Benmark in Denmark - Elder Francis in the Denmark Copenhagen Mission

Monday, August 17, 2015

From President and Sister Burgess

President Dean and Sister Annette Burgess are serving as the current MTC President and wife. They are our friends from the previous Young Men general presidency.

Sister Burgess was kind enough to make sure they welcomed Ben to the MTC on the day he arrived, and also that they went specifically to his classroom to take a photo with him. Wasn't that nice? Here is her email and the photos they took:

Dear Nettie and Mark,

I’m sure the Jamboree was wonderful! And I’m sure it was thrilling for Nettie to be back in her mission field! You’ve had some exciting weeks!

Weeks 2 and 3 at the MTC

Week 2 - August 5, 2015

Everyone,

This week has brought a lot of trials and joy. Each day we learn so much, and sometimes we go to bed at night, and can't believe that another day has gone by.

So many things have occurred that it is hard to write about all of them. Brother Casper our teacher left to Iceland, so we thought that we would only have 2 teachers for the next couple of weeks. On Thursday we taught Hans Eric, and we were able to commit him to baptism. Everyone was sad that he would be returning to Denmark, so we got a photo with him. On Friday afternoon he walked into class, and we found out that he is our teacher Brother Whitlock. We were all disappointed in ourselves that we didn't see it coming.

First MTC Letters: July 21st and July 29th

July 21, 2015

Everyone,

They gave us a few minutes to write to tell you all that I am alive. There are 12 of us in my district, and my companion is Elder Baadsgaard. He is from Spanish Fork, and knows the Birds. We have 2 rooms in the corner of the building, and all of us get along really well. One elder will come tomorrow, so right know we only have 11 with us. My P-Day is Wednesday, so that is when you will get the full report.

Love,

AEdeste Francis

July 29, 2015

Everyone,

This week has been amazing and crazy. I started out on Wednesday at 1 pm. Within half an hour of arriving I was in my danish class learning how introduce myself. Everything that we have practiced at home sounds nothing like the real language. We have three amazing teachers. Brother Williamson who served five years ago, Sister Paulson who is from Denmark, and Brother Casper who served in Iceland 2 years ago. They are all really nice, and have helped us to understand their instructions without speaking English.

Grandpa Joe drove, Uncle Dave took pictures, Ben couldn't wait, everyone else cried.

Ben entered the Provo MTC on July 19th, 2015, twenty years after both his parents served missions.

The first group to leave on July 19th...

We said goodbye to Ben at 4:30am on Wednesday, July 22nd. His MTC date had miraculously been moved up from July 29th, due to a scheduling issue in Denmark. We were so grateful that we could all leave the same day. We left on a plane that morning to head to the World Scout Jamboree in Japan.

The red apple van heads to the MTC with Elder Francis.

When we had told Ben the year before that we might be gone during his mission entrance time, he replied that he didn't want to wait to go on a mission. He would rather chance us being gone when we left, but we weren't! We were grateful to all leave the same day.

Farwell, Elder Francis!

The last few days before he left...

Farewell party with friends on Saturday night.

Ben spoke in Sacrament meeting on Sunday, July 19th. Speaking with him was Dallin Packer, his friend and neighbor going to the Uganda Mission. Ben and Dallin both did a remarkable job, bearing strong testimony of Jesus Christ and his atonement. They will both make great missionaries!