Adventures of The Richardson's in Sweden!: Missionary Week 71

Missionary Week 71 January 20, 2020 ~ January 26, 2020

This has been a busy week! Our workdays were uneventful, but we had a great trip to the Western part of Sweden that we haven’t been to. Sorry our email is a little late – we didn’t get back till late on Monday Jan 27.

Monday – Work was fine – pretty fast days. When we walked out of work we were amazed at the pretty sunset – at 4pm. After we had dinner, we picked up the Quists and headed out to Lidingo for the Stockholm Sister’s Apartment check. They were a little late because their lesson ran a little longer than planned but we were A.O.K. with that! One of the Sister’s remembered us checking her apartment in another area! She asked Elder Richardson to tell them another Vietnam story!

Tuesday – We made it to our normal scheduled train at 6:33 – we see the same people every day, going to work on the same schedule as we have! We get worried if we don’t see them! It’s still dark in the A.M, and today was a little windier than usual. I had a good day at work I finished my one box at 3:57! (We leave at 4pm). We got to talk to Jaylen while he was on his night shift – we were just starting our morning. Always good to catch up!

Wednesday – It was a little colder this morning. We didn’t need gloves but my ears sure got cold. Had a fun Marco Polo from Edwin – he’s been in school for 100 days and all the kids had to dress up like they were 100 years old. You’ll have to see the pic!

100 Days in School - Edwin

He did a real good limp and scowl! He's to the right of the teacher - he's got the dark brown hat!

January 22, 2019 - Freezing River

January 24, 2020 Warm River

Thursday – It was chilly again today – but last year at this time I took a picture of people skiing on the river that we can see outside the lunchroom – it is not frozen this year. Our temperatures are between 48-42 usually!

After dinner we headed to the Mission Office and met the new Office Couple the Tories. (Not sure of spelling) They are from Canada. They have served a mission in Nairobi 2 years ago and are here now. They had 3 days with our Office Couple that just returned home – so their heads were still spinning. (That’s not enough time for training!) We got a call that the Elder’s in Skövde needed another box of Books of Mormon and a heater, so we will go there Saturday and take those things and check out that area.

We mailed a box home to see if we can lighten the luggage a little 😊 we’ll see if it makes it! We are betting on two weeks – we shall see.

We got Marco Polo’s from Jon & Rachel at JT’s meet in Snowflake – we are so proud of him and his hard work – so fun to watch – but it wears us OUT! We are very grateful to get these updates from family!

Friday – Off to work and got the shuttles ready to go. We left a little after 2pm. Had laundry at 4pm – but were able to get a head start because no one had the earlier time scheduled.

Saturday – We got up and packed for the weekend. Went through Västerås and Örebro but then it was all new territory. Still green and some brown, they are still farming and planting.

Karstorp

We checked in to the Hotel and then met the Elders at their apartment. Everything checked out fine. Then we went to eat lunch and found “China Town” and it was wonderful. We walked around a big church there. Then around a different cemetery. Then we gassed up the car and went to the grocery store for some fruit and water. It’s a real cute city.

Sunday – We were up and ready for breakfast at 8am in the main dining hall. It is decorated Victorian style – so pretty. Breakfast offered is – bread/rolls, cheeses, deli meats, cucumber, yellow bell peppers, tiny sliced pickles and fruits( pear, pineapple, orange and grapefruit slices and/or yogurt with granola, seeds or dried fruit.

Then we went to church and met the Elders in the front door, when we walked into the chapel, we saw another couple from our home Ward in Jacobsberg! The Fohrs – our old Bishops parents! They were surprised to see us! They actually grew up in this city so they go there quite often. There was a young man going to the University there that translated the talks for us during Sacrament meeting. In Relief Society a sweet lady, Anni, translated for me and we exchanged emails because she loves doing Family History and said, “If you ever need help, let me know!” I can always use help!

Varnhem

This afternoon we traveled around to see what we could see, and we found Varnhem, a beautiful huge church with Viking burial grounds around it. It used to be a monastery and the rock wall ruins were still there. So neat and they had little signs all around that even had a paragraph in English! It was a little misty, but we didn’t get that wet.

Then we went by Ekornavallen, there are graves from prehistoric periods it stated about 3000 BC the first people were buried there. It got too dark while we were there, but I got what pictures I could and then we drove back to Skövde and ate at the Thai Thai restaurant, it was wonderful food too. This is another beautiful area of Sweden.