Sisar McCammon on a Mission to Finland: Week 5

Today was an awesome week. Just you wait! The new Poles and Bulgarians are awesome and they have taken to us Fins like moths to a flame! They come with us everywhere. We're like their MTC parents, and we love them! So we'll get into my week then!

Friday!! This was a standard day. Kind of normal. Sisar Godfrey and I bombed our lesson with our teacher, but he gave us some really good pointers on some of our tactics. It was a good experience and we learned and moved on. Because of my thumb though I couldn't play volleyball which was sad. We had fun though. It was good. I ran and cried on the inside. I ended up talking to Sister Calderon (Finnish sister going Adriatic north) the whole time. But it ended up being good.

Saturday!! I bruised my other thumb. I put my hands up to block a ball at soccer Saturday, and the ball hit my thumb full on. It hurt really bad and was nastily bruised but altogether okay. Then we got into a little bit of trouble. We were doing language study with V. Hall and Ormsby and listening to music. On Youtube. It started out as church music then moved to Christmas then Pentatonix. We were listening kind of loud and our teacher told us to turn it off when she got there. She was a little disappointed but it was okay. Then we found out that the computer we were using was teacher use only. We were a little annoyed, but it was okay. We thought it was over. Then she brought it up in class but in a way that only the four of us knew she was dragging us. That was frustrating like she thought we didn't understand the first time, but it was okay. We got over it in like.02 seconds. We taught again and it went good! Sisar Godfrey and I killed it. We do good every other time about.

Sunday was sad. The old Poles had their last Sunday and it was so sad. They released Sisters Aramaki and Jones and put in Sisters Calderon and Fitch? I can't remember her name. She's super nice though. I cried and then they sang God Be With You and I cried even more. The Poles were my favorite. The whole Sunday was good though. Choir was a highlight too. It always is though. Brother Eggett is really awesome. He''s so charismatic and nice. If you meet him tell him to give me a shout out at choir! Then at the devotional that night Brother Crittenden spoke about the new Light the World campaign. It looks really exciting! I teared up a little at the videos. You should watch them and join in! Go to lighttheworld.org to view them. It's the perfect opportunity to Light the World and your Faith. Christmas is a time to remember Christ and how he lived, and try to follow his example. Then after the devotional we watched the film Testaments. It's about the Nephites just before Christ came. It is very good and fit in with following Christ. As the world gets more wicked around us, we should be trying still to be an example and show Christ our devotion to Him.

Monday was part two of goodbye to my Poles! They actually left today and I cried. It was sad to say goodbye when it'll be a long time before I can see them again. It was also weird because half the Danes were gone for their Visas. The Danes are our BFFs. They got here the same day as us and have been with us the whole time. I love them! It was an average day besides this. Although at one point, while one companionship was teaching V. Hall asked all the sisters how young of a man they would date when we got home. Then they went on to talk about how young they would date. It was a very awkward conversation but it was hilarious. The elders in our district are actually hilarious. They make me laugh so much. They are becoming my family so quickly and it's going to be so difficult to say goodbye. But that's not for a while.

Tuesday. In class, our teacher finally taught us how to read really long Finnish words. 5 weeks in and we finally figure out how to divide up the syllables. It was super nice to learn, but apparently all the new missionaries are getting online instruction before the MTC. Like what the heck?? I needed that! But whatever, I probably know more than them anyways... I was reading in the Book of Mormon in 3 Nefi this week and I got to the point where it says that not everything can be put in the Book of Mormon like the miracles and signs of Christ's coming. It made me wishful for more. What kind of things did the Nephites see that we won't get to hear about here? Probably a lot tbh. But I was praying about it and got the impression to look around me. There are miracles in our lives everyday. We just need to stop and look around and notice them. Then in our devotional that night, we had Elder Ringwood come and talk about "It fell on a day..." In the whole bible that phrase is found only 3 times. All in 2 Kings 4. At first glance it's similar to "and it came to pass..." but it's actually so much more. It's about miracles that happen that are solely because God has his hand in our lives. It went so well with what I was studying. What are my "It feel on a day..." moments? There are definitely a lot of them. My mission is a big long one, but there are some all around if we stop to look. I encourage you all to do that. On a lighter note Elder Robbins is actually the funniest. He was on something that day and did everything over top. I laughed so hard. He bought this giant key ring for all his flashcards and it looks hilarious clipped to his belt loop. Oh it was a good day.

Wednesday! We played soccer with The Danes because they won't be at soccer Saturday and it's sad. Monday is their last day. We all cried a little bit. It was way fun though. fun fact though! One of the new Poles is from Pocatello! And knows my friends the Johnson's who were Finnish mission presidents a few years ago! It was awesome to meet her. I took a picture so take a look at that! She's so fun! Her name is Sister Berrett and she's super sweet! After this class was a roller-coaster. We thought we were going to teach Veli Allen but we actually had to teach Veli Edwards so plans went out the window and a couple of people had to throw plans together to teach when they weren't planning on it. So S. Godfrey and I got stuff together because we teach both. We were practicing and the other 3 volunteered to go first so we didn't end up having to teach. It was really nice, but also sad. We need the practice. We also had a power outage halfway through class. It was big spook. I didn't think it was fun because emergency lighting is freaky. We had to go to dinner without lights too. Then we came back for class and TRC but the lights were still out so our teacher came and found us and brought us upstairs to the TRC floor where she works too. She had us just study there where there was some lighting. Which we almost had everyone. Only V. Harlow and Chugg went to dinner after us and never came. We put a note on the board, but they couldn't see, and because TRC was cancelled they didn't think to come upstairs. So all through class, we speculated where they were. V. Vawdrey thought one of them threw the other in a trash compactor. The teacher assumed they were fending of a zombie apocalypse on the roof. It was neither. They couldn't find us so they studied instead somewhere else. Eventually the lights came on though. Which was nice. AC, lights, no more spook. I really hate the dark.

