SENIOR CONFERENCE

Each summer the mission holds a 2-day conference just for the Seniors.   It is a time to meet new couples, renew acquaintances and get some training by the president.  Since we just received 3 new couples, we decided July would be a good month for the conference.  My first question was, "So, who is in charge of this?"  Well......good question.  No one seemed to know the answer, but had a lot of good advice from last year.  Long story short and by process of elimination, (couples too new, couples too far away, couples out of town ) we won the honor.  Our first plan was to get on a cruise ship to Norway and stay two nights.  Lots of space there for conferencing.  Lovely meals.  Relaxing. The mission president's response:  "Great idea.  But you better buy one-way tickets."  Taking that as a "no," we came up with an alternate plan.

The first day was play day.  We met and drove to Kronbørg Slot in Helsingør to tour the castle and catch short scenes from Shakespear's Hamlet.  This castle is know as Hamlet's Castle or Elsinore, because it is believed that Shakespeare used Kronbørg as the setting for his play.  Hamlet, if you recall, is  the Prince of Denmark.  Well, for the 400th anniversary of Hamlet, the castle celebrated by producing short scenes in the very rooms where they took place in the play.  Duels,  murders (half the cast dies) a crazed queen and even a ghost.   Between scenes, the actors strolled about and interacted with the tourists. Here is our favorite:  Polonious.   True to form, he's self-absorbed, long winded and comical - like the kind of dad you don't want your friends to meet.  He was appalled at our slaughter of the Queen's own English and tried coaching us with no success.  Funny guy. Booming voice.

Forslunds, Polonious, Buxtons

We strolled around and caught whatever scenes we could.  The times were posted, but some overlapped.

Confrontation in the King's Apartments

Halmet's mother meeting her demise with a drop of poison in her wine

We climbed  the tower ( the Danes do love their circular stairs) and took a picture with our backs toward Sweden.  After weeks of rain, the weather actually cooperated for us.

Kronbørg Slot from the roof

Tunnels under Kronbørg

We took the President down in the maize of tunnels to see Holgar Dansk.  It was so dark in one stretch that he hit his head on a low doorway.  Ouch.  Apparently, the soldiers were quartered underground in caverns which open up from the tunnels you see below.  Hardly any light and the floors are not cobble-stones, but ankle-breaking rocks.

The legend is that someday Holgar Dansk is to wake and rescue Denmark

We stayed  until the castle doors closed, then walked  to a Chinese Buffet and stuffed ourselves full of sushi and shrimp, and pretty much cancelled out any calories we burned climbing up and down castle steps.

The next day, we ate breakfast and held meetings until lunchtime.  The good news was that there is a handy-dandy conference room in our apartment complex just two doors from us.  The bad news:  it was way too easy to talk ourselves into making the food for both meals.  No one wanted to haul catered food from miles away.  Marathon cooking  after the castle trip, but lots of help.

Much to President O'Bryant's surprise, senior missionaries are not given training in the MTC on how to interact with young missionaries.  So we talked about big things like, "Do not mother too much or a missionary will leave the mission still needing a mother," and "Don't be too quick to solve their problems.  Let them figure it out by going to the Lord," and "Don't give counsel opposite from the President and APs even if you think missions back in your day did things better,"  and "Marriage after a mission should be on the Lord's timetable, not some arbitrary time period suggested by you."   We also talked about little things like dignified hand shakes (one hand) and calling them Elder and Sister instead of  'you guys'...... guilty.

We also received inspired council about what we are "becoming"  as missionaries.  We get so tied up in "doing" that we quit "becoming."  It is ultimately what we become, not what we do that will exalt us.  Here's a good thought:  we are all like Peter - we start out a little rough but can grow to become strong witnesses.  We should see all missionaries and ourselves as the Lord saw Peter.  Remember he was named Peter the Rock early in his ministry and grew into that name.

And a final thought:  "A testimony of Christ has the power to remove fear and change the world."  We need that today, don't we?

