Glyptotek from the outside.
Dad with a young Mozart
Me with Beethoven
My favorite statue in the Glyptotek: It is a mom with 14 babies crawling all over her
King’s Stairway (Christiansborg Palace)
Throne room in the palace (They don’t use the thrones anymore when greeting visitors as there is no absolute monarchy anymore. They actually cover up the thrones with a screen and the queen stands/sits in front of the screen to greet the guests.)
1923 grand piano at the palace
Typical Danish smørrebrød sandwiches. They are open faced and feature various toppings from liver pate to shrimp.
Glyptotek Museum Statues
Sample of Palace decorations. I loved the wooden floors and the elaborate marble on the walls and door frames (Alexander Hall, named for Alexander the Great)
Hall of the Giants (holding up the building on their shoulders)
Dining Hall (only used to prepare dishes for the banquet hall next door). The beautiful table seats 52 and was made from Mahogony salvaged from the staircase when the palace burned down.
HC Anderson and the Ugly Duckling set in a plaster ceiling. All 4 corners feature 8 different motifs like this one.
Our FHE this week was all about good health and setting healthy goals. This will be our theme for the whole month so I can’t wait to see what other twist the YSA’s will put on it. One of the YSA’s gave us 10 suggestions for maintaining good health, which included exercise, drinking lots of water and eating lots of vegetables. It is always painful for January to come as it seems we must think about our health and the extra pounds we gained over the holidays. The young adults can turn even a painful subject into a fun time. After our discussion, we divided into two teams and played ‘Extreme’ Pictionary. But there was a ‘health twist’ to the game. While one teammate drew the clue on the white board, another teammate had to do exercises. There were 8 exercises from push-ups, to stomach crunches, to squats, to triceps dips. When the team guessed the drawing, the drawer then became the exerciser and did the next exercise on the list. The teams got different clues, so it didn’t help to watch the other team’s drawing. We had to all participate and the first team to have everyone draw and exercise was the winner. We played two rambunctious rounds, with Dad taking center stage with some robust jumping jacks. We laugh because every game they play is ‘extreme,’ meaning ‘not ordinary.’ And they are right. We had fruit for a snack, which one of the YSA’s prepared. It was nice. I thought this new system of having a food committee might really work out great. But it was short-lived.
On Thursday, after District Meeting, we met the other senior missionaries and 4 elders for lunch at the church—Domino’s pizza. The missionaries had been in meetings earlier with President and Sister O’Bryant as they discussed their plans for post-mission life— “My Plan.” These 4 missionaries have about 7 weeks left in the mission (just a little over 1 transfer). We know two of them as we have worked with them during our time here. It doesn’t seem like they should be leaving already. As part of their ‘exit training,’ they attend the temple—which is where we come in. The temple runs an early session just for us. The senior missionaries are needed to round out the session and provide a witness couple and patrons for the prayer circle, and because some of us are ordinance workers so we can provide the help like name issue and veil workers. We have attended several of these temple sessions and really enjoy them. Just as we were leaving the church to walk to the temple, we got a call from one of our young adults—the one who was preparing dinner for institute that night. You guessed it…something had come up with work or school and he couldn’t make dinner. I was wide awake in the temple as I admit some of the time I was planning the dinner and forming a grocery list. We ran to the grocery store after the temple, went home to grab other necessary ingredients, packed it all up in our carts, and walked to the UV center. We had about 1 ½ hours to pull off dinner—and we did. I made a sweet and sour chicken dish with rice and some mixed vegetables. Dad was a huge help in chopping up vegetables. We fed 18 people and there was nothing left over. I always feel badly when someone comes at 6:50 and there is no dinner left. There was plenty of food, but by that time everyone has gone back for seconds (and thirds) so that it was completely gone. They must have liked it.
