Täby Ward Home Food Storage Night

Relief Society President, Gunilla Carlsson, made a main protein dish out of wheat, served with lingon and red beets. Yummy. Veronica Karlsson is using a strong blender to chop the wheat. She is going to try making bread from her home storage wheat supply. Relief Society is the same in the Church all over the world!

Thank you Marita Möller for the photo from her IPhone.

New Baby Boy Johnson born in Ogden, Utah

Alex loves her baby brother, Zack. (7 lbs 8 oz. - 20 inches)

We are thrilled to share photos of the happy Nate and Gina Johnson family, which now includes Alexandria and Zackary. The photos were taken by our talented photographer, Julie Johnson. Our grandchildren now include nine boys and nine girls. What special 18 children they are to us! We love and miss them while we are in Sweden on our Mission. Congratulations, Nate & Gina!

Opera downtown Stockholm

We were happy to support Ingemar in attending the performance of La Rondine by Puccini. Even though it was an "amatuer" cast, they sounded like pros to us. It was fun to meet up with other members, Gunilla Carlsson and Gunnel Petersson, that were also there to see the show. The diversion from the Office was nice.

Private Swedish lakeside barbeque place

The horse barns in Sweden are amazingly big. Each horse has an individual stall. They go out to graze in the day and are back in the stall at night.

These trotting horses are huge compared with our Arabian and Arabian crosses. They don't appear to enjoy strangers in their living space.

The reflection was perfect when we visited the small lake in Riala.

Ward member, Anne Rosenlund, poses at the picnic spot we are considering for the Couples' conference.

We are exploring places for the Couples' Conference barbeque. Out in Riala about 45 minutes from Täby, Anne Rosenlund has arranged for a quiet place by a small lake with geese and birds and quiet water for the seniors to get the feel of Swedish countryside. We hope to put everything together and go with the flow in the great outdoors. We also came upon a nice horse barn and the winning trotter race horse, Cruton. The winnings so far have been over a half a million Swedish crowns. Taking a photo with the animal was a challenge because everytime we tried, he put his head in the corner of the stall. Shy, I guess.

Young Ambassadors take Scandinavia by storm

The Church set up a Family Home Evening booth at the International Family Day. It was a great way to promote the Church and the Family. Wonderful day!

Our favorite quartet. Sounded just like the 50's and 60's music we love.

The energy that was shown on stage was amazing. How do they keep up the pace?

Syster Vicky Lewis and Syster Linda Wright join us at the Mormon Helping Hands booth where baby blankets were being donated for new mothers in Africa.

International Family Day was celebrated at Kungsgårdsgatan on a bright, sunny day in Stockholm. Young Amabassadors took the outdoor stage. That evening was the big performance.

Who would have thought that we would see the BYU Young Ambassadors at the Universitetet in Stockholm SWEDEN! We took Markus Leo and his brother Alexander as our guests. What a wonderful way to promote the Church!

12 May 2009 group arrives

Office elders and new missionaries join us on the Mission Office steps for a photo shoot.

Elder Johnson rented a big van to transport the luggage. Will everything fit?

Our past week has been super busy with orientation and logistics of 18 new missionaries. Sixteen of them are young missionaries and a couple. They are all so needed!

Visit to Svartensgatan 3 Stockholm SWEDEN

It's great to hear about the people and their stories and be in this special building at
Svartensgatan 3.

The facade has been refinished and looks wonderful with the new paint. The building is on the historical register in Stockholm and is kept in mint condition, even though it is still being used and is a refuge for abused women and children.

Sister Shiela & Elder Garth Hanson were at the reception to say good-bye to the Höglunds. They are returning home to the USA on May 20. It was good to see them.

Elder Johnson enjoyed the time in the Svartensgaten chapel.

1. Late Sunday afternoon we were privileged to attend the 50th wedding anniversary of the Swedish Temple President and his wife....President Bengt och Syster Inger Höglund on 16 maj 2009.

2. The reception was held in President Höglunds boyhood home in the Södermalm area of older Stockholm.

3. The address of the reception and boyhood home is Svartensgatan 3.

4. Svartensgatan 3 just happens to be the location of the Swedish Mission office from 1903 until April of 1963. In April 1963 the Mission Office was changed to a location about 15 miles south and west of the city.

5. April 4, 1963 was the date I was released from my first mission to Sweden.

6. In the attached pictures, I am shown standing in the chapel area of the mission home....as I stood nearly 50 years ago. I am also shown in a second picture walking up the stairs used many times during my mission. A third picture shows me (Dad J) opening the door to the famous mission office. This is the first time I have actually entered the mission home since departing in April of 1963.

7. One of my last assignments was to carry hundreds of books, important papers, and mission history down those stairs to a waiting truck.

8. A few years after the Mission Home closed, it was sold to Stockholm City and later became a home for abused women.....and remains so today. Occasionally the chapel area of the building is rented for receptions and other. Unless one is an abused women or care-taker, entry is not allowed.

9. Through the years, several Church Presidents and Apostles have visited this building. One very well know and loved person who spent nearly five years in the building as Swedish Mission President was Clarence F. Johnson.....along with his wife Annie B. and two daughters, Lyda and Ilogene. 1949-1954Just thought you would like to know some of the history of Svartensgaten 3.

Wesemeyers' hospitality in Väddö

The Wesemeyer family love the outdoors and nature, especially in the spring and summer. Connecting with Mother Earth is very important to the Swedes. Their home is in a beautiful setting near the Eastern Swedish coast. They drive an hour and a half to church each week. Their two children, Golda and Freddy, are delightful and smart. Nina and Richard prepare all year to be the best Jul Tomptes. Richard has a genuine beard and Nina sings all the old Swedish songs for every occasion. What a beautiful day to eat grilled salmon in the sunshine with the elders and host family! Good thing Elder Drake brought his camera!

Going from Winter to Summer in one night!

Elders Gomez and Alpeter attend the Valborg fire with us in a small community near Täby, where the Ronny and Ingrid Werjefelt's daughter, Lovisa, sings with her school group. They were an amazing little choir of 8 boys and 8 girls singing accapello before the fire was lit. This fire burning ritual signifies the ending of winter and the beginning of summer. After this, no outside burning is allowed until summer is over.