September 6, 2016 Lappeenranta ja Interim! (Lappeenranta and interim)

Sunflower patch we found

Thanks everyone for the sweet emails! I wish I had time to respond back to you all personally but the clock is hyper speed, I swear. Just know that I love you and treasure the sweet words you send to me. 

This week was a busy one (arent they all?). We had 5 days of training with all the new missionaries and their trainers, called Interim. It was President and Sister Watson, the APs and my companion and I doing the meetings. Wow. Those things stress me out sometimes, but it was so good! We ate way too much food...Sister Watson spoiled us. One thing we talked about was obedience and I really like the analogy that President Watson gave. It was about the speed limit (yes daddy, I definitely thought of you). He said that when you are driving above the speed limit, you have to always be worried about "is there a cop?" or "can I get away with this many over?" and it takes away your mind from the beautiful journey around you. I thought it was so profound. When we are clocked right exactly on the speed limit, we are more free to look out the window, and see the 80,000 lakes of Finland and the thick forests and the fields. Its so true, when we are obedient, we are free.

Helping Sister Watson unpack groceries for interim...
we played real life tetris with the fridge. 

We went to Lappeenranta for an exchange Sunday night and came back this morning. Its about a 2.5 hour train ride, and breathtakingly beautiful. Its the closest city to Russia where the Finnish missionaries serve, just some miles away from us. Darn it I should have learned how to do a contact approach in Russian! It was a breathtaking city. I love the opportunity to learn from so many different sisters in the mission. 

Morning runs in Lappeenranta
on the biggest lake in Finland

FUN FACT: We have a jar of peanut butter in our car at all times because there are so many apples outside EVERYWHERE that we just pick them and eat them...it helps when we dont have enough time for meals at home. All the Finns think we Americans are obsessed with peanut butter..we are.

GREAT WEEK LOVE YOU!!

Rakkaudella, 

Sisar Cardon

AT the temple for Interim

Phone calls with President Watson in the trains
ONE PERSON phone booth...nice squeeze.