Hej Familie og venner (Hello Family and Friends)
I hope you had an amazing Christmas and wish you the best New Year! Its crazy to think the year 2010 is in our mist. Reading or hearing the year 2010 almost sounds kind of sci-fi. Its just weird. Whats also weird is this is my last email for 2009. Wow! Its amazing how fast time flies. Anyways... What a crazy week I had. Lots of things went down so I will start from the beginning of the week.
So kind of a funny story and for once I was really glad I didn't understand Danish, haha. We were at church, so last Sunday. We were just sitting around waiting for the meetings to begin. We were sitting down and this girl who is about our age asked us if we wanted to join the choir and help sing. So we of course, agreed. I didn't want to but my companion said, if it makes the members like us more we should probably do it. So I sucked it up and headed to the front of the chapel to practice with the choir. So this member who's name is Anna Kristina is the choir director and asks us to sing some solos to see what our voices sound like, to help us practice our parts. I was just following my companions lead as I had no idea what anyone was saying. Whats worse is Anna Kristina is from Sweden so she has this Swedish accent with her Danish, which makes people like me, who are trying to learn danish, really struggle to understand her. So Elder Robinson starts singing and I just follow his lead. The next think I know the choir director is just talking away at us. Of course I have no idea what she is saying so I just smile and nodd. haha. Then my companion says, lets go. We quickly leave the stage and go sit down. Apparently we got kicked out of the choir. Choir Director Anna Kristina said she didn't have the time or patience to help us understand the song and said we were wasting her time. Ouch. Kind of harsh. I just looked at my companion and said, I told you so. haha. so kind of embarrassing. The whole choir was in shock I think at the way she talked to us. When church ended we had a lot of the members of the choir come up to us and apologize for the choir director like 50 times. We said it was no big deal. But lets just say we were happy to leave church that day. Then to top it all off we had a dinner appointment with Anna Christina as she gave us a referral. She wants us to teach one of her friends.... So we were a little worried about that night, I am sure you can see why. haha.
So 6:00 finally roles around that night. We slowly make our way to her home, worried about the outcome the night will bring. We knock on her door and she answers and was very nice. Too nice to be honest. haha. I think she was trying to make up for her actions, I don't know, either way she was nice and all the negative thoughts about that night went out the window. She made us a great meal and we were full. Then she brought dessert to the table. It was blueberries and what I thought was whipped cream. Danish people do this dessert a lot. The usually freeze some type of fruit and then serve it with some time of cream or sauce. So I take a big scoop of blueberries and then a huge scoop of whipped cream. I begin eating it and I about threw up. This so called whipped cream was actually sour Cream... oh boy was it gross. Luckily I think I hid my reaction well, as nobody said anything. Bite by bite I ate it. It was the grossest dessert I have ever eaten. I was so disappointed. My taste buds were not happy with me. Lets just say I drank a lot of juice after every bit of that dessert, lol!
Finally Dessert was over and we made our way to the living room to teach her friend the first lesson. The First lesson is about the restoration of the church. It hits a few main points, that God is our Heavenly Father, Families our central to his plan, Prophets and priesthood, the great apostasy, Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. So my companion began teaching. I just kind of smiled and nodded. I had a really hard time understanding the danish Anna Kristinas Friend spoke. He had a really weird accent. So I had Anna Kristinas Swedish accent, her friends weird accent, and my lack of danish. It made for a interesting night. However, even with all that the lesson was a success. Her friend asked a lot of questions and we answered them the best we could. He was very open and was just willing to listen. We all bore our testimony's to him, even Anna Kristina. The spirit was very strong that night and I think he felt something too. But from what I was able to understand and from what my companion translated for me, this guys a pretty logical thinker. He likes facts and proof and he is very stubborn in his ways. However he did agree with us, that if he did know their was a God he would do all he could to follow that God. Anyways it was a great night and a great lesson. We encouraged him to keep reading and praying. He asked if we could read with him, so he would be able to understand the book of Mormon better. We said absolutely. He said, can we meet tomorrow. WOW! I was like wow, this guys seems pretty sincere in wanting to know. Anna Kristina opened her home again and said we could meet at her home again, same time, and she said she would make dinner again. We are starting to like her more and more. So the appointment was set. Its amazing how much having members helping us do the missionary work is so much easier. It just make the night so much better. Whats great is as we were leaving she said, oh yea. I was talking to the Taxi Driver while I was coming home and I told him about the church. Here is is phone number and address, I called him yesterday and he said come over any time after 6. My companion and I looked at each other in shock. We have never had a member do that. So Anna Kristina just became our favorite member, lol! She can yell at us at choir any day, as long as shes helping us with missionary work. haha! Anyways the night ended well and were grateful for the help and work this member is doing. Got to love it when members help us out!
