Zone Conference April 24, 2012

Me with Distrikt President Stegeby

Äldste Dunn (l) and Äldste Ross (r) at Zone Conference in Sundsvall

On Monday evening, April 23, Dick and I took the bus down to Skellefteå to pick up the car from the elders, so they wouldn't have to go north to pick us up in the morning in order to go south to the zone conference.  Dick and I got up at 3:00 a.m. the next morning and left at 4:00 a.m. and drove down to Skellefteå to pick up the elders.  They then took over the driving duty.  They each drove half way to Sundsvall.  We arrived at 10:15 a.m.  They had fruit, nuts, and sweet rolls for us when we arrived.  The meeting started at 11:00 a.m.  Around 1:00 p.m. we had a break for lunch and then continued our meetings and interviews.  It was a very good conference and we were well fed spiritually.  About 7:00 p.m. we headed back to Skellefteå.  We dropped off the elders and drove up to our apartment in Byske, arriving at about 1:30 a.m.  By the time we got to bed, it was 2:00 a.m.--23 hours after we got up.  Needless to say, we slept in a little.  It was a marathon trip but it was worth it.

Pictures taken Sunday, April 29, 2012

This is a shot looking into the town center (centrum) in Skelleftea

Here I am with Ulla Ehnmark (left) and Fern Girdlestone (right), two stalwart members

This is President and Syster Solbakk (and their dog)

This is the chapel

This is one of the double decker buses we ride on

This is the state church in Skellefteå located not too far from our chapel

Last Friday we took a long, pleasant walk to the Gulf.  They actually have some beaches there and a little resort with a couple of restaurants and a water slide.  Of course they are not open now.  Then yesterday it started snowing AGAIN!  We had to wear our boots AGAIN!  We got between 5 and 6 inches of new snow.  At least the snow is melting this afternoon on the sidewalks.  They are slushy.  It will probably turn to ice tonight, however.  This morning as we were walking from the bus station to the chapel, I had my hood up over my head as it was snowing and blowing.  I held on to Dick's arm and let him lead me.  I was just concentrating on putting one foot ahead of another until we could finally get to the church.  I thought about the pioneers.  Here I just had a few blocks to walk, they had to walk forever it must have seemed to them.

On our way to the bus station from the chapel, we were stopped by a newspaper reporter who wanted to ask us what we thought about the weather.  Then she took some pictures of us.  They are supposed to appear in the Skellefteå newspaper tomorrow.  We'll have to try and get a copy of the paper.

Recognize this couple?

Easter in Sweden

This is a picture of the branches with colored feathers on--one of our neighbor's balcony

Here is a little about Easter here in Sweden.  They actually have holidays for several days in a row--Friday is Good Friday, Saturday is Easter Eve, Sunday is Easter, and Monday is the second day of Easter.  They celebrate everything but the real meaning of Easter.  A few people attend church, but not many.  The little girls dress up like witches and go around with baskets trying to get candy, similar to our Halloween.  The people decorate with colored feathers tied onto branches, flowers, and colored eggs.  The week before Easter we had a hard time visiting anyone--they were all too busy with preparations for Easter.  A lot of families do get together at this time for dinner, etc.

This is Gunvor Söderstrom.  She and her sister, Birgit Carlson (shown below)
are two of the sisters that have been so good to us and are so faithful in the branch,
along with Sister Fern Girdlestone and Sister Ulla Ehnmark.  We are in their homes
to give them a home teaching message.

Here I am with a ''spark''.  Most people have these to use during the winter.  Our neighbor told us to use hers.  We are just coming back from the store.  You can stand on one runner and push with the other foot and glide along.

This is Äldste Dunn and Äldste Sanders (l to r) and a member,
Ulla Ehnmark.  This is taken upstairs in our little chapel.  Sister
Ehnmark had fixed the elders lunch after Sacrament Meeting. 
Äldste Dunn and Äldste Sanders are great missionaries!  They
work hard and are a lot of fun and so good to us.

February 16, 2012

This is a typical snow removal vehicle.  You see these everywhere--they are like ants going busily about.  This is in front of our apartment.