CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas from Copenhagen.  Here is a run-down of our Christmas Season:

Holidaze. First of all, we spent many days and a good number of nights helping  put together Christmas for the missionaries.  Someone had the bright idea to do a picture slide show of all the missionaries when they were younger.  Every family was asked to send 3 or 4 pictures by October 30th, to be included.  Our Christmas Conference was scheduled for December 9th.  Plenty of time.  Well, these pictures trickled in until The. Last. Minute.  Besides the last minute rush, we found that all pictures do not open the same when sent from different computers and servers.  ARGHHHH.   And, many pictures tried to get lost in the deluge of e-mails we received each day.  Oh it was fun.  Elder Buxton stayed up  one whole night working on it and was happy to report that people do walk along the lake path right by our apartment.  The entire night.    Just as we suspected.  But, in the end, it was worth it to watch the missionaries so enjoy seeing each other as kids.

UPS  (unwrapped present storage)  Contrast the two pictures  of packages/mail.  The first picture is a normal month's worth of packages which show up here.   We cannot forward packages, so they all have to stay until monthly conferences.  The second picture is the December Christmas packages. Stacks.  Piles. Walls of packages.  Ready to topple at the smallest nudge.  The president's office, where we stored all these,  smelled suspiciously of chocolate mint.  What you can't see is the hundreds of cards and letters, tucked into boxes.  NOT exaggerating.  You figure 100 missionaries and every missionary got a minimum of 6 or 7 letters.  You do the math.  More fun:  we had to divide the heaps into zones, and we had to keep track of who didn't get a package so we could provide one.  Oh well, it was hard to be Scroogy when the missionaries were so tickled at zone conference with anything from home.

Celebration.  We scouted out a score of Christmas markets, spent a few nights at Tivoli and ended up with a Christmas Eve dinner at our apartment with the couples in Copenhagen.  It wasn't quite the same as having family around, but it was very nice.

Christmas Eve.  Meet the couples:  clockwise from my left.  The Brookes (he is a train nut and she is our Christmas Market tour guide);  the Ottleys (he's a physicist and a walking encyclopedia and she is the mother of nine); the Parkers (our neighbors in the building and retired managers of  Aspen Grove, the big church family camp ground near Provo).  Super people.

Tivoli, all decked out for Christmas.  The lights really are white, not yellow.  We actually ate sandwiches in this park.  In a sleigh.  Outside.  Could see our breath.  Hey, that is what you do here.

The Reason for the Season.  Between our various conferences and branch celebrations, we also found  time to get to Vor Frue Kirke (The Church of our Lady) to see the original Kristus and the statues of the twelve apostles.  Located on a narrow side street, this church is very Greek looking with Roman columns and lintels.   Huge, carved wooden doors stand open so you can walk directly into the small foyer then into  the cavernous chapel with a wide, tiled avenue running straight between the high-back pews to the dais with the Kristus,  glowing in a golden alcove. This alcove is flanked by marble columns and huge antique candelabras.  The lighting draws your eye directly to the statue.  This famous statue was carved by a Dane, Bertel Thorvaldsen, and has become a symbol of the Mormon Church because of the copy on Temple Square.  Pedestals along the sides of the chapel hold the statues of the 12 apostles, each separated by alcoves with fenced seating on two levels.  The 12  were also carved by Thorvaldsen when he was in Rome. (He brought them to Denmark and it has been a bit of a sore spot for the Italians.  Our church has commissioned replicas of the 12  statues to be made and displayed in the Rome Temple Visitors center as a gift to the Italians.)  This marvelous church holds regular services and is available for weddings and christenings.  Bells ring out over the rooftops celebrating every event.

It was good to end the week by focusing on the Savior and The Gift of His life and sacrifice for us. What a blessing it was to reflect on all we have as we chatted and skyped with our loved ones at home. Closing that distance between us just a little, brought great joy to our hearts, and made me realize how much Heavenly Father and the Savior desire us to do the same with them.  
 

CHRISTMAS AT THE PIG FARM

Christmas markets start popping up all over Denmark after Thanksgiving. These sprout up for several weeks in December, on the "walking street" in Copenhagen, in numerous small town squares and even inside castles and courtyards  Like this one in Copenhagen:

Sister Brookes, determined to find every. single. one.,  has been  dubbed  our "Christmas Market Tour Director."  We started out with the Barnholm Ferry (a winner), found the Hans Christian Anderson Market in Copenhagen (a bit over-rated), and tried the public square in Roskilde (a bust because of rain.)  Well, she outdid herself last weekend. She found one in a small town called Borups, and the picture on the internet lured her with an old manor house, plus wagons pulled by horses, and promises of a "unique" experience.  Elder Buxton's job was to translate the Danish website for the details such as transportation and time tables.  Right.

