What Time is It? Transfer Time!

Well, Wednesday, February 18, 2015, the big day has arrived and the new missionaries are ready to receive their assignments and new companions, who have the charge of training these new missionaries.  Here, President Beckstrand has all the Sister Trainers come to the front to receive their new missionaries.

 Sister Hong will be trained by Sister Allen.......

 and by Sister Nielsen.

 Sister Hong will be serving in Gubbängen with Sisters Allen and Nielsen, in a tri-panionship.

Sister Adamson will be trained by Sister Sandberg.

 Sister Adamson will be serving in Kristianstad with Sister Sandberg.

Sister Banks will be trained by Sister Johanson.

 Sister Banks will be serving in Sundsvall with Sister Johanson.

Sister Taylor will be trained by Sister Kamauoha.

 Sister Taylor will be serving in Södertälje with Sister Kamauoha.

Sister Harkness will be trained by Sister Beckstrom.

 Sister Harkness will be serving in Täby with Sister Beckstrom.

Time for the new Elders to receive their assignments and trainers, as the trainers stand at the ready.

 Elder Halterman will be trained by Elder Hansen.

 Elder Halterman will be serving in Linköping with Elder Hansen.

Elder Burke will be trained by Elder Lofgren.

 Elder Burke will be serving in Uppsala with Elder Lofgren.

 Elder Richardson will be trained by Elder Packer.

 Elder Richardson will be serving in Lund with Elder Packer.

Elder Flynn will be trained by Elder Allen.

 Elder Flynn will be serving in Sundsvall with Elder Allen.
 

Elder Burton will be trained by Elder Featherstone.

 Elder Burton will be serving in Västerhaninge with Elder Featherstone.

Elder Purkey will be trained by Elder Silvennoinen.

 Elder Purkey will be serving in Karlskrona with Elder Silvennoinen.

Elder Bailey will be trained by Elder Brinkworth.

 Elder Bailey will be serving in Malmö with Elder Brinkworth.
 

Elder Hart will be trained by Elder Trotter.

 Elder Hart will be serving in Eskilstuna with Elder Trotter.

Elder Thacker will be trained by Elder Burgin.

 Elder Thacker will be serving in Hägersten with Elder Burgin.

Elder Harrison will be trained by Elder Albertsen.

 Elder Harrison will be serving in Skövde with Elder Albertsen.

Elder Carrigan will be serving in Borås with Elder Archibald.

Elder Noso comes into the office as the new Assistant to the President with Elder Lambson.

 And we say a tearful goodbye to Elder Mangum, who returns to the USA.  Many thanks to this wonderful missionary.  You have left your mark on Sweden.  Return now with Honor!!!!!

Well, it is now time to travel to our different areas of service.  But, first, we have a traditional lunch of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, bread, and tårta for desert.

 These guys certainly love the food, any food!

Well, we say a heartfelt goodbye to Elder Allen, who leaves the office after almost six months to train a new missionary in Sundsvall.  Pictured are President and Sister Beckstrand, Elder Brown, Elder Allen, and Sister and Elder Taylor, are wonderful office couple.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015, we enjoy a final temple session with this great group of returning missionaries.  Pictured are in front, left to right: Sister Christison, Sister Hosenfeld, Sister Fawcett, and Sister Bass.  Back row, left to right:  Elder Gray, Elder Ogaard, Elder Mangum, Sister Beckstrand, and President Beckstrand.

 Our final dinner with this group of missionaries, who will return home in the morning, having completed their assignments as missionaries for the Lord in Sweden.  Pictured from front, clockwise around the table:  Elder Mangum, Elder Ogaard, Sister Hosenfeld, Elder Gray, Sister Fawcett, Sister Bass, and Sister Christison.  We will miss them!

