Week of July 6th

On Monday the 5th we met our good friends, from the Salt Lake Temple, the Lake’s and Wirthlin’s in Stockholm.
They were here for a few hours before their cruise ship left for a Baltic Cruise. We walked them around the Palace area and saw the changing of the guards. We also saw the church where Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel were married, a German church, and the narrow street in Gamla Stan, and had a delightful lunch with them at Sten Sture. It was so good to see them but I was not homesick to go with them! Before we left for Sweden Barbara North said she would be in Stockholm on July 4th and could we meet her, but we have heard nothing else from her.
That same day the American couples were invited to the Swedish Mission Home for a celebration of the 4th of July. Since we were already in downtown Stockholm we just caught the subway and then a bus and then walked a few blocks to the mission home. We had a great barbeque and played a fun game called Kubb.
I think the family would like this lawn game. We had a tournament and Sister Oscarson, Sister Lundquist (from the mission office) and I were on the winning team.
We have been setting the clock for 5:30 and getting up and power walking for 30-40 minutes. I have been sleeping better at night and it is usually cool that time of the morning even if the sun is part way up the sky by then.
Our Swedish lessons are cultural lessons for the summer. Pres and Sis Oscarson’s son Chip and his family are here for 7 weeks bringing a study abroad group to Sweden. Chip and his family are living with the Oscarson’s but the students are living with people from Sweden. Chip is a professor at BYU in Scandinavian Studies so he taught our class about Swedish films. He did a great job and it was very interesting.
On 2-4 July 1985 the Stockholm Temple was dedicated. To celebrate the 25 years since the dedication they have been holding a mini concert and speaker every Thursday night. This will continue during the month of July at the church. This week Pres Oscarson was the speaker along with great musical numbers including a trumpet, violin, piano, organ and vocal solos. They have been very good concerts.
On Sunday, July 4th, the Söderqvists and we went to the Höglunds for dinner.
He was the former temple president here in Sweden. They have a home with a beautiful view of the sea. Brother Högland also took us on beautiful walk in a protected area where the landscape is protected from any development.
We watched the bronze game of the World Soccer Cup and the Gold game. The bronze game was actually the better game. Too many yellow cards in the gold game!! But Spain is the champion!
We are the Shift Leaders at the temple this month and last week the traveling group was from northern Sweden. They did not have enough people to do their own sessions so they were with us. We therefore, worked with their shift leaders to plan the schedule. The Karlsson’s were on Tue and Wed and they were fun to work with. She does not speak much English and me not much Swedish so we communicated by the spirit! Chuck and Bro Karlsson got along great because he used to be a policeman. On Thurs and Fri the Jälmbrant’s were the leaders and they were a little bit more of a challenge. But the week turned out great and we all had a spiritual week. This group will not be back until the end of Sept or first part of Oct.
Emelie Kruse (daughter of one of Bryan’s baby sitters many years ago) came to the temple for the first time on Saturday. She looked so pretty dressed in white and was so excited to come. She will be getting married on 24th of July.
We enjoyed a good visit on Skype with the Packer’s on Sunday. Thanks to all for your emails, letters, support and prayers. We love and appreciate you.