We (Buxtons, Ottleys and Brookes) arrive via train, and find the good citizens of Borup not sure where the market is,  but think it is perhaps about 3 km. out of town.   On a farm.   No problem; we'll take the bus.  Problem:  seems it doesn't come by very often.

Bus stop.  No bus. (Check out my winter boots.)  

Thankfully, a kind couple who were on the train offered to take some of us in their car.   Problem:  It is a tiny car.  Chivalry demands that the 3 women ride and the husbands wait for a bus or walk.  Good plan.   Sure enough,  about 3 km. along a windy asphalt road, we three are dropped off at a muddy farm track lined with Danish flags.  Cars are filing in, so we figure it's the entrance.   As we get within smelling distance, we find out two things real fast:   1. This is a PIG farm.  A big, pig farm.  2. People are arriving in cars because there are NO buses on the weekend!

A farm employee named Michael took pity on us and drove his rusted, red farm truck back down the road to find the stragglers.   Bless the man.  With a lot of apprehension, we got in line with the cars,  paid the entrance fee, and followed the muddy road around a turn.  To our delight,  a beautiful, old estate unfolded before us at the end of a pine tree lined path.

The estate is called Svenstrup Gods and it is indeed a working farm.  Thousands of hectares of farm and forest.  They raise 10,000  pigs and pheasants a year.  The pheasants are let loose in the forests for hunters.  Thankfully, the pigs are in sheds way over by the entrance.   The house inhabited  by "The Baron" and "The Baroness."  She ladled stew inside the market.

Families strolled up and down the road and bunched around the out buildings and the estate mansion (dating back to 1700) .  Big-hoofed horses, breath puffing out in the cold, pulled wagons full of rosy cheeked riders in a wide arch around woods full of  huge, rough-bark, crooked-limbed trees, hiding an old thatched-roof,  mushroom-shaped hut. Green fields stretched in all directions.   SUNNY. Pastoral.  Perfect

Riding in the horse cart with  the Brookes and circling the estate .  Every time I tried to take a picture of the hut, we jiggled.  You get the idea.

Meet Michael, our rescuer (top picture) with Elder Buxton.  Michael supervises all the buildings and was a fountain of information about the estate. 

The Christmas Market, located in the old horse stables was a delight:  cobble-stone floors with bits of straw still underfoot and  horse stalls lining the walls; each framed with a fancy, carved, wooden arch and ceramic tiles on the back wall.  Lucky horses. Each stall was strung with tiny, twinkling lights, draped with greenery,  and stuffed with home-made goodies from vintage clay ornaments (made by Daria and Diana, Romanian sisters) to the cutest stuffed moose and mice, woolen clothing and  intricate folded paper ornaments.  And the food: wine (of course), home-made hot mustard,  hard tack candy and black licorice to buy, and stew and æbleskiver for lunch. We browsed for hours.

The arches separate each stall.  Can you see the tile on the walls?  Pampered, just pampered.  I hear the Queen's stables are marble.

Just a tiny glimpse of all the booths, overflowing into several other outbuildings.  One booth, sandwiched between a tangle of glass ornaments and the dessert pancakes caught our attention.  Can you pick the picture that is SO OUT OF PLACE HERE?  Yes you are seeing right.  TUPPERWARE.  In Denmark.  In a horse barn Christmas market.  Criminal.

We ate too much and spent too much.  Reluctantly, we turned to leave and Michael, who had generously given us his phone number, offered to shuttle us back.  We decided to walk because it was such nice weather.  We voted it the best Christmas Market yet, and promised ourselves to return next year.  Sister Brookes really scored on this one.

The view from the road as we are leaving.  

Side Note:  This was so interesting to me because in my Danish Census Research I have found rural records with huge lists of multiple families and employees listed as workers on the farm.   I'm guessing much as this one was a hundred years ago.  I can't image how harsh the Utah deserts much have seemed to these faithful, stalwart Saints.  I am so thankful for our Danish ancestors who had the courage and strength and testimony to leave this beautiful place for the gospel.

SMOKED EEL AND GOOGLY EYES

The health system here is totally free.  Check-ups, free.  Hospital, free.  Ambulance, free.  Everyone new to Denmark is assigned a general doctor  once you get your VISA and ID number.   There are specialists, generally private doctors who you can see if your general doctor recommends you.  The church kind of side-steps all this referral part,  so I was able to travel to see a rheumatologist  for some routine stuff I do every 4 months.  The reason I am writing this is I wanted to show you the view from the clinic's waiting room window.  WOW

Fredericksberg Slot (slot means castle.)

Unbelievable.  This is The Most Famous Castle in all of Denmark.  Fredericksberg Slot.  A national treasure.  This window  literally frames the castle, and drew me like a magnet.  How could the medical staff concentrate with all that just across the street?  Googly Eyes. Think me, with cartoon googly eyes. I left my nose prints on the glass.

