I Think to Myself What a Wonderful World

We have been looking forward to this day for a couple of weeks.  We attended a baptism in Odense....the next island to the west.  A lovely young woman who has been in the center a few times was baptized a member today.

We left a little after 8 and pulled into Odense a little after 10.  Along the way we passed rolling fields of green, quaint little farmhouses and beautiful rambling homes in patchwork fields.  We crossed a very large, tall and long bridge from our island of Sjealland to the island of Fyn.

This lighthouse and few small buildings are all that are on this little island.

Easily high enough for a ship to pass under (in fact, we saw a large cruise ship many decks high move under it),  and you can't hardly distinguish the cars on it because they are so tiny.

We had some time before the baptism so we wandered around the area where Hans Christian Andersen grew up.  It is a marvelous area to meander through.  We stopped and bought a beautiful illustrated book of one of his fairy tales.

We decided to just walk around the center of town for a little while, and on our way we came upon an old church building.  On getting closer we noticed posters about a concert being given at noon in the great interior.  It was 11:40 and we thought we might just take a peek around.  (We both love these old churches.)

There were a few people inside, some sitting down in the pews.  It was a large spacious chapel with the small replicas of sailing vessels hanging from the ceiling in honor of the men who went to sea.  (The Danes have long been a sea-faring people.)

We were dumbfounded to see that the altarpiece was the first magnificent painting by Carl Bloch that I came to love.  We stood for awhile in awe, then sat down to drink in the beauty of his work.

Soon a slip of a girl with long blond hair came in and bowed.  People clapped.  She was accompanied by a young woman about the same age who sat down at the grand piano.  I honestly don't know which one was more gifted, but the concert was a voice concert.  She sang in superb soprano for the next 45 minutes....most classical music with ah couple of Berstein pieces.  The accompaniest was amazing too.

It was a dream to sit there in that beautiful old building looking at Christ in Gethsemane and listening to that lovely young voice echoing through the long cavernous hall.

Feeling like we were on a cloud, we made our way to the church where we listened to some wonderful talks, heard some lovely music, visited with some of great YSAs, watched the baptism.  We enjoyed it l so much that we actually forgot to take pictures!!!!

I would love to have shown you some pictures of her and her many guests on this special day,  but  the cover of her program will have to do.

We retraced our steps over the bridge and now we are home again.  We are tired....pleasantly so.

It just doesn't get much better than today.

Man Against the Tree, Part 2

The day dawned with bright sunlight, but about the time SK went out to renew his war with the tree stump and roots, it was overcast and began to sprinkle.  That was fine....it cooled it down considerably.

Today he only spent an hour and a half and I think he is winning.  We are hoping to plant some things on Monday.  We'll see how it goes.  He also sprayed the bricks hoping to kill off any and all weeds and moss.

We ransomed his suits and ties from the cleaners, went to a little German grocery store and proudly became the owners of an electric griddle...not like the large ones you have, but one large enough to grill 6 sandwiches at a time, or two small tortillas.  I am enormously happy with it.

I looked on Amazon.UK to see if they had one, and finally gave up my search.  Then we found it in the weekly ads.  It was even on sale.  So it was a "Eureka" moment for sure.

We took the bus across town to attend the baptism of Viggo, a man from our branch.  It was fun to see the missionaries that have served in our branch back for the baptism.  Then for fun, we walked home.  This is such a great city.....it is winning my heart.  I have lived in Chicago, and visited other large cities.  I understand how people become attached.  But there is something about Copenhagen.

Our dear friends, Elder and Sister Middlemas from up north came to stay the night.  They are senior missionaries who came to the temple with a sister they have been visiting.  It is inspiring to see how they were put where they are to help this sister prepare to go to the temple.  They will go back to the temple in the morning and then return home to Aalborg.  We are looking forward to having some more time with them next month when we go to their area.

I am excited about tomorrow.  We will get up early and leave for Odense...where we will attend the baptism of a wonderful young woman who has visited the center a few times.

Called to Serve....Sloppy Joes Anyone?

Why is it that some meals take so long to fix and then turn out mediocre? 

Case in point:  Sloppy Joes, Crazy Broccoli Salad, Watermelon and Lemon Sheet Cake.  All I can say is that it took the better part of the evening last night and the entire day today.  I don't know why....maybe I am just very slow.

Part of the problem is that I was preparing for 40, and that is a lot of broccoli and onions to wash and chop.  Also a part of the problem this evening is that only about 20 ate.  And the lemon cake was only warmly received....probably because it looked more like a cinnamon cake.

I know what you're thinking:  "How on earth do you get a lemon cake that looks like a cinnamon cake?"

