kuitenkin.... My week!!
We had district council and we thought we were staying in Mikkeli for lunch and contacting, but last minute we got a call and found out that because it was raining, we weren't. So we were already on the train and had lunch and everything. Bit disappointing, but we ate our grilled cheese and tomato soup like champs during the last 15ish minutes of district council. It was fun. Then we had to rush to the train and just made it in time. It was great. Then we came home and got everything ready and ran to the bus to Joutseno. We tracted there a little bit then went to a member's house and helped her get the trees that they had cut down sorted and stacked. They will use the wood to heat their house. It was way fun. Lots of bugs and bites, but altogether good. Then we came home tired and dirty. It was a good day.
On Thursday, we went out to another member's house and helped her get her gardens ready for planting. Lots of weeds, and we got to plant strawberries and tyrnimarja. So that was fun! Then she fed us and we had ice cream and tyrni for dessert. Then her and her oldest son came with us to hopefully have a lesson. We made it clear we were just stopping by and had not set up a lesson. But she was in the process of moving to Estonia. So.... It was slightly embarrassing, but they were chill about it. I think it was nice for the son because he got to feel his missionary days again. Then we came home and changed and went out and contacted and tracted just in the area where we live.
On Friday we weekly planned and visited an older member and brightened her day with a talk and sang her favorite hymn. It was super nice. Then we came home for dinner and the evening happened. We found some Rivitalos (row houses) by the hospital and golf course and were tracting and contacting over there. It was really difficult. We just got no after no. It was always a nice no, but still a no. After a while we left because it was not effective. So we walked over to Saimaa, but felt that we should walk by the church. We sat on a bench for a moment for me to fix my shoe, and a neighbor walked by with her adorable dog. So we got to talk to her and she asked quite a few questions about us and what we do. She wasn't interested, but it was awesome to see the Lord had been working on her since the last time we saw her. Then we walked by the school and saw all the teenage boys playing sähly (floor ball) and making jokes. We even saw a couple roll in on their bicycles. Then we continued on and as we walked down this one street a large group of maybe 7 or 8 men walked by all slightly drunk. I was a little nervous and I could tell that Sister Nielson has tensed up as well. But almost immediately one of the men raised his had and said "Kiva Nähdä" (nice to see you) then high-fived us. Then following his example, all his friends high-fived us then walked on. Then we finally made it to Saimaa and contacted this guy on a bench and talked for almost 20 minutes. he was interested enough to take a book but not to meet. It was a really good contact and all the little things led up so that we could talk to that man. we had to race home after because it was home and safe time, but we just really felt prompted to talk to him. It was a tender mercy because God put all those little people and things in our path to lighten our day enough so that we could testify happily to that man and say that it is true. It was awesome.
Saturday was a day full of finding within walkable places because my bus card was out since it has been a month and we completely forgot. Whoops. So all the plans that we had made were now kaput. As a side note it has been a very long time since we have had face to face contact with our recent convert, and it was finally time that we decided to put her into follow up, instead of endlessly sending unanswered messages and calling over and over. The same day that we updated her record and put her into official follow up was one of the most difficult days of the transfer. We had been out tracting houses almost all day. We went in some giant circles and absolutely no one wanted to talk to us. It was incredibly discouraging. We ended a large circle of contacting and noticed that we were right next to an apartment building where she lives. We decided to try to door bell for the twentieth time since Sister Nielson has been in this area, so we went and rang. And she ANSWERED!!!!!!!! We were buzzed in and as we walked up the stairs, I was excited because I have never met this member, and neither has sister Nielson When we got up to her apartment she was standing in the door expecting a friend who was picking her up to go to her daughter's graduation party. We stood in the door and talked for over twenty minutes! She was sorry to have not been coming to church and she said she has been reading the Book of Mormon! We prayed with her and had a really good contact. She even said that this week she would love to meet with us! It was a huge mercy for that day. One of the bigger miracles that helps you notice the smaller ones as well. We are so excited for her and the guidance of the Spirit in everything we are doing, even if we don't see daily miracles, they do occur when we look for them and try earnestly to find them. (Sat is the day they saw the sandcastles in the picture below. She said there is a huge festival there and as they all get built she'll send more photos)
Sunday we had church and one of our friends came! He is so cool! He is from Cameroon in Africa and he loves church! He only speaks English though so we had in sacrament someone translated for him and the two other English speakers. Then someone in Sunday School did the same. so sweet. After church we went to a member's house and taught her about the Restoration to practice and get Finnish help. Way fun! And she is so sweet. We talked about the 21 day challenge and she shared that she had already started it. And she shared that she wants to help the missionaries by spreading the gospel to everyone she can. She is literally probably a better missionary than me! She rocks! She goes and finds people on the street and at the events. I think she really loved having us over to talk about missionary stuff and just to hear more about her life. Then we came home and did studies and took a nap for lunch and did some calls before having dinner. Except our oven wasn't working. So we had to pack up food and we cooked at the church. It was a delicious taco dinner. Then we took everything home and headed out to an area and contacted so many people. At one point we were looking for this building and we asked a lady who was heading into her house and she said go to the side of the house and I will point the way from my balcony. So we talked to this lady from Pakistan from her balcony. After all this we were walking to the church for a meeting when our landlord called to talk to us about our oven. So we ran home really quickly and he talked us through how to check which breaker was flipped and fix it. And we fixed our oven! All in Finnish! And all before our ward coordination meeting at 8. It was a good day.
Monday I got my bus card and we celebrated by heading to a further out area and proceeding to tract and contact out there to no luck. But one person we were trying to meet with, we called and set up a lesson with! So that was exciting! Then the evening we went to another far out area and tracted there. It was a day of no success, but we had fun and it was good! It was a twirling kind of day!!
I don't think there is anything else for this week. I do suggest the talk "What have I done for someone today" by President Monson in October of 2009. It is a really good one and I really enjoyed reading it this week. As I turn toward others and look at the ways I serve people everyday, I really have felt the Lord with me. He loves each of you and I do too. Until next week! Nähdään!!
Rakkaudellani
Sisar McCammon
She sends some of the most gorgeous pictures! Finland is a beautiful place.
I hope they tracted this building that seems like a sign or something! Dontcha think???
Service!
Prepping for the sandcastle - Check out this facebook page it has a lot of cool sculptures. Should be fun for Abbie to see! https://www.facebook.com/Lappeenrannanhiekkalinna/
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