Sorry if these are a lot of details that don't really matter, but I just want to tell you everything!
So Sisar Dayton and Sisar Seegmiller came to our apartment from Jyväskylä Thursday night and slept there. Then us and all the Elders from Tampere and Pori and Rauma and some other places were all in Tampere and we took a nice early 7 o clock train to Helsinki! The conference didn't start until 12 and we were all at the chapel at about 9 so we had lots of time to talk and re connect with everyone and then study and prepare ourselves for Elder Bednar. Actually we had been preparing for about a month. He sent some talks or his for us to all read ahead of time and I've been studying those for the past couple of weeks. It was SO good to see everyone again! Some of my old companions I hadn't seen in 6 months and some elders from my original district (about a year ago) were there too and it was just so fun!
So then we studied and got ready and then Elder Bednar came! He was accompanied by his wife and then President and Sister Kearon and Elder and Sister Jouttenus and then the Stake President and his wife from Jyväskylä, The Koivistos. (I skyped from their house for Christmas).
We started off from just hearing from the Kearons and Sister Bednar and then Elder Bednar got up and just asked us "Okay what did you learn from my talks?" so we just raised our hands and had a discussion with him. It was WAY cool. He would just ask us follow up questions that really made us think and in a way teach ourselves. It's hard to explain so I'll just have to demonstrate for you one day. But anyway, and then he let us ask him any question we wanted! So hands flew up and we had some amazing answers and insights but the most curious thing was realizing that the answers to most questions we have as missionaries were the same. He answers were repeatedly 1) Keep your covenants and stay worthy and 2) just be a little better today then you were yesterday. That's all this life is about! I think it's a lot of things us missionaries (and probably more of the sisters) needed to hear. Stop worrying about all the little details of life and just repent and be a little better today and everything will work out. He taught us a lot about HOW to improve and know what to work on and I'm really excited to apply these things. I've decided to really study and pray and fast about what I need to do and then DO IT! I have a temple session coming up and then general conference the next weekend so I'm super excited to go through this changing process of becoming better.
So afterwards we had a mission picture and got to talk to everyone again and then headed back to the train station! After grabbing some Hesburger and seeing some friends from Helsinki (like H and G) We all hopped on a train! Sisar Jones and I have really been praying about how to help the sisters here in our zone and on the train ride back we were brainstorming and came up with it! Answers do come! So I'll have to tell you all about this idea later once we actually implement it.
Well besides Elder Bednar, this week was AMAZING! Here are some other things that happened:
-The Turku sisters came to go on exchanges. I was with Sisar Ross and Sisar Jones was with Sisar Hillebrant. Well Sisar Ross and I had a great day! It started off with a CHURCH TOUR! Which is super normal for us to give, but this one was to an entire high school class! None of them knew anything about the church and it was in Finnish which was kinda intimidating, but it went great! Sisar Ross is only one transfer behind me in the mission so she did great! Then we had some lunch and met with our investigator briefly and just showed him where the church was and then we headed out to visit Sisar R. She's an older lady in our ward who's in the hospital so we went to talk to and sing to her. And then we had a DA with a member family. There's super cute couple with a 1 year old daughter and Sisar Ross just connected with them immediately because the dad is from Turku (where she serves). Then we headed out to a Women's Broadcast from Germany to all the Sisters in the European Area! Elder Bednar and Ballard spoke again and it was awesome! Lots of cool notes on that as well.
-So we have an investigator named J that we set a baptismal date with last week and decided this week to give him to the Elders. So we had a joint lesson at the church on Thursday and then he stayed for the baptismal service of a little member girl in the ward. And he loved it! So even though he's the Elders' investigator now, we're super excited! He came to church yesterday and is progressing and doing just great!
-Speaking of church yesterday, Sisar Jones and I sang a special musical number! We volunteered to do it and then realized it was ward conference and that ALL of the stake leaders and a bunch of other people were there, but it went great anyway! We sang "Niin Suuri Oot" "How Great Thou Art"
Sorry so so much more happened this week but I gotta go! Have a wonderful week and remember that I love you all so much! You're in my prayers :)
Sisar Crandall
Pictures:
MTC DISTRICT REUNITED!
MTC Companion- Sisar Howell
Sisar Jones and I in the fog
No comments:
Post a Comment