Something's Afoot

As I write, the sun is slowly sinking to the east.  It is after 9 p.m. and I sit facing the lake (east).  The sun is liquid gold on the water and windows of the building across the way.  It has been an incredibly beautiful day.

This morning as I sat in the loft reading my scriptures I saw a father and sun in shorts and tank tops with bare feet running the lake path.  Most people were out in light attire.  That is always my first clue in how to dress for the day.

After some laundry and cleaning and studying, we went out.  I am not sure how far we walked today, but it was a considerable amount.  We walked to several places that we wanted to check and they were in every different direction from the apartment.

Today marks the beginning of our ninth month here, and I feel blessed that we are both able to walk so far.  Our legs and feet are stronger and our endurance is definitely better.  I remember the first few lengthy walks we took last October, I thought my feet would never be the same!
We ended the day at a park we discovered several weeks ago.  We thought it would not be as pretty now since Spring is moving into Summer and blossoms are fading.  But it was spectacular.  We enjoyed it as much as we first did.

You may think these shots are boring....but don't you just love a stately old tree?

SK using the panoramic view again.

It has been day to see the beauties of the city in which we live and appreciate being in this beautiful land.

Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen!...Make That Frederiksberg.

Have I mentioned how fun it is to ride the bus?...or to walk for that matter.

We took a walk this morning to get some things done, like deliver two suits and 2 ties to the cleaners. Hold on to your seats...the ties will cost $10 apiece and the suits are $30.  That is pretty steep.  But it has to be done and that is just part of the expense.  We wandered down one of the main streets stopping in various shops.

We were looking for some gardening tools.  We had no luck finding any.  We don't want full-size rakes and shovels....just little ones and neither is available on our favorite shopping street.  We will have a car again on Monday and then we will go farther afield to find some.

In the meantime, we had a grand time.  The weather was clear and warm and windy.  It is nearly always windy here and the breeze is almost always comfortably cool.  People are out in droves, sitting at tables in front of the sidewalk cafes, lounging on the grass, sitting on benches, standing together chatting.

We went to a temple session in the evening.  We came close to missing it because our connecting bus was late....nevertheless, even giving ourselves an hour and a half is not quite enough when we are without a car.  But it has its benefits too....because I enjoy riding the bus!

We left the temple a little bit after nine.  On our way to the busstop, we were stopped by a 73-year old man on a bicycle.  He wanted to chat, and could tell we were coming from the Mormon church or temple.  We had our badges on and were carrying little suitcases.  He and SK talked for 15 minutes or so.  I understood most of what they were talking about.

He looked a bit scraggly with a couple days growth of gray whiskers and he was missing a lot of teeth. He had a variety of odd things in his bicycle basket.  He had some knowledge of the states, specifically "Arizona....ah...the land of cowboys, horses and cattle, he said. "

He muttered in English, "My English isn't very good," but he did fine with the little he said.  Otherwise he and SK managed nicely in Danish.  Everywhere we went today SK took the opportunity to strike up conversations in Danish, explaining why we were here etc.  He is doing great, and I chime in when I can.

The old man seemed to appear out of nowhere and was a pleasant fellow.  After we said goodbye, we walked about a half a block and across the street to the busstop.  We watched him rummage around in a garbage can and then he was gone....it is fascinating to wonder what a person's life is like...where he calls home, and who he might call family.

While we were waiting for the bus to come, one of the beautiful young Indian women from our Danish class walked by with her husband.  In the beginnings of a long twilight, they looked so cute together walking hand in hand.  We visited for a few minutes.  They will be returning to India next week.  I am so glad that our lives intersected.

That is another thing to ponder....in a city of over a million and a half people, we got to see someone we know and renew our acquaintance one last time.  We wished them well and said goodbye.

We got off the bus after 10 and walked home in semi-daylight.  Even as I began typing this evening, the nighttime sky was pale blue...not dark.  I can hardly wait for the longest day!!!!

More Joy in His Service

Our district meeting was held this morning....as it is every Thursday morning.  It was our third time in attendance (our Danish class precluded much of anything the days we were there).  It was also the last district meeting before transfers this coming Monday.

Have I mentioned how spiritually and emotionally mature these young missionaries are?  They take charge of the meetings, follow through the agenda, starting with an opening hymn and prayer.  We stand and repeat the 4th section of the Doctrine and Covenants in Danish. (I have memorized half, and SK has memorized the whole thing, but even reading it, I can't recite it as fast as they recite it!)  They then recite our purpose as missionaries found in "Preach My Gospel" ---in Danish.

After that comes a thoughtful message prepared by one of the eight in the district from "Preach My Gospel" and then a discussion about it.  What follows is a conversation about individuals being taught and what we as a district can do to assist.

A follow-up on our goals of last week is very beneficial, and then a new set of goals...which each one thoughtfully sets and states.  I mentioned some of them from last week.  This week some of them were: 
To find ways to bear a short testimony more often.
To use the manual "Preach My Gospel" more, especially just before teaching someone.

