March 29, 2016 Life is Good, Life is Great Life is Wonderful #20yearsbaby‏

Its been a great week! I cant believe how fast time is going by but then again looking back at the week and seeing how much we did and what was accomplished! Its amazing. 

#20yearsoldbaby!!! Who knew mission birthdays were so fun?! (probably only the people who served and got to be doing the best work...preferrably in Finland....Turku...with Sisar Jacobsen...) Its crazy the amount of love I have felt form this ward and investigators and friends and 
​and comanion and God and and and and--goes on and on. So blessed. Thank you. 

We ate our favorite oatmeal on the harbor in celebration. Picture attached. Prime. 

We have been waking up early these days and going on runs by the harbor as well as TO THE OLDEST CASTLE IN FINLAND!!! It was literally the best run I have ever been on. 

My companion and I stay up talking every night because we just have so much fun.

Our bishop and I bonded way fast because he played on the national Lacrosse team here in Finland. WHAT!!!! So cool. We seriously talked about LAX our whole DA. Then it bit me in the butt...it made it really easy for him to ask me for giving a talk. We were already friends haha

We met our new investigator right after our Zone Conference in Tampere this week. SHE HAD REFERRED HERSELF!! It has literally been incredible to see how prepared and willing she is to learn. She has that Finnish drive and we have a lot of confidence in the success that the Lord has in store for her very soon. Its amazing because we have been able to see that everything really does happen for a reason. She had asked for a Book of Mormon 2 months ago and it didn't come in the mail until actually the day of transfer calls, then she received it and contacted missionaries which resulted in us teaching her. There are no coincidences. My companion and I have felt SO much guidance and blessings from the Lord with this. 

We are really doing so well. I am doing so well. I don't think I have been this happy on my mission thus far. This week I am studying Hope and I have found so many ties with Faith. There really truly is always hope and with Faith, that Hope becomes reality.

 A Fazer Chocolate Egg!!

Make a wish!

The Turku harbor

March 22, 2016 TURKU minun uusi maani‏ (TURKU, my new country)

Its like I am serving with a best friend!!This has been such a good start to the transfer. I am amazed at how hard we are working and how happy I am and how well my companion and I are getting along. Really, Sisar Jacobsen is a great missionary. We have just clicked so well and I can feel that we are going to have some incredible work done this transfer. Its amazing because I honestly feel like we have clicked more just in one week than I have in the past months with other situations. We. Work. So. Hard. We literally laugh constantly and I don't think there could be a dull moment!
We have made so many goals and WE ARE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING THEM! It feels so good to be on the same page with the goals we set. We take time to recognize the blessings all around us. Its incredible. I mean, we have one goal to give out 200 copies of the Book of Mormon this change and we are well ahead of getting there. In one day we passed out 8 books before dinner! and we had SO MUCH FUN doing it! I feel like I haven't laughed this much in 

months. We come home tired and exhausted every night, but we push ourselves and everyday the Lord helps us the rise and have full energy to do His work again (right after a nice morning run along the river in this oldest city of Finland) #amidreaming. I am blown away at the blessings that I have just seen in one week.
Also I am studying a Christlike attribute every week this transfer. This week is Faith. In a whole life working on this attribute, I know I will just scratch the surface, but I cant wait to get scratching. 

This ooooollldddd lady in our ward here made us KNITTED SKIRTS!! Best item of clothing I own. We wore them to church on Sunday and matched her. We may or may not looked like knitted models, trust me, it was prime. She is the CUTEST!! Only in Finland. 

Fun fact: It is said that the Finland Helsinki Mission is one of the strictest missions in the world right now. (I keep telling myself that everything happens for a reason no matter the rule...my momma can testify that maybe I have always been a little on the rebellious side when it comes to rules and times...but its good for me-at least I keep telling myself that ;) ). 

Turku is the coolest city. It is the oldest city in Finland and there are such old and beautiful buildings, churches and even a castle!! 

Also everyone feel free to pray that Sisar Jacobsen and I get to stay together for the rest of our missions. 

