Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Where Did I leave it?

     I went shopping today at the Fredericksberg Mall.  A nice small mall, not too far.  We are going on a cruise Friday and I needed a swimming suit.  When I originally packed, I couldn't think of any reason I would need to bring my 20 year old suit... Apparently there is a hot tub and pool on the ship, so just in case, I bought one at Fotex ( Think Wall Mart, Target).  We'll see if I actually use it....
     But keeping track of your bike can be a challenge.....Fortunately I now know mine is grey with flowers and a bent basket.



Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Funerals and Fun

  The missionaries sang at a funeral of an older sister in the ward today and asked me to accompany them.... Not my favorite thing to do.  I get too nervous.  It went fine.  The two sisters and 4 elders had excellent voices and I managed not to distract as they sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again."
Tonight we were invited to dinner with a great couple, Marianne and Jens Ole Fredericksen.  They live in a beautiful little town close to Roskilde. The drive was beautiful as was their yard.  Check out the wood pile

Monday, April 28, 2014

Mission Over

Our grandnephew, Tyler Christensen, came by to say good-bye.  He has finished his mission and goes home in the morning.
 Only these two elders are going home, along with three missionary couples.
       Excellent Missionaries to the end.  They left a spiritual thought and prayer.


Sunday, April 27, 2014

Copenhagen Stake Conference

Today was Stake Conference with Elder Dykes of the European Area presiding.  He is such a kind, down-to-earth leader. I don't know if it was his idea or comes from up line, but everyone 12 years of age and older were invited to the meeting last night and he worked a little question and answer time with those under 21.  A point he made, which connects with us, is that all those 12 and up can now carry their own temple recommend, actually encouraged to carry it.  I love how the church is finding ways to strengthen the youth.  I understand now why we were inspired several weeks ago to propose to the stake having the temple open every Saturday from 10-12 for individuals to come in on their own for baptisms.  We will provide priesthood. Previously everyone had to make an appointment and come with a group.
   We held conference in a high school auditorium as the Stake Center here is being renovated.
There was a Choir/musical Half Hour, before conference started.  Jim went over early and sang with them.  They were excellent.


Thomas Kofod ( Two Testaments) sang the first verse of "This is The Christ" with the choir for the closing song. The number was magnificent and brought tears to many of us.  A wonderful reaffirmation of testimony.
Thomas is fabulous in many ways. Right now he has the lead in a major production of "Evita" but finds time to server in the temple whenever possible.

 It was an altogether beautiful day and we were amazed at how many of the saints we know and love and connect with in the temple. Everyone had such a good time seeing friends and enjoying the sunshine.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Temple Missions Advantages

Temple missions definitely have some advantages.  One of which is the two weeks of shut down twice a year.  We closed today for two weeks, actually two and a half, since our week starts on Wednesdays.
   This afternoon we went to one of our favorite "hole in wall" Danish Food restaurants: The Sorte Gryde - The Black Pot.  With us is a missionary couple from the Finnish Temple, the Walshes. They have one Saturday off a month which gives them 5 days to travel. They stopped here on their way back from Germany. One of our couples, the Christensens met them when they went up to the Finnish Temple for a couple of days.....As I said advantages.

Friday, April 25, 2014

A Good Friday

 Today was a great day in the temple.  It is so nice when all the ordinances are full and there are many people in the temple.  We had three baptismal sessions, four sealing sessions, and just as many initiatory sessions.  Plus our last session was full plus 1. We feel so blessed to be able to go there every day and work with the wonderful people that come.  Today there was a large group from Sweden, and several smaller groups from the island of Fyn and from Jutland as well.  The Young Single Adults came for baptisms.  It was just a good mix of wonderful, dedicated people.  Working in the temple you realize over and over the  wonderful blessings that have been restored:


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Fruits of the Labor

Elder and Sister Garriet who are just finishing up their mission here in Denmark brought Sister Vibeke Hansen to the temple today to receive her own endowment.  Elder Garriet baptized her 1 year and two days ago.  They are leaving Tuesday and were blessed to see the fruits of their labor despite Satan's attenpt to hinder it with Sis. Hansen breaking her arm last week.
     Vibeke was introduced to the church when she went to visit a friend who invited her to go to church with her.  She went thinking it was the Folkekirke - State Church.  She found out it was different, liked it and accepted the missionaries.
 If any of you think Sis, Garriet looks familiar, it is because she is Bonnie Bateman and Penny Lunt's sister.
  If any of you think Sis, Garriet looks familiar, it is because she is Bonnie Bateman and Penny Lunt's sister.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Gifion Fountain

Gifion Fountain has been turned on for the season....

