January 12, 2016 Moi Moi :)

What a fast week! Sister Kwok and I are working and teaching a lot! It will be nice to have bikes coming this week so we can be even more efficient. I am seeing blessings each and every day. I feel so unbelievably blessed to be in Vaasa for 6 months. I love this place and these people with my whole heart.
There are always trials and things that we have to work through as a companionship in order to have unity and the Spirit, but we are doing so well together and growing a lot. I almost feel like a breath of fresh air and its a blessing. I am still so grateful for all that I have learned from my past companions to help me figure out how to eventually be a better mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter and church member. Missions are such blessings.
I have been praying with more gratitude recently and it has helped me to have happier days and more positive with those around me. Heavenly Father and I actually have a little "companionship inventory" every night and its really blessing me. My relationship with Him is growing so well. I love Him!

Some fun updates:

-We went to Lutheran Mass this past week with one of our investigators because "she comes to our church every week but we never went to hers". It was very interesting and actually quite peaceful. I love learning more about other religions and seeing their love for God. 

-Speaking of Lutheran mass...we just found out that our investigator is actually a Lutheran priest! (looks like I am going to have some pretty intense personal studies of the Bible these next weeks;) ) She really is the coolest and most kind woman. Its also really incredible because we are teaching so many different people with so many different religious backgrounds...Buddhists to Atheists to Lutheran priests YOU NAME IT! God really loves all His children so much and that is especially evident as I am serving as missionary. 

-I GET TO BE IN VAASA FOR 6 MONTHS!!! :)

 -(picture) This past week was soooo cold. Socks and tights are my very best friends. I also cant wear mascara anymore because when we are outside it freezes and then when we go into homes for lessons and it melts...well just use your imagination at the horrifying looking Sisar Cardon with crazy racoon eyes....hahaha too many funny experiences.

The Elders in Vaasa. Fun humans. We are obviously Gods favorites because WE get to be in Vaasa. :)

-(picture) Our investigators from Vietnam made us PHO and it was so delicious!! I pretty much crave it on a daily basis now...#takemetoVietnam #JkiloveFinlandtoomuch

January 5, 1016 NEW COMPANION

So we got transferred (a little bit earlier than I thought but hey, thats the mission for ya) and I have an awesome new companion Sisar Kwok!! I get to stay in Vaasa for another 2 months and I am STOKED!!! Vaasa for 6 months-does life get better? 

My new years resolutions include a few things 

1. Be a missionary for a full year 2016

2. Make a new tradition to start and keep up for the rest of my life (we will see how the diligence goes with that)

3. Be more grateful for the little blessings--recognizing more tender mercies. 

also I tried Vegemite from the 2 Australians in my district this week. Its delicious. 

December 29, 2015 Hyvää Joulua!!‏

Well, Hyvää Joulua!! It was amazing this week how much love that I felt from the people around me and family.  The mission already has taught me so much. 

I also experienced the big blessing of the car accident just yesterday. I have played it over and over in my head and I think that its such a blessing that even though we did hit and probably totaled the car, everything is okay and nobody was seriously hurt. Its funny because I have been more aware while being in the car this transfer and I have tried to be really good about always second checking for Sisar Albiston and yesterday, I checked when she didn't, and when I yelled it might have changed her direction enough that we didn't get hit as much from the side as we would have. I think that in many many ways there are countless blessings that can be learned here, I especially was noticing them while we were sitting for a few hours in the hospital after just a few bumps and bruises. God really is watching out for us, even when we are not quite watching out for ourselves. 

Our mission car. : (

This is our district at our Christmas exchange. So FUN!!

BUUUUTTT now to the happy part: PICTURES!!! Christmas was the happiest time! We really had too much fun! Also let me just say that traditional Finnish Christmas food is the most delicious! 

Christmas in a box from my family.

 

Spoiled Missionaries on Christmas!

Must have been Daddy's idea!

Matching slipper booties with my Companion

Skype with the family on Christmas morning (for them) evening (for me)

December 22, 2015 HYVÄÄ JOULUA!!‏

Hmm...lets see if I can sum up everything in 5 minutes...wellllll:

-We had a really run night this week going to a dinner place for Christmas. Its was all traditional Finnish food with a whole lot of fish and very delicious. So I was eating this really weird sourish pudding fluff (I really have no idea what it was) and then I found out after couple bites that it was fish eggs and for some reason that was a little too much for me and I couldnt eat anymore of that. We had so much fun with the members who took us there! 

-We have done a lot of caroling this week. Caroling is such a good way to share Christs love and the Spirit of this season. A few of the people we have gone to were literally moved to tears. So precious.