Ended with a temple session and a picture on the temple steps.  Couples left to right (new couples in bold):

President and Sister O'Bryant, Elder and Sister Michaelsen (Iceland), us, Elder Bryner (behind us) front: Elder and Sister Ottley, back:  Elder and Sister Shurtliff; front:  Sister Johnson (Bornholm, husband not here) middle behind her:  Elder and Sister Larsen, back: Elder and Sister Yates.  Front: Sister Warnsdorf (husband not here), middle:  Elder and Sister Brookes, back right:  Elder and Sister Forslund.  The Shepherds from Iceland were also not here.

JULI I KØBENHAVN and BORNHOLM

July.  You know that hot, blistering month back home in Utah?  Burning sidewalks, overheated, sweaty bodies and sweltering bar-b-ques?  Fourth of July parades?  Well, you'd hardly recognize summer here in Denmark. Since the middle of June, we have had rain nearly every day.  Buckets of rain.  And warm? If the temperature gets up to 72, it's a heat wave.  Yesterday, the high was 57.  Rule #1:  Always take a jacket and an umbrella, even if the sky is pretending to be cloudless.  For warm bodied-people, this is heavenly.  For the rest of us, brrrrrr. We have had a few days of nearly 80, with sun, and it is definitely warm and sticky.    Humidity runs the show here, and is the weather boss.  It can make or break your comfort zone.  Not complaining; at least the lawns are green with no effort at all.  Apologies to Hayden and Jackson, our gardeners back home.

I mentioned in the last post our fellow senior missionary, Elder Johnson who had a mini stroke.  He is doing well, by-the-way, and he and his wife are actually headed home in August.  We escorted them back to Bornholm a few weeks ago for two reasons.  First of all to make sure he got home alright, and secondly, to speak in church.  Bornholm has a very small branch and Elder Johnson is the branch president.  One of his counselors is a former missionary, and the other counselor is a current missionary.  The missionaries generally bless and pass the sacrament, and often speak, as well.  Let's just say that there is a lack of priesthood brethren here, so missionaries are vital.  The branch has a tiny, stage 1 chapel and you hardly need a sound system.  Some older members insist on it, however, so they can hear you well enough to  correct your faulty Danish when you are at the pulpit.   Bless.  Currently, there is 1 set of Elders serving on Bornholm along with a missionary couple.  The Elders consisder Barnholm to be a plum assignment, but few get the opportunity.

Bornholm is a pile of rocks located off the coast of Sweden.  Getting there involves driving across the bridge to Sweden, driving about an hour across to Ystad, Sweden then hopping a ferry to Rønne, Bornholm. The ferry holds over 100 cars plus buses and runs like clock work.  If you are late, you are left on the pier.  After swiping your ticket, you drive in to one of 10 or 11 lanes for boarding.  Then, it's up the ramp and attendants point you to your spot.  There are two layers of vehicles.  After the first layer is full, it is raised up so the second layer can drive in. Crazy.  If you suffer from claustrophia, you will hate this.  Cars hanging over your head and bottomless ocean under your feet.  Nice.  You then crawl out of your car, and go up to the sitting area.  Huge windows line the sides and if you are first to board, you can snag one.  They go first.  Lots of areas have tables and there is food and drink and souvenirs to buy.  Pretty plush.  Before the ferry maneuvers into the Rønne pier, everyone scrambles to get back in their car.   You'd best remember where you parked because when that ferry docks, you better have your motor running.

The harbour at Rønne, Bornholm

Some lovely branch members, the Mogensens (their son is serving a mission here currently) escorted us around for sight-seeing.  One stop was an old medieval village with costumed "inhabitants"  near Gudhjem.  As you can see they really get in to it.  Even had a friar admonishing his congregation, old muskets and cannons booming, and smoke from open fires and the artilllery rounds hanging in the air.

The padded and buckled knight on the far right is a recent convert to the church.  First baptism on Bornholm in 8 years!!  He blessed the sacrament for the first time while we were there.

The main attraction on the island is  Hammerhus Slot.  A huge, crumbling fortress strategically placed on a rocky cliff with breath-taking drops to the sea below.  The wind was blowing a bit, but instead of producing white caps the wind pushed the water into shifting, corrugated ridges and grooves.  Mesmerizing. Green bushes tumble wildly down to the sea and tiny, purple flowered vines cling between the bricks of the old walls as if holding them together.  Elder Sakurada is modeling a wreath made from this spidery vine.

