December 14, 2009

Dearest Family,

That was a good letter! Kiitos paljon! So as of 1:30 this afternooon it was -13.5 Celcius, the cold has finally hit. It was about -1 yesterday and then somehow it just dropped! Pretty cool, Fortunatelly I enjoy the cold weather. P.s I think I am going to Buy some winter boots, My little toes are getting Cold in the snow, is that ok? I found a really good sale at a store 79.50 euros for some heavy duty winter gore-tex boots. What do you guys think? I’ll actually buy them today probably so this is kind of a redundant question… hahaha Love ya still!

Good to hear that everything is going great! He really is in Charge of everything, I love hearing the little stories like that! Haha good to hear the little girls got their packages on time, I hope the rest make it soon. (not sure ryan’s and kimberlie’s will I forgot to put priority stickers on theirs.. uhh ohh) haha I have a funny story about mom’s christmas package. So I stuffed it super full of just random odds and ends (one candy bar for jessica from Kyle ;) ) but it barley fit. I nearly tipped over the postage sending machine trying to stuff it in there…. People looked at me and probably thought 'what americans!'.

Wow, so I was able to watch the Christmas Devotional Yesterday and Wow It was incredible. So much to learn from it! I really like the emphasis they put on how the worldly things really can gum up the spiritual things if we let them. Also when President Monson said “The Christmases we remember best usually have little to do with the worldly things” SO TRUE! I think back and I don’t remember the gifts I gave or the gifts I received, but I remember the traditions we had and the time we spent together. I remember the sledding, I remember the Snowmen, I remember the Christmas eve drive to look at the lights. I remember the happiness and the peace felt at home. It is a great time! Ah I love Christmas time! I don’t remember if I have shared this or not, but last district conference sister Brown talked about how we are hear in Finland and that we are only here for a short time (2 years) then we go back to real life. So why not make these 2 Christmases unforgettable. So that’s what I am going to do 

Cool stories of the week, I was mistaken for a finn. Some person we were talking to on the street thought I was finnish. I only said like 3 sentences, but it boosted my self-esteem haha and then just yesterday my pride bubble was popped by the realization of how little finnish I know. I discovered a whole new world of Grammer rules, Pretty humbling. It was good to be humbled, pretty sure I needed it after that experience.

I’ll tell you a little about my investigators:

J is going to be a bishop someday, I just know it! He is hilarious, he signed a waiver that says he is going to follow the word of wisdom from dec 12 2009 until forever! He really liked the Idea and he has such a different countenance about him now-a-days, The power of the Book of Mormon.

P is sick right now, but other that that is doing great. We committed her to baptism last week, but she said she doesn’t think she is ready yet. Any suggestions you returned missionaries on how to get her ready now?
R is doing ok… We have a dinner appointment for christmas lined up with her and her daughter S (recent convert) she really needs to understand the reason church will help her

Oh yes about the phone calls, Did you guys double check the time zone difference to make sure that 10 am your time is 7 pm my time? Because I don’t want any mistakes! Lol Christmas day is filling up fast (2 dinner appointments already) also I lined up one of those dinner appointments to be at the time of the phone call. It is at sister S’s house, and I really wanted you guys to be able to meet her (kind of) She doesn’t know very much english at all! (1 english Phrase) she understands a lot though. But she is my favorite person in finland right now. If you guys don’t want that, if you want me to just be at my apartment and not at her house for the phone call that is ok with me. What would you like? I’ve already lined it up this way though  I can maybe translate between you guys! Also I only have like 40 minutes to talk on the phone so take that into consideration as well.

This was kind of a lame email, sorry I’ll try and make the next one better. I love you all and I hope all goes well as we continue to get closer and closer to CHRISTMAS! Remember why we have Christmas. I LOVED the first presidency christmas message (watch it again if you can ;) I wish I could) I’m grateful to be here in Pori with Vanhin Hamner, Man I am learning so much, It is incredible! Miracles happen all around me daily, wow… It is just undescribable (I think that is spelled wrong) Love you all

Merry Christmas (Hyvää Joulua)
With Love (Rakkaudella)

Teidän Poikanne (your son)/Teidän Veljenne (your Brother)

Vanhin Thomas Neal Nielsen

P.S Brad Is going to be the most incredible missionary there ever was! I know It! What a powerful example he is to me!