This was not a great day to take the bus....so we were happy to be able to ride in a car to church. Elder and Sister Turpin have a car, which was here waiting for them. It was a great day for Elder Turpin to adjust to driving in a different land....and adjust to driving around a city with bicyclists and pedestrians everywhere you turn. He did just fine.
This was another day to soak up the beautiful messages about the Savior's birth and mission here on earth. Something that was said reminded me of a film the Church made years ago about the Savior. I remember the scene showing Mary holding the infant Jesus and Joseph walking through a crowd of people.....the camera backed away from them all the while ascending up in much higher than the crowd, so that at the longest shot you could see the great courtyard of the Temple with hundreds of people milling around.
I remember thinking in awe that Joseph and Mary seemed so young and inexperienced and (for want of a better word) so powerless again the forces of the world, and there they were holding a completely defenseless baby who was the Hope of the world.
Surely there were legions of angels charged with protecting them, but the responsibility Mary and Joseph carried must have been incredible.
Every meeting in church today was centered around the Savior. It was most edifying.
Later in the day, I went home teaching with SK and along with his companion visited one of our beautiful young single adults. She is in law school and a returned missionary from Temple Square Mission. Her testimony shines through in all that she does and says. I am not sure, but I think SK's companion was somewhat smitten.....I would wonder about him if he hadn't been!
We all (YSA's from our branch - about 8 including the two young elders -and us) met for dinner and then the Christmas broadcast at one of our branch family's home. As is nearly always the case, we feasted. Pulled pork, frikadeller, red cabbage slaw, mango salsa and for dessert, my contribution was eclair cake. If you are interested here is the recipe....it is quite a find, because it is so much easier to make than eclairs and so much easier to eat with a fork since it is a piece of eclair cake (kind of).
If you are interested here is the recipe and I promise it is outstanding.
http://amandascookin.com/2013/06/cream-puff-chocolate-eclair-cake.html
We watched the broadcast (second time SK and I have seen it in two days) and we both loved it...the music was soooo beautiful. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang "Still, Still, Still" in a hauntingly beautiful arrangement, and "Silent Night." They also sang a selection from "The Messiah" which was wonderful.
We have only a few more days to enjoy all of the Christmas celebrating. I am going to have to find something to look forward to in the coming months, so having it over doesn't leave too much of a void. How about a trip to Norway in February for YSA training??????
I think that works.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Winter Anyone?
I set out for the center this morning on foot...SK was at the temple. It was a gorgeous day with a blue blue sky. Billowing clouds sailed across the heavens at a fast clip. I paused for a minute and looked up....it almost made me dizzy! It was nippy and windy, but I had warm clothing on and loved it! It is mid-December and we - as yet - have not had snow, but it is cold enough to enjoy all the Christmas everywhere.
I passed crowds of people lined up to spend time at Tivoli and more crowds heading for the Walking Street. I stopped in a little store to get a couple of loaves of bread and some whipping cream.
It was so nice to step into the warmth of the center and turn the Chrismas lights in the windows on. I spent several hours there preparing white chicken chili and making dessert. It was pleasant....I turned on some Christmas music and enjoyed the time. For dessert, we had waffle cookies with warm cinnamon apple slices and whipped cream.
Early in the afternoon Jonathan came in and helped me peel apples. I love to visit with him. He has such a strong testimony. He loves the Lord and he loves his family. He comes from a strong family who do a lot of things together. He has 2 sisters who are married and one who will soon be and then perhaps a younger sibling or two. But even the married ones spend time in the family home often where they gather in the kitchen and cook together, or sing together, or do family history work.
Our numbers were few...we had a dozen come after serving in the temple. They gathered and had lunch, then we watched the annual message from the Church for Christmas which was truly inspiring. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang some of my favorite carols and the messages given by the speakers took as their subject the birth of Christ and His life.
They are messages similar to those I have heard at this time of year every year for my entire life....yet they were new and they were wonderful. One that I loved in particular was about Mary and Joseph and what overwhelming roles they were trusted with.....yet their humility was a quality that made them as perfect as possible, yet they were human. I love to ponder what they would be like to know. What extraordinary lives they must have led!
