Week of November 8th

We got notification that we had been given approval for an extension of our visa and to come and get the new stamp. The Parkers, Pres. and Sister Oscarson, and us went together to get them we had to stand in line for almost 1 hour and 45 minutes. You get a number when you arrive and then you wait for that number to be called. Our number was 54 and they were calling #16 as we walked through the door. Needless to say it took a while! It was like visiting the Social Security Office in Salt Lake.

After our visa experience we went with Pres. and Sis Oscarson to order a turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner. There are 35 people invited this year and only 8 are American. It was ordered at a little meat shop at a mall in Stockholm. Turkey is not a common meat here in Sweden so you can’t just get one anywhere. We ate lunch at a little fast food place in the same mall.

We had a ‘Healthy Salad’ and it really was, plus it was very good. After lunch Pres. Oscarson drove us around and showed us some of the places where he lived when he was a young missionary. Some of the views of Stockholm were breath taking, both by sight and by being COLD!
Friday, Saturday and Sunday there was a Single Adult Conference here in Sweden. People came from England, Wales, Germany, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Scotland. We were asked to go help on Friday night at their ‘Soul Night’ with a fireside and a dance. They were asking all that came to bring an item (food or non food) to share with the poor. We got to collect the food and then stamp their hand. It was fun and great to see how excited some of them got when they saw each other again. Some had been on a train for two days and many of them were dragging their suitcases with them to the church.
Sacrament Meeting this week was on LOVE. A few thoughts: 1) It is hard to think negative thoughts if you are smiling. 2) Lifting your eyebrows sends a positive message to the brain. 3) Loving God is to find peace in Him – even during the storms of life. 4) When the storms of life come we must be like a strong tree – immoveable because our roots are so deeply rooted in the gospel. 5) Peace in the Sacrament is the love of God giving us what we cannot do for ourselves. It was a great meeting. Next week is our Primary Meeting.
Wednesday we woke up to snow and it snowed almost all day. This week I finished reading all the volumes of the Work and the Glory! Yes, and I cried at the end!
Elder and Sister Sheen went home to Canada this week with an Honorable Medical Release. His health did not allow them to stay any longer. They will be missed.
This week it was the Swedish Mission as the visiting group in the temple. We also had workers from Göteborg. We have some very close friends that came. It was particularly great to be with the Karlsson’s again. We had two people who came to the temple for the first time. We also had two weddings. On Friday we had double sessions and on Saturday we even had triple sessions at the same time. The baptistry was very busy on Friday and very busy on Saturday. At one point on Saturday there were 50 Young Single Adults either being baptized or waiting! It was wonderful.
We enjoy our Skype time each week and the emails, letters and cards we get from all of you. We get more mail than all the missionaries. Stay strong in the gospel and work hard to live worthy of the blessings we all have. Have a good week, we love you, and are thankful for each one of you. May God bless each of you.
Äldste och Syster Rose