Anyway, the doctor met me in the waiting room and escorted me toward  her office just to the left of The View.  I kept stretching my neck to see through the window as long as possible and almost tripped on her heels.  Once she mustered me in, she introduced herself and just chatted away asking questions and taking notes by hand.  By hand.   Interesting appointment.  No rush.   Very simple.  Very casual.  I liked it.  She can't do much until I get my ID number (need my VISA to show up), but she made me an appointment here in Copenhagen  for routine tests.  They will need to draw blood. Which made me pause, since my flu shot a few weeks ago was in my NECK.  YES.  They pinch the fatty skin at the base of your neck and shoulder and slide that needle right it. Easy Peasy.  It made me flinch.   I wonder how they draw blood for testing?  Not going to think about it..............

So, during the last crazy week, we had a smoked eel show up at the office.  Could smell it downstairs and all the way up to the second floor. And it was wrapped.   It was escorted by the parents of a Danish missionary who was about to arrive from the MTC in Provo,  before being shipped to Iceland.  Mom and Dad decided to surprise him with his favorite food.  Since they live just a few hours away,  and since they couldn't ship it to Iceland (illegal), it was no problem to drop  it off here for him to share with his MTC buddies and all of us.  Apparently the Provo cafeteria had worn a bit thin for our little Dane, and he was hankering for some home cookin'.   (He told me later he mostly ate cereal at the MTC.)  Poor child.

This eel was a yard long, stiff as a board and looked like shoe leather.  Head and tail attached.  The fins on the head stick out like long, thin, curled ears.  The missionary's  father catches these in the ocean in a net, then hangs about 12 at a time in a smoker.

Elder Johansen, eel chef.  Peel the saran wrap off  this little bugger (the eel, not the elder)  and you could taste it through your nose.

When the Elder got here, I escorted him to the kitchen to see his surprise.  He was like a kid with candy on Christmas.  Wide-eyed and thrilled.  He picked up the eel and held  it to his nose, sniffed it from one end to the other,  and let out a big sigh.  I asked him if he knew what to do with it and he said, "Absolutely.  Hand me a knife."  He sliced it into 4 inch sections, peeled back the skin and gouged out the bones with his thumbs. (the smoking pulverizes most of them.)  Then, he cut the pieces in half lengthwise and placed them reverently on buttered Danish bread.  Pepper sprinkled on top.  Just pepper, mind  you, not salt.  How did it taste?  Oily.  Fishy.  Smoky.  Texture kind of like cold, cooked cereal.  The Danes love this stuff.  It costs as much as caviar by the pound.  A delicacy which they generally eat layered on the bread with scrambled eggs. We had to make do without the eggs.  Sadly.  I guess it is an acquired taste.  His MTC buddies were up for the challenge and ate a piece.  By the way, one of those new missionaries is a 200+ pound Hispanic from Texas.  Going to Iceland.  Had people praying with him on the plane.  Awesome.

We love these new missionaries.  What a variety of personalities.  I download their pictures and application as soon as they are assigned, even before they get their call, sometimes. Also send them a welcome letter and track them through the MTC.  So, I feel like I know them before they get here. Not been disappointed yet.

THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS

We spent a wonderful Thanksgiving at zone conference, feeding the missionaries a home-cooked turkey dinner and watching their talent show.  Now, you have to understand that pulling off a real Thanksgiving feast in Denmark is quite a juggling act.  First of all, turkeys are hard to come by, bread stuffing ingredients are non-existent, and they don't do Jello in Denmark.  Who doesn't do Jello?  Our turkeys were only about 10 pounds and cost $45 each.  E X P E N S I V E.  We had to do the pioneer thing and make our dried bread cubes  (we are so spoiled in America),  and we had to beg Jello off anyone who had received a care package during the last year.  Shhh......we have Jello Hoarders here. Secondly, each apartment has an itty-bitty oven and a miniscule freezer/fridge. Good thing the turkeys were small and some of us had a freezer big enough if everything else was removed.  Turkeys were cooked  in shifts.  The dressing rotated into the oven after the turkeys came out to be carved and put in crock pots to stay warm.  And, have you ever tried to maneuver a cake pan full of  red jello into a fridge with no wiggle room?  Tricky. Sticky.

Of course, the missionaries ate every bite of food and were geared up for the "Turkey Bowl."

I told them to look "tough."  By the way, the word on the pink t-shirt, "kærlighed" means "love."  Appropriate. 