We spent some time with the Turpins this evening. They had been to Tivoli....they came in with rosy cheeks from the cold night air and big smiles from the delight of being out in the Christmas crowds. They are a wonderful couple who have given their lives in service to their family, their wards and their missions. They spent some time at the center, which they enjoyed.
They are going to be great missionaries.
I passed crowds of people lined up to spend time at Tivoli and more crowds heading for the Walking Street. I stopped in a little store to get a couple of loaves of bread and some whipping cream.
It was so nice to step into the warmth of the center and turn the Chrismas lights in the windows on. I spent several hours there preparing white chicken chili and making dessert. It was pleasant....I turned on some Christmas music and enjoyed the time. For dessert, we had waffle cookies with warm cinnamon apple slices and whipped cream.
Early in the afternoon Jonathan came in and helped me peel apples. I love to visit with him. He has such a strong testimony. He loves the Lord and he loves his family. He comes from a strong family who do a lot of things together. He has 2 sisters who are married and one who will soon be and then perhaps a younger sibling or two. But even the married ones spend time in the family home often where they gather in the kitchen and cook together, or sing together, or do family history work.
Our numbers were few...we had a dozen come after serving in the temple. They gathered and had lunch, then we watched the annual message from the Church for Christmas which was truly inspiring. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang some of my favorite carols and the messages given by the speakers took as their subject the birth of Christ and His life.
They are messages similar to those I have heard at this time of year every year for my entire life....yet they were new and they were wonderful. One that I loved in particular was about Mary and Joseph and what overwhelming roles they were trusted with.....yet their humility was a quality that made them as perfect as possible, yet they were human. I love to ponder what they would be like to know. What extraordinary lives they must have led!
We spent some time with the Turpins this evening. They had been to Tivoli....they came in with rosy cheeks from the cold night air and big smiles from the delight of being out in the Christmas crowds. They are a wonderful couple who have given their lives in service to their family, their wards and their missions. They spent some time at the center, which they enjoyed.
They are going to be great missionaries.
Friday, December 12, 2014
New Kids on the Block
Elder and Sister Turpin arrived here around 4:30. It was already dark and the rain was coming down as it had all day....it has been relentless. They had made the long flight over from Salt Lake, stopping in Chicago and London. They blinked against the light as they entered the apartment. They looked tired, and they were tired.
They came in and sat down and we visited. They are from Bountiful, Utah! They have lived there for 22 years and we have been gone over 45 years so there was little there that we had in common, except feeling a genuine love of that place. They have a large family with 22 grandchildren. Between being exhausted and thinking about all of the sweet little children they left behind....Sister Turpin was understandably just a little bit emotional.
Each time we have a new couple come in, it has been fascinating to gauge where we are in comparison. That subdued Fall afternoon we arrived was so interesting. Cities have different smells and the sights of Copenhagen were fascinating to me. The apartment....walking through the front door from the sidewalk, the view of the lake, the light switches, the water faucets, labels that were foreign to me, so many new things...I felt a little overwhelmed.
Just a short time ago we were the new kids on the block and now we are among the "senior" senior couples. Sister Turpin asked how long we had been out, and when I said 14 months, she said, "You're almost done!"....which came as kind of a shock. Of course she was assuming that our mission is 18 months and not 23. They will follow us around until Wednesday morning.
I fixed dinner for them and then we went to the Thorne's apartment where we spent some time with them, the Hicks (who will be going home in 4 weeks) and Sister Hamblin. It was fun to hear all the mission stories exchanged. Elder and Sister Turpin have already served one other mission....to New Zealand where they taught family history.
For this mission they will serve with YSAs in a little city 2 hours away from here...Odense...the city of Hans Christian Andersen....I love that place!
I can see how much Sister Turpin is literally grieving over the separation from her family. What a sacrifice this is! They both expressed so beautifully how much they want to serve the Lord, and how they know He will bless their family while they are away. They are certainly stepping forward in faith, and although tired want to get started now on their mission work.
They are upstairs getting much-needed sleep (I hope). I think the work will wait a little while yet.
