Update On Our Temple Mission: The Art of Space

Randers Church

We are finally back to normal, except we haven’t done much walking this week. The weather has been cool and rainy, so it is easy to stay indoors at the Temple and at the apartment. I am trying to put Don Soper’s example to practice by preparing a gift of genealogy for the grandson of some friends we knew when we lived here in 1967. The apartment time has been put to good use. My goal is to have a conversation about the church with the grandson and get permission to teach him or at the least get his ok to seal the family together.

It was also good weather to go to a movie. We haven’t gone to a movie while we have been on our mission; however, Tina Paulsen suggested we go with her to a film about the architect Henning Larsen. I admire his work, so we went. As a result we have been made aware of a couple of his buildings, which we have not yet seen in reality.

Randers Church

We also got the “lowdown” on the Opera House which I have had a hard time believing was his work. Now I know why. Mr. Møller, the owner of Mærsk Shipping Company and Tuborg Øl, hired him to design the Opera House; however, the contract (which he regrets having signed) stated that Mr. Møller would have the “last say” in the design. After firing Henning Larsen the design was used, but altered. It is classified as a Henning Larsen building though two major elements of the building were not part of the original design. Both Henning Larsen and the majority of the Danish people are upset by what happened. At his recent death, Mr. Møller was the richest man in Denmark. He supposedly ruled his business and his family with an iron fist.

Addition to Glyptotek Museum

We have had many full sessions at the Temple this week. Thursday was a holiday and the Aalborg Relief Society came and stayed for three days, with the goal to spend as much time in the Temple as possible.

This is enough for now. The gallery is a few examples of Henning Larsen’s work.