This is somebody's front door. haha
I'm just happy to know ahead of time.:)

Hei Perhe!

What a week! I don’t think it ever gets dark here anymore. I woke up in the night and it was light and then I woke up again after a couple hours and it was light and it was like 4am! I am storing up a lot of vitamin D for the winter. Well, within the last week we pretty much went from around 10 investigators to a solid 0... pretty impressive! The office stopped sending us copies of the Book of Mormon and pass along cards so we were working on a little supply of everything until the bishop told us we can take whatever copy we find in the church. Ha-ha it really makes for a good lesson on patience and it has allowed us to start thinking of more ways to get creative. It is definitely making me work a lot harder and really think about what step to take next! We have been coming up with a good member plan and helping them do their own missionary work. Finland is not at the height that a lot of other missions are but we are working with what we have and never using anything as an excuse! 

Finland at 9pm. The longest day of the year is June 21.
The sun will rise around 4am and set around 11pm

I cannot believe the amount of strength and endurance I have received from the Lord. When we were tracting on Saturday I took a moment to stop and think and I could literally feel that there were angels around us. Being a missionary is such a humbling and amazing experience. I am so lucky! And we met this awesome mom this week who let us show her the video "Hän Elää" (or Because He lives) and she loved it! And it was really a moment where I could notice the gift of tongues because she asked a lot of good questions about our church and not only did i understand her but I was also able to think of ways to respond! Church is true. We are in "difficult" time in Vaasa right now but it is such a blessing to have this opportunity to really get things going. I love you all!

Terra

PS, I want to see a picture of the wedding dress, any way I can keep a special missionary preview look? ;) 

PPS, I officially graduated from trainee school! No longer need a trainer but since Finland transfers are 9 weeks it doesn’t really change much...But now i am really in the big leagues! ;)

10 minute talk in Finnish!!

What is up family ?!?!

Sounds like the fundraiser was a success and a half so way to go! You rock mom. Saving the world just one fundraiser at a time!

It was a pretty good week this week even though the work was a little slow. We are kind of filtering out our people who are not really progressing so it makes it a little hard at first as we are spending a lot of time finding those prepared ones!  And we also were in Oulu up north for a few days for zone training. It is really funny because the zone training meeting itself is 2 hours long but we have to travel 5-6 hours to get there, sleep over night in the sisters apartment, go to the meeting the next day and then take 6 hours traveling back. Haha it is great.

We also met a really cool guy this week who just randomly called us and said he really has been looking for ways to get answers from God! He is awesome and he is a Finn! woot woot! We also were asked to speak in the Seinäjoki branch on Sunday which is a 1 hour drive away from Vaasa so we had a fun little road trip driving out there with our nutella and MoTab haha. And the ward there literally had 15 people in it! The elders serving in Seinäjoki have some good patience... But everyone there was super nice and I successfully gave a 10 minute talk in Finnish! Cross that one off the bucket list.

Another highlight was this girl (noin 28 years old) that we talked to yesterday. We stopped her on her bike and she said she was agnostic but that she had always thought that Christianity is the way to go! And she wanted to hear more so she let us talk to her about the Book of Mormon and how it helps us to know that God is really there. She talked in super fast Finnish so I didn’t get all of what she said but by the end she took a book of Mormon and said "whoever is willing to stop people in this weather deserves something!" so we ran into the store with her and she bought us donuts! haha she was so nice and just impressed by what we do. That kind of stuff barely even happens in America, let alone Finland! So that was just awesome, and it really was a tender mercy from the Lord. The little things make everything worth it! Anyway, that was my week, glad to hear that everyone is doing well! love you all!! :)

Mothers Day Video Call

Sister Selfie!

Hey fam! long time no see! :)

It was awesome seeing you all on Sunday, so crazy being on the other side of the screen as a missionary! I swear I will never get used the fact...And I realized after we finished that I was just so excited to see you all I didn't tell you anything about my week! Haha

So anyway.... it was a good week! It was the first week with my new companions! It was kind of fun having the extra responsibly of knowing our investigators and members and showing them the area and all that. But what is even better is the fact that i am just as bad as Nate when it comes to directions! haha I really am directionally challenged so it has been an adventure testing out my own knowledge of the area. 

It is fun being in a trio again, I feel like it is going to be so strange when I am actually in a companionship.... I don’t even know what that is... My companions are great though, Finland is definitely a special place to be! We are teaching some really awesome people too. We have been teaching a group of 4 friends for the last month or so and yesterday one of the girls said she had read up to 1 Nephi 14 in just a matter of days! and she really liked it! It was awesome because we have been trying to actually help them consistently read the Book of Mormon and they are finally getting there. Proud missionary moments! And since we are teaching in English a lot, me and my comps are making a goal to speak Finnish all day on Thursdays. We usually speak Finnish anytime we are walking outside but i have yet to do a full day... So katsotaan how that goes! One of the YSA girls in the ward told me that if i stay in Vaasa for one more transfer than i need to learn Swedish haha so I need to get my Finnish up to par! ;) Anyway, I wanted to tell you all again how much i love and appreciate you! I literally have the coolest family ever!! I wish words were enough to tell you how legit you all are but you will just have to feel and accept it haha. Love ya´ll!!

Talk to you next week!

Terra is Sick....Rachel is Engaged

Terra is Sick...Rachel is Engaged

OH MY GOSH MY RACHEL!!!!! YOU ARE ENGAGED!! I WANT TO HEAR THE STORY!! :) I am stoked, I just totally freaked out and my companions are so excited for you too!! haha Way to go Trevor, you’ve got a keeper! ;)

That just made my week, I am so happy for you both :)  WEDDINGSS!!! ;)

Anyway, this week was a way weird week with my trainer leaving today and all. She has been going through a hard time... I got super sick on Wednesday with throwing up and a fever (took me back to memory lane of right before I left haha!) but i pulled together enough strength for us to teach a lesson though i probably didn't eat for 2 days... Being sick on a mission is no fun but the work must go on! And it was Vappu (super big Finnish holiday) on Friday which means us missionaries had to stay inside all day unless we had an appointment!

Everyone gets drunk on Vappu and no one wants to meet on Vappu either because they have plans! haha. It was unfortunate that I wasn’t sick on that day. And then change calls came! So my trainer is going home, my other companion is moving to a different city and I am staying in Vaasa!

I am getting TWO other companions! haha so i am in a trio AGAIN. 1/3 of my mission in a trio... My new trainer (sister Mendenhal)  has only been in-country for 4 months and my other companion is Sisar Harris who was my companion in the MTC! so crazy! The mission is on a shortage of trainers so there are a lot of people having to finish 2 peoples training. Can't wait to welcome them to the area, it will be a challenge to see how much i really know this place! Well, despite all the craziness we really had a good, hardworking missionary week.

We were teaching this super awesome kid from India who honestly was so

receptive to everything. He has a Hindu background and just wants to know what to believe. When we shared the Joseph Smith story with him he told us it is as if he had heard it before! And he came to church on Sunday and loved it. He is so cool! I can see him going far... We are also teaching 2 African men who are kind of bible bashers but they are SUPER nice. It is so important to remember that the Spirit teaches people, not us! Sometimes we rely on our own strength and wisdom too much when we need to rely on our Savior. He is the Master teacher!

Can't wait to Skype or Google Hangout with you on Mothers Day!  It would be awesome too if maybe y'all can coordinate Ammon Skyping in as well.

WOW talk about a crazy week! I love you all, talk to you on Sunday!! 

Congrats again Rach!!! :)