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| The interior of our apartment at 2:54 in the afternoon (the camera is set for Arizona time). Isn't it deliciously dreary? |
They came in and sat down and we visited. They are from Bountiful, Utah! They have lived there for 22 years and we have been gone over 45 years so there was little there that we had in common, except feeling a genuine love of that place. They have a large family with 22 grandchildren. Between being exhausted and thinking about all of the sweet little children they left behind....Sister Turpin was understandably just a little bit emotional.
Each time we have a new couple come in, it has been fascinating to gauge where we are in comparison. That subdued Fall afternoon we arrived was so interesting. Cities have different smells and the sights of Copenhagen were fascinating to me. The apartment....walking through the front door from the sidewalk, the view of the lake, the light switches, the water faucets, labels that were foreign to me, so many new things...I felt a little overwhelmed.
Just a short time ago we were the new kids on the block and now we are among the "senior" senior couples. Sister Turpin asked how long we had been out, and when I said 14 months, she said, "You're almost done!"....which came as kind of a shock. Of course she was assuming that our mission is 18 months and not 23. They will follow us around until Wednesday morning.
I fixed dinner for them and then we went to the Thorne's apartment where we spent some time with them, the Hicks (who will be going home in 4 weeks) and Sister Hamblin. It was fun to hear all the mission stories exchanged. Elder and Sister Turpin have already served one other mission....to New Zealand where they taught family history.
For this mission they will serve with YSAs in a little city 2 hours away from here...Odense...the city of Hans Christian Andersen....I love that place!
I can see how much Sister Turpin is literally grieving over the separation from her family. What a sacrifice this is! They both expressed so beautifully how much they want to serve the Lord, and how they know He will bless their family while they are away. They are certainly stepping forward in faith, and although tired want to get started now on their mission work.
They are upstairs getting much-needed sleep (I hope). I think the work will wait a little while yet.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
I Could Get Used to This!
SK and went out to do some shopping before the Turpins get here tomorrow. We have all kinds of activities on the calendar between now and next Wednesday when they leave for their assignment elsewhere in Denmark, and I wanted to be sure there is food on hand. We also needed supplies for the meal we are fixing on Saturday for the center's Temple Day.
When SK and I were children, you paid a deposit on pop bottles, which you received back when you turned them in. It was a great thing when we were old enough to gather a sack full up and go (by ourselves) to turn them in for a treat, yet still young enough to not be embarrassed by the whole transaction.
Here in Denmark most pop bottles and cans come with a charge for the container itself, which you get back when you turn them in. SK has steadfastly refused to turn them in....he has some bad associations attached to that process. I think the embarrassment came with turning them in for a necessity like a jug of milk or a dozen eggs (by the way....we don't see dozens around here.....things come in boxes of 10). Over the months he has softened and goes with me to the machine that accepts the bottles and then spits out a receipt to be used at the checkout counter.
We have been saving those receipts for months, and for some dumb reason we decided to turn them in today. Today...in the midst of crowds of Christmas shoppers with short tempers. Today, when lines were long and delays were frowned upon. I am the bagger....I stand at the end of the counter and pack everything into the bags to take home. Since SK carries the card for the bank account and since SK speaks Danish well...SK takes care of the transactions.
Before starting, SK showed the clerk the little stack of receipts and she nodded fine. All of our items were scanned without a hitch. But then she started processing the receipts and couldn't figure out several. Each time she had to stop and summon help from a higher up....and each time each of the 9 people in line leaned around to frown at SK. He stood there helplessly. A couple of times he tried to say something to me (just for support I am sure), but I tried very hard not to look his way as I packed because I was trying with all my might not to laugh....in fact, I was nearly in tears.
If, in all those months I had even once said to him, "What is the worst that can happen with these?"...he would have replied the very thing that happened to him today. He is so so so funny! He finally finished everything and we picked up our sacks and started down the escalator....I couldn't hold it in any longer and I burst out laughing.....and he did too. We have been laughing about it all day.
Hey....we saved forty dollars!
It was another unusual and unusually easy Thursday. I awakened without a worry about food for the evening meal. Kasper was the Master Chef again tonight. It is magic. He had a lovely meal planned and came in like a whirlwind around 4 in the afternoon. He put a large pot of water on to boil, got the ham going and generally rushed back and forth between the stove, refrigerator, sink, drawers and countertops. He chopped and stirred and mixed and seasoned. At 7:00 he was rolling full-steam ahead with everything under control. So I went into the English Institute class!
