Change

We now have less than two months....but who is counting?

Me.  I am not counting down in anticipation, but I am counting down hoping somehow to hold precious in my memory banks every possible moment we have left here.

As I write, the sun is quietly sinking and the glow of it's fading rays is reflecting red and gold off the windows of the apartments across the lake.  I hear the murmur of two people talking as they sit on the bench overlooking the lake.....there are bicyclists pausing for a moment to look over the serene scene, the water like a sea of glass, a mirror image on its surface of the buildings and sky.....walkers are strolling by, people carrying packages and probably on their way home, the constant stream of joggers.  A soft hush has fallen over all.

I have enjoyed this day.

A productive morning took us to early afternoon, when we squeezed into the car with the Thornes and Sister Hamblin.  We arrived at the airport about the same time President and Sister Sederholm got there, as well as the Assistants and several other young missionaries.  We all carried our Danish flags and the young sisters had a large banner they had made.

President and Sister Sederholm behind the "e" and "l" in the welcome sign.

President O'Bryant

That is Sister O'Bryant in the pale blue blouse and strawberry blond hair....and SK on the far right.

Thanks to our own pro camera person....Sister Hamblin for the last 3 photos.

We were there to welcome our new mission president, President O'Bryant and his wife.

The airport was hectic and busy....but we had only about 15 minutes to wait before they walked out. People had passed by our little group, looking at our sign, our badges and our eager faces.

We were all excited to meet them.  They greeted each one of us by name and even used a little Danish.  Within just a few moments everyone left to go their separate ways....the Sederholms and the O'Bryants to the President's home, and all of the young elders and sisters back to their assignments.

I have wondered all afternoon if President and Sister O'Bryant have been mesmerized by the beauty of this day in this marvelous little kingdom.....and I have wondered if President and Sister Sederholm have felt this gorgeous weather was surely just for them on their last full day here.

 The five of us seniors started home, but for some inexplicable reason, Elder Thorne took an unexpected detour to Is Magieret.....Denmark's premier ice cream establishment.  Amazingly, no one complained.....but happily got out of the car and into the small building to eye the flavors of the day.

Elder Thorne told us that the cherry flavor was absolutely magnificent.  I believed him, but I am not crazy about cherry.  Sister Hamblin believed and ordered cherry.  She let me have a taste....it was some of the most amazing ice cream I have ever had!  Next time.

We sat around gladly munching on our treats and talking.  The sun was shining, the flowers were in bloom, the green everywhere.....in those moments it seemed like all was well in the world.

And in fact...it is....in this little part of the world.  We have been greatly inspired and strengthened by President Sederholm....his dedication, his faith, his encouragement, the strength of his testimony.  We have been touched by the example of selfless devotion and love for this mission and the missionaries here.  She has been amazing.  We will miss them.  We look forward to seeing them at missionary reunions.....and we will always revere them for their service in Denmark.

We look forward to getting to know President and Sister O'Bryant and to seeing what their vision is of our mission  (all in the Denmark mission).

Someone once said, "The only constant in life is change."

There is some truth to that.

Gratitude is the Key.....

We were in the car for nearly seven hours today, as we traveled by beautiful green fields, occasionally punctuated with an entire field of red or yellow, small cities and towns, and neat farm houses surrounded by cultivated land and beautiful patches of dense forest.

As we traveled, we spoke about SK's sweet sister Millie.  We were told that she was nearing the end of her life.  She raised a large family of boys...every one of them a good man....someone any mother would be proud of.  As the last few years have passed, she has ever-increasingly been bent with age, struggling with eye-sight and other age-related woes.  Yet each time we saw her, she was bright and cheerful and working on those things she could do.

Over the years, she has been a treasure....working on family history and serving wherever she was needed.  She has written us letters, keeping us up on news of her sons and sending short fun articles from her local newspapers.

The last time we saw her, before we came to Denmark, she came to our daughter Lia's home in North Salt Lake to wish SK a happy birthday.  She sat and visited and laughed with him.

We received news this afternoon that she passed away....SK's third sister to leave us in the 21 months we have been gone.  We will miss her.

We inspected missionary apartments today in the farthest region of our zone.  It took us an hour and a half to get to the first one, where we met with two young elders and did the usual run-through with an encouraging note to be a good steward over our apartments, and a quick peek around.....checking to see if the oven is clean, the refrigerater defrosted and most everything put away - and neatly at that.

Except for a little clutter, and some needed work on the kitchen sink, the place looked pretty good.  They were planning on spending time to clean up their patio.  That will be a project they will benefit greatly from.  There must have been 8 or 9 old church chairs out there, as well as several other old pieces of furniture (left, no doubt, from missionaries from many years past).  They were going to get rid of all of it (they have found a proper place to junk it) today.  With summer getting an earnest start here, they will be happy to be able to sit out there and enjoy life!

Another hour and a half got us to another pair of elders and their apartment.  It is in a beautiful little town with tree-lined streets and a beautiful little walking street.  We have inspected that apartment at least four times now, and I am amazed at how many changes it has undergone.  Today, the changes were dramatic.  One of the elders was there the last time we inspected it, and he has done some marvelous things with it.  He had changed the room order.  It is a spacious place, and by moving some furniture around, and by keeping a clean floor and furniture surfaces, it was truly lovely.  Closets and drawers, cubbyholes and countertops were all well organized and beautiful.

We stood at the door and heard voices from above, "Hey Elder and Sister Madsen!"

Their  apartment looked as neat as these young men did!

We came home, ate a very light lunch and then walked to the center.  It was glorious.  It rained, but not hard....easy rain.

We stopped when we saw workers in strawberry fields....there was a little stand.  These Danish strawberries are the best in the world!

The young man who was assigned to give the lesson couldn't make it tonight, so Helene gave the message,  She was very adept at getting everyone to participate.  She separated everyone in small groups and assigned one of the Articles of Faith to each group.  She gave them about 20 minutes and then asked them to speak about what they had learned.  Everyone went up to the front of the room when their group was announced and shared a mini gospel lesson.  Most impressive.