We are thankful to be here in Denmark with such kind, warm-hearted Danes.  They are beautiful, warm and generous people.  We love our branch and all the friends we have made already.  We are grateful for the missionary couples we serve with and their kindness to us.  We love the young missionaries here and their willingness to work and work and work with few baptisms.  Great leaders. Great testimonies.  Great spiritual strength.  The church is in good hands.
We are grateful for our good friends at home and for their support.  We pray for them and for our ward family and our temple family.
We are grateful for our family and for their encouragement and love.   We love them.  We love their uniqueness.  We love their strength and goodness.  We love how they have supported one another this year through thick and thin.  We admire them as parents and wives and husbands.  Most of all, we love them for giving us 26 beautiful grandchildren who are so much fun.  Each grandchild is absolutely special to us.  From the married , engaged and missionary ones,  to the braces-on-the- teeth girls,  right down to the two-year old tantrum throwers.  Wish we could hug them all.
We love the gospel and the strength we feel from living the best we can.  We are grateful for the priesthood in our lives and the temple blessings.  We love our Savior and have felt His peace and comfort and know that he is watching out for us and our family.
Even though we are away from home this Thanksgiving season, we have truly felt thankfulness for all we have and for the opportunity to serve here. 

SNOW AND STUFFED SQUIRRELS

We have snow!  Saturday started as your normal, blustery, chilly day with great promise.  When I went for a walk at 7:30,  the clouds were tinged with pink and yellow from the sun struggling to rise above the horizon.  Deceptive.  One forgets how fast the weather can change in Denmark.

Morning sunrise across the lakes

Things went downhill from there.  We went furniture shopping with another couple who, like us, only has Saturdays to run errands.  We trundled from store to store, and the weather got worse and worse.  Of course, the last place we stopped had a little Christmas shop set up outside in a tent.  We were just dumb enough to go inside to look for a small Christmas tree.  Outside, the wind was just waiting to belt us with sleet as we left.  It captured our very breath, swirled it up and away and then went after any loose hair and clothing.  Struggling to open the car doors in the wind, we finally wrestled our way in, and collapsed in a heap of dripping coats and boots, and headed home.  By evening,  and after all the teasing, the weather finally got down to business and snowed in earnest.   

We ventured out into the twirling whiteness and watched fat, wet flakes hit our coats and drop to our feet in instant slush.  The lighted dome on the beautiful old theater down at the corner lit the tornado of flakes careening around the spires and rooftops.  Plunging down into darkness, the flakes disappeared until they swarmed past the street lights in a giddy effort to stay afloat as long as possible.  By the time we got home, we were wet halfway to our knees.  It was worth it.  A side note:  I bought a down coat made for the cold of Russia.  I know.  Bring it on, Denmark.  Let's see what you got.

Last Saturday we went to a Loppemarked at a place called The Forum.  It is an unbelievably huge flea market.  I've heard that if you decide to rent a booth space, you call all your family and friends and they bring you all their stuff to sell.  I believe it.  Every possible thing you can imagine lying around in your house, antique or not, that you don't want, is up for grabs here.

 Hundreds of booths on the ground floor and more all around the balcony.  I mean.  You could spend hours and hours.  Just wanted to show you a few of our favorite finds

Trolls and stuffed critters.  Both very big here.  ???

Yes, you see right.  A Red Pig Candle-holder.   I was assured that it is truly a Swedish antique.

This sign originally hung at a railroad station.  Printed on both sides and made to hang with chains.

Did we buy something?  Well, yes we did.  The owner swore this Copenhagen sign is 100 years old and I told him that if I find it's mass-produced and shows up everywhere, I would come find him.

Amager Gren - Primary of 5

On a more spiritual note:
Today we had our primary program.  This is our primary.  What do you think, Ruth?   And they did the whole program by themselves.  Lots of opportunities to talk and sing. It was beautiful and brought tears to the eyes. The testimonies of these little ones comes from, and goes straight to the heart.  The theme was "I Know That My Savior Loves Me."  How could he not?

STAV CONFERENCE AND LIVER PATE'

This has been a different kind of week.  We started off last Sunday with Stake Conference.  Our stake is about 20 minutes from here and covers half of Denmark.  Yes.  We are a two-stake country.  Inside, I was surprised to see the seating going clear to the stage in the cultural hall and lots of families of all ages.  Kids bouncing up and down and clusters of  members catching up with friends they seldom see. Watching everyone stream in on Sunday was just like a typical conference in Utah except many come by bus and train here.  It's all in Danish so headphones are passed out to us foreigners and someone translates live.  It's a little noisy in the cultural hall, the sound isn't good and the video transmission from the pulpit  is grainy.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?

One young man told a story of his return to church.  He had been active and served a mission then had drifted away to the point where he wondered how he had ever believed. But,  life has a way of punching you in the ribs sometimes and  he was faced with some sort of crisis.  He was upset enough to try prayer. He prayed and asked God, "Do you remember me?"  After his prayer, he reached for his Book of Mormon which he hadn't touched in years and was impressed to read a little. A great feeling of peace, comfort and healing came over him as he read.  Astonished, he expected the feeling to fade away, but instead, it lasted for weeks and caused him to return to activity with the blessing of his wife who is not a member.  What a great lesson!  When we don't invite or even shut the Lord out of our lives, he lets us struggle on our own.  But the minute we ask,  he responds to lift and help us with our burdens.  Why are we so stubborn to not turn to him and let him "take our burdens and make them light?"  He can't be our Savior unless we let him.  I've thought about it all week and have passed a few things I have been struggling with on my own over to Him and boy does it feel good!!!!  What a blessing.