One of our young women was teaching it. She is a graduate student here and is fascinating. She is an excellent teacher with a strong base of faith from which to teach. She asked excellent questions and generated some great discussion. It was so fun to be in there!
At 8:30, Kasper had the meal ready.....glazed ham, creamed spinach and brown potatoes (new potatoes cooked in a wonderful kind of caramel sauce....the sauce is thin enough that the flavor is subtle but oh so good...and thick enough to adhere to them.
Everyone loved the meal....it was a great success....a great Christmas meal. Next week even better according to Kasper. He is amazing and he is wonderful. I told several young women tonight they had better propose right away or he'll get away.
We said good-bye to Hannah and Gismo....our two cute young women who will be departing for the MTC on Saturday. They will each be excellent....but we will miss their smiles and their enthusiasm and cheer. We have grown to love them and hate to see them leave, but I am excited for them for the experiences that lie ahead for each one.
When SK and I were children, you paid a deposit on pop bottles, which you received back when you turned them in. It was a great thing when we were old enough to gather a sack full up and go (by ourselves) to turn them in for a treat, yet still young enough to not be embarrassed by the whole transaction.
Here in Denmark most pop bottles and cans come with a charge for the container itself, which you get back when you turn them in. SK has steadfastly refused to turn them in....he has some bad associations attached to that process. I think the embarrassment came with turning them in for a necessity like a jug of milk or a dozen eggs (by the way....we don't see dozens around here.....things come in boxes of 10). Over the months he has softened and goes with me to the machine that accepts the bottles and then spits out a receipt to be used at the checkout counter.
We have been saving those receipts for months, and for some dumb reason we decided to turn them in today. Today...in the midst of crowds of Christmas shoppers with short tempers. Today, when lines were long and delays were frowned upon. I am the bagger....I stand at the end of the counter and pack everything into the bags to take home. Since SK carries the card for the bank account and since SK speaks Danish well...SK takes care of the transactions.
Before starting, SK showed the clerk the little stack of receipts and she nodded fine. All of our items were scanned without a hitch. But then she started processing the receipts and couldn't figure out several. Each time she had to stop and summon help from a higher up....and each time each of the 9 people in line leaned around to frown at SK. He stood there helplessly. A couple of times he tried to say something to me (just for support I am sure), but I tried very hard not to look his way as I packed because I was trying with all my might not to laugh....in fact, I was nearly in tears.
If, in all those months I had even once said to him, "What is the worst that can happen with these?"...he would have replied the very thing that happened to him today. He is so so so funny! He finally finished everything and we picked up our sacks and started down the escalator....I couldn't hold it in any longer and I burst out laughing.....and he did too. We have been laughing about it all day.
Hey....we saved forty dollars!
It was another unusual and unusually easy Thursday. I awakened without a worry about food for the evening meal. Kasper was the Master Chef again tonight. It is magic. He had a lovely meal planned and came in like a whirlwind around 4 in the afternoon. He put a large pot of water on to boil, got the ham going and generally rushed back and forth between the stove, refrigerator, sink, drawers and countertops. He chopped and stirred and mixed and seasoned. At 7:00 he was rolling full-steam ahead with everything under control. So I went into the English Institute class!
At 8:30, Kasper had the meal ready.....glazed ham, creamed spinach and brown potatoes (new potatoes cooked in a wonderful kind of caramel sauce....the sauce is thin enough that the flavor is subtle but oh so good...and thick enough to adhere to them.
Everyone loved the meal....it was a great success....a great Christmas meal. Next week even better according to Kasper. He is amazing and he is wonderful. I told several young women tonight they had better propose right away or he'll get away.
We said good-bye to Hannah and Gismo....our two cute young women who will be departing for the MTC on Saturday. They will each be excellent....but we will miss their smiles and their enthusiasm and cheer. We have grown to love them and hate to see them leave, but I am excited for them for the experiences that lie ahead for each one.
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| Gismo will serve in Denver North. (No I am not wearing a bad wig....I am having a bad-hair month.) |
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| Hanna will serve in Paris France. |
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| And this sweet young woman will serve in Manchester England....just barely got her call! |
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Rushing By!
