Sweden Here I Come!

Sweden Here I Come!

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Farewell Kungsbacka, On to Lulea!

It has been a whirlwind week for all of us.  Dallin is being transferred, and the rest of us are consumed in sports.  Monday night was the basketball banquet honoring our State Champions. Tuesday and Wednesday PVHS baseball played Canyon View and Cousin Keaton, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I was with Ty in Las Vegas for baseball and basketball tournaments.  Friday, Blaine and Carter headed north to Davis High School to play Logan and Davis in a double header and spent Saturday at Lagoon.  Pine View won both games.  Carter started on Friday against Logan and pitched the entire game.  He pitched a gem according to Blaine.  Logan scored two runs but they were unearned. Ty's team went 3-2 in their baseball tournament playing teams from California, Las Vegas, and Utah. Ty played well. He had several doubles, played third, short stop, outfield, pitcher, and catcher.  His basketball team were 0-3, but they had the opportunity to play some quality teams, and most of the players were 1-2 years older.  Ty played well and did not act intimidated at all despite the mismatch.

Today is a beautiful Spring day in Southern Utah.  Happy Easter everyone.  We are enjoying the day off watching General Conference. We will have Uncle Kirk over for Easter Dinner later today.  We will also be putting Mike's crown on him at the dental office.  Life is Good - All is Well!
My Letter this Week:


Dear Dallin,

So you are being transferred huh?  Have you left yet, or do you go this week?  We googled Lulea and it looks like a beautiful city... Another one on the coast, but it appears still a bit cold this time of year.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you make the transition.  It is always nice to have change, but also very hard to leave the people behind that you have served and grown to love.  I know you will miss Kungsbacka, and be missed by many there, but I also know that there is much work to do in Lulea.  There are people there you specifically need to meet - whether they are members or nonmembers the Lord has called you there for a reason.  I will be excited to read of your many adventures.
This week has flown by like they always do.  It was filled with baseball.  Pine View played Hurricane this week and thankfully won both of their games.  The first one we ten runned them, but the second one was really close.  We pulled out a win however - 8-7...  Yikes! That at least leaves the play-off door open.  Ty played in a tournament this weekend.  His team went 1-3.  They are struggling lately.  I think they have gone stale.  There definitely needs to be a change.  They have played together too long and have lost their intensity.  Dad, I believe, is going to be coaching Ty and some of his team mates this summer in the 16U American Legion.  That will do Ty some good.  Dad is doing all he can to toughen him up and get him ready for high school.  Ty has been invited to go to Las Vegas this weekend for a basketball tournament.  They only invited eight of the incoming freshmen, so I am sure that is going to lead to some controversy.  He will also be playing in a baseball tournament down there as well at the same time.  It will be interesting.  I will be taking him and a couple of his team mates.  Dad and Carter will be going with PVHS up to Davis County to play in some ballgames up there on Friday and Saturday.  Carter is supposed to be starting on the mound in one of those games.  He should also see a few innings during the week when PV plays Canyon View.  We play them on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  It should be an exciting match up.  

Tomorrow night we will be having the basketball banquet to celebrate their big championship.  I will take some pictures and put them on the blog.  Aunt Kim made for me one of those magazine cover photos with some basketball pictures on it to give to each member of the team and coaches.  I will also put that on the blog.  She did an awesome job with it.  

Two big things happened today.  First, dad and I met with President Covine of the stake presidency and he called dad to be a counselor in the high priest group leadership.  Dad is excited.  I don't have a calling yet, but that is okay by me....  I am enjoying the break.  Second, Carter, after much praying and fasting, has decided to get his mission papers in as soon as possible so he can leave right after he turns 18.   I know this is disappointing to you because you will not get to see him, and trust me, he is sad about it too, but he just kept getting the impression that he needed to do it now, so after sacrament meeting today he was convinced that this is what the Lord wants.  He did all his paperwork today after church, and all he needs to do now is his physical and wisdom teeth.  Oh my goodness....  It is still hard for me to believe that he is graduating, but I am so proud of him.  He is such a great kid.  I had felt for the past month that this is what he should be doing, but I didn't say anything because I wanted this to be something that he arrived at by himself.  

Yesterday Jason Milne and one of his buddies put up a nice block wall between our house and Grandpa Glen's old house.  It looks nice.  They still have to put the capstone on it.  I will post some pictures once they have it finished.  

