January 23, 2017 Faith Leads to Miracles

The Finland Temple:
The temple that covers the most land mass of any in the world.

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The scriptures that would describe my mission, this transfer, and especially this week are some that I read this morning. Moroni 7:27 and 37. 

In verse 27 "...have miracles ceased...?" then in 37 we read, 
"Nay, it is by faith that miracles are wrought..." 

Faith is a principle of power.

Let me tell you what happened this week. Saturday of last week we had 3 investigators. We have gotten a lot of new investigators recently but they didnt stay interested for very long. We have been planning this transfer that we would reach every single standard of excellence as some point these two months. This past week we had our first full week without any exchange, conference or training (I guess we did have the transfer meeting with President and the Assistants but we forgot about that before...) We hadnt gotten 21 member present lessons yet, and even with so many investigators dropping us we had only 3 member present lessons the week before. We let our faith fuel a miracle.

Our weekly planning was critical. Our meals and extra time was ALWAYS spend calling and following up on potentials. I literally have never been so busy in following up with people, but it payed off. We had our first 3 days set up pretty well with members and investigators. On pday we even taught 4 lessons!! But then we got to Saturday. We were at 17 lessons and the days before about 4 had fallen through...the kind like, we did EVERYTHING we could and get to the door with the member and the person they weren't interested or didnt "jaksaa" ("keep")  (imagine Sister Cardon's patience growing immensely). Saturday comes and we have no members that can come...or so it seamed. The baptism had canceled. We were wondering what we were gonna do, and, like in the scripture, it says that it is by faith that miracles are wrought...well, we and faith enough to KNOW we were going to reach the goal. We didnt give up on getting the members...I dont know how it happened, but we found people who had a little time here and there and we organized it that we had 5 member present lessons that day.

I one week we had 23 member present lessons and 12 new investigators. (found 2 families)

The most remarkable thing is that, as we focused on the member present lessons, all the other standards of excellence came with it. We invited almost every single person we met with this week to baptism. One has a date, but many are praying in hope for one. I feel very strongly that next week there will be more baptismal dates. And this area will have many baptisms in the near future. I sat in church on Sunday, up on the stand giving my farewell talk and counted 5 different investigators in church, all sitting with a member, smiling and partaking of the sacrament. It was one of those moments that it feels like Heavenly Father is patting you on the back Like that. We, in one week, hit all but one of the standards of excellence..and that one I still feel like we got because of the progression people made towards baptism. It was because of faith...which led to great effort..that many great miracles happened this week. 

My companion is doing wonderfully. It truly is going to be so hard to say goodbye, but the good thing is that it wont be too long before we see each other again. Heavenly Father puts people in our lives for a reason. I am so blessed and humbled at all I have learned because of my amazing companions. 

I know that Heavenly Father is loving, and wants me to have all the Joy that He has. He also wants that for all of His children. I have been able to aid in that work here in Finland for a short time. What a blessing. I know that my Savior Jesus Christ lives and understands me. It is through His, fulfilling the will of the Father-the Atonement, that I will be able to have everlasting peace and Joy. I know that as I strive to change my will to be the Will of Heavenly Father, I will find true satisfaction. I know that God and Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Joseph Smith. My testimony of this has grown immensely throughout my mission. I know, that Joseph Smiths prayer was in faith, it brought about a miracle of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God answers our prayers. We have a living prophet to speaks the words of Jesus Christ. When we listen to his counsel, our families are blessed eternally. I can be with my family forever. All will work out, because of our Savior Jesus Christ.

See you all soon :)

Rakkaudellani,

Sisar Cardon

Janita did our makeup last preparation day
(in honor of me having to do it for specific
activities that happen when I go home that
we dont think about yet) 

She is a gem, and made us look like gems.

Sister Rong, a recent convert from China
who I love more that I can say.

Janita Ahola...joy.

New inv. and friend in church :) Very excited for her

Animal coats in Finland.
I WILL BUY ONE SOMEDAY.

Downtown Helsinki

Downtown Helsinki

THE PATH

January 17, 2017 Ending With a Great Miracle...

At my last zone training. All those sisters
and I were crying together...I am one big baby!