It was a wonderful meeting full of good visiting with great young people.  One of my cute young friends found a little box of Junior Mints at a store and got them for me.....boy those things are good. She will be away for several weeks, so we will not see her very much until we are nearing the end of our mission.  She has the kindest most peaceful spirit about her.

We walked home late, across the square, past Stroget and past Tivoli.... and enjoyed the breeze and the cooling mist.  We have been grateful for the opportunity to serve here.

We are grateful to have known sweet Millie, grateful for her righteous example and for her family.

Warning: Extreme Heat

I guess it was inevitable.  I knew it was coming, but I kept hoping nonetheless.
Summer is on its way to Denmark.
The forecast for Tuesday is 66 degrees, climbing all the way up to 73 by Saturday....I wonder if I will be able to handle such extreme heat?

Of course you think I am kidding.....I am not.  Seventy Three degrees in Copenhagen is bordering on uncomfortable.  If the sun is shining, it will definitely be uncomfortable out under its rays.  If it is overcast and windy.....it could be lovely.

(By the way, I wrote my post last night and didn't discover until today that I had forgotten to push the "post" button....I hate to miss!)

Each of our three meetings this morning was excellent.  As is often the case, each message seemed to build on the other lessons and talks. In sacrament meeting, our relief society president shared a little bit about herself.  She remembers a time when she was 4 years old.  Her father was sitting on the side of the bed crying.  He had a migraine.  She had never seen her big strong father cry, so she knelt and said a prayer for him.  Soon, he stopped crying and seemed to be better.

She knew from early on in her life that God lives.  But neither parent was religious, and strongly discouraged her being a part of any organized religion.  As a fourteen-year-old, she became close friends with girls who were Christians, and she spent a great deal of time with them.  By the time she was fourteen, she had met the missionaries from the Church.  She knew it was true.  But her father told her she would have to move out of his house if she wanted to be baptized.

So she moved!  Fortunately her mother allowed her to move in with her.  But she was not much happier about the Mormon religion.  It eventually worked out....after some very real struggles.  She is an excellent speaker and gave nearly her entire talk without notes.  Then her husband spoke and shared some great thoughts as well.

SK gave the lesson in Sunday School and did a great job with the New Testament discussion.  Relief Society was wonderful with a lesson based on two conference talks....the lesson was given by Christina our beautiful fairy tale princess.  Her little son Elliot is so responsive now to people and smiles from ear to ear when he is pleased.  Did I mention to you that her husband, the prince played the organ two Sundays ago (our regular organist was out of town, and there is no one else that can play) and did a very fine job.

I was impressed....I didn't know that he could play.  But later I found out that he has never had a piano lesson, much less an organ lesson.  That was entirely self-taught....and I got the idea it was a recent acquirement!

After church, we had the elders and Sister Hamblin over for lunch.  I fixed sweet pork quesadillas.  I know why people enjoy having the young missionaries come for dinner.  They make you feel like you are a world-renowned chef!  They each must have eaten 4....and they had a lot of pork in them, plus all the trimmings.  They were cute.  They were the same elders who let us come and inspect their apartment yesterday.

We had brownies and ice cream for dessert, and then they gave us a wonderful spiritual thought.  They opened the scriptures and each testified about Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice for us, and Heavenly Father's love and concern for each of us.  They also left us with a challenge....which they will come back to check on in a few weeks.

We had just enough time to clear the dishes off the table and get ourselves to the center, where we participated in the student council....planning upcoming events.  We will not be here for many of the things they were talking about.  Everything from September 1 and on will be attended by another senior couple.

By that time, we will be in Gilbert......experiencing the worst heat (for us) in 2 years!!!!!

Sacrament meeting - as always in the center - was outstanding.  Even better was the visiting with several great young people.  I spent some time with a cute 17-year old....she will be 18 in August.  For graduation, her parents are giving her a trip to Arizona.  She will visit her cousin there, who will take her to Disneyland and the Grand Canyon.

I told her to pack a coat.....it will probably get up to 73 degrees, but cool at night.  If I live through the months of September and October, I will be loving the weather.

Hobnobbing with The Young Adults

Ah to be young again!

After SK got home from his 2-hour temple shift in the baptistry, we left to inspect a missionary apartment in Amager....the little island where our church is.  We drove the same route we normally drive to Church, but we stopped about a mile short....in front of an old 5-story building (on the bottom floor of which is a little bakery).  That is where the elders live......on the top story....that was a bit of a climb.  No wonder they look so healthy!

One of the elders there has been out nearly a year and his companion has been in Denmark for 2 weeks. We walked into the apartment to the smell of beef and onions.  They were just sitting down to lunch with 2 excellent looking hamburgers - and they weren't just meat on buns....they were hamburger patties at least an inch and a half thick....perfectly done, and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and fried onions and sandwiched in a bun.

We spent a little longer with them....because we know them better, since they are in our ward/branch...and also because they were cute to visit with.   I think they must be good missionaries, because they both enjoy visiting....each is friendly, easy to talk with, and each has a beautiful smile with shining teeth.  I honestly don't know how people can resist such happy and handsome young men.

After seeing the lunch they fixed, it was a bit shocking to walk in the kitchen and see a spotless stove top, counter top and sink.  The newest missionary said that his mother had taught him to clean up after himself....so he loves to clean as he works.  She said that a good cook keeps the kitchen neat and tidy.  The other elder loves to cook (a gift from other companions who were good cooks and taught him how to fix many kinds of foods).

The tiny bathroom was just as clean as the kitchen, and the rest of the very small apartment was well-ordered.  Missionary apartments - as we have learned - can be any sort of living space.  We have seen few that we would categorize as spacious, but some we have visited have a fair amount of space to stretch out in.  They all have wall charts, maps and inspirational posters, as well as the wall hangings that came with the apartment.  Some prowl the flea markets and find pretty little prints or paintings to hang.

The living room was possibly 10 X 10 and held chairs, a small couch and their bunkbeds.  We passed through a small hallway that I thought might have been meant to be a dining area (for 2), but they had installed closets and drawers there.  I was shocked when they said that the bunk beds had been there at one time, but the early morning sun came beating through the unshuttered windows and it was too uncomfortable.  I can't see how they could have even walked around them!

