Cloudy With a Chance of Swedish Meatballs

It took me awhile to finish laundry, clean up the kitchen from all the baking yesterday and pack...it was late, and then up again at 6.  As we walked out to the car in the far parking lot, we thought the mist floating over around and through everything was hauntingly lovely.  The fog was pretty far spread...it made ghostly forms out of trees and structures all the way to Gothenburg.  It made for a pleasant drive.
The conference lasted only 6 hours but was so inspiring, with several sessions with varying topics.  One session that was particularly good was taught by a man who looked to be about 15, but we later found out that he is in his mid 30s and has 5 kids.  He moved effortlessly from point to point using scriptures to illustrate.
He began by emphasizing how much the Lord loves unity in His people.  There are so many scriptures where the Lord admonishes us to stay away from contention.  I really don't like contention...it always leaves me feeling bad.
I am in our hotel room now, trying to "type" this on SK's little phone....but I'm so grateful that it works for those!  We are so blessed.
It has been a great day in Sweden.

Ps....we found a McDonald's for dinner.  We are both sooo tired....and both so hungry, and it was cold and dark.....and it was within a block's walk from the hotel.  Once again we have realized why we vow to not ever go to a McDonald's - ever again - and this time we really mean it!

I Smell a Rat

First, the discouraging news.....the rats are alive and well and scurrying back and forth outside our windows.  But wait....there may be reason to rethink our opinion of the disgusting litte vermin.  Headlines yesterday hinted that they were not the villains of the Black Plague in Europe hundreds of years ago, as originally thought. The humble little gerbil might be at the heart of the scourge.

I didn't read the article, but thought I would pass that little tidbit on to you.   However, I will stand by my original thoughts about our rat neighbors....they are a scourge on mankind!!!!!

I baked strawberry cupcakes and large chocolate chip cookies for refreshments at the center for this evening's get-together with the 17-year olds of the stake.  This is a yearly occurence, when we invite all of the prospective YSAs to come and see what the program is all about.

We were expecting perhaps a dozen YSAs to come and play host, and 3 teens as guests.  We were shocked to realize at one point that we had closer to 40 total.  We set up tables everywhere and put out every game the center owns.  The noise level got very high from time to time, but with laughter and chatting...alll of it good.  And since there were 2 other parties going on in our building at the same time, we are pretty sure that no one was paying any attention to all the good clean fun we were having.

Several more people were introduced to the game of SET.  I think it is a hit.

We tried to close up around 10, since we have to be up early in the morning to leave for Sweden.  We must be there at noon when the training conference will begin.  I can sleep in the car, but unfortunately for SK....he can't!  We will leave here at 8 a.m. and arrive about the time it is set to begin.  We are looking forward to it.

Everyone was having such a good time that no one really felt ready to leave....and I felt bad to even ask but they were all lovely about it.  It was still 11 p.m. by the time everything was cleaned up...with the help of some of the lovely YSAs.

SK is sound asleep.  I have a load of clothes in the washing machine, and I need to go pack and get to bed myself.

When you hear from me again, we will be in Gothenberg Sweden.

Cookie Anyone?

I stayed up late last night to make carrot cake cookies.......It was the first time I had made them. This morning I frosted them with cream cheese frosting.  I wasn't sure they would turn out, but they were very well received!  The problem with them is that there were only 50 of them, and we had nearly 40 people at the center.

Another problem is that they are really very labor intensive, compared to just making a carrot cake, but they were good enough and popular enough that I will make them again....only I will double the recipe.  The recipe actually made 100 cookies, but I frosted the bottom of one and topped it with another....voila!....sandwich cookies

If you are at all interested, here is the link:

http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/03/carrot-cake-cookies/

The English class went well....with everyone contributing to the discussion.  There are so many topics that it is difficult to narrow down, but we got through most everything I had prepared and still had plenty of time for everyone to share.

With all of the wonderful young people there tonight, I had time to talk  to several to catch up on what they are doing.  It is lovely to find out what is happening in their lives and to hear their thoughts on life and the pursuit of happiness.  They are all probably about as busy as is possible, yet they are able to make it all work.

It makes me so happy when they make time to join everyone at the center.

Happy enough to make those carrot cake cookies again.

A Down Day

Death is never easy.  That parting seems so permanent.  Those I have loved who have left us seem so far away, yet their influence in my life goes on as strongly as if they were present.  But sometimes I long to see their faces, hear their voices and know they are near.

Our day began with a call from my Danish teacher.  Her cousin, someone she has been very close to, died today.  She was understandably upset.  We cancelled the class.  We will remember her and her cousin's family in our prayers.

So - some time opened up for me to do - ironing.  Well....why not....it has to be done.  And it is an opportunity to listen to Sherri Dew.  I listened to a couple of talks by her and one by Jeffery Holland on youtube.  What a wonderful thing.

In the evening we did a home/visiting teaching visit to a young single adult who is here for another 4 months attending law school.  She has been here 2 months and will finish up her formal schooling in Copenhagen before returning to New Zealand to do an internship.

We received some cute letters from grandchildren far away....we cherish the childish handwriting and the spelling and the attempts at written conversation.  In this day, it is a little tedious to sit down with pen and paper to write down thoughts, but at one time it was the best form of communication possible with someone far away, and I believe feelings of the heart were probably much better expressed.

I am writing earlier than usual so that I can go make some carrot cake cookies for tomorrow night's meal.  Speaking of meal, Sister Sederholm, our mission president's wife, asked me to plan and make assignments for zone conference on March 18.  We will have about 60 there.  I will have to look at the recipe again before I commit to it....but I thought Cafe Rio Salads would be tremendous fun.  The pork will be easy, but I am thinking we may have to search for tomatillos and cilantro..... I will try the dried and see how that works.  Just thinking out loud.

That is definitely something to look forward to on this gray and for some - very sad day.

The Best is Yet to Come

We received two letters in the mail today, one from the Taylor children....cute pictures they have colored, and a test from Matthew.  He quizzed us on what we knew about 12-year boys and the exciting progression he is making in church and school.

The other letter was from our mission president.

It is notice of our release date.  Wow!  If we were the sort to get "trunky" - or in otherwords, ready to go home - it would definitely make us more so.  But our sweet president's message gives us encouragement to work harder and make these last 6 months really count.  It is a good reminder that we want to go home feeling like we gave it our best.

Today was a preparation/shopping day for the next few days ahead.  Cleaning, laundry and lesson preparation, not to mention Danish homework were all on our "to-do" list.  We leave bright and early Saturday morning for a training meeting in Sweden and we will be busy the next three nights until late, so we want to have everything ready for each day ahead until then.  Since lunch is here tomorrow, we shopped for that meal, plus supplies to make some things for Thursday evening and snacks for Friday evening when we will have the stake 17-year-olds join YSAs for a game night.

Sometime in the morning, SK brought the mail up to the loft where I was studying.  We read both letters together, then talked about the grandchildren....then our release date.  He thought about it awhile and then put his feet up and closed his eyes.  He looked so comfortable I just had to snap a picture.

In the evening, we had a skype call from a couple in Germany who are our file leaders, so to speak.  They are fairly new in their calling and wanted to get acquainted and also wanted to learn about the Copenhagen YSA program.  We were pleased to hear that we are experiencing a lot of what other couples all over Europe are experiencing in their YSA programs.  They confirmed that we really are serving a dream mission....working with YSAs....it just doesn't get any better than that.

We had brief calls from 2 of our daughters.  Besides having the best mission in the world, it is such a sweet blessing to be able to stay in close contact with our family back in the states.....otherwise I might be longing for home.

And I can't do that until August 28, when we board the plane for Phoenix, Arizona.

Missionaries, Coming and Going

Monday, Monday....ah sweet Monday.  I have always loved Mondays.

We had a little time this morning, so I did some cleaning and some studying for Thursday night's English lesson.  The institute lessons are really fun and challenging.  I enjoy the people who come, and I enjoy their insights....very thoughtful insights into the topics we discuss.  It is apparent that several spend time studying their scriptures.

I went to the center early, and SK went home for awhile .... mostly to park the car....and then walk over.  But he likes to take a nap about that time too.

I did some cleaning at the center, and then did some more studying on my Danish.  While so occupied, one of our young men came....he is a student and he has a very good but involved job and he is the Elder's Quorum president in his ward.  He returned from his mission well over a year ago.  He is kind and thoughtful - and handsome!  A winning combination.  He is currently dating a drop-dead gorgeous young woman and they come to a lot of the goings-on with the YSAs.  They make a very attractive couple....and they complement each other as well in their kindness.  I would love to see them marry, but I guess we will wait and see.

