More Zone Conferences

Once every 6 weeks, each zone in the mission has a one-day conference.  It's a time to get together, to be taught, and to give service.  There are 5 zones, so there are many zone conferences.  Elder Torrie and I are trying to get to all of them.  These two zone conferences took place in Stockholm, so that made it easy.  The afternoon of each conference was spent in giving service.  One zone prepared sandwiches to give to the homeless and the other helped renovate the local Scout Hall.  Check out the last picture.  And if you just want to flip quickly through the pictures, simply click on them.

We took public transit to the Stockholm Zone Conference and then walked to the Institute Building.  On the way, we passed this massive building with gorgeous carvings.

We discovered that this building that took up a whole city block was the main Post office.  Who knew?

Intricate carvings.

No one does architecture like Europeans (and in this case, Scandinavians).

Birds a-flying in the street.

The Lead Syster Training Leaders and the Assistants to the President did a lot of the training.  Syster Pippert, Syster Westman, Elder Austin, Elder Scott.

And the zone leaders, Elder Peterson and Elder Nosker, also did training.  Such great leadership training for these young men and women.  They will make great leaders in the church and in the world.

And the Syster Training Leaders in the zone also did training.  Syster Osguthorpe and Syster Davis (the daughter of President and Syster Davis).  Astoundingly, Syster Davis was called to the Sweden Stockholm Mission before her parents were assigned to be mission president and companion.  That doesn't happen very often!

Food time too.  L-R: Syster Watson, Syster Chuluunbaatar from Mongolia, Syster Searle way in the back, then on the right, Syster Blocker, Syster Davis, Syster Woods, Syster Capener. 

Packaging sandwiches to be given to the homeless.  Syster Chuluunbaatar, Syster Watson, Syster Capener.

All done!  On right, young Syster Davis and her mother Syster Davis, and Syster Osguthorpe.  

Syster Searle, Elder Anderson, Elder Peterson, Syster Woods, Syster Evensen, Elder Scott, Elder Ronndahl.

Fun to visit in person after so many months of Covid zoom meetings.  Here's Elder Ronndahl, Syster Pippert, Elder McCallister.

If you can believe it, it's very hard to figure out service projects in Sweden.  Because it's such a socialist country, people feel that if you're giving service, you're taking away jobs from other people.  Funny way to think.

The flower girls . . . Syster Blocker, Syster Torrie, Syster Watson.

Of course LeRon found the piano and everyone wanted to sing!  It's easy to sing when Elder Torrie plays so enthusiastically!

Now we're at Stockholm South Zone Conference.  Here are Elder Sellers, Elder Muhlestein, Elder Brown, Elder Nordgren, and Elder Nosker.  Usually missionaries wear suits for zone conference but because the afternoon will be spent doing a service project, they dressed a little more casually for the training portion.  Missionaries can now wear a white shirt or a blue shirt, with or without a tie.  Makes it easier to do missionary work here in Sweden.  People are intimidated by a suit!

Here's our Swedish/Canadian Syster Gilbert, Syster Cluff, Elder Wrangell, Elder Christenson.

And our Lead Syster Training Leaders, Systers Pippert and Westman.

Elder Draper and Elder Safsten

Syster Birrell and Syster Peltz

Seniors Cowgurs and Johnsons.  Both Elders served missions in Sweden in their youth so they were able to translate for their wives since now all zone conferences are in Swedish rather than English.

Ha ha.  Elder Torrie is instructing everyone on how to sing the mission song.  He is so fun!!

The zone leaders, Elder Bair and Elder Snow, and the zone syster training leaders, Syster Johnson and Syster Christiansen are doing some training.

Now on to the service project.  This Scout Hall was in major need of cleaning and renovation.  Here's my cousin, Elder Muhlestein, cleaning in the kitchen.

And upstairs, they are pulling out the floor so a new one can be laid.  A major project, I'd say.

Here's Elder Nordgen and Elder Scott pulling up boards and insulation.

And Elder Austin is carrying out the old boards.

In another area, Elder Nordgren, Syster Gilbert, and Syster Cluff are preparing to paint.  Wow.  They all got a LOT done.  Elder Torrie and I were outside trimming bushes in the heat.  It was about 95 F that day.  Too hot for us!

Elder Torrie had a good laugh here.  On the wall are written, in Swedish of course, the Scout Law and Promise!  Anything (and any place) to help drill it into young heads I guess!