Thanksgiving. Also Elder Hall's Birthday so shout out to him! It was a good, busy day. We had to go straight from breakfast to choir, so we hurried there. We practiced a lot and it paid off. WE got to sing for... ELDER UCHTDORF!!!! It was so awesome! Him and his wife talked about how awesome missionary work is! And to be grateful! It was so good! Then afterwards, he was walking through the crowd. As he was almost done, the organist started to play I Know That My Redeemer Lives. The whole audience started to sing and the Spirit was there so strong. I was crying. I couldn't shake his hand, but the Spirit told me that Elder Uchtdorf loves me and so does the Lord. It was very powerful and I cried quite a bit. Then we went back to class and had a devotional review before our Thanksgiving meal. It was yummy! Our next devotional was also about Light the World. It was awesome! Sister Eubanks talked and she went to Finland! It was so cool to listen to her speak! I like her a lot! Then we got to go do our service project. It was packaging breakfast meals for less fortunate. We were just the labor. We packaged so many yesterday! There was so many tables of people scooping and sealing and packaging to send. It was so fun! I got into the zone with it. We also got to listen to Christmas music which was awesome! Then we had sack dinners we had made early. We all chilled as a district and watched some videos the Elders had made. We all laughed and ate and hung out before the movie we got to watch. We ended up watching The Other Side of Heaven. It's a really good movie about a missionary in Tonga. We all loved it! After that we had another devotional but this was a musical devotional. I don't know who they were but they were good. I liked them! The Spirit was so strong today and I testify that the Lord loves you. He is aware of you in your life. If you turn to Him, He will be there. He is always there even if you don't turn to Him. He wants to bless you. He is your Heavenly Father. I know this. I have felt His love so much.

I hope you all are having awesome times! Life is really wonderful! I love you all so much and miss you!

Love, Sisar McCammon

Dads note:

Hey Dad!!

Thanksgiving was crazy yesterday. We did get to do some service but that will be in my big letter. It was way fun though!! I really enjoyed yesterday, but I was missing everyone a lot... It was really different and it would have been more fun to be with you, but here was good too. There is always enough to eat and I always eat too much, but yesterday they had all my favorites! The potatoes and gravy were really good! The potatoes here are always good though.

The language is coming. We're learning more and more and the more I learn, the more I speak. It is a little difficult speaking sometimes though, just because I think in English and having to translate isn't always fun, but it's good. My district really is awesome. I love them so much. I have to push myself way out of my comfort zone 24/7 and I hate it. But I sleep good at night so that's good. Yeah I love how having one purpose brings everyone together the way it does here. I have never realized how sincere you had to be before your questions would be answered. I ask a lot of questions out of curiosity, but here when I do God tells me to look in my own life and answer it myself. He sure does trust our judgement a lot. He wants us to continue to choose Him and love him. And when we do, He trusts us more.

Thank you for your prayers! I definitely feel them and I'm glad you're proud of me. It would be so much more difficult to be here if I didn't have your support. I love you so much!

Moms Note:

(Sometimes context is good, She always wants to know what she's missing while she's gone, I told her it only seems interesting because she's not here, if she was it would be boring and the same as always. I told her I hope she truly is happy and not just pretending even though sometimes we all pretend to get by! As a mom you just want your kids to be happy and to be able to take away the sad. This is something I can't do right now and its hard. Prayers are all I have!)

I am very good. Change is always hard, and the Poles left Monday and the Danes leave this next Monday and we are going to miss them loads. I know I shouldn't be but I am. I miss the physicality of you being here. I want yours and dad's hugs and being able to say Cierra watch this as I run up the hill singing the sound of music.. It's just different and it sucks. I know that. But same old same old is good and exciting and isn't changing.

I am Happy and I get sad, but it's always good. I just don't love change. I'll get used to it then It'll just change again. But I'll have to learn eventually. It'll not make me homesick too much. Some days just emailing home makes me homesick. I just need some time is all. I love you. I'm going to go finish up my laundry and I don't know if I'll get to email you again. I know we don't get to chat much, but i feel like that's better for me. Just know that I love you. I got your letter and package too. Thank you for that. I also got a package from the Armbristers. They're the bomb! Tell everyone especially the Fairbanks that I love them. If you seen them give them a squeeze for me! I love you Mama! I'll talk to you next week! I hope things stay the same for you keep me updated! <3<3<3 Love you whole bunches!!

Here are her pictures. The problem that I am running into is there isn't always an explanation as to the pictures. I can enjoy them but I have no idea what the story is behind them, so your guess is as good as mine! LOL!!!