 I have been trying for weeks to track down members who speak Urdu and Arabic for the president. We have investigators who want to ask questions to someone who speaks their language.  I've talked to the Area Translation department in Frankfurt, the Berlin Germany Mission, folks in Salt Lake City (many folks in Salt Lake City) the MTC, and e-mailed a bunch more.  Nada.  And, when the mission phone is not working (down for 3 days),  and I can only talk to Utah from about 4 pm to 5 pm our time (how dare they sleep when I need them)  ARGGHHH.    Frustrating.  So, we're sitting at dinner at a member's house today with six Elders and I mention to the AP's that I am searching for these unusual language speakers who are members.  Elder Reimschussel casually says, "Oh.  I know a couple of Arabic speaking members here in Denmark."  IN OUR MISSION.  WHAT? Then Elder Mogensen pipes up,  "Yeah.  And there is a couple in Søderberg who speak Urdu.  Baptized last year. IN OUR MISSION.  WHAT?  Even know their names.  No words.  I simply have no words.

Then, I spent Friday on the phone with the area Lawyer in Frankfurt trying to figure out 3 different immigration paperwork mix-ups so we can keep some missionaries in Denmark who are about to be given their LEAVE NOW papers.  Crazy.  Two couples and one sister.  I have scanned and e-mailed a boatload of documents to Germany.  By the way, the Area lawyer is from Preston and Elder Buxton has known him for years.  He works with 31 countries on immigration. A job I would not want. Small world.

Here are some pictures from our dinner today.

Elder Reimschussel and Elder Zeigler (Swiss) multi-tasking.  Peeling eggs and chatting with our hostess, Sister Clawsen.  The members are so great here to feed the starving Elders and couples.  Then when you leave, they send bags of food with you  for the week.

L to R:  Brother Clawson, Elder Reimschussel, Elder Mogensen, Elder Fairbanks, Elder Bishopp, Elder Zeigler, Elder Buxton, Elder Porter and Sister Clawsen.  Typical Danish meal with 8 kinds of meat and fish (very thinly sliced), about the same number  of mustard and mayo-type sauces to put on top, beets, eggs and cheese, cucumbers and red peppers.  You pile all this on bread and eat with a fork.  Oh yes, and frikadeller.  If you come visit, you will have frikadeller.  (Danish meatballs).  Anyone ever had head-cheese or liver pate'?  

Marble Collection

I swear every Dane has a collection of something.  As if they have room for One More Thing.  Brother Clawsen collects marbles.  I know you're thinking, "Marbles can't take up that much space."  Well, they can if you have a hundred big jars of them.  Strung out in a double row along the window and separated by color, they shine like captured jewels in the light.  If it were sunny, you'd need shades.  Jars also line a bedroom ledge and others are tucked in among Royal Copenhagen figurines and family photos on every surface in the living room.  

One final note.  We are so saddened by the terrorist attacks in Paris.  We are glad the missionaries are safe there and pray for those families who have lost loved ones in this senseless tragedy.   We were instructed here to stay away from large crowd events and to not wear our name tags while traveling for the week-end.  We are all praying for the hatred and strife to be tempered in the world.  Such turmoil.  Such a need for the gospel.

FALL IN COPENHAGEN

Fall has found its way to Copenhagen.  It sneaked in so slowly that it caught us unawares.  The days are subtley different now; shorter, colder and darker.   Often, a misty fog comes in the night on cat paws and floats around the spires and steeples so we can hardly see across the lakes.  Church bells are muffled and a fine mist saturates the air, frizzing my hair and fogging my glasses.  The morning can brighten and be sunny, or stay damp, misty or even drizzly all day. Trees are turning all shades of gold and rust and big, leathery leaves swirl in the wind, packing the walkways and stacking up against the hedges.

Fall trees along the lake.

This looks like paint, but is actually soft, brilliant green moss.

Ivy-twined buildings dressed in maroon, scarlet and green

Bikers still brave the wind and riders are buttoned, gloved and scarfed.  The scarves are a sight: soft, fuzzy, huge, boa-like wraps made for chin tucking in the stiff breezes that barrel down the canyon-like streets.  Men wear a smaller version.

This rider is wearing a small scarf.

Babies are swaddled and bundled in buggies (big London nanny-type buggies) or zipped into these tent-like contraptions which are actually the front of the bike.  They swivel to maneuver easily.  Genius.

