Monday, June 29, 2015

New Group from Provo MTC and Old Group Leaving

Well, Tuesday, June 23, 2015, we left to arrive early at the Arlanda airport to meet our brand new missionaries from the Provo MTC.  They arrived early but we were there to greet them to Sweden.  Pictured left to right are:  Elder and Sister Taylor, Elder Taggart, Elder Sahlin, Sister Woolsey, Elder Rasmussen, Sister Jackson, Elder Noso, Elder Carlson, Elder Blackburn, Elder Liddle, and Sister and President Beckstrand.


We loaded up their luggage in the mission van and we were off to see Hagapark and then on to migration for our appointments to get these fine missionaries into the country of Sweden legally.  Pictured left to right are:  Sister Woolsey, Elder Carlson, Elder Liddle, Sister Jackson, Elder Sahlin, Elder Taylor, Elder Noso, Elder Blackburn, and Elder Rasmussen.

Picture time in front of the Stockholm's Stadshus, where the Nobel Peace Prize Banquet is held each year.  Pictured left to right are:  Elder Sahlin, Elder Blackburn, Elder Carlson, Sister Jackson, Sister Woolsey, Elder Noso, Sister and President Beckstrand.





One of President Beckstrand's photos for his very own "Glimpse of Sweden" taken on the temple grounds.

We took the new group out to the temple in Västerhaninge to see the Stockholm Sweden Temple.  The scaffolding is up around the spire where the Angel Moroni statue sits as they are re-doing the gold overlay to spruce up the statue in order to be prepared for the 30 year jubilee of the temple in Sweden.  Pictured from left to right are:  Elder Blackburn, Elder Carlson, Sister Beckstrand, President Beckstrand, Sister Woolsey, Sister Jackson, Elder Noso, Elder Rasmussen, and Elder Sahlin.

Later, we traveled back to Arlanda airport to meet another new Elder who has just come in from the Preston England MTC.  Elder Pärkkä comes from Finland and we are excited to have him join us here in Sweden.  Pictured left to right are:  Elder Taggart, Elder Liddle, Sister Beckstrand, Elder Pärkkä, President Beckstrand, Sister and Elder Taylor.
 


The next day, Wednesday, June 24, 2015, we held our new Missionary Orientation and then our new missionaries received their assignments and trainers for the next twelve weeks.  Sister Jackson will be trained by Sister Stetler.

Sister Jackson will be serving in Stockholm with Sister Stetler.


Sister Woolsey will be trained by Sister Nielsen.

Sister Woolsey will be serving in Trollhättan with Sister Nielsen.

Elder Pärkkä will be trained by Elder Mott.

Elder Pärkkä will be serving in Alingsås with Elder Mott.

Elder Blackburn will be trained by Elder Stoeltzing.


Elder  Blackburn will be serving in Borås with Elder Stoeltzing.


Elder Carlson will be trained by Elder Heiner.


Elder Carlson will be serving in Västerås with Elder Heiner.


These two Finns are a little confussed as to which country they are serving in.


And we can not forget the office Elders all wanting to point out where they are serving as well.  Elder Liddle, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Noso, and Elder Sahlin.

With the excitement out of the way, we now hear Swedish testimonies from the new missionaries and then get ready for a Swedish lunch, Swedish Meatballs.
 


As we send the new missionaries out, we say good-bye to another group of missionaries who have completed their assignment here in Sweden.  A final temple session with them in Stockholm on their last afternoon in Sweden.  Pictured left to right:  Elder Christensen, Elder Hansen, Elder Lundquist, Elder Ward, Sister Spencer, Sister Beckstrand, Elder Taggart, Elder Cushing, Elder Hansen, Elder Demke, Elder Johnson, and President Beckstrand.  Wednesday, June 24, 2015.

Sister Spencer and Sister Beckstrand.  Sister Spencer is the lone sister missionary and we will miss her greatly.

A group shot as they remember their time serving the Lord in Sweden.


Lunch time before our new missionaries head out for T-Central and their trains to their new assignments.






Elder Lundquist and Elder Ward strike a "Lewis and Clark" pose as they scan over the ocean and what possibly might await them there.


A final dinner tribute to this fine group of missionaries.  They will be missed here in Sweden.  Pictured left to right, starting in front:  Elder Hansen, Elder Johnson, Elder Cushing, Elder Lundquist, Elder Ward, Elder Schindler, Elder Taggart, Elder Christensen, Elder Hansen, and Sister Spencer.
 

Elder Taylor, Sister Beckstrand, Sister Taylor, and Elder Demke.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Midsommar Festival

Some of the Sisters making their own Midsommar flower wreaths to wear for the Midsommar activities in Leksand, Sweden.  Sister Robinson, Sister Beckstrand, Sister Wood, and Sister Bird.


Sister Beckstrand and Sister Taylor, ready for the Midsommar action.

All of our Sisters sporting their new fashions for Midsommar festival.



Swedish traditional dress for the Midsommar Festival in Leksand, Sweden.


The "church boats" coming into Leksand bringing the costumed Swedes in for the Midsommar activities.  This is the way they used to come to church each Sunday back in the old days.



May Pole in Leksand.


The traditional pole in Leksand, celebrating MIdsommar.

Couples Conference

Thursday, June 18, 2015, the senior couples in the mission went on a couples conference to Falun to celebrate Midsommar Day.  It was a great time and enjoyed by all the couples in our mission.  On Friday, June 19, 2015, we traveled north to Mora to visit the community and see the Zorn home and gardens.



The Zorn home in Mora.

Herr Zorn, a master artist from Sweden.

His wife, Fru Zorn.




The garden at the Zorn estate in Mora.





Sister Beckstrand at the garden of the Zorn Estate in Mora, Sweden.


The senior couples enjoyed a wonderful dinner cruise on Lake Siljan.  Thank you to Elder and Sister Wood for putting this Senior Couples Conference together.  We love you!
 






So, President and Sister Beckstrand get in on a little "selfie" action themselves.


Elder and Sister Hawley, caught taking a selfie on Lake Siljan.