April 4, 2011 (well... I can't say much happend this week... NOT!!)

Dearest family,

Holy cow! Crazy week haha and my head is still spining. Well... I guess I will just go through the whole list of things that happened. VELI MATT WAS BAPTIZED!!! yay! when we first told our ward mission leader that he is going to be baptized on the 1st of april he asked us if we are sure it isn't an april fools joke (in a joking manner of course) and it sure wasn't. It was a very good meeting. As soon as I get my Old SD card from you mom I'll send all my pictures and baptismal programs from the last 3 baptisms. Miracles are happening family. Baptisms are just sky rocketing in finland. I don't remember if I shared with you or not but Elder sharp and I felt strongly that we needed to commit our Zone to invite our Zone to invite all our investigators to baptism (we even gave a 2 week dead line) because Elder Causse who came about a year ago said we should be doing it in every teach anyways. Anyways long story short we did that and have followed up and our dates went from 9 clear up to 15 in our zone. It was a very wonderful thing to see how faithful the missionaries are and how much heavenly father has blessed our investigators who really are searching. It was incredible. ANYWAYS... I'm talking about Veli matt's baptism. It went well. Here is a funny story we were filling up the font and (well... I don't know if this was kosher to leave the chapel while it was filling... haha) but we realized neither of us have camera's... and neither of us wanted to face the punishment of our mothers as we tried to explain that we didn't have any pictures from the baptism. ( the baptismee said he would hop right back out of the water if it was cold) So we left the water on warm and went home as fast as we could to get our cameras (still a little guilty about leaving the church with running water... we have repented though) and get back... all and all the round trip took something like 35 minutes. We get back and the water was SUPER warm... like it stung to put our hands in, by that time the font was all but full and ready for baptism. We turned it to all the way cold and hoped it would be bareable... haha it was. but I thought it was a funny experience... luckily the water had an hour to cool down a bit. The talks were really good and I think our other investigator who was there really benified from them... good good good all around.

Fun to hear from you family. Wasn't general conference just incredible?! I personally love president uchtdorfs talk from priesthood session with talked about how we often time live under our privelages, in the priesthood as well as children of divine heritage. He gave a good example of this. He told of a man who scrimped and saved to save up enough money to go on a cruise to visit the cities he had always dreamed of going. He bought a ticket and packed canned beans, crackers, and powederd lemonade so he would not have to spend extra money. On the cruise he saw the delicious foods, the mini golf, and many other fun things that people did on the ship and longed badly for these but told himself he could afford them and went to his cabin and ate crackers and beans. He visited the cities he longed for, but it wasn't until the end of the cruise he found out that ALL that he had envied and desired was included in the ticket price. Pretty sad story... but sometimes we do the same sort of things. We do all we can to live the laws of God and we work and do our best, but then when we are being obedient we doubt that we can really have all the blessings the spirit has to offer. President uchtdorf talked about that and the priesthood (I applied to obedience in general... It was really good! I felt like all of general conference was to help us understand that we need personal revelation daily, and we need to act when we receive personal revelation... really really powerful... yet so very simple :) So simple even I can do it... and every sinlge on of God's children.

I really enjoy dad's emails, it makes me laugh how much the garden gets mentioned. I feel like last years produce just got finished off last week and now we are starting a new season :) I'm looking forward to hearing about it´s growth... I'm going to start comparing the garden to dad's garden... so keep me updated :) lol.

Well... one quick funny story. with a good moral. We contacted a lady on the street and it was super icy. She said very rudely "No" to us. I didn't think anything of it, until I turned around just to see her slip on the ice a few meters behind us. I ran back to help her up. I think she was very suprised to see the person she was just rude to help her up out of a situation like that. I think it touched her. She said "anteeks kun mä vastasin niin rapeasti" sorry I responded so crisply...

43And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;

44But behold I say unto you, love your ^aenemies, bless them that curse you, do ^bgood to them that hate you, and ^cpray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;

45That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise ^aon the evil and on the good.

Love everyone...
Love,
Elder nielsen

March 28, 2011 (It's snowin' there too?!?)

Dearest Family,

What a joy it is to see lily! haha martianless head and all :) lol I probably shouldn't make jokes about that, because boston is so cute now a-days, I just was scared the first time I saw him.... (mom you can edit this out if it is offensive ;) ) Fun to see that life is good and fun to hear the little stories about prayer. That is crazy though... I think heavenly father sent a text for me to pray for kimberlie and lily too... 10:20 P.M. my time...

Boston Boston Boston... I might have to admit that I am a bit jealous that you got to be with him. Thanks for the top 5 story count down. Life is great.

