Sankt Hans Aften

Today is Sankt Hans Aften.  It is really a day or two late for Midsummer's Eve, but they celebrate it none the less with bonfires and fireworks.  The temple missionaries and a few others enjoyed a great barbeque at Mette and Jesper Paulsens'.

We celebrated Don Taylor's, George Hoge's, Jesper Paulsen's and Jim's birthdays.  They all fall in June.

Afterward we walked down to the lake by their house to watch the fireworks.

Last Family Night at the Hoges

Pam and George Hoge will finish their mission the middle of July.  We are already feeling sad that they are leaving.  They are so dedicated and willing.
  Tonight they had us all to dinner and we shared special experiences in the temple. We have all felt the importance and spirit of the work that is done in the temple.  I especially liked George's comment that when you start thinking of the names as people and not just names, it makes a huge difference.

 

Maglegårds Alle Chapel

Jim and I spoke in the Gladsaxe 2 Ward today.  They are back in their remodeled building and it is so nice. The Maglegårds Alle Chapel property was bought  the same time Jim was here as a young missionary, but not completed until the early 70's. It was built under the 80 - 20 plan by building missionaries.  It has been closed for a year and all of the original mistakes have been corrected.  Every available space, including the kitchen has white boards so the areas can be used for instruction.

The entry and chapel look much the same, just updated with new paint, tile, carpet etc.

 The major addition is this vestibule, stairway and elevator added to the back of the building.

The basement has had a dramatic overhaul.

 This was a very dark little hall.

All the rooms in the basement now have windows that look out with direct light and doors.
     

 The big funeral door from the chapel makes it very convenient to check on the baby sleeping outside.
An added advantage  is that the bishop sitting on the stand can see everyone as they come in ..late.

The Copenhagen Stake missionaries, half are sisters.

High Time

Each year the High Priest Activity for June is a party at Hans and Lisa Andersen's summer home on the Saturday night before Midsummer's Night.  The whole little sumer house division has a huge bonfire to burn the witch and send her to Germany.

 Everyone brought their own meat to barbeque and a dish to share.

 Then we all picked up tar torches and walked down to by the fjord for the bonfire.

 Everyone threw their torch in and soon the witch was gone...

This was a major bonfire!

Missionaries and Miracles

Today was one of those miracle days where we fed the four thousand with a few loaves and fishes.

This was the total number of sisters to work on the afternoon shift.  The morning had one more.  The brothers had 6 or 7.  But at the end of the day we had done many hundreds of ordinances.  Heavenly Father always makes it work. We are blessed with fabulous, hard-working missionaries and exceptional coordinators.
    And speaking of missionaries..they had a senior missionary conference today and they all came to the temple for a session.  President and Sister Sederholm (right front) go home July 1.

 They were all having a great time!

Choices

Today is election day in Denmark.  The Prime Minister had to call for elections before September and there were some good indicators in her favor lately so she scheduled them for today.  There are hundred of candidates running for seats in parliment.  They apparently end up in the coalition with the blue or red or exert influence there.  Which ever receives the most votes, their prime minister choice comes into office.

 These personal posters are everywhere.

This spider made a poor choice by showing up in my bathroom...he got thrown out on his ear.  This is the first one I have found in our house, so not to many around.

Oslo Opera House

As with many cities located on the ocean, Oslo has built a beautiful Opera House by the water.
We took the opportunity of seeing Cinderella, the  ballet, Monday night.  A beautiful building and a lovely ballet.  It started at 6 pm and went until 8.30 to accommodate all the children in the audience.

The bathrooms were amazing .

 From the back "patio".