GOODBYE AND HELLO

We said goodbye this month to our friends and neighbors, the Parkers, who returned home to Provo. They were serving as YSA and were much appreciated and loved by two stakes of young adults.  The Parkers were wonderful, helpful, dedicated missionaries.  Brother Parker, an avid genealogist, shared his Danish research skills with me.  A cheerful, whistling, handyman, he carried a Swiss army knife on his belt.   Just in case.  Sister Parker was a natural organizer and manager.  She could whip all us women into an efficient kitchen crew in no time when we were floundering trying to feed 75 missionaries. She also had a map in her head, and was the navigator in the car.  She was never lost. They are home catching up with grand kids and planning their travels.

President and Sister O'Bryant, the Parkers, and us.  Farewell dinner.

The couple replacing them, but going over to Jylland,  are the Larsens from Washington State. Energetic couple.  We volunteered to escort them over to the ferry which would take them to Århus. The Odden ferry is located almost at the end of a small spit of land northwest of Copenhagen. This massive boat carries a hundred cars and is the quickest way to Jylland.  (Then, a few days later, we went again to trade cars.  A confusing story involving car registration and parking legalities in Århus. So the weather in the pictures is dark and dreary or sunny, depending on the day.)

This sign hangs in the harbor on the north shore, next to the road which curls down from the highway.

We headed out on a cold, blustery day following the main road meandering through the spit, the two-lanes brushing close to the ocean and then jumping back to the center.  You would think this area would be commercialized and lined with hotels and ocean-front touristy stuff.  Not so.  This narrow strip  is mostly farmland, surprisingly.  Before the spit, we drove past sleek, white windmills like those lining the freeway across Wyoming.  Further in, gentle hills spread out from the road ending at the ocean on both sides.  You could see coast to coast in the narrower spots.  Half way down the spit, the north side boasted a small harbor clinging to the edge of the sea, with far more boats than the locals could own. Rusted, fishing tubs rubbing shoulders with sleek sailing sloops.   So, summer must bring some tourists.  A few closed tackle shops, eateries and souvenir shops looked tired and defeated in the cold.

Small harbor on the north side about half way down the spit.  At the bottom of this road is the sign shown above.

The coast to coast farm fields are separated by rock walls, long-needled pine trees or tangles of shrubs and are still green.   Farmsteads lay scattered here and there between little red-roofed villages with names like Gudmindrup or Højby; each with the white, stair-step church tower peculiar to Denmark, rising above the red tiles.  A few pastured horses graze near fences,  and geese and swans nest on the frost-stiffened grass.

Second trip, better weather.  You can see the ocean in the background and the frost on the grass.

The main building on these farms is u-shaped with living quarters, barn and feed storage all connected.  I guess the idea years ago was to be able to take care of all the needs of the animals and people without having to go outside.  Other outbuildings huddle close to the main house as if for warmth, or are sometimes attached to the main building like extra limbs.  In the past these farms would have upwards of 70 people.  (I have found whole families of ancestors in the 1736 census living on farms such as these, listed as farm help.) Some folks had tiny plots of land to til, to supplement the food, but owed most of the working time to the landlord.   Children as young as six had chores and jobs.  Everyone worked.  Generations of the same peasant family stayed on the same farm.

This main house has a thatched roof.  You can see two legs of the "U."

I was curious to see just how close to the sea the farms could stretch, so we drove off on a muddy track on the south side.  The sea and the farms were separated by a lane, and a strip of soggy coast with stunted, wind- blown trees common to coastal shores.  

Our first trip, a blustery day with dark clouds scudding across the horizon.  Faded row-boats lay abandoned on the shore.

Apparently the farms are not allowed to run right to the ocean, but come pretty close.  Eventually we ran into a gaggle of little summer homes stretched out along the shore and in toward the center.  Mostly tiny with windows and porches facing the sea, overgrown yards, and abandoned canvas flapping on clotheslines.

Heading back, we couldn't resist stopping at an old church surrounded by a well-tended graveyard. We entered the yard through a curious, celtic-looking gate and found Christmas greens still decorating the graves.  Inside, we found  the chapel complete with a miniature viking ship hung from the ceiling - a common sight in the old Danish churches.

All in all, this little side trip was a fine change from the office.

Burial plots outside the church.  Danes lay pine branches everywhere at Christmas:  at the base of real trees, in planters, window boxes and on graves.  They stay marvelously green because of the cold weather and moisture.

SPROG KLASSE

I officially enrolled in a Danish language course beginning in January.  I attend 2 days a week for two and a half hours per class. The Danish government sponsors these classes because, hey, if you are going to live here and go to school free, and have free medical,  the least you can do is learn their language.  Because it is a free government program, I was expecting some little, neglected, run-down classroom, and a frazzled, volunteer teacher.  Not so. These classrooms are state-of-the-art with computerized whiteboards, printed workbooks, on-line listening practice, and highly paid, well trained teachers.  I am quite impressed with the organization and the resources.  Let's see.  Last month I could have had "Dinner with a Dane" in someone's home, also, a student social with an "Indian" theme, and some enrichment classes several days a week where you go and practice chatting with others.

