Inching closer to the Big Day - And We still Have Shopping to Do!

Rain and wind made for an exciting trip to a town about 2 hours from here this morning.  We traveled there to inspect another missionary apartment.  Elder Peterson and Elder Zeweiki live on the third floor of an apartment building.  The first floor houses a small "church" for the branch there.  It is a lovely little place, and serves the branch of about 15 members who attend weekly.  In the summer, since it is closer to the German border, it can swell by as many as 50 members who have come to Denmark on vacation.

The only other tenant in the building is the landlord who lives one story up from the missionaries.  This was the third time we have inspected this apartment, and each time it has looked very different...reflecting the young men who live there.  I am always always always struck by how very young they are to be so far from home, living on their own and learning so much as they serve the Lord.  They express great faith in the Savior and a willingness to work.

Both young men were in their white shirts and ties with name badges.  They had plugged their Christmas lights in which were strung around the window and all around a small pile of wrapped Christmas gifts.  They were a little apprehensive ... as usual about if the apartment would pass muster.  It mostly did.  Their beds were neatly made, their closets pretty much tidy, the kitchen...well, the kitchen needed some surface cleaning, but not much.  I looked in their little food closet and was amused to see candy and a few other items.  They had more real food in the refrigerator.

We talked a little while and after going through the apartment, we took them to a kebab place for lunch.  That was fun.  They seemed genuinely excited about it.  I don't think it happens often here, as opposed to Arizona, where missionaries have dinner appointments every night of the week.

Another drive through the rain home and then we went to the center.  SK commented about how fun it is at home in Arizona to drive in the rain (not to mention so rare!), but it made him just a little nervous today with the semis on the freeway and the amount of rain that was pelting down on us.

At the center, I visited for nearly two hours with a sweet young woman about life, etc before anyone else came.  She is 19 and really very wise, with amazing insights into the gospel and the application of the gospel.  I know I was nowhere near that insightful when I was that age.

We had a great message from our young president Morten, and then played a game that had everyone laughing.  We ended up with hot chocolate - again - left over from Saturday, but it was an almost entirely different group from Saturday.

They each had a sign of an animal to make which they had to be ready to make on cue and then make someone else's sign.  It was pretty funny....elephant nosies, moose, cows, kittens....and they were going the rounds fast.  People were being eliminated pretty quickly.

After everyone left another young woman sat in the kitchen with me for an hour and we talked about - boys!  Well, young men to be precise.  She has a crush on one guy who comes to the center....and she is dying to make her feelings known, but she is so unsure about his reaction.

Spiritually, she is amazing and so mature, but when we talk about boys, I am reminded about how young she is.  I have nearly forgotten that nervous feeling of being around someone you really like, and how frightening it is to hope he pays attention to you at the same time you hope he doesn't.  I am sworn to secrecy, so I can't intervene, but she is so cute, I hope she is able to figure out a way to spend a little time with him to see if there is anything there.

Just between you and me, I am glad that I don't have that to worry about!