Then we were asked if there was someting in each of our lives that the district could pray for....some of those things were:
"Learn to love the people in the new area I will be in next week."
"That I will have divine help to enjoy life in all of the situations to come." (He will be leaving for home in the States next week after two years here.)
"Patience"
"Strength"

We stood and sang the standard closing song "Called to Serve."  I know I have said this over and over but it is such a thrill to be in their midst as they sing out.  Three of the young elders will be transferred Monday and I don't know how that will impact our singing.  How often do you get 6 young men who all sing exceptionally well in one district?

They had a district activity planned for this evening.  They were going to a park to barbecue and play frisbee or whatever.  We can never go to those, but I made cinnamon rolls for them as my contribution to their meal.  Their reaction was worth any effort I went to.  They seemed to love them, and devoured them before they left the church!

I am typing this from the center.  It is early....6:30 p.m. but since Institute was cancelled, I thought it might be an early night.  We are here for the missionaries...we have two sisters here teaching a lesson to a young woman who will probably be baptized within the next couple of months.  We are also here in case anyone wants to come in and relax or play CRUD or work on homework or whatever.  So far, no one has come in.

As I sit here next to the open window patches of light and shadow play across the desk.  The sun is high in the sky yet....it is clear and crisp outside...the brilliant afternoon sunlight is bouncing  off the Spring-green leaves in the trees. I can hear them rustle as the breeze whispers through.  I hear the murmur of women's voices as the sisters teach.  SK is reading on the couch in the main room. 

I wish I could bottle this moment up, and at some future moment take it out and savor it again and again.

On Being a MorMor (Danish for Mother's Mother)

The order of the day was shopping, preparing, cleaning, weeding (still working on that tiny little patch of land) and studying.

Tomorrow is a holiday here so we will not have Institute.  I will not miss cooking, but I will miss seeing all those young people.  They are fun.

It has been windy and cool, and just watching the tall trees outside our apartment gracefully bend in the wind brings a sense of calm.  What is it about trees?

A dear sister from our branch came for dinner this evening.  It was fun to have her here.  We are learning about Danish traditions.  In our Danish class we were told that if you are invited to come for dinner at 6:00, Danish custom dictates that you arrive at 6....not 5:55 nor 6:05 but 6 sharp.(Lone (pronounced Loan-uh) arrived at 6.   Another custom is that you bring a gift with you (only the first time), which is usually flowers or chocolate.  Lone brought a beautiful bouquet of red and white flowers.

We covered a great deal in our conversations of the evening, and it was both inspiring and enjoyable.  She converted to the Church in 1989.  She was an alcoholic at the time.  She had decided that she needed to quit just before the missionaries found her.  She had been to the doctor and had started a detox program.

When the missionaries began teaching her, she believed what they taught...and she started reading the Book of Mormon.  When they invited her to be baptized, she hesitated because as much as she liked the message, she couldn't be sure it was true.  She set a date, but as the date drew near, she had doubts.  One of the missionaries (a good friend) handed her the Book of Mormon and told hear to go somewhere where she could be alone and read and pray.

She agreed, but felt doubtful that would help.  She read and prayed, and was flooded with a sense of God's love.  That was over 20 years ago.

I love to hear these stories from faithful saints.

Lia called and let us gaze at little Rebekah for a few minutes.....watching a beautiful little newborn sleeping gives you a sense of being in the presence of angels, even on Facetime.  I long to gently run the back of my index finger down the smoothness of her cheek.

Sunday in church I was with an older woman I admire very much.  We were walking out of the relief society room when she saw her grandson sitting outside the clerk's office.  He is in his mid 20's, he has served a mission and served in the Danish military and he has the bearing of a soldier.  She walked over to him and rubbed the back of her index finger down the side of his cheek!  I just had to laugh.

I guess grandmas are the same everywhere.

Bumbling, Ballet and Blessings

Today was a walking day.  SK finally got an app on his cellphone that will track our steps and tell us how far we have walked.  Since he didn't get it installed until after our walk, I am assuming that we walked 10 miles....OK, it was a lot less, but it felt like it.  It was 2 1/2 miles one way.

After the usual p-day things we set out to find our way to the Danish Playhouse, because we had tickets to tonight's performance of a ballet that our fairy-tale princess was in.  She is graceful and beautiful, but just like every fairy tale tells you...she is as kind and compassionate as she is beautiful.

Our foray into Copenhagen was to check to see how easily we could get there by bus/train, because Sister Hamblin was going with us to the evening performance and we wanted to make sure it wouldn't be too far for her to walk.  She works in the office all day, and the end of the month days are always long.  And walking long distances is hard on her knees.

The upshot is that we bumbled all over the place, and finally found it.  We went up the walking street which was already (in May) crowded with tourists, we went up Nyhavn (the picturesque wharf street with all the colorful buildings stuck together, and in general had a merry tour.  Sister Swena gave us the correct directions and so the evening's transportation was simple....no thanks to our earlier bumbling about.

The Playhouse is built right out next to the water and it is beautiful.  It was a large theater with a very large stage.  The ballet was a retelling of 3 Danish soliders' experiences in Afghanistan.  It doesn't sound like a ballet does it?

