215/25
Hello, Friends! Yep, we’ve had a great week. As usual, there have been all sorts of things to do, places to go, and people to see. Iceland is amazing and senior missions are wonderful, exhausting, and exciting. The two put together are a beautiful combination!
For the last several weeks Todd and I have been working on figuring out how to get the missionaries in Iceland their Icelandic driver’s licenses. It has been a big, complicated process to sort through. Once someone has lived in Iceland for 6 months they need to get an Icelandic license. However, fortunately for us, a current license from the UK is valid in Iceland. (This is not the case for driver’s licenses from the US.) Todd got his UK driver’s license when he was a young missionary in the 80’s. It is valid until he turns 70! We had our kids at home find his UK license and send it to us so he does not need to get an Icelandic license. I’m opting out and plan to be a “passenger princess” for the next year and a half and be chauffeured all around Iceland. 🙂
This week we were able to start working with Elder Nehren & Elder Morales to get started on getting their licenses. Here is where the process began — the disco! I mean, the phone store for numbers and electronic ID’s. (Todd was cracking up at this picture! Elder Nehren is pointing at Elder Morales, but the lovely store employee behind them is in just the right spot!)
The process continued with passport photos and some legal documents that needed to be ordered.
We got all of their paperwork together and they were able to get their driver’s license applications submitted at the district commissioner’s office.
Now, the boys both have to pass a written exam, take at least one driving lesson, and then pass a driving test. When this is all done, they get an Icelandic driver’s license that is good for 15 years. We will be working through this process with all of the elders in Iceland as they become eligible to apply for a license. Some of them – like me – have chosen to not get a license and not drive while they are in Iceland. But those who want to drive after being here for 6 months will need to go through this process. We thought we were done helping our kids get their driver’s licenses! Ha! We were wrong!
Todd has spent a significant amount of time this week compiling the driver’s license study materials (Driving School or, Ökuskóli, in Icelandic) for the boys to use for test preparation. He is learning lots about the driving rules in Iceland and he is a dedicated student! I’m grateful he’s taken on this large task and we know this will help all the missionaries be safe drivers while they are here serving the Lord. However, he is now narrating all of our outings with explanations of what the signs mean, what different laws apply in the situation we’re in, and how other people are breaking the laws. If you’re curious about any Icelandic driving laws, check with Todd. He probably knows what they mean. 🙂
We had a group P-day activity Monday afternoon and went bowling together. It was hilarious fun! But I have to say, 90 minutes of bowling is more than I ever need. After the first half hour I was tired and done. Todd and I kept giving our turns to the other elders to get in extra throws. They had a great time! And, I’m happy to report that Todd won the first game. He was excited to know he’s still got the ability to out-bowl some 20 year old’s — even if it’s just for one game!
On Tuesday morning the Copenhagen Mission held a mission wide sisters conference with the theme of “Women in the Scriptures”. All of the sister missionaries serving in the mission met together in person and the three of us in Iceland joined by zoom. During the meeting, each young sister companionship and each senior sister gave a short talk about a different woman in the scriptures. We heard about Eve, Sarah, Rachel, Rebekah, Hagar, Ruth, Naomi, Miriam, Hannah, Deborah, Esther, Mary (the mother of Jesus), Martha, Mary (Martha’s sister), Mary Magdalene, Elizabeth, the Woman at the well, Priscilla, Sariah, Abish, Lamoni’s wife, Mother’s of the Stripling Warriors, Tabitha, Emma Smith, Vienna Jaques, & the Widow of Nain.
I was assigned to talk about Sariah. I love Sariah and I was happy to share some thoughts about her. She was a faithful woman, wife, & mother and she lived a challenging life with faith in Christ. I also shared some things from my favorite article about Sariah. The author points out that after all Sariah sacrificed and did, her only complaint came when she feared for her son’s lives. That woman gave and gave and gave and it makes perfect sense to me that she feared for her sons. You can read the whole article here. The conference was inspiring and I felt blessed to be able to attend through technology.
When we needed a break one day we went exploring in Elliðaárdalur, a park that is about 2 miles from our apartment. We’d heard about a waterfall that was in this park and wondered how we didn’t know about it, since it was so close to us. The park is a forested ravine where a river runs, apparently over a waterfall, and down to the ocean near our apartment.
First off, it was just lovely to be outside. It hasn’t been too cold this week and moving out in the trees and by the water was a treat.
The park is big and, even though it’s in the middle of town, it feels secluded. The river makes more noise than the traffic! Even in the winter with the bare trees it is lovely. I can’t wait to spend time here in the summer. There are miles of trails and we will take advantage of that. It is close enough to home that I could take a walk and get here any time!
