RødKåd er ikke Så Dårligt

Goodness gracious a TON has happened! I'M IN DENMARK!! And it is absolutely breathtaking here.  I highly encouraging looking up pictures on Denmark on the web.  If you haven't already.  10 out of 10.

So, like I said, my life has been a pile of crazy the past week.  I was able to sleep a tiny weeny on the plane so when we landed in København I was awake and ready to work! We met the Mission Presidents who are literal DREAMS and headed to the mission office where we took care of some tedious but necessary items like interviews, passport paperwork, the whole shebang.  After that I was in heaven, because Sister O'Bryant made the most delicious Danish food I have ever had - not that I've had a lot of Danish food, but it honestly was so good.  And one dish that was surprisingly good is called RødKåd - red cabbage.  I'm pretty sure the Danes soak that in cane sugar, but nevertheless it was fantastic to say the least.  We played some ping pong after that and you gal Raya turned out to be a grand champion so pat yourselves on the back because you raised her right.  I'm not actually kidding I really did win a game or two.  I dropped on my bed asleep that night because I was a little more than exhausted.

The next day we met our trainers!! My trainer is the lovely Søster Acosta.  She was born in Ecuador but raised in Spain.  She is wonder woman because she's been learning Danish AND English.  My area is called Hammerum and it is right smack dab in the middle of Jylland - the Big Island.  I'm basically in the Danish countryside and nothing could be more perfect.  Except for the spiders - edderkopper- that are EVERYWHERE. I'm still very blessed.  And even more so in the fact that I have a car woot woot!! So no bike disasters for me!! And I'll have this car for a minimum of 3 transfers HOLLA HOLLA!!  I consider it a blessing because if there is one thing you take away from my letter today let it be that Denmark is CHILLY.  Even when the sun in out there is wind and probably rain.  It rains every single day, but usually not the entire day which is nice.  I'm also extra lucky because I have an Ægtepar - senior couple - in my area!! They are the BEST!! They bring us food when we have long fruitless days, and they invite us - along with the 2 Ældster in my area - over to their abode every Sunday evening for a home cooked meal.  I'm spoiled, but I love it.  The members in my area, though they be but few, are super fun also.  They are mostly elderly but they are oh so sweet.  I'll try to remember to take some pictures.  

We have investigators!! A small family consisting of a Mom and her twin 15yrold daughters are actively seeking out the church.  The mother, Jane, already wants to be baptized! She just is hesitant about a specific date because she wants her family to be there, and her daughters live in Sjælland with their father for half the time.  Her daughters just barely agreed to begin taking the lessons and we are so so so excited about that.  They are the sweetest girls.  I love them so much.  We had our first lesson with them the other day, and the Spirit was honestly sooooo strong.  They are leaving to their father's for a few weeks, so hopefully they still want to meet with us when they get back.  Fingers crossed. 

On another less upbeat note, trying to be a missionary in Denmark is really really tough.  The Danish people have a custom of very much minding their own business.  It's even a little strange just to say Hej to someone, and it is actually rude to ask how they are doing.  It makes starting conversations with people very difficult.  You kinda just have to be upfront and jump into the wanting to tell you about religion thing, which Danes are NOT fond of.  The majority of people here belong to the Folkekirke, which to my understanding is the Church of Denmark.  You're baptized into it and you attend on Easter and Christmas.  No one believes they need anything else.  We've knocked on so many doors.  I've never heard so many ''Nej Tak''s in my entire life.  But hey, missionary work wouldn't be so satisfying if it weren't for the endless disappointments right? But it's okay, I try to keep a happy attitude by singing hymns every time they slam the door on our noses.  I feel like I'm walking around with free money to give people and they believe they have no use for it - no wait.  I am LITERALLY walking around with the textbook of how to better your life and get into heaven and no one wants anything to do with it.  I don't get it, but I do hope that every time I see the door shut that they will be more accepting in Åndeverden, the Spirit World.  Knocking on doors and trying to convince people to listen to you is also a little hard if you don't speak Danish.  And I don't.  I thought I could in the MTC when NO ONE could understand or correct me, but here I'm terrified to open my mouth because I know it will be wrong! Danish is so so so hard to speak and I think it is even harder to understand.  Church members will ask me a question and I'll just laugh and nod and fumble over some words that may or may not be coherent.  I just keep praying and praying for the gift of tongues and some days it's there, and some days it is not.  But it's all good, everyone says it comes.  Here's hoping!! On the bright side, basically everyone and their dog speaks English so I'm not at a complete loss if I can't communicate in Dansk.  

Spiritual thought of the day -

I don't remember if I have already told you all this, but we had an awesome devotional from the MTC presidency right before I left.  The MTC President's wife gave a great talk on the Book of Mormon and basically how to use it.  She suggested that we all take the 30 day Book of Mormon Challenge.  What happens is you begin each day with a question - any question- in mind and find your answer in the Book of Mormon.  I've been doing it for the past few weeks and I can testify that it WORKS.  Within reading the first few verses of wherever I am in my reading I find or feel my answer.  It is so cool and really makes you want to study more.  I highly highly highly recommend trying that.  Pray and ask God to answer your question and just open to somewhere in the Book and begin reading.  Don't overthink your question, just ask.  The woman who gave the talk said that one day the only question she could think of was where she should buy a lamp for the room she was redecorating and she somehow found or felt her answer from reading the Book of Mormon.  Although that is kind of a strange case, let that be a witness to you that no question is a bad question.  Just ask. 

Jeg elsker jer, jeg elsker Gud og hans søn Jesus Kristus.  Jeg ved at gennem Mormons Bog kan vi finde fred og trøst. 

Love, 
Søster Esplin
raya.esplin@myldsmail.net






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