And, you'd think all the groceries and flower shops would pull the flowers inside for warmth.  Not so. Flowers still crowd in bunches outside every grocery like a summer party.  I shiver for them, but love seeing them. I bought a huge bunch of Gerber Daisies last week.  I felt so Danish.  These Danes resist winter and use every excuse to linger outdoors.  Blankets draped on cafe chairs help extend outdoor dining well into the fall, and some eateries have gas jets hissing warmth as well. Any bit of sunlight draws a street crowd, which disappears with the sun.  Everyone tells me this fall has been very mild, but they are expecting a harsh winter.

This out-door seating is roomy, but some of these outside areas are crowded in front of cafes on tiny, little sidewalks.  It doesn't seem to bother them at all that people edging by are brushing their shoulders and bumping their elbows as they eat.  

FROZEN AT THE BUS STOP

Just for the record.  If we have to travel to church by bus all winter long, this Hustru will not be attending.  Amen.....  Well, maybe not.  I don't mind going by bus,  but if I have to stand more than 5 minutes in the cold,  I start freezing from my toes up and in 10 minutes, you can chip me off the sidewalk and use me to cool your Pepsi. And today was chilly and humid and we had to stand and wait for two different buses while the  water in the air dampened us like a cold sauna.  Is there such a thing as 120% humidity?   I won't even mention what the humidity does to my hair.  Cat fur comes to mind.

So, we invited the sweetest little lady to church with us today and we can't take her by car because the mission has this liability thing that does not allow us to drive anyone but missionaries anywhere.  The only alternative was Bus or Metro.  We picked the bus.  Buses are everywhere in Copenhagen and the stop is not far from our apartment, but it was late, so we missed our connecting bus and had to wait. Sunday the buses are not so frequent, so if one driver is 8 minutes late it multiplies your wait time down the line.  Bless.  So here we are at the bus stop with half-awake city folk, lots of smokers and Halloweeners (adult, costumed  and a day late ? ?)  drifting by.

We were late for church and sneaked in before the sacrament which Elder Buxton was supposed to bless, by the way. Feeling a bit bedraggled, I struggled to pay attention.  It was fast meeting, sometimes not the best meeting for non-members, but the branch came through.  Sweet, sweet testimonies and a great spirit.  Mia, our friend, surprised us with her beautiful voice.  She is pixie tiny and partially paralyzed, but can belt out a good Mormon hymn with the best of them.  Her spirit is so strong, and for all her problems, she is happy and positively jubilant when she sings.

She has been to church off and on for a few years, but likes the idea of attending a small branch and was perfectly comfortable.  We're hoping she will come often. The big problem is that she must travel by bus and has to change busses to get here, so it takes a real effort for her.  She loves the church, but has a Catholic heart. She does not attend the Catholic church at all, but has Hungarian Catholic roots with all that deep tradition.  Oh, by the way, she speaks Danish, English, German and some Hungarian.

We have eaten with Mia several times and she is just thrilled to cook for us.  How she pulls off fixing a meal is truly amazing to watch.  One arm is totally paralyzed.  One of Mia's specialties is Ægkage (egg cake).  She's quite a wizard with spices.  Really yummy.  She also bakes her own bread and is helping me next Saturday make some gluten-free bread.  With her generous soul, she would make such a good Mormon and we are praying that she will feel the spirit of the gospel in her life and realize the blessings of becoming a member of the church. 

Mia´s famous Ægkage

  

This is the view from Mia's one-room apartment which she shares with Benzai, her dog. This view is a fitting background for the classical music that floats and shimmers in the air in her apartment.  She loves the Mormon Tabernacle Choir AND her vocal specialty is Gregorian Chants.  Yeah.  She sings them.  The Danish love their theater, ballet and classical music.  It's a bit of a cultural shock sometimes for these down- home Mendonites.

Oh and by the way, Mia is a miracle with flowers.  Check out her balcony flower boxes.  Inside, her windows are filled with pots of paper- thin lilies, bright pink, ruffle- leafed amaryllis, and other lush, glossy plants with nary a dead leaf.  She does not like her picture taken, but maybe I can sneak her in later.

TRANSFERS AND TRIFLE

We had a busy week with 8 missionaries leaving and 14 elders arriving.  Ideally, Church Travel books the departures so that you can take a batch to the airport, then greet the group coming in without much wait.  Well, that's the plan, unless flights are delayed in Chicago and 14 green missionaries end up sitting all day at Heathrow in London.  And since the group is big, they have to be booked on two different flights and straggle in all evening long. The itinerary at the mission office goes out the window and you end up with lots of food to give away. Never fear. Missionaries in Copenhagen for transfers and new elder pick-ups get the word and Viola! Thirty open-faced sandwiches and pastry disappear in seconds.  So much for introducing new missionaries to their first Danish food.  The menu for day 2 (new missionary orientation) is pizza.  So sorry.

There are 5 elders you cannot see.  And yes, they are a little punchy.  Transfer day is a little like Christmas:  excitement and suspense with just a little dread thrown in.

