May 24, 2016 Forgiveness

Its been a nice first week of transfers.

One of the many Lutheran churches in our area,

this is 2 streets from our apartment. 

(Sisar Toomey standing in front of it)

Our dinner picnic on the river by the ships

Sisar Toomey is from California and Draper Utah. She is very much taller than I am, and I always tell her she should be a model (like the wholesome Mormon missionary models) She played tennis and studied at BYU. She is really fun and we find ourselves laughing very often. It has been different and I am definitely going to learn so much from my new companion. She is really a great missionary. There are things-like always-that we have already needed to find a middle ground on, especially after the routines and levels we were at here in Turku last transfer, but I am focusing on always letting love be the first and most important thing with my companion and I believe that Sisar Toomey is also doing that too, which is really helping us to grow and learn and work. For example, we, after a few interesting adapting mornings, figured out a way that we can both get a morning work out that will help us to be more successful throughout the day. (big adjustment going from last transfer waking up at 6.00 am to do 4,5,and 6 mile runs, to now not being able to walk too much outside--Sisar Toomey broke her poor pinky toe 6 weeks ago :( not fun!) But, I am learning patience and how to work these things out in a healthy and happy way which is really amazing to me and I know it will help me immensely in life. We now do bike rides along side me running and its actually quite fun :)

Sisar Toomey really works hard and intends to enjoy her missionary work which is very good. I am enjoying serving alongside her and I know I will learn quite a lot this transfer. While I do have "past companion ikevä" I know that there are lives to be blessed by the current situation. I am grateful to do this work among such dedicated missionaries. 

THE GOOD STUFF: Forgiveness

So this week I studied gold and wanted to share the treasure. Elder Kevin R. Duncan who spoke in General Conference about forgiveness gave such a powerful talk. He shared an experience about how he got a sliver while working with a fence, and it got infected and was sore for a matter or years because he never did anything about it. After a long time of soreness, he decided to put ointment on it and it came out, the infection stopped and he was healed. He likens this unto forgiveness and says "an unforgiving hear harbors so much needless pain". I loved this. We at times in our lives dont forgive--others or ourselves--and it causes us to have "slivers" for years.

When we went to the gardening
Relief Society activity..the three musketeers

 "one key to forvinging others is to try to see them as God sees them. ...Too often we look at the offender the way we would look at an iceberg--we see only the tip and not beneath the surface...The Saviors Atonement is not just for those who need to repent; it is also for those who need to forgive. If you are having trouble forgiving another person, or even yourself, ask God to help you"

After our lesson with Alexandra and Aura

I thought about this and how hard it really can be to forgive, especailly ourselves at times, for things done wrong. But if we remember how fast our Father in Heaven is to forgive us when we truly repent, we will find more hope and determination and happiness to progress. 

The rest of the talk is simply eyeopening and I really hope you all would take just 5 minutes and read it. I studied a bit from it almost every personal study hour this week.

Wow that was an extremely long email. Thanks for enduring reading that.

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Cardon

Have a great week--I know we will!:)

BLAST TO THE PAST

so turns out that sisar Toomey and I actually have a picture together for the couple days we happened to overlap in the MTC!! so funny. We met and had no idea we would ever be serving together!! 

Picture: I am on the far left and she is next to me! so funny!!