Deja Vu....or Has it Really Been a Year?

Just about a year ago at this time, we had a missionary zone conference where we helped our mission president's wife serve 60 missionaries a Thanksgiving dinner.  She is amazing and always cooking for someone coming to Denmark, or someone leaving Denmark.  She is not content to merely feed those individuals though....if a senior couple is coming or leaving, she invites all the senior couples in the area to join them.  That is usually about a dozen.

Our zone conference/Thanksgiving dinner was today and Sister Sederholm was with us.  She got in from America about an hour before we served the meal.  Her daughter gave birth to a baby boy 3 weeks ago, and he has had a few health challenges.  Sister Sederholm was given permission to go home for a week to help her daughter....whom, I am certain was so very grateful.

So Sister Thorne took the lead in getting the meal underway.  She cooked a turkey, made enough dressing for 60, made 2 cranberry salad, cooked a large pot of potatoes, made a couple of large pans of sweet potatoes, and did all of the shopping for the meal, including 2 large carrot cake sheet cakes.  Sister Hamblin cooked a turkey and made some cranberry salad. SK went to the center, stuffed a turkey and baked it there.  Here in our apartment, I cooked a turkey, cooked a large pot of potatoes and mashed them and made a large pan of sweet potato casserole.

We left for the church at 10, and with help from another senior couple and Sister Sederholm frantically worked until the missionaries took their lunch break from the conference.  The church is small, so they had to set up tables quickly in the chapel/cultural hall where they were meeting.  We served from tables set up in the foyer.

It was lovely all being together sharing a Thanksgiving dinner.  It was even lovelier afterward to watch a talent show that was put on by the missionaries.  This happens once a year...in November, and I remember last year being positively amazed at the talent and fun these young people have.

Two young elders were the emcees and they were hilarious.  There were musical numbers, skits, dances and a lot of fun.  I was sorry to say goodbye to one of the young sisters who has now completed her 18 months here.  She has been a wonderful missionary, and has done good things here in Denmark.

Here is a short video clip of a portion of the happy birthday song they missionaries sing to all who have birthdays within the month.

After the great and wonderful talent show, we cleaned the kitchen, collected the carcasses of 2 of the turkeys for turkey soup at the center....maybe.  We came home, I put the bones and stuff in a large pot and it is boiling happily away.

I am tired.....I am sure that Sister Thorne is exhausted.

Tomorrow I will think about a menu for Thursday.  Something easy I think.  Melissa....are you there?