Bornholm is a rocky island

Hammerhus Slot

The stories this place could tell of scores of years protecting this little, rocky, island, of people living and dying, of battles won and lost.  Bornholm has been coveted and fought over by many monarchies because of its strategic location off the coast of Sweden, and is fiercely proud enough to have its own flag.

Typical white round church on Bornholm

On the way back, we toured the coastline (just takes just a couple of hours) and stopped by this white round church.  These are distinctive to Bornholm.  Beautiful grounds, as usual.

We hope to visit Bornholm again.  The members there are close-knit, but warm and friendly to guests. The spirit is the same no matter how large or small the congregation.  How wonderful for the Elders there to get the experience of running a branch.  On this last transfer, we lost most of the experienced leadership in the whole mission.  But, younger, eager missionaries step right up and fill the positions and the mission carries on without a miss-step.  Impressive.  Being on a mission is truly a workshop for life.

ODDS AND ENDS (MOSTLY ODDS) AKA THE BINKY TREE

We recently spent an afternoon with our friends, the Brookes.  Finally got to see what they do each day.  They are Family History Missionaries, our neighbors, and the best kind of people I know.  They spend each day taking photos in the archives in the Frederiksberg Rådhus (like a city building with an archive.)  Their work is called "record capturing" and there are couples doing this all over the world. These records go to Salt Lake via Germany and are then indexed to go into Family Search. 
This is where they work each day, all day.  They are working with big old, dusty, marvelous census records bound in books. You should see the handwriting!  She loads the pages and he runs the camera.  I am impressed!  We have a second couple doing this in Copenhagen and a couple in Iceland as well.

The Brookes are going home in August (we are so sad) and they need a replacement couple. Anybody?  I am so NOT joking. GIVE US A CALL!

City Building

Afterwards, their boss, Lars, took us up in the clock tower of the archive for a view and history lesson.  This is not open to the public.  You have to have "connections" to go up here.  Lucky us.

Us and Lars on top of the city building

Hidden garden right in the middle of Copenhagen

Then, we took a little boat trip in a huge garden hidden in the heart of the city behind the Rådhus.   You would never guess this was here.  The entrance was a little rose-covered archway off a noisy city street.  From the boat, we watched the stream meander and curl silently as we slid between over-grown banks of shrubs and flowering bushes;  then here and there the bank opened and flattened into acres of lawn with picnic tables and chatting, lunch-time paper-baggers. Then, as the boat drifted around another bend, the scene shifted and the silence closed in again.  Except for the bird chatter.  Very peaceful.  Relaxing.  Best of all, we didn't have to row.

This garden is so big, that one can get lost.  Strolling along after debarking, we stumbled onto something we have been looking for since last summer.  It is famous, and  a very popular attraction for people here in Copenhagen.  Drum Roll Please.......

THE BINKY TREE

What you see here folks, is just one little side branch.  This tree is LOADED with binkies.

Binky Heaven

Bless.  When your sweet little pumpkin has decided that she (or he) has outgrown the binky,  she attaches it to the tree and leaves with fond farewells.  And notes.  And tears.  Every toddler I've seen in Denmark has a binky and there is no pressure at all to be done.  When one is ready.............. this is where you come.  No stress here.  This is Denmark, after all.

We really do have assignments and activities in the mission besides being in the office each day,  and  sight-seeing on weekends.   Below is Sjælland Zone Conference.

I am on the far right in blue and Elder Buxton is........ well, not in the picture.  He missed the conference because of An Eventful Day.  We started out calling an ambulance in the early morning for Elder Johnson (from Bornholm) who was staying with us.  We later found that he had had a mini stroke in the night.  Scary for all of us.  Once we had him away in the ambulance, we scrambled to re-arrange our schedule because Sister Johnson was going to help with the meal at conference and get an elder to a doctor´s appointment and she ended up in the hospital all day with her husband. Where she needed to be. He had us all worried, but all we could do then is stay in contact with them by phone.

