Our Trip to NYC

Yesterday, Clyde and I had to appear before the Danish Consul to get our visa applications in.  It was a mind-numbing trip.  We went to Stamford, Connecticut to catch the train into New York City.  The trip was going fine until we hit New Haven, Connecticut.  There we got caught in a traffic jam and then another one in Bridgeport - just before Stamford.  We were lucky if went a mile in 15 minutes.  I was praying that things would lighten up so we could make our train.  A trip that should have taken 2 1/2 hours, took over 3 1/2  hours.  We got to the train station and found out the express train was running 10-15 minutes late.  We got to Grand Central Station and walked to the consulate.  We walked from Lexington Ave - across 41st Street - then walked across the 40 numbered streets until we hit where we needed to be.  I have now walked down 2 blocks of 42nd street!  Never thought I would do that.  We go to the consulate a bit early but it was in the 90's outside and felt like over 100 degrees.  There is not a lot of shade.  We did sit in a little corner park and cool down with some water before heading to the Consulate for the 16 minute appointment (8 for Clyde and 8 for me).  We had to have our pictures taken and our fingerprints done.  Then we spilled back onto the hot streets for the trip back to Grand Central station.  Clyde ate lunch there but I was so hot,  I couldn't think about eating.  I think I might have gotten a bit of heat stroke.  I just could not cool down - no matter how hard I tried.  We took the slower train back to Stamford and stopped in Harlem, New Rochelle, Rye and several more stops until we reached Stamford.   We got in our car and headed home.  It took over 40 minutes to get out of Bridgeport (traffic again!) and then another 45 minutes to get through West Haven/New Haven.  We finally stopped in Mystic, Connecticut for dinner.  We relaxed there and then headed home for out last hour of the trip.  Needless to say it felt good to come home. 

Today is our temple day and we are getting ready for that now.  I am not feeling well but better push through.  They are going to need us tonight.

The Sacred Grove

 The next several pictures are of the Sacred Grove.  It is a beautiful, quiet place.  You can really feel the Spirit in these woods.

 The day was quite overcast.  This is a fun picture of a shaft of light through the trees. 

 An old gnarly tree.  We found out the birch trees grow hollow at the top.  This looks like a birch tree from the description of the Sister that took us on tour.

 Another shot of the Sacred Grove.

This is Connie and me.  Connie is a non-member that came to see the Sacred Grove and the Palmyra sites, in order to learn more about the Church.  I was able to bear my testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel and that is not a far-fetched idea to have a 14 year old yearn for the Gospel in his life.  I explained that I had known several young men and young women that when they bear their testimonies, you know they are speaking from their hearts.  Just as I finished my testimony, the sun broke through the clouds and created a shaft of light into a clearing.  I had been tearing up the whole time I bore my testimony.  When the sun broke through, Connie said, 'this must have been a glimpse of what it was like for Joseph.'  For no other reason than this opportunity, I am grateful that we were in the Sacred Grove for that experience.

The Smith Farm

 This is the Front Room of the Smith home where Joseph was visited by Moroni.  Eventually this home became the home of Hyrum and Jerusha - when the rest of the family moved up the road to the bigger home.

 This is the attic and the children's bedroom.  The sister's were in the room behind the door and the brother's - including Joseph - shared the two beds and this room.  This is where Moroni visited Joseph all through the night when Joseph was 17.

This is where things get a bit out of order.  This is the kitchen fireplace of the Joseph Smith Sr., home.  It was started by Alvin but finished by others when Alvin died.  I thought we had a picture of the fireplace where Joseph hid the plates under the hearthstones.  This seems to be the only picture we got.  This house is 60% original.  Because of that you are not allowed upstairs or in the main living area because of preservation efforts.  You can peek into the main living area and it is set up but you cannot go in.  The Smith Family lived in this home for several years and then just as the last payment was due, there was no money.  Mother and Father Smith packed up and moved back in with Hyrum and his family in the tiny log home.  By this time Joseph was married.

 This is the hearth in the main living area of Hyrum's log cabin.

 Another shot of the main living area of the log cabin.  Through the door is 'the Master Bedroom' when Joseph was a youth.  The bible under the glass is open to James. 

 This is Hyrum's Cooper shop.  Hyrum and Joseph Smith, Sr., were master coopers.  This somewhat explains hiding the plates in the bottom of a barrel of beans.  Where else would a cooper think to hide or even store things but in a barrel.

 Another shot of the Cooper shop.

I thought we had a shot of the log cabin but we don't this is the front of the Smith Family home that Alvin built (through the trees in the center).  To the left of the house is the cooper shop and to the right is the barn.  The cooper shop is replica but the barn is mostly original - but not the Smith's barn.  It is actually Brigham Young's brothers barn, moved from that property and rebuilt on this site.