So, we had to cram two day's activities into one.  By afternoon, the new elders were glassy-eyed and by evening, probably fell asleep playing ping-pong.  (The mission president's  attempt to keep them awake all day.) We do get some sharp ones in the mission,  and this is an exceptional bunch.  The new Elders  are blessed with excellent, dedicated trainers (even though the picture might shed some doubt.)  We expect great things. 

                                                             

We love being invited into a Dane's home for dinner.  Let me introduce you to the Knudsens.  Sister Knudsen was a missionary in Denmark years ago and has a fondness for the couple missionaries in the stake.  She and her husband invite us all to dinner each month.  Now this is not just any dinner.  He is a master cook and really puts on a feast for us. They have this tiny apartment just across the street from the S-tog (train) stop.  Many of the couples come by train.  Just hop off, go across the street, up one story,  and here you are.

The train stops here, then slowly rolls pass  so everyone can eye-ball each other.  This picture is taken through the glass window, so you can see the little patio and the reflections in the window.  I like sitting right here in front of the window.  Yes indeedy. It's a free show.

Arriving, we pile our shoes (a courtesy in Denmark) in the tiny entry and squeeze past bodies to lay coats on the Knudsen´s bed.  One person at a time.  The bedroom adjoins the entry hall (cubicle?) and there must be all of 6 inches to maneuver between the bed and the wall.  Off the entry is the midget, galley kitchen where two people cooking is too many.  The dining tables barely fit into the dining/living room and you sidle sideways to get to your seat.  The room is full of  Danish bric-a-brac:  a glass cup collection in a tiny cupboard, old relatives posing on the walls next to an antique harbour hatchet, and of course, books and more books. I've not been in a home yet without seeing some sort of library.  Potted plants and orchids perch on window sills and in corners and a white buffet full of serving pieces anchors one end.  The table setting is beautifully candle-lit and everyone enjoys catching up for the month.  And the food:  a whole leaf lettuce salad with a creamy dressing,  crispy roast beef, Danish potatoes with gravy and steamed green beans.  Dessert is an Apple Cake Trifle topped with stiff, unsweetened whipped cream the way the Danes like it.  This is one recipe I am bringing home.  

Sister Knudsen is in the pink sweater at the top.  I asked her if she liked the convenience of being so close to a train stop and she said, "Yes, but I generally ride my bike."   Really.

The man on the left is President Williams, the Temple President.  The other couple is our new neighbors from Alborg who are serving a 3-month calling in the temple as well.  The Rovn-Peterson's. Lovely people.  She helps me with Danish genealogy.

So full we can hardly move, we try to get our shoes on to leave.  Have you ever seen 15 people struggling to put shoes on in a 3 x 5 ft. space?  It's like playing Twister, but having to tug on shoes and boots, besides twisting and balancing to avoid all the other shoes on the floor.  The good thing is that if you toppled over, you'd hit a wall before the floor.  It gives me the giggles watching every time.  I love going to these dinners and so appreciate the good food and good company.  The Danes are such generous people.

MISSIONARIES AND PUMPKINS

We had a fairly slow week.  I had days with oh, maybe two things I had to do.  Yes, we are finally getting control of our life at the office.  Feast or Famine it seems.  It will all change Tuesday when 14 new, fresh, Christopher-like missionaries arrive.  I want to hug them all and pretend they are him. I have made binders for them and readied their paperwork.  We will copy each passport and driver's license, check contact information, let them e-mail home, and feed them.  They will also get an interview by President O'Bryant and go out street contacting.  They will be falling asleep in their soup by evening.  After a night at the president's home, they will be back for orientation, then shipped out to their new areas. The AP's have been working on transfers and have bought tickets for all the criss-crossing of elders and trainers by train and ferry through-out Denmark.  Took them three days to figure it all out.  Transfer day is like Christmas. Excitement, suspense and tension.  Some in the area find an excuse to come into the office and sneak a peek at the transfer board............which is never updated until everyone is re-assigned.   Nice try!   It is truly amazing how things seem to work out with lots of prayer on the part of the mission leadership.  I'm impressed at how they keep so positive and upbeat and eager with the very low baptism rate here, but in every newsletter, they all have "miracle stories" to report of their work.  

So. We do stay busy in our little branch.  This is Relief Society work meeting.  I thought I would post a picture of the Pumpkin Parade.  Halloween is really not a thing here in Denmark, but is slowly gaining traction.  These ladies are such good sports.  Lots of laughter and Danish chit-chat as we carved and scraped and pulled out the stringy, slimy innards.  Gah...    The UTAH sweatshirt owner is a Dane.  ??  Another misisonary, Sister Ottley is standing second from the right.  The Ottleys are Records Preservation Missionaries.  They are from Kenniwick, WA and I am glad she speaks English.  Can you guess which one is the ballerina?  Bishop's wife is second from left in back.  Sister Olsen. (Mother of the ballerina)

Our ballerina is center front.  Kristina.   Prima Donna for the Copenhagen Ballet a few years back.  Now has two cute little boys and still dances regularly.

