Monday, August 31, 2015

Family Night in Roskilde

Lis Løve and Helge Andersen invited the temple presidency and missionaries out to their home in the Roskilde area for Family Night and a "real " Danish dinner.  They have a lovely big home and yard.
Lis has served in the temple since the temple was dedicated, even before, as she organized the choir for the dedication.  She and Helge were married last year and are a great couple.

 We had fleskestege with all the trimmings: potatoes and brown sauce, homemade red cabbage, browned potatoes, plus medister pølser.  
The three desserts were fabulous! citron firmage, Norwegian apple cake, and rød grød med fløde.  Americans trying to say the last one correctly are always a great delight to the natives.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

CCM

The wives were invited to the Coordinating Council Meeting this morning with our Area Seventy, Elder Wolfgang Pilz. We discussed Sabbath Day Observance, particuarly in the home. It was interesting to see how similar our homes were and had been while raising our children.  We also realized that to enjoy the full blessings of the Sabbath Day, we need to understand the covenant it represents and grow a desire to keep it in such a way as to show a sign to God of our committment and love.
 It was held in the new YSA Center which is right downtown.
 We enjoyed sandwiches and then the sisters met together afterward for an hour as the brothers conducted their business involving the two stakes, mission and temple.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Saturday Night Out

We were totally full in all ordinances today, including 40 for baptisms.  We love these super busy days. Many came from Lund, Sweden, where we talked last Sunday, which was great.  Odense also had a group.
  Tonight we were invited to dinner with our Area Seventy, Elder Wolgang Pilz and his wife, Karin.  Pres, and Sis. Bernskov from the Copenhagen Stake, Pres. Kreiberg (his wife is in America) and Pres and Sis. O'Bryant the new mission president were also invited.  It is the basic Coordinating Council for Denmark, with wives.

The O'Bryant's son, Thomas, joined us.  He just returned from his mission,Twin Falls Idaho.  I think he left from California and met his parents in Iceland..
   The eveing was lovely, except for  the 650 K parking ticket, given two minutes after the time ran out!

Friday, August 28, 2015

Last Friday

As I suspect in most temples, the last weekend of the month is particularly busy.  It was certainly true for us today.  We had two missionaries come to receive their own endowments, one sister from Denmark and one elder from Norway, with family from Denmark. They both had a good experience.
We also had :a family stop between the airport and their cruise to do baptisms with the children; one of our YSA temple workers bring his girlfriend who is visiting from Denver - they met through one of her missionary companions in the Temple Square Mission; a man from Utah who came with his own private family history researcher from Sweden; a couple who haven't been to the temple for 4 years beause of illness: A girl so frustrated with work she couldn't talk when she walked in and three hours later walked out smiling.  The list could go on.  But needless to say it was a great day and wonderful to see how attending the temple blesses and directs lives..

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Visiting Teaching Welcome.

I went visiting teaching today to Pia Dahlmann.  She was at her mother's apartment and gave me this great welcome as I was trying to find the right place.

The picture I should have taken was the hot cinnamon rolls and fruit tea, Suzanne Hentzen had ready to make up for the rainy day.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Special Session

Today we added a special session for missionaries at 12.30. We ordinarily do not start until 3.30 on Wednesday.  These handsome missionaries were part of the 14 that came.
 Plus we had five missionary couples.  One of which, Stan and Janis Madsen, will be going home this Saturday along with Sis. Georgia Hamblin.  These three have been able to come and serve in the temple on Saturdays,  It has been a great blessing to us and to them.
   Janis was in our Danish Class and she gave me this darling cup:  Tante Grøn ( Aunt Green) from the Danish Children's book  TAnte Grøn, tante Brun og tante Lilla which we read together in the class.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Eye Appointment

I went for a return visit to the Cornea Clinic at Glostrup Hospital today.
 It is a huge hospital with many buildings and part of the major Rigshospitalet group.
The Cornea Clinic was well organized and I had very little wait.  I am becoming more impressed with their health care system, than I was at one time.
My eye is s-l-o-w-l-y improving.  The infection has decreased by about half.  I have a return appointment for two weeks and I am still on the eye drops and salve 4 times a day.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Game Night

The Warnsdorfs and Kochs have introduced us to a new game.  It is quite an elaborate handmade board and you draw cards to move the marbles around  A lttle like "Sorry" but some new twists and teams thrown in.  The girls  finally  won a game  tonight.  It is about 10 to 1.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Lund, Sweden

We were invited to speak at the Lund ward in Sweden today.  It is only about 45 minutes across the bridge.  It is a good ward and we recognized lots of temple attenders, which is one of the reasons it is a good solid ward....

A beautiful ceiling line.
Sweden has a different feel than Denmark, more expansive.  Lots of ripe grain fields right now.

 In our travels we passed this cool hotel that changes colors.  You can see the yellow going to pink but I also saw it green, crazy.
 Ellen McKnight, one of our temple workers invited us to dinner in her loverly-huge home.

Her father, Bruno Klarin, Ann Harth and Isabelle Ronndahl joined us for a fabulous salmon dinner.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Concert at the Castle

The High Priests organized an outing to a free outdoor concert at Rosenborg Castle.  It was put on by the Kongelige Teater with excerpts from their upcoming season  It included Opera and ballet and was a very pleasant evening.

A bank sponsored it and was passing out apples to everyone that came in...
 People arrived at 5 and brought their "Picnics".  This one came with crystal and china....
 Very comfy
The High Priest group
 Swan Like will be one of the productions...