Tomorrow, Sacred Grove pictures.  We are also heading to New York City to get our visas approved by the Danish Consulate.  Our appointments are 8 minutes each, starting just before 1pm.  We will drive to Connecticut and pick up the train into the city.  Hopefully all will be well.

Palmyra, New York - Joseph Smith Home Visitors Center

 A week ago, Clyde and I decided to go and spend a couple of days in Palmyra and visit the Church History sites there.  The above picture is actually taken at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center but I wanted to start with that picture to explain how spiritual this trip was.

It took 7 hours of driving and intermittent stops to get from Middletown, RI to Palmyra.  We got there about 2:30 and didn't leave the 'Smith Farm' until just before 5.  We thought that we would plan 1 hour for each place but every place we went, took at least 2.  The above statue is of Joseph Smith's visit with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.  I loved this figure and wanted to start off my blogs with it.  We were with one other family and a non-member woman, named Connie.  I will go into more detail tomorrow about what went on at the farm.  We found out the other family were business partners with Todd Kaiser.  His father was George Kaiser and he and his family lived in San Antonio when we my father was Stake President.  They eventually retired and moved to Salt Lake City.  The son of this family had just come home from a mission in San Antonio but had spent most of his time in the outlying areas, like Seguin, Schertz, etc.  I cannot for the life of me remember their name but it was fun to find out about families we knew in the past.  I have to keep this one short but tomorrow I will post pictures of the farm.

ROYGBIV

Yesterday was one of those Sundays that I dread.  I was on the go from early in the morning until 8p.m.  Fortunately those are now a thing of the past.  I must admit that I reluctantly went to my Seminary Inservice Meeting late yesterday afternoon.  I feel like the person replacing me should find out about all of the changes in Seminary - not me.  But Clyde and I did drive to Groton and working on our Danish as we went.  The meeting was wonderful, because Brother Weber is such a good teacher.  Our reward for going was a rainbow on the way home.  It is the first rainbow I have seen in RI in many years.  This one was so vivid that you could actually see every colors in the rainbow distinctly.  I have never seen such a bright indigo and violet in a rainbow ever. 

Clyde and I talked about rainbows and their significance.  We know that because of Noah and the rainbow promise - the earth will never be flooded by water again.  Few people know that Joseph Smith received a promise that if there is a rainbow, the earth is safe from destruction for a year.  Clyde and I were laughing because we see about a rainbow a year.  Never any more.  But it is kind of reassuring to know that for 1 year of our mission at least, all will be well (or the same). 

We are off to spend our morning in the temple, to say goodbye to friends.  I am not liking this part of moving.  I promise to get our Palmyra pictures downloaded soon.

News

My father has made us an offer we cannot refuse.  We will no longer be going to Kerrville to retire.  We are retiring in Manti, Utah and taking over 'the family home.'  As I discussed this decision with our daughters, I found out it was what they had been praying for all along.  What is really odd is that over the last few weeks, I had told people that all of my life I had wanted to live in that house and I would never see my dream come true.  Now it has.  We will be ordinance workers in the temple and start to contribute that way - as soon as our mission is finished.  Maybe the reason we are learning Danish is because Ephraim and Manti are known as "Little Denmark" and there are records to take care of that no one quite knows what to do with.  It is an interesting prospect.  The most exciting part of this is to have a place big enough for people to come and stay for things like the "Mormon Miracle Pageant" and other Sanpete County experiences.  We all feel good about it. 

Popi and Doreen will get a smaller home in Manti.  They need a house that does not have the upkeep on that 'the family home' has on it.  There is a huge yard and garden plus the home itself.  The wonderful thing about this home is we can live on one floor when it is just Clyde and me.  There is no need to go upstairs until company comes.  It is something wonderful to look forward to after our mission.  Just an unexpected change.

The Christus

In Danish, Christ is 'Kristus.'  'We have taken the Danish name of the statue and Anglicized it.  Here is the history that is given at the visitors centers.  I can't wait to see the original again.

In 1819, Danish sculptor, Bertel Thorvaldsen, was  commissioned to create the "Christus."  After nine years the marble piece was completed.

When Thorvaldsen unveiled his eleven-foot statue at the Lutheran Church of Our Lady, in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1828, it is recorded that "crowds of astonished onlookers marveled at the grandeur and sublimity of the work."

The first replica of the Christus was ordered in 1958 and donated to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It was placed in the Temple Square North Visitor's Center in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1966.

As second Christus was ordered in the 1962 and placed on display at the World's Fair in New York City in 1964-1965.  After the fair it was moved to the Los Angeles Visitor's Center.  Both of these sculptures are made of solid Italian marble and were sculpted by skilled Italian artists.

Since its unveiling in 1828, this statue has been numbered among the great art treasures of Christianity.  Its creator, Bertel Thorvalsen (1768-1844) is recognized as Denmark's greatest sculptor.