We don't have Mexican vanilla here....we have an odd weak little substitute.  Most serious cooks just use real vanilla beans.  Casual or amateur cooks like me use the odd weak little substitutes - when they have them.  Otherwise, they use vanilla powder....which is very dark brown.  There you have it....light brown cake, light brown frosting.....which tastes of tart lemon.  It just doesn't work!

When everyone had eaten, we ended up with two bags of buns, a couple of pounds of sloppy joe mixture and about a half gallon of broccoli salad, some of which was sent home with YSAs. 

It was an OK meal....but it could have been better.  Ah well.  Everyone is always so charming about it.

It was a marvelous marvelous evening.  I spent some time when class first started visiting with Sister Hadley and Sister Barrett.  They are the "Center" missionaries, and they are so dear.  They were hoping a young man they have been teaching would come tonight, but he never showed up. 

But they mentioned something really nice.  SK talked to this same young man at length a couple of weeks ago, and just got a fire going in him to read the Book of Mormon.  So the next time we see him, SK and he will have a wonderful conversation about it I am sure.

Phillip, our oh-so-very-kind and patient returned missionary sat in the kitchen with me tonight for at least 45 minutes patiently conversing with me in Danish.  I have never seen anyone like that.  He will be a wonderful young father someday.  I can imagine him teaching his little children and I can imagine they will always remember his gentle patience with them.

It can be so trying to listen to someone stumbling along slowly in another language.  Just listening to others in our Danish class, and hearing myself always makes me wonder how our teachers keep from going berserk all day!

Phillip and I were joined by Elijah and Samuel, and we talked about many things.  It is so good for me, but I feel like such a dunce!  Later in the evening, two very compassionate and kind YW came to me to say good-night and mentioned that they had heard me with Phillip, and wondered if I wanted them to speak Danish to me too.  Isn't that so incredible?

Why hasn't that ever occurred to me to be so very caring with people who are trying to learn English?  I am going to change my ways when I get home.

I didn't realize when we were given this mission call that I would be learning so much from the marvelous individuals we have been called to serve.

Seeing the Light

I have heard it said that some people have moved away from the Phoenix area because they could not take the tedium of having every day be "clear and sunny."  I could never understand what could possibly be bad about clear and sunny!

However, I have seen the light.

Today was overcast and gray with an occasional drizzle.  We opened the windows and it was cool.  It is also fairly humid.  It makes my hair kind of frizz up....but that is OK.  No one's hair looks stunning on a day like today.  Most younger women (and quite a few older ones) wear their hair long and often fresh from the shower.  They come into the center smelling fresh with slightly damp locks.  When they bicycle or walk they twist it all up onto the tops of their heads, and when they arrive somewhere, they just loosen it and it all tumbles down, looking great.

Here is a warning to anyone who might come visit....no matter how good your hair looks in front of the mirror, 5 minutes outside and you will have a whole new hairdo.  I have pretty much resigned myself to the "tousled" look.  Even at age 65 it appears to be acceptable.....or invisible, one of the two.

I spent a couple of hours with my sweet friend Doris today.  She is facing some decisions that are weighing heavily and I am praying for her to find peace.  Please remember her in your prayers.  She will go with me to Sacrament meeting Sunday and then Relief Society Tuesday to make cupcakes.  She will enjoy that for sure!

We sat outside in a lovely park for awhile until we got cold (yes all you incredulous Arizona people...cold) and found a cute little cafe where she had tea and I had a bottled water with some salad. I took the bus and walked home in the light mist that fell.  Tomorrow it will be warmer with clouds and sunshine and by the weekend it will be sunny and clear.  How about that?

I think I could get used to the ever-changing weather conditions here.  But....there is never anything wrong with clear and sunny!

Getting the Job(s) Done

I have been sitting here in the loft watching the long twilight deepen.  The continual procession of people along the lake path seldom slows.  Occasionally a couple will sit down on the bench and just watch the ducks and swans.  It is a peaceful scene.

It is P-day today and we have worked on the apartment.  I worked at cleaning around the front door of the apartment.  I swept outside and worked on the blinds and windows inside.  SK worked on our little patio.  The garden space he is working on is about 5 feet square and has the stump of a tree in the middle.  He has been pulling weeds and attacking errant tree roots with a vengeance.

But I think the tree got the better of him.  After working for several hours in a row, he came in, showered and went to bed.  I have been trying to get him to drink liquids ever since.  I hope a good night's sleep will rejuvenate him.  Sometimes we forget we are getting a little older!  He is such a trooper and is always ready to go and do.

This is a "before" shot...soon I will show you the "after."

The afternoon has given me plenty of study time which has been very nice.  I have been working on a Sunday School lesson, and a couple of other projects.  And I am still trying to memorize D&C 4 in Danish.  If I get that down, it will be a miracle.

We saw this little plaque in the window of a shop by the bus stop.  For some really dumb reason, I love it.