Not much else is happening.  We have another busy week ahead.  I pray that you are happy and healthy, and that you have the things that you need.  We are so blessed to have you as our son.  You have always been so obedient and good.  You are a wonderful example to your two brothers.  Thank you.  Take care of yourself, and I can't wait to hear all about your week.

Thought for this week:  We should all be homemakers....  We should all strive to make our homes homes of righteousness.  Being a homemaker isn't just for women - it is for everyone - old and young, male and female.  This was taken from Saturday's General Women's Conference.  Be a homemaker Dallin.....  It Rocks!

Love You Tons Dallin,

Mom

PS...  I spoke with the MFT program director at BYU to see what I could have done better with my interview and application in case I decide to apply again next year.  She told me that she thought I interviewed very well and that my application was wonderful.  The only problem was is that only five professors took students, and none of the five shared my research interests.  I was hoping to work with her, but due to her administrative responsibilities she didn't take on students this year.  She encouraged me to apply again next year - I will have to think about that. 

Dallin's Letter Home:

Hejsan Allihopa,


Yep the rumors are true.  I will be getting on a train tomorrow around 1 and I will arrive in Luleå on a train wednesday morning at 8.  Yes I will be taking a train up through all of Sweden.  Normally I would have just trained to Stockholm and then flown to Luleå but I requested to take a train because I knew that all of my stuff wouldn't make the weight limit for luggage and I didn't want to have to leave stuff behind.  So that'll be an interesting experience.  My new companion will be a kid named Elder Larson.  He just got done being trained so I will be "greenie breaking" again.  Woohoo.  I hear that he is a cool kid though so we should have a good time.  Luleå is a branch up there with around 50 who come every Sunday so not too shabby.  And like you said it is very very beautiful up there especially during the spring/summer.  There is a day in June where the sun literally never goes all the way down.  Light for 24 hours.  That will be cool to experience.  I'll be district leader up there again too so woohoo to that as well.

Saying goodbye's are my least favorite part of being a missionary with tracting being a close second.  Like you said it is super hard to leave the people you have grown to love.  The members gave me a lot of nice compliments and wished me well in Luleå.  Some of my favorite people in all of Sweden are here in Kungsbacka, when I come back to visit Sweden Kungsbacka will be the first to visit.  Anyways, we had a pretty good week as far as the work goes.  Taught our bros and the members took care of us for dinner everyday of the week :)

Sounds like you guys had quite the week with sports.  Good to hear that PV was able to get a couple of W's.  And it sounds like Ty will be having a lot of fun with upcoming events.  That Vegas tournament sounds awesome!

Well I can't lie, I'm pretty sad that Carter will be leaving before I get back now but at the same time I support him 100% in his decision.  Because it is hisdecision.  I'm impressed with his spiritual maturity and courage.  I am very excited to be hearing where the Lord will call him.  That is so exciting.  Who knows, maybe he'll open his call to Sweden Stockholm Mission and come in right as I leave?  That sure would be something haha.

I hope you guys are getting gear'd up for general conference coming up next week.  What a blessing it is to live today where God's church is led by His living prophets.  They are good men and they "know their shiz" as we like to say here.  Keep me updated on the adobe situation and what your guy's plans are as they develop.  Jag älskar er mer än allt annat!

Love, 
Dallin

This Week's Pictures:



Beautiful Lulea!


The Man.. Robin!


Innebandy with the Ward


Some of the Bros...


The Åkebrands, coolest family


PVHS State Champions....  I had Aunt Kim make this so we could give a copy to all of the players and coaches at the basketball banquet.  Thanks Aunt Kim!


These next pictures Aunt Kim took at the PV vs CV games this week.  The Panthers swept the Falcons, but cousin Keaton is still getting a job done - He is amazing!  Kim titled this picture "There is a Stat for Everything!"


"You've Got to Think Like a Milne"


Dad giving the varsity a talk to get them motivated.  It worked. Right after, we started hitting the ball and overcame a 1-1 tie by winning 5-3 on Tuesday.  We went on to shut them out on Wednesday 6-0.


1 comment:

  1. Natalie, don't you just love your blog. Do you go back and look and read time after time. I would. I love your blog and your life. I'm glad you are sharing it with us. I thought Dallin was putting on some weight, but in these pictures, he looks skinny. I LOVE LOVE that picture of the town of Luelea. GORGEOUS! That needs to be framed. Dallin sounds good, you sound good, life is good. Keep up the blog, it's awesome.

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