President Thomas S. Monson has said, "...there is something about the Christus that brings us closer to the Savior."

The Christus Illustrates to the world that we are Christians and that we follow Christ.  We do not worship the Christus any more than we worship sacred pictures that clearly communicate that we believe in Christ.

Scriptures to look up:
Alma 5:33; Isaiah 22:23
Isaiah 53:2, 5; Mosiah 14:2
Alma 40:23
Doctrine and Covenants 6:37
1 Peter 2:24
Doctrine and Covenants 45:51 (and several scripture there after if desired.)
Nephi 11:13-17

I promise to get some pictures downloaded soon of our trip to Palmyra but felt impressed to put this up.  When Clyde, my parents, brother and sister and I went to see this statue in Copenhagen, I was surprised to see 12 apostles surrounding Christ.  They were as beautifully carved as the Christus.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has commissioned the 12 statues of the apostles to be replicated.  They will be placed around the Christus in the Rome, Italy Visitors Center.  I find that very exciting. 

Happy Birthday Evie.

We are traveling and should be home in time to wish Evie Nordell a proper birthday this evening.  We miss you and love you.  We look forward to being with you this summer.

I would like to apologize to Andy.  We missed your graduation and birthday.  We intended to call on Sunday and then left for Palmyra, NY early Monday morning.  Though our trip has been wonderful, we felt bad for missing such a landmark in your life.  Happy Birthday and Congratulations!  We love you and are very proud of you.

A Confession

I read the Book of Mormon at least twice a year and sometimes three times.  It is just what I do.  I read other scriptures too - this year it was the New Testament, but I am  always reading the Book of Mormon.  For our mission, we were asked to have read the Book of Mormon before entering the MTC.  I am in Ether.  My confession is that I usually skip the 'begats' at the beginning of Ether and just move on.  But this morning, I decided that I would read every word.  As I was reading, I came across two names from my childhood.  When I was growing up, my Grandma and Grandpa Brugger were always talking about two brothers named Emer and Omer.  I just chalked it up to either cultural names or what Utah has become known for - strange made-up names or spellings.  I was surprised this morning to see the names in the 'begats' as I was reading.  They are Book of Mormon names.  Had I carefully read this part before, I would have realized this before but I just assumed that like my Aunts Florine and Chlorine (Flo and Chlo) that the names were from some wacky thinking process.  (Flo and Chlo's father was reading in the paper about two new chemicals that were just invented.  He loved how they sounded and so his twin daughters bore those names.  I never knew that they were anything but Flo and Chlo until I was a teenager).

I don't know why, but this time through the Book of Mormon has been incredible.  I am discovering new things and re-discovering old favorites.  It has been a wonderful experience.  Clyde and I are now going to start reading it in Danish.  This should be interesting and bring out even more new things.

Our Danish is coming.  We have a goal to be speaking to each other with as little English as possible by the first part of July.  We are working hard to achieve that.  We could spend a week immersing ourselves in Danish in the MTC before we actually check-in but we would rather spend that time with family if we can.

Guys and Dolls

Last night we went to a production of "Guys and Dolls" at Rogers High School in Newport, RI.  It was wonderful.  The costuming was incredible, the actors were great - especially Nathan Detroit & Adelaide.  Nathan was played by Devon Mello - a young man in our ward that Clyde and I love dearly.  But Devon knew his lines, songs and dances - spot on.  The young woman that played Adelaide was the same way.  They stole the show.  I love the play version so much more for one simple reason.  In the play the song "Bushel and a Peck" is used.  I just think it is a cuter song than the one in the movie. 

This is our daughter, Heidi Bahlmann's, favorite musical.  I kept thinking about her and a couple of her friends that love this play - all evening as I watched.  It was one of the most enjoyable High School productions I have seen in a long time and definitely the best one I have seen since moving here.

My Mother's Day

I am a bit late writing this, but I have had a busy and a rough week.  Saturday, Clyde surprised me with a camera.  We need one for our mission and for our travels this summer.  Clyde said we just a bought a Cadillac when we have been used to a VW.  I am slowly figuring things out and Heather has promised to send me some books to help.  I also received wonderful family pictures from the Bahlmanns and the Blu-ray of "Hans Christian Andersen" with Danny Kaye from the Pfiesters.  It was a wonderful Mother's Day and just what I needed.  Heather's and Pam's gifts are coming.

On Tuesday morning, I work with my personal trainer.  Just before she was supposed to come, I was hit with gastro-intestinal problems and had to cancel.  That threw me off for the whole day.  I thought I could go to my knitting class but ended up only staying half the time I usually stay.  However I am making visible progress on my sock.  I came home and felt crummy for the rest of the day Tuesday and all of Wednesday.  However last night we had a study session with our 'study buddy' from the MTC.  I was thrilled with how much I understood.  Maybe listening to the conference addresses is  helping.  She said my pronunciation is wonderful and that one day it will just click.  She was born and raised in the Copenhagen area, I take that as a compliment.  However after the session, I was so exhausted I just went to bed and it was only 8:00!  I slept through until the alarm went off.