The kitchen was at right angles to the funny little hallway, and was basically a very small hallway itself, lined with a few cupboards, a very small countertop, a sink, stove, and refrigerator.  The guys had everything spiffied up....even the oven was clean.

We stopped on the way home at a very large mall, where we tried to find a charger cable for our camera, a gift for Maria (one of our graduates), and the right ingredients for lunch tomorrow.  Our Amager elders will join us for a late lunch (or early dinner).  Missions accomplished, we headed home.

We had a little time to grab something to eat, and then we headed west out into the countryside.  It has been raining on and off most of the day, and the rain left a hazy mist hovering over the farmers' fields.

We arrived at Maria's home - nearly a 45-minute drive for us (for Marie to get to the center, it takes over an hour traveling by bus and train) - and spent a couple of hours with her and her sisters, brother and parents....as well as 30 or more friends and well-wishers.  The table was laid out with many dishes that looked wonderful.  They served "roll your own burritos" which SK did and he loved it.  I made a small taco pile-up with the ingredients.  It was great.  Really good.  They also served old-fashioned apple cake.  It is actually more like a sweetened apple sauce with crunchy cookie crumbs and whipped cream and it is delicious!  It is a bit more complicated to make than it sounds.

Maria's parents, who, coincidentally, know one of our old friends from Gilbert.

Maria....isn't she cute?  She is our graduate and along side her is her handsome friend Jonas.

I marveled at how calm the whole family was.  They were essentially serving a meal to about 40 people, and there was no sign of stress or tension.  Just the lovely food set out and groups of people sitting together visiting.  I wonder if I will ever be able to do something like that and be that calm?

I think I have improperly identified the graduates.  I said they were high school graduates, but I believe they have earned the equivalent of what we call and AA....Associate's Degree.  We have seen and heard many truckloads of them today....yelling and playing instruments and piped music.  It seems like a great tradition.  They can drink all they want as they ride around in the back of the large trucks....and in the meantime, the driver is quite sober.

We returned home the same way we went....over the beautiful landscape of Denmark.

"When I Grow Up..."

Sister Williams, our temple matron, gave me some certificates today to put names on.  I brought a few calligraphy supplies with me to Denmark and have used them just for fun.....which is really why I do it at all. And it is always nice if I can do something like that for friends or for a good cause.

An honorable release from a temple calling is definitely a good cause, and definitely for friends...so I'll hope that I am not too rusty to get them done properly.  It was nearly 40 years ago that I began my my interest in calligraphy, and while it can be extremely stress-inducing (working on an original with expensive paper and black waterproof ink that is 80 lines long - erasing and correcting are impossible - you must begin again if you make a mistake), it has brought me great joy over the years.

It made me think about an "honorable release."  We will be receiving our mission releases in a little over 2 months.  My prayers throughout this mission have been for help in fulfilling all of our responsibilities as well as we possibly can.  I continue to pray that when I get home, I will look back over these past 23 months with a sense of satisfaction that I did my best.

The assignments and responsibilities of senior missionaries are many and varied.  Even if two couples are called on the same kind of a mission to two different areas, their missions may turn out to be vastly different from each other's.

You might be called to Nauvoo, Illinois, where the husband drives a horse and wagon around all day talking to his passengers about the history of the place, and the wife bakes bread in an old wood-burning oven to give samples out - as she too speaks of history.  You might be called to a place where you help dig wells or administer relief to victims of natural disasters.  You might be called to help in wards and branches anywhere in the world, where you serve as an anchor and support to the members. Member support missionaries have all kinds of assignments.  You could be in charge of the cars for all of the missionaries, or oversee housing for up to 200 people (including upkeep, rent, utilities and furnishings).

You might be called to the oldest continuous kingdom in the world....a charming place in the north part of Europe where you will walk along streets that are hundreds of years old, on sidewalks made of pebblestones, hurrying along side a multitude of bicyclists, parents bumping over the stones with baby buggies, joggers out in every sort of weather, and people who are nearly always polite and helpful.

And in that old kingdom, you may be assigned to go into the cellars of the National Archives to snap photos of old record books, you might find yourself in the mission office, taking care of the mountain of paperwork generated by 120 missionaries, or you may serve on a little island in the middle of the Baltic Sea as a branch president (and his wife who serves in various callings) to a small group of saints.

Or you may be assigned to be surrogate grandparent for a hundred or so young people of college age.  You make meals, and you bake cookies and you try to be there for them.  Along the way, you go to open houses, farewells, conferences, student council meetings, planning meetings, galas, weekend training, temple sessions and Festinord.

One of our favorite bishops from another ward here on Sjaelland said at one time, "When I grow up, I want to serve a mission with my wife....and we want to do what you do.....every time we see you, it is at a party!"

Of course he was teasing, but even without the parties, this mission is so much more than I ever imagined.

It is even worth growing old for.

The Grass is Always Greener.....

Have you ever thought how lovely it would be to stay home for an entire day and just relax?  I try never to think that, because every now and then I have that day at home....and it is not always fun.  I am a little bit under the weather, and resting has helped.

Consequently, I have little to report today, except that the high school graduation celebrations have begun.  All of the graduates wear little white caps for a week, and they look particularly cute on the girls.  Truckloads will drive around the city with banners and flags flying, horns blaring and young people singing and yelling.  We published pictures last year.  It is a major party time.

I heard a few trucks pass by in the afternoon.

SK went to institute earlier and stayed until everyone had gone home.  Our numbers were few again, only 17, but they had a good time and enjoyed a marvelous CES talk from 2009 by President Uchtdorf.  It was titled "The Reflection in the Water," and he begins by telling a story from Hans Christian Andersen.  What is not to love about that?

For 45 minutes well-spent, listen or watch.  Google it, or go to LDS.org and troll around til you find it.  It will definitely brighten your day.

On a Mission!

It was Missionary Day today.  We were off first thing this morning to inspect missionary apartments. We have delayed some of the inspections while we had Derek and Kate here, and there have been other things going on that made it difficult to get out to do them.

We thoroughly enjoyed each of the sets of missionaries we visited.  Our first companionship was in an old area of town.  We drove down lovely narrow tree-lined one-lane roads to get there.  They live on the second story of a white stucco building with red-brick trim.  All of the buildings in the neighborhood look about a hundred years old or so.

