Counting Blessings

There is a gentle mist that has been hovering over Copenhagen for the last couple of days.  It softens - and grays - everything.  I love waking up to it, but unlike Gilbert Arizona where it burns off fairly quickly, the mist here lingers throughout the day and into the night.

This Saturday morning, we got away early with the other senior missionaries to attend a meeting for all the local missionaries, which is about 36 of us.  We had four members of The Seventy who spoke to us, along with three of their wives.  The meeting lasted for 3 hours.  It was spiritual manna, and we all came away filled.

We were there early, as was almost all of the young missionaries.  We started out in the back row and I sat observing the younger elders and sisters with interest.  As I sat watching them, they all sat quietly...none of them spoke to each other as the prelude music played, and almost every single one had his or her head bowed.  I am unsure if they were praying or reading scriptures or just meditating, but the feeling in the chapel was a peaceful one.

One of the APs conducted the meeting.  I am always amazed at how well these young men take responsibility.  They are humble yet funny...so funny, and spiritual and serious about the work to be done.  As different speakers gave their talks and asked for responses, many hands went up and the answers given showed a depth of spirituality and commitment that I always find inspiring.  If you have someone on a mission right now, you can rejoice in the experiences he/she is having.

Each Danish hymn we sang together was amazing as the strong young voices united and surrounded me.  The missionaries all stood together and recited D&C 4 in Danish and then a mission statement in Danish.  These kids are wonderful!

You might guess what the topic was....missionary work.   Hey! No groaning out there....these meetings are absolutely wonderful.  Several of the speakers had ancestors from Denmark and spoke with great emotion about them.  SK looked at me and mouthed "Peter Madsen" his great grandfather who left Denmark over a century and a half ago.

One speaker said that when the Lord wants to change things in the Church, he uses young people.  He told of his great grandmother who was baptized here in Denmark when she was 23.  She left home and family and traveled to Utah.  She had 8 children, 2 of whom lived past the age of 2 and on into adulthood, and she was widowed as a young woman.  She was described as "religious, happy, hard-working and a joy to visit with."

They all spoke about families and the joy of sharing family stories.  Elder Dennis Brimhall quoted David A. Bednar who said that it is now the time to combine the change of heart that comes with the Book of Mormon with the turning of the hearts brought by the Spirit of Elijah.   Then he said that the spirit of Elijah is strong here.

He opened the scriptures to us...citing several in stating that "there is much people in this place," "that angels are preparing hearts to receive the Gospel," and that "they don't know where to find it."

I thought about Doris....I thought about sweet young Allison and Lauren finding all kinds of names to submit to the temple...I thought about our children all participating in the opening of the beautiful new Gilbert temple, and our sweet North Salt Lake kids going to the Bountiful temple.  I thought about my parents and SK's parents and all they have done for us...and for our siblings, all grandparents and working hard to keep families strong.  I thought about dear friends who have strengthened me throughout the years.

I guess that meeting about families and missionary work just made me feel deeply grateful.    And that makes me Happy!

(I am posting this early because we have another meeting tonight and will not get home until late...and we are thinking about getting up at 3 a.m. to watch the cultural celebration from Gilbert...live!)