Grand (and I do mean grand) Opening

Our day began with baking another batch of cookies, followed by a very large batch of meatballs, followed by an enormous amount of sour cream puffs.  I was so grateful for Erin and Ethan who helped in so many ways.  They went with SK to do some grocery shopping and to find a very large piece of oil cloth to cover the pool table and they stood in the kitchen helping with all the food.

SK and Ethan doing the shopping.

 I stopped to shower and clean up around 1:30 and rushed to be ready to leave for the center. SK dropped me off with the food and he and Erin and Ethan went to the temple.  I was so glad they were able to go, because it is such a lovely temple.

In the meantime, we had several young people arrive around 4 to help get the food on.  They  washed fruit, chopped and assembled various kinds of finger foods. They were wonderful.  Ann Marie is the secretary of the institute and she pretty much came up with the whole menu for tonight.  It was pretty much spectacular and I think everyone felt that it was an extra special meal for a grand opening.

We had well over 70, including all the young missionaries and the stake presidency and their wives. That is a lot of people!   Brother Andersen managed to get 60 chairs set up despite the pool table, piano, book shelves and other important items.  The hallway is narrow, and the kitchen is small and it seemed like we were wall to wall people, but everyone seemed to enjoy being there.

The program started at 7 and ended around 8:30 and there were about 15 of us standing out in the hall.  By the time the day was over, I figured that I had been on my feet for about 9 hours and my back and legs are complaining.

When the last YSA left the center, it was late, and there were quite a few dishes to be done.  So Erin and Ethan and I cleaned up, while SK vacuumed.  

SK and I will go early on Monday to clean.  That is on our list of responsibilities now, so it is a good thing it is small!  We will be at the center more starting next week.  Brother Andersen felt it would be a great idea to have the center open every day from 10 to 10, and the YSAs heartily approve.  It
would be a wonderful thing if the center were used more.

The new center is in a super location, close to everything downtown Copenhagen.  Missionaries can drop in with an investigator to teach a lesson, students can come between classes, and people can take a break from work and just go to the center to spend 30 minutes....or an hour.  This is a good thing.

Tomorrow is our last day with Erin and Ethan.  We are planning to see the castle in Frederiksborg.  It is the palace where the beautiful paintings of Carl Bloch hang.  SK wants to be up and off by 9.  It is after midnight now, and I hope to be able to do that.

I spent precious time tonight with Marie- a delightful young law student, Jennifer- a wonderful young woman who sounds like she is American, Joakim- a good young man who translated the whole meeting for me and others, Heidi- who is a beautiful example of her testimony, Natalia- who has such a nice outlook and so much wisdom.  I spoke with many others, but I so treasure that time with my young friends.

One of our young men is worried about his mother's health.  She has just been hospitalized with a possible scary diagnosis and my heart hurt for him.  They will find out tomorrow what it actually is, and I hope and pray that it will be alright.

I think Erin and Ethan fell in love with all of them.  I know they have fallen in love with Denmark.  Why not!  It was inevitable.