So, this week has gone very well. We have a new investigator, well techinically isn't an investigator yet, so we couldn't count her or the member teach for this week but that is a different story... Her name is dani and she is wonderful. The member we had there was perfect and I really am excited to see what comes of it. She asked what it is like to be a member so we passed the question to the member, he explained a little and mentioned the Word of Wisdom. She then explained that she quit drinking 4 years ago because it felt wrong. Then we quickly mentioned what the word of wisdom is and that it is so we can feel the spirit. Elder sharp said it includes 5 things and said coffee was one of them and she laughed. (finns and coffee is like koreans and tea) She said "sorry i'm laughing, it is just that I quit drinking kahvia 3 weeks ago because I was so addicted to it" I was in shock! She is a wonderful finnish, on top of the ball, smart, single mother this gospel is going to bless her so much!! She is great, we however didn't get a return appointment because her next week is absolutely full, she sent us a text (after we texted the times for general conference) to thank us for the visit and to assure us that we could meet next week. Little miracles are so abundant... I really never cease to be amazed at how true the promise is in 2 nephi that angels are preparing people to accept this marvolous work and wonder :)

So coming up this week is a baptism with Veli-matt... He is wonderful, and very very ready to make this covanent with God. It is going to be all smiles this friday... I feel a little bad because we have had to move our Zone leader council, messing with the other Zone leaders schedules, but president Brown understands how important baptisms are. So, this is a fun little miracle for finland... So the year before president brown came to finland there were a woppin' 34 baptism and Finland had been kinda dropping for a long time, nothing big for 25 years or so. This month as a mission their were 11 baptism in one month, that hasn't happened in Finland for a long time! YAY!! and next month there are already 20 dates scheduled for the whole month. Veli-matti Koivula is going to start the month off with a bang! I love the people of Finland! The Lord is really pouring out angels to prepare people to accept the message.

Life is good, I feel like I have never been happier in my life. The work is brutal sometimes but so rewarding. The promise from God is that if we give him our hearts,and obey his commandments He will help us have peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. I think it is finally starting to click (lol... I thought I knew 7 months on the misssion.... and I'm sure i'll look back and say "ya I really didn't know what I was talking about at 20 months on my mission" but the process is fun!)

So... I love hearing the stories, we are still working with our investigators... so are dropping, but others being found! I'm excited for the upcoming baptisms! I love the Finland!

I think that is all I have to say... Love ya! Hey I bought a finnish suit by the way.. .THanks for the christmas gift all those who gave christmas money :D haha I sent a letter to mom and dad... hope you got it!

Love,

Vanhin Thomas Neal Nielsen

P.S. I think I saw Kyle on Mormon.org as it was presented to us in a meeting. does he have a profile on that? the picture looked like him... It was on the side of one of the pages there...

March 21, 2011 (Kimberlie hasn't popped yet?!? haha)

Dear Family,

What an incredible week! Thanks for the good news all around, it makes my heart happy to hear about everything going on, and to hear how sure you all on the foundation of the Savior! Haha Kimberlie is still expecting... thats good... I am ok with waiting on the pictures until the lily is has a normal shaped head. I still wake up screaming because of nightmare of baby boston's abnormally shaped head... haha just kidding! You can send the pictures on over, that is very exciting! (I have faith that she will turn out as cute as boston in the end) and (not sure about the phone call to my president... although I will be all day with him tuesday)

So last week was a great week, It snowed all day saturday and so we ended up with a couple inches on top of the meter we have had all winter. I LOVE SNOW!! Elder Sharp and I are doing great, I love working with him. It is fun to work with someone who is for the most part at the same stage as you in your mission. We get along very well, even though I would say we are about as different as it gets. He reminds me of you dad because he is a numbers guy and really knows his stuff. I have a little more williams genetics inside of me (running into glass walls and stuff) haha actually this morning I slipped on the ice on our morning run and scraped me knee ;( but nothing to bad... I'll get better!

We have really been seeing miracles all over finland and especially here in Espoo. Espoo is really exploding and the Lord is really helping the investigators I have some stories I want to share. So our area president, Elder Caussé, commited us last august to invite all our investigators to baptism (somethign that we should be doing anyways all the time) Elder sharp and I have felt like that has slipped again and so we brought it up to our Zone and commited. We too took that commitment (you gotta live what you preach :) ) and we are really seeing some increidible things. The Ali family said they would be baptized when they receive the assurance from the Holy Ghost that we talked about. They talked very openly and they are just an incredible family! Yesterday in our lesson we talked about the plan of Salvation and how we are all brothers and sisters. They shared about how big of a deal family is in Africa, and how even your neighbors are included in you family! haha they already live gospel principles! I really am excited for them. Another investigator Matt is really starting to progress and understand the power of the Book of Mormon.

