New Beginnings and Never Endings!

Tuesday, May 12, 2015, we received a great group of missionaries from the Provo MTC.  They are so eager to get to work and we are so excited to have them here in Sweden with us.  Pictured left to right are:  President and Sister Beckstrand, Sister Barrett, Elder Taggart, Elder Frankman, Elder Noso, Elder Christley, Elder Sahlin, Sister Bourelle, Elder Brown, and Sister and Elder Taylor.

 A little sightseeing with the new missionaries.  Here we are with the Stadshus in the background.  The Stadshus is where the banquet for the Nobel Prize winners is held each year.  Pictured left to right are:  Elder Noso, Sister Bourelle, Sister Beckstrand, Sister Barrett, Elder Christley, Elder Frankman, and President Beckstrand.

 Sister Bourelle, Sister Barrett, Elder Frankman, and Elder Christley in a Swedish garden.

We took the new group to Svartansgatan 3, where the Church had its first offices and meeting house.  Pictured are Sister Barrett, Sister Bourelle, Elder Christley, Sister and President Beckstrand.  Back row:  Elder Sahlin, Elder Frankman, and Elder Brown.

The next day, we had our orientation and training meeting and the new missionaries received their assignments and new companions.  Sister Barrett will be trained by Sister Jacobs.

Sister Barrett will serve in the Malmö III area with Sister Jacobs.

Sister Bourelle will be trained by Sister Griffes.

 Sister Bourelle will serve in the Örebro I area with Sister Griffes.

Elder Christley will be trained by Elder Hemmingsen.

 Elder Christley will serve in the Eskilstuna II area with Elder Hemmingsen.

Elder Frankman will be trained by Elder Johnson.

 Elder Frankman will serve in the Linköping I area with Elder Johnson.

As the transfer cycle comes to a close, we say a heartfelt good-bye to Elder Brown, who will be transfering to Helsingborg to finish the training of Elder Castleton-Rudolph.  We will miss Elder Brown as he has performed an excellent service the past 4 and a half months in the office.

 Elder Brown with Elder and Sister Taylor.

Well, we enjoyed a little Swedish lunch with the new missionaries and their companions before we took them to the train station to depart for their new assignment areas.

Wednesday afternoon, May 13, 2015, we enjoy a last temple session with this group of missionaries who are headed for home.  Pictured left to right, front row:  Elder Tanner, Elder Barker, Elder Sheldon, Elder Steen, Elder Landeen, and Elder Orr.  Back row:  Sister Tolley, Elder Tolley, Elder Peterson, Elder Clawson, Elder Lofgren, Elder Packer, Elder Floyd, Elder Oberender, and Elder Trotter. 

 President and Sister Beckstrand with the fine group of Elders returning home.

Farewell dinner with the missionaries who are returning home.  Pictured are Elder Steen, Elder Orr, Elder Peterson, Elder Trotter, Elder Barker, Elder Landeen, Elder Sheldon, Elder Tanner, Elder Oberender, and Elder Clawson.

 And the rest of the crew:  Sister Taylor, Elder Tolley, Sister Tolley, Elder Lofgren, Elder Floyd, Elder Packer, and Sister Beckstrand.

Thursday morning, 6 AM, May 14, 2015, time to load them up and take them to Stockholm Arlanda Airport for their flight home.  Elder Oberender, Elder Floyd, Sister Beckstrand, Elder Barker, and Elder Landeen.

 Elder Steen, Elder Orr, Elder Tanner, and Elder Packer, looking as if they are ready to return home to their families after two years of serving the Lord here in Sweden.