The music was amazing and the ballet was amazing.  The soldiers told their own stories and there was writing up on the screen from time to time, but I did not understand a great deal.  I did understand however, the emotions that were transmitted through the music and movements.  I loved it.

We hope to see one of the classical ballets that she will be in next Fall, like Swan Lake.

While we were waiting for the ballet to begin, Sister Hamblin shared with us some of the difficulties she has had on her mission (8 months .... she came the same time we did).  She also told us what prayer and fasting have brought into her life in the way of tender mercy, sweet miracles and a greater understanding of the Lord's love for all of His children.

I sometimes wonder if the great secret of a mission is that while you are serving the Lord, you are being stretched and schooled and blessed.  The great secret is that generally the mission blesses you - yourself, more than anyone else you have the privilege of serving.

Heat Wave

To all of the Arizona people:
 I want you to know that we are having a heat wave here. 

I believe it was about 66 degrees today.  Last week it got up to mid-80's.....Boy was it hot. 

This morning, SK and I walked about a mile and a half to buy a fan that will sit in our bedroom and cool things off a bit.  It was very pleasant because we walked along 3 lakes and saw a little family of swans and several duck families.  You are probably getting tired of the pictures but it is so fun to be out and see them - in real life!

It is humid here....but nothing like North Carolina....we were there several years ago in the summer and I thought I was going to expire from the heat.  I think the humidity was in the 90's.  It is 63 here and quite comfortable if there is a breeze.  (And there is always a breeze!)

The only place that is uncomfortable is indoors ...during the day.  Nearly all buildings are well-ventilated and opening a couple of windows ventilates everything better than a fan!  Very few have air-conditioning...so unnecessary!  When we get to the center at 3 in the afternoon it is quite warm inside.  We open all the windows and get the air circulating and that helps, but it is still warm.  People come inside fanning themselves and collapsing on the couches saying "It is sooooooo hot!"

We spent some time outside this morning cleaning up our little patio.  We have a small little area that is semi-private and very pleasant.  There has been a layer of dead leaves and we have assumed all these months that the maintenance people from the apartment building would take care of it.

We recently discovered that WE are supposed to care for it!  So we are going to spiffy it up and plant some beautiful flowers and perhaps a tomato plant and a basil plant!  We got a fair amount done this morning with just our bare hands, but tomorrow we need to buy a few things to help us get it looking good.  I am excited about it.

Tonight we met on the steps of the temple for Family Home Evening and heard talks from President and Sister Williams.  It was beautiful out and a lovely setting for inspiring talks.  After they finished we played a fun game.  We divided into four groups and  put our heads together to come up with the correct answers. 

Some of the very best young people in the world....and we're missing a bunch of them.

Everyone is pretty focused on the fun activity in front of them.  President and Sister Williams are on the front row.

SK tried out the panorama shot again...pretty neat.

By the time we were done, it was just starting to get dark.  The sun is going down before ten, but it stays light until well after 10....it is such an odd thing.

One of our sweet young women invited a friend of hers from school.  He is not a member, but he had some prior knowledge about our beliefs.  He fit right in and seemed to enjoy it.  He said he will come again.  I am ceratin he felt welcome....these young people are great at that.

The young woman who invited him told me later that she reads "Preach My Gospel" for the sheer joy of it.  It contains the Gospel in simple and easy-to-understand terms, references scriptures that teach truths and has a beautiful spirit about the lesson plans with  thought-provoking questions.  It is a wonderful book, but I had never thought how good it is for new converts.

It is 11:00 now and there are young people lounging on the couches talking, and I can hear several in the kitchen visiting.  Voices are raised animatedly and laughter rings through the center.  The window next to the desk is open and cool night air is gently flowing in.  I think we will be here for awhile yet.

SK is reading something, and I am taking this time to write, so that when we get home I can go to bed.

Now that we have a fan I think I'll be able to handle this heat! 

The Blessings of This Day will Linger....

What can I say about Sundays?

That they are always good.

That they are always a day to refresh.

That they are a day to be taught.

That they are a time to feel the spirit through music, testimonies and talks....and silence.

The fourth Sunday of each month is our center sacrament meeting.  Each one turns out to be the best thing about an already beautiful day.
The month of May has been all about temples...every meeting, every activity.  This evening, two of our young women, our high counselor and our stake president spoke, and every single talk was excellent and inspiring and from the heart.
Two of our young women sang a duet, "I Love to See the Temple" and it was awesome.  Their voices were like the voices of angels and blended beautifully.  I had never heard that arrangement and asked after where they had gotten it.  The young woman who had accompanied them had arranged it.  Wow! I knew she was talented, but didn't know she could do that.
We had 44 people there....which is wonderful!  The classroom where we hold it was full, and I can't imagine what we would do if we had more than 50.
More people are talking to me in Danish.   You would think that I will get this sometime wouldn't you?

For those of you who will be celebrating a holiday tomorrow, have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

MIA or AWOL?

SK went to the temple this morning to assist with baptisms, while I went to the center to have it open for anyone who wanted to come in during the time of the temple assignment.  No one came in until after 12, and I thought that would be the case, so I made cinnamon rolls.