 Time to make out the week's menu and shopping list.....

Scorpions are Not the Deciding Factor.. but Lack of Them is a Big Plus

Forty-nine years ago today, SK walked into my life.  Wouldn't it be fascinating if I could have seen - at that moment - what the rest of my life would look like?

I am quite sure that I wouldn't be in Denmark right now enjoying being around the young single adults.  I might be in some tropical land chasing scorpions out of our dwelling.

Monday is always Family Home Evening, and we had 30 or so here.  Actually, we were at the church about 4 blocks from here, in the parking lot.  A very sweet and important...as well as humorous message about the Word of Wisdom was followed by an activity.  They practiced a dance that most of them learned way back in their elementary school years.  Think "Square Dance."  Who in America hasn't performed a square dance at some point in their lives?

The dance they were working on is kind of like a square dance, kind of like a folk dance....kind of like the dances you see in Jane Austen movies, and very old....probably older than Jane Austen!  You need even groups of 8 and there are four parts to the dance and you do need to practice in order to get it right.

They are practicing for the dance that is being held on June 13.  It is in celebration of summer and the end of formal institute classes for the 2013-14 years.  There will be a red carpet, a dinner, and formal program and a dance and everyone has been invited to come in long dresses(YW) and dinner jackets for the men.  Everyone is excited about it.  Even our wonderful YSA Theresa who has been trained as a baker will be baking a spectacular dessert.

I am excited about it too, but wondering what on earth to wear!  I think I will take a trip to the local salvation army store to see if I can find a dressy top to go with a skirt that can pass for a semi dressy skirt.  Several of the young women said they are going to be shopping around at all the genbrues (used items stores).  I really enjoy doing that myself, but we have to be careful....anything we buy will have to be abandoned here in 2015.  I do want to find a good floor lamp though before winter comes again.  Our little living room is quite dark during the long winter days/nights and a good lamp would help a lot.  Plus I am on the lookout for some special dishes....so those trips are always fun.

I had some fantastic visits with some of the young adults tonight.  One is a new young man, newly turned 18, and soooo intelligent!  I am certain that he knows more about the American economy and political system, as well as the Danish economy and political system than 3/4 of the people his age ....if not more.  It is fascinating to see how people that age view the world, one that just has to be more complex than any other time in history.  It is very inspiring to hear that with our LDS kids, it is almost always with the perspective of faith and optimism.

Without even considering that there are no scorpions here, I have to say this is the best mission in the world.
 

A New Month - June!

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and wondered if we had left a light on in the other room....and then realized that it was daylight!  We are still heading towards the longest day.

Sundays are always relaxing and refreshing.  Sister Swena brought a young woman from Nigeria to Sacrament meeting today.  She was a lovely person with a radiant smile.  She seemed to enjoy being there, and she must have learned a great deal about the Gospel.....both sacrament meeting and the Sunday School class she attended were incredible.

We also had a man from Japan visit today.  He works for a Danish-owned company and so will probably visit again.  He was a very interesting man who is from the Tokyo area.  He told us how the YSA program is functioning there.  He has worked with the program there I believe.

He is married and has 2 teenagers.  He speaks English very well....in fact, I could hardly hear an accent.  As we talked, I realized why.  He was born to Japanese parents who moved to Brazil - Sao Paulo when he was a baby.  So he essentially was raised as a Brazilian....speaking Portuguese.

When he was 26, he moved to Japan and learned Japanese.  Before that, he served a mission in Curitiba Brazil.  He speaks Portuguese, Japanese, English, German, French, and understands some Spanish and Italian.  He is older than our son-in-law by 10 years, nevertheless we were excited to tell him that Ethan had served there.

This was a rare day that we had nothing after church and so came home to study and write some letters.  I spent most of the day in the loft with the windows open, listening to the songs of the birds and enjoying the ever-changing scenes.

After dinner, we went to the Thornes to play Nines with them and Sister Hamblin.  It is a fun and easy game for people of all ages, and we can just sit and visit while we play.  After the game, we all trooped up to the roof to look at the panorama of Copenhagen.

A view from the front side of the building to the street below and the apartments across the street and beyond. 

There are five lakes all in a row, and we are at the bottom or southern-most lake...this picture is looking north where you can see the second lake in the distance.

You have seen this view before on this blog, but if you look just to the right of the planetarium (strange round shaped building) there is a tall spire in the distance....that is a ride on Tivoli.  The tall building is a Scandia hotel, and the other buildings are mostly apartments.

It is now 9:40 and the sun has set, but it won't be completely dark for quite awhile yet.  It will rise again around 4:30.

It is a little like Gilbert, Arizona.  We endure the cruel heat of the summer to glory in the magnificent winter.  Here, people talk about enduring the long winter nights to enjoy the wonderful light of summer.