Ward Temple Trip

No better way to start out the new year than attending the temple!  Yesterday our small ward sponsored a trip to the Copenhagen Temple.  Our high priest group leader, Flemming Trap, was the one in charge, and planned everything in advance so all we had to do was go!  We had looked forward to this trip for several weeks, and Elder Parker had found some more family names so we could take them to do the endowment work.

We left Aarhus about 8:30 in the morning and took two carloads of members to board the ferry to the island of Sjælland, where Copenhagen is located, then drove about 1 1-2 hours to the temple.  The ferry ride is about an hour and ten minutes, and we ate breakfast as we traveled, so that was fun.  It was very windy in Denmark yesterday, and I was worried about motion sickness on the ferry (my family knows how well I do!), but the ride over was good.  (The ride back was not as fun, but I survived...)

See Kirsten in the back...

Lise and Ole Ravn-Petersen, Jørn Bendtsen, Gitte Sørensen

Elder Parker, Paulo Albino, Flemming Trap, Nikolai Ravn-Petersen (Nikolai is 1st C. Bishopric)

Gitte, Mette Jensen

Eleven members traveled by ferry and car, and then Jesper, Lise, and Julie Andersen met us at the temple.  Julie is one of our SUV and is preparing to leave on her mission next month.  It was really fun to see her at the temple.

We sometimes see other senior missionaries who work at the temple, and I especially enjoy that as we don't have that much contact with other senior couples.  Yesterday we saw Elder and Sister Hoge who are temple missionaries.  We met them in the airport when we flew to San Francisco last April to apply for our visas.  We also saw Elder and Sister Madsen, who are the SUV missionaries in Copenhagen.  They were the ones who "oriented" us to Denmark when we first arrived.  We stayed with them for four days in Copenhagen.  Sister Madsen taught me how to buy groceries so we could eat, and Elder Madsen gave Dad his first Danish driving lessons.  We will love them forever!

The temple president and matron, President and Sister Williams, are always so welcoming and try to greet everyone who comes.  We were able to do two endowment sessions.  Some of our ward members are actually temple workers, and were able to help with assignments during the time we were there.  It reminded me of the four years I served as an ordinance worker in the Provo Temple and of the many, many blessings I personally received by that service.  Dad served even longer.  What a blessing and a privilege to work in the temple and to attend as a patron!  We encourage everyone who is able to start their new year out by attending the temple. You will be blessed.