Dearest family,
Wow, Zone conference was everything that I had expected/been dreaming about for the last few weeks! President Brown is the man! I think Kyle’s mission president hit it right on the head when he said the President Brown is one of the most spiritual people in the world. He teaches with such an amazing understanding of the scriptures. He shared experiences that were truly from his heart. He corrected with complete and uttermost love! Oh man it was amazing! He taught us a lot of the vision we need to attain here in Finland. I started thinking as I started this email of how applicable that is to each of your lives. Anything can be done as long as it is expedient of the Lord and as long as we have the faith and the “vision” necessary to achieve it. To me what I learned from the discussion about the vision is that if we can truly attain the “Vision” of what we are supposed to do we will have that eternal perspective that I talked about last week, and once we get the vision and eternal perspective we have the power and motivation to do what is expedient of the Lord. Then we won't let anything get in our way (in a good sort of way) for example this language, we will see the need to constantly strive to do better so that we can portray to the Finns how much God loves them, and how important this life is. haha I love it! I hope that make sense, or at least I hope there is something in there applicable to each of you in your lives.
President Brown talked about a change happening in the mission as we become better and more obedient missionaries. It is amazing, I caught a little glimpse of how he uses Zone conference to teach missionaries about how they can act and learn and grow. He sets it up so we will use the 6 weeks in between to test some of the things he said, to really understand what he talked about. Then (at least from what he said) we will be ready for the next Zone Conference. We will have the experience needed! He is just molding Finland into a machine through which the Lord can do what is expedient :) I love President Brown so much.
We talked about some amazing things… maybe I will send a letter home because I don’t have my notes with me and I don’t think I could do it justice, just know that I was truly inspired and nurtured from an amazing Leader! A little bit about President, he was a CES Teacher for like 30+ years I think, he worked in their main office. He truly understands how to portray the feelings and thoughts he has… as I write this email I realize how much I lack in that aspect. I will hopefully get better because I want to be able to truly express how much I have learned here in Finland, and in the MTC. :) I know that there is no other way to learn some of the things that I have learned, Fromage you need to help the youth realize the benefits of a mission! Teach your young women to teach the young men! haha because I know at least for me that’s how I learned best ;)
This week in Pori was an amazing week! Not because of some of our numbers, we didn’t have any investigators in Church. :( but we had 5 less actives come to church. It was amazing to see them as I passed the sacrament, take it and the light in their face as the realized what they had been missing, Some of them for 17 years. Sister Salmi is one lady who knows the Church is true, but quit going to church because she got offended at one of the members. She has come for 2 weeks in a row, last week (yesterday) she gave the prayer in sacrament meeting. From what I understood she really gave a true heart-felt humble prayer and it was inspiring! Some of these people here are going to affect the way I live for the rest of my life. She is such an example to me! I don’t know if I have shared an amazing scripture finding story with you about her, have I? if not I will send it in my next letter home!
Let's see… what else happened, I went on splits with Elder Ranzemberger (my papa finn) at conference and that was amazing, we saw some miracles and help from the Lord. I’m going on splits with Elder Horne (MTC companion) on Wednesday!
haha I’ll tell one quick funny story, I was actually going to tell it in last week's email but I forgot. So my hair was getting long and I decided I needed to cut it, so I did. Fortunately we have a razor in our apartment; I busted that thing out and just started to go to town. I was feeling pretty good about it, got the top and sides looking nice, then I did the back and that’s when I almost started to cry. I guess I pushed to hard and the razor “clicked down” from a level 9 to a level 3 haha uhhh ohh I put two huge streaks in the back of my hair before I realized what I had done, it looked awful, but thanks to a little help from Elder Quinn I’m looking as good as ever… almost ;)
Good to hear all is well! I LOVE the Hall boys, they are champions! I still remember the day when alex’s beat me in an arm wrestle in like 2 seconds flat. That hurt my pride a little because he is like 4 years younger than me haha. He is a stud! Next time you talk to them say hi from me! The Halls and the Fronks truly are remarkable people, I’m grateful for their examples in my life!
Sounds like you guys had a blast! Good to hear! Those are always needed to help relax from all the stresses of life!
Fromage don’t even worry about the letter/package ordeal. Letters get forwarded to us from the mission home the day they are sent. So only Vanhin Quinn saw my lack of letters hehe. It really is O.K. as for packages, could I get some filler paper (like loss, lined paper like 800 sheets) that is 8.5x5.5 inches and like 3 or 4 black binders for them! just the little ones that fit that paper! That’s what I want for Christmas, deal? And some face stuff, I ran out ;( haha other than that I’m set. so don’t worry about sending anything else! maybe a letter for me and something little for my companion!
Holy cow I finished my whole checklist for my letter home! haha Love you all so much! continue to do what you are doing right now, Be Great! ;) Love you Love you Love you! Someone go play fetch with Rocky for me, He is prolly getting fat ;)
Love,
Vanhin Nielsen
p.s Is there anything Mitzi is missing from Finland?
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