They are serious about this "learning the language" business.  And they should be because it is HARD. Learning the Danish language is really learning two languages:  the one you learn for reading and writing, and the one you speak.  What you hear is not what you read.  For instance:  "Jeg kan godt lide........"  ( I like......) .    When you pronounce it, you only say part of the letters and smoosh the whole thing together and say it fast.   Jeg kan godt lide.  So it comes out like yikagoalie. Yikagoalie ice cream or yikagoalie pizza.  These phrases even have a name:  short answers.  That is an understatement!  And then there is this student age thing.   Did I mention that I am older than the rest of the class members by 30 years or so?    Did I mention that I am the only person in class who only speaks one language?  And, that most speak more than two? INTIMIDATING.  So we have very young, very bright students from all over the world.  And a grandma.  There are 10 nationalities in a class of 11-17, depending on who shows:   France, England, Croatia, Mexico, Spain, Latvia, Italy, Slovakia, Poland, Denmark (teacher) and CJ and me, Americans.  CJ is from Chicago and speaks Spanish as well.  Of course he does.

I keep praying for the Gift of Tongues.

WARD REPORT

Our grand-daughter, McKenzie, was asked to give a  report on our mission, on the 5th Sunday in church in Mendon,  and I sent the following for her to share.  I though it would be a good thing to share on the blog.  Sincere apologies if you have heard this before.

We’ve really enjoyed our mission and even though we miss our friends and family, it has been the place we know we should be.  We are constantly amazed at what happens behind the scenes to run a mission.  We have about 100 missionaries and it takes 2 full-time and 3 part-time older missionaries to keep things going.  And to think this is repeated in hundreds of missions in the world! 

Our Danish experts:  (top) Elder Bryner (apartments)  and Elder Warnsdorf (phones, cars and language test);  (above) Sister Warnsdorf (immigration and VISAs),  and Elder Buxton,( finance)

We have had some wonderful experiences especially with the young missionaries.  They come to us as young as 18, but they seem much older than that, especially spiritually.  We have attended conferences with them, fed them, gathered materials for them, prayed with them, given them blessings,  and rejoiced in their progress as missionaries and young adults.  They have such positive attitudes and want to spread the gospel to all they meet, and even though they don’t get as many opportunities as they want in Denmark, they remain faithful and committed.  In addition, we have literally seen the Gift of Tongues poured out on these young people. 

Our Grandson, Elder Long,  is serving simultaneously in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and we have been uplifted by his very spiritual letters to our family.  We see that same spirituality in the missionaries here, and even though we are not "actively" proselyting, we feel of their spirit and enjoy having them teach in our home, and discuss gospel topics with us.  The mission is producing some outstanding teachers and leaders.  It is hard to see them leave, but we feel they will add so much to wherever they land "on the other side."

They sometimes look a little goofy, but don't let that fool you.  Turn them loose, and watch out.

We belong to a small branch here in Denmark and have 2 missionaries assigned there with us and two other couples.  We have 1 young man, 3 young women and 5 primary-age children.  The ages range from elderly down to 1 year old Elliot, the “branch’s baby.”  Elder Buxton is the Young Men’s President and Sister Buxton is the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society.  The testimonies of these branch members is strong and firm which is amazing living in a culture which is very permissive.  Many of them have few of their family who are active or even members of the church, yet they continue to hold fast to their testimonies.  We have several professional genealogists in our little branch and have been blessed by them generously sharing their knowledge every third Sunday when the whole ward stays for SOS:  “sandwich og slægtsforskning” (sandwiches and genealogy).  We have been blessed to take names of Danish ancestors to the Copenhagen Temple which is one block from the mission office.

The center picture on the top is President Olsen and his wife, Hannah.  This branch can really put on a dinner!

We are also blessed by the  other couples serving here.  They are wonderful, caring couples who love working for the Lord.  Our mission president is a powerful, spiritual leader as well,  and is wife is also tremendous.  They are the spiritual core of the mission here in Denmark.

Two couples work in record preservation for Family History and the center couple is YSA, and our neighbors.  From the left:  Ottleys, us, Parkers, Brookes.

We know that the gospel blesses the lives of all who keep the commandments and strive to live worthily of having the Holy Ghost as a constant companion.  We have felt the Lord’s peace and love especially as we went through the sad and sudden loss of a beautiful grand-daughter.   We learned much about grief, gratitude, love and most of all the importance of family.  Even though it was very painful, it has been a testimony strengthening experience. We know the church is true.  We love the Danish people and we love our mission here.