Christer and Karin 8/7/12

A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday, we had another wonderful experience. (It seems that our time here in Sweden has been filled with fantastic experiences with great people.) So much happened with so much to say about the people and the activities in this story that I have delayed this writing until now.

Two of the main characters in this story are Christer Österlund and his wife Karin. Karin was Jannicke's mission companion in Northern Sweden where it really gets cold. Christer was born in Northern Sweden and moved on his own to Stockholm when he was 18 after he had been baptized. He was the only one in his family to be baptized.



Christer and Karin Österlund

When he moved to Stockholm, he became an integral part of the Church's youth group. Mom was there with him for one summer before leaving for America. The group did things together on Sunday nights and Mom's parents invited him to their home.

Eventually Karin and he were married (I don't know the details, but there must be a story there also) because they were both living in Canada.) They returned to Sweden, were married, and had four children - two girls and two boys. They developed a close friendship with Erik and Anna who loved to invite them over to eat and to spend time with their children. Anna and Christer then worked together in the translation department. Christer says that he heard all the stories about Anna's daughters and their families. In fact, he recounted some of the stories to us which were pretty accurate. Christer then went back to school and became a physical therapist from which he is now retired. Karin taught school and is now retired also. She is a very accomplished musician.

Now for the present story. Christer and Karin invited Mom and I, Bengt and Inger Höglund (whom we talked about in an earlier post when we were invited to dinner at their home), and two member sisters whose husbands were working out of the country to have lunch and to spend the evening playing games with them at their home. Below is a picture of Bengt and Inger Höglund.

The Österlunds took us for lunch in a private art museum called Artipelag. It was just opened this Spring on a beautiful spot in pine trees overlooking the Baltic Sea. It was a buffet with seating outside under the trees and sculptures around. We talked and enjoyed the setting. We then went through the art museum which had the theme of Life in Points of Time (this isn't a quote, but my interpretation). The paintings and art were interesting but the greatest "art" was the current and present beautiful nature that you could see through the large floor-to-ceiling large glass windows interspersing the art. My thinking was that there can be nothing as beautiful as our own current lives that God has given us right now. And, we are so thankful for all our children, grand children, wonderful people that Mom has been able to renew relationships with here because of her parents, etc., and the marvelous temple work that we are experiencing.

We then walked along the water's edge and later went back to Christer and Karin's apartment where we had wonderful strawberry, cake, and other fantastic desserts. We played dominos and a card game with true friends. How much better can that be! I can think of some, but this rates among the top as decades of relationships were reunited.

Nynashamn and Caj-Aage 8/6/12

It is Monday, a catch up and shopping day. We have been shopping so now it is catch up.

For some time we have wanted to take the train to the end of the line that goes south past our town, Vasterhaninge. So, Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, we jumped on the train and went about 40 minutes through beautiful country (all of Sweden is beautiful country) to Nynashamn. Other than being at the end of a train line, Nynashamn is one of hundreds of towns and cities along Sweden's coast. We didn't see any beaches but it is a boating town. Some excursion boats dock there, it has a major ferry to a major island called Gottland, and there are hundreds of sailboats.

So we bought a loaf of bread, smoked salmon, marinated octupus, and marinated oysters. We then sat on the dock, ate, and watched the waves and boats. A huge ferry from Gottland came in right at us then smoothly turned, docked, and let passengers, cars, trucks, and excursion buses off. There was a huge line of the same to get on but we didn't wait to watch those. Mom has put going and staying over night in Gottland on her to-do list.

Now back to Kari's Sunday School teacher mentioned in the last post. His name is Caj-Aage Johansson. Two weeks ago a temple worker from his ward gave us detailed instructions on exactly what trains and metros to take to get to his ward. The ward is north east of Stockholm. It took us about an hour and a half to get there. He was there and was sure glade to see mom. They talked and talked even in the hallway while I was in the Sunday School class listening to Swedish. We took several pictures of him and mom together. He will always be a great influence and memory in mom's life.

He was the only Sunday School teacher that she ever had. Each year they moved up together. She says that not only was he a very good teacher, but he was so humble even though he was one of the top people in Sweden's aviation and was a consultant to Canada and other countries when he retired from Sweden. One summer, he took the Sunday School class on a ten-day bike ride on Gottland (the island mentioned above). He is now 93 (very active physically). His wife is 97 and is mentally great but not too well physically. He invited mom to his 100th anniversay. He has had (and still does have) a very great influence on mom's life. (I guess I said that twice, but the emphasis is appropriate.)

Old Faces, 7/25/12

So much has happened that hasn't been recounted. Rather than starting some time ago, I'll just go back to yesterday with two events and then go back from there on subsequent blogs.