We found Kermóafoss, the waterfall in the middle of the ravine. We’ve had so much precipitation this winter that the waterfall and rivers are full and beautiful.
Who would think of such a wild spot just around the corner! Iceland is full of beautiful surprises.
And, back at home, I never get tired of the views out of our apartment windows. One of my favorite views is just out our bedroom window. And the view out of the living room is nice too! I know I’ve shared these views before, but I don’t get tired of them. Look at how lovely this is!
On Wednesday we made some afternoon visits and did some ministering. In one apartment building we were scanning the directory for a certain person’s name. Most people in Iceland live in apartments. We don’t always know the apartment number they live in so when we find the building we use the directory or mailboxes in the entry way to find their name and ring their buzzer. We are locked out of the building unless someone buzzes us in and it’s important to find the correct button to push. We don’t always find it and the addresses we have are not always correct. In this certain building we didn’t find the name of the person we were looking for but we did find another surprise that made us both laugh! If only the Joseph Smith we know of lived here!
We finished our week with a busy, wonderful Saturday. The sun was shining and we drove to Selfoss to find our friend Rósa. She was baptized last fall and she has had some challenges recently that have kept her from coming to church. We surprised her with by stopping by and she was so sweet to welcome us in for a visit. She is a kindhearted woman and we loved seeing her.
Not far outside of Selfoss is a waterfall called Urriðafoss. We went for a chilly visit to see this outstanding sight. Urriðafoss has the largest water flow of any waterfall in Iceland. It is a spectacular sight! It might be hard to tell from the pictures, but there are breaks and falls all through the lava field where the water pours and tumbles down. Watch the videos below for a better perspective.
We kept exploring the countryside and found this lovely church called Hrepphólakirkja. You know we enjoy seeing these beautiful little churches whenever we find them. This one had some features we really loved. The arched ceiling is so unique.
We had an afternoon visit with Bragi Svavarsson, his wife Áslaug Þórðardóttir, and their son Bjarki. They live in the countryside on a beautiful lot with views for miles. Bragi is the branch president of the Selfoss branch. They treated us to Icelandic pancakes (they were like a delicious crepe) with hot chocolate and fresh bread and cheese. We had delicious food and great conversation as we got to know them. They are lovely hosts!
All three of them work at a place called Sólheimar. There are individuals with disabilities who live and work here, receiving the help and support they need to have a safe and happy life. Bragi and his family support this community with their work. He and Bjarki took us for a tour of the grounds. It’s a large community with several buildings that including lodgings for residents, greenhouses, recreation buildings, a swimming pool, and even guest accommodations. You can read more about it here.
There is a church at Sólheimar that holds Sunday services as well as concerts and events throughout the year. Of course you know we love churches!
I really love this tapestry at the front of the church. I wonder if it is made out of felted Icelandic wool, but I don’t know for sure. I’d love to learn more about it, who made it, and how it was made. It’s unique, just like the church is. While this isn’t building for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is a Christian church. This wall hanging depicts our Savior Jesus Christ and the sacramental bread and wine at His feet. Each Sunday we have the opportunity to partake of the sacrament in our worship services. We believe that when we partake of the sacrament we remember the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We renew our covenants to follow Him and we repent of our sins and witness to God that we will strive to keep those covenants throughout the new week. You can read more about the sacrament here. I know many people share this belief in Jesus Christ, His Atonement and the blessings of the sacrament. I love seeing that represented in this tapestry.
As I finish this post we are at the end of a great and busy week. Todd still has two classes to teach tonight on zoom before we call it a night. One class is a leadership training class he does each Saturday night for our local zone leaders and district leaders. The other class just started last night. Each night from 9:30-10:00 he’s doing a driver’s school chapter review for any of the elder’s who are interested in study help for their driving tests. Doesn’t that sound like fun?! So tonight, when you lay down to sleep, just think about how much you wish you were back in driver’s ed as a student, or how much fun it was to help your kids learn to drive. Maybe it’s not the most restful way to end a day! 🙂
Thank you for joining us! We’ll be back next week to update you on more miracles in Iceland. God is great. We are blessed to be able to serve Him here. And we feel of your love and your prayers.
Check out Todd’s social media for so many more pictures and videos!
Comments
2 responses to “Ökuskóli”
Love your pictures and words
those waterfalls are awe inspiring! I don’t know how you manage the cold, you seem to be wearing great gear. thanks for the updates, I love hearing about your responsibilities and work with the missionaries and members.