A few others showed up early to hang out, raid the refrigerator and relax.  I turned on the CD player and pushed play....thinking whatever CD was in there would serenade us with soft Sunday music.  (I know it is Monday, but it is an institute of religion!)  What began playing was music from the sixties!!!!!  I laughed out loud....and looked for the cover.  "Soul Music" played through....but I am not sure anyone was impressed with it......but it sounded so familiar to me.

We had an excellent lesson from a guy that served in Greece and has been home for nearly a year.  He must have been a really good missionary....he often shares great quotes and ideas from his journal.  He took detailed notes whenever his mission president or a visiting general authority spoke.  So he recorded what they said and their references to scriptures and conference talks.  I have a feeling that his journal will serve him well for years to come.

A short activity brought peals of laughter.....they stood in a circle and held hands....while someone went into the next room.  Then they tied themselves up in all kinds of knots.  When the person came back in he had to direct them how to untie themselves.  It was pretty funny to watch.

We had an investigator this evening....he seemed like a very nice guy.  I hope he continues to come.

A meeting of the missionary and outreach committee after FHE produced some wonderful planning for future missionary work....one of the best plans presented was a musical fireside on a regular basis....mostly music with a very few short talks.  It would not be threatening, but it would be inspiring.  What's not to love about music?

A young woman who has not been a member for about a year and a half is nearing completion of submitting her papers to serve a mission, so we will probably find out where she is going in another month or so....perhaps about the time of general conference.  I am so happy and flattered that she has asked me to accompany her to the temple for her first visit.

We have two others who will be leaving within the next two months.  I am so excited for them to have the experience and growth that comes by serving in that unique way, but we will miss them.

Pressing Forward

There are few days anymore when we take the bus to church.  As much as I enjoy riding the bus, it is much nicer to ride in a car.  When we take the bus, we have to leave home a little before 9 am, but we don't have to leave until 9:30 now and that extra half hour is truly lovely.

Sister Swena had severe health troubles and had to leave us sometime in November.  I know her companion Sister Hamblin is probably feeling slightly adrift, and the Thornes - as well as Sister Hamblin are sometimes overwhelmed with all the work that is now shared by 3 instead of 4 at the mission office.  I am happy to report that Sister Swena is doing much better.  I don't think she will come back to finish out her mission though.

So in the meantime, we ride in the car when we have meetings.....in a very tight squeeze, we can put 5 in the car, but not six.

Our sacrament meeting, Sunday School and Relief Society/Priesthood were all excellent meetings.  We must have had 60 people there, which was a wonderful turnout.  Our branch president spoke in sacrament meeting.  He is very wise.  He shares personal experiences and personal insights, and I love the way he uses them to teach the Gospel.

I visited with a 90-year-old woman who was born and raised in Holland.  She shared with me that when she was very young, her parents divorced and her mother didn't want her children.  Her father remarried a woman from Scotland who raised my friend and her siblings. This sweet lady took my hand and whispered, "I always had a bible, and I have always believed in Jesus Christ.  So when I heard this is His Church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was baptized.  She is there very week on the front row.  She is an angel and I love her.

SK had a meeting after the block, and didn't get home until 3:30.  We ate dinner and then went to the center for a council meeting at 5.  There was a lengthy agenda and much discussion and planning taking place.  I gulped when they began planning for Golden Days 2015, and I realized that we will be gone by that time in September.  It will happen more and more as time passes.....we will be part of planning events that we will not participate in because we'll be in Gilbert.

Sacrament meeting at the center used "Marriage" as the theme....which has been the theme for all meetings in February.  I loved it.  Both of the YSA speakers, as well as the guest speaker did a lovely job of it, making SK and I both tear up a little bit, and I think most of the 35 in the congregation felt something special there.

After the meeting was over, one of our YSAs (a visiting intern from Mexico....he is studying to be a chef) kind of held court....he is handsome and charming.  Everyone stayed for a good hour after sacrament meeting, but he and the young women who were enjoying his company stayed until 10:30.  It was fun just to watch them have a good time.

This is another week where we will be gone every evening, so it will zip by, and before I know it, I will be sitting here at the computer looking at March!

Learning From Examples, both Young and Old(er)

Our YSAs went to the temple today.  SK normally works there on Saturdays, but today he was with them.  Some did baptisms and some went on a session.


I made my way to the center, walking through the rain.  Ah I love the rain!  The Mary Poppins umbrella and I were quite comfortable.  I love the sound as it plip plops on the surface of the umbrella.  I got to the center, and began preparations to make pancakes and buttermilk syrup.  We thought we might have as many as 12 to 15 show up.  We hadn't planned on serving food but we had all the stuff for the "American" pancakes from Thursday, and so I thought I would use it up...and feed a few people some lunch.

As it turned out, we only had six come.  They all seemed genuinely delighted to have the pancakes, and the syrup was wildly successful.  Well....that is really a no-brainer.  How can you lose with a syrup made with Danish butter (a lot of it), buttermilk, sugar (a lot of it) and wonderful vanilla?  I only made one batch (I put blueberries in them) and they were all eaten, so I made a second batch....of which they ate half.

I debated whether to throw away the batter, or cook up the rest and put in the refrigerator or freezer.  I went ahead and cooked up about a dozen more, and put them in a container.

We were going to watch the most recent world-wide broadcast for young adults, but the guy with the equipment and know-how didn't make it, so after everyone had eaten their fill of pancakes (normally I can't eat more than 3 or 4, but most ate at least double that), SK introduced them all to SET.

This is a game we had when our children were little.  It proved to be completely demoralizing to SK and me, because we could never find the sets, much less win.  Melissa and Lia, while still in elementary school proved to be far faster at finding the sets than we could have ever been.

Erin sent it as a Christmas gift for the center, and we have been introducing it to a few at a time.  These six LOVED it.  I was in the kitchen cleaning up, and it got deathly quiet in the other room.  I tiptoed in and found everyone deeply engrossed.  It doesn't take long to learn or to play....but it taxes your observation abilities.

After everyone left, SK vacuumed, and I cleaned the bathroom and finished up in the kitchen.  I looked around and realized that we would be there tomorrow night for a council meeting and our monthly sacrament meeting, plus Monday night for FHE.  So I decided I had better mop.  That took awhile longer.  I finished up and was just about to get my coat on, when the doorbell rang.

It was two more young men from the temple!  They came at least an hour after everyone had left, but they came when they were finished at the temple, and for them it was that late.  They had stayed and assisted in the baptistry until everyone was done.

They were wrapped up in their winter coats and scarves and underneath, both were dressed in suits and looked like young businessmen.  I had them come in the kitchen and sit down at the table while I heated up the remainder of the pancakes and syrup.  They seemed to love them.

It made both SK and me happy to have them come, even that late, and to have something to feed them, something they enjoyed.  They were hungry.  I think I could have cooked another batch if I had had enough of everything.

Afterwards one of them, Tony....a young man from Sweden sat down at the piano and serenaded us.  He has a marvelous touch and knows all kinds of music by heart.  I hummed a tune for him, and was shocked when he played it back just as I had hummed it....even to the very notes.  He must have perfect pitch, like our son-in-law Derek.  You can sing a note, and he will tell you what the note is!

We spent about an hour with them total, and loved it.  We were so glad that we had stayed that little bit of extra time.

On a side note, there is a sweet brother that is in the temple every day.  He is probably in his mid 80s to early 90s.  He is always alert, and seems very spry.  He is very dedicated about being there, and it always makes me happy to see him.

Yesterday he was on his way home from the temple and fell.  He was in the temple today, both eyes black and with a nasty gash and stitches in the middle of his forehead.  But he stayed and served, as he does every day.

Dedication from our young and from the seniors ..... truly an inspiration.

Mother Love

The only thing wrong with Friday is that it follows Thursday.  Thursdays, even now that I don't have to cook, usually leave me so wasted!  Fridays are our day in the temple, and I love it, but I am always so tired when we serve.  But I ALWAYS feel so much better, happier, at peace, more energetic by the time we leave that beautiful place.