The Facebook announcement said there would be what we in the states would call a "potluck" lunch.  I thought it would be fun for everyone to come in with their lunches and smell the rolls....that always makes a good impression.  It is the first time I have made them here....without a mixer.  But they turned out quite well, and were a hit, and the kneading was a great arm exercise!

Although there were nearly 30 at the temple, only about 18 came to the center.  Only one brought food, and it was a sandwich for herself....which I think was the thing that was supposed to happen.  Everyone was hungry.

I went to the store next door and purchased some things for spaghetti and went back to the center and got a big pot going.  By the time it was ready we were down to 12 but they polished it off.  It was a bit of a hassle to make a meal at that point, but I reasoned that since they had been at the temple since around 9:30 and had a meeting at the church at 4 (it was for the entire stake), it would be a good thing.

The meeting at 4 was the culmination of a week-long celebration of the 10 years since the temple was dedicated.  It was excellent, with talks from the temple president and the stake president and the visiting area authority.  We had some wonderful music from the stake YW/YM and the missionaries.

But the really funny thing was that they served food!  Great big hoagie sandwiches, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables!  It was an excellent meal.  I could have saved myself some time in a hot kitchen and just served the cinnamon rolls.

But the good news is that I discovered that I don't have to labor away cutting onions and garlic and making italian sausage to put together a spaghetti sauce that needs to be gently simmered all day.  Ground beef and cheap pasta sauce from the grocery store thrown together in a half hour was not only about half as much as the "approved" sauce but tasted just fine.....so I am going to keep that in mind for the next spaghetti night.

After the meeting, we all met out on the temple steps where a picture was taken for the temple history.  So one day, if any of our grandchildren or great grandchildren serve in this beautiful city, they can see proof that we were there at the temple on the 10th anniversary.

We returned to the center to do cleanup and then home.  Around 9 p.m. we took a walk around the lake.  It was incredibly lovely.  Even at 10 it wasn't completely dark.  Birds swooped into the water to snap up small fish or bugs, the swan family was out for an evening swim, baby ducks were paddling around the shallow water, and people were everywhere - relaxing on benches, the grass or the steps of the planetarium.

This is a panorama shot on SK's phone...can you believe it?

Another Panorama....the reflections in the water are amazing...you can see the pink of the clouds at sunset....but how very still the water is.

It is not the most beautiful structure in Denmark, but the planetarium IS very distinctive, especially with a mirror image.

One thing disturbed our walk....there is one little swan missing.  The mother was regal as she swam with two fuzzy little ones swimming in her wake....the father following closely behind, watchful.  But there were only two babies.  We have no idea what happened to the one, but it made us sad.  We are attached to that little family.  It could be that it just didn't survive, or a predator could have gotten it...or maybe it just fell in with a family of cute little ducks and is now considered an ugly duckling!
At any rate, he is MIA....missing in action....or maybe that is AWOL.

Jubileum

Just a random beautiful flowers shot.....Spring is spoiling us for any other time of year!

Today is the very day....the ten year anniversary of the day the Copenhagen Temple was dedicated.  It is being called a Jubileum, meaning a commemoration or anniversary.

We left our apartment at 9 a.m. to attend the 10:00 session at the temple.  We stayed for the 12:30 session as well.  (I did the work for 2 different women, born in different centuries and countries, but both named Anna, like our little granddaughter.)  After a stop at the nearby church where a small distribution center is located, we went to the center to open it up for the stake YM/YW.  They were going to have a very large group do baptisms at the temple, but will divide it in half....with one half going to the temple and the other to the center...then switching halfway through.

We were grateful we didn't have to be there tonight....we are dragging.  We will be at the temple again tomorrow and then the center with the YSAs.  It is a daytime event, and I wonder if anyone will stay long at the center.  Since it is on the fourth floor, the afternoon sun beats into the sloped windows and superheats it.  There are air conditioners, but they take awhile to cool it down even a little.

We got home between 5 and 6, had dinner and had a conversation with David, our little grandson, and then Lia who has a new little one and a very active 2-year old (By the way....she has an article in the June issue of the Ensign and also the June issue of the Liahona on Italy.....you can access it online by going to lds.org).

In case you are wondering, yes....we are beyond grateful for the supreme blessing of being able to place a Facetime call, see our children and grandchildren in real time and talk with them....and not have long-distance charges.

After we finished our sessions in the temple, we went into the little reception room to retrieve our shoes.  We struck up and conversation with a sweet man.  We ended up talking to him for a half hour.

He is 88 years old and lives in Sweden with his wife.  Since they are in the Copenhagen Temple district, they make the trip over once a month.  He was unassuming and gentle and easy to talk with.  He spoke beautiful English.  The more we talked, the more we learned about him.

He is a sealer for the temple, and was there today to perform a live sealing....and who knows how many sealings for people no longer living.  He is in his branch presidency in Sweden, and his goal is to help it grow to the point that it will be a ward.  He was the temple president of the Stockholm Temple in 1994-97.  He has 8 children, all of whom live in Sweden.

He shared his conversion story....he was baptized on April 23, 1949.  He was 23, married with 2 little children.  He was kind of an atheist like his father.  At the time he was the president of a thousand-member organization.  One day his father called.  He had met two American Mormon missionaries, and wanted his son to meet with them...which he did.