Unfortunately, the conference was about 40 km away, so Elder Buxton took me to conference so I could help with meal preparation,  then he drove back to Copenhagen to get some hot, catered food we had ordered.  While we were eating, he drove the Elder who was waiting at zone conference back to Copenhagen to the doctor and waited with him, then ran back to help clean up and drive people home.  Typical day in the life of the office couple, especially Elder Buxton who runs a taxi, delivery, moving and errand service on the side.  So it seems.  Elder Johnson is OK, thank goodness, and was able to make his way home on the ferry the next day with his wife and us as escorts.

I got to sit in on some of zone conference and especially enjoyed the instruction on repentance and the atonement by the president and his wife.  Masterful teachers.  You know those kind of teachers you so enjoy, they could read the phone book and still be inspiring?  That kind.  If you haven't done so you should read "Our Identity and Our Destiny" by Tad R. Callister,  an address  given during Education Week at BYU in 2012.  The President asked all the missionaries to read this to prepare for conference.  Wow!

We also get involved with dinners for new missionaries and departures.  This is a departure dinner at the Mission Home.  One of our very few days of what I would call warm weather so far this year.

Departure Dinner for the two couples to my right:  the Blackhams and the Turpins. We will miss these two wonderful couples who have served faithfully on Jylland.

And this week we welcomed three new couples:  The Forslunds, Shurtliffs and Yates.  The one thing constant in the mission field is change. We have learned to just take a deep breath and move on.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

I have never seen spring come so fast in my life.  We had utterly leafless, budless, brown bushes and trees one week and by the next, full blown greenery.  I had literally examined branches  looking for buds by May, because I was more than a little worried.   Well.  Not to worry.  The buds popped out from wherever they were hiding, unfurled their leaves and ushered in a new season with a flourish. Endless rows of blossoming trees and parading tulips unveiled their colors and released lovely fragrances. And you should see the brilliant fields of rap seed (canola).  Literally hurts your eyes.
I  L O V E   S P R I N G!!

Every missionary in Denmark has his/her picture taken in the yellow fields in May.  So............. On our way to Frederiksbergs Slot, we couldn't resist.

Our company arrived just in time for the display.  Anissa, Courtney with husband, Jackson, and McKenzie flew in early in the morning after a 16 hour lay-over in Reykjavik, Iceland  where they caught a 10-hour tour and saw a bit of the unique Iceland landscape:  ice, hot springs and waterfalls.   We warned them to sleep on the way over because we had to hit the ground running in order for them to see everything.  After a short stop at the apartment, we grabbed a train to Roskilde to the Domme Kirke where all the Queens of Denmark are buried.  The church is full of caskets from years back. Many families constructed a whole chapel and attached it to the main church to house their ancestors, and the caskets are magnificent.   Many crafted from marble; gilded and carved by famous artisans. Scores of them.  Have to see to believe.

Chapel of the Magi.  Wonderful frescoes and 2 sepulchres made by Dutch artists as small antique temples.  

The next day, we hopped on a canal boat for a water tour, then went to Frederiksberg Slot in Hillerød. The National Museum.  We toured all three floors, and the outside as well.  Courtney and Jackson had a selfie-stick and well, what can I say? They used it.  A lot.  Goofy.  But you can take some nice shots of yourself if you can keep from laughing out loud.

Frederiksberg Slot

The family attended church with us on Sunday and I think they enjoyed it.  All in Danish.  The kids met all the branch members (not a long process) and the mission President and his wife were there as well. Great spirit in all the meetings. I had to play the organ because our organist was in the USA to a grand-daughter's wedding.  Playing hymns from the Danish Hymnbook is an adventure on several levels:  the page numbers are different,  the key is often different, the titles don't translate so well and there are many unfamiliar Danish hymns which we don't have in our book.  Also, many of our hymns are not in theirs.  When I play the prelude music from the hymn book,  every page is a surprise...........  Oh and one more thing, you sing all the verses.  Yes.  Every.  One. One of their songs has ten verses.  I just told the R.S. president to wave her hand when we got to the last verse on that hymn, so I would know when to stop.  It's interesting how much you rely on the words when you play a hymn, and feel panic if you can't read them.