We walked around to the side of the building past tall shrubs and down a very narrow sidewalk to the stairs and door that led up to their apartment.  They both came down to meet us.  We left our shoes by the front door (a very common practice) and went in to visit with them.  It was two young sisters.

There was a certain amount of clutter, and it could have used some surface dusting and vacuuming - which we talked about - but by and large, it was the apartment of two people who are very busy.  They are cute young women, and seemed enthusiastic about being here.

We spent about a half hour with them, making sure their alarms are all working, instructing them about things like not letting mold get a foothold anywhere, what products to use on a stainless steel sink, and emptying the vacuum cleaner bag in order to have it work properly.  We peeked in their oven and freezer to see if either needed attention, and checked the bathroom.

I think if we had been in an apartment like that when we were young, I would have loved turning it into a home.  But young missionaries don't have time (sometimes they are in an apartment for only 2 months....sometimes longer), or money, or inclination to spend a lot of energy on a place.  They work hard during their days, and they are doing very well to keep an apartment clean and tidy.

Next we went to the apartment of 4 young elders.  It was also on an upper story that looked out over the apartment playground and courtyard.  It had a lot of light from many windows and was in good shape....the guys were doing a great job with it.

Last, we visited another two young sisters in the basement apartment of a home.  It was clearly a basement....with whitewashed walls, but it was homey.  The sisters were happy to be there, even if it was a bit cold.  The sun came out a few times today, but it was quite cool.  We both wore our coats and the wind made us grateful we did.

We had time for a bite of lunch before we went to the temple for a special missionary session.  President Sederholm calls in all of the missionaries who reach their halfway point, and has a nice meeting with them, lunch and then a temple session.  The young missionaries love it.

Since SK and I are temple workers, we are able to help with that session, and it is always a pleasure just to be with them.  And since it is a special session, there were only missionaries there.

I would say that it was just a great missionary day, but actually, it is also our 47th anniversary.  The temple is the best place to be on such a day.  We got home this evening, happy for the events of the day, and happy to have a quiet dinner at home together, and pleasantly tired.

I took pictures yesterday of our Saint Hans celebration and pictures today of the cute missionaries we visited .....on my 4-year-old cell phone which works great.  But because of a few glitches, I have been unable to transfer the pictures onto the computer, so you will just have to imagine 8 cleancut and smiling young missionaries....until I get this figured out.

Sankt Hans Aften

We all dragged ourselves out of bed fairly early this morning to get Kate and Derek to the airport.  We were all up late last night and the early hour was hard on everyone.  They had a long trip ahead of them, and in fact, are still in the air as I type.  

They touched down in Paris long enough to change flights (2 hour layover), then continued on to Los Angeles with another 2 hours to collect their luggage, get through customs, and catch a flight to Phoenix.  As of now, there are still several hours ahead of them until they are home. 

We have had a marvelous time with them, and hope they will have many happy memories of their stay in Europe, especially in Copenhagen.

Today was a day to celebrate!  It was Sankt Hans Aften.  We went to Mette and Jesper's home to join the Williams, the Hoges, the Taylors, the Hansens and Gerti - a very dear friend of Mette's - all temple workers except for Gerti.  We had a great meal and then walked a mile or so along a lovely lake to a place where we watched a bonfire being lit and then fireworks. 

Once again, we had some fabulous food and fun with friends at Mette and Jesper's home.  They are amazing people....two of the kindest individuals I have ever met.

It was cool enough to wear a jacket, yet so pleasant.  The nighttime sky at 11:00 was gorgeous.  We saw several of our YSAs there....they are so cute.....they sat on the end of the pier and watched.  One was a couple who have been married a few months and there was another possible couple there also. 

We retraced our steps along the lake path and along a lane lined with stately old homes - mansions....some a couple of stories high - nearly all with well-manicured grounds and sparkling windows.  We agreed that we need to walk that path again during the day time....it must be breathtaking.....it was so lovely at night. 

Mette walks around the lake every day except Sunday....a walk of over 5 miles.  Can you imagine?  It takes her about an hour and a half to two hours.  I'll bet she gets some good thinking done during that time.  

Just for your information, this is what I found online about the celebration:

Midsummer Eve, or Sankt Hans aften as 23 June is called in Danish, is an old Danish tradition. On this evening people gather across the country at bonfires to sing, listen to speeches, and not least to send the witches off to Bloksbjerg in Germany. Traditionally a wooden figure will be placed on the fire resembling a witch.

Sankt Hans is the Danish name for John the Baptist who was allegedly born on 24 June. In Denmark he is celebrated on the evening before, just like we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve 24 December instead of on Christmas Day.

We were too far away to see if there were any witches in the bonfire....but I am wondering what Bloksbjerg, Germany did to deserve all of the witches from Denmark sent their way.

I'll let you know if I find out anything.....but if it is anything like this little part of Europe, it has to be wonderful.

Walking and Chocolate Cake

Wait!  It simply cannot have been a week since last Monday, and last Family Home Evening.  Everyone has predicted this wild ride that happens on the countdown to the last day of our mission, and I believed them, but still.....I am surprised.

Louise came in early in the evening.  I opened the door and there she was.  She was our co-chairman with Morten for the first eleven months that we were here.  Last September, she left to attend BYU.   We were all so happy for her, and knew that she would not only have a marvelous time there, but also that she would be very successful.  She is dynamic and strong and bright.  She is one that you know will be able to accomplish everything she sets out to do.

She is back for two weeks.  Tonight was just one of those laid-back evenings....it had rained on and off all day with periods of brilliant sunlight and warmth.  By 6 p.m., the sun was spreading warmth and golden hued beams over the surfaces outside of the kitchen window.  When Caesar arrived, he couldn't resist....and went outside into the courtyard to sit at a picnic table there.  Helena joined him. One by one, as people arrived, they saw them outside and went out to sit in the sun.  By seven, we had over 20 YSAs out there basking in the beauty of the day.