THE PATH IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER.........

We really enjoyed conference last weekend and have been trying to listen to the last session this week.  Conference here, live, started at 6 in the evening, so it was a little different than home.  We tuned in on the internet and loved the messages we heard.  We were  so sad to see our prophet's strength ebb because he has always seemed so strong.  I can't help but think of the weight of the world he must carry on his shoulders, and especially know he agonizes over members like those who come to conference to voice their non-support.  We can support him and lift him best by lifting those around us and by living the best we know how.  One can see how he has literally worn out his life in service.  I hope he is with us next April.

WHERE I WALK

We live where you see the red tab.
Several mornings a week, I slip outside to walk around the lakes which back our apartment building.  The lakes are in blue on the map and I don't always go around all of them, but at least three so I can see the swans. 

The path from our kitchen window.  We live on the 2nd story,  but the patio is on ground level.  People walk and talk and run and bike early 'til late.

I can't get to the path from the patio, so I skirt the side of our building and climb shallow, cobbled steps to get on the walking path which circles 5 lakes; separated  by busy streets.  Bikers and runners each own a path and you risk your life if you cross over without looking behind you.  These people are serious about their work-outs.  And, they don't warn you.

The  large vertical tiles on the left are for bikers who don't want to bump their bikes down the shallow steps on the right..

Walkers and runners beware

 As I walk, a hedge brushes my left shoulder and pigeons wait until the last minute to rocket from my feet to the chimney tops. Stately brick homes peek out behind their shrubbery and once in while the path widens into a small, cobbled rest area with benches.  

I would sit, but am generally in a hurry to get to the office.

White and grey swans accompany me as I walk; sometimes many, sometimes few.  Last week, a pen (female) and her cygnets lifted off behind some trailing willows and startled me.  It took me a minute to figure out what caused the muffled, rhythmic, thrumming sound.  They flew low and sailed into the next lake. It also solved a mystery about how the swans were there one day and gone the next. Who knew. 

Sometimes they tuck their head and necks under their wings and float and snooze, and sometimes they dive for food with their backside in the air and their little black feet dangling down to the water. 
 Comical.  And they all do it together.  Apparently, everyone gets the memo at the same time here.

As I cross a busy intersection to get to the next lake, the sky lightens in the east, back-lighting the clouds and silhouetting the city roofscapes behind a blush of pink: church spires, domes and flat roofs ripple in the water.  Jet trails pencil the sky and flocks of black birds wheel in the air.  If I'm lucky, church bells peal as if to welcome the day.

I love the ripples in the water as the wind picks up right before sunrise.

By the time I circle around, the sky loses its blush and the sun brushes the building fronts with light; the wind dies, the ripples flatten, and the lakes become glassy.

The spire you see is the Catholic Church whose bells ring all day.  The sliced tube-like building is a planetarium.  We look directly across at it from our dining windows.

Can I add that this dangerous moat is 10 to 12 inches deep.  ??

It's not quite the same as climbing toward the mountains in Mendon with dear friends, ............but, I will be sad if it gets too chilly to walk.

OFFICE ANTICS

The winner of the most unusual piece of mail is..............Morty.   The Moose.  Yes, Morty came in the mail just like you see him here.  The postage was stuck on the top and the address squeezed on the side.  How he got to Copenhagen in one piece and unsmeared and readable is a big mystery.  The postman, grinning from ear to ear, proudly plopped him on my desk.   Messages are scribbled on every centimeter, even the bottoms of the hoofs. The big, block "Y" on the chest betrays the family's loyalties. We were really tempted to write "Go Aggies" across the nose.  Really tempted.  Who would know?

Morty the Moose

The AP's are regular visitors to our little office.  Elder Reimschussel and Elder Mogensen.  We love these two loyal, hardworking and faithful servants. But they are not perfect;  sometimes they FORGET stuff.    On this day, they were driving to Jylland for zone conference - a three hour drive;  their car loaded with teaching materials, clothing, and loads of mail packages and supplies for the missionaries.  This picture was taken after the FOURTH return to the office, as proof that they were finally on their way..........and then they came back.

They look a little sheepish don't they? You should have seen them when they came back the FIFTH time.

The Fredericksberg sisters wander in from time to time offering to help and looking for treats.  This day we invited them to come for lunch.  Would you believe there is a fabulous, tempting, way-too-near, pizza shop almost next door?  They have this chicken pesto pizza..............oh my.   Sidenote: These girls can put away the food.  We are loosing almost all these sisters in January and February. They are fabulous missionaries.

Sister Reed ( front), Sister Harrison (from Logan), Sister Mosely  (top left) and Sister Dunn (top right.)