June 7, 2016 The Finns sure know how to WOK da WOK‏

We did enough this week to fill up a month I feel like. #missionarylife

"woking"

We had one of our ward members graduate so she is now an yliopplias! We helped with service at her graduation party-quite a big deal here in Finland- and we were put in charge of working the Wok for a bit. Never thought I would be doing that...in Finland. 

This week we shared a lot of spiritual thoughts about prayer. I am so grateful for the example that my father gave of ALWAYS doing family prayer both morning and night and scripture study. Even if he was praying alone, right before leaving to work and everyone in bed, he prayed loud so everyone could hear. Family scripture study at night was never a forced thing, but daddy always invited. He would come ask if our doors could be opened when we were "busy in our rooms" so that we could hear the scriptures. Looking back at my foolishness of not joining every single family scripture study and soaking up the wisdom of prophets as well as of my father, I am so grateful for the constant invitation that we have. Its the same with the Gospel, we are invited to do things that we are promised will bring us more happiness, but never forced. I am so grateful for the examples that I have in my life, especially the simple example from my father, each and everyday without fail.

My INCREDIBLE quilt!!!

On with a rant about my family: I have the BEST Aunt Sandy in the universe! Thank you for the Finland Sisar Cardon mission quilt that you sent. It is simply outstanding. Receiving that this week from the sweet family here in Finland on vacation was the biggest highlight. (picture attached)

So we have this amazing investigator Alexandra--I have talked a lot about her in past emails--but she writes us "missionary apporpriate" versions of the top hits and sings them for us after our lessons. Yes, I love every hair on her head. And, Yes, she does sound like she should be the daughter of Adele. 

Tracting in the rain with our new Ylioppilas!!
(her mission call will come soon!)

Quote of the week by Elder Holland:

"Dont Give up.

Dont you quit.  You keep walking. 

You keep trying.

There is help and happiness ahead...

You keep your chin up. 

It will be ALL right in the end. 

Trust God and believe in good things to come."

I love the part (emphasized by me) of "it will be ALL right" its not "alright" but ALL RIGHT. This is because of Christ. Things will not just be better or work out, but be Right. I love this. It applies to so many people that I love so much.

Keep smiling.

Keep working hard.

Remember your worth!

Sisar Cardon

p.s. we are going to the castle today again for pday. Better believe we will be taking more knight photos. Stay tuned next week.

p.p.s. we explored a church from the 1700s last week. Its incredible. 

p.p.p.s We went tracting this week...walked trough a field and forest (common here in Finland) and got eaten alive by the bugs. By the end of our night I had over 20 bites, one on my right temple which swelled up so I literally looked like Kuazi Motto-no idea how that is spelled--and we may or may not have gotten stinging nettle on our legs...Dont worry, we documented the memories. I spared your the terrifying pictures though. Don't worry, all is well here in the Turku Finland :)

We explored this church from the 1700s last week. 

It's incredible!!! 

Here is a good scripture I want to share with you this week:

John 16. 33 will you all please read it?? Thanks. love you. Keep in real over there in America. 

                                                                                              -Sisar Cardon teidän siskonne

 These things I have spoken unto you, 

                                          that in me ye might have peace. 

                     In the world ye shall have tribulation: 

                       but be of good cheer;  

                 I have overcome the world.  

                              John 16:33

1. 

2. tracting in the rain with our new Ylioppilas!! (her mission call will come soon!)

3. 

May 31, 2016 Hyvää Päivää Kaikille!‏ (Good Day Everyone!)

Us with a 10 minute break taking "pinterest pics" - we needed a little break.

It's been another great week. We have been doing a lot of work with our less active members which feels so good. It's a focus we want to have to make sure that all of the people are in constant conversion and remembering the testimonies they had and recognizing the testimonies they DO have. I cannot write the miracles we saw this week with that. We were able to meet a less active family this week, they all ended coming to church on Sunday, and the mother actually wrote us letters because the experience that we had together meeting during the week was quite significant to her. It was amazing. I felt so blessed. We had 6 less actives in church this week!!! 