They stayed out there for another half hour, sharing any food they had brought and laughing and talking.  Ulrik organized them to go inside, where he conducted Family Home Evening.  After a hymn and prayer and announcements, we watched a little video - a "Liken" video.  I think the target audience may be younger people, but the YSAs got a kick out of the story of Samuel the Lamanite, come to life in a musical that got pretty silly.  I thought it was pretty funny too.

Sarah from New Zealand came to say good-bye to everyone, and she brought an excellent chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  She has spent the summer perfecting her recipe and the cake tonight was her best yet...it was good!

After cake, several stayed around just enjoying each other's companionship...talking and laughing.  They have such good clean fun.  I would think it would be good missionary work just to show someone  how much they enjoy life without alcohol or drugs.

SK came to pick me up at 11 p.m......earlier than usual.  I cleaned out a kitchen cupboard while I waited.  He, Derek and Kate had done a bunch of sight-seeing today, and since it was their day last here, some souvenir shopping.  I went with them in the morning to two shops that most of the missionaries love.  They are similar to the dollar shops in America, but they have such fun and zany items, that it is a pleasure just to wander through.

I left them around 2 to get home to clean up, change and get myself to the center.

My little bracelet says I logged nearly 6 miles of walking today, which is great.  That is like walking from our home in Gilbert to the theaters on Gilbert Road and Warner.  I find that to be astonishing.  I would never do that in Gilbert!!!!  

SK and I used to walk two miles around the corn field and the Field of Dreams, but 2 miles seemed like such a long way to walk, and I felt like it was my limit.  As I walked to the center today, I traced in my mind the route I would walk, and I tracked my progress by the various places I enjoy walking by.  It didn't seem like such a long way, yet it was much farther than I would ever have walked back home.

Walking is just a part of life here in the city....walking, taking the bus or the train, bicycling....I understand why Danes shake their heads at the Americans who get from point A to point B (half mile away) by car.

Walking past the cornfields was....can I say...just a trifle boring.  Walking on the treadmill was really really dry.  Walking past all of the sights, sounds, and smells of Copenhagen is invigorating....exciting and interesting.

Maybe, in September, we'll have to start walking to the theaters on Gilbert Road!

Church and Family

We had a brand new elder today in Church.  He was so cute, I wanted to hug him!  He has been here less than a week.  He met us at the door of the church, shook our hands and greeted us in Danish.  He had a strong handshake, a quick smile and an air of great enthusiasm.

The branch president asked him to bear his testimony.  He strode up to the pulpit and stood thoughtfully.  He began to speak in Danish, and spoke for about five minutes.  He would pause every now and then, searching his mind to find the right words and then continue on.  I understood everything he said.  I was very impressed with not only his ability to speak Danish, but his resolve to speak.  And he is so cute!  I love these young missionaries, their excitement about sharing the gospel and coming so far from home.

I just wish their mothers could see them.  If they could see what I see when I am around them, they would be very pleased.

Our church block was inspiring - as always - with our high council speaker.  We heard from him, our new elder, and a new couple who are here in Copenhagen to photograph records from the national archives.  The records will go online for anyone interested in researching.  It is a collaboration between the Danish government and the Church.....and it is of great benefit to both.

The Church is able to add more records to Family Search for all avid family history people, and the country of Denmark receives a high quality copy of each old record book that will last indefinitely...even while the books molder away in the dust.

We talked about parables in Sunday School....who doesn't love the New Testament?  And in Relief Society, we talked about the temple.  One of the sisters in the branch gave it, and she has worked in the temple for years and has a very strong testimony of the work and the blessings.

Afterwards, we had SOS....Sandwiches og Slaegshistoria (sandwiches and family history).  One of the sisters called to help us with it introduced us to a program that was all kinds of fun.  It is "relativefinder.org" and gives you information about your relatives!

Once signed in, you can ask for U.S. Presidents that you are related to, Church presidents that are in your family tree, U.S historical figures, authors, European royalty, etc.  It is great!  You can even create your own groups.  We joined the Amager Branch group to find out if we are related to anyone else in the branch, and found out that we are distantly related to all of the other missionaries serving here.

We drove to a large church north of Copenhagen just to step inside to admire the awesome and soaring interior, and then came home, where we all kind of crashed.  Everyone is tired....especially Derek and Kate.  They have been going at breakneck speed the past 2 1/2 weeks and while they have been able to see so much, it has taken its toll.

Happy Father's Day calls made the day complete.

Day 2 of the Senior Conference

While we were at the second day of our senior conference, Derek and Kate were out seeing the city.  It seemed quite pleasant to me.  It has been one of those mercurial days as far as weather goes.  The wind has been constant, but the sun has only occasionally put in an appearance, but when it has come out, it has been glorious.  Dark and dramatic clouds have been the order of the day.

Derek texted us at one point:  "It is 113 degrees in Gilbert!  It was only a few years ago that the thermometer hit 122!  What is going on here?  It's hailing!"

I think they must have enjoyed it all....Derek is like me.....we find rain in nearly every circumstance welcome.

Meanwhile, back at the mission conference.  We started with breakfast together, and heard from President and Sister Sederholm briefly.  They are both so dear, and such tremendous leaders.  Their testimonies shine through in everything they do and say.  We will miss them.

After our morning meal, we all piled into cars and headed up to the castle at Frederiksborg.  That is where all the Carl Bloch paintings are.  I am unsure how many times I have been there now, but I never tire of it.  I see more each time.....and that may be due partially to the fact that there is so much to see!

Sister Morgan is showing off the beautiful scenery surrounding the castle....see the swan in the background?

This is the small room that houses the Carl Bloch paintings.

Even the view out the windows could be a work of art.

Look at that ceiling!  Every room had magnificent ceilings.  What is SK saying here?

This was an exciting exhibit of the queen's clothes for the last 50 years....with videos of her in the outfits.

How would you like to sleep in this bedroom?

Elder Thorne reserved a "classroom" for lunch....we each packed our own.  We all laughed to see the entrance - it looked like an old-fashioned storm cellar from Kansas!  We  down the steps to a lovely but spartan room that looked frankly, a little bit like a dungeon painted white.  But the company was good and the lunch of tuna sandwiches was OK.

Afterwards we said our goodbyes to many whom we may not see again until a future missionary reunion in SLC.  As we drove home, I realized that I have come to love these other senior missionaries and admire them....and I will miss them right along with the young missionaries and our YSAs.

