Nordic Conference held in Stockholm

Missionaries in Stockholm for the Nordic Conference

This last Thursday was the Swedish National day.  The day the Kingdom of Sweden was founded as we now know it.  We talked to a Swede about how they celebrate it and she said it is actually very surprising, they don't do too much.  She said most years they forget it is Swedish National day.  

    Anyway to celebrate our Swedish National day we went and did some service for a member.  We did a lot of yard work and fixed a fence for them.  Afterwards we went fishing on Eskilstuna river.  It was pretty magnificent.  We went with our Branch President and his son.  None of us caught anything other then the Branch President, but it was fun to be out doing it.

    One of the crazier things I have seen in Sweden happened this week.  We saw the Swedish graduates partying throughout the city.  It was all of the graduates of gymnasts.  When they graduate they all get in trucks and drive throughout the city with banners and crazy loud music partying.  It stops traffic and activity in all of the city.  

   This last Saturday every missionary in Sweden was brought into Stockholm to stay with missionaries there.  We had the Nordic Regional Conference on Sunday but the day before was mission conference which was presided over by Elder Ballard of the Twelve apostles.  Unfortunately, President Monson could not make it due to the recent passing of his wife. 

   President Ballard spoke to us about teaching with power and how to be confident we have the power of the Holy Ghost in all that we do.  We did not actually stay in Stockholm because we live close enough but they did give us a car for us to commute back and forth.  Driving as a missionary and in Sweden felt so weird.  Nothing was too different but it just felt weird since it had been a while.

   It was fun seeing so many missionaries and getting to see all the missionaries I know and haven't seen for a while.  When you see all 153 it helps give you strength and remind you that you owe it to all them to stay strong and dedicated because they are all going through the same things you are in some degree.  The only thing that may have given us more strength was seeing the conference hall fill up with 3000 saints from Sweden joined in by the many saints from all of the Nordic countries by broadcast.  I even got to see some members from Skövde that I never got to say goodbye to.

Aldste Moe and Aldste Judd shaking hands with President and Sister Newell and Elder Ballard

love you all,

Aldste Moe