Fun Before Transfers/Assignments

 On Tuesday morning, February 17, 2015, we received 19 wonderful new missionaries from the Provo MTC.  From left to right are Sister and President Beckstrand, Sister Adamson, Sister Taylor, Sister Crawford, Sister Banks, Sister Harkness, Elder Harrison, Elder Brown, Elder Flynn, Sister Lund, Elder Lambson, Sister Hong, Elder Mangum, Elder Noso, Elder Thacker, Elder Bailey, Elder Carrigan, Elder Purkey, Elder Halterman, Elder Burke, Elder Hart, Elder Richardson, Elder Burton, Elder Allen, Elder Higgins, Sister Tolley, Elder Tolley, Sister Taylor and Elder Taylor.

 Loading up the bag van with the many pieces of luggage from our new missionaries.

 Okay, with everyone on board the bus, we now take off for Stockholm to our appointments with the Migration Board to make sure everyone can stay legally in the country of Sweden.

 After our visit to the Migration Board, we take a quick tour around Stockholm for a few pictures to send back home.  Here the group is in front of Stockholm's Stadshus, where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held each year.

Then, we traveled up to the top of Södermalm for a picture overlooking the city of Stockholm.

 Our last stop of the quick tour was out to Västerhaninge to see the Sweden Stockholm Temple.

Then back on the bus to head over to the Stockholm YSA for lunch and some street contacting in downtown Stockholm.  You can see that the Jet Lag is starting to set in on some of our new missionaries.

 After the days activities, and witnessing the baptism of twin 9 year old boys, the group finally settled in at the mission home for a wonderful hot meal before settling into their beds for the night.

Isn't Touring Zones Fun?!

On Janaury 22, 2015, we began a tour of the 6 Zones in the mission to provide some specialized training to our missionaries on the importance of planning, using baptismal calendars, following up with our baptismal candidates, and understanding the social demands placed upon missionaries.  We started with the Stockholm Zone and held our meeting in the Gubbängen Chapel.  We enjoyed lunch from Subway Sandwiches and our missionaries had a great time.

 

As we prepared for next week's round of trainings, Sister Beckstrand took some time to help Elder Brown and Elder Allen, our office elders, work on a special project for all of our missionaries.  Amission yearbook!

On January 29, 2015, we took our training to Södertälje and the Södertälje Zone.  It was a great day and lunch was again a treat, Subway Sandwiches.






More fun with Subway at lunchtime.

Another great day of specialized training with these great missionaries, topped off with a lunch of Chicken Curry sandwiches, which all of us enjoyed.

Well, on Friday, January 30, 2015, we found ourselves in Kungsbacka for our training with the Göteborg Zone.  We awoke to a fresh blanket of snow..........

 and Elder Heiner and Elder Jones were digging out the path to the chapel for us.

 Kungsbacka Chapel

 Well, the next week saw us in Malmö, for training with the Malmö Zone.  Here, Elder Corbin is showing off his great eyewear along with Sister Beckstrand.

 As always, a great day of training with our missionaries, topped off with lunch from, you guessed it.......Subway sandwiches.  Missionaries love Subway!!!!!!!!!

 On Wedensday, February 11, 2015, we finished off our specialized training with the Norrland Zone in Umeå.  A great day once again with our missionaries and it was capped off with a wonderful lunch catered by the Relief Society President in Umeå.  And for desert, Semlors, homemade.  Delicioussssssss!

Young Single Adult Valentine Weekend Celebration in Alingsås, February 14, 2015.  An afternoon of street contacting with the missionaries from Alingsås and Göteborg, along with YSAs from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Germany.  The emphasis was on Families are Eternal and the "My Family" booklet, which were handed to all.

 More street contacting in Alingsås.

 Elder Coombs provides some instruction to Sister Beckstrand and Sister Coombs.

More YSAs provided some street music to capture the attention of those passing by.  The YSA choir had a real fun time, even though it was very cold out.

 

Alingsås is a beautiful small community, with charming streets and downtown area.

 The YSA choir getting ready for the final few songs.

 And our missionaries continuing to talk with everyone they can about how great families are.