-Crazy things about Finland...well the sun sets around like 2 everyday and when it is up in the sky its just on the horizon so its like the sunset...its quite beautiful and I actaully love it! I don't think I would mind all that much to have it like this always--but who knows, maybe that is just because I have only been here in the dark season. Oh also, yesterday was the "darkest day of the year" so now its starting everyday to get lighter. That will be a change!

-CHRISTMAS!!! "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, counsellor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." I read this scripture this morning and pondered for a little while. Christmas isn't just about Christ's birth, but His life. Through His life we learn about Him and through our lives we find out what "name" he has for us personally.  Christ has many different "names", perhaps Hope, Love, Friend, Brother, Comforter, Savior, etc. This Christmas I hope we come closer to Him to find more names that he has that help us to know Him better.

(the middle top is the fish egg fluff...fooled me!)

December 15, 2015 HYVÄÄ JOULUA (Merry Christmas)‏

This week, was an incredible one. My journal has gotten significantly thicker. .What a wonderful blessing we have to be here and learn so much and be tried so hard and for our roots be forced to grow long and deep. 

Sisar Albiston and I are getting along a better than we ever have. We are trying to work hard and get a lot done. Its great to see the recent converts progress and grow. What a testimony builder that has been for me.
I loved the Christmas devotional that we heared this week. Its such a difference when we focus on Chirst during this season instead of so much on all the distractions that take away from him. I dont think that I have ever really tried my best to focus on Him fully at Christmas and I look forward to a new missionary Christmas this year.
I feel healthy and happy and still working hard with everything. I look forward to a week about Christ and the blessing He is. 

Now for the fun part PICTURES and STORIES!!

 This week we got 3 new investigators and they are all so great! We teach so much and I am just amazed at how fast you grow to love the people you teach. Its cool that Finland is such a melting pot right now and people from all over the world are here with an opportunity to hear the Gospel--something they might not have had the chance for otherwise.

We saw the NOTHERN LIGHTS last night (for real this time-dont worry-) and it was magical. Just imagine us with every window in our apartment open for over an hour with us going from side to side taking pictures and videos and just being your average excited girls. We might have froze with the -6 degree weather outide...but it was so worth it. I even did a little rearranging in the bedroom so my bed was right up against the window and fell asleep watching the sky. SO AMAZING!!

Me watching the Northern lights from our apartment... gahhh!!

We went to a Lutheran Joulu concert this week in a HUGE church here in Vaasa with one of our investigators. She has grown up Lutheran and really wanted us to have a little experience with what she is used to and we got permission from the mission president (it only makes sense that we could go because she comes to our church--Presidnet thought it was a swell idea). Its was absolutely breathtaking. We may not have known the songs well, but Sisar Albiston and I sang our little hearts out in Finnish Christmas songs.

Lutheran Church with our friend

We just have too much fun...and we are all just sooo different. I am the only one from Utah. We have a Finn, a Swed, 2 Austrailians and the others are from all over the US. We are a pretty solid group...may or may not be doing a secret santa next week for district meeting...of course with the mission rules the sisters buy for each other and the elders buy for each other...hmm I wonder who has me? ;)

The missionaries in my District

December 8, 2015 Christmas and McDonalds in Finland...

So there is a glorified McDonalds here in Finland that looks like a castle on the outside. One of the members who is in her 80s loves it here so we went for a "night on the town" (or maybe just a "hour-of-missionary-dinner-time on the town" with her and I ate my VERY FIRST BIG MAC in Finland.
No big deal... but kinda a big deal.

our sneekpeek at our christmas card...coming soon from yours truly! :)
We had too much fun getting these pictures...
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December 8, 2015 Dorcas my Sweetie

What a good week. Dorcas is now a member of the Church and her baptism went just beautifuly!! She was and is so ready for this new chapter of her life. It was precious for me to experience this with her, especially when she received the gift of the Holy Ghost. I may or may not have peeked open my eyes for a second during the prayer (I know...I will be better and not do that anymore) to see her with tears spilling over. I was happy to see this, but also slightly nervous because I knew that she was terrified of being infront of the congregation and said she might cry in fear. When we later talked, she expressed with a full glowing smile that she has never felt so much warmth in her heart. She said it was so different, but "very very awesome". I didnt realize that these things actually happen in real life! The whole experience has been so tender and I feel like my testimony has been swelling. 

 

Its just incredible to look back on a week and see all that we accomplished (even if in the moment I didnt feel like we were getting enough done). I love the blessings that we are able to be because we are here serving the Lord. (I know..annoying missionary talk)

Dorcas!! :)

Salmiakki Suklaa--I have a new sweet tooth for p-day celebration black liqorish chocolate #cantspellinenglish