Missionary Week #9

November 12, 2018- November 18, 2018

Hello everyone!  This week seemed to go so fast!  Hope you are all having good days, good weather, fun times with your families!

We had an adventurous week!  We went to work Monday and Tuesday and are learning lots about how to capture good images.  We worked 10 hour days again.  Then on Wednesday we went to Handen for Zone Conference.  Zone Conference is where several “Districts” of the younger missionaries are put together and they receive training and information.  It was very enlightening.  The Mission President and his Wife spoke but most of the training was put on by the Young Missionaries and what a job they did!  They even had several musical numbers that they threw in!  It was an all day activity.  My favorite was how do you enrich your personal studies of the gospel.  You first have to have a strong desire to learn.  Have real intent.  Hunger and thirst.  And focus on what do you want to learn today?  Give yourself time to Ponder.  Anyway, such good teachers. 

We then helped our office couple with getting the luncheon ready, served lunch and then cleaned up!  There were 13 sets of missionaries.  They were so grateful for the food, which was huge slice of lasagna, salad, green beans, rolls and apple pie and ice cream! (and some went back for more) They all thanked us all for being there.  Lunch was at  11:30-12:00 or so, then they had an afternoon of devotionals and testimony meetings.  By the time they left, I heard the boys planning on getting hamburgers while they were waiting for the trains!!!  Where do they put it?  

We were back to work on Thursday and Friday.  We had our hours in so we got to leave about 11 on Friday.  We went to “Gamla Stan” – the old part of Stockholm that hasn’t changed much from the olden days. Still has the cobblestone streets and old buildings.  

Changing of the Guard - we got there just as they had relieved the Guard at the door and then they left.

This is the entrance to the Treasury (Guard to the right
in front of the Guard Shack)

Just inside that front door was this Huge entry room

We found the Royal Palace and spent the afternoon there.  There were 3 parts we got to see.  Open to the public is The Treasury – which houses the Crown jewels. Then there is a history side where you see how the palace was built over the years and clothing, tools, stone work, cooking utensils etc.  Then there are the Apartments.  Which was living quarters.  They still use them today, for the King and State dignitaries and guests.  It was a great afternoon.  I’m pretty sure this is where my Great-great Grandfather Carl Johan Karlsson was a Trooper at the Royal Horse Guards for 4 years from 1883- 1887  I still want to learn more about them.  I wanted to take pictures so badly, but there were signs In every room – no cameras.  But how many people did I see taking Pictures!?!?!?  A TON. 

Saturday was wash day, grocery shopping and we went to Stake Conference tonight.  They gave us headsets– but no one was translating for the first half!  Then they got a translator and we got to hear the final talk!  We went back for Sunday Morning Conference and they had the headsets all worked out and we heard everything today.  In our Stake – Stockholm Stake – they have 600 people that are actively coming to church.  There are approximately 2,000 that are not active. 

It is getting colder here, but St. Johns is colder than Stockholm!  We are at 5.2 C tonight – which is 41 F, and St. Johns was 18!  So we are feeling pretty lucky! 

We want to wish our Granddaughter Evanna a Happy Birthday – last Thursday she turned 11!  So glad for Marco Polo, she played a song for us on her new Ukulele’ !!

We wish you a happy week and keep warm and safe!
Elder * Sister Richardson