Simplicity in a Time of Flux

April is coming to a close, and changes are in the wind.....but uncertainty is the prevailing emotion.

We have been abundantly blessed to be meeting in our center here in Frederiksberg.  It is about four blocks from the Frederiksberg church, about 6 blocks from the temple and about 5 blocks from the mission office.  It is the top floor of an old cigar factory, and as you have seen from pictures it is spacious.

It has 3 classrooms, 2 offices, a large kitchen where 15 can easily sit down to eat.  It also has the very large gathering place where there is a large screen TV, several good-sized old couches, a foozball game, a pingpong table, and pool table (where CRUD carries on) and a large men's restroom and large women's restroom, plus a janitor's closet and a very large storeroom.

There are offices on the floors below and on the first level is an all-night video-game center.  When you walk by, you see mostly young men hooked up to monitors where they stare intently at the screens for hours on end.  There are often groups of young men in front of or back behind in the parking lot who are out for a smoking break.

There is a major train stop 6 to 8 blocks in either direction from the front door, and a bus stop a block and a half either way.  There is a lovely old hospital a little ways away and some beautiful and stately neighborhoods just a few minutes' walk from the center.

Denmark's YSA center was the first in the world!

A new site has been found which is actually closer to our apartment, but there is NO parking anywhere near it.  There are convenient train and bus stops in close proximity, but it will be a little bit longer walk to the center from those places.  It is also close to Tivoli, the Walking Street and other tourist attractions.

We hope all the powers that be will approve it, but there is a question if we will be allowed to have a free-standing center at all.  In order to warrant having one, attendance must be 50 a week at Institute. We have 85 who attend, but never all at the same time.  It is nearly always in the 20's or 30's.  It is possible that we may be asked to meet in a church, and if that happens it may be churches .....dividing up the YSAs in  groups according to where they live.

And if that happens, it is possible that we could be reassigned.  It is only a possibility right now and I hope that doesn't occur.  Another possibility that has been whispered about is that we might have to move from this beautiful apartment.....

In the meantime, our YSA leaders are putting out a call for all to come to Thursday evening Institute. They have set a goal of at least 50 in attendance every week in May.  I think and I hope it can be done.  But it is probably too late to have an impact on what becomes of the program at the center.

It is wonderful to rally the troops, and any rallying that can be done will have a very positive influence on all of us.  It will add to the excitement and enthusiasm.....so I am happy we are doing that.  On the other hand, I am already tired thinking of trying to make a meal for 50 each week....by myself.  And also wondering what we will do with all of the leftovers if only 20 show up.

May will be a month of simple dinners!  (My feeling is that if there is a chocolate dessert or something that at least looks fancy, we can keep the main dish simple.)

By the end of the month,  I "may" even have some wisdom to share....