He read the Book of Mormon and believed it to be true.  Although his father wasn't baptized, he was eager to see his son accept the gospel.  The son reasoned, "If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith must have been a prophet."  He also thought through the idea that if God does exist, why wouldn't he reveal His will to prophets.

He made the decision to be baptized and said he believed the gospel was true....but, he said....NO ONE could say "I know it to be true."

"It is impossible to know."

Almost immediately after he was baptized, he was asked to give a 2 1/2 minute talk in Sunday School.  He stood and began speaking.  He heard himself saying, "I know this is the true church," and he tried to stop himself....but he couldn't because he realized that he really did know.

When we parted SK gave him a big hug and thanked him for talking to us. He had expressed himself so beautifully, and has a firm conviction that the Gospel and the Church are the greatest blessings to him and his family.

We just keep having these sweet experiences with remarkable people.  We briefly saw two of the young elders from our district....they were serving as hosts at the church by the temple for the temple exhibit.  I count them as remarkable.

If I had to say what I enjoy most about this mission, I would have a difficult time narrowing it down to just one...but right at the top of the list is the choice people we have met and continue to meet.  Those meetings are an almost constant source of strength and inspiration.

It looks like we'll be going to sleep tonight to the sound of rain.....ahhhh.

When All Else Fails......

If there is one talent I long for, it is to sing.

We began and ended our district meeting this morning with hymns.  The opening hymn was "Ere You Left Your Room This Morning."  We met in a little room in the basement of the church.  One of the young sisters went into the adjoining room to play the piano accompaniement, which left 6 young men's voices, one young sister's, SK's and mine.

Sister Hadley has a lovely voice.  I have always and ever enjoyed listening to SK's voice, and all of the six young elders had strong young voices and sang out for the sheer joy of it.  The blending of voices, the harmony and the exuberance of the moment was sweet.

Once again we stood and recited D&C 4 - in Danish and the statement from "Preach My Gospel" about our purpose as missionaries - in Danish.  One missionary taught a segment from "Preach My Gospel" and another one taught a principle of missionary work.  There was much good discussion, a follow-up of last week's goals, a time to set new goals for the coming week, a prayer list (where each missionary shares something he/she would like to have everyone pray for), and then we sang "Called to Serve" in Danish.

The closing song took my breath away.  Once again there were the strong young voices, and the attitude as they sang...so joyful and confident.  No one looked at the hymn books....they have it memorized.    I can't tell you what being in their midst does for me....as my dad used to say, "Just makes you glad to be alive!"

I am touched by the things they ask us to pray for.  One wants to be more selfless, another wants the Spirit to touch a man's heart whom they are teaching, another wants more faith and patience, one wants perspective.  These are 19 and 20 year olds.  No wonder the Lord loves these missionaries!

This evening at the center was an adventure....as always.  The menu went through a few last minute changes. We bought 9 large chicken breasts....and I had planned on making tacquitos out of them.  I decided not to add fillers such as beans or rice or cheese, because chicken is good by itself ... with some good seasoning and some green chilies.  We also purchased 60 flour tortillas (because the corn tortillas here are somewhat suspect!) and enough salsa, sour cream, cheese and avocados to make them really tasty.

I thought if I was really really careful with the meat, I could get 60 tacquitos.  After cooking and shredding it, I thought it just didn't look like enough, so I made burritos...spreading the meat thin....getting 39.  At 7:00 we had about 20 here....which was fine.  But by 8:30 when we served dinner, we had 39, not counting the missionaries!...plus we had 6 missionaries here.

I did my usual whining to the Lord, asking that whatever we had would be enough.  SK stood at the front of the line asking people to just take one....and everyone complied so kindly.  I had made up a large pot of refried beans....something most Danes are unfamiliar with.  They were baked in large glass pans with cheese on top.  With the remaining tortillas, I made quesadillas and sliced them into quarters with a pizza cutter.  We also had purchased a large watermelon and chilled it.....and it was wonderful.  Finally, I had made a pan of Melissa's brownies, cut them into 2 inch squares, put a dollop of cream cheese frosting on and topped each with a slice of fresh strawberry.

I am happy to tell you that everyone ate until (I think) they were full and everything was consumed!...even the beans.  I'm telling you.....when you need a good go-to meal that most people will like, go Mexican....it never fails!

I had some wonderful conversations with some of the really great YSAs.....that is such a blessing and so fun.  I learn a lot, and Phillip....the cute young returned missionary checked to see if I had memorized any more of the 4th section of the D&C...which I had.  He helped me with my pronunciation.

It is midnight now and there is still much talking going on here.  Someone is strumming the guitar, someone is in the classroom playing the piano, SK is in the kitchen finishing up the last of the serving dishes, a couple of the young men have started a game of CRUD and I can hear one in the kitchen trying to lure SK out for a round (I am sure that he will succeed....SK can't resist a good competition), and I am at last sitting down...whew!

It has been a lovely day....and I know I will sleep well tonight....I'll fall asleep reciting section 4.

