Giving Back?

Three months ago today, we landed at the Copenhagen Airport.  Sleep-deprived and weary we watched the old buildings of Denmark pass by from the windows of the van, wondering what lay ahead of us. The sights, smells and sounds of Copenhagen are becoming more familiar to us.

Our transition has been easier than most senior missionaries who go on foreign missions.  For one thing, so many here speak English and are only too willing and kind to help if you need a question answered.  If you turn to any person in the store and ask "Do you speak English?"  They invariably answer "Yes."  or "A little."  And then they proceed to answer your basic question about flour or cheese or whatever eloquently.

Considering that it was a Mary Poppins umbrella day again today, and considering that we didn't have the car, it was a lovely day.  Michelle, one of our beautiful YSAs has her mission call.  She will leave in early March, and is spending a couple of weeks in her home country before that.  So today was the day she went through the temple for the first time.

We did the requisite walking and bus-riding to be at the temple and dressed and in our session by noon.  Of course, we had to leave home before 11 to get there.  I styled my hair before covering it with a scarf and then the hood of my jacket (the wind is a force to be considered!).   In the session besides Michelle were 5 other YSAs and several leaders from her ward.

Michelle was so well prepared.  It was a wonderful experience for her as well as all of the rest of us.   I know she will do an incredible job as a missionary.  She speaks British English and always sounds so proper.  It is marvelous to just listen to her speak!

Earlier this week she had asked if we would also come to a little open house kind of a thing at the home of some of her friends, a young couple in her ward.  So after the temple, we caught a ride to her friends' home.  It was about 4 stories up (I didn't count, but one more story and I might have had to drop out of the train of people heading up to the apartment to catch my breath!  how embarrassing!)

In Denmark, a meal is an occasion.  We didn't realize it was a meal, but it was a sit-down dinner for 13.  The apartment was beautiful, and like nearly every apartment I have seen, has a lovely living room, a decent sized kitchen and a large dining room...as well as bedrooms.

I helped a little bit in the kitchen and then went into the living room to visit with everyone else.  We sat eating peanuts and sipping Fanta for 45 minutes or more.  Then we all were seated at the dining room table where we were served beef Marsala, a green salad that was green (a couple of different kinds of lettuce, honeydew melon, green beans, lime juice and olive oil), rice and bread.  It was very good, and the laughter and conversations didn't let up for the hour or more we sat there.  Then we adjourned to the living room again, where the conversations continued for another half hour.

We returned to the table for dessert...a large bowl of fresh-cut fruit.  We each dished up a goodly portion and then were given fresh whipped cream to top it off with.  But that wasn't all....then there was a large bowl of chopped chocolate passed around and we sprinkled it liberally over the cream.  It tasted wonderful!

When the dessert was done, Michelle asked for advice from the other YSAs there who have served missions.  Their advice was so good!  I wish I could have recorded it.  A great deal of it was about how to learn to get along with all kinds of companions and keep your heart right so that you will have the spirit always.

We hugged everyone and said goodbye - three hours after we got there!  We had thought we were going to have punch and cookies.  Instead we had a feast of food, friendship and faith-strengthening conversations.  Hyggelig...isn't that a great word?  That is what our afternoon was....cozy, comforting, and warm with the glow of good companionship.

As we walked home in the dark, bundled up against the light drizzle, we reviewed the beauties of this day.  We wanted to serve a mission because we wanted to in some small way give back to the Lord ....for the bounteous blessings we have been given.  But the blessings just keep coming.

I hope I never forget all of the beautiful things I am learning here.

Michelle is in the middle in black...she is beautiful!  She is unfailingly kind and gentle and full of faith.  See the big bowl of fruit by her?  And the whipped cream...almost gone in the bowl next to the fruit?  And see that bowl of chocolate?  All health food!

Next to Michelle is our Stake Patriarch.  At the end of the table is our host and her husband is to the right.