There is something so wonderful about staying under a down comforter on a cold dark morning. But you can only do that so long before the day beckons. It never got very light today, and this old city makes it seem alright.
We took the Mary Poppins umbrella with us when we left. I went to my Danish lesson with my temple friends, and SK went to the center to have lunch with various people here who work for the Church. He had a great time, and I had a great time.
Mette, our teacher is pushing us to speak more and read more, and it is difficult, but I am so glad for the opportunity to learn with friends who are all at about the same level I am. I know they're not snickering about my pronunciation or translation or my dumb questions. That helps a whole lot!
In the evening, we got take-out kebabs from Amager and brought it home. Elder and Sister Thorne and Sister Hamblin came over to eat. They are soooo good! Then we just sat there at talked for a couple of hours. It is a nice thing to share each others' lives like that. Most of the week we go our separate ways and seldom talk.
Tonight we also had to coordinate schedules and especially the car schedule. This month is enormously busy and there are some things you just have to have a car for. Elder Thorne will pick up a new missionary couple at the airport who will be arriving Friday. They will come here and stay with us until Wednesday.
It is certainly interesting to anticipate a visit like that. We have had several couples come and stay with us when they first arrive in Denmark. Suddenly there are two people (whom you have never met) sharing your living space...kitchen and bathroom. So far, everyone has been very gracious and accommodating. But I always face the experience with a little bit of apprehension.
They will be working with YSAs in another part of Denmark so they will follow us around until they leave. This is a good time for that because we have a temple day, activity and dinner on Saturday...which will probably take most of the day. We have a YSA activity on Sunday evening and then of course Monday is Family Home Evening. They will be able to see a lot of the goings-on at the center.
We coordinated the car for the rest of the month. The Thornes will be driving up to the north of Jutland later in the month and we need to drive south to inspect 3 missionary apartments. And life would be easier if we have the car for other things. Sometimes facing bus/train rides that amount to a couple of hours each way can be daunting.
But we are grateful to have a car some of the time....grateful that the public transit system is so accessible and grateful to be in this beautiful city.....and so grateful for this special time of the year when thoughts more easily turn to the Savior and His love for us.
Tomorrow will be the 14th month anniversary of arriving here. It can't possibly be a year since we first celebrated Christmas in Copenhagen.
We took the Mary Poppins umbrella with us when we left. I went to my Danish lesson with my temple friends, and SK went to the center to have lunch with various people here who work for the Church. He had a great time, and I had a great time.
Mette, our teacher is pushing us to speak more and read more, and it is difficult, but I am so glad for the opportunity to learn with friends who are all at about the same level I am. I know they're not snickering about my pronunciation or translation or my dumb questions. That helps a whole lot!
In the evening, we got take-out kebabs from Amager and brought it home. Elder and Sister Thorne and Sister Hamblin came over to eat. They are soooo good! Then we just sat there at talked for a couple of hours. It is a nice thing to share each others' lives like that. Most of the week we go our separate ways and seldom talk.
Tonight we also had to coordinate schedules and especially the car schedule. This month is enormously busy and there are some things you just have to have a car for. Elder Thorne will pick up a new missionary couple at the airport who will be arriving Friday. They will come here and stay with us until Wednesday.
It is certainly interesting to anticipate a visit like that. We have had several couples come and stay with us when they first arrive in Denmark. Suddenly there are two people (whom you have never met) sharing your living space...kitchen and bathroom. So far, everyone has been very gracious and accommodating. But I always face the experience with a little bit of apprehension.
They will be working with YSAs in another part of Denmark so they will follow us around until they leave. This is a good time for that because we have a temple day, activity and dinner on Saturday...which will probably take most of the day. We have a YSA activity on Sunday evening and then of course Monday is Family Home Evening. They will be able to see a lot of the goings-on at the center.
We coordinated the car for the rest of the month. The Thornes will be driving up to the north of Jutland later in the month and we need to drive south to inspect 3 missionary apartments. And life would be easier if we have the car for other things. Sometimes facing bus/train rides that amount to a couple of hours each way can be daunting.
But we are grateful to have a car some of the time....grateful that the public transit system is so accessible and grateful to be in this beautiful city.....and so grateful for this special time of the year when thoughts more easily turn to the Savior and His love for us.