Looking Towards Tomorrow

SK went for a haircut this morning and came back with an OK haircut.  He thought paying 40 dollars for 10 maybe 15 minutes of the man's time was a bit excessive....but everything seems a little higher here.  We were surprised to find out that a letter mailed to someone in the states costs the same amount as a postcard....so we try to mail 2 or 3 postcards in the same envelope.

It  has been a warm day...reaching 20 degrees I believe...centigrade....which is 70 degrees Farenheit. It was beautiful outside, but inside our apartment it was a little stuffy.  We opened several windows and turned on the one fan we have and it was lovely.

We got all of our shopping done except for tortilla chips which we will buy tomorrow where they are super cheap.  I baked the brownies, got a crockpot of pinto beans going for refried beans, and then went over to our church in Frederiksberg where we hosted the open house from 6 to 9 pm.

For a weeknight, we had a fair amount of visitors.  Most of them were members, but there were two men who came by themselves who were very interested in the Church.  SK spoke with them at length.  He does quite well conversing with people even though he doesn't think he does.

 It was nice to realize that I know a lot of people in the stake.  After 40 years in Gilbert, no matter where I go, I often see people I know.  I like that....it maintains a small-town feel.  We have been here in Copenhagen a week shy of 8 months and we have met so many people and we see them every now and then outside of a church meeting.  It is downright fun to be in a large shopping area and realize with a start that you recognize a face out of the many there.

During our assignment at the open house, we spent the entire three hours talking to different people, which is always fun.  One lady I spoke with told me her name is Kristina....and she is "sisters' with the Kristina statue, which is a lovely little sculpture in the harbor.  It is near the Little Mermaid, and it pays tribute to the many brave Danes who gave up everything to join the Church.  The became pioneers in every sense of the word.

Kristina faces the sea...the wind is blowing fiercely....it must be symbolic of the opposition she will face.

Sister Elaine Dalton said of the sculpture:
On a pier in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a bronze statue of a young woman named Kristina. Kristina stands looking out to sea toward her goal to join the Saints in Zion. The wind is blowing against her fiercely, but she does not look back. She is steadfast as she presses forward doing a very hard thing, but one she knows to be right. I love that statue, for to me Kristina represents my own Danish great-great-grandmother who chose to join the Church amid great resistance. I am grateful for her courage and testimony. On her choice that day rested not only my eternal destiny but also the destiny of generations.

It is interesting how many families in U.S.A. wards have ancestors from Denmark.  It is a significant number.  I am not sure if the Danes in the Church understand what a great impact all of the early Danish Mormon immigrants had on all of the succeeding generations.

They must have been a very hardy people.

 The good news today is that the brownies turned out well.  Now just the usual questions need to be answered:  Will there be enough?  Will there be too much?  Will anyone like it?  What a funny thing for a missionary to think about.

....I'm off to bed....Tomorrow is looming!

The Oldest Kingdom

As I sit at the computer, the sun is slowly slowly sinking - reflecting fire off the glass windows of the high-rise across the lake.  It is always breath-taking.

This week, the Church in Denmark is celebrating the tenth year since the Copenhagen Temple was dedicated.  We have been asked to attend the temple as many times as we possibly can this week.  We spent 5 hours there today and will do something similar on Friday.  There will be things all week commemorating the temple.

There is an open house at the church near the temple....which will help people understand the purpose of the temple in our lives.  It is a symbol of our faith in Christ, His love for each of His children, and His desire that every single one have the opportunity to receive the saving ordinances of the Gospel.

Our branch president's mother has been doing a great deal of family history and had many names ready to go to the temple.  SK drove out to her apartment to pick up some names who needed the work done.  She was delighted to send them with him.

After entering the temple, changing, and sitting down to wait for the session to begin, I looked over the card in my hand.  It had the name of a woman born in 1832 here in Denmark.  I am always intrigued by the name on the card and wonder who she was, what life was like for her, and if she is aware of life here now.

What drew my interest today was the name and address of the preparer of the card, our friend.  The address was a typical Danish address with city and zip code.  But the last line didn't just say "Denmark" or "Danmark" but "The Kingdom of Denmark."  Doesn't that sound like a fairy tale?

Actually, one of the tourist slogans says:  "Denmark - the Oldest Kingdom in the World."  I googled it, and it is arguable whether or not it is THE oldest, but if it isn't, it is right up there with the longest continuous succcession of monarchs...lasting well over a thousand years.  That sounds like stability to me.

Would you believe this old fortress facade is part of a beautiful playground?

Perhaps one reminder of that is the little crown logo everywhere.  It is charming and adds to the enchantment of this beautiful little country.  Throughout Danmark there is also a lovely variety of castles which at one time or another have served as residences for the royal family, and which are magnificent places to visit, beginning with the grounds.

Danmark's parliament runs the country, but Queen Margarethe II is loved and respected and a wonderful symbol of what Denmark has been and is.

After our beautiful day in the temple, we walked across the street from our apartment to a little Turkish restaurant and had dinner.  It was SK's first time there....I have been a couple of other times with other senior missionaries.  He enjoyed every bit of that dinner....including a few bites of mine....more than I can describe.  His comment about the place:  "I've been waiting a long time to go there, and it exceeded my expectations!"

