Hello my Family!!
So dumb experience up in Oulu, cooking with the sisters, and doing dishes haha. Elder Nielsen and I were washing dishes and I we came up with a system. I would rinse, he would scrub and then we would switch. An amazing thought came to me, literally like a light bulb over my head illuminating!! I said, (in front of the sisters) you know..., it would be really something if they invented a machine to do this? Hmm... like a contraption to wash the dishes all on their own... hmm... I paused and said, "Oh no... what did I just say." YOU DUNCE!!! gosh, don't over do it Plato, don't want a vessel in the brain to burst.
Everyone was really nice about it though haha, they kept asking me if I brought my rubber sheets with me, and if I ever need any help, they were more than willing to give me help... not sure what that means, but I assured them that I don't need rubber sheets anymore.. I gave those up when i was like 16.
I'm going to be frank for a moment, even though my name is Will. Life is going very good here in Joensuu! Except we are never in it! We are always traveling to different meetings, and branches, and it is kind of hard. But the meetings are 110% neccessary. We had our last zone conferance last Saturday with President Brown in Oulu. He is so cool!! He was a seminary teacher, and he is a very visual teacher. He teaches with power and authority. He gave us the counsel to always prepare for meetings spiritually. This comes from the Book of Mosiah chapter 2 verse 9. As I have taken the counsel, and have applied it, I have seen why it's so important. We should always go to the meetings with questions, looking for direction, no matter what the meeting is.
Now I hope you can take me seriously, (clearing throat right now) okay... ready...
I have been studying, and pondering about Helaman's son Nephi (in the book of Helaman 10:4-5). He had it pretty rough in his mission. No one listened to him, or carred about what he said. It says that he was deppressed and as he was going home, after all he could do the Lord said unto him,"Blessed art thou, Nephi, for the things which thou hast done. For I have beheld how thou hast declared with unwearyingness the word which I have given unto thee. And thou hast not feard them, and has not sought thine own life. But thou hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments."
Talk about the coolest answer to a prayer!!!! But more specifically, he was so dilligent in his priesthood service. I have been thinking how can I do that? In the next verse it talks about how the Lord trusts him with his power, because he knows that Nephi won't ask for anything that is against the Lords will. I have been trying to apply that in my life. Sometimes it is easy to forget that the Lord has a plan, I'm apart of His Plan. Not the other way around.
There was a broadcast to Europe with President Erying talking to the Saints (and some other general authorities). He looked very nice, but everything was in Finnish...(insert big sigh here) jk. Anyways he focused on the importance to follow the bretheren. He said that the words of the current prophet are scripture, and are more important than any other past document of scripture. We can't fall if we seek to follow the prophet and His counsel to us.
I had a real big testimony building experience with setting goals at zone conference, and yesterday. After the meeting we went out to do some work. Elder Claig and I went out on the streets of Oulu. Before we left, I felt like I should set some goals with Him. We set our goals: place 2 copies of the Book of Mormon, and recieve 2 phone numbers. We prayed and told Heavenly Father our Goals and went out. I placed my first book of mormon without any help that day. I went up to her, introduced the B.O.M, answered her questions, and recieved her phone number without any language help from my comp!!!!!! The Lord has been helping me so much!! He has been helping me with the things that I struggle with. The statement, "Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies," is very true. Now i'm not going to say that I'm fluent of course! I can barely buy stamps at the posti!! But when it comes to his work... He makes it happen.
My mission president is so amazing. Every week we type him letters, and he gives us counsel that sometimes we didn't even ask for. He is very aware for the work going on in Finland. He turned the mission around. Finland is one of the most progressing missions in Europe right now. We are finding and baptizing more people than ever before. it is a miracle.
[Mom] We are making your potato soup on sunday, and elder Nielsen is very excited.
Dad, So those were very cool pictures, but you still haven't shown me a picture of your dang dog!!!!!! haha. I can't believe Natalie's friend drove the camero before me! In our mission, our district and zone leaders, have these little hatch back's that are funny lookin!! however very economical... . and there are extra cup holders in case you were wondering.
P.s. I am sending you both pictures this week.
Love ya,
Will
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