Tomorrow will be the 14th month anniversary of arriving here. It can't possibly be a year since we first celebrated Christmas in Copenhagen.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Christmas Glow
Clearly the best thing about today was being in the company of our little group of sisters in the Amager Branch Relief Society. This was our December meeting, and it was a party.
We gathered around a large square grouping of tables decorated with fir branches, tangerines and ornaments. We played "Name that Christmas Song." Out of 25 songs, I guessed four correctly. In all fairness, I must tell you that 20 of them were Danish Christmas songs, and I don't know their names! But it was fun and we had a good time.
We played Bingo in reverse. We were each given a card with a dozen numbers. The president called out numbers, and if you had a number called that was on your card, you sat down. The last person standing was the winner. It was fun too.
Then we had the Christmas gift exchange which was a lively variation of Christmas gift openings that we have played in the states. Three dice were passed around the circle and when one came to you, you rolled it. If you rolled a six, you selected a present from the middle, but didn't open it. When all of the gifts were out (some had 3 or 4 from rolling a lot of 6's), then a timer was set, and we continued rolling. But now, if you rolled a 6, you stole a gift from someone else! When the timer went off, everyone opened their gifts.
I got a really cute little Christmas decoration. The present I gave was a little Nisse man and some homemade caramels. I thought the little Nisse was so cute, but the lady who got it was so excited about the caramels that I wished I had put more caramels in the package and kept the little Nisse! I love those little fellows.
I love this time of year! I love how everyone uses candles to bring warmth and a glow to their gatherings and I love the beautiful reminders of the Savior everywhere. Our missionaries are doing well with the "He is the Gift" cards. People are just naturally a little more tender-hearted during the Christmas season.
I think I am.
We gathered around a large square grouping of tables decorated with fir branches, tangerines and ornaments. We played "Name that Christmas Song." Out of 25 songs, I guessed four correctly. In all fairness, I must tell you that 20 of them were Danish Christmas songs, and I don't know their names! But it was fun and we had a good time.
We played Bingo in reverse. We were each given a card with a dozen numbers. The president called out numbers, and if you had a number called that was on your card, you sat down. The last person standing was the winner. It was fun too.
Then we had the Christmas gift exchange which was a lively variation of Christmas gift openings that we have played in the states. Three dice were passed around the circle and when one came to you, you rolled it. If you rolled a six, you selected a present from the middle, but didn't open it. When all of the gifts were out (some had 3 or 4 from rolling a lot of 6's), then a timer was set, and we continued rolling. But now, if you rolled a 6, you stole a gift from someone else! When the timer went off, everyone opened their gifts.
I got a really cute little Christmas decoration. The present I gave was a little Nisse man and some homemade caramels. I thought the little Nisse was so cute, but the lady who got it was so excited about the caramels that I wished I had put more caramels in the package and kept the little Nisse! I love those little fellows.
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| This was the gift I brought home....a sweet little wooden tree that speaks of all the beautiful feelings of Christmas.... |
I love this time of year! I love how everyone uses candles to bring warmth and a glow to their gatherings and I love the beautiful reminders of the Savior everywhere. Our missionaries are doing well with the "He is the Gift" cards. People are just naturally a little more tender-hearted during the Christmas season.
I think I am.
Monday, December 8, 2014
A Caroling.
For Family Home Evening we practiced singing Christmas carols and then we went to Stroget to sing! (A short few blocks away.) We walked about a third of the way down the famous walking street....found a good corner and began to sing. We had 12 young missionaries with us, who greatly added to our singing power.
Two missionaries broke away for 5 minutes at a time to hand out Christmas pass along cards with an Internet address to see the Church's video "He is the Gift." (Christmas.mormon.org)
I don't know which was better....watching them sing....watching people watch them sing or watching the missionaries engage people in conversations and share a card with them.
Two missionaries broke away for 5 minutes at a time to hand out Christmas pass along cards with an Internet address to see the Church's video "He is the Gift." (Christmas.mormon.org)
I don't know which was better....watching them sing....watching people watch them sing or watching the missionaries engage people in conversations and share a card with them.
.JPG) |
| They practiced at the center before venturing out in the cold. |
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