STILL IN JYVÄSKYLÄ!

Her address in Jyvaskya is:

Polkkakuja 5 C 27
40520 JYVÄSKYLÄ

Finland

Hello my family and friends!

Yep! I'm still in Jyväskylä! I finished my 12 week training yesterday (Funny how I've been on a mission 5 months and was still in training...) and my trainer goes home tomorrow! So now my threesome goes down to just 2 and it's really sad :( Sisar Ballif is amazing and I'm so glad I got to serve with her! I really couldn't have asked for or imagined a better trainer. I was so blessed in that aspect. So now Sisar Dayton and I are together and on our own. I'm really glad I don't have to leave this beautiful city because I LOVE it here and I'm finally learning my way around and getting to know all the members really well (It kinda takes longer with a language barrier...) But I'm glad I get at least a little more time here! But the next week of my mission will probably be one of the hardest ones so far since we'll be doing lots of adjusting and having to do things on our own but I'm excited to learn a lot! So my Jyväskylä address is still valid and I'll always get anything sent to the mission office anyway. Thanks!

Well This week was sure an adventurous one! Definitely another one for the books. It started off on Monday when we went to an investigator's classic guitar concert. So cool! And then later in the week (I think on Wednesday) we had an AMAZING lesson with an investigator and invitied him to be baptized and he accepted! And then right at the end of the lesson, the Stake President showed up and got to meet him! (The lesson was at the church). And there are only 2 stakes in Finland which means only 2 stake presidents so this was a big deal and such a great experience for the investigator. 

Oh! On Tuesday, we were on our way to choir practice at the church and ran into a lady at the bus stop. She actually stopped us and asked when the bus was coming and started chatting it up and then she told us that she stopped us because of the light we had. It was pretty cool, especially now that it's pitch black outside at about 4. So then we got on the bus and she sat down right next to me and said "So what's this book you were talking about? Can you tell me about it?" Uhhh Yeah I can! (Okay, that's not really a quote since she said it in Finnish...) So we gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and got her name and number and we're going back there this week to teach her and her kids! We were pretty late to choir practice, but who cares! She was definitely a prepared person and I gain a testimony of that more and more everyday. 

We also had a great "family night" With a couple in the ward and their non-member daughter-in-law and her son. We made some Finnish food (Karelian pirakka - look it up) and taught her all about Enos and prayer and she agreed to read Alma 32 and let us talk to her about it so that was an amazing experience as well! So yeah. lots of way cool things going on in this area! We've had the goal to split the ward and have 2 wards here in Jyväskylä and we're just working on finding and teaching families to accomplish that goal! 

On Sunday we traveled to Tampere for Stake Conference. All the Jyväskylä missionaries sang in the choir and a huge group of young women sand "Daughter of a King" In Finnish and I just bawled through the whole thing! Maybe I was crying because I actually understood, but the spirit was really strong there. We had a wonderful speaker, Elder De Feo (I think) and he talked all about giving all we can to the Lord and not worrying if it's enough. He will multiply our efforts to achieve his goals. I loved it :) Just what I needed to hear :)
I'm so excited to be a missionary at this time! (Uhh I just somehow centered my email and I have no idea how to uncenter it in Finnish so that's what you get!) Things of course have their ups and downs, but Finland is just gonna explode soon (if it's not already...) And I can't wait! 

Oh, also this week my companions and the other sisters took me out to lunch for my birthday since Sisar Ballif wanted to be there so that's what one of the pictures is. The other picture is of me and Sisar Dayton on the way to a 4 O'CLOCK APPOINTMENT and it's completely dark outside. Jyväskylä had this huge "Christmas kick-off" party thing and it's officially the Christmas season here with Christmas trees and lights on every corner and store and music everywhere and little Christmas shops opening up everywhere and a huge star hung in the city center and I just love it :) Finland really is a magical place to be for Christmas. (Wow I just attached both of those pictures and I just look frozen and fat in both of them... I swear it's just the jacket!)

AH! I forgot the best part of the week! I got a bunch of mail and got Melissa and Joseph and Camille's present!!! THANKS! I absolutely love it! And it fits perfectly! You guys are awesome! (Sorry I already opened it...)

Well, basically I'm doing great and this week will be difficult and full of change but I can't wait to see how it'll go! Thanks for all the pictues! Sounds like lots of fun things going on at home! I love you all so much! Thanks for all your love and support!

Sisar Crandall