Sweden Here I Come!

Sweden Here I Come!

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Reunited With Elder Dallin H. Oaks


The days quickly turn into weeks and the weeks into months - Aldste Milne will be home before we know it!  We received another great letter from Dallin this week.  He sounds happy and excited!  He had a wonderful blessing in church this past Sunday... He was reunited with Elder Dallin H. Oaks - let me explain:  When we were living in Orem, UT ten years ago, we attended a BYU basketball game on a Saturday night. To our surprise Elder Oaks and several of his grandchildren were sitting six or seven rows behind us.  Blaine persuaded Dallin to go up and introduce himself to Elder Oaks. We watched from below as Dallin made his way up the stairs and approached Elder Oaks who was sitting on the end of the aisle.  We saw Elder Oaks shake Dallin's hand, then give him a hug, and then pick him up and put him on his lap for another big hug.  Dallin came back down the stairs just beaming.  We asked him what happened and Dallin told us that he ask him if he was Elder Oaks. He answered yes and shook Dallin's hand.  Dallin then told him his name was Dallin too, and that is when Elder Oaks hugged him.  Then Dallin told him that his parents named him after their favorite apostle. That is when Elder Oaks picked him up and put him on his lap for another big hug! In Dallin's letter below you can read about his reunion with Elder Oaks! 

Early on Monday morning I drove Ty and two of his friends - Blake Oaks and Hunter Moore to EFY up at BYU.  They were so excited to go and even more excited when I dropped them off.  Ty texted me last night and told me that it was awesome.  He texted me again this afternoon and told me that he had just listened to the best speaker he had ever heard.  I can't wait for him to get home and tell me all about it.  

Tuesday I had the opportunity to meet up with the St. George moms who have missionaries in Sweden.  We met at Applebee's for lunch.  Brock Johnson just returned home from his mission a couple of weeks ago, and it was fun to talk with him about his missionary experiences and the Swedish people and culture.  It sounds like he was a really excellent missionary.  He confirmed to us the difficulty of serving in Sweden, but also expressed his love and gratitude for the opportunity of serving there.  He still has that missionary glow.  Below is a picture of us proud mothers with Brock:


St. George Mom's of Swedish Missionaries: (from front left clockwise) Lesa Sandberg, Laurel Featherstone, Julie Adamson, Gail Luke, Natalie Milne, Brock Johnson (Aldste Johnson), and Lisa Johnson.  Their missionaries are: Sela Sandberg, Caleb Featherstone, Miranda Adamson, Drew Luke, and my favorite missionary - Dallin Milne



This Week's Letter From Home:

"The temple is a constant, visible symbol that God has not left man to grope in darkness.  It is a place of revelation. Though we live in a fallen world - a wicked world - holy places are set apart and consecrated so that worthy men and women can learn the order of heaven and obey God's will." - President Ezra Taft Benson

"We talk about security in this day, and yet we fail to understand that ... we have standing  the holy temple wherein we may find the symbols by which power might be generated that will save this nation from destruction." - President Harold B. Lee during WW II

"There is a power associated with the ordinances of heaven - even the power of godliness - which can and will thwart the forces of evil if we will be worthy of those sacred blessings.  Our community will be protected, our families will be protected, our children will be safeguarded as we live the gospel, visit the temple, and live close to the Lord.  God bless us as Saints to live worthy of the covenants and ordinances made in this sacred place." - President Ezra Taft Benson

"The temple is the university of the Lord (not BYU)." - Elder Elray Christiansen

"I promise you that, with increased attendance in the temples of our God, you shall receive increased personal revelation to bless your life as you bless those who have died." - President Ezra Taft Benson

Dear Dallin,

How is my favorite missionary doing today?  I pray you are happy and well and that you have had a wonderful week.  I taught Relief Society today from the teachings of the presidents manual - President Ezra Taft Benson.  Above are some key quotes from the lesson.  The lesson was a powerful reminder to me of the importance, sacredness, and holiness of the temple, and all of the promised blessings that are there waiting for us to obtain.  I have come to know that the temple is truly our sacred home away from our eternal home.  What a blessing it is that we have the temple to bless our lives and seal our families for eternity.  I have come to love and appreciate even more my Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ by visiting the temple often and participating in the sacred ordinances that are performed there.

Today was a great day.  Ty actually fasted today without being asked.  He said he was fasting for you as well as for the strengthening of his own testimony as he attends an Especially For Youth conference at BYU this coming week.  He will be leaving tomorrow morning and returning on Saturday.  He is really excited. He will be going with a couple of his friends - Blake Oaks and Hunter Moore.  I will be driving them up to Provo in the morning.  Ty also did his home teaching today with his companion Brother Grant Mitchell who is at least 90 years old.  Ty taught the lesson to two families today.  The lesson is the one given to all home teachers this month to share with their families on the importance and blessings of keeping the Sabbath Day holy and especially partaking of the Sacrament.  The lesson emphasizes focusing on the Savior throughout the week before partaking of the Sacrament, and of course afterward as we keep the rest of the day holy.  I was able to go with dad this week in place of Carter to visit one of their home teaching families and we taught this same lesson.  The Spirit was strong and testified to the truthfulness of what our prophet and apostles have counseled us recently to do - to improve our efforts in attending our Sacrament Meetings and remembering the sacredness  and necessity of partaking of the Sacrament each week.