My companion is so strong and we are working hard. Adjustments make us grow, they stretch us, yes, but make us grow. 

"Sisar Cardonin ajatuksia" for the week :) 

----"There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored....our Savior, the Good Shephard, knows and loves us-He knows and loves you. He knows when you are lost, and He knows where you are. He knows your grief. Your silent pleadings. Your fears. Your tears. It matters not how you became lost-whether because of your own poor choices or because of circumstances beyond your control. What matters is that you are His child. And He loves you. He loves His children. Because He loves you, He will find you. .. While our loving Father desires that all of His children return to Him, He will force no one to heaven. God will not rescue us against our will. So what must we do? His invitation is simple "turn..to me" "come unto me" "draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you" THis is how we show Him that we want to be rescued" President Dieter F. Uchtdorf  I pondered this a lot this week. We never need to feel like we arent understood or that we are alone. He is always there.

----I have been reading a journal entry everyday from my first half of my mission so by the end I will be half done. I am currently in the MTC. Good days. There was a talk by Elder Holland that I heard there and it is one of my favorite missionary talks. He said this story:

"go to the edge" he said.

"no, we will fall!" They said.

"Go to the Edge." He said

"We cant we will fall!"

"Go. To. The. Edge." He said.

They went to the edge, He pushed them, they flew. 

Heavenly Father knows what we are capable of. He wants us to have success and we will, when we put our trust and faith in him.

----one of my favorite conference talks that I am reading is from the priesthood session by President Uchtdorf. He quotes: "If we look for the imperfections in people, we will surely find them. We all have them. But if we look for the good, we will surely find it, for we all have good in us". This is one of those "self check points" that I had. How much "good" am I looking for in everyone I meet around me? We can always find more.

Last thought I promise----"Q: Why is it so hard? A: It wasnt easy for Christ, why should it be easy for us? I CANT be easy, because it NEVER was easy" This was also Elder Holland. Remember this next time you are in a trial that seems simply Too Hard.

Its been a great week. I am growing so much (luckily not physically outwards as much anymore). Keep smiling and remember that we really can always to better, and to figure out how, study about Christ and we will know in what way to better refine ourselves to come closer to our Heavenly father.

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Cardon

 Finland and Finland and Finland

The District part 5

Our friend Sisar Ylinen who has 34 rodents living in her home.
Yes and she has won rat competitions. I repeat, she has WON rat competitions. 

____________________________________________________

So we have this RM, YSA who rocks! 

and comes with us to lessons all the time...

...and we had a bubble blowing contest on the bus. 

                                                          I won.

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!!

May 16, 2016 Transfer calls will be the death of me

When we took our dinner hour in Naanatali and ate on the pier...yes we live in a dream.

We got our calls and yes, the world might be ending because Sisar Jacobsen and I are splitting up. You better believe that we have literally been crying on and off for the past four days. I will be staying in Turku and Sisar Jacobsen is going to Oulu (the furthest north sisters can serve) I am so happy to stay here though, I cant imagine leaving this ward. My companion is just one transfer ahead of me so that will be so nice. I met her once in the MTC and she seemed normal. Thats too bad because I am so not normal! Katsotaan! We are going to do good work, I can feel it.

Our investigators home...he lives on an island...
it's a 1\10 home of one of the oldest styles in Turku.
And yes, he did feed us a meal on fine china
with goblets of pepsi after our lesson. 

With a change coming, I am nervous and excited to see what will come with it. Its amazing though, I have learned so much this change, and recognized more and more all that I learned from passed changes. I think and pray for my past companions ofte. I wish I could have been better, more Christlike, but I can only let that change the future and how I help future companionship.

This change I learned a lot about what true happiness is. I realized more and more that being a missionary and setting extremely high goals is joy and progression. I hope to continue that with my next companion. I love her already. I meet her tomorrow. 

Our investigators and ward are doing very well here. Our newest member is a power house of the Spirit and it brings me more happiness than I ever thought it would seeing how her testimony has developed, grown, and been refined. She came on a lesson with us and it was one of the most spiritual things to see and hear her testify of the new found faith she has.

