1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 4 =

One Successful Trip

or:

You win a few, you lose WIN them all!

(Part II)

The next morning we were up at the crack and on our way northward to load up the tractor and continue home. On the way, we passed a MAXI ICA (be still my beating heart) and stopped to go in so I could see it. ICA stores come in varying sizes depending on the population in their location. To this point I had seen a NÄRA (neighborhood) ICA and even a KVANTUM (larger) ICA ...both of which were mere Smurf versions compared to the MAXI ICA.
Huzzah!

I loved every minute of it with its enormous bakery and aisle after aisle of housewares. I just needed more time...

To Manny's delight it had an attached McDonald's (for a minimalist/devoted natural food consumer like Hans it was his worst nightmare...a Maxi ICA AND a McDonald's in the same location...) but Manny was enthralled.

It turned out that McDonald's was closed, we were too early, but as we drove on we found another McDonald's that was in fact open and we stopped there to eat.

Here is the proof positive of Hans' undying love for his son

(if there was ever any question...)

That would be him walking into the McDonald's.

And as if that wasn't enough, we stopped a little farther down the road where Hans had made arrangements to meet a man that had sold him a beautiful Klippan pure wool throw for our kitchen sofa. It was a gorgeous gift for me, and incredible as it might seem, was actually long enough to cover someone who might be taking a nap on the sofa on a winter's day. I loved it

Such a kind husband and father.

But shopping and warm woollen throws were not the only focus that morning.

I wonder how many who read this blog have had the experience of finding a home or a place that they just love, that seems perfect in every way for that time in their life so that they want to settle down and stay there forever? Perhaps one even begins the dream, buys the house or just lives in that place for a time, only to have it slip away, or be taken away for whatever reason.

For the three years that we have been married, I have heard about a place that was like that for Hans. It was originally a schoolhouse, but not overly large. It was situated on a knoll in a beautiful forested area, not far from Stockholm, with a crystalline lake nearby, and small, beautifully maintained farmhouses dotting the landscape. There was enough land around the home for some animals such as sheep to be raised, and the promise of a farm just down the road that could be taken over for a small dairy herd. A sunny slope on one side provided a perfect place for a large vegetable garden to be cultivated.

We went there on this trip.

Although it had been sold years ago, it seemed that it was now being used only as a summer home. Surrounding it were birdhouses of every kind, and as cold

as it was that day, we heard the birds singing from every direction.

It was even more beautiful than I had imagined it... and it was important to spend some time there.

When we finally drove away, we took the opportunity to explore some of the feelings and circumstances surrounding that part of Hans' life. We talked about the intervening years and the decisions that have led both of us to our present situation. We considered the advantages of our farm in Norrland, and the positive aspects of the life that we live here. It was a thoughtful and a loving conversation, and it felt right to identify the blessings of where we are and who we are today while still acknowledging the hopes and dreams and sorrows both of us have experienced in the past.

It was a good step towards understanding and healing.

The Tractor:

Near the village of Sunnansjö (Soon-un-fwuh) was the farm where we were to load the tractor. It was a sunny day but quite cold and we were somewhat worried about fitting it on the trailer. The back axle was wider than any of us, including the seller, had anticipated.

Hans, the farmer, and Manny got pallets and boards and made a bridge up to try, but it was hard to get the rear wheels on safely with so little clearance. They even attempted to gently nudge it over with the front scoop of a larger tractor...no luck.  If you know Hans, you know that true to form, they just kept on trying, little by little, and they got it done!

When we had it all accomplished, the two kids Oskar (13) and his sister Frieda (11) called us over to have an outdoor wienie roast that they had arranged with their mother's help. They had been playing all day on their snow mound and occasionnally pelting Manny when they could during the tractor extravaganza (he fired back with gusto, and they were all loving it).

These sausage babies were pretty dark, but no one seemed to mind.

We started off again, this time with both vehicles with a trailer loaded behind each...the moped hooked to Gustav's car and the tractor behind our Volvo station wagon.   It was good to be...

Heading Home.

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 4 =

One Successful Trip*

or:

You win a few, You lose  WIN them all!
(Part I)

Competing for the title of "Multi-Taskers of the Year",  we had an intricate master plan for the trip to Stockholm and points south.

Gas in Sweden is currently about $8.00 per gallon - yes, it's true.  So we decided that if we were going as far as Stockholm for Manny to go through the Temple, we would keep on going and pick up a three wheeled moped for fencing and general errands on the farm, an excellent used car for Gustav (he chose that instead of a motorbike -- Good Decision... ), an older Volvo 400 series tractor to fill in the gaps for haying season this summer, and a smaller used four wheeled trailer.

We pulled a large trailer with us for bringing home the tractor, and had arranged to pick up the smaller trailer, purchased on the Blocket (Sweden's answer to Ebay) which we would use to transport the moped home with Gustav's new/used car.  The smaller trailer was in a city called Karlskrona in the south of Sweden.

Enter the Glitch:

Hans had done all the dealing regarding the small trailer over the phone with the owner and was assured repeatedly that it had absolutely no rust (the definitive "R" word for a vehicle in Sweden).  After we had driven all the way down there, the owners called and said they weren't coming to the arranged pickup point, we would have to drive another hour farther to meet them.  We were on a tight schedule trying to fit everything in so that made it very difficult for us, but it was nothing compared to what lay ahead.   

After all the delays we finally came to the meeting point, only to find that the trailer was covered with rust. It was worn all the way through in multiple areas.  The worst parts had been clumsily sprayed over with grayish paint, something that made us stare in wonder at the attempted deception of it all, and Hans flatly refused to take it.  Good for him!

                               Now what?