As I write this, it is 10:06 p.m.   It is still light outside, but not the light of day.  Even with the overcast skies and set sun, overhead it is a pale blue....and it will remain like that for some time....probably another hour or two.  The sun rises tomorrow at 4:25 a.m., but I remember last year it was light far earlier than that.  It will set tomorrow evening at 9:58....the longest day of the year at 17 hours and 32 minutes + a few seconds.  Contrast that to Gilbert (suffering under the heat watch) which has 14 hours and 22 minutes.  Amazing.

Both these pictures were taken at 9:30 p.m.!

Derek and Kate have been doing more sight-seeing today....and are at this moment on some of the thrill rides at Tivoli!

We attended the baptism of Alma this evening.  She is the mother of one of our YSAs who was baptized several months ago.  They are both so cute and so very happy to have the Gospel in their lives.  It was a treat to be there and feel the sweet spirit of peace and joy.  The young elders were cute too.  There were a couple of very new ones - as in just here a couple of days - and they looked nervous, but happy.

I wish I could hold on tight to all of the impressions of this beautiful day.....the many sights, the many thoughts that flickered through my mind being with the other seniors in that stately and ornate castle, the warmth of spending time with friends, the joy of watching young missionaries do what they came here to do, the beauty of some divine music played at Alma's baptism, and all the other sweet feelings that have come this June 20th.

Senior Conference

Our two-day Senior Conference began today.  We met in a church here in Copenhagen, sang an opening hymn, had an opening prayer, and settled in for a spiritually uplifting meeting.  I presented "The Book," to President and Sister Sederholm, which turned out to be a beautiful gift from all of the senior missionaries.

Sister Sederholm gave a slide presentation of mission work in Iceland, showing windswept landscapes along a rugged beach with young elders posing in all kinds of zany shots.  She set the powerpoint presentation to a hymn about rescue called "Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy."

The entire presentation was lovely.

Then Jesper Paulsen, a member of our stake presidency spoke to us about the history of the church in Denmark.  He knows a great deal and is a marvelous speaker.  He told us stories of the early missionaries, the first Book of Mormon translated into another language (Danish of course), and how Denmark passed a law declaring freedom of religion in 1849 (and the things that lead to that law) and the arrival of the first missionaries in 1950.

It is remarkable in scope.  He told some wonderful stories from World War II about Danish saints who participated in the resistance who were a part of the underground movement to get Jews out of Denmark to safety.  It was also through Denmark that European missionaries were able to leave when the looming war made it unsafe for them.

Jesper is amazing.  He has written a book with a lot of this information in and it has been published. But I have a hard time reading it because it is in Danish.  The good news is that he has translated it to English and has given it to a publisher in Utah, who has agreed to publish.  But they are currently just sitting on it.

If you are interested in the history of the church (written in English), as well as individual saints from the early days in Denmark, you might want to just drop them an email and let them know of your interest.  Perhaps if they knew people want to buy such a book, they might get them printed soon.  Their information is:

Greg Kofford Books

11444 Jolley Acres Cir Sandy, UT

Phone: (801) 523-6063

Web: http://www.koffordbooks.com

After Jesper spoke, we all had pizza, and then returned to the chapel where President Sederholm addressed us, and then had each of us stand and bear our testimlonies.  It was a great meeting.  President and Sister Sederholm will be greatly missed.  They have been incredible leaders.  They will depart Denmark on July 1.

We all walked over to the temple, about a block away....snapped our pictures together on the front steps, and then attended the 4:30 session.  To end the day together, we drove out to an historic little village, where we had dinner.  

Sister Sederholm silhouetted against the harbor.

SK and I both had fish...pretty good!

The beautiful little village of Dragoer

Kate and Derek did some more sightseeing today, but it was a relaxing day for them....that is, until SK beat us all in a good game of Nines.  He was unstoppable....and quite exultant too.....which is just slightly obnoxious!

Of Castles, Kings, Cares and Kate (Not Necessarily in that Order)

Miss Kate turned 18 today.  She has grown up while we have been here in Denmark.  She has always seemed a trifle older....probably the oldest child thing.  She and her dad have been going from the moment they get up in the mornings til they drop into their beds at night.  I am in awe of all of the things they have been able to see.  She has been a real trouper.  I know she must be so tired.

The plan was 2 castles and then back to see the new Jurassic Park.  Bless her heart, she made it all the way through and then went to bed.  I think I will go soon too...it has been a long day.

We began our day driving an hour north to the very famous Kronborg Castle....otherwise known as Hamlet's castle in Helsingboerg on the northwestern coast of Denmark.  It is an imposing structure that overlooks the water between Denmark and Sweden.  Hamlet, Shakespeare's famous play takes place in Kronborg Castle, and it is easy to imagine the play.  Whether or not Hamlet existed, the character has been around in Nordic literature for over 800 years, reaching his pinnacle when Shakespeare wrote.

I am pretty sure that it was a good mile between the parking lot and the entrance to the castle, but the weather was dark and forboding....dramatic and mysterious.  The wind moaned through the trees and the dark sea lapped against the shore.  It was great.

We trooped through the great halls and official rooms, and then down into the dungeons.....well, I don't think they were really dungeons, but they were very dark, windowless, cold and damp.  There were little passageways and long oddly-shaped rooms.  It was fascinating.

After that interesting tour, we parted company.  SK, Derek and Kate went on to Frederiksborg Castle to see the  Carl Bloch paintings, among other things.  I walked to the train station (another mile and a half) and then took the train back into Copenhagen.

I got home with just enough time to clean up, put on a skirt and walk to the center.  It was at that  point that I discovered (to my horror) that I was missing my wallet.  I looked everywhere.  I went through my purse several times, through every pocket of every skirt, jacket, sweater and coat.  I looked through cupboards, drawers, shelves, and closets.  I tried to wander back in my mind over the last several days to remember where I had been when I had used it last.  I got sicker by the moment.  I had so many important things in there, including my temple recommend.

Finally, in defeat, I left for the center.  I was really kind of heartsick about it.  I got to the center, made a Texas sheet cake, and then visited with several individuals before Institute began.  It was a pleasant evening....a great evening with a lesson about Joseph Smith....what's not to love about that?

