Spring....or....Why Am I Sitting in This Classroom?

Monday morning....the sun is coming up earlier and earlier and after all this time, I believe I can now safely say which direction is east.  When I open the blinds, the sun bursts through in glory.  It is coming in at a slight angle from across the lake.  East must be the direction we are looking when we look out our windows....so.... I am a little slow here.  

Growing up in Bountiful, Utah meant that I always knew where east was.  Living in the Valley of the Sun means that I always know where east is.  (The mountains are not so imposing, but they are, nevertheless, landmarks to orient oneself by.)  Here, we are surrounded by buildings and trees.  Denmark is basically a flat country.  I have learned how to get around, and I know where many of the streets and major buildings are, but I have never known which direction we are heading at any given time.

I really didn't want to go to Danish class today....there are so many ways to occupy my time, and sitting in school wasn't at the top of my list.  Spring Fever?  Maybe.  I remember sitting in Mrs. Madsen's 5th grade class.  She was the best teacher anyone could ever hope for, and yes, she is my mother-in-law.  Sometime in the Spring she would open the windows of our second-story classroom. The white ruffled curtains would softly wave in the whispering wind.  

After lunch, she would read to us, and I was always transported to another place and time.  After that wonderful break, I would gaze longingly out the windows at the inviting playground below, ready to be free of school.  I am often reminded of that in our 4th story classroom.  Sometimes the drills are tedious and I look out the window at beautiful Copenhagen, and wish I could be out there.

But today's class was very good.  The drills are helping and with some extra blessings from the Lord, I may someday be able to speak and understand well enough to converse.  I sincerely hope so.  

We had our usual missionary meeting before family home evening.  We always have at least two full-time missionaries, if not more at that meeting.  They come to report on investigators who may be attending the center this week.  Wouldn't you know that the two elders who came were the very two we ran into just outside of the chocolate shop a couple of weeks ago.  I regretted that I didn't snap a picture of them, and quickly decided that I would get one tonight and send it off to their parents.  (If I were Mary, my sweet sister-in-law, those pictures would have been in the mail a half hour after we met!)

As soon as the meeting was over, I got involved in some conversations and the elders got away before I could get the pictures....once again!  Oh well....I'll try again next time....whenever that is.

We had some special speakers....a young couple who dated while they were both coming to the center as YSAs.  They have been married 5 years and shared some marvelous thoughts and quotes from the prophets about what to look for and what to be in a spouse.  It was inspiring to me....an old married lady soon to pass the 46 year mark of wedding anniversaries.

The speakers were followed by an enthusiastic game and a few games of CRUD...Surprise!

We are still waiting to hear where and when we will have to move as a center.  We have it on good authority that the new center will be about a third the size of this place....a great sadness indeed, since the pool table and the couches are most likely the first pieces of furniture that will be tossed overboard in the need to downsize.

On a fun note, the newest Danish Liahona has a picture of me with the Hansens and other members of our little branch in December when we passed out the invitations for our choir concert!  Most likely you will never see it, because you probably don't even subscribe to the Liahona, much less the Danish Liahona.  

I haven't seen it yet, but for these beautiful Spring days, it will be a reminder of the cold of December just a few weeks ago.