     According to legend, the Swedish King Gylfi promised Gefjun the territory she could plow in a night.  She turned her four sons into oxen, and the territory they plowed out of the earth was then thrown into the Danish sea between Scania and the island of Fyn and became the island of Sjaelland, where Copenhagen is located.  The hole became a lake in Sweden.

    

    

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Copenhagen in Bloom

    Between the Little Mermaid and the Giffion Fountain, there is a walkway along the harbor. Every Spring these trees blossom.  I rode down to check them out today, they were  all out, and beautiful.
   
I also checked on the swan.  She had company that she kept at a distance, while preening her feathers.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Second Easter Day

While the rest of you are going back to your usual schedule, we in Denmark have been celebrating Second Easter Day.  We were invited to Kirsten Meilsøe's to enjoy the afternoon with her family. It was a lovely day and included a delicious" cold board " lunch followed by treats, cheese and crackers, soda and dessert continuously throughout the afternoon.  We visited and I learned to backgammon with one of the granddaughters. It was a very comfortable," hyggelig"  afternoon;

Note the Shirt!  The Mielsøe's oldest son, Lasse, played basketball for Snow College thirty years ago.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Easter Sunday

Today we rode out to Nykøbing Falster to speak to their little branch per our High Council Rotation schedule.  There were only about 20 people, most from one good family that has been the backbone of the church there for many years.  They have 5 boys who are basically filling most of the jobs in the church. They are in age 22 to 10.  It was very fun to talk with them.  One has taken it upon himself to learn to play the piano so they can have music in their meetings.  They just got a new branch president, a Brother Larsen, who has recently moved into the area.
    The chapel is on the main floor of this building and the missionaries' apartment is on the second.

Nykøbing Falster is a cute little city.  I like their red brick homes and paved walks.

We came back and had dinner with the Warnsdorfs who invite the temple missionary couples once a month. We haven't been for several months as Jorgen has been down with his back. Three days before he was scheduled for surgery, he received a blessing and the pain went away.  He didn't have surgery and is feeling fine, even running a little again.  Miracles do happen! 
This is the Warnsdorf's  tradtional Easter Meal - frikadellar around hard boiled eggs.   Fun!


Saturday, April 19, 2014

Påske Gave

 Danes are so good to give little gifts for holidays and birthdays.  Two sweet sisters, Inge
Steen Hansen and Bodil Furbo left these things for me on my desk in the temple as Easter Gifts.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Big and Little

  Friday we are in the temple all day so no exciting pictures.  But Tuesday I went to the Fredericksberg Park and turned the corner and this is what I found...
     
The park is adjacent to the zoo, so on your ramble through the park, you get added bonuses.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Birthday Celebration

After the temple tonight we were invited to a small gathering for Mette Paulsen's birthday celebration.  The best part is that Mette was the Coordinator for the shift tonight and she invited those coming to the party to come to the temple for a sealing session first.  It turned out to be a great night.
   The birthday cake is made of cake layered with pudding and whipped cream.  It tasted as good as it looks.  As you may pick up from the other food it was a typical Danish smørrebrød.  Which literally translated means butter bread.  There were various types of bread and rolls and all sorts of things to put on them: frikadellar (meat cakes), shrimp, liverpostei, salami, vegetables and multiple kinds of cheese and even thin sheets of chocolate.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Iceland Youth

This is Paske Week - Easter Week.  School is out and the youth from Iceland have come over to do baptisms for the next three days. They joined a group from Odense also scheduled for  tonight.  After that we had an extended family who bring the cousins in once a month to do a family baptism.  We love it when we are busy.
This is the combined Island and Odense Group.  A very nice group.  I've come to appreciate how important these experiences are for the youth, anything to strengthen their testimonies and give them opportunities to feel the spirit.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Mother Swan Update

 I rode down to check on the mother swan.  After a quick check of things....
  she settled down for a nice nap in the sun.
     It was beautiful and sunny today, but cold with a 19 mph wind.  It didn't seem to matter which direction I was biking, I had a head wind, crazy.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Flæsksteg and Family NIght

One of the sisters who is serving in the temple right now from Odense, Sis Inge Steen Hansen, invited us and the other couples to a flæsksteg dinner tonight.  It is probably our favorite dinner here.  When I first came 10 years ago, the crunchy rind seemed awful.  Unfortunately, now it is my favorite part.




The white is groft salt  or coarse salt and so good, and no doubt unhealthy.
The Danes love potatoes.  Note there are regular potatoes to go with the sauce/gravy, browned potatoes in browned sugar and two kinds of potato chips.