I love the prophet Joseph Smith.  Life was never easy for most of the Lord's prophets, but Joseph had a rough rough road for most of his time here on earth, yet, from all reports, he remained cheerful, optimistic, kind and faithful.  What he accomplished in his short time on earth is remarkable.

Notwithstanding the wonderful lesson and the wonderful visits, I had that underlying sense of uneasiness and worry.....I could not think what might have happened to that wallet.

After SK got out of the movie, he called.  After some searching, he found the wallet on the floor of the back seat of the car.  I have been full of Thanksgiving and rejoicing ever since.  What a marvelous relief!

I have also been full of Danish pastries.  SK, Derek and Kate stopped on the way home at our favorite bakery (Theresa's) and purchased several.

It seemed like a good time to celebrate.

Quintessentially Danish

Derek and Kate were properly tired this morning from their many adventures in London, Madrid and Paris.  Even as weary as they were, they stayed up even later last night to relate some of the many exciting places they had visited.  They filled every minute of every day, sometimes putting many miles on their shoes and hearts in the process.

So SK, the ever intrepid tour guide was kind and patient this morning to let them sleep in.  But as soon as they were awake, however, he was pushing us all out the door to see Odense.

Away we went, traveling west past green rolling fields, quaint homes and farms, over the great bridge and into the city of Hans Christian Andersen.  It is the third largest metropolis in Denmark and has all kinds of great shopping....not the least of which is a lovely little souvenir shop just across from Andersen's childhood home.  It is also home to several magnificent churches, one of which houses Carl Bloch's altar piece of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.

That is where we began our tour, drinking up the beauty of that great painting.  It is large and imposing, and demands attention in a quiet way.  The Savior's sacrifice and suffering are the focus, and His great love for us....the motivating force.

We sat in that beautiful church for awhile and then walked to the nearby Hans Christian Andersen museum.  He is arguably, one of Denmark's most famous citizens.  He has had a significant impact upon the world with his fairy tales.  There are many that you may not be aware of.  Some of the more famous stories he wrote are:

The Emperor's New Clothes
The Ugly Duckling
The Princess and the Pea
The Snow Queen (the new Disney movie Frozen was based upon this story)
The Little Mermaid
The Nightingale

Many of his stories have morals that are "universal in application" - to quote Derek. He captured the imagination of millions.  His own life contained elements of many of his fairy tales, and included more than a fair share of tragedy, loneliness and unrequited love.   I enjoy that little museum and that little city.

Derek and Kate outside of Hans Christian Andersen's Childhood Home.

We got back into Copenhagen and then went out for an authentic Danish dinner.  We all came home stuffed - wonderful meat and potatoes basically, but in a deliciously Danish way.  It was a perfect dinner for a cold and rainy day.

Expanding Life

What a lovely day!

Of all of our activities for this June 16, the one I enjoyed most was visiting teaching.  I set out for the train station to catch a train out to Amager, and discovered halfway there that I didn't have my telephone.  So I walked back, and had to get SK to drive me there, because by then I was going to be late.  He kindly obliged.

It was rush-hour traffic but he got me there only 5 minutes late, and then had to join the stream of traffic to get home.  I hurried into Fields, arguably the largest mall in Scandinavia.  It is very large, and very beautiful.  I believe there are at least 3 stories, and I always meet Sarah on the third story, where there is something of a food court.

These past several months I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing her monthly.  She comes to the center when she can....she has had some marvelous opportunities to travel this past semester, yet is always in church on Sundays when she is in town.

I have admired her strength and courage...it can't be easy to travel across the world to a country to study, knowing that a different language is spoken there, and not knowing anyone.  She has made some good friends that she will probably long remember fondly and many that she will keep in touch with.

I love to hear about the places she has been and what she has been able to see.  That in itself is an education.  Denmark is a beautiful country, and it is no sacrifice of comforts or conveniences to serve here.  (The water right out of the faucet is delicious and cold!)  People here are much like people from my home in the States.  So there was no culture shock.

But I have learned from being here....learned about myself and learned a little bit more about Europe and I have learned to step back and view my country from afar, perhaps through the eyes of a foreigner.  It has been very beneficial and very interesting.  There are things you learn about visiting other countries that you can learn in no other way.  Books are great, but they have their limitations.

Denmark has to be the kindest gentlest country to learn in.  I think this experience has been good for Sarah too.

Each month we meet, we choose a place to eat (they are all very reasonably priced), we order, and then we find a nice place to sit.  We always bow our heads and bless our food together and then we talk....and eat.  She is delightful company, and it seems that we never run out of topics.

She will be returning to her home in New Zealand next week.  She stood in Relief Society and in a most gracious way told everyone how much she has appreciated being in our little branch.  She has volunteered to make her delectable chocolate cake for Family Home Evening at the center next Monday night.  So she is saying her goodbyes.

Our turn will come soon enough, and like Sarah, I will go home much enriched by my experience here.  We spoke of journals and ways to remember this chapter of our lives.  She is young and has a quick mind and good memory.  I am certain that she will take home amazing memories of exciting places and events.  I will take home amazing memories of young people like her who have greatly enlarged my life.

Gift

Once again, Family Home Evening was low in numbers....probably because of final exams (which will continue through the end of the month) and vacations.  We only had 16 there, but it was - nevertheless a very good evening.

SK was asked to give the message a few hours before we were supposed to leave, and so he put together about a half hour lesson about one of his favorite topics....the Book of Mormon.  He gave it an interesting perspective....talking about how it is a semitic text and gave example of the ways that characterize it as such.  I think everyone enjoyed it...I certainly did.

Afterwards there was an activity, refreshments, a board game or two and then everyone quietly left, including us.

I had some lovely visits with some of the YSAs.  I spent some time with a beautiful young woman who will be getting married in the not-too-distant future.  She described her fiancee to me, and I loved what she had to say about him.  (By the way, I have met him and think he is a great guy.)  She said that he is one of the kindest people she has ever met, one who honors his priesthood, a man who is a hard worker, but one who hold family as precious and who wants a career that will allow him enough time to be with them.  He is encouraging and thoughtful, spiritual and bright.....she could have talked for much longer about his many marvelous qualities.....the glow of her face actually told the story.