I am going to work on more patience and love and charity this next change. There is always room for improvement, even when literally this past transfer there was not even a sliver of contention or unhappiness between us. Does that ever happen in normal life?! 

Its been a great week. Nähdään! 

Sisar Cardon

Our last pictures by the castle
 (oldest castle in Finland from 1200) for the best last pday ever

May 9, 2016 Hyvää Äitienpäivää!!‏ (Happy Mother's Day)

You know when you get to the end of the week and looking back you just cannot believe how much you did? Well, that just about the life of a missionary for ya. 

This week had a couple of eventful things:

We were asked to come to the funeral for our Ward Mission Leaders wifes mother. It was such a traditional Lutheran funeral and it was amazing. In an 800 year old church ("older than America"our WML kept telling us) and it was cool because I actually sang at it with a couple of the womans granddaughters. It was really neat. A LOT of people were coming up to US after that, which doesnt really happen to us missionaries here in Finland. It was a really neat experience. About as movie like as you could get when it comes to funerals. 

Us at the funeral

Our investigators are doing well, one is moving to Canada pretty soon and we are sad she will be gone, but its going to give her a chance to progress in new ways. She is very excited to turn 18 because then she can be baptized. (she gave me specific permission to tell you a bit about her)

Mothers day with the bishops daughters
 (they gave us roses too...#comingmothers...hahaha)

Mothers day: how cool that we have woman to be Christlike figures in our lives. Mom, you looked wayy too beautiful yesterday and I enjoyed seeing everyone. Weird the bubble that you are in as a missioary and then for just a small bit it cracks for a second and you see "the real world". I am SO that weirdo missionary who missed the comfort zone of the mission during that skype hahaha love you all though!

Next pday we will know the fate of this companionship. EVERYONES PRAYERS ARE NEEDED!! Vote for sisar Jacobsen and Cardon. ;)

PICTURES - you know there are way more where these came from!

I went on splits with my trainer this week 

 Us in the sun that I forgot existed for a while there 

mothers day

#SonsofMosiahreunion

A district oatmeal picnic

May 3, 2016 Tiina is a Member!!

Tiina gave me specific permission so that I can share her story with you all :)

This past weekend our great investigator who we met 2 weeks into this transfer was baptized! Tiina is a 46 year old Finnish woman who is married to a Muslim man. Tiina had been online searching, and found a little about the Book of Mormon. She ordered the book and it came two months later (so long--but "coincidence" is that it came on the day of transfer calls... the day that Sisar Jacobsen and i were called together to Turku). The book came, she read a little and then wanted more help understanding it. She literally refereed herself online to the missionaries...she was in the elders area and for some reason the church referral system kept sending it to ours. We called and met with her the very next day! (happened to be my birthday actually--Gods little present to me). When we later found out that she wasnt in our area we had already set a baptismal date and taught a few solid lessons. Our President gave us special permission to teach her because things were going so well (does NOT happen very often). Tiina progressed so fast, did so much studying, asked for the ENTIRE gospel library and "did her homework" like she always told us. She progressed like I have never seen before, even stopping coffee and tea the day we mentioned it (we stopped sugar with her and every night we called each other and cheered each other on). Tiina got a special situation where we was able to be interviewed by our mission president. After the interview he told us that she is a "very well prepared and converted woman" and we said "Presidnet, that wasnt us...it was all her!". Tiinas baptism went so smoothly. She had four of her friends come (she even invited more than that) and after we talked to them there and they werent too interested in learing more she came up to us and whispered "how many books can I have? I want to give them to them later then.." It was awesome. She is already a missionary! 

We sang us two and the elders  Come Follow Me at the baptism and the water was workin. Such a good experience. She is amazing. She has already gone on a member present lesson this week with the elders :) Such a rockstar. 

Heavenly Father really does lead us to the ready people! I feel like we did very little to further Tiinas progression...she did it all herself...with the Spirit.

Moral of the story: Tiina is so rad and we are so blessed to have met her.

It was quite an amazing week:)

Sisar Cardon

9 months left!!:)

April 26, 2016 102 Copies of the Book of Mormon!!!‏

This week-Where to even begin?!

