Missionary Week #3

Monday October 1, 2018 -Tuesday October 2, 2018

We were up early to be out of our room at MTC by 8am.  Had breakfast with The Bullocks who are leaving right after us today for the Philippines.  We got all of our bags (6) up to the front desk and the Bullocks luggage (4) ready to wait for our shuttle’s to the airport. We had lunch and then left.  Our flight began at 3:33 and we landed in Amsterdam at 12:19 – but we drove to the gate for 15 minutes!  Went through Customs (Huge Line) and our next flight was just about 1 1/2hr to Stockholm.  From the sky it was beautiful – the green trees with other trees turning red, orange and yellow.  Unfortunately, John and I did not get to sit together on this flight, but after we walked down the back stairs of the airplane we met inside the building.  Another Senior couple “The Clouse’s were able to pick us up and we had a traditional picture taken with them and us holding the Swedish flag!  They took us to lunch, grocery store and to the mission office for our orientation.  We were working on 1-2 hours sleep on the plane and had been up over 24 hours…our brains were scrambled!  We left on Monday morning and it was now Tuesday afternoon about 5pm.  We were instructed to stay awake as long as we could to help with the time change – we lasted till about 8:30! 

 Wednesday – October 3, 2018

We met with the Financial Secretary in the Mission Office – and he went with us into town to show us the route we would take to get to work.  We get on a bus that’s right across from our temporary apartment and rode the bus to the subway that would take us into Stockholm.  The public transportation system is amazing – It was a good practice run. We were given a Swedish Sim card for Johns phone so now we have a Swedish phone number.  We met our Mission President and his wife in the evening.

Thursday – October 4, 2018

We still wake up at 2am (our biological clock still working on Utah time – 6am) so we are still struggling getting our bodies used to the new time.  We didn’t have to go in early to work – but when we left we could see our breath – the temp was about 50* F!  We were able to find our way to the right subway and the people we work with met us at the Subway Station and walked us back to work.  It’s a nice brisk walk to work.  This will help us shed the pounds we gained eating at the MTC!  We share a car with the other two couples in records preservation, but no body uses it to get to work …. There are no parking spots available – there are a few but very expensive.  We worked with both couples seeing what they were working on both Military records and Orphanage books.  Really interesting. They took us to eat lunch at Pizza Hut.  Normally we will be taking our own lunch.  Found our way home.  

 Friday - October 5, 2018

We got up early (6) so we could catch an earlier bus and Subway train – so we could actually get a seat!  It worked.  We arrived about 40-45 minutes later at work.  We were meeting the Research Manager – Nordic Countries today – our immediate boss, Sven.  All three couples were able to meet and talk with him and he took us all to lunch!  We walked to Jensen’s  Beefhouse – wonderful food and when Sven told the waitress we all spoke English she immediately started speaking English.  Today the archive closes at 3pm so we got to go home early!  We are picking up some Swedish words – and we see the need to learn more!  The grocery store was very interesting.  Some words you can translate easy but you can’t always trust the picture on the box/package!  Yes it’s Ramen soup – but what flavor!?

Everyday is an adventure!  We are loving it.  I’m so excited to get started researching my grandmother’s family here.  The people I’ve talked with say that Kalmar – where she was raised is a beautiful resort like place now.  It will take about 5 hours to drive there so we will have to do that on a weekend.  Where she was born in Stockholm is just a few blocks away from our work!  Can’t wait to get over to Ostermalm’s area.  They say that this is one of the “Old Town” areas – they have kept it like it was in the old days. 

Saturday and Sunday will be spent listening to The Church’s General Conference that we are looking forward to.  We will probably go shopping and look for more groceries and bigger coats!

Thinking of you all as we go through our days wishing you could be here with us! 

Aldste and Syster Richardson

See the Attachments:

John at work at the “Cradle” These are books and under the glass is a moving table – with a right and left side that goes up or down so you can make the book level no matter what page you are on.  Notice camera on frame pointed toward table and there are two lights to the right and left of him.