Finland, Helsinki Mission

Finland, Helsinki Mission
Finland, Helsinki Mission

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

First week in Oulu



You say Oulu like oolew.

My new companion Sister Cooper is from Payson, Utah. We get along super great. She is funny and open and we seriously have so much fun together :) The new area is beautiful! When I think of Finland this is what I think about….and all of the trees are losing their leaves and everything now, and it is gorgeous. It truly felt like coming home getting off the train here. And the ward just took us in and ward members have been helping us so very much. I am so blessed to be here and I know this is exactly where I am needed.

We saw the ocean yesterday too, so that was legit. It’s gorgeous! So many ready people here so it’s been a blast. We do not have a car. Only about 3 or 4 sister areas have cars. We ride bikes! I am riding an elder’s bike that he let us borrow and Sister Cooper is riding an old bike that a sister left. We are still trying to figure that one out, but we get around for now. I am getting good at navigating by map though. We have been lost a few times, but luckily there are always people to talk to. It’s awesome cause you can still do missionary work even when you are lost!

You asked how the language is going... and I can say that I do well enough to do work! Sister Nelson and I survived last transfer. J I definitely feel like my capabilities increased a ton in the last two months. I understand most of the time, it just really depends. I am just good at pretending and reading people and getting the gist and then guessing. But hey! We teach in Finnish and it’s fun! So I don’t know if that answered your question, but let me just say that learning the language is still a process. The gift of tongues is real, it’s just not how I pictured it. The great thing is that the Lord helps us to be able to do what we need too. It’s amazing. 



Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Saying goodbye to Haaga

Oulu, Finland
 I will be training this next transfer, and I will be leaving the Haaga area. I will be shot gun training in an area called Oulu! It’s the most north that any sisters can go. We will be the only set of sisters up there. I am shot gunning the old STL's area that is combined with one other area. It’s going to be a little crazy. I will have to take an overnight train tomorrow night to arrive there on Thursday morning. I have the Zone Leaders up there in my ward though, so they should be good help. Quite the adventure I am about to embark on! it will be fun and exciting! I hope I don't die!!! I am super excited to meet my new companion tomorrow though. Training will be fun. I am nervous, but I know the Lord will help. And the Holy Ghost is the real teacher, so I will just do my best and let him do the rest. 


We took a picture after our last WML meeting on Sunday. The guy on the very left is our WML and he is awesome. Then Eder Edwards and Elder Hoggard are the elders in our ward, and then our cute ward missionary who is from Vietnam and has been a convert for a year, and Sister Nelson and me. 


The one of me on the floor is at about 1900 on Saturday after we had been running around like chickens with our heads cut off helping a member with a baptism.