Algeria and Philippines in Finland

Miten menee perhe!

Wow, what a unique week! I mean it was kind of the same as any other week but it felt different for some reason.

 

First, at last minute we were asked by the ward to help out with a Filipino LDS reunion, so fun! We helped set it up and I sang a song in the little program they had. It was just an annual gathering they have with all the Filipinos in the Helsinki area and it was at out church this year and they LOVE bringing investigators along. It was such a different culture than the Finnish culture, I felt like I was in the Philippines with all the food and the loud people haha. I will attach some pictures. Great experience for sure!

On a spiritual note, we taught this really cool guy from Algeria this week. We met him a few weeks ago and i remember we were about to go inside for lunch because it was well past lunchtime but we decided to talk to 8 more people. Well, of course, this guy was one of those people and he was so excited to set up an appointment! We taught him twice last week and gave him an Arabic book of Mormon but unfortunately he made the decision to move back to Algeria after only being in Finland for 5ish months. But the cool part of the story is realizing that 1. The church has not yet reached into

Algeria so there are no missionaries there, 2. He was only out of his country for a period of 5 months, 3. Within that small period of time he happened to run into LDS missionaries and had a chance to hear about the gospel and receive a book of Mormon. What are the chances?? And it was all because we decided to listen to the Spirit and go a little further that day. God leads us to people who need to be found! Finland is an amazing place to teach people who would not have had a chance to hear the gospel in their own country. There are so many refuges here (despite the attitude of some Finns...) and people from China and all over! But anyway, that was an impacting experience from the week :)

Another fun thing we did just today- we played bingo with some old folks at a nursing home! Haha what a crew! It was a blast old Finns are the best people ever. We found this nursing home that has a lot of volunteer opportunities and though today was p-day we thought it would be a great cultural adventure because who else can say they played bingo with old people in Finland? Pretty cool :)

Anyway that was the week... If you are still sending a package can you put some Oreos in it?:) Oreos just came to Finland but they are 8 euros a box! I still don’t know the conversion rate but that is probably around 10$ for one box of Oreos. And I heard that they taste a little different. Literally gold! So a good ol’ box of Oreos from ´Merica would be a great gift :) I asked for an ice pack though I don’t think i need it anymore. I went to a doctor this week for my back and he prescribed me with some really good drugs. I feel so much better after months of pain!

Well, the church is true and i could not be more humbled By all the things that Heavenly Father gives me and does for me. I really do stand all amazed. Every week is a new growing process with new found weaknesses but I am never alone in trying to overcome them. Thank you all for being awesome! Love yall!! :)

I LOVE PEOPLE :)

Rakas perhe,

A gold medal in the Special Olympics?? And the Utes are just rocking it! And saving lives in Haiti and championing through high school. What a good weekly report. And before I forget, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEEGS!!!!!!!! 17 years old, that is crazy, I feel like I am still 17...

Well, it was a great week, as it always is in this wonderful country! We met some great characters this week including pastors preaching about Jesus who welcomed us into their family, a lady who thought it wasn’t rude to criticize us for an hour, a man who tried to convince us to stay here and marry a Finn, and a Nigerian who acted like he (and all Christians) are a part of some underground association trying to help Europe turn back to faith in Christ. Not too far off! Haha I love people.

This area is still quite slow but I realized a good testimony builder this week. Looking back on the past 7 weeks of being in this area I think I have taught 6ish lessons and have yet to find anyone new to teach, though we have been talking to everyone and trying desperately to find these people. As I thought about that, it sounds like that should be quite the challenge. But to be honest, I am still pretty happy! Though sometimes discouraged, the negative feelings never last for too long. How could that be possible if we didn’t have a loving Heavenly Father? 

Christ really is our Savior and through Him anything is possible. Another helpful thing happened this week, due to the departing of the other sisters missionaries in the ward here, we acquired their whole area! Wow, I had no idea I have been living in a bubble for pretty much the past 8 months. We went to a city in their area and we just felt so free! I am not exactly sure why the new area felt different but me and Sister Thayne could not stop smiling haha. It just felt a little less claustrophobic. So I am excited to have all new work to do with the increase in our area size. 