It was a quiet day....and a beautiful one.  I met beautiful woman there today.  I had seen her before, and I couldn't remember where I had met her.  She and her husband stayed for several hours.  Finally, during the last session I remembered where I how I knew her.  She mentioned in one of our conversations that she had spoken with her daughter today....making it sound like her daughter lives far away.  I wondered..... she didn't look quite old enough to have an adult daughter.

That it came to me....her daughter is an adult....a young single adult whose life has intersected ours a few times.  We first met her daughter Katarine at Temple Square in Salt Lake the summer before we came to Denmark.  She was serving a mission there and wearing the Danish flag on her nametag.  We had searched for the Danish missionary there and were excited to meet her and talk about our upcoming mission.  We were struck by her poise, charm, kindness and gorgeous smile.  We said goodbye - hoping that we might see her again in Copenhagen, but we thought it unlikely.

Her family lives on Jutland, and she did go home to her family, but came to Copenhagen - and the center last winter.  We were elated to see her again.  She is in law school here.  Sometime later she began attending our little branch.  What a wonderful addition to our branch!  She began bringing people she knew....first her landlord and then other friends who were not LDS.  Then she began bringing a beautiful young woman we adore.  So we made some wonderful friends because of Katarine.

She is now serving an internship in Belgium.  I know she will be an excellent international attorney.  She is interested in diplomatic law, or something close.  She is an amazing young woman.

Meeting her mother again tonight reminded me again of my first impressions when I met her.  Katarine is a younger version of her mother....both have a ready and radiant smile....both speak with ease in Danish or English.....both communicate openly and graciously.  Both have a gentle manner yet strong sense of self.  Each is a quiet reflection of her deep and abiding faith in the Savior.

What a sweet blessing for that mother to see her daughter....having embraced all that the mother loves and holds dear....taking her place in the world....standing strong for what is right and good.

Could a mother possibly hope for more?   (did I mention grandchildren?)

The Greatest Mission in the World

It was to have been a pancake extravaganza!  Kasper was going to make Danish pancakes....which is suspiciously much like what we call crepes.  And I was going to make American pancakes.

I left for the center an hour earlier than usual.  While SK went shopping with Kasper, I mixed up as much as I could of the pancakes, without adding the liquids.  This I thought would make it possible to leave as much room as possible for Kasper to work his magic.  I was just starting on the buttermilk syrup when Kasper called to say that one of our YSAs, Victoria was bringing extra food from her work.  She works for a caterer and some days there is a lot of food left over.

Today there was a LOT.  It was a wide variety of salads, baked pork and baked fish.  What a feast! And how very kind of Victoria and her boss.  It was quite lovely, but I have a lot of buttermilk - as well as all the dry ingredients for a big batch of pancakes all mixed together.  I am thinking that I will serve it Saturday at the center for anyone who shows up after the YSA temple day.

I think most are unfamiliar with American pancakes, so it may be an interesting experience for them. It sounds kind of fun!

I had six people in my English-speaking institute class this evening, and it was the perfect number to have some really good discussions.  There were thoughtful comments and good questions.  I thoroughly enjoyed the give and take.  We are studying the D&C, and although I covered 5 sections, we didn't get off the first page of my outline.  But I felt like we covered enough.

After class, we had the pancake cake Kasper had put together.  He stacked about 10  crepes on a large plate with a cream filling, bananas, crushed macaroons (not at all what you think of when I say macaroons....they are a very crunchy, light and airy confection that when crushed and smothered in cream doesn't lose their crunch.) and chocolate.  Then it was sliced like a cake.

After class I visited with several of the young adults.  They are so wonderful.  One young woman was recently baptized and told us her conversion story.  She has had some difficult times in her life, but has a loving and supportive family. Her teeth didn't come together in front....only the back ones touched.  Corrective surgery was advised that would involve some major reconstruction of the jaws.
The doctor advised her that some people never wake up from the surgery.  She felt somewhere in her heart that that would be nice....to be with God....and no more pain.

She has always known there was a God and that there was a place for her where He lives.  But she didn't know much else about Him, and felt such a keen sense of frustration and alienation.  She prayed - a lot.  She came to Copenhagen for the surgery and was here for a couple of weeks recuperating.  During that time, she decided that she would live, and she would be as happy as she could possibly be.  She often soothed herself to sleep thinking "God loves me more than I can imagine, and all He wants is for me to be happy.

One afternoon, she was sitting on a bench, when two young elders approached her.  The talked a little bit about life in general, why the young men were here in Denmark and their church.  Then one of them said to her, "I testify to you that God loves you more than you can know, and all He wants is for you to be happy."

She had already felt something very special about what they shared with her, but that touched her deeply.  They made other appointments and taught her, and her heart drank up the messages.  She is so happy now.  She beams joy.  She said she can't imagine being on a mission because she is so shy about talking to strangers....but her heart is so full of gratitude that she feels it is one way to show it to our Father in Heaven....so she is entertaining the idea of serving.

Doesn't that make you want to hug a missionary??????

We left about midnight to walk/ride the bus home.  As usual, there were a lot of people out.  As we walked by the town square, the mournful toll of bells rang out their hourly tune.  (They ring out every fifteen minutes....but the toll on the hour is longer.)

This is the greatest mission in the world.

100 Years and Counting.....Great Blessings From Above

I hurried across town, walking and on the bus to get to my Danish class, arriving exactly on the dot of the correct time.  Unfortunately....I am not like SK, and I push the limit sometimes.  Two more came after I did, so I was not the last there.  It felt good though to take that route....it is the way we used to go to the old center.

The class was intense....she works us pretty hard in that 3 hour time block, but it is paying off for me.  I feel like I am getting it, and understanding more.  She is a great teacher and I enjoy her and the interaction with the three temple sisters.  Actually we all work in the temple, but three of them are missionaries called to serve in the temple...if you count the temple matron as one.  Our teacher is a permanent resident here and serves in the temple, and of course I was not called to a temple mission. It is something I can do when I am not busy with the YSA program.

 We went visiting teaching/home teaching this evening in Amager.  We visited with a woman who works for the Church...in the translation department.  She also translates often for sacrament meeting and relief society.  I am continually in awe of the people who translate well because it calls for someone who can simultaneously listen and speak.....spewing out another language in the process.  She is excellent.

We sat with her in her cozy apartment for 45 minutes or so.  It was a sweet visit.  We gave her both messages for the month and talked of many things.  This was our first visit with her....I know I will enjoy the coming months' visits.  Her name is Anne...pronouced Anna.....another reminder of my little granddaughter.

On this day in 1915, my favorite aunt was born.  She was my mother's older sister and she took that role seriously throughout her long life.  She looked after her 4 younger siblings until the day she died. She loved people and people loved her.  When my mother passed away, she became the closest thing to my mother, and I looked to her for wisdom and supportive maternal love.  She was the dearest of friends.

Oddly enough, 4 years later, (2 years after my mother's birth) a younger sister was born on February 18.

And then, 39 years ago, Erin was born.

"Congratulations!" the doctor said, "You have a beautiful little girl."
I raised my head off the pillow in confusion and said, "What?"
In those days before routine ultrasounds and sonograms, we were planning on having another son...a little brother for our little boy.  I felt keen disappointment.
The doctor put her on the table beside me.....I looked at her and something burst inside of me.  I fell head over heels in love with that beautiful little girl.

All these many years later, I still feel that same sense of wonder and delight about Erin.
I watched her as a sweet little toddler exploring her world, a small child trailing after her brother, a girl - graceful as a little fawn - long-legged and slim who loved to dance and play outside in the irrigation. I watched the teen years, which she negotiated with seeming ease, and then young womanhood.   I see a strong woman - a wife and mother - facing the future with faith, hope and a desire to serve others.

I respect, admire and greatly love this beautiful woman.....who came to us those many years ago fresh from God.

Happy Birthday Erin!

In the Misty Mists

You know of course that the best thing about really cold weather is being inside looking out.  It makes everything about being inside better.  And for the better part of the day we were inside.

I have Danish homework to do!  I am unsure about where these weeks are going, but they are going much too fast for my taste....even long leisurely days like today.  I am also working on the lesson for Institute Thursday evening.   We are covering several chapters in the Doctrine and Covenants....and I am pretty much free to choose which of the many verses to talk about.  There is a great variety of topics and I love the ones that seemed to jump out at me.

I have relished that study and have enjoyed sitting in the loft looking out over the misty lake.  The days have been grayed with ever-so-slight a fog just hovering over everything.  I am not sure weather ever stops anyone here from going anywhere and certainly low 30-ish temperatures are to be expected. I am thinking New York City this past week would have been miserable with the thermometer descending way below zero.