Sunday, April 13, 2014

Temple Treasures

  There are some days it would be so lovely to be able to take pictures in the temple.  Yesterday, was one of them.  By mistake we had 3 baptismal groups come at the same time and ended up with about 25 for baptisms.  The baptismal area was wall to wall with youth and leaders dressed in white, reverently watching and waiting. It was wonderful to see so many dedicated youth and a few older, new members, participating in this important work.  Many were holding their own family name cards to do work for their ancestors  It was an inspiring sight.... and feeling.
     We had the Malmo and Lund wards come from Sweden, yesterday as well.  They are wonderful people and I like it when then come, they have no expectations that I will speak anything but English.

   Since you can't see the inside, this is what the temple looks like today.  The trees are just getting tiny buds on them.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Helsingnor

The weather was so beautiful today that all the temple missionaries went to Helsingnor for dinner after the temple closed.   Kronborg Castle (Hamlet's Castle) is the main attraction as well as the 20 minute ferry to Sweden
.You will no doubt get more picture of Kronborg through the next three years.
 Charming old cobblestone streets
We ate in this fun little restaurant with good Danish Food.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Garbage

 Living on the 4th floor of an apartment is a new experience for us.  One of the things I had never thought of was how to get rid of garbage when you have to go down four flights of stairs. Fortunately we live in a  fairly upscale apartment building and have garbage shoots on the landings. Everything has to be bagged and it becomes a game to see how big a bag you can squeeze in.
 
   On a lovelier note, Jim and I both did almost everything possible in the temple today,  We enjoyed all of the ordinances as patrons and workers.  The blessings of a small temple, we can jump in when we are needed.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Templet Tegm

New Spring planting by the Temple Sign.  Daffodils and pansies are everywhere in the city.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

From the Far Corners

This darling girl is from New Delhi, India.  She is here on business and stayed an extra day to be able to come to the temple.  It is her first chance since her marriage several years ago and only the second time she has been to a temple. Her husband, his brother and wife were met and baptized by missionaries.  Now 25 members of that family are members.  Sis. Massey and her husband met at their work, the Danish Embassy, she was baptized and they were married.  They have a 2 and half year old daughter. Her parents remain Hindu.  She said there are 800 members in her area and they are looking forward to a stake.  She was so darling and thrilled to be at the temple.  She stayed for two sessions and we were able to showed her one of the new films as well as the old one.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

The Flowers on Temple "Square"

  The gardeners change the plants at the temple four times a year.  Today they put in the Spring pansies.  We have them on the "Square" and also in the garden off to the side of the temple.


Monday, April 7, 2014

A Peek At Spring

Spring is starting to make herself noticed down by the Lakes around Old Copenhagen.  Mrs. Swan was up for a stretch to count her eggs and the daffodils on the bank are in full bloom.  Even the trees are showing a little green. A lovely 55 degrees today helped the season along.


Sunday, April 6, 2014

Watching Conference

Yesterday, we went to the chapel and  watched the Women's Meeting and Jim joined me for the first session of Conference which we saw live at 6:00 p.m. I was so touched by the Choir and video clips as well as the talks at the Women's Conference.  A history-making meeting not only because it included the Primary girls but think of the millions of sister who gathered under one sisterhood.  How inspired our leaders are to help the youth know who they are and set then on a firm foundation.
    Most of the people at the church were missionaries and young single adults.

We went back to the church this morning, Jim for Priesthood Meeting and I joined for the rebroadcast of Saturday afternoon.  Then we came home and enjoyed the Sunday morning session live on BYU TV.  We will watch the last session at 10:00 pm  live.   We can hook our computers into our TV and it is just like watching at home.   It is amazing!

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Slow Week - Lovely Wedding

This week has been fairly slow, but we ended with a bang, a lovely wedding Jim did in Danish.  The couple, Sasha Eriksen and Nicholas Andreassen,  have been dating for several years and I am so glad they were able to come to the temple.  I wish I had managed a picture of the whole dress.  The skirt  was yards and yards of white tulle (net).  It was made by one of the church members who is a professional seamstress.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Biking Through Copenhagen

My exercise program consists of at least one serious bike ride a week.  Tuesday, besides being one of our days off, was beautiful and sunny.  I decided to bike to and through the heart of Copenhagen.  It was fabulous and I have decided bikes are the best way to see it.  I've already notified my children that are coming to visit to get their bike legs in shape.
   Here are a few of the lovely sites I passed.  You may hear more about them individually as time goes by, but for now a quick city tour.
New Havn  - New Harbor having been dug by Swedish Prisoners hundreds of years ago...
Christianborg Castle, home of Parliament
The famous Hans Christensen Andersen statue on the main square.