Fall in Finland

Perhe!! Happy Halloween and Happy November!! :)

It is great to hear that everyone is healthy and well. Thanks for all the birthday wishes! I still feel like I am 16, look like I am 12, and yet I am turning 20... Wow... I don’t like to linger on the concept of time too often because it gets really weird on the mission haha. Like the fact that Halloween last year was well, a whole year ago! I remember shooting zombies like it was yesterday.

It was a great week this week! Nothing too much of report but I felt really good. We get change calls this week to find out where what is going to happen for next transfer which means next week I might be emailing on MONDAY. I can´t believe the 10 week transfer is almost done! I came to realize what being a missionary really means and I have learned so much by moving to a new area, being a senior companion, and having to deal with very little "success" as far as it is defined by some people... But I realized a lot this week of the fact that being a missionary simply means being a light to the world you are in. We talk to so many people and smile to everyone, giving a lending hand where needs be and trying to care for every stranger we meet. It is such a unique opportunity to simply spread light wherever I go. In my normal life I probably would be too preoccupied with my own things to think about being that light but as a missionary it is our job description!

Sister Thayne and I were talking last night about the greatest experiences on our missions. As we started talking about it I thought of all the people I have met, taught, talked to and been in contact with and surrounding those people were all of my favorite memories! I have had so many! This week was also good because I realized that I can still have an organized life and be fairly normal while being a missionary. Haha, you would think that wouldn’t be too hard to learn but I recognized the benefits of feeling put together and having all aspects of my life in one piece. Sister Thayne helped me to learn this! She is great :) An example of how we did this is during lunch on Sunday we painted our toe nails! Haha I haven’t felt like a girl in MONTHS, despite the fact that I am always wearing a skirt... And along with other goals I have, that made me feel much more ready to take on challenges :)

We had a fun Halloween this week as well, we sang at another baptism and at last minute we took a friend to the YSA Halloween party where we ate good ol´ American pumpkin pie :) a little cultural insight into Halloween in Finland, it really is called "all saints day" and though it is becoming more Americanized with the costumes, people still don’t trick or treat and it is not quite as big as it is in America. A tradition is going to the graveyard of an ancestor and placing candles around. Apparently it looks super cool, you could probably look up pictures.

That was the week. I am super grateful to be here and I am excited to figure out what will happen for next transfer! OH one more thing, I found out that one of my investigators in Vaasa is getting baptized this Saturday! I  was so happy to find out :) have a great week!! love you!!