From MLC to Zones...

Monday, July 6, 2015, we traveled with the assistants to Umeå for specialized Zone Training with the Norrland Zone members.  As you can see, our assistants catch up on any moment of sleep that they can.  They work so hard to serve the missionaries here in Sweden.  Here, Elder Noso catches a few ZZZZZs on the plane to Umeå.

In the rental car in Umeå, Elder Rasmussen tries his best to catch flies, while Elder Noso and Elder Sahlin pull faces.

We had to stop in Ratan to check out the "Hedgehog Crossing" to see if we could see any of these massive beasts.

Watch out......we have a sighting of a real Hedgehog.  They do truly exist.  Don't pick them up, because they are full of lice.

Elders Noso, Sahlin, and Rasmussen at the Norrland Port, in Ratan, Sweden.

President and Sister Beckstrand enjoying a few moments at the Norrland Port in Ratan, Sweden.

 

Tuesday, June 30, 2015, we held our Mission Leadership Council meeting at the mission home in Danderyd.  We invited our MLC members to come early and the assistants put on a special activity, "Acting out different scriptures from the Book of Mormon.  It was a great activity and all the MLC members had a great time.  While the missionaries played, the President cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for a real American BBQ.

 After the activity, a BBQ lunch was enjoyed by the MLC members.  Here we have all 8 Sister Trainer Leaders.

Outside on the deck enjoying lunch.
 

Get after those hamburgers and hot dogs!    Notice the smiles, nothing makes an Elder happier than eating food, except baptizing!
 

The MLC members feasting on food, in preparation for feasting on the Words of Christ.

After arriving in Umeå, we had a few hours to see some of the sights around Umeå.  We treasure these moments and it is always fun to have our hard working assistants spend a little time with us.  Our visit to Ratan, Sweden was so enjoyable.  Ratan sits at the port of Norrland and is extremely charming, and very old.

We stumbled onto two very old Russian soldiers on our visit.  Sister Beckstrand and Elder Noso doing their very best impressions of Russian soldiers.

This is the hill where the Swedish Battery was positioned, cannons pointing towards the village of Ratan.  It is here where the last battle was fought on Swedish Soil.  It was called the Year War of 1808 - 1809, and was fought between a Swedish armada of 7,500 soldiers, called to defend Sweden against the Russian invasion.  At the time, Europe was divided between the French Emporer Napolean and the Russian Tsar Alexander.  Russia had pushed into Finland, which was Swedish teritory and started to push southward into Västerbotten.  Swedish troops were defeated and forced to retreat.  At the peace negotiations, Sweden gave up Finland to Russia.  This last battle was fought on August 20, 1809.
 

On Tuesday, July 7, 2015, we conducted a very special Zone Training for the Norrland Zone on the Book of Mormon and how we can use it more intensely in our teaching and finding.  We also held a very fun Family Home Evening activity in the afternoon session.  Here, our Norrland Zone missionaries enjoy a great lunch.

Thursday, July 9, 2015, we were back from Norrland and found ourselves in Gubbängen with the members of the Stockholm Zone.  We were honored to be with these great missionaries and provided the same specialized training and Family Home Evening.  Lunch time is always a hit and this time is was Mexican food to entertain the appetites.

Our assistants, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Noso, and Elder Sahlin, singing the hymn, "Närmare Gud Till Dig" at the start of the MLC meeting.  These Elders provided some great training to our MLC members on the Book of Mormon and it's importance in the missionary work here in Sweden.  President and Sister Beckstrand provided training in how to help our church members here in Sweden use the Book of Mormon in their member missionary work, along with the importance of our personal testimony of the Book of Mormon.  We are truly blessed to have such great leaders here in the Sweden Stockholm Mission.