This is from a man who is master of the understatement.  Normally when he says a meal is "fine" it means it was very good...."decent" means it was better than usual, and "pretty decent" means that is was fantastic!

Just another day in our little kingdom.

This is a typical sight....I snapped it from the bus window.  Young women strolling their charges from the child-care centers.....each stroller holds 4.

The beautiful lake with near glass-like surface towards sundown.

Random Thoughts on a Rainy Day

The weather report said that we would have dense fog this morning, but by the time I opened the blinds to look, it was just a light mist.  As excited as I was to see the fog, the mist hovering over the water was lovely.  This ever-changing weather is such a treat!  It was raining by the time we left our apartment at noon, sunny with clouds when we went to the center, and cool and damp when we came home this evening.

I have questioned many Danes about how hot it will get in mid summer, and several have told me that it can get pretty hot....but what does that mean?  The record high is 88 with humidity averaging up to 76.  I suspect that could be uncomfortable, especially in a place with no air-conditioning.

I know what you are thinking....."She has lived in Gilbert for nearly 40 years with temperatures frequently 115 and above and she is whining about 88?"  I know it is difficult to understand, but yes....I don't relish humidity/high temperatures.  So I hope a good fan will get me through.

We are trying to get several things done around the apartment little by little.  Last week I got several windows washed, and and decided to work on a few more today." My goal was to get all the windows at the front of the apartment finished today.  SK decided to help and so came out to watch to "see how it is done."  He stood watching in his long-sleeved white shirt and slacks.  A woman from another apartment walked by and after just a few seconds came back...observed... and then commented "The woman works and the man just watches."

That got us both laughing, and then SK went to work with great determination.

We went to Denmark's largest indoor mall today.  It is called Fields.  It was huge.  We only had an hour to cruise around.  We had heard that there was a very large warehouse store with good prices.  We were shocked to see how very large the mall and the store were.  We spent most of our hour in that store and decided that we will try to do most of our center shopping there this week.  So we will go back Wednesday.

It was fun to see it, and to see all of the lovely shops and stores....it looks much more like American shopping.  But it was so big.  I think I prefer all of the little shops on the  main streets here.  It may take several visits to get used to it.

We had a very enthusiastic dad speak to the YSAs about family history.  I think he convinced several that they ought to invest a small amount of time weekly to do extractions.  I'm sure it would enrich their lives.  I am going to start up again......

I had a great visit with a lovely young woman this evening about her future.  She has a heavy schedule right now with school and upcoming exams and there are many other things weighing on her mind.  But her faith shines through and I love to hear the way she expresses it.  She is very wise.

We have a young man who just returned home from his mission in England.  He will have about a month or a little longer with his brother who will be leaving on his mission this summer.  They look like brothers, and they are both handsome and kind.  They are exceptional young men.  \

The brother who just returned spent at least 20 minutes with me this evening, speaking Danish.  He was so patient!  He talked slowly and distinctly, yet conversationally.  It was really really helpful.  When he said something I didn't understand, he rephrased it - in Danish.  It was such a kind thing for a young man to do (especially when there are beautiful young women in the room.)

We got to sing our very short "Happy Birthday" song to Kimball, we got to see little Rebekah for 5 minutes and watch her yawn and stretch, and now it is time to head to bed.

It has been a beautiful day.

Delighting in Fatness....the Spiritual Kind, of Course

Our little branch had an attendance in sacrament meeting today of 63!  This is significant.  The stake presidency visits every ward and branch twice a year, and this was one of those days.  Our Stake President wasn't there but both of his counselors spoke, as well as a member of the stake young women presidency.

It was one of those wonderful Eureka! days at church where every talk was magnificent.....and we had an investigator!  Well....kind of.  She is a student at one of the local universities studying to be a teacher.  Part of the requirements is to do an indepth study of local religions so that you will be sensitive to students in your classroom from those religions.

She had gone online and read much on the lds.org website, and had come to our meeting because it was close to her home.  I sat beside her and she sang the hymns and listened attentively.  I explained some things to her.  We got her some information and a Book of Mormon.

She also attended Sunday School class which I thought was great.  I have hardly ever gone to a Sunday School class that I didn't enjoy.  Then she left.

She will give her presentation on our church on Wednesday.  I told her that if she remembered nothing else to remember how important the family unit is to us and to remember that we believe in Jesus Christ and His power to save.  I hope that she felt the spirit at some point during the meeting and that she left with a positive feeling about what she saw and heard.

Sister Swena prepared a meal for the 6 senior missionaries and 2 young elders from our ward.  She fixed a feast!  She roasted Cornish game hens and served them with rice/jasmine rice/black rice and a sauce that takes at least two days to put together (and it tasted like it....it was amazing....and the best sauce either SK or I had ever tasted!)  We all sat together in their beautiful apartment with flowers in profusion on the bushes just outside and the lake beyond.

Sister Swena and the feast she has prepared.

The sauce on the chicken and the rice had pine nuts and several kinds of mushrooms and chestnuts.  Wow...it was amazing.

