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.