Roots In Sweden

Going, Going, GONE!

Part I

This sign hangs in the front entry of a business called "Allmontage" in the village of Junsele.  The words say,

"Pay Attention!  This shop is watched over by Angels"

In the final weeks before Manny was to fly out for the Missionary Training Center, we felt every day that we were being watched over by angels as well.

There were so many things to do to meet all the criteria and have him completely prepared.  The bulk of his clothing list was being taken care of by family in Logan, but we had a list of our own to deal with.

Two beautiful new pairs of shoes would be waiting for him when he stepped off the plane in the U.S., but in the meantime Hans wanted to make sure that Manny was dressed properly and in keeping with the importance and dignity of the experience he was embarking on.  Even though they would be worn for a very short time during travel, his Sunday shoes needed repair.  They were split in the back, so we took them down and had Micke Norberg at Allmontage repair them.

Not only did he insert and glue a leather patch into the back seam, he stitched it and then colored over it to make it look almost invisible. So kind!

This handsome guy is our large bull and the pen he is currently in will be needed as a birthing stall any minute as calfing time rapidly approaches.

 

The full-time missionaries currently serving in our area, Elder Harris and Elder Bracken, came up for the day and helped Manny to build the outside enclosure that was needed. They could really swing those hammers and were so willing to help!

While they were outside in the frozen cold, I was inside in the warm kitchen baking up a storm for the fika we were having the next day as a going away fest in our little branch of the Church in Örnsköldsvik.

There were individual cheesecakes (ostkaka), a slice of strawberry on each, squares of carrot cake (morotterkaka) decorated with pineapple and carrot shreds,

chocolate cake,

(chokladkaka)

and finally,

blueberry teacakes,

(blåbärkaka). 

  

 To wash it all down, we had red currant saft.

So delicious!

 I had been working in the linen closet one day and found a lovely linen tablecloth.  It had been made by Hans' mother and Manny's grandmother, Birgitta Metzen who passed away years ago.  She had embroidered her initials on it as a young mother.  It was the perfect table covering for the occasion and when the table was all set with that and the Angermanland napkins, we felt that she, who had such a gift for making and serving beautiful food, would have approved.

After church that day we all gathered in the Priesthood classroom and had a wonderful time wishing Manny well.  These are people who Manny loves and who love him.  They are such warm and supportive friends to our family. 

The children from his Primary class were loving all their treats!

We came home tired but happy, did the barn and then came in the house to see how we had done in the preceding days and weeks.  We were coming down to the wire and we were doing well.  There were not too many items left now on the list. 

This post began with a sign about the presence of angels.  We feel that way about those who have helped us during this very busy time. The following quote sums up our feelings pretty well:

"I have spoken . . . of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind.

                                                       Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Ministry of Angels," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 30