As one knows, as people get older their faces, hair color, and even women's last name change to the point that we no longer recognize them after a period of time. Well, mom was in the temple and was talking to a sister Swedish temple worker. After awhile the sister's face lit up and she threw her arms around mom. She is from southern Sweden and had known mom through regular Church activities and especially from youth conferences. Her name now is Gunilla Carlsson (mom thinks it was Ekelund back then). 

The even better part is that she now lives in Stockholm in the ward where mom's most favorite Sunday School teacher (and only one) now lives and whom mom has wanted to find in Sweden and to visit. He is now 93 or 95 years old. She gave mom times and directions and we'll go to his Ward next Sunday. He had taken their sunday school class on a 10-day bicycling trip to Gottland - a big beautiful island.

The other event was that as we were working in the Temple, a former Swedish missionary came in with his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and a wheel-chair bound member that they had reactivated. The former missionary's last name was Jeffs. When he was a missionary, Kari's family had him and his companion over many times to their home. When Anna went to America, she lived close enough to the Jeffs that they had her over to their home many times and did many other kind things for her. Also, Anna was able to provide companionship for his aging mother. He and his wife are now back in northern Sweden in the Branch Presidency and helping with Home Teaching and reactivation.

His wife told us that the member that they reactivated (she told us the details which I don't remember well like towns and time periods so I'll say generalities so as not to be incorrect). This member was away from his home town when he had a severe stroke. The doctors induced a coma which he was in for sometime. He hadn't recovered but they medically flew him home. He was given a priesthood blessing. The amazing thing to everyone was that the following Sunday he was in church.

His right side was paralyzed, but Sister Jeffs taught him how to use Family Search, etc. He can use his left hand. He is doing work for his family of which he could only remember his mother's birthdate. He didn't know anything else about her nor about his father. He is now doing their work for them.

How great is the work of our Father in Heaven!  ...on earth and on the other side!

7/8/12, Family Visits

Four families visited Sweden this past week. I will write this from the perspective of someone not familiar with the account.

The weather before their week-long visit has been rainy and cool all Spring. There was no rain during the week of their stay. It rained on Saturday and Sunday following their departure. We visited and did all the normal tourist things -- visited museums, took tours, and ate marvelous food. Now for the really good parts -- the extraordinary parts.

On Monday, we were visiting the apartments where mom lived as a child. We couldn't get into the building to see the stairway or courtyard, but as we were leaving, a tenant couple walked up, mom introduced us and asked if they would let us in. They were so kind and let us in. We saw the inside and courtyard which was more interesting than just the outside. Mom saw the name on an apartment of one of their neighbors. They were not home but mom and I will call them return later in the summer.

On Thursday and Friday, we travelled to Gavle (home of mom's dad and his parents), then to Dala-Floda where he and his parents spent summers and later where he built a cabin and spent summers with his wife and children (Kari and Jannicke).

Mom wanted to see some friends that she had spent the summers with (of course they would be a little older now). Well, the first "coincidence" happened when we drove up and mom went to a little souvenir shop to ask some questions. There inside was the first friend that she would meet. The extraordinary thing was the the lady was asked to cover for the owner for just that afternoon -- she had done so in the past but very rarely.

The second "event" happened when mom wanted to find another friend but only knew her maiden name. Mom and I decided Thurday evening to leave the "kids" and walk around. There was no one on the streets, but there was a family having a barbeque in their back yard. We walked up to them and described to them what we were trying to do. The young lady said that she thought that the friend was a singer and would be in the city church at a celebration. We went into the Church and finally identified her. When the celebration was over and Kari introduced herself, there was certainly a huge exclamation and big hugs.

We stayed in the hotel where her dad stayed as a child during summers with his family (they also stayed with different families during the summers as well). Mom swam in "her lake" and rowed a rowboat across it to the cabin that they had built across the lake.

The last day we wanted to take pictures of the cabin and decided to drive around the lake. However, there is no road directly to the cabin and we didn't know where to stop the car to try to find the cabin. So, here is the next astonishing event. You must remember that the cabin is in an isolated location with few neighbors and fewer people passing by. Well, as we where trying to decide where to stop and which hill and forest to walk over and through, a car stops and asks if they could help. You can guess, the woman was another friend that mom grew up with. More exclamations, hugs, and happy tears.

Last and certainly far from the least, Amy is now a certified Swede and a full-fledged member of the Kerr/Lindback Swedish clan. She found a grave stone with "Tillman" on it. (Also the name of one of mom's childhood friends.)  As you might suspect, Tony, Casey, and Nate all have declared their Swedish lineage. Of course Aaron claims his Norwegian heritage which mom's mom may say is the better half. Now we need to hear from Jim. Mom says that Hansen is Norwegian. What a GROUP!

One more memorable thing! How proud mom and I were as we stood on the train platform and said good bye to such marvelous people, and to know that there were still more of them back home.