Our 2 young elders....that are amazing young men.

When we had finished eating, the young elders gave a spiritual thought and prayer.  They talked to us about personal revelation and asked us to share our experiences.  That was a spiritual feast!  It was such a lovely way to finish up a very special dinner.

The day ended at the center with several of our YSAs watching the CES Broadcast from 2 weeks ago with Elder Ballard.  It was outstanding.  If you have any teens in your life, please watch it and let them watch.  He was eloquent about their role in the coming years, about the Twelve and who they are and what they are about (that was both funny and profound), and about 3 very real battlefields for the souls of men.
https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/ces-devotionals/2014/05?lang=eng

Another day of spiritual and physical feasting.  Too bad the physical feasting involves calories!

Cygnets - Would You Call Them Ugly Ducklings?

What a beautiful Saturday to get things done!  I washed half of the windows on the lower story of the apartment and mopped and organized things.  We will have to hire someone to come and wash the windows on the upper level....they are pretty high...even if I had a ladder.

SK helped out at the temple this morning.  I could have gone with him, but we have a leak from somewhere up above us.  We awoke with a small puddle of water on the tile in the living room.  SK visited our neighbors upstairs and using his best Danish tried to find the source of the leak.  But he was unsuccessful with people being gone for the weekend.

This is a holiday weekend.  Did I tell you that yesterday was "Store Beder Day?" ...Great Prayer Day.  It is a very interesting holiday when there is no mail and most of the stores are closed.  Everyone does something like go to the park and barbecue.  I asked everyone what they were praying for and was met with friendly laughter.

The holiday is actually a conglomeration of many lesser holidays from a few hundred years ago.  They were all grouped together and called Great Prayer Day.  It does seem to me like a great opportunity to come together and pray.  But then, the mission is doing that anyway....all month.  We are praying for a hastening of the work.  I know our prayers will be heard and answered.

Back to the leak....I stayed home and baby-sat it.  SK and I had our kitchen ceiling cave in years ago when the air-conditioner leaked and weakened the ceiling.  Erin thought it was pretty amazing...the noise and the mess.  I would rather not have that happen here.

After making some phone calls we got some good information and it will all be taken care of.

I had the windows open while I was mopping and I heard some friendly banter in English....Indians from India English (I love they way the speak!) and then I heard the word "missionary."  I went over to the window and the Thornes were on their little balcony...which is level with the sidwalk, talking over the hedge to a couple who were strolling around the lake path.

It was so cute!  They were doing missionary work off their balcony!  I love it.

We took an afternoon walk, did some grocery shopping, came home and did some studying and then went for an evening walk.  We were eager to see the baby swans again.  We watched as the mom and dad carefully herded them into the water.  They bobbed along close to their mother while the proud father stayed close.

This is a poor substitute to holding new little Rebekah, but it is the best we have right now.  They are cute.

Did you know that a baby swan is called a cygnet?  There is still an egg there that hasn't hatched, and the mother seems unconcerned....she and the triplets went for a swim, totally abandoning this egg!

Oh Baby!

SK is sunburned!  His face and forehead are getting redder as the day deepens into night.  It didn't occur to us that we might need to use sunscreen.

Our branch had a picnic/barbecue today in a lovely park on the island of Amager.  That is also the island where our church is.  We took a bus ride to the train station and then from there a beautiful ride past neighborhoods, industrial areas, hotels/golf courses and high-rise modern apartment buildings with surrounding parks.

With a 20 minute walk we arrived at an area not far from the sea with trees, grassy areas, bbq pits and picnic tables where we spent several hours with the people from our branch.  We played a game that is a viking game....one which I hope to take home for family reunions and which is quite simple to learn.  It is also one just about anyone can participate in.  The real viking game from centuries ago involved throwing axes.....you'll be happy to know that it has evolved to a much safer game.

I admire and love so many of the sweet people from that little branch.  It is a joy to participate in activities with them....especially the social/kick back and relax ones.  There are several strong families that have been in the branch for generations.

One sister Ellen is a wife, mother and grandmother...maybe even a great grandmother.  She teaches Relief Society and does a marvelous job with the lessons.  She is a great source of information about the history of Copenhagen.  She is ALWAYS working on a project of one sort or another that is extremely beneficial to her family or the branch.

Each member has a story, and each one is an important part of the branch.

One week ago today...beautiful little Rebekah came into the world....and the world will never be the same for her parents, sister, grandparents (us).  You can see why.

What a shining light!  Can you even look at that picture and not smile?  Thanks to her parents camera skills, and her other grandma's amazing photography we are seeing her.  But we are dying to hold her close.

This afternoon we took a walk around the lake and discovered that our swan couple's eggs have hatched!  We stepped closer to the water and snapped all the pictures we could.  As we stood there delightedly watching, people out for a walk passed by....and nearly every single one stopped and took pictures.  Everyone enjoys seeing little ones.

The father swan stood at attention the whole time we were there, and was in the same place an hour later when we walked by there again.  I wonder what he would do if someone got too close.....for that matter I wonder what he would do if a predator got too near.  He has a mean hiss...but how would he protect his little family?