All and all things are well! We are going to start up an English class here pretty soon and we are miraculously finding more ways to serve. So ya... that’s all for now! I am excited to hear about Haiti and I forgot to think about other things I would want in a package... so till next week! love you all!!

HUMP DAY!!!

OCTOBER 8, 2015, HELSINKI FINLAND

Perhe!

Miten menee?? All is beautiful in Finland, the weather has been holding up quite nicely for which I am very grateful because who knows when the sun will just stop coming up! Thanks for keeping me updated on the weather though so I can prepare :)

Sounds like the Utes are doing great (woot woot!!) and home life is as crazy busy and awesome as ever. Excited to see how Haiti is!

It was a good week, I am officially HALF WAY DONE. What??? Unbelievable, I was able to celebrate my hump day with a little extra Fazer Christmas chocolate haha, Real good stuff.

We have done a lot of work this week and are constantly striving to find people. I´ll admit, it is a little harder than I thought. They sure don’t come flocking to the font! But this transfer has been an amazing time of growth and improvement.

Guess what happened again this week?? THE NORTHERN LIGHTS! We saw them in Helsinki! And they were so much stronger than the last time I saw them, they danced in the sky and turned purple and green. It was like I was watching brother bear! That was such a tender mercy because it had been a really long day with little success but how can you be upset after seeing the northern lights. It was like a dream. So that was pretty cool :)

It is a blessing every day to be here. Though times are still hard (because it is always hard work), everything just keeps on getting better. I pondered a lot on my mission this week due to the half way mark and am so grateful for what I have learned and what I have been able to do through our Savior and our loving Heavenly Father. I have been commissioned by them and They strengthen me! Well, that is all for this week, Love you all!! Have a great week!! :)

Here is me and Sister Thayne after playing a popular Finnish sport (sähly) with the young womens. We played pretty hard, AND I of course represented the Utes :)

CONFERENCE WEEKEND!!

Perhe!

Wow, so much fun stuff going on at home it is awesome! I love hearing about the great adventures. It was a good week, there is absolutely NOTHING better than conference, especially on the mission! I am still on a spiritual high of all of the amazing talks! Sometimes on the mission things feel lonely but watching conference makes me remember that I am definitely not the only one sacrificing something for the gospel.

There are so many answers to questions I received and i am so grateful for the leadership we have in our church. The calling of the 3 new apostles especially touched me. I was thinking about how terrifying that must be for all of them! Even as a member of the seventy you can be released but once you are called as an apostle you are in it for life. What great faith those brethren must have to courageously take the call of the Lord and though imperfect, knowing that He will qualify them! There was an interesting push on the importance of women as well so I felt particularly special being a sister missionary :)

Another AMAZING thing happened this week, my investigator from Vaasa came to the church and watched the Sunday session of conference with me and the other missionaries! She was visiting her sister and Sister Harris had given her the address so she could see me. I was so surprised and happy to see her! She told me of all the great things happening and how a girl we found and taught is being baptized at the end of this month. It was a tender mercy to talk to her (not to mention i realized how much better I understood her from the last time I saw her so it was proof that my Finnish is improving haha!).

Overall it was a great week. I am finally getting myself organized, staying on top of things and being genuinely happy and prepared to take on the challenges of the work! Which is good because the winter is coming! Oh, if you are sending a package to me, can you send me waterproof mascara and eyeliner?? makeup here is ridiculously expensive and not the same as the kind you can get in the states. And an icepack as well for my back, it has been pretty bad the past month so that would be nice. Well, I am so grateful for this gospel and for our Savior and for the love that God has for me. His plan is so simple and filled with support and mercy and love. What an amazing message to share! I am grateful for the amazing family I have and for your examples to me! I love ya´ll!!!! :)