Dearest Family,
I love finland haha and it is starting to look and feel alot like the finland I came into almost an entire year ago! Can you believe that? I hit my one year mark in finland next wednesday (Oct 6) That just blows my mind! Finland is definentally the greatest mission in the whole world (not comparing or being prideful... just stating the facts as I see them :) ) It has been incredible to see the change that has happened in the missionary work just in the last year that I have been here! President Brown is doing an incredible thing among the missionaries here! I can't remember if I told you this or not, but someday I'll have to tell you all the stories about "the old Finland mission" haha it was... different lol. Now we are truly relying on the spirit and finding those people that the Lord has been preparing. This new program has aided quite a bit in that process.
Because of this new program I have been in Helsinki for a couple week long leadership meetings. This meeting is all about the more simple and more trust on the spirit way of being a Preach My Gospel Missionary, I love it! I really can't tell you about all the things that are so simple, but make an incredible difference in the Lord's work. I love learning all these and hope that I can apply these correctly... haha maybe one day I'll have time to sit down and share all my thoughts about this into a tape recorder so you guys can know how I feel. I feel like every week I just leave you a little more and more confused... Finland is AMAZING!
This week was a great week and there was A LOT to be learned in this meeting. My thoughts actually were quite influenced by what dad shared in his email last week the "lift where you stand" principle. It was increidible to have the holy ghost testify and so cleary explain to me that truely God has called you here at this specific time because he has a specific work for you to do. Man... He truly is omnipotent and can comprehend things a lot more thoroughly that man can. It was a tender mercy to have a testimony brought to my heart that I am here in Jyväskylä for a very specific purpose and that God has not called me to fail, He will help me as I humbly and sincerely seek his guidance. I think this principle applies to everyone everywhere. We showed God that we are willing and desirious to follow him earlier, and now we are here in our specific appointed place, calling, family, whatever it may be, to succeed. Lift where you stand is all that we can do, it is all we are expected to do because God knows what is best for us... we just need to learn! :) Sorry that was a lot of jumbled thoughts I have had over the past week!
Throughout the whole mission we were given a book of mormon challenge (from the end of chapter 5 in PMG) President gave us each a fresh clean copy of the Book of Mormon and gave some guidelines for underlining and marking, unfortunatelly I don't have time to go into detail, but I have learned a lot about the Book of Mormon and the powerful testimony it has as a testimant of Jesus Christ... INTENSE!
So questions... Week was wonderful, I was in Helsinki and stayed the week in Elder Quinn's (my trainer) apartment, I love that Elder. Funnest part of the week was hearing the amazing things president Brown shared, and being with Elder Higginson who is quite likely the funniest person I have ever meet. Dirty rotten part of the week... I would have to say that I don't really know (I try and block those from my memory ;) lol) Food, Ihan Hyvä... it is good.. ish :) lol... Nope not gaining much weight, Elder Fuchs likes running too much haha. No I think I'm good on a suit and shoes, i really am surprised at how well these eccos are holding out! I will however accept as many black pens as you are willing to send :) especially the Bic ones that write really smooth... I'm down to my last one (they are white, kinda opaq, and aren't anything fancy, just from walmart and they come in a pack of 10 for like 2$) That is one thing Finland doesn't have cheap pens... or good deoderant haha.
District leader is going well. Our district meeting is going to be all about the Book of Mormon this week!
Love you all! Glad everyone is doing great! haha sorry my emails are all pretty much the same... I'll try and get some variance in there someday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY W!
Rakkaudella,
Vanhin Thomas Neal Nielsen
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