Sisar Jacobsen is RAD! She is from Florida and wrestled alligators. She grew up on a ranch and has a horse. We have such similar personalites and we just get along soooo well! We laugh constantly.

Wow. This was definitely my longest email ever. Gotta love it!

Also we might be able to run a half marathon here in Finland the end of next transfer because a ward member is doing it and REALLY wants us to do it and wear shirts that promote the church...we have been role playing how we are gonna ask president if we can do it. Its just too perfect not to work out because we both have already ran one before and have a rocking training plan for it. So we are literally praying that our president says yes....EVERYONE PRAY FOR IT!!!

Man, this was just the best week. We did SOOO much work.

Okay now I am really saying bye. You all are great!

Rakkaudella,
Sisar Cardon :)

The oldest castle in Finland, built about 1280.

I just love this place. And my comp. And oatmeal. 

March 14, 2016 Transfers!!!!!

Moi Moi Moi!! 

We got transfer calls this week....I am going to TURKU!! :) I am excited (even though I have shed some tears leaving this family of mine in Vaasa). It was my last Sunday yesterday...so many people were so sweet and gave me letters and pictures and things. I feel so loved, and I LOVE ALL of these people here. I can't believe that I have been in Vaasa for half a year! I am the luckiest. 

FUNNIEST STORY: Okay so, this week we had a meeting scheduled with this new guy. We got to his apartment and as we got out of the elevator and looked down the hall he was waiting with his door open, ready to come out, with a platter of tea and coffee. He didn't really say much except to hold the elevator and we were going somewhere else. We were so confused. (we had only met this guy once before briefly and set up a return appointment) We, Sis Kwok, our ward member, him and I, all squeezed in the personal elevator-much much too close for comfort. We get off. He then led us down the hallway and opened the door to...drum roll please...THE SAUNA!! Hahahaha we had no idea what was going on. He just set down the drinks and said that he "didn't want to meet in his home because this was a more neutral place" so we sat in the sauna...all very close..fully clothed (even with coats on) and talked about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was one of the weirdest experiences. So FUNNY!! (we have a mission rule that missionaries are NOT allowed to sauna...but good thing that there is not a rule that we cannot have lessons there.)

We are gonna cut email time because I need to go pack. Love you all!!

some quick pics :)‏

We had our last district meeting all together before the change. It was ridiculously fun. The Seinäjoki Elders had us do a "farewell meal" that I truly believe was to give us all heart attacks. It was a casseroll of one layer of mashed potatoes, then a layer of McDonalds hamburgers, another layer of mashed potatoes and then cheese and then bacon...I almost died.  

March 8, 2016 CRAZY AWESOME WEEK :)‏

Sisar Kwok and I were SOOO busy this week and we made so many memories. 

Being a missionary is so stressful, but oh so rewarding. 

We did something crazy....haha so you know how it's freezing in Finland? Wellllll, Sisar Kwok and I were out kinda further from our apartment so we decided to just get some food at the grocery store here so we could stay out in the area. We found swings by a forest by the ocean. We were just swinging eating our pickles looking out at the frozen water...and got the best idea....just 10 minutes later we were on out bikes crossing the frozen water to get to our next point of destination. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! What missionary can say that they took their bikes over frozen meri (sea) by a cross country skiiing path. So cool. The sun was setting too. It was definitely a highlight this week. 

We did the traditional pea soup and lettu for lunch on Thursday. So fun. I love pea soup.

Shout out to Lew for the world's BEST birthday package ever.
I opened it with a chefs knife. :)

I finished the Book of Mormon this week. It is was the first time I have ever REALLY read the whole thing. I started in the MTC and yesterday read the last chapter. It is an amazing book. I believe that it is from God. I realized when I read the promise from Moroni at the end, while I pondered his words, that I have had a stronger testimony of it than I thought. There were times that I read and didn't want to put it down! It's like a TV show with cliff hangers sometimes! I love the Book of Mormon. I am happy to now be able to say to my friends I meet here in Finland, "I have read this book, prayed about it, and know that it truly is God's word". I am happy about the testimony that is challenged everyday, but grows every day. 