Veli-Matt is a stud! I'll have to share his whole story sometime because right now isn't the appropriate place or time... But it is a good story! Maybe I'll ship off a letter to mom and dad. Good stuff. The gospel blesses families. So, in our last teach (which was also yesterday) we talked about the Law of Tithing and he shared his testimony about it.. It was really neat. His wife is a member and they have been married for 9 years or so, so he knows everything there is to know about the gospel. Elder sharp and I are now just helping him continue going forward and to live it! It has been a really fun experience thus far. His baptism is April 1st and we pretty much have everything ready... I'm stoked!

This week was neat because in Hyvinkää (the city that Elder fuchs is a district leader in) was preparing for a baptism and I had the opportunity to held the baptismal interview, it was a neat because this man (Tim) really was ready and the spirit testified powerfully to me, even though at first glance I may have thought otherwise. God knows what is inside of us and that really in the end is all that matters! It was a neat eye opener for me. So we held splits there and all went well, until I get back to Espoo and realize that I forgot to sign the baptismal Record.... OHHH NOO!! so we had to make a special visit on saturday (the day of the baptism) and go get my "John Hancock" on the record... God is a God of order! It was fun to be at the baptism as well! Tender mercies all around!

President shared a couple really good quotes about teaching and humility:

Elder Richard G. Scott once said, “Humility is that quality that permits us to be taught from on high through the spirit or to be taught from sources whose origin was inspiration from the Lord, such as scriptures and the comments of the prophets. Humility is the precious, fertile soil of righteous character. In it, the seeds of personal growth germinate. When cultivated through the exercise of faith, pruned by repentance, and fortified by obedience and good works, such seeds produce the cherished fruit of spiritual direction.” That is exactly what we need at this time, spiritual direction. Similarly, Elder David A. Bednar said, “We must be careful to remember in our service that we are conduits and channels; we are not the light. ‘For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you’ (Matt 10:20). It is never about me and it is never about you.

Pretty neat! Tommorow we have a special Zone meeting that I'm stoked for... president is going to really teach us good!

I feel like ammon! alma 26

11But Ammon said unto him: I do not ^aboast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my ^bjoy is full, yea, my heart is brim with ^cjoy, and I will rejoice in my God.

12Yea, I know that I am ^anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will ^bnot boast of myself, but I will ^cboast of my God, for in his ^dstrength I can do all^ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

So I love you and hope have a wonderful week! Say hi to Lily for me! I hope this email was good enough to ward off the mission president phone call for at least another week :)

Love,

Vanhin Thomas Neal Nielsen

March 16, 2011 (Wow... How can you thank Him enough?)

Dearest Family,

Heavenly Father really does take care of us as long a we put our trust in Him and remember, like Jesus said to "ask and it shall be given you". I can't even beging to share how happy I am about the things I am hearing from you. It really is a blessing to know in whom we trust. Although we face all sorts of trials, difficulties, and even temptations as long as we remember to who is in charge and remember to council with him (in all our doing) We will still have the peace of God which passeth all understanding through the atonement of Christ.

We know from the Scripture mastery in the New testament that we won't be tempted above that which we can handle:

1 Cor. 10:12-13
12Wherefore let him that thinketh he ^astandeth take heed lest he ^bfall.

13There hath no temptation ^ataken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be ^btempted above that ye are able; but will with the ^ctemptation also make a way to ^descape, that ye may be able to ^ebear it.

We rarely read the verse the is before that scripture (verse 12) Which is a pretty powerful warning! And the cross reference is Philip. 4:1-7 But I don't want to bore you so I'll let you read it and make the connections with prayer and facing adversity :)

Philip. 4:1,6-7
1Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so ^astand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

6^aBe ^bcareful for nothing; but in every thing by ^cprayer and supplication with ^dthanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7And the ^apeace of God, which passeth all ^bunderstanding, shall ^ckeep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Oh yeah and another good promise is in D&C 84:88...

Anyways... Stories from this week. I was at a leadership training meeting for pretty much the entire day from tuesday to wednesday. That was incredible... I'm telling you you need to really listen to preident brown talk... wow! So all is well... We did have some really good teaches in the evenings with some super great investigators. Veli-matti Koivula is doing well, and looking forward to his baptism on april 1st. He is a good man with a good heart, and has shared how much the examples he has seen have really left a good impression in (in or on?) him.