We are planning a trip to Palmyra, New York.  Clyde needs a break and I have never been.  So we will head Northwest for a few days and see what there is to see.  On May 30, we go to the Danish Consulate and see if we are worthy of having a visa.  We also just found out that in 6 months we go in Denmark to renew it.  If we do not speak Danish well, we could be sent home!  The sister last night said that she didn't think that would be a problem.  The Lord wants us there and we are working hard on the language.  I think once we are completely immersed in it that it will just click.  (I am praying that we receive the same blessings as our nieces did on their missions.)

I haven't been up long enough to know how I feel today.  I am hoping that it will be wonderful day.  I need to get back to my walks so that I am ready to walk around the streets of New York.

"What E'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part"

I have been listening to the General Conference Addresses 'paa Dansk'.  It has been interesting.  I am trying to do it mostly by ear because I am not 'hearing' the Danish.  I can pretty much read it and get the gist but I am having trouble deciphering what I am hearing. 

 As I was listening to Sister Elaine S. Dalton's talk: 'We are our Heavenly Father's Daughters', I was struck by a couple of things.  She talked about seeing the cornerstone with the title of this blog's words written on it.  She spoke about love and respect for family, ourselves and our leaders.  But the most important thing I gleaned from this is something my father has been teaching me since I was little.  People watch you.  No matter who you are or where you are, people watch you.  You can be a good example in their lives or a negative influence.  You don't even know when you are affecting someone.  So the moral of this is "What e'er thou art, act well thy part."  Act and be as good a person as you know how.

Blueberry Muffin Memory

On Saturday, before our tutor called, I made blueberry muffins with a streusel topping.  I had some blueberries that needed to be used and went for my go-to recipe and realized I had packed the book.  I had to find a recipe on-line.  As I bit into the muffin, the downtown store of Joske's in San Antonio came rushing into my head.  My mother loved going to the Joske's downtown location (before they went under and the space became a hotel).  The biggest reason she loved to go to this particular store was their in-house bakery.  They did make the best pastries and candies there but especially their blueberry muffins.  Mom often bought a couple of dozen so she could freeze them for when she wanted them.  I realize now that we would make a trip there usually just before she was heading into a bad sick spell.  When my girls were little, fortunately that didn't happen often.  By the time Heidi was born, Joske's was gone and construction began on the Hyatt.  They took the whole block.  Joske's went from one of the premier department stores in Texas to bankruptcy in a matter of years.  It was all very sad.  I went to look for a wedding dress there and at Frost Bros.  Both stores no longer exist.

Glad Mors Dag

Happy Mother's day.  The title is in Danish and is pronounced gled Moorse Deh. 

Several scriptures have been rolling around my head this morning and one is what I call the 'woman's handbook' from Proverbs.  In particular Proverbs 31:10, 28-30.  I have a friend whose family assigns their daughters the scriptures from that chapter - according to their birthday - and then have them memorize it.  This works great for scriptures after the first few but the first ones are basically in introduction.  Since all of her daughters were born in the later part of the month, she never considered it to be a problem.  Heidi and Annie (in my family) would not benefit much from this.  I got sidetracked but I guess in a good way.

We are having a good weekend.  We met with our tutor yesterday and had a really intense session.  I am getting so I can read Danish pretty well and understand what I am seeing.  For some reason it is not connecting in my brain verbally though.  I am going to listen to the conference addresses in Danish.  I know what was said, somewhat - and hopefully something will connect.  I also need to start thinking more in Danish.  However on occasion when I see a word while reading that is a word in Danish - I am starting to see it in Danish more than English.  The other day I was reading a book with a 'ma and pa' in it.  In Danish pa is pronounced poe and I kept thinking poe instead of Pa.  Pa means 'on' and it didn't make sense in the sentence - I would have to reread it to get the context right.  There are several other words that work similarly and that is giving me hope I just might eventually get this!  I have had to quit reading any German because it throws me back in to the German way of speaking and sentence structure and that doesn't work for Danish.  I did figure out that Copenhagen - when said as the Danes say it and spell it - means 'purchase the harbor'.  When our tutor and I were laughing about that, he said not to be quite so literal. 

Happy Birthday, Annemarie!

As with almost every other birthday this year, I am a day late on this one too.  Happy Birthday, Annie.  We love you so much and were so happy when you came into our extended family (everyone but Pam that is!)  Pam liked being the baby grandchild and you took that away from her.  It took her a bit of time to accept you.  Thankfully now, our girls are best friends with All of you!  That will  just explain how close our families are.  We are so proud of you and who you have become.  May this be a wonderful year for you.