An Emotional Sabbath

That was hard......but it was a wonderful as well.


In sacrament meeting, Sister Hamblin and SK were the main speakers.  I was asked to take five minutes and bear my testimony.  I thought about it all night.....SK too was up late working on his talk, and awakened in the wee hours of the morning to think some more.

I have never been an emotional person....in fact, when I am at the pulpit, I never cry.  Usually it is because I am so frightened to be there, that it short-circuits the tear ducts.  I sat with the congregation, and when the familiar strains of the opening hymn began to sound, the tears started....and continued through the sacrament.  By the time I got up to speak, there was no turning the emotions off.

I was able to speak, but it was a struggle.  I looked around at all the people I have come to love and admire and it is just a bit sobering that I may not see them again in this life.  SK wants to come back, but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future.  We will have a lot to do when we get home, and I don't believe SK really has the heart to leave home again.....it is difficult for him to say goodbye on either end.

In case you are wondering, I spoke in English with my cute friend Anna right beside me translating it into Danish.  I needed to speak from my heart without fear of what I was doing to the Danish language.  I am content with what I was able to say.  Both SK and Sister Hamblin did a wonderful job with their talks....in Danish.

Elsa and Soeren have been sweet friends who speak to my heart.  We speak a little Danish and a little English together.

 

Katja, Thomas and cute Benedicte are such a great family....and so fun.

Anna on the left and Teresa on the right are two of our YSAs and we absolutely love them.  Teresa is the premier baker whose strawberry tart (among other things) is responsible for my precipitous weight gain.

Vicki and her daughter Emma in the far back right are both so dear to us.  Emma just returned from her mission in the states, and Vicki is mother to Joachim and Kasper....and she makes a marvelous monthly meal for the Amager Branch YSAs.

Anna, my dear friend who does all the translating, (far left), and Mona (middle) is our relief society president and mother to 6 and with a part-time job.  She is amazing....she is a blessing to her children and the ward.  Ulla, far right and foreground is absolutely dedicated to her family.....she served a mission several years ago, and always makes insightful and excellent comments in Relief Society.

Hanne, beautiful queen mother to our fairy-tale princess, (as well as Morten, our YSA President).  Words fail me when I try to express how highly we respect and love both Hanne and her husband, our branch president.

Ellen on the left, knows everything about Copenhagen, a city she has loved forever.  She is the one to ask if you need a question answered.  She has done some truly amazing things in Family History.  She is wise, and caring.  Jytte, on the right is our YW President and also one of our Family History experts.  She just got her hair cut short!  She remembers our neighbor from Gilbert, Rex Sorensen, when he served his mission on Amager.  I enjoy Jytte.

Isn't this a handsome branch presidency?.... our branch president is on the left.

We met with the YSAs in Sunday School.  I love those young people!  And in the third hour, we all met together to share a message about senior missions.  It should have happened on the 5th week of the month, but our branch president wanted it to be this week - while we were still here.  I wondered if that is just our stake, or the world over that people will be talking about senior missionaries.

After church was over, we all gathered at Kasper's parents' home to have lunch together....an open house in Sister Hamblin's honor...and ours.  A great many of the members were there....it was so so so nice!  Jaochim, Kasper's brother grilled hot dogs and there was a wide variety of desserts.  But besides grilling things to perfection, Joachim makes unbelievable cookies....great big perfectly round, perfectly baked, perfectly delicious cookies.  I would have taken a picture, but I ate it!!!!!! We received several lovely gifts from dear friends that we will cherish.  

Joachim, the champion griller and cookie baker, is in our branch presidency, and is one of our YSAs.  I have relied upon him for cooking advice.  If I were 22  and single....I would be trying real hard to catch his attention!

Hanne and Katja....it was a beautiful clean summer day, and like all Danes....these two friends couldn't resist sitting in the sunshine.

Palle, (left), his wife Lei (center) and Ulla (right)...such good people.

Henrik (left) our branch president explaining something to Joern (our ward organist...who works at the Thorvaldsen Museum.

Ellen and Joern....aren't they cute?  They love each other so....and they are wise and knowledgeable about the gospel and other very important things.

We had a very sweet experience a little while ago.  Erin called to talk to us about getting home.  We explained our day to her, and she began to cry.  "What is wrong?" we asked in alarm.

"I'm just crying for you...how hard it is to leave."

She has been here twice now and fell in love with everyone like we have.

I think the emotions of the day have caught up to me, and here I am thinking it is time for bed.....which actually sounds like a grand idea.  Maybe we can get up early tomorrow and attack the day with gusto!