In the early evening, we walked to the train station to catch a train to the Knudsen's apartment across town.  They are the couple who feed the senior missionaries once a month, and the younger missionaries on another night once a month.  It is always a feast.  We have never had the same thing twice.  He is a marvelous cook, and we are in awe about what comes out of his little kitchen...

One thing in their apartment that I have long admired is the charming little wooden Nyhavn on the wall.  I am determined to find something like it to hang in our home in Arizona.  Of all the tourist sights from Copenhagen, that is one of the most recognizable and beloved.

SK is not one to ever be late, but sometimes in his eagerness to be on time, he gets us to places a trifle early.  We arrived 45 minutes early this evening (even 5 minutes early just isn't done here!), so we walked several blocks from the train station and entered a very large cemetery.

Even as we walked along the street toward the graveyard, I was amazed at the stillness.  Our footsteps echoed out over the sidewalks and across the neighborhood of old brick 10-story apartment buildings which looked somewhat bleak in the fading light.  There were few other pedestrians and an occasional bicyclist.  One runner passed by us....we heard the thud thud of his footsteps as he approached from behind and then went around us....fading into nothing as he disappeared in the mists.

The bare-limbed trees were majestic.  As we went past a copse of trees, about 20 large birds burst out of the trees....the noise of their flapping wings sounding nearly deafening in that setting.  There was something hauntingly beautiful about the time and place....not eerie or frightening....a feeling of timelessness and peace.

After dinner, we returned to the train station.  When we first climbed to the platform there were few other people waiting.....and the stillness of the moment once again just caught my attention.  It wasn't long before many others were there, and then the trains.  After a 15 minute wait, we were aboard our train speeding back to the city center.

Another 10-minute walk to our apartment made entering to the warmth sheer joy!  Have I mentioned how much I love this city/country?

Planning Ahead

Life continues normally here.  It almost seemed like there were more people out riding bicycles and walking than usual, but everyone was busy trying to get somewhere.  We were too!  It was really cold today.....probably about 33 degrees, but it felt much colder.  It was probably that icy wind from the sea that blows right through me and all the layers of clothing.

We took a ride out to IKEA this morning in search of cheap bins to keep flour and sugar in at the center.  We struck out, but as luck would have it, McDonalds was right next door and we thought a hamburger sounded good.  I know what you are thinking:  "What are they thinking?....Hamburger sounds good?  yes....but McDonalds hamburger sounds good??......No."

Chalk it up to the cold weather and hunger.  We each got a deluxe hamburger, french fries and a soft drink....thirty dollars later, we decided that we would not darken a McDonald's doorway here in Denmark again.  There are too many other great places with good food for less than that.

We walked to the center, and even I was cold.  We were grateful to arrive and enter the center where the heaters were working beautifully.  It took lesson material to work on and Danish homework as well, but we are seldom alone for long there.  One of the YSAs arrived soon after we did and I sat with her and talked for a long time.

She has been sick and unable to come but I hope that will all be better soon.  Our numbers were down this evening, perhaps because of the cold weather, or perhaps because of the shootings over the weekend, or perhaps sickness or school or work.  Who knows?

But the ones who were there had a grand time.  There was a brief message about the month's theme (marriage) and then a "speed-dating" activity.  The room loudly buzzed with all the animated conversations going on.  I think there were several who may have been a little uncomfortable with that, but once they sat down across from someone and began asking and answering questions, everyone seemed to do just fine.

I had a great conversation with a guy who returned from a mission in Mesa Arizona a year ago.  He is so very nice and kind and handsome....I know some lucky girl will be very blessed to marry him.  He absolutely loved his mission and the missionary work.  I can tell he was excellent.  Since returning home to Denmark he has gone out many times with the full-time elders here.  He says he stops people on the street and tells them he has 2 friends right here who would love to share a special message with them.

He is heading up the outreach committee....and he has some tremendous ideas for helping people to join us at the center and in church.  One of his ideas that I love is having a monthly Sunday night fireside that will be 80% music and 20% inspirational messages.  We will invite all the YSAs to come and participate and bring a friend.  I think it has marvelous potential.  Let's see....is there anyone I know that could give us some helpful suggestions....Melissa and my dear sister????

One of his very favorite foods from Arizona was biscuits and gravy!!!!  Melissa....I hope you don't mind, but I kind of promised him that when my daughter came to visit, we would have him come to a biscuits and gravy dinner.  He would think he was in heaven.

We ended up staying until midnight just talking.  I love those conversations....mostly because I love these young people.  Many face much uncertainty in their lives, but nearly all are trying to live up to the truths they know, and they are facing the future with faith.

A very cold walk to the bus stop and then a 10-minute wait for the next bus left us both shivering.  I am sitting here under a warm fuzzy quilt...if it weren't so late I would be sipping hot chocolate!

As it is.....I think I'll just say goodnight and tuck myself into a warm bed.

“A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on.”

I awakened around 4:30 a.m. this morning and as usual, listened to the stillness.  It has always amazed me that we live in this large city, yet nights are as quiet as Gilbert nights were so many years ago (except for the occasional drunks on their way home from the Danish bars in the early hours of the weekends).  However this morning, the silence was disrupted by sirens and then helicopters.....not loud, but distant.  I fell back asleep.

We received an email from our son-in-law this morning asking about the shootings in Copenhagen, so I went online to check it out and read some of the news reports before time to go to church.  We learned a little more at Church since our branch president is a police officer and he was on call all through our meetings.  Our former branch president works for the transit system and shared with us some of his experiences through the night.

Both shook their heads in wonder.  Both had been up through much of the night.  One train station had been completely shut down as police forces did a thorough search.  You may have read the same reports we did.....Law enforcement officers in full armor and heavy-duty vehicles were out throughout the night.  Roads were closed off and areas sealed off for a time.

Except for the sirens and helicopters, we saw and heard nothing that would even hint at the fact that the peace of this beautiful city has been broken.  It is because Copenhagen is so very peaceful that this is shocking.  People at church said that this is the worst incident of its kind since World War II.  I think it would have not been so jarring had it occurred in other major cities around the world.

This morning, bicyclists and pedestrians were out as on every other morning.  The city still feels the same....people going about their daily routines.  I am certain that this will continue.  We feel no different about being here and doing what we love to do....walking all over this beautiful place.

The Danes have a wonderful country and they will do whatever it takes to keep it a haven for people who want a progressive, free and peaceful place to live.  I know the police force is on high alert to see that this doesn't happen again.

The lakes outside our windows are the border between Copenhagen and Frederiksberg.  The sites of the shootings were quite a ways north and west of here.  Even in that area, peace is being maintained. Thousands of flowers line the street outside the synagogue from sympathetic Danes....sending a message of solidarity.

Spring will come and people will remember the somberness of these hours, but mostly as a cautionary tale to be a little more vigilant.

On another and entirely happy note, our fairy-tale princess delivered her second child this last week.  He weighed 9 1/2 pounds and he is CUTE!  The new baby, his big brother and their parents came to church today.  Our entire congregation of 40 could hardly pay attention to anything as delighted friends drank in the sight of that one perfect little one.

Later, Christine (his mom) and he entered relief society as we were singing the opening song.  I am not exaggerating when I say that everyone stopped singing to watch them walk by....and there was one loud collective sigh.  Is there anything as beautiful as a newborn quietly sleeping in his mother's arms?

He was wrapped in a cute little fire engine blanket which Erin found for me to present to him! (But you can't see it here.)

Happy Valentine's Day!

SK spent the morning at the temple.  He works in the Baptistry on Saturday mornings.  He was home before noon and we set out to run a few errands, mostly on foot but also on the bus.  He thinks it is too "stinkin cold" to walk all over the city, and I love it.

We stopped in at one of our very favorite chocolate shops (this is Valentine's Day you know).  One of our neighbors happened to be there too....shops around here tend to be very small....this one is probably 12 X 10 feet at the most.  She teased us about chocolate and Valentine's Day...she is a cute lady.  Our young people tell us that it is another "borrowed day" from the Americans.  But it looks like flower and chocolate shops are doing well with this borrowed day.  SK brought some beautiful tulips home that are slowly opening up.

The lady behind the counter said it actually started in Rome with a priest named Valentine.  Well... that may be, but I am sure that the Americans were the ones who turned it into a reason to spend money.  We got a few chocolates that may or may not last a few days.