We love all of you. Mom and Dad

Sweden 6/22/12 and 6/23/12

Time has gone so fast that I almost lose track of it. Here it is already Saturday night 10 pm in Sweden. Several things of interest:

Normally, we as volunteers would have Friday and Saturday off when the temple is usually open but we had a surprise of about 30 single adults from many countries including as far away as Britain and Estonia come wanting to go through the temple on Friday and Saturday. So, we were asked to work in the mornings which we did. I have done several ordinance already in English, Swedish, and Spanish. Talk about getting thrown in the middle of deep water and being asked to swim. However, it is very challenging and certainly fun.

Another thing is that it is Midsummer festivities. So, Friday afternoon we took the train to Skansen where mom got her to-die-for waffles and ice cream cones. We didn't make it in time to see the raising of the may pole, but we did see some dancing then we walked around while listen to the traditional music and songs. Of course as we walked around mom was humming and singing to the music. Little girl grown up.

Going to Skansen we past the grave site where morfar was buried and the church where the funeral was held.

There is a retired Swedish member couple here where the wife has a bad back and must lay down much of the time. Consequently they can't do much service in the Church.  So they do special things for the rest of the temple workers like take them shoping to larger stores in other towns where the prices are less for groceries, etc. Well, today for Midsummer, they threw a barbeque with all kinds of other good Swedish foods -  pickled herring, salmon, mackrel, meatballs, little wieners, fresh little potatoes (big deal at this time of the year) with sour cream and dill, cake, etc. Everything was delightful. It must of cost them several hundred dollars as food is very expensive. They are very good and gracious people.

Mom had a very special occasion in the temple today which could have made the whole trip worthwhile. Unfortunately, I can't explain the whole thing here. She wrote an email to Jannicke with a full explanation, but in Swedish so I can't forward it to you. In essence, when she was a little girl a member's wife got TB and had to leave town for treatment. They had two sets of twins. One set was 1 years old.  Mom's parents took care of one of those twins for over a year. Well, today mom was standing as host in the foyer of the temple when she saw somebody that looked very familiar about twenty feet away. At the same time, both realized who each other were. Needless to say there was a lot of joy. They lady was one of the older twins who had married an American and was living in Wyoming now. She was here in Sweden for the marriage of her son to a Swedish girl in the temple. Mom had no clue that she was here and could have been in another part of the temple and could have missed her completely. It just "happened" that both were in the right place at the right time - a tiny or a big miracle depending on one's perspective and involvement.

Talk to you later, good night from a long ways away!
Love, Mom and Dad

6/18/12 & 6/19/12 from Sweden

This is Tuesday night. But first let's talk about yesterday. Mom and I went to Stockholm to check out the train and bus lines, schedules, and prices - plus the hotel. Just remember that buildings in downtown Stockholm are old and are not the ritze Hyatt, etc. In other words, the Queens Hotel has "character" but is very doable and is nicely located - central to many things. I'll send an email with specific things to do in preparation for coming to Stockholm. The train got us there in just 30 mins - a car is over 1 hr. We walked about town and down to Gamla Stan (the old town). We had a late lunch on a side street. It was spicey vegetarian and we still don't know really what country the recipe was from.  Maybe from Pakistan.

We got back about 4 pm just in time to go shopping in the temple van with other temple workers who drive to another city to try to buy groceries, etc. and lower prices. Oh, did I say that food, etc. is very pricey is Sweden - especially for a couple of conservative like your mom and myself.

Today, a temple worker took us back into Stockholm to the immigration office to get visas. There are lots of people coming into Sweden. But mom says that she never saw homeless people when she was a kid. Apparently, the Swedish care system is being heavily strained and you see a significant number of homeless people now. We got back home after lunch. At 1pm, we went to the temple for the first time. We were set apart, shown around, and went through a session in Swedish. Yes, even me - the whole session.

Mom is calling to hit the sack. So, I'm listening. Too late! She is on her knees in prayer mode.

Good night. Dad

Arrival in Stockholm 6/16/12

I think mom and I are finally getting a little jet lag. It has been a couple of busy days. We were about 45 minutes late getting off the ground in Dulles because the plane had electrical problems and they had to "reset the systems." (Mom had a great bulkhead seat for her legs but she still got a cramp as she was sleeping on the floor with her feet up on the seat.) Then we got into Copenhagen late because of the earlier delay. Consequently, our luggage didn't get transferred to our plane into Stockholm (which arrived at 9:35 or thereabouts). SAS said they would have our luggage delivered to us between 1 and 4 pm but it didn't get delivered until 6pm.

The temple president and his wife picked us up at the airport and invited us to a party for temple workers that was being given by another swedish temple worker at his home at 4 pm. Obviously, we didn't make it to the barbeque at 4, but the temple president came back and took us over there. The workers were delightful. It looks like we will have a great time.

We hope that Bente is also having a great time at her reunion in Utah. I'm publishing this blog before I fall asleep.