Sister Van Orden Goes to Denmark: WEEK 64, October 11, 2015: America according to the average Dane & Why don't people put on pants before answering the door?!

Me & a really big door

Danish Word of the Week: Personlighed (per-SONE-lee-hill) PERSONALITY

Funny things Danes have said about America:

1. The average American doesn't know how to cook. The only Americans who know how to make food are the people who own all of the fast food restaurants we eat at.

2. There are 3 states. New York, California, and Texas. There is also strange island called Utah inhabited by Mormons, but only a few people have heard of it.

3. We all have guns and shoot things on a daily basis. Ees for fun.

4. We're all good at ice skating. Not sure where that one came from.

5. One Direction is the essence of American music.

6. American salads are more fattening than Danish pastries.

We were walking home at like 8.50 pm. A car drove past and pulled over in front of us. A man got out of the passenger side and handed us two daisies, and then got back in the car and drove away without saying anything. Thank you kind stranger ... ignore how awful my hair looks; it was rainy.

We had a really fun ward party on Saturday to get ready for Ward Conference. Bishop asked each of the groups-Relief Society, Primary, Young Women's, and the Missionaries to provide 10 minutes of entertainment. We and the Elders wrote a skit about the MTC and all of our struggles there, and it ended up being way funny. A man in the ward came up to me afterwards and told me how great it was to see the missionaries having fun. Then he went off on this thing about how having fun is a big part of being Christian. We're supposed to lift each other up and love one another-so that can also translate into getting together and doing fun things and making good memories. 'Men are that they might have joy.'

The Bishop gave a really good talk the next day in sacrament meeting and used that ward party as an analogy. All of the members contributed something: decorations, food, entertainment, talents, time-not because they had to, but because they wanted to make the party a good experience for everyone else, and they had something they knew they could contribute. As a result, it was a huge success and everyone came away feeling uplifted-not thinking about all that they had sacrificed to get there. That's how our membership in Christ's church should feel! Latter Day Saints are really good at analogies, I've noticed.

I need to go off on a little rant for a second. WHY DO PEOPLE ANSWER THE DOOR IN THEIR UNDERWEAR?! What is their thought process? They're sitting there in their apartment, minding their own business, and then a knock comes at the door. WHY is their first thought not, 'Oh, someone's here, I'd better go put some pants on.' NO. They just hop right up and open the door NAKED. Do they really just not think about it, or do they do it on purpose? I'm starting to feel like it's on purpose. This has become a daily occurrence, and I am just mystified. These are grown up adult fully functioning people. Do they show up to work with no pants on? I don't understand.

Anyways. I hope you all have a wonderful week! Thanks for being so great. We find out about transfers this week-I feel like I'm probably staying but you never know. :)

Love you!