Since we got back we have been preparing a talk (SK) and a lesson (me).  SK was asked this afternoon to speak in church because someone cancelled.  Naturally, he will speak in Danish, but preparing will cause him some anxiety.  He will check and recheck the grammar and the word usage and will do an excellent job of it......but until it is over he will be justifiably nervous.  If it were me, I'd just prepare and give it in English!  (I guess that is why they don't ask me.)

After an hour or so spent ironing, I think I will actually get into bed before midnight.  Ironing, and maybe I'll indulge in one more chocolate.

Friday the 13th...A Grand Day for a Birthday

I walked to my appointment with the lady who cuts my hair.  She is about my age, with a shock of blonde hair, heavy eye make-up and soooo cute.  She speaks English with a delightful accent...I love the sound of a good recognizable accent.  It is absolutely charming, and I enjoyed listening as she gave me the scoop on all the best places to visit in Denmark.

I don't hear accents like that very often because all of our YSAs are so fluent in English that they have very little accent.  Have I told you that the young people have said that the Americans' accents are "cute."  Hah.  At least the ones who speak Danish have accents.

I am actually doing better in Danish.  More people are speaking to me and understanding my rudimentary Danish.  It happened quite a bit today at the temple.  And I did all that I was asked to do in Danish.  I am hopeful that I will continue to improve....hey.....6 1/2 months is still enough time to improve significantly.

The temple took up the lion's share of the day, but what a way to spend a day.  I love all the people we work with, and all the people who come to attend the temple.  It just recharges us for all activities the rest of the week.

At the end of the day - as I was putting on my coat, a lady approached me and told me that I have a good accent!  If that is true, I owe it to my senior companion...who sounds very good in the language. But it did make my heart happy.

Our son was born 43 years ago today, and like all significant events, it is a day that is seared into my memory...the ride along Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, the cold and gray morn, the stately old university hospital where he was born, the nurses who seemed oblivious to me, my fears and anxieties, the cold shower, the Korean 3rd-year resident who delivered Derek, the epidural that seemed like a miracle, the nursery with so many adorable little dark-skinned 5 and 6 pound babies and then 8 pound Derek......the recovery room in the fading light of day where I lay alone - my head reeling from the events of the day.

What an amazing life-changing day.  We will be eternally grateful for that day and that baby who is now a man, husband, father and dear friend.

Eleven years ago, on Derek's birthday, our little granddaughter Anna joined the family.  She is the third child of Erin and Ethan.  There has hardly been a time at the temple, when I haven't done some kind of temple work for an Anna, Ana, Ann, or Anne.  So she comes to my mind often.  She may share a name with many other Scandinavians, but she is unique.  We love that cute girl and can hardly wait to put our arms around her.

I think I'll go join SK for a couple of Facetime calls!

That it Will Never Come Again.....

Is what makes this day so sweet.

I walked around two of the lakes this morning, said hello to the swans (the teen-aged swan is still not white, completely....should be by Spring), soaked up some of the cold gray day, and hobnobbed with all the walkers/bicycles and generally started out the day with joy.

Elder and Sister Parker left in the afternoon.  They returned to their mission area in northern Jutland.  It has been fun to find out more about what they are doing.  They have been here six months now and are enjoying Denmark as much as I expected they would.  It is a grand place.

Soon after they left SK and I went to the center, choosing to walk.  I don't know what we will do in Arizona in early September....probably melt.  It was probably around 35 degrees with no wind, rain, snow or ice (!!!) and I thought it was just about as nice a day for a walk as possible.

Kasper cooked a wonderful Danish dish tonight.  He makes it look so effortless.  He is always a bundle of energy in the kitchen and accomplishes so much in a short time.  His passion is food and he says he loves to cook, but he is astonishing.  He is the secretary in the stake YM organization and the secretary in the branch elder's quorum, he is organizing activities for the branch YSAs and is involved in planning a large stake YM's activity for the summer.  I don't know where he gets his energy....but we at the center are certainly blessed that he does all he does for us.

I spoke to one young man who is pre-mission.  He has his call and his departure date:  April 9.  He went to the temple last night for the first time, and was beaming tonight when he told me about it.  He expressed disappointment that there were many friends and family members there with him and he felt obligated to hurry out to be with them.  Tomorrow, he said would be much better because he could stay as long as he wanted.

He was so cute!  He is happy that he has a couple of months to attend the temple as often as he can before he leaves on his mission. Every single one of the YSAs that we have known while we have been here have been so ready and are so happy to attend the temple.  It makes me so happy to see them so happy.

In Institute, the teacher just opened it for questions, and as they were asked, wrote them on the board.  The first one was, "How can we develop faith?"  There were about 10 and they were quite varied.  He spent an hour on the first question, guiding us through scriptures and explaining.  In the next half hour he addressed 3 other questions and then closed the class.  It was truly a wonderful lesson, if you can call it that.  There wasn't a regularly scheduled lesson, because this is supposedly a vacation week.

I enjoyed all the questions, comments and answers. I enjoyed visiting with a couple of great young men afterward.....I learn so much from them.  They are smart and kind and so interesting.  One of them....Jonathan manages to tell me something new every time we talk.  It is almost a joke now.  Tonight he told me about chocolate...dark chocolate, milk chocolate and its percentages.  Of course, I was all ears!  The other one told me that the last 6 months of a mission go by much faster.  If that is the case, we better hold on for dear life.  The first 17 months have been a high-speed ride.

But today has been sweet.

Spiritual Confirmations

You know the feeling of entering a class unprepared?  That was me today in our little Danish class.  We have had two weeks since we met together, and we had considerable homework.  I should have gotten it done, but I kept putting it aside for other things and class arrived today before I realized it.

We each were supposed to write about the time we received our testimonies.

That is a difficult assignment even in English.  There wasn't a time...a moment.  It has been a lifetime of experiences with the Spirit...answers to prayers....insights as I read scriptures....an accumulation of small moments that have strengthened my spiritual self.

It was almost impossible for me in Danish....so I used Google Translate and did the best I could from there.  SK was not available at the time.

Mette, our teacher assigned us two pages of Pippi Longstockings (in Danish).  We were to read, study and translate it.  Alas, I waited til this morning to start on it.  The Parkers are still with us, and to tell you the truth we have way too much fun visiting.  A half hour before time to go, I sat down with SK and listened and took notes while he read aloud and translated for me.

In all fairness, I must tell you that even though this is a children's book, even SK has trouble with some of the vocabulary.  He reads through it and translates....and looks up words and then works at getting the meaning of the entire sentence.  So the whole process takes a fair amount of time...more than we had.  We got through a page and a half.

So.....in the Danish class...which is intense....and which lasts for 3 1/2 hours....we ended the time with Pippi.  Everyone was getting tired, and SK was sitting in the car outside waiting for me.  Mette asked who would like to begin....I immediately raised my hand because that is the part SK went over with me.  Unfortunately someone else beat me to it and I was the last to read.

I stumbled through it, and stumbled through the translation.  It was most disheartening.

On a much brighter note we went with the Parkers out to President Sederholm's house to eat dinner with all the senior missionaries in the area in honor of the new missionary couple who just arrived late last night....the Morgens from Idaho.  They are the third couple to serve here as Family Search missionaries....they will spend their days photographing old tomes containing birth, christening, baptism, wedding and death certificates, as well as census records etc.  They were suffering from jet lag, but were delightful company.  At the end of dinner, President Sederholm asked them to bear their testimonies.

Each bore a beautiful and inspiring testimony about Jesus Christ and about the Gospel.  Elder Morgan retired from the secret service after 40 years.  How fascinating is that?  Someone asked if it was an exciting job.  He said, "Go stand outside of any hotel for 4 hour s.  That is how exciting it is."

On a different note:  Monday night at Family Home Evening, we had an investigator who has been looking into the Church for many months.  She has been in her homeland of China for several weeks, and so hasn't been attending the center.

I was wearing the little key necklace which my young (15 years old) Chinese friend had made.  The YSA investigator admired it, and I told her very briefly why keys are meaningful to me.

She responded that she knew, because she heard the message I gave about gratitude last summer at the old center, that she still had the key (I had a small bowl of keys there for everyone to select from) and that it was hanging up where she saw it often.  She shared that when she gets discouraged about what isn't right in her life, the key reminds her to remember all of the things that are good.