One of our young adults got married on Saturday. We really can’t claim him as one of our young adults because he was practically engaged when we got here last summer (but we are still glad another YSA has graduated). He is in our ward and was very helpful the first few weeks we were here as he translated for us. But we didn’t see much of him as he was spending a lot of time in Spain—where his fiancé lives. Sometimes she would come to Denmark and they came to church so we have met her as well. By the end of the summer, they were engaged. Neither of them speak each other’s language so they communicate in English. We had several Spanish patrons at the temple on Friday. We were all surprised until we realized they were here for the wedding. For whatever reason, the wedding took place in Denmark. They were family and friends. Who would have thought that my little bit of Spanish temple training would be useful here in Denmark, but it was. I was able to do the name issue and veil for all the female patrons. Surprisingly, the words came back to me, as I had no time to review them. There always seems to be some unique experience, however big or small, at the temple each week. I am very grateful we can serve in the temple. We love our new temple presidency and see how the mantle of responsibility has come upon them. They are quickly learning Danish and are making a few changes in our temple schedule. Some people are averse to change, but I find that these changes are inspired and have a way of settling in after a while so everyone is comfortable. There is a humble and reverent spirit about the temple presidency. They are also very loving and kind to workers and patrons alike. After a very long day on Friday, they still stand at the temple recommend desk as we leave to thank all the workers for serving in the temple.
We were asked by the Stake YSA chairman to make an inventory of the food and spices at the UV center kitchen. There is one cupboard that has some food—mostly baking items. When the committee purchased groceries for their dinner last week, they purchased curry, but then found that the center already has several packages of curry. We wanted to avoid that in the future, so Dad and I went over late Tuesday afternoon to make the inventory. There were a lot of spices and many multiples. I had to translate some of the names because I didn’t recognize them. We cleaned and organized the cupboard, combined packages of the same things, and made a list of items we need to purchase. Having started on one cupboard, we decided to continue our ‘spring cleaning.’ Dad took on a very messy drawer filled with plastic wrap, foil, garbage bags, etc. We also organized two of the kitchen utensil drawers. It is something I have been wanting to do, but never had the energy to do it on Monday or Thursday after 10 p.m., which is when we are usually done with institute and FHE. There is more to do, but I’m glad we got a start.
Our district meeting focused on finding the right message for investigators. Obviously, it is important to teach the doctrines of the church as outlined in Preach My Gospel. But there may also be a scripture that can touch them or help them in a personal way. To illustrate this, the district leader asked each of us to share our favorite scripture and what principle it taught. In this way, we could see how the scriptures affect us personally and so likewise can have a similar effect on those we teach. We have 10 missionaries in our district, plus us, so we shared 12 scriptures together. I enjoyed hearing what scriptures they chose and the reasons for it. How do you choose just one ‘favorite scripture?’ My ‘favorite’ is usually the one that speaks to me at a troubled time. It is the one that brings comfort or peace, or answers a question. It is the one that enlightens my understanding, or teaches an eternal truth. It is the one that reminds me of a weakness and gives me the strength to overcome. It is the one that confirms God’s love. But I had to choose just one and so I chose the one that brings me comfort when I wonder if I have ever accomplished anything in life. It is Alma 56:47-48. Speaking of the 2000 stripling warriors, Helaman wrote:
‘Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.’
And I will add Alma 57:21 to finish the thought:
‘Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.’
Yeah, that’s what keeps me going. I want to be a mother like that. If I can teach my children about faith, to doubt not, to obey with exactness, then my life is full. Now I realize my children have their agency, but I still can be the mother who taught them. I want my children to be able to say of me that ‘we do not doubt our mother knows it’—knows that the gospel is true, knows that Christ lives, knows that the Book of Mormon is true, knows that the church has been restored, knows that we have a living prophet, knows that wickedness never is happiness, knows that man are that they might have joy, and so much more.
Perhaps you can share your favorite scripture with me. Hope you all have a wonderful week. You are all in my thoughts and in my prayers, and my heart is full of love.
Kærlig hilsen, Mom
Kære Familie Sunday, January 15, 2017
I cooked my second dinner today where I used a cookbook and made something original for us. It was a meatloaf with a brown sugar/catsup sauce on it and some baked potatoes. I think I asked mom so many questions that she will think it is easier to just make dinner herself. I am learning though! I got the oven at the right temperature and managed to make all the conversions from metric to cups and ounces (some of my questions to mom though). Maybe by the end of 2 years I will be more of a chef. It tasted really good.
