Week of December 13th

There is this expensive department store in downtown Stockholm called NK. They had the most awesome window displays last year so we organized everyone to take the train together and have a home evening to go see the windows. It was not too cold but the sidewalks were a little slick as we walked from the train station to NK. When we got there I was so disappointed. Last year they were all animated and this year – none. You could not read what the story was supposed to be. It was these two kids flying around the world on a magic carpet. We did enjoy the big four story high Christmas tree and looking around, but not the windows. We did all go to dinner together and that was fun, and it was fun to be together.

We have received many Christmas cards and several goodie packages left at our door. One big sack of goodies was left at the door of the guesthouse because she could not get in. It had our name on it so Bill picked it up and brought it up to us. She is one of the darling girls from the Young Adult Center. I fixed cinnamon roll wreaths for Chuck’s home teaching families and we got them delivered.
On Wednesday night they had a Christmas light dinner (breads, cheese, ham slices, fruit, rice pudding and candy) and then entertainment. They wanted the American’s to sing an American Christmas song so we sang and acted out “The 12 Days of Christmas”. We got a good laugh and we all really acted goofy. I was ‘Three French Hens’ and Chuck was ‘Six Geese a laying’. Pres Oscarson was ‘Ten Lords a leaping’ and he was so funny. Everyone said we were the best!!

We finished reading Elder Hales’ book ‘Return’ and dad also finished reading the book about Pres Monson. I have made 5 more pair of baby booties and enjoy making them. I just passed my 6000th name in doing indexing. Chuck spends a lot of time working on clearing up his genealogy on Roots Magic and New Family Search. There are so many duplicates that he really works hard at it.
We went to a wonderful Christmas concert in Odeplan at the Gustav Vasa Kyrka. This church was absolutely beautiful. There was a combined choir of two wards from the Stockholm Stake (conducted by our good friend’s daughter) that performed with two famous Swedish singers, Anna Lotta Larsson and Göran Fristorp.

It was really a high light of the season. We took the train and it was a half hour late because of the
storm. But, coming home the train was an hour late because of the storm. We have almost 2 feet of snow with more on the way. It is cold especially when the wind blows.
This week we have no visiting groups in the temple but we do have several couples that have come to serve until Christmas. We have had rather large sessions and on Saturday we had a Spanish session along with the regular sessions. The baptistry has been busy also. It is great to see the saints come and enjoy the peace of the temple. We had an American from New Jersey come while her husband attended meetings in Stockholm. It was great to visit with her and to see her courage to take the train alone and just know she would find the temple. Once she got to Västerhaninge she turned the wrong way but the people in the shopping center showed her Angel Moroni above the trees.
Christmas wishes to all of you. How grateful we are for our testimonies of the birth of the Christ child and this great gift from our Heavenly Father. We know that each one of us is a child of a loving Heavenly Father who has provided a way for us to return to leave with Him again. Our Christmas wish is for all is that we may have the strength and courage to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to feel His peace in our lives. God bless you; our dear family and friends. We love you and appreciate all you have done, and do for us.