I shouldn't ever whine to the Lord....It is a selfish thing to do....but that very morning I asked the Lord if I was doing OK and wondered if I had really done much of worth here in Denmark.

He was kind enough to answer through that young woman.  It warmed my heart....not only that my little FHE lesson meant something to her, but that the Lord was so kind as to answer my prayer so meaningfully for me.

Chili....no, make that Chilly......uh make that Chile

We made our way across town to the mission office (on a very pleasant day - perfect coat weather - but a little chilly to SK) to meet with one of the President's counselors/right-hand man.  I am not sure that he is officially a counselor but he is indispensable to President Sederholm.  He is a former stake president and he has lived here all his life, raised his family here, and knows Denmark as well as anyone could.  He takes care of housing among other things, which can be a full-time job, between finding and furnishing apartments for missionaries and training young missionaries how to take care of them, to inspecting quarterly every apartment in the mission.

He is retiring at the end of the month.  The new couple who will replace him does not have a car, so Elder Andersen asked us to take over the job of inspecting the 19 apartments on Sjaelland.  We happily agreed, and hope that we can find the time with the car to get that done.  Since we share a car, we only have the car on the days we are at the center and every other weekend.  So that cuts down on our ability to travel very far on weekdays.

In the early evening, we went to eat at a little cafe with the Parkers.  I had a hamburger - which was very excellent.  SK had a Mexican dish (!) leaded with chilies.  We enjoyed talking about the differences in our assignments as well as the similarities.  They do a lot of member support, visiting members and filling assignments for the Bishop, as well as their duties with the YSAs.  Their program is smaller, and they meet only once a week usually.  They also inspect missionary apartments so they are very busy.

Alejandra, a member of our branch is from Chile, and she spoke at Relief Society this evening....giving a power point presentation about her mother country.  She brought some friends from Chile with her, and they sat on the back row.  She spoke in Danish....and her Danish sounded very good to me, but occasionally she would get stuck for a word - then she would reel off something in that beautiful Spanish language and the friend from the back row would tell her what it was in Danish.....and if I didn't understand the word by then, my cute Danish friend sitting beside me would translate into English.  See....we all manage to communicate rather well.  Thank heavens for multi-lingual individuals!

Home again home again where we found a delightful bakery goodie that the Parkers left.   (SK just walked in from his meeting at the center with the mission president, a counselor in the stake presidency, the Seminaries and Institutes Director and our YSA co-chairmen.)

It's kind of late to eat stuff like that.  Oh well....Caution to the wind.....we'll just have to eat a little bit.

New and Improving...

Have you been on Familysearch.org recently?  We have been introduced to some of the amazing new features which are incredible.

I went on, looked at my family tree and chose an ancestor.  There are pictures, journal entries, memories by other people and all kinds of fun things.  We were shown how to upload items we may have.

I typed up a small journal that belonged to my great grandfather before we came to Denmark. It was a brief history that he wrote when he was nearing the end of his life, and I think it was something he wanted to have available to his children, grandchildren etc.   I put it on family search and now any of his descendants can read it.

It was a relaxing day getting ready to go to the center at 3.  Melissa sent us some Girl Scout Cookies..  be still my beating heart!....and told us to share.  So I dutifully took them to the center to share, but (oh happy day) someone brought the makings for brownies and they were served hot out of the oven.  So I will share them on another day....those mint cookies are amazing.

We had an excellent lesson about marriage....that is the.theme for February, then a fun activity and  then the hot brownies....it doesn't get much better than that.  A small group remained after everyone went home to play SET.  We have a group that loves that game....and even though I am not exactly a expert...I like to play too.

Elder and Sister Parker came into town today from north Jutland where they serve.   They work with the YSAs there plus do a lot of member support.  They are both so nice and seem ideally suited to work with young people.  They joined us at the center for a couple of hours and interacted with the YSAs.

They are here to take the dreaded Danish test.  I am certain they are apprehensive about it.  It was almost a year ago that we took it.  That test hung over my head for months and I was just sure that I would fail it miserably and be unceremoniously ejected from the country.  But I survived the test and passed it....and now it is only an entertaining memory.

I love quotes and this brings so many worthy ones to mind:

"This too shall pass" (I can testify strongly of that reality...everything passes by so quickly.)

"What ere thou art act well thy part."  (We only have this moment in which to perform our part and it is gone before we know it.)

Nothing is worth more than this day.

And there are so many more.

Age does have some benefits....perspective among others.  I am glad to be here where I am now in time, but I have learned how precious it is.

Perspective(s)

In all honesty, I have enjoyed the dark winter months here.  They come with a certain coziness.  The cold and the dark make heaters, candlelight and warm glowing lamps so attractive. I even like walking outside when it is like that.  I love bundling up and then braving the wind and the cold.

Today, though was glorious....with intense light and shadows....clear blue skies and a brightness that borders on too bright.  You have to close your eyes for a few seconds and hope they adjust.  It was still cold, and there was a brisk wind that brought the chill factor down to below zero.  But the light  was incredible.

We went to church early - SK had to meet with other leaders briefly.  It was a lovely time to visit with branch members as they came in.  Two young women spoke....teenagers, their father married a Danish woman a couple of years ago and they live here now.  They both spoke in Danish and did an excellent job.  They ARE our young women's program, except for the occasional visitor and a sweet young woman who is here only part time.

Another branch member spoke for the remainder of the time and spoke about the benefits of reading our scriptures regularly.  How can you take a subject like that ... which has been addressed thousands of times over every pulpit in the church....and make it interesting and fresh?  I don't know, but he did.
Our YSA Sunday School class was taught by one of our YSA women.  She is a gentle soul and seems a bit shy, but she comes prepared and prompts great comments with her ideas and questions.  I think everyone enjoys her.  She has a slight stutter, but she doesn't let it keep her from doing things like speaking in church and giving lessons.  I think she is wonderful.

Relief Society was taught by one of the "older" sisters in the ward...maybe 7 years older than I am.  I always love it when she teaches because she has such wisdom and clarity of thought.  She taught from the manual, but added two very powerful quotes:  "We don't know everything but we know enough." and "If you don't choose the Kingdom of God, in the end, it won't matter what else you have chosen."

In the afternoon, we went to Kasper's parents home for our monthly YSA dinner.  Kasper fixed the "national dish of Denmark" which is fried pork  - it looks like extra thick slabs of bacon and is crisp and salty and sooo good.  That is just a part of the national dish.... the other part is boiled potatoes and a white parsley sauce.  Marvelous.  With 14 around the table there were some lively conversation topics.

Sometimes the young men get a little bit loud and teeter on the edge of caustic as they tease SK...they have ideas about what America is, and they tend to be derisive in their comments.  He takes it good-naturedly and sometimes gives it right back.  It is an interesting relationship the young Danes have with the U.S.  I think they will admit that there is much good about our country, but it is probably not popular to talk about that.....one is much more likely to elicit laughter and enthusiasm by putting it down.

It is not the right climate for passionate defense.  I wonder sometimes what the young elders think though....nearly all Americans.  They have lived here for some time....like SK and me.  I love Denmark with all my heart....but I know the U.S.A and know of her flaws, but she is still the last best hope for the world.

I have lived here long enough to know some of the flaws with this country, but I would never voice them.  I respect this beautiful land and its people.  I hope to return to my sunny home in Arizona and be a good emissary for Denmark.

Winter Winds - Winding Down?...Nah

The wind is the reason we feel so cold.  It has been whining and moaning all day long, and even though the thermometer says that it is actually warmer, there is a chill in the air even inside.  SK and I walked on some errands in the afternoon and were nearly blown away!  There is one stretch where the wind is always brisk, but today it had reached gale proportions.

When we awoke this morning, the lake was frozen.  My first clue was that the ducks were walking on the "water."  It is an interesting sight....it looks so cold out there, and you would think they would be more comfortable on the grass or in the rushes rather than out in the open standing - on the ice!

SK served in the temple this morning, while I worked on other things.  I will be teaching the English Institute lessons in the coming weeks, and Saturday morning seems like a good time to prepare.  I love those quiet times with reading....is there anything quite like it?  With a storm brewing outside, to cuddle up under a warm quilt and read, ponder and write is a joy.

I am still working on the packets for our YSAs who we hope to bring back to activity.  How can their lives not be enriched by associating with all of the great young people at the center and at church?.....not to mention have the truths of the Gospel as an anchor in such a volatile and changing world.