This past week Carter was in Boulder, CO playing in another baseball tournament.  Carter pitched against a team from Salina, Kansas. He defeated them 5-2 giving up only one earned run and he pitched the entire seven innings.  He said he was really hitting his spots and that his fastball is really gaining some velocity. He attended two missionary farewells today - Blake Ence and Easton Householder.  He is getting ready to teach us family home evening right now.

Ty and I spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday up North with family.  Nanette, Courtney, Candace, Chantel, and her two girls Ava and Jaylee joined me, Ty, Tyson, and his two kids Collin and Mackenzie and Grandma Susan and Raymond at Seven Peaks.  It was cooler on Thursday and we actually only were able to go down a couple of slides before they closed it due to lightning. They typically don't issue refunds, but we happened to get a really nice guy who helped us and he told us that our tickets would be good another day so we came back on Saturday and it was wonderful - other than there were a ton of people there.  On Friday Tyson and his family along with Ty and me spent the day at Lagoon.  We had an awesome time!  There are a lot of new rides there.  The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed being there together.  I posted some pictures on the blog.  We ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Thursday night and at Red Lobster on Friday night.  Shelly and Tyler were able to join us both nights.  It was fun being with family.  Ty had a great time with Collin and Mackenzie.  They really adore him!

This week Carter plays three more baseball games - they will play Dixie on Wednesday and then Price two games in Beaver on Friday.  It will be fun to watch him.  If they beat Price one of the games they will qualify for the State tournament which is the last week in July.  They have hopes of winning the state tournament and then the regionals will be in Boulder, CO.  Dad and I will go to that for sure.  Boulder is beautiful.  The state tournament is in Logan, UT again this year.

Dad is still working at Half Dental, but he and Uncle Gary are working on building a new building on Adam's property right off the Green Springs exit.  We will be heading to the Bank this week to get the ball rolling.

That is about all for now.  I pray the Lord will bless and keep you each day!  Take care of yourself and have super week!

All My Love,

Mom


Aldste Milne's Letter Home:


Käre familjen Milne


Well it's been quite the week here in Stockholm with my Finnish friend Äldste Silvennoinen.  Its been full of funny contacting experiences, gospel discussions with strangers on trains, and fresh foods. Sweden has turned me into a healthy food freak the last month or so, elder silvenoinnen also played a role in my conversion to eating the best way possible. Silvennoinen is trying out an all vegen, raw food diet, apparently it's as healthy as it gets, I don't know. I myself will never be able to give up meat but I've been stocking up on all the good veggies and fruits and nuts.  It feels super good. I try to avoid grains but when I do eat em its got to be full corn or I'm not touching it haha so be prepared when I get home for that. We of course make exceptions when the members graciously invite us over for some food.  The members are super nice here to us missionaries. Me and Silv both got sick to our stomachs on Thursday and Friday, someone found out and next thing we knew we were getting calls from everyone along with medicine sent our way. It was nice to feel that kind of love from them.  We are both feeling 100% now so its all good.  Oh and I've been reading that book you sent like crazy lately. I read it during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a little before bed. I'm about finished with it. That John Pontius was one heck of a guy. wow. And such a great writer. I love his focus on the importance of following the light of Christ and personal revelation.  Those are things that you definitely have to put a lot of focus on as a missionary and the book has given me a lot of good insights. I can't wait to talk to you guys all about it! 

On Sunday me and silv walked into the church building and were told immediately that Elder Dallin H Oaks was visiting. We didn't believe it until we walked into the chapel and saw him sitting up there on the stand next to the Stake President, President Hagman.  I knew the Hagman family while I was serving in Västerås last year.  They had us over for dinner very often and I love them to death. It was so good to see them again.  Anyways, it wasn't an official visit or anything, Elder Oaks was on vacation with his family, but they wanted to make sure that they took the sacrament and our building was the closest. The Hagmans were visiting on vacation as well. What's coincidence haha.  So yeah Oaks sat up there, listened to the talks, and then said some words at the end of the meeting with President Hagman translating. They had to leave right after sacrament meeting to catch a boat but I ran him down before he left and told him about the time I went up to him and at the BYU basketball game 10 years ago. I told him my name was Dallin and he immediately gave me a big hug like he did at the ball game haha. And off they went.  

But yeah quite the week.  Sounds like you guys had a fun filled week yourselves. Cherish those moments.  I can't wait to share some like those in a few months. 

The scripture that I memorized this week and studied about was D&C 93:1

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;

What an amazing promise to the faithful and believing who allow themselves to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost through their diligent obedience to the Light of Christ within them.  I could talk forever about this verse and others that are similar to it. 

I could also talk forever about how much I love and miss you guys. Keep the faith, its all true! 

Love,
Dallin

This Week's Pictures:


President Hagman translating for Elder Oaks


The Companionship!


"We are eating just fine!"


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