The Books

So Sisar Jacobsen and I just really love working hard. We work hard and we play hard and we laugh doing EVERYTHING. We learned 3 weeks ago that the record of copies of the Book of Mormon given in one week for our mission (the entire mission of Finland since the beginning of time according to the APs was set by out mission President Watson when he was a missionary here in Finland 40 years ago. The record was 92 books in one week. Holy cow. The record of just this mission for the past years since our President has been here is 60 books. We decided that with how much we love this work, spreading the Gospel and being together, we could beat not only the current mission record, but the entire Finland Book of Mormon record.

We goaled for 100 books. And we set some major plans to achieve it (you better believe the we took a week of planning it..a week of preparing...then a week of execution). We not only wanted to give them the book, but we wanted a testimony of a member written into each one. The power of testimonies.

Well...the little tricky thing that we found was that the week that we planned to give out the 100 actually was a Stake Conference so 2 of the 5 days we would be in Tampere because its a long trip and we stay for "mini splits" with the STYs. This wouldnt have been a problem except that the books that we give there do not count for out numbers...So turns out that we needed to give out not only 100 books, but in 5 days. Ya, I know. 20 books a day, where on average for us (which has been abnormally high for the area, was 4-8 a day)

Monday we went out with a fire-29 books. Tuesday pday-18. Wednesday-14. Thursday-30. Then finishing it off with the 100th book on Friday right before weekly planning. 

It was great because we got to see out Presidents face when we told him at Stake Conference. You better believe that surprised him. Apparently it has already been spreading around the mission like rapid fire. President said this went a lot further than we though the impact would go. So amazing. 

Its so interesting because with how much success we had, we could literally feel the adversary working at us. This past week, people were the rudest they have ever been to us. We didnt let it get us down although sometimes it was hard. The Lord placed such incredible people in our path which resulted in us getting 19 incredible potentials! We were astonished. We are more than excited to meet with these people in these next weeks to teach them. We have amazing feelings about the future and success.

We made sure that we were balanced in all things. Having fun, working hard, being healthy (we even woke up at 6 for nice long 3, 4 and 5 mile runs in the mornings) and writing everything down! It was so fun :) Balance is important.

The 100th Book

I think the best part of this whole week was how involved and supportive the members were. We announced to them our goal at the beginning and that we wanted a member testimony in every single book we gave away, and they were thrilled! We had a member who asked if we would drop off 6 to her home so she could write! There was another member who wrote in 10! Our investigator who is getting baptized this Saturday called us and asked for a daily report. She wrote in a book as well. Another member actually made a group text and she would update the YSA on our progress every day and even told everyone to pray for us specifically by day. The bishops family with their 5 children all wrote in one and it actually turned out to the the 100th book that we gave, to a man who we are going to meet with in 2 weeks! The list goes on and on with the support that we had. We could not have accomplished this goal without the help of this amazing ward here in Turku. There were blessings being poured upon us more than ever this week.

This made for the hardest week of my mission as well as the absolute most rewarding week. While there were literally multiple times we were actually spit upon-This has been a life testimony to me that when we set worthy goals, make plans and work our hardest in faith that God will help us to be able to achieve, anything is possible. I literally felt like we could move mountains this week with how much faith and determination we had. 

This week taught me so much of what faith and preparation can accomplish. I really believe that I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. How blessed are we to be here?! I also have learned that when we are on page with our companions and really desire to serve together and accomplish our goals, we can be unstoppable. I am so grateful for this change.

SET GOALS AND MAKE PLANS. Thanks for drilling that into my head mother Preach My Gospel.  

Sisar Cardon

Our planning with help of "brain food" sacred oatmeal

Our celebration with Ida the YSA who sent all the texts of support out.

The Tuomio Kirkko in Tampere we passed by while going for the train after zone meeting.
Such a fun little reward. 

Our Tiina who is getting baptized this Saturday!

The success jump on our Saturday morning run :) 

Tiina who is getting baptized THIS SATURDAY :) She is the most prepared of anyone I have ever met. She is giving up a lot for something so much better-and she knows it!