It is not Spring as yet, but I have started my Spring cleaning, and it feels good.  Sometimes just getting in to the job and scrubbing can be quite uplifting!  The grout on our tile has needed some help and there is no good way to do that but by getting on hands and knees and going at it with a good stiff brush.  It is a nice thing to have done.

We spent a little time at Thornes this evening playing Nines.  That is a fun game and easy enough that we can visit while we play.  We haven't been together in a couple of weeks and it is nice to catch up on the news of what is happening in the mission.  Next week we have several missionaries leaving for home and several new ones coming in, including a couple who will do records preservation up north in Jutland.  They are in for a treat....they are coming to the best mission in the world.

Come July there will be a new mission president as well.  I am certain that he is a great man.  I am happy however, that we will be with President Sederholm almost until we leave.  He is a wonderful spiritual leader and has been an incredible president.....the young missionaries all love him and his cute wife....and the seniors revere him as well.  They will leave big shoes to fill.

I'm off to bed to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the wind in the trees outside.  Aaaah.

"Encircled in His Gentle Arms"

We got our new Liahona today.  It is a combination of the Ensign, Era and Friend.  I always enjoy it, but in the newest issue particularly enjoyed the article by President Uchtdorf titled "Encircled in His Gentle Arms."

He begins by telling about the Danish Artist Frans Schwarz's painting The Agony in the Garden. I know I have posted it before, but I am so taken with it, and wanted to share with you what I read today.   I have not seen it yet, but I am hoping that sometime in the Spring SK and I will be able to make the 4 hour trip to north Jutland to the church where it resides.



President Uchtdorf describes it as "achingly beautiful."  It is that.  The portrayal of Christ shows a gentle and sensitive man who is suffering terribly.  He is the focus, yet the angel who is there to comfort and sustain him is so very compassionate.  My eyes are drawn back over and over again to that angel.

"...we each will have our own dark and bitter hours - times when our sorrow and grief may appear to be greater than we can bear......
Even so, if we will lift our hearts to the Lord during those times, surely He will know and understand.  He who suffered so selflessly for us in the garden and on the cross will not leave us comfortless now.  He will strengthen, encourage, and bless us.  He will encircle us in His gentle arms."
"He will be more than an angel to us."
"He will bring us blessed comfort, healing, hope, and forgiveness."
"For He is our Redeemer."
"Our Deliverer."
"Our merciful Savior and our blessed God."

We have been working on finding the YSAs in the greater Copenhagen area who have fallen away from the Church, contacting them and inviting them to join with us at the center.  This message from President Uchtdorf and Franz Schwarz is our message.  I hope we can convey that.

Grateful...We Praise Thee

A stake priesthood meeting provided a reason to have a "Girl's Night at the Center."  Even SK was at the priesthood meeting.  I think the YW really enjoyed it....they also enjoy having male companionship there, but every now and then they like the relaxed nature of sitting around together without thinking about the men in the room.

We had the meal before the Institute class.  I fixed Barbecue Chicken Ranch Salad.  It was comparatively simple and I thought very good.  We asked that they sign up on Facebook so that we knew how many would be coming.  It turned out to not be too brilliant of an idea.  I don't think most of the young women realized we were just trying to get a head count of how many would be eating - not how many would be in attendance.

We had 10 respond with a "yes" they would attend.  I prepared enough salad for 12....with the chicken being the most expensive as well as the most important part of this salad.  I knew there would be some who would not eat.  We had 6 there at 6:00, but more came in and by 7:00 we had 12 and had run out of chicken.

By the time I started on the lesson, we had 18 there.  I think when they come in at 7, they know they have missed dinner.  January was a trial month....serve dinner before class at 6 instead of after at 8:30.  This week we are taking polls to see which people prefer.  I am waiting to hear how the vote goes....before or after dinner.  I much prefer serving at 6 because then I can just sit and relax in one of the classes.  We'll see.

I was given carte blanche on what to teach during the lesson time.  I had an hour and 15 minutes.  I gave it a little thought and then barreled ahead with my favorite subject:  gratitude.  That is a subject I never tire of.  It just seems that is one of the very sweetest gifts we can receive or give.

Giving thanks to our Heavenly Father brings its own set of blessings.

The blessings and benefits of choosing to live a life filled with gratitude are endless and the comments from the young women this evening proved that.  Several bore their testimonies in the form of answering a question.  They gave strong witnesses about the Savior, His influence in our lives, and His desire to help us return to live with him.

I was touched by their comments about how beneficial showing gratitude is.  They mentioned that it brought humility and happiness, among so many other things.  I really enjoyed the give and take throughout the lesson.....these young women are deeply spiritual.  I asked them to write down the name of someone living whom they have great gratitude for.  Then I asked them to write down why.  Finally I asked them to commit to calling that person and reading to them what they wrote.  I hope I hear how that went with everyone.  Some wrote a lot!

I also explained a five-year gratitude journal.  There is only about 3 or 4 lines for Feb 5, 2015 on the "Feb 5" day, and then you mark the year as you write.  In my little happiness diary, the first year was April and this coming April will be the beginning of my 4th year writing.  Each night I write I can look back at the entries on that day in 2014, 2013 and 2012.  What a sweet little treasure that five-year happiness journal is.  If only I had started earlier in my life!

Dessert afterwards was a brownie with a scoop of ice cream and raspberries.  It was very good.

I'll try to get some pictures to post for tomorrow.

Finally, I gave everyone a little sign that said:  "Gratitude is the Key to Happiness."  I also gave them a cute little key brad.  I believe that with all of my heart.  Expressing gratitude to others not only makes them happy,, but us as well.  Expressing gratitude to God is truly amazing ...it just seems to make all kinds of things better.  Praying in gratitude always lifts my spirits.

I am grateful for this day and all the blessings that have come.

Walk On

SK and I took a field trip to a suburb of Copenhagen...probably about a 25 minute ride to IKEA.  We needed a gift card for a marriage gift and a couple of things for the apartment and the center and that is by far the least expensive place to buy household things.  Plus it is just kind of a fun place....if you have no deadlines and/or your feet don't hurt!  Have you ever gone into an IKEA?

You enter and begin a circuitous path through the giant store.  After about a mile of passing everything in the place, you arrive at the checkout.  Clustered all around the checkout counters are a dozen or more tantalizing displays of things you can't live without.  IF, by any chance you have forgotten something, you have to trace your steps back - passing once again by everything the store sells - to the item....and then one more time parading past all of the merchandise to finish up and pay.

We had a good time, and purchased only what we needed...pretty impressive huh?  On the way home, we stopped at a grocery store to get everything we need for dinner tomorrow.

We didn't have room in the refrigerator for the groceries, so we left everything in the car.  Arizonans...does that raise your hair?  If it reassures you at all, the frozen things were still frozen when we took them out of the car nearly 8 hours later!

The high temperature today was 28 and the low 27....it varies little from day to night.  The sky all day was a pale gray and sprinkled small flecks of snow on and off.  When the sky is that color, it seems that everything looks muted and gray as well.  Bicyclists and pedestrians all seem to be clad in blacks and other dark colors.  Even the stores with mannequins in the windows display black and white fashions.

We walked to the post office to pick up a package, a walk of perhaps a mile.  SK is good-natured to do that, although we had little choice because the parking lot at our apartment building is perhaps the closest parking spot available to the little building.  OK I may be exaggerating but it is terribly difficult to find a place to leave the car.  Walking with SK in this city, no matter the temperature or weather may be my favorite thing to do here.

In the evening we went out to Amager for dinner with a lovely family from our branch.  I feel so blessed that everyone here speaks English so well.  They live close to a nature preserve and the coast in an area that has been developed in the last 6 or 7 years.  Twenty-story apartment buildings are plentiful in an area close to the high-speed train and the largest mall in Denmark.

The complex they live in has beautiful sleek buildings with ample windows  which look down to a lovely green area with a playground.  Broad granite walkways, lamps and large ponds (frozen right now) give it a welcoming glow.  We entered their apartment, and it is probably what most people think of when they think "Danish."  It was new and gleaming, elegantly simple with light wood floors. The bedrooms were small as most Danish bedrooms are, which seems so sensible, and they too were beautiful.  The largest area was the living room/dining room with large floor-to-ceiling windows that were mostly bare of cover.  The darkness of the night came into the room, along with the twinkling lights of the city.....so lovely!