What really struck me was that she never once said anything about his physical characteristics - and he is very nice looking.  It is as if his appearance is completely irrelevant.  She told me that he has been her best friend for six years, and among other things she loves about him is that he makes her want to be better than she is.

I asked her how the wedding reception plans are going, and it sounds like everything is well under control.  But she added that she loves all of her friends and it is important to her that everyone join in the celebration with her, but the most important thing to happen is that she will be sealed to her best friend, and everything else will pale in comparison to that.

The Danish word for married is "gift."  Isn't that great?  If you find the right person and marry in the proper way, it will literally be THE gift that keeps on giving....forever.

I wonder if I was anywhere near that wise when I was her age.

Thanks for the Sabbath Day

When my children were small, Sundays were difficult.  It seemed like SK always had a calling that kept him gone from early Sunday until afternoon, which left me to get them up, ready and to church on my own.  And it seemed like being home in the afternoons was an even greater challenge as I struggled to find ways to help the children keep boredom at bay, peace in the home and the Sabbath Day holy.  I often retired to my bed on Sunday nights feeling like I could have done much better.

It wasn't all that bleak though, because there were some wonderful times as well.

Sundays have definitely gotten better over the years, but they have reached their zenith for me here in Denmark on this mission.

It seems to me that there is a simplicity and focus here that I haven't had before.

Church is always wonderful....always.  It is always uplifting and inspiring to me.

Today in Sacrament meeting, one of our sweet young adults - a recently returned missionary who served in the SLC Temple Square Mission spoke.  We had only a month or so to get to know her before she left and I loved her then, and now she has been back a couple of months and we love her even more.

She spoke of her mission and how much she loved it.  She said that she had experienced some really difficult struggles as well as some mountaintop joys.  That struck me.  I listened to her, saw the beautiful and cheerful face, the poise as she speaks and the strength she projects, and realized what a blessing that mission was for her....even though she was like that before.

Then I realized that looking back over my mission I may say the same thing.  In the nearly two years here, I have often felt like the most blessed missionary in the world.  How could it possibly get any better?  How could any spot be more beautiful?  How could the people we serve be any more dear?  How could the missionaries we serve with be any more delightful and good?

But there have been real challenges.  Most of you would have been able to do what I have done with your eyes closed!  But the cooking and organization and several other things have stretched me.  I have wanted to be a good missionary, but often fall short and wish I were better.  But I wouldn't trade a minute of this mission.

One of our YSAs taught the lesson in Relief Society....and I just think she is wonderful.  She always shares tender insights and asks thought-provoking questions.  Our Relief Society President gave the lesson in the 3rd portion of the block, and I came away much inspired.  Comments made be a respected friend - a teacher (so dedicated to her students and her responsibility to teach) were so practical and yet so encouraging and gave me more to think about.  Another dear dear sister who works in the temple shared a deeply moving and personal experience that she said was just for me.....and my heart was touched.

SK and I came home and we talked for well over an hour....about what we want to accomplish before we leave in 11 weeks, and what we want to do better.  The time seems so short.  Then we put on our coats....yes, on June 14 we needed our coats!....and we took a lovely long walk through one of our favorite parks....just a mile and a half away.

We sat down on a bench and gazed up at the towering and stately trees swaying gracefully in the wind, and basked in the beauty around us.  We feel so blessed.

A round of Nines with the Thornes and Sister Hamblin ended a truly lovely day.

Castles and Other Structures

SK worked in the baptistry for a couple of hours this morning....he said five of our YSAs were there...as workers!...actually four of them were from Odense (the other stake)...and technically not ours, but we love them and claim them anyway.  There may have been more of our YSAs in other parts of the temple.

When he got home, we took off.  Our list of "must-sees" is still large...too large to be able to cross everything off, but we can get to a lot of things.  One thing I really want to do is to get on the train and just travel wherever it goes in Denmark.  Doesn't that sound fun?

One thing at the top of the list was to see Amalienborg Castle....the home of the Queen.  Yes...truly, we have not as yet seen her palace.  Well, as of this morning we had not seen it.  As I write to you now, it has been crossed off the list.

We took the bus over, and walked home - a distance of 4.13 miles.  It got up to 73 degrees and the sun was beaming down on us....it was warm.  But it was beautiful.  People were everywhere, since we are in high tourist season.  The trees are fully leafed out, and gardens all over the city are stunning.

We went into a nearby church....a large domed structure nicknamed the marble church.  It was partially built with marble from Norway.  The huge interior was cavernous.  People sat pondering and quietly taking pictures.  The acoustics in there are quite amazing and any sound is amplified.  There were signs asking for quiet so that all could enjoy the silence to ponder.

I suspect that the panoramic shot makes it look smaller than it really is.....and the domed ceiling has paintings of each of the twelve apostles high overhead.

Just a block or two from the church was the castle.  It is a complex of buildings, where the queen and her husband have a residence, and several other members of the royal family live.  There is a special flag that flies over her palace when she is home.

We walked into the vast courtyard (where - a couple of months ago I went with Mette, Janet and Pam to wave and sing happy birthday to her majesty on her 75th), and walked around.  We went into the museum and took an hour to wander through....it is a part of the palace complex and the architecture and design of the rooms was elegant. The history covered by the museum is relatively new, "stretching back 150 years to the reign of Christian IX and Queen Louise, who were known as 'the in-laws of Europe' because four of their children ascended to the thrones of England, Greece, Russia and Denmark, respectively."

When we came out, SK posed with one of the royal guards, and then we walked through the crowds towards home.

We took a short cut/detour through Tivoli.  We found a little open-face sandwich shop that is classically Danish and sat down at one of their outdoor tables.  Can I just say how much I love sitting outside like that?  We were under a large umbrella/canopy that covered four tables.  While we were munching our sandwiches, it began to rain.  It just could not have been lovelier!  That wonderful sound the rain makes on an awning/umbrella/canopy was music to my ears.

And then just to make the day complete, we walked home in the rain - without the Mary Poppins umbrella!  But as SK says.....we are waterproof.