So with this current week being my last full week here in Finand, we set some extremely high goals and made plans to accomplish them. Every mission has "standards of excellence" which are goals that the mission president believes we all could accomplish. My companion and I really wanted to reach one of these that we have never gotten before and have 21 member present lessons. So last weekly planning we planned all we could to accomplish this. After all the plans were set we went out to find people to teach. We to a previous investigators home to see if he was back from his 5 month stay in Texas. Right there at the doorstep he said that he went, loved it, visited church and institute. Without even thinking too much I asked him, "well, you didnt get baptized there, will you get baptized this Saturday?"....and he said YES! So unexpected. We were ecstatic! 

With the new missionaries in trainings

So that means that this week we planned all these member lessons, we have a surprise baptism!! We told our mission president and he was very excited. 

I have never been so busy in my entire mission, well, it feels just like the week of the 102 copies of the Book of Mormon with Sisar Jacobsen. Unreal. 

We keep telling ourselves that if its Heavenly Fathers will then we will do it all...we just need more energy! Pray that all will go well and that we dont go crazy. Sister Burden and I are having so much fun.

What a time to serve in Finland. I am blessed beyond measure.

Rakkaudella, 

Sisar Cardon

  

January 10, 2017 We have solved the concern!!

We have solved the problem! Dont want your icecream to melt? Just eat in in -20 degrees C.                                                                                                 -Sisaret Cardon ja Burden 

Reindeer pizza 

(with Susanna and Oona who came 

all the way from Turku to say goodbye!)

We also ate reindeer pizza this week..never thought I would do that. It is the new way to my heart.

I have learned many things from my time here, but especially that I have a loving Heavenly Father and I WANT to be obedient to all of His commandments. I want to serve Him and follow my Savior. My testimony is the strongest its ever been, I have have full confidence that it will continue to grow and blossom more. My testimony of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is strong. This was not strong during the entire coarse of my mission, but just as we have seen in times past, when we are in the service of the Lord, our weaknesses and concerns are made strong and steadfast. I simply know that the boy Joseph saw what he said he saw. I have an increase of testimony every time I teach and testify. I am excited for our second training this coming week Sister Burden and I will do of the Restoration.

My companion is wonderful. We are unified and finding much joy. We have grown, through the gospel, to truly be best friends. I am grateful for her and admire how she has developed Christlike attributes. 

Us with the Zone Leaders about to brave it
out in the cold after our planning meeting

Basically I am one spoiled Sisar.

Pray that we stay warm! (or "worm" like one of my dear friends might say)

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Cardon

snow angels on exchanges

The Leppäset...yes, my 2nd family. 

Last Email from Sisar Cardon

19 Months...19 Things I Know.

1.God loves a little coincidence. 

2.Sometimes the timing of the Lord is different than we expect.

3.Jesus Christ leads the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

4.Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration. He saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. They spoke to him.

5. Our weaknesses truly can become our strengths, and those strengths (and learning experiences) will be to help more of Heavenly Fathers children.

6.Without consistent spiritual nourishment, one cannot achieve true Joy.

7.There are "calculus questions" in life, but we must first answer the simple algebra.

8.You will learn more by not sinning, but if you mess up, at least learn something from it.

9. The Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the everlasting Gospel. The prophets of old who wrote it, knew Christ.

10. All things can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

11."When ye are in the service of your fellow being, ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2.17

12. As I, as a missionary, have stood in the place of Jesus Christ in Finland, the He has stood in my place at home.

13.Prayer, scripture study and partaking of the sacrament are the best stress relievers. 

14. Finnish food is wayyyy too good.

15. Every person in your life is there for a reason.

16. Repentance is aligning our will with God's will. It brings true satisfaction.

17.We have guardian angels.

18.Time is a blessing.

19. God is our Loving Heavenly Father and he desires that we all Remember.

(Add 2 pictures)

January 3, 2017 I ate reindeer in Finland yesterday, I repeat, I ate a reindeer.

ONNELISTA UUTTA VUOTTA!!

(Happy New Year!!)

Well, right now it's a snow globe outside, we are going to eat reindeer pizza on rye bread after we email with a member and investigator, and hearing from my loved ones today was just a little much for my heart to handle. I love you all!! Thank you for all the exciting news :)

We had a miracle this week with a less active we have been serving and meeting with. We had a lesson about missionary work and we she mentioned some neighbors that were from Estonia. We arranged to give her two Estonian copies of the Book of Mormon, she took them and in the meeting that she gave the books to them she literally taught them about almost all of the missionary lessons! She was so excited, she called us after and told us all about it for about 20 minutes! She is coming to church with them next week and we see this all as great blessings from Heavenly Father. 