Here is a little more on my test, though my short note pretty much covered it. I spent a little time in the morning cramming vocabulary and listening to Danish to just get re-accustomed to the sound of a Dane speaking. Elder Yates and 4 missionaries were also at the testing center, so we all took it at the same time. The tests took place in little booths with glass doors. We each had a computer, different versions of the test, ear phones and a microphone. It lasted a little over 30 minutes with 5 different parts that had a combination of little stories and then questions about the stories or pictures with questions about the pictures. It followed the sample questions the mission gave us quite closely, so I could identify most of the pictures or conversations fairly easily. Even so, there were 5 or 6 questions that I had to guess on and one that I just totally didn’t understand. 70% is passing however, so I should do well enough to pass. I will not hear about the results for 3 weeks.
On Tuesday, we went to the Glyptotek Museum to see paintings and statues. The entrance fee is free on Tuesdays so we took some time to see some National Treasures. We found the museum very interesting. They have one wing of mostly French Impressionist artists and then 3 big rooms and some smaller ones of life sized sculptures in marble, bronze and plaster. It took us about 2.5 hours to see everything that we wanted to see, including a couple of small rooms with Egyptian mummies and sculpture pieces. I don't understand how Denmark could get antiquities from all over the world into Denmark. (Could they have paid a lot of bribes or stolen them, etc.) but now they are on display for the whole world to see. Doesn’t make sense to me that the original countries wouldn’t demand them back. Many of the finer pieces are by Danish artists however. The building itself is a masterpiece and very beautiful inside. The museum brochure says that the art collection belonged to J.C. Jacobsen, who started a family empire making Carlsberg beer in 1847. He donated it all to the city and built the museum to house it all. His foundation continues to pay much of the cost of maintaining the collection for the world to enjoy.
On Wednesday, we had our monthly stake DVI meeting. We were missing 4 key members of the committee, including the stake presidency counselor and mission president and one of the co-chairmen, but we still had a good discussion with the rest of us and approved a camp out over Easter break in April that could be a 1 or 2-night sleepover in a cabin, hopefully near water so we can use some kayaks. (Who said missions were hard work?)
We asked whether the stake had any new suggestions for our work and got several good suggestions, mostly from Jens Andersen. He has a great vision for what the program can be like. (He is the former stake president and mission president and is now the country CES Director.) The stake president, Pres Bernskov, joined the meeting for the last few minutes as he was on the way out of the building and asked the group what we thought the key current needs of the YSA program were. I expressed the thought that it seems like we are only appealing to the younger set of YSA's. – we don’t see very many who are over 26 or so. We discussed this a bit and decided to take some action by organizing an institute class for the singles 31+, but invite anyone else to attend who feels too old for the Thursday night class for the YSA. It will probably be taught on a Wednesday night. No one suggested that we should be involved with that so we shall see what develops. Thank goodness, no one thought having an age break, like 26-35 was a good idea for the program. We think that would fracture us too much. The church already has the age 31+ cutoff for YSA.
Here are the other ideas thrown out that we can begin developing;
- Use the Center as a location for street contacting by the full-time missionaries. There is a university in the neighborhood with lots of young people in the vicinity. They can invite people to come in for discussions, a demonstration of Family History, etc. We could have laptops available for Family Search, and maybe staff the center from 2:00 on Thursdays and 1:00 on Fridays.
- Organize splits between the YSA’s and full-time missionaries. Most of the focus could be on less-actives.
- Focus outreach efforts on the Frederiksberg Ward which has a lot a membership and not that many attending church meetings. Organize YSA’s to visit older people who are home-bound or the younger less active YSA’s.
- Organize service to the community, refugees, or homeless.
- Make regular visits to the ward YSA Committees with an emphasis on rescue efforts and enrollment in Institute.
Love Dad.
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