Lots of steps and cold Baltic

Stvyn's Klint

After church, we drove down the coast to Stvyn's Klint.  The dark clouds rolled in, but we hiked down to the Baltic and dipped hands in the water - too cold for toes.  The clouds made the lighting perfect for a picture of the bay.

Vor Frues Kirke - The original Kristus

By Monday, we had played hooky from the office long enough, and we had a holiday and transfers looming, so we turned our guests loose and they saw all kinds of touristy things on their own.  They were getting pretty confident with the buses.  We joined them later at Vor Frues Kirke to see the Kristus. And we got a bonus:  someone was practicing the huge old pipe organ on the upper floor for a concert.  Let me tell you, these old churches were made with acoustics in mind.  The music swelled and swirled and floated.  Furious runs ending with tiny golden notes hanging in the air.  Glorious.

The day wore us out, but they were all about trying some Danish food, so we ate frikadeller, a   popular, Danish  meatball.  Anissa's motto for the trip was "A pastry a day,"  so dessert was no problem.

Holgar Dansk, himself

On Tuesday, new missionary day, our brave company took a train north to Helsingør, booked the ferry to Sweden and back, and toured Kronbørg Castle.  By themselves!  Anissa remembered the statue and story of Holgar Dansk from her dad's old mission slides and finally found him in the dark maze-like rock tunnels under the castle.  Dimly lit and creepy tunnels.  But worth it.  She was thrilled!  Bought a miniature statue of the famous viking in the gift shop.

Vore Frslers Kirke

That night, we went to Tivoli (amusement park) and it was deserted.  Don't know why no one showed up, but we had fun and loved having no lines and no crowds in the souvenir shops.   Next morning, they (you'll notice I didn't say "we") climbed the tower on the outside of Vore Freslers Kirke.  This narrow stairway spirals up the outside of the church several hundred feet in the air and gets narrower, the higher you get.  You climb right to the top.  Courtney was petrified!!!  Crying petrified!!  Jackson has video proof.

The craziest way to spend money, ever.

But, she  got even when we went to the Fish Kiss Spa and Jackson squealed like a girl when the fish "kissed" his feet.   The manager of the spa was wise to put us in the basement or Jackson would have scared all the customers away.  He was in agony.  Courtney has video proof.  It's a stand-off.

We were able to do a session at the Copenhagen Temple one evening.  I love being in the temple with family.  Anissa and her girls love to be together, and I know exactly how they feel. We were sad to say goodbye after such a fun week, but end-of school for Anissa, and beginning of summer for the rest. Loved having them here!

JYLLAND AT LAST

I had a great Mother's Day chatting with children flung far and wide.  It is hard to squeeze everyone in before too late here, and too early there.   Anissa was on the mother-end of a call from Elder Long, and I can't help but remember those long-awaited chats with our missionary boys.  Except, we were all fighting for the phone.  Skype is so wonderful. 

We were lucky to be on the other side of the "Missionary Calling Home To Mom" Sunday,  since we had 2 Elders with us to Skype with families.  One has been out a year, and one just 4 months.  They were so excited.  They laughed , talked, cried and you could feel  warm hugs across the miles.  President  asked them to all bear testimony during the call, and they did just that.  Touching, powerful testimonies.

We  had the opportunity to travel to Jylland (east side of Denmark) a few weeks ago.  The mission is looking for a couple of new apartments and we volunteered to meet with a realtor.  No one had to twist our arms.  The weather was cold and rainy, but we bucked up and went anyway.  We crossed a thoroughly modern bridge (The Great Belt), sweeping across the water  from Sjælland to Funen and then across The Little Belt to Ribe, the oldest city in Denmark and home of some of my ancestors.

 We stayed outside Ribe in an old converted farmhouse with a big cobbled yard, whitewashed buildings and manicured grounds.  The owners bought the old buildings and nearly tore them down, but decided to remodel and turn the farm into a bed and breakfast.  The whole top floor belongs to guests and has a sitting room, gabled bedrooms, and fluffy comforters.  The very Danish breakfast was beautifully presented in the dining room downstairs.  They are artists with food.  Let's just say that there was even a parsley garnish in the butter dish. Nice, nice couple. 