We are excited for our investigator, who is getting baptized, to get back from Estonia TODAY!!! We are calling her and will meet as soon as possible. 

The blessings are all around us, we just need to choose to recognize them. I am blown away at the blessings from our Lord and am humbled to think that those blessings are with limited vision here in this life for me. 

There are extra blessings here in Finland where you can eat reindeer and live within driving distance of the North Pole. I am so lucky.

Sisar Cardon

Kuvat  (Pictures)  

Only one of the pictures downloaded. When I figure out how to get the rest, I will add them to this page. The following will be their captions:

-We took our mission presidents wife, sister Watson, as a member on a lesson...we prayed EXTRA hard for the spirit on that one;)

​-Us eating Reindeer hotdogs...yes my eyes look crazy...it was the reindeer.

-us out contacting on new years eve...nice selfie for that...the fireworks were literally non stop.

-my hair looks like pulla

-President took a surpirse visit to our district meeting and took our picture after...district leader, Sister Training leaders, and Assistants to the President in one district.

-a verse we read today..yes that highlighted blue is ONE WORD. 

-New years eve star watching after planning....GLÖGI on the porch watching shooting stars and fireworks.

December 27, 2016 Christmas Traditions

 I will share some of the lovely Christmas traditions from here in Finland :) 

Joulu torttu 

TRADITIONS:

•  -Joulu torttu dessert

• -Joulu Leipä (Finnish Christmas bread)

• -They all go to the graveyard for "holy day" and put candles on the graves FAVORITE

• -Santa comes on Christmas Eve and they sing as he walks in the door. The Christmas Eve is bigger than Christmas day.

• The Christmas meal is a lot of different casseroles: Carrot, turnip and some crazy root.

• -Glögi is a Christmas drink that is like cider.

• 1 litre red grape juice (we used home made grape cordial)
• A few strips of organic orange peel
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 6-8 whole cloves
• 4 cardamon pods
• 4-6 whole all spice corns (or 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice)

• In the northern part of Finland there is an actual North Pole where santa lives. It's INCREDIBLE.

• Everyone goes to Lutheran mass around Christmas time, its generally the only day they attend church besides Easter.

• SAUNA...its basically the life of the Finns. They also will jump in the frozen lakes then go back to sauna, then jump, then sauna, its quite insane.

• Christmas rice porridge...yes the kind we soiled :)

January 20, 2016 Hyvää Joulua!!! (Merry Christmas!!!)

How lucky am I to have a second Christmas in FINLAND!! Truth be known that I am just miles away from the Arctic Circle, and Santa truly lives in Rovaniemi. 

This past week was wonderful and this next week will be as well. I have pondered a lot about Christmas these past few weeks and love the message that it brings.

The celebration of Christmas, of the birth and life of our Savior touches all.  

"Fear not, for I bring good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all" Matthew 2.10

No matter ones situation, whether they be a missionary on the other side of the world, a broken family, a family of 11 children all together, someone living alone, or even someone with no knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ, everyone is impacted at this time of year. Our situations may differ but the message is the same. Christ our Savior is born and lives. 

I love the words of Isaiah

"for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Eternal Father, The Prince Of Peace." 

The holiday season is a time for us to remember many things. We remember the blessings of the year, recognize the growth we made, remember to get the ham out of the oven and remember how much we love our family, but especially we must remember The Prince of Peace. We may celebrate the birth at this time of year, but we remember the LIFE. We remember that we all saw and rejoiced before this life when our Beloved Savior was born. We remember the example that He is, we remember the purpose that He had here on the earth, to do the Will of our Father. 

I hope we all take a moment this Christmas season to remember the true meaning of Christmas. 

Hyvää Joulua kaikille! Rakastan teitä ja olette ihania ystäviä

(Merry Christmas everyone! I love you, and you are wonderful friends.)

Rakkaudellani (My love,)

Sisar Cardon

P.S. PICTURES lots this week....but the most important one is:

 "MERR  YCHRIST   S" 

   -love Sisaret Burden and Cardon