So the next day finally arrived. 6:00 hit the clock and we were at Anna Kristinas Home again. Unfortunately, I was feeling a little weird. I couldn't figure it out. I could tell I was starting to get sick. But I wasn't sure as I still felt strong and not sick. So I just shrugged it off, I was just probably tired. We knocked on the door she answered and had dinner waiting for us. We began eating. She made us some yummy grilled salmon, wrapped in some bread. It was way good. Unfortunately she made a ton, and I think she expected us to eat it all. So I ate a ton of food. She then again brought that same dessert I had last night out again. Oh boy, however this time I took very little of the sour cream. haha. After dinner we sat down and started to read the Book of Mormon with her friend. As the reading began I started to feel worse. I couldn't wait for the appointment to end as I was feeling very uncomfortable. I knew I was getting sick. Its amazing how you will be completely fine, then Bang! it hits you and your sick. Not fun. So the appointment ended, and I am happy to report it ended in success again. He said hes going on a business trip and will be back after new years. Anna Kristina again opened her home and we scheduled another appointment. I hope this goes far, as the Randers branch needs more priesthood holders. Once this branch has enough, they will be able to organize themselves into a ward! Which will be good. So anyways good appointment. However I was really glad it was over, as I was feeling waaaay sick.
We began to head home. We were about 3 or 4 blocks away and I just stopped. I looked at the ground and just felt very sick. Long story short, I began throwing up. I threw up the entire meal Anna Kristina made for me. Whats worse is it just kept coming and coming. We eventually made it home and I went straight to bed and stopped eating. Lets just say I was up all night, throwing up, and got very little sleep. We called the mission presidents wife and she said I should just rest. So I slept all day Tuesday and survived of saltine crackers, toast, and soda. Wednesday was not much better, but I did feel a little better and was able to go out contacting for a few hours. I took it very easy. Then Thursday the 24th hit (Christmas day for Denmark) and slowly worked myself back to a normal eating diet. We were spending Christmas day with one of the families from the ward, and I didn't want to miss out on their dinner. The good news is, I did feel better and was able to eat dinner. Whats even cooler is this family was eating a American thanksgiving dinner for Christmas. haha! So i had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc! Go figure, I would have an American dinner on a Danish holiday. The night was awesome and I was able to eat. I didn't eat a lot but I was able to eat and keep it down. We then watched a few Christmas movies and just relaxed with the family. We played a few board games and snacked. Then it was time to open presents for their family. Danish open their gifts on the evening on the 24th. But first they all gathered around the Christmas tree and sang Christmas songs to the tree. Normally they dance around, but they didn't have room for all of us to go around it. We sang a few songs (It was a little odd, but kind of fun) and then began to open presents. They even got something for me. I got a tie and some Christmas chocolate. It was very nice of them to get me something. The night ended and we headed home. It was a great night and was grateful for it.
Then the 25th came! My Christmas day! We couldn't do much missionary work that day as all the Danish people are still celebrating their 3 days of Christmas. So President said we could just take it easy that day too. We stole the projector from the church and watched a bunch of Disney and Christmas movies! We made dinner and just had a really relaxing day. It was great as I was still feeling sick and was able to relax. Then 6:00 finally arrived and I was able to call my family! What a chrimas present that it. One of the hardest things I have done in a long time was hanging up that phone. The good news is, I only have to do that 3 more times, before I go home. Seriously, it about killed me to hang up...
What a great Christmas week! I had dinner with a member about every night that week. They fed us well and it was just nice to be with the members.
Finally the stores opened back up and we were back out on the street contacting. When the stores are open the people are out! Danish people love to shop! We contacted and taught a few people on the street. None of them were really interested, but they were nice enough to stop and listen. This happened for a few hours. Then we ran into this investigator we have been seeing for a while. His name was Panca. Not sure If I have told you about him before, but this guy is a character. He is this native American guy who is, in short just awesome. He speaks Danish, and Incan. We ran into him and he said he loves the Book of Mormon. He then showed us this news paper with him in it. He was interviewed and they have him his own page talking about him and his store. He said in the news paper he loves God and Reads the Bible and The Book of Mormon! Go figure right, this guys not even a member and hes telling the world he loves the Book of Mormon. As we were talking with him we found out he spoke Spanish. We asked him if he would prefer a Book of Mormon in Spanish over danish. He said yes. so we got him a Spanish one and gave it to him later that day. Long story short we ran into him the next day and he said he loves the book even more! He said it was more enjoyable reading it in Spanish over Danish. He did tell us since the holidays are over, hes taking his business to Colorado in the United States. We got his information and will stay in contact with him, and transfer him to some missionaries over there. Great guy, I am sad to see him leave.
Other than that I had a great week. I am glad the holidays are over as more and more people will be out and we will be able to contact them. Whats also good is the investigators we do have, wont be as busy and it will be easier for us to make appointments with them. I love the Holidays but they sure make Missionary work hard. haha.
Well Thank you everyone for all your love and support. I wish you the best for 2010 and a Happy New Year.
Your Denmark Missionary,
Ældste Skyler Hardy
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