We made our way into Ribe and saundered  around.  The old part of town has narrow little alleys with cottage doors opening right onto the cobbled road.  The half-timbered houses line the streets with peeling paint, low doorways and an occasional sleepy cat looking for sun in the window.

The wind was brisk and we didn't linger except to sneak into the local domkirke made of tufa rock, with lofty vaulted ceilings and a 13th century doorway.  Lion door knocker.   This one had a massive candelabra.  I never tire of looking in the churches.

Ribe goes back to viking times, so a must-see is the Viking Museum.  Astounding amounts of information in well-planned rooms full of artifacts, weapons, drawings and pictures.  Even a re-created viking village center.  The Danish vikings were feared and roamed about looking for plunder. Viking ships entering your sleepy harbor would be a cause for great alarm in the 700's.

After meeting with a realtor in Horsens, we stopped in  Aarhus (Denmark's second largest city) to deliver supplies and visit with the Larsens, the YSA couple there.  They fed us lunch with the Turpins and Blackhams (other couples on Jylland), and then the Larsens took us to their favorite genbrug (junk shop really - like a glorified DI/antique shop.)  Aisles of STUFF.  I bought an old sampler and a small oil painting.  And a silver serving spoon.  Saw some fabulous hand-made copper kettles.  Now if I could figure out a way to get one home...........  To end the day, we took the ferry home.  Drive in, leave your car and go sit and eat at the cafe.  Easy.  About an hour ride.

  No idea.  Looks like blu-cheese buildings. View from the ferry leaving Aarhus harbor. 

We are so excited for Courtney, Jackson, Anissa and McKenzie to come.  They have been gathering odds and ends for us for weeks, it seems.  Patient people.  Daily Messenger text is  "Can you look for......?" followed by a reply with a picture to confirm.   Gathering new purchases, clothing and items that we can't do without, buried in the house in storage.   We've had pictures of cold medicine, Vitamin C drinks, T-shirts, jackets and aspirin texted across the miles.    Here's my favorite text to Courtney.....  Me:  "I have one more thing to have you dig out.  In the closet in the sewing room, I have a goofy one-piece, green fleece pajama thing with feet. I know!  Could you throw that in while keeping a straight face?"  Courtney: " Grandma, I don't even need to send you a picture to confirm that I have the right thing."  (emoticon laughing and crying.)  Me:  "Wait until  you are old and cold and facing another  Danish winter. Fashion is not even an issue.  Not even."
Love these people.  Can't wait to see them.

FOODIES

The Danes love quality food, which is why this small country is the 5th leading exporter of food in the world.  True foodies.  Grocery stores, who know their customers, carry an astounding assortment of meat, cheese, veggies and fruit. And wine. Exotic and local.   Food from around the world.  Around a holiday, you can hardly get down the aisles in any grocery because food is the focus of most celebrations, and everyone stocks up.  Danes also eat out a lot.  There are multiple restaurants on every street.  We have 5 just within a block of us. Always full.  When you dine out, you literally book your table for the evening.  You are not to rush. In fact, you have to find the waiter to get your bill, and you feel almost apologetic having to ask for it.  Danes love to entertain and cook for friends.  An evening dinner invitation is an EVENT.   Meals are leisurely with candles and flowers and lovely dinnerware.  One does not just show up, eat, and leave.  Nope.

Typical dinner at the Warnsdorf's, an offfice couple.  Beautiful! Can  you see the spoon sitting horizontally above the plate?  That means DESSERT.  And, it is served immediately after the main meal.  Also, the knife is resting on a knife bridge.  To keep the table cloth clean.

Brother Knudsen, a Danish chef in our stake and a true foodie, cooks multiple meals every week for groups, just because he loves it.  He is thin as a rail, and rarely sits to eat with his guests, but he whips up wonderful, Danish meals in his tiny, galley kitchen.  His wife does zero cooking, but sets a beautiful table.  Last Tuesday was our monthly Senior Missionary dinner at his house, and  I am 100 percent sure you'll never guess the meat he cooked. One hundred percent.