Friday, August 21, 2015

THE ORCHID

Thanks to Pam and George Hoge for leaving this beautiful orchid.  It is in full bloom now with 13 blossoms.  This is it's second year.  I hope I can keep it alive for another one.


Thursday, August 20, 2015

Ultimate Fruit Bowl

Every night we have fruit with yogurt. It is so easy to get fresh fruit from all the green grocers on the street and our grocery store next door get two deliveries a day with fresh produce.  With all that is in season right now, this is really the Ultimate Fruitbowl - 10 different kinds of fruit.......
apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, gallion melon, watermelon,strawberries, grapes and bananas.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Wednesday Wonder

Typically, Wednesday is our slowest day. But not today.  We had 42 on our 5;30 session! Only 4 or 5 were Danish.  The rest were visitors, passing through. Our German friends ,here for their annual family reunion, came for the sessions and for baptisms, There were several missionary couples and various other tourists, plus.....
Vance Christensen, a former temple missionary, and his family and friends.  Vance's hobby is trading credit cards and picking up points with which he travels the world.  His wife, Connie,opted to stay home as she has done this 4 week trip through Scandinavia 6 times before....

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Kundsen's Special Farewell Dinner

It was delightful to be back to Knudsens for dinner. Tonight Earling fixed a special farewell dinner  for Sis. Hamblin who has been working in the office for 23 months.  She has also been helping out at the temple on Saturdays.  We will all miss her.

 We also welcomed the Manwarings.
 Here is the whole dinner including the browned potatoes, white potatoes with sauce (gravy), red cabbage, asier, fleskestag and..
ymer frommage with black current sauce.  This is light sort of rice pudding, no rice but geletain and chopped almonds....fabulous.

Monday, August 17, 2015

New Famlhy Night Crowd

After a very windy day, so windy, in fact, it blew our hall rug up as we opened the front door..
 we are back to our regular eight for Family Night.  Thanks Taylors for a fun time.  We had cherished jello for dessert  Cherished because it has to be shipped in from the states..

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Church in Roskilde

Today we talked in Roskilde Ward.  It is probably the largest ward in Denmark.
It was full and even over-flowing because cute Emma Østergaard Andersen is leaving for her mission in the Ukraine on Wednesday. The  Østergaard is usually included as Andersen is so common.
     I've been thinking about learning Russian, via English, when your native language is Danish.  Wonder if you end up speaking Russian with a Danish or English accent.
The babies weren't quite out for their naps, but their buggies were ready for them.just outside the door.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Celebrations

We had the much anticipated wedding today of Tony and Maria Knudsen.  Tony was one of our missionaries at the MTC, from Sweden,  and is an amazing talent on the piano.  A very creative soul, so glad he found someone to match.  Maria is from Finland and yes, they met at Festinord last year.
 We had an excellent day at the temple. Once a month the Bengtssons, from Sweden, come as coordinators and often a whole contingent of Swedes come as well. We have just called  the Wagners and Helmsteds  from Helsingborg.. two  super couples, They came today.  It is so good to have the Swede being such a major part in the temple.

   Another celebration was having the missionares bring Michael, a new convert from Randers to do baptisms.  I talked with him at the Aarhus Stake Conference five months ago, he was just being taught.  What an amazing difference!  I was so excited to see him.  His shaggy beard is trimmed and his countenance has changed. He shines!   The gospel is wonderful.

   We  celebrated Manwarings arrival with a barbeque tonight.  Vance Christensen, a former temple missionary was also here and we had a great dinner.  But I forgot to take a picture!

Friday, August 14, 2015

Yeah for New Arrivals !

Sue and Brett Manwaring arrived tonight to fill out complement of three temple missionary couples. We are so excited to have them.  We really do need three couples to keep us going.  Our temple workers are fabulous, but only some of the locals have regular schedules.  Otherwise people come from around the district when they can.  So the missionaries are a necessary core.
They come from Idaho Falls and leave 8 children and 26 grandchildren behind.  Brett was on a mission with Jim and 6 years ago they served a mission in Scotland.  Their first news from home was the engagement of a granddaughter..

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Lawyers and Læger

Today was a crazy day.  First we went to visit the attorney to reapply for visa extensons as religious workers not missionaries.  You can see Jim's excitement, but the office is certainly cool and who doesn't like a place that offers fresh fruit while you wait

While he went downtown to register with the attorney at the immigration office.  I went to have my eye rechecked only to find out the infection on the cornea was getting larger.  However, all the pain and miserableness were subsiding. Never the less, they sent me on to Glostrup Hospital to have a culture taken to find out exactly what is going on.
Until the results come back,  I have two new antibiotics to try and spent the afternoon waiting in the waiting room reading about the European Royalties,,, in Danish.  As Jim was in the car and we didn't have any communication, I spent a good $125 on taxis.  An unusual day.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Doctor's Visit

For the last several days I have been messing around with what I thought was allergies with a runny nose and itchy eye.  By last night it was painful and this morning I called and got into the eye doctor by noon.  In the Danish Health Care System you have to have your primary care doctor refer you to all specialties except for eyes and ENT.  Those you can just call and make your own appointment.
   The care was great and the equipment up to par.  It is often the facilites that leave a little to be desired.
 For example, the waiting room was pretty spartan...
 But the check-in was just a swipe of a card and your appointment was verified..
 The elevator seemed a little iffy.  It reminded me of a space capsule........or very large hot water heater.  Not for those with claustrophobia.
However, the antibiotics are working and my eye is feeling much better tonight.  Crazy when I can't see clearly it affects my hearing.....