Kongsberg Church, Thurs. 23 Sep 2010

Kongsberg Church

We have had a very special day today.  Mom prayed that we would be guided this day.  We had gone to the Kongsberg Church on Tuesday morning but it was closed we found out later that the sign said due to illness. So Marit called some people to make sure it was going to be open.  So this morning at 11am we went and we were than going to meet Marit and Gena at 1pm and then Marit was going to drive us out to the Flaatrude farm were our relatives rented and worked. We go in this church and it was beautiful with wood carvings and paintings. This church was consecratd in 1761.  It is the largest baroque church in Norway.  It's rococo interior has three magnificent chandeliers and a beautiful Gloger organ dating from 1765, that was refurbished in 2001. We had been told by Marit that Hendrich Beck(could be related) was one of two sculpturs that did all the wood working and carving in the church. 

 It is amazing because it is all done in wood, but you would never imagine that it could be. We got there when a tour group of older women were there and the man was speaking Norwegian.  Almost every where you can pick up information sheets in different languages and we had the English(of course) and were trying to follow where he was pointing.  We noticed a young man there watching and he had been standing around the grand piano that was there.  They hold sunday services there every week, concerts etc. We finally got to talk to the guide and Tami told him that she was intrested in the Organ and that she played.  He asked if we wanted to see it up close.  He took us up several flights of stairs and we saw it up close.  Amazing that anyone could pull the stops and work it alone.  As we were standing over aways taking pictures 3 men came and 1 started playing it to demonstate.  Wow!

 Tami took some video so you can hear it.  Later that man who played came over and Mom mentioned if he knew about the Tabernacle Organ.  He said that he had seen it and even stayed with some Mormon family and he really wanted to go in the temple and he was a good Christian.  He said that they would not let him and he found out that even the mormon man could not go in. As we were talking the young man asked if we were Mormon.  Guess what, he was to.  There are only 2 families in Kongsberg that are members and they have to drive to Drammen(1 hr) to go to church.  He had received his mission call to Colorado Denver North and was leaving in December.  He was amazed as we were to meet members in Kongsberg.  He asked if all 3 of us were.  His name is Ole Matthias Isaksen.  He was there at the church to practice the piano.  We asked to hear him play.  And wow he did.  He was practicing his piece to play to be admitted to what we would call Music Academy.  He wanted to be admitted, go on his mission and then come back.  I felt the spirit as he played and I couldn't contain my tears to know we had received an answer to our prayer to meet this young man and feel his spirit also through his beautiful talent and music.

It was an amazing experience and we are looking forward to seeing him on Sunday at church.  He also played his arrangement of "A Poor Wayfaring Man"  Mom tried to sing with her tears with Tami singing along too. I just cried.