little and too late for most of the crops.  

Weather update: Maybe you have heard about the forest fires in Sweden.  Earlier this week there were 20 fires; today 53 fires are being reported.  Poland, Germany, Italy and France have sent firefighters to help.  Just yesterday 20 firetrucks from Poland were seen on the highway by one of our friends.  The high temperatures continue with little to no rain in sight.  We are concerned that the birch trees will die.  Their leaves continue to drop and many trees have only brown leaves.

Looking down from our hotel room.  On the left horizon is the famous Turning Torso.

I zoomed in on the Turning Torso.  It is a neo-futuristic apartment building...the tallest building in Scandinavia (586.58 ft.--54 floors).... Each floor is rotated 1.6 degrees to create the "turning" effect.

On Friday we drove to the temple to meet our young friends from Örnsköldsvik.  When asked what they wanted to do when we came, they said, "Show us around."  They had never toured Stockholm so we parked the car at a church closer to Stockholm (for free parking) and took public transportation to--where else?  Gamla Stan, then the Vasa.

This is the temple guest house.  Visitors can stay there for a modest price, with the agreement that they will do some temple work each day.  The temple missionaries from the U.S. actually live there, too.

A fledgling hedge on the temple grounds.  Hedges are everywhere and this is one that is  just being established.  It looks like skinny trees without branches.  There is also thin rope to keep them erect.

Temple flowers.  The missionaries always help plant the flowers each season.  These are especially beautiful in this drought!  The grass is actually green, too.  Obviously, the gardner is doing his job!  This spring, the grounds were re-landscaped, and a walkway around the temple was added, making the grounds even more beautiful!

Salima and Poominh after our long, hot adventure!  They were tired, but happy, although they are giving that stoic Swedish look!

The picture below is Kim Heng's high school graduation picture.   (I was hoping to have this to share in June but I just got it yesterday.)  She is Poohminh's sister.

 I wanted you to see a couple of the Swedish graduation traditions.  Note, the poster.  Parents greet their graduate with a poster of their graduate as a child.  Everyone wears the white cap, which has the graduate's name printed above the brim. Often the hats are given out in April and the students proudly wear them until graduation. Girls traditionally dress in white dresses, boys in black suits with white shirts.  Several gifts tied to ribbons have been hung around her neck.

Our lives have been blessed with miracles, some large, many small.  This week's miracle may seem like a coincidence, but we see it as a great blessing, ridding us of the anxiety of not knowing how we needed to prepare for the Baileys, if we should prepare letters and other documents ahead; if we should train someone to do the essentials for the interim, then go home and try to train the Bailey's  via visual messaging technology when they finally arrive; if leaving would negatively impact the mission and the mission president; if we should stay--and for how long.  We've been wondering, praying, planning and preparing for a couple of months as we have seen the visas stop coming.  This week has lifted our spirits, reminding us on a personal level that the Lord cares about this work we are doing--His Work, cares about us and our personal lives, cares about the Baileys, cares about the missionaries, cares about the Youngbergs.  And He cares about your life!  Watch for the miracles and recognize them for what they are--manifestations of His love for you!