We sat at the table with candles glowing and conversed about many things.  Katja is a teacher and is passionate about her work with children.  She has 29 in her class this year and is very careful to see that each one receives personal attention from her every day....which isn't very easy if one or two require much of her focus.  She cares deeply that each has a good experience at school.

I always love to speak to people like Katja who is a TEACHER and no doubt has had an impact on many lives in the years she has taught.  Her husband is an attorney and knowledgeable about everything.  Their two daughters were delightful.

It was a great evening spent getting to know this dear family better.  What a delightful treat.  It could have only been made better by walking there and back!

Simplicity

First, the bad news:  At least one fat and healthy looking rat is alive and well.  We saw him skulking back into his burrow this morning.  SK and I looked at each other in amazement.  This may call for SK to get personally involved!  Oh that rat is in trouble now.

This was purely a preparation day today.....it seemed like the first day in a long time that we didn't have to be somewhere.  Other than an outing for a few hours in the afternoon, we were at home.  And I must say that I have enjoyed it.

Other than being on the lookout for the rat, we have read and studied, cleaned and have done laundry...oh yes, and ironed white shirts!

Our outing was grand fun.  We took a bus to the Royal Copenhagen Factory Outlet and just looked around.  We didn't buy anything.  Then we walked home along one of my favorite streets!

Grand fun? you say.  Yes.  I love the outlet and we found an advent candlestick holder made by Georg Jensen.  They didn't have any today but they were sure that they will get some again.  It will look wonderful on our round table, and will be easy to decorate with greens or flowers or whatever.  And that means we will go again!

But what was really fun was locking arms and walking the mile and a half past all the shops I have come to love, among the many other pedestrians and bicyclists out at that time.  The snow was drifting down in big flakes and made everything look a pale gray.  We stopped briefly in a little bakery and each bought a goodie to take home for our dessert.

We made another short stop at a small market to get milk and bread.

A simple day that was simply wonderful.

 

Snowy Winter Night

I am enchanted with the snow.

When we got up this morning, great flakes of snow were drifting down, and by the time we left for the center, it had slowed to tiny flecks floating from the sky....but nothing was sticking.  By the time we bundled up and set out to walk home from the center, there was a light coating on everything.  It was mostly untouched since there were few people out walking at that time.  Even sitting here at the computer and gazing out at the night, I see few people on the usually well-traveled lake path.

As we turned down our street, I looked at the old buildings, the cobblestone sidewalk, the lightly-falling snow twinkling in the streetlamps, the deserted street and the undisturbed snow.  We crunched along silently.  I had to stop and just drink it all in.

In my warm coat, scarf and gloves I was very comfortable.  But SK, desert lover that he is, was eager to reach the warmth of home.

We had a great evening at the center with about 25 there.  One more message about goals and then a really funny game.  Very simple.  They stood in a circle.  They took turns saying "Ha Ha Ha He He He Ho Ho Ho."  If you laughed at any time, you had to sit down.  The last one standing was the winner.

It may not sound funny to you but it was hilarious.  We were all laughing at the silliness of it all.  There were several who could bring gales of laughter just by the way they said those words.  We played it three times and the same 3 were left standing every time.

Afterwards, there was much conversation and several games going on.  SK and I started a game of SET and were joined by 6 of the YSAs who quite enjoyed it once they caught on...which didn't take long.  In fact one young woman won nearly every round....she was so fast at seeing the sets, that the rest of us decided to play as a team against her!  It was pretty much a tie.

Last Thursday evening when the meal was served (I cooked spaghetti), one of our favorite young men who has received his mission call asked if I would go with him on his mission!  I told him I always wanted to see that part of the world.  I am and never have been a great cook, but when they say things like that it makes me quite content.

I am often somewhat dismayed at what our mission entails....it is not exactly what we thought it would be, but it is so deeply satisfying to be here working with the young single adults, getting to know people in the Church from all over Denmark, and meeting and associating with dear people like our friends from India.

We came here to serve the Lord as a way to give back for all we have been given, but we feel that we continue to be blessed far beyond anything we could do to be of service to Him.

Smiling Through

We traveled an hour by car this morning to attend the 3-hour block in Slegelse.  It is so far from our center, that the YSAs don't often attend our center, and have their own institute class.  But we have met many of them as they occasionally come in to Copenhagen and meet with us.  We have also gotten to know them at Festinord and other international get-togethers.

Two of them recently left on missions, and one young man attends that ward who recently became reactivated.  He met a young woman from Hawaii last year at the Valentine's Day conference in Sweden.  They talk daily on Skype, and he just returned from visiting her in Minnesota, where she is currently living.  She will come here for a visit in the near future and I think we may be hearing wedding bells before too long.

The ward was lovely.  I was surprised when I first walked into the chapel.  The floors, and all woodwork, plus the chairs were made of light honey-colored wood, and the upholstery was beautiful warm bright red.  The floor to ceiling windows at the front of the chapel were covered with soft pleated shades which -with the sunlight streaming through - were pink.  The effect was one of brightness and warmth.

The ride to Slagelse was beautiful.  We left Copenhagen in the rain with darkened skies.  By the time we were half an hour away, the skies were blue and clear.  As I sat in the chapel listening intently, SK nudged me and nodded toward the windows on the side of the chapel.  Great soft feathers of snow were wafting downward.  It was almost hypnotizing.  It snowed for sometime but melted almost immediately upon touching the ground.

I enjoyed meeting so many new individuals, but like everywhere else, they were warm and welcoming and seemed like people I have known many years.  We saw the four young missionaries who serve there...they are so cute!  The two sisters sat beside me in all the meetings and took turns translating, for which I am grateful.  I would have understood the basics without....but I get so much more when someone is kind enough to do that.

We heard many inspiring testimonies today, but the most touching was from a woman who must be about 70.  She was wrapped up from head to toe in warm blankets and sitting in a motorized wheelchair.  Her daughter-in-law told me that she had polio early in her life.  It looks like she has the use of at least one hand...maybe both.  I talked to her briefly using my basic Danish 101....which was great, except when she answered me.....she talked fast!  Her face was animated and bright. She had the most beautiful smile....it made me happy just to see that smile.  People just seemed naturally attracted to her.

She bore her testimony at the end of Relief Society.  No mention of polio, no mention of the wheelchair....the entire testimony was in praise of gratitude!!  What a sweet sweet lady.

As soon as we got back into the city, we went to Mary Theresa's apartment to take a cute little Gymboree gift that my personal shopper Erin was kind enough to send.  (I love to give American gifts just because they look different and are fun.)  Mary Theresa and her husband are from India, and their sweet little daughter is 2 months old....Isabella.

What a lovely couple!  We met Mary Theresa in our Danish class and have kept in touch with her since we quit.  She is such a gentle and kind young woman with sparkling black eyes and a smile that is absolutely contagious.

Theirs was an arranged marriage and they are both very happy and very kind to each other.  They explained how the arrangement was done, and by the time they finished the explanation, I was ready to sign up for all of our grandchildren.  I can see why it has a great likelihood for success.  They are both very faithful Catholics...one of the may qualities looked for by parents seeking a suitable spouse for their child. (That they be of the same religious background)

We presented our gift and visited for awhile.  We were a little uncertain what to do at that point.  I had set up the time of 3:30 so that it would be far enough away from mealtime so that they wouldn't worry about that.  After about a half an hour, I told them how happy we were to see them and that we ought to be going.

They both expressed dismay and said that Mary Theresa had fixed something for us to eat.  So we stayed....happily.  I must admit to you that at this point in our very long lives we have never had Indian food.  They put on several dishes of food that I had never seen before, including a little dish of powdered spices.  They even dished up the plates for us and told us to just combine everything however we wished.

The spices were amazing!  Every single dish they made was heavenly.  Just a bit of a bite with spice, not too much.  Wow....it was so good.  I think there was a pancake made from lentils and rice....light and fluffy.  There was a potato and onion dish that was unlike ANY potato dish I have ever had, and some pork that was as tender as a mother's heart and spicy....it was really really good.

I held little Isabella for awhile and was in heaven.  She has beautiful thick long hair!  She looked at me while I talked to her and then she smiled!  She must have smiled for 2 minutes, sometimes a bigger smile than others.  Well.....melt my heart.  She was adorable.....and obviously so bright....she understood everything I said.

Except that it made me miss all of our grandchildren....even the ones I can't cuddle.  Maybe I will have to cuddle them anyway....do you think 15-year old Andrew would stand for that?