So much happened this week I can't even write it all!

Keep smiling and if you can, come to Finland :)

March 1, 2016 Maaliskuu :)‏ (March)

A scripture I loved this week (I know totally one of those missionaries right now) is Ether 12:35. It's true in the sense that in order for us to develop our talents and progress, we really have to focus on Charity. Charity is the most essential building block. (and also sometimes the hardest) 

KEEP WORKING HARD :)

We got burgers this week #Americans and,
of course, ate them the European way. Miksi ei? (Why not?)

A beautiful woman in our ward got married this week! I am so happy for her!
(too bad she is moving to Helsinki now so we are losing our almost 3rd missionary
who would come with us on lessons) She is BEAUTIFUL!!! :) 

You know you are in Finland when you just throw your bike
in a giant snow bank and go tract in the forest for 3 hours. 

February 23, 2016 Oulu for Zone Training....Baptism...Snow...PICTURES‏

So have I ever told you all how much 

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE FINLAND??? Well, I do. 

Sister Watson our missionary mother. She is so beautiful and it was so
good to see her and President up in Oulu this weekend.
We also have the best Sisters in our zone :)

We turned into aliens on splits...

S\O to my other-half in Japan for the cat and the hat (pun intended). 

My companion got so cold she froze into a snow woman...

I have a new found love for cornflakes...
the box was gone by the end of the week...
#mostawkwardphotoawardgoestosisarcardon

The Elders in Seinäjoki had a baptism but their church doesn't have a font so they traveled all them to Vaasa...Sisar Kwok and I sang at it. It was the song "Abide With Me"...it went quite well...until after the baptism this man came up to us and informed us that the song we sang, in the Finnish translation is a song they sing at funerals...and that it was sung at his wife's funeral 3 years ago...I FELT SO BAD!! We had no idea....ahhhhh!!!

My companion found a massage chair "oh my gosh, Sisar Cardon!!! Its only 1 £ for 3 whole minutes!!!!". It was a lovely experience for her. #tendermerciesasamissionary

Kaikki te olette mahtavia ihmisia!! :)  

(You are all great people)

Rakkaudellani, 

Sisar Cardon

Sisar Kwok, my beautiful companion and I,
moments before we stuffed our faces with Indian food...haha

February 16, 2012 Hyvää Ystävänpäivää!!!‏ (Happy Valentine's Day)

LOTS OF PICTURES THAT HAVE HOURS WORTH OF LAUGHS AND STORIES BEHIND THEM!!

Weird bear statue eating a woman in the middle of the park...welcome to Finland...hahaha

LONGEST BRIDGE IN FINLAND....It didn't quite compare to San Francisco, but it was beautiful.
There were tons of holes in the ice underneath from people ice fishing and little islands
with summer cottages on them. I 100% felt like I was in a movie....

We went to a darling little bakery place with our recent convert Dorcas...
we can't go back because it was TOO good and we are afraid for our figures...

Our district...pictures in pictures in pictures....gotta get creative somehow!

(????)

(Picture's weren't sent...)

9. Niina Kronqvist=my idol of the mom I wanna be. She is handsdown the funnest and funniest human. 

10. Sisar Kwok and I taking a quick phone call break on a random swingset...yes. 

11. We ate a Swedish dinner with a sweet couple in the ward...the lady just kept calling it "flying chickens!" in English but she doesnt speak english so I just dont really know what was going on. It was interesting, it had bananas, chicken, bacon, sweet and sour sauce, more bananas and cream. 

And the quote from the week is from Jeffrey Obazee, our African recent convert (imagine an african bible lover who is really loud and hilarious and you will have a pretty good image) said to me after I told him I had near 100 first cousins, "OH MY!! CARDON, YOUR FAMILY COULD START A NATION!!" hahaha He still mentions it EVERY time he sees me now. 

Hyvää Ystävänpäivää kaikille!
(Happy Valentine's Day everyone!)