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.