Having just come from the Temple, it was such a stark contrast to be faced with that kind of dishonesty.  We decided to stop and have a prayer and ask for help.  Within five minutes we saw a small sign on the side of a building advertising trailers for rent.  In Sweden the cost to do that would be prohibitive for the distance involved, but when Hans called them, they gave us directions to a man outside of town who sold both new and used trailers so we went straight there.  Again, the man who owned the business was wonderful and had exactly what we needed.  The trailer we found was twice the size, heavy duty, and

half the price we would have had to pay for the rustbucket!  Insured and registered - READY TO GO!! Hans paid him on the spot and we headed out immediately.

 A great blessing.

Our spirits were lifting.  On to the moped, shown in the first picture of this post!

We met the sellers in a small village a few hours away and it turned out that the moped was a piece of heaven and the owners the soul of integrity. They had done an excellent job of painting and restoring it completely.  We were able to get it loaded on, covered with a tarp, strapped down and be on our way.  Now that's the way it should be!

But could we make it in time for the car?

The seller of the car for Gustav (also purchased through the Blocket) was a young man stricken with  debilitating arthritis.  He had waited up patiently for us and came out with the car late at night to make the pickup.  He was so kind.  It was very dark and we could only see the car in the headlights, so there was no way to really inspect it thoroughly,  but we felt to seal the deal and had Manny drive that one and Hans and I drove the other with the trailer/moped on it.  We started out again for Stockholm, hoping to make it before we were too exhausted to drive any farther.

     We were so happy to see the lights of the temple and it's Gästhem again, late as it was, and were pulling into the parking lot when we were stopped by the Stockholm Police. 

Excuse me..?

It had been such a long, hard day, and as the police got out of their car we wondered what in the world could be wrong.  They came up to the car and said they had been following us and it looked like Manny had been swerving slightly from behind. They thought maybe they should do an alcohol check, but when they saw us drive into the Temple lot, they knew we must be OK. 

Such a compliment.

No one had to rock us to sleep that night.  We were gone the minute our heads hit the pillows.  And when we went out the next morning and saw the car in the daylight, it was EVEN BETTER than we could have imagined.

Now there was only the tractor left to pick up.


*(Can you figure out what each numeral in the equation represents by the end of Part III?)

Rites of Passage

Last week we had one of those life experiences that will stay with us forever.  Hans, Manny and I packed up the car, left Gustav and the Ottosson family in charge of the farm and headed south for a four day trip to the beautiful LDS temple in Stockholm.  Manny had been interviewed by his local priesthood leaders and also by those who have the authority for the entire Swedish mission and was given his Temple Recommend.  That means he is worthy to go through the temple and receive the sacred ordinances that are performed there. 

 There were so many  interesting sites on the way.  As snowy and cold as it was, and as long as the drive became (about 9 hours just to the Stockholm area) it passed by so pleasantly.  We loved to see the old churches, with their unusual architecture and be reminded of the stalwart faithfulness of the Swedish people in ages past, serving each other and worshipping God with reverence and love.  When you see these buildings you know that they had immense gratitude for the Savior and Heavenly Father and were willing to expend whatever time and resources were at their command to create beautiful houses of worship.

Both Hans and Manny are familiar with this part of Sweden but I had never seen it before and I was so surprised at the difference in the geography.  It looks nothing like Norrland!  There were large expanses of relatively flat land shown in the picture on the left (where are the forests?), and the farm houses were white not red!  This one had the root cellar right out front and I wondered how in the world they got to it in the winter?  The home itself was so majestic, you might imagine that they would have made the entrance to the root cellar a little more convenient... 

   

And for yet another unique touch of Swedish culture - we had stopped at a McDonald's to eat (greater love hath no Papa than this....that he agrees to eat at McDonald's TWICE on this trip) - and we glanced over at the gas station that was just a few feet away, sporting these signs all over their lot.  It means "Sausage Festival!" and I felt compelled to do a visual comparison on the spot.  Believe it or not, there appeared to be as many people clamoring for the Sausage Festival offer (roughly $4.00 for the sausage, bun and drink) as there were coming and going from McDonald's right next door.  The Swedes really  love their varmkorv (warm sausage)!

We fell into bed dead tired that night at the Gästhem (Guesthome) provided by the temple.  We were so late we had to rouse the nightwatchman to let us in and, not surprisingly, we were impressed by how sweet he was, even having to come out in the cold.

I worried a little about Manny being so tired.  To go through the temple ceremony for the first time is a big experience.  But I should have saved

my concern. 

Magnify this picture on the right and that tiny person you see in the distance is MANNY!  He left us in the dust the next morning.  The only reason he even turned around was to say, 
"Are you guys COMING?"

We sure were, and we were in for a glorious day.  We were able to go through two sessions where Manny made sacred covenants with God.  Afterward the Temple President asked if Manny would like to come into the sealing room and participate in vicarious ordinances that were done for ancestors who had passed away.  It was a great opportunity for all of us. 

Here he is at the end of the day with President and Sister Oscarsson.  Do you think he looks different?  We did.

We felt proud and grateful for this good young man who is willing to do what his ancestors did...show his love and reverence for his Heavenly Father and the Savior by following Their commandments, and expending his efforts unselfishly on behalf of Their children, his fellow men.

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:

but when I became a man,

I put away childish things.

                                                                    I Corinthians 13:11

In our world today it is not common (and certainly not easy) to stay morally clean, to be honest, to be willing to sacrifice two years of your life to serve your brothers and sisters in another country and to accept all the responsibilities that come with such a decision.  But when you do, and you can declare yourself worthy in every way, you are also ready to be endowed with the attendant

Rites of Passage.