K A N G A R O O

Yup.  You read it right.  Apparently one can buy ostrich in Denmark as well.  And both are available in the grocery store right below our office.  Who knew?  It tasted a lot like beef, and I would never have guessed.  Elder Ottley was sure Brother Knudsen was kidding us, and Elder Brookes declined to taste it at all. But, the rest of us tucked right in. Our chef also makes wonderful desserts like the one below.  Large bowls of whipped cream are set on the table as a topping. They never sweeten their whipped cream, and it is so thick, it is almost butter. The Danes also love apple or berry trifles: layers of sweet, cooked and thickened fruit, whipped cream, and crumbled cookies.  Yum.

VISITORS, at last

The last two weeks have been hectic.  We started out with missionaries coming and going.  Bitter and sweet.  Most of the missionaries have been here much longer than we,  but it seems to take no time at all to get to know them and love them.   We are going to miss this group.

Sister Mann, Sister Soelberg., Elder Bateman, Elder Brady

Conference weekend was a nice change of pace.  Of course, we don't have any conference to watch until Saturday evening,  unless you want to kick start the whole thing with the women's conference. Sunday we can watch the Priesthood and the Saturday night sessions by satellite broadcast, and if you want to stay really late at the church,  the Sunday afternoon session, live.  We went to the stake center and watched the Saturday night session which was actually Sunday afternoon here. Confusing, I know.  We fed the missionaries around 2 and then stayed to watch.  I finally finished listening to all the sessions just yesterday.  Loved Elder Holland's talk especially.  I enjoy conference, but sometimes I feel a  little discouraged thinking of all the things I didn't do so well, then and now.  So, his talk was the perfect closer.  "So keep loving.  Keep trying.  Keep trusting.  Keep believing.  Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow and forever."

We had our first two visitors here in Denmark last week.  Both showed up unexpectedly at the same time.  What are the odds?  We plotted and planned our time to squeeze in the best sights for them.  I must say, they were real troopers.  Our biggest day out was chilly and quite windy and we had a hard time getting some good pictures.  One of our visitors is pretty thin and the wind really tugged him around. To introduce our visitors, I took a picture with the Elders, who were quite willing to help us out.

Elder Nielsen, and Elder Fairbanks (The hat?  Don't ask.)

Introducing Flat Stanley and Felix the Rabbit  ( uh, not the elders).  Both arrived the same day.  Flat Stanley came from Hooper, Utah and Felix from Ft. Collins, Colorado.  Both are travel projects - 2 grandaughter's school assignments.  Both seemed a little frazzled by their long flight,  so we took them downstairs for some Danish pastry to perk them up.  It worked.

Flat Stanley was all over those strawberry tarts and it was all over him.  Messy little guy.

We took both of them into the center of Copenhagen to see statues and steeples.  Common sights everywhere.  The green color has something to do with copper and oxidization, I think...........

We thought we would introduce them to the queen, but she was not available, so they had to settle for the Queen's Palace with her guards, and her church (it is called the Marble Church).

The inside is fabulous and you can actually go up into the dome on certain days.  On our list.

Even when Flat Stanley and Felix pulled faces at the guard, he would not move or talk. Good man.

The guys loved the inside of the churches, especially those with the ships hanging from the ceiling.The only trouble was they both wanted to climb in.  Good thing they were too high.  Kids!

There are actually many canals in Copenhagen.  The building is the background is the Danish Stock Exchange.  Built in the  17th century, it has an  unusual spire, the tails of four dragons twined together.  

Last stop, Nyhavn, the most famous street in all of Copenhagen.  A big tourist draw.  Why?  Haven't yet figured it out.  

We said good-bye to Flat Stanley and Felix, and dropped Flat Stanley in a big, red post box to head home.  Felix is staying and is taped to the door with our collection of cards and letters.  

It's like a game.  Where's Felix?

We are so excited to have more visitors soon.  If you have any travel/tourist questions, just call the boys.