Holiday Greetings from the Ensign's

Dear Missionaries:

We are sending you all our Holiday Greetings from the land of our forefathers here in Sweden where we are serving a full time mission in the Stockholm Sweden temple, and we are loving this service. Sweden is where Sister Ensigns Capson family came from and where the missionaries held the first meeting in Sweden in their barn in 1852. That was in southern Sweden and we have enjoyed visiting the homes and special places of interest where the Church received its first roots in this beautiful country. My grandfather and grandmother on my mothers side came from a small village [Julita] in central Sweden in 1879 where they were baptized and immigrated to Richmond Utah. Wonderful stories of lives filled with the Gospel for which we are so very grateful. Now we look forward to spending a Christmastime here in fond remembrance of three I spent here over 60 years ago as a young missionary. But the fondest memories of Christmases spent was in the Hartford Mission with you! So often we remenince those never to be forgotten times with new found loved ones with whom we shared so many personal experiences. You were the faithful ones then and when we have heard from you we know you are the faithful fathers and mothers of a new and rising generation. Bless you for all your goodness.

We are beginning to celebrate this holiday time with special concerts and programs furnished by the Lutheran church and civic associations. Its about the only time the Swedes enter one of their churches during the year and we noted with the special advent celebration, it was only the elderly that bothered coming to the tradtional service. There will be one other time they will come attended by a hearse, flowers and pealing bells they most likely will not remember Anyway there is a special holiday spirit present and the children are looking forward to the coming of the Jul Tompten, the Christmas elve, to bring them gifts. Christmas eve is the time of the main celebration when gifts are opened. Early the next morning some folks will attend the early Christmas church service. We will enjoy our own Church services and then will leave on Christmas day for Barcelona for a few days of warmth. Most importantly we are so very grateful for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and for his redeeming sacrifice for us. Our testimonies of his life and existence have never been stronger. We also seem to have more appreciation of Joseph Smith and for his amazing contributions in restoring the Gospel and the true Church to the earth during his short lifetime. We are grateful for good health and for a blessed family who have been so supporting of us. We pray the blessings of the Lord upon you and yours during this special time of celebration and for the coming New Year. May you enjoy the peace and goodness that Christ brings and which you so deserve, is our prayer.
 
Love to you each one,
The Ensign's