Senior Couples Conference in the Sweden Mission. Then meet our dear friends and most talented artists Kurt and Gerd Sjökvist.

 This post is very late.  Our Senior Couple Conference was held in Stockholm back in May.  All of the Couples in the mission travelled to Stockholm where we had a wonderful time with some classes, scripture study, attended a session at the temple, and had some time for some sightseeing around Stockholm.

From Left: Wennerlund, Newell, Davis, Taylor, Kohler plus Jaylynn, Lowry, Boyer, Brown, Tolley, Leach, Sorensen, Coombs, Herrey 

Riding the Pendeltåg to some sightseeing

OK, SOMEBODY has to show them how to ride the train!!!

And some of the fun......

not sure what's in the barrel....

say "MOOOOOTH"   In Swedish this is an "Alg"
which means "Elk"

And of course we had to eat....and eat.....and eat...

Elder and Sister Coombs were the Conference Coordinators
and Chief Cooks

 This Conference was also an opportunity to say our farewells to President and Sister Newell who were going home the end of June.

We presented them with a Viking Statue that was made by
Gerd Sjökvist, a local artist and good friend of ours.
See further down for more information on the Sjökvists

President and Sister Gregory and Candilynn Newell

This is "THOR"
The gift to the Newells was hand-sculpted
and then made into a mold and recreated in porcelain
by GERD SJÖKVIST

SO NOW LET'S MEET THE SJÖKVISTS

KURT AND GERD SJÖKVIST
from Furuvik, Sweden

Gerd Sjökvist is a very very special friend in my life. In 1974 Gerd (Bergström) was a single mother from Sweden who was attending Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, studying Art.  She was a teacher at the Language Training Mission, and that is where I first met her.  She was the main Swedish Teacher and was our first experience conversing in Swedish as new missionaries.  Over two months time we had long hours together practicing the new language and we became very close.  Over the years since then, I have kept in touch with Gerd.  She returned to Sweden and married Kurt Sjökvist, who is a VERY talented artist, painter, woodworker, sculpter, musician, songwriter,etc.  They both have artwork in some very famous places, including the Church Museum of Art in Salt Lake City.

Here is a small sampling of some of their work.

All of these were sculpted of clay, and then made to molds for reproduction in porcelain.
The two heads top center are actually clay, and are of Gerd's parents

And more...

Swedish Nativity

more Nativity figures

Elder Sorensen and Kurt with wooden
sculpture by Kurt

two more of Kurt's creations

Viking in training sculpture.  Model for this was
Gerd's Grandson.

And of course some food creations!!!

While visiting the Sjökvists, Gerd took the time to teach us how to make "PALT". It is a ball of potato flour and shredded potatoes, filled with salted pork and boiled in water for one hour.  Served with some butter and lingonberry jam.  A NORRLAND Tradition.

Very Filling......."PALT"