August 20, 2012 (abt 194 days left)

Well family! A few of you have asked me about my change calls. We got them last Friday haha! It was so intense because I knew it was coming! It was so cool, because usually President calls on Friday around 9pm so the whole day is really intense! I was doing some paper work stuff, and all of the sudden the phone rang in my hands with Presidents special ring-tone. I set his ringtone as this super intense creepy tone haha! It reminds me of the twilight zone hahaha! So I answered and he said, Elder Perry you're going up to.......................... missä se voisi olla?????? OULU!!!! I get to go up north as a zone leader! I am really excited. This means that I get to go do compi exchanges in Joensuu with the district leader there, and hopefully see Sister Turunen haha (finnish mom)! I was so excited. I have only been in 2 cities so far in my mission: Joensuu, Kouvola, and now Oulu. I am so grateful for the opportunity. Yesterday in church it was so sad. I arrived in church and we had 4 investigators come! Both our baptismal dates and two other progressing investigators, It was kind of a record haha. They announced that I was being transferred and I was a little sad haha. We started closing with the hymn after the last speaker. As I opened my hymn book and looked down at the words I heard my name in the microphone. We would be pleased to hear from Elder Perry, and we would like to give him this opportunity to bear his testimony. My head shot up! I walked up to the stand, and looked out over the people. I was speechless; I didn't know what to say. However the words came and I expressed my extreme love for the Lord, and for them. It was like a dream come true. I saw our investigators who are preparing for baptism, and others who are looking into it, and I felt so grateful for the Lord, who has blessed our efforts here. We had an awesome experience with one of our investigators here. We met a girl in the church parking lot. She actually lives in the same building as the church (the chapel is a rented hall under apartment buildings.). A day or two before we met her the second time, I called just to see how she was doing, and she talked about how much the chapter we gave her in the book of Mormon had affected her in a good way! She knew she needed to be baptized. We taught her the plan of salvation this time. Before we taught her, we followed up on her commitment to read 2 Nephi 31 about baptism. She loved it. As we started teaching the plan of salvation she was very in-tune. The spirit was working with her very strongly. As we were teaching about the spirit world, all of the sudden she stopped us. She asked about baptism. (We were not even teaching about baptism, it is very apparent that the spirit was speaking to her. He was saying you need to be baptized!!!) We dropped everything and answered her questions, and then we committed her! Will you be baptized!? She said yes! As my companion testified to her about how much Heavenly Father loves her, and about the Plan of Salvation, she began to tear up. She knows it is true! I was so grateful for the Spirit who said to her, "This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:16). As far as our other investigator goes, he felt like he wanted to post pone his baptismal date for 3 weeks. He felt that he needs some more time to stop chewing the nicotine gum. It is perfectly okay, we set a new goal with him for the 15 of September. So cool! I won’t be here for the baptisms. However I realized a long time ago, and especially when Eddie wrote me that I'm not here just for the baptisms. I am here to do the work, and go to where the Lord wants me. If he wants me on the other side of Finland, that's good enough for me. I have seen so many miracles in this city. I have really developed closer to the man (don't giggle!) that the Lord wants me to become. I have learned so many things I need to do, and not do haha to accomplish His commandments. I am grateful for Him, and rejoice in Him. He really is my friend, and my relationship with him is becoming the most important thing that I have control over. I leave here on Tuesday night at about 10pm. I take a night train all the way from Kouvola to Oulu and arrive there at about 7:45 in the morning. I'm traveling alone, and I get a room with a bed haha. I guess there will be one other person in my room haha. The assistants talked about putting me in a room with a college girl haha. (Insert smile) No complaints ;) Common mom I'm just kidding! Chill haha. Love you fam, I don't know my new address yet. Just send my stuff to Neitsytpolku, I'll get it from there. I'll send you my new address next week. RAUHA! Elder Perry PS mom I'll call president today to ask him about that endorsement and get back to you next week.