From Denmark with Love: North, South, East and West

Yesterday, we traveled to the far reaches of our island....go north to Holbaek and then south and west to Slagelse. By the time we get all of the apartments done (on Friday), I think we will have seen a good portion of Sjaelland.

We started out from our apartment again this morning early....to beat rush-hour traffic. (Yes, really, there IS rush hour traffic in Copenhagen, but because of the bicycles which are very popular, the congestion from cars seems mild in comparison to some of the clogged freeways I have seen in the States.) When we left, it was overcast and threatening rain, so we took the Mary Poppins umbrella along, just in case.

We traveled an hour and a half to the south...veering off in a westerly direction. We drove through a marvelous rainstorm....dramatic and exciting. Thunder and lightening added to the beauty. Actually, SK who was doing a little bit of white knuckling on the steering wheel wasn't quite seeing the beauty. The water was deep in some places and it was difficult to keep the car on a steady course, with all lanes being used and large semis in some of them....barreling through the rain.

We arrived on an island named Falster, and drove across it to Nykoebing. There in an old building that houses a very small LDS church on the ground floor, lives two of our young elders. Elder McDougal and Elder Gudmundsen were ready for the inspection. The apartment has needed some patchwork done on the walls, as well as a good paint job, but that appears to be way down on the list of priorities for the mission, and each time we turn in the report, we are told politely, that it will be done eventually, but not right now.

The apartment was orderly and tidy....the bathroom and the kitchen were clean, clothes and other items stored neatly away. There was a nice feeling there. Beginning before transfers Elder Gudmundsen and Elder Brady had moved furniture around so that the spacious apartment was being used to more advantage....it has really made a difference.

They are such cute young men. They serve a branch with about 12 members, and consequently don't get many dinner appointments. I would have loved to take them to lunch somewhere, but we had four other apartments to inspect, and couldn't take the time....plus, with 17 pair of missionaries we are working with....that could break our bank account!

We forgot to take a picture....but we'll get them next Wednesday at the mission-wide conference.

We said goodbye and traveled north (about an hour and 15 minutes) back towards Copenhagen to a town called Taastrup. Elder Reber and Elder Zeigler live on the top floor (sixth) of an apartment building. We were delighted to see Elder Light and Elder Williams there on splits (they trade companions for a day for training purposes), because we hadn't taken their picture yesterday.

Elder Light and Elder Williams....we inspected their apartment first thing yesterday but forgot to take their picture....so it was great to see them again today.

Elder Reber and Elder Zeigler...

Each apartment is unique, and reflects the young people who are living there. I love to look at the things they choose to hang up, as well as the wall hangings which came with the place. They reflect their personalities. We have seldom seen utter wrecks as far as the apartments go. We often see a certain amount of clutter, but I look at the small spaces they are living in, and the stuff they have (like suitcases and bicycles and gear) and think it would be very difficult not to have some disorder.

We look closely at ovens, freezers, sinks, showers, floors and counters....and try to encourage them to keep everything in order and well taken care of. We are happy to see missionaries giving it their best effort.

Another trip west for a half hour got us to the basement apartment of Sister Landvatter and Soelberg. By that time, the rain had stopped and the sun was out in all its glory. Everything sparkled. Their small dwelling place is underneath a small house in a beautiful city. The entrance is in the back of the house, and as we walked around the back of the yard, we heard laughter and came upon the two sisters hanging their clothes on a line. It seemed so idyllic, that we snapped a picture.

How could you not enjoy hanging clothes in this backyard?

Their apartment is one of the smaller ones, and was obviously an afterthought when the house was built. The three rooms seem haphazard, the ceilings low, and not a lot of light coming in. It could be just a little depressing, but the two sisters had inspiring thoughts and posters and pictures all over the walls, and had decorated it with cheer. They were both so delightful that it made the whole place seem brighter.

Sister Landvatter and Sister Soelberg

Another half hour drive east brought us into the suburbs of Copenhagen to an old neighborhood that seemed sleepy....an area that hasn't quite caught up to 2015. Trees, shrubs, and flowers all seemed overgrown and a little wild, yet it was pleasant and pretty.

Sisters Williams and Floyd had obviously put some time into rearranging the furniture....moving the beds out of the front room and into the back room....making the front room into a living/study room and cleaning up walls and floors. What they had done looked great, and we got a kick out of their enthusiasm.

Sister Williams and Sister Floyd....look at what a beautiful wood floor they uncovered when they decided to junk the old decrepit gray carpet!

Finally, we had another half hour drive south to Amager, where we visited the elders from our little branch. They live in a tiny apartment that seemed like a 10-story hike up. I think it was 4 stories, but it was a lot nevertheless. They live above a bakery, and had purchased a pastry to share with us!

Their kitchen was very clean....which is amazing because I know they like to cook, and it is not always easy to keep kitchens so neat. The bathroom wasn't too bad....that is always a difficult one for the young missionaries because half the time they have inherited a neglected one, and it takes some deep cleaning to get it up to par. Their walls need some serious cleaning....I think a Mr. Clean eraser would do wonders, but they have tried some other cleaners....we talked about what they could do to get several years worth of smudges off. I am sure they will get it done.

The apartment smelled like something was "well-done" in the kitchen. Elder Thurman had baked a small loaf of bread from the store, and had forgotten it! When it came out of the oven, we all agreed, it almost looked like a work of art!

Elder Sakarada and Elder Thurman

We had time enough to take a short nap before SK drove Sister Hamblin, Sister Ottley and me to Relief Society and then took himself to a planning meeting at the center.

There were eight of us there, and we barbecued hot dogs in the back yard of the church and sat outside in the beautiful waning light of day,and laughed and visited over dinner. "Hygge." I love those sisters!