I met Elder Jarvis (he was in Jyväskylä when I was there... he is originally from ohio) we are convinced that we are going to serve together in Jyväskylä... I'm pretty excited for that. Elder sharp and I are gettting along great... Speaking finnish 24/7 and it is sweet! I Don't know what kinds of stories you want... Would you rather the ones where Elder sharp gets punched in the face as we are tracting? or more like the ones where we can't get out of a Dinner appointment to make it to a teach because the family won't let us... (haha one of those are true... I'll let you decide :D) Hmmm.... This week we set a goal for baptism with tev... but it isn't official yet. He is a great man... He is kind of like a grandpa figure in my life. Lol He really likes the ward! We dropped a couple investigators. Found a really good one... Everything is just going great... haha

Hmm... Well... Thanks for all you do for me family :D lol put up with my emails.. always waiting for the 1 out of 20 that is good.... No but really I want to thank you for all you have done to help me be able to serve the Lord with all my heart. This work has changed me and I know that I owe it to a wonderful family. Who brought a little hyperactive child to church and let him feel the spirit even if he wasn't paying the best attention. Lol Good brothers who always took an elbow in the side from me (lol kyle do you remember when we would do that in sacrament meeting.. I would try to elbow you as hard as I could in sacrament meeting without mom noticing?) Isn't it great that we learn and grow. So I hope you have another wonderful week... maybe a little more relaxing... haha but tons of crazy events are good too! Hope and pray all goes well in japan as they work through their little trial.

Love ya!

Vanhin Thomas Neal Nielsen

P.S. Thanks for the wonderful package! the cootie catcher and the puzzle and picture were lovely!!!!

March 7, 2011 (1 is awful lonely without 2)

Dearest Family,

1 is awful lonely without 2! haha 2 new baptismal dates for the week :) God is good and knows how to help His children make the right steps towards eternal exaltation (spelling? its korotus in finnish) I am very very excited. April 1 and April 23. The one became an investigator just this last week. His name is Veli-matt and the other is Anne. Veli Matt has been attending church for the last 9 years!?! crazy, his wife is a memeber and for whatever reason he has not been baptized. We asked him what has changed to make him feel ready to take the next step. He said, well... It just feels wierd to do all the things a member does and not be a member. haha then we talked about blessings and eternal life with him. It went well.... I'm just hoping that he isn't pulling and april fools joke (haha just kidding) Wonderful investigators coming to church and meeting with us... SO BUSY... AND I LOVE IT!!! The Akilie family is amazing! we had a teach yesterday with them and the father had some concerns about this being the only true church (we watch the restoration DVD) and the discussion went very well and the spirit was way strong so I think that really answered his question. I don't know if I told you they are from the Congo... But have lived in finland for a long time, they fled to finland because of the rebels and rebellions and all sorts of crazy things. They all speak finnish... so they have been in finland for a long long time.

Alright, last friday I got a letter from julia (haha fromage I already got the bad news... I very excited for her! that is wonderful tell her and her new hubby congrats from me sometime :) Katelin is a gem! He is a lucky man!) On the front of the card was a quote that I really liked It had a little girl on rollarskates and underneath the picture it said "Success consists of getting up once oftener than you fall down" *(refer to * at the bottom) This quote and the cute letter really started me off on a wonderful personal study, about which I would like to share some thoughts.

I came to the story about a man who is just breifly mentioned in the doctrine and covenants, President Packer (if I remember right) gave a really good talk about this. In it he explaines a little background of Oliver Granger. Oliver Granger was assigned by the Lord to stay back as the saints left Kirkland and sell the property for whatever he could. I have limited access so I don't have too much background, but I do know that Oliver Granger was partially blind because of exposure to the cold. He was a very faithful man and loyal to the Lord. This is what the Lord says about him:

D&C 117:12,14-15

12And again, I say unto you, I remember my servant ^aOliver Granger; behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord.

14Therefore, let him come up hither speedily, unto the land of Zion; and in the due time he shall be made a merchant unto my name, saith the Lord, for the benefit of my people.

15Therefore let no man despise my servant Oliver Granger, but let the blessings of my people be on him forever and ever.

his name shall be had in sacred remembrance... What a beautiful thing to hear from the Lord through a prophet. The verse I left out is verse 13 which says:

13 Therefore, let him contend earnestly for the redemption of the First Presidency of my Church, saith the Lord; and when he falls he shall rise again, for his ^asacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, saith the Lord.

when he falls he shall rise again, for his ^asacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase... I believe that that is God's eternal truth. When we fall, as long as we rise again and continue to progress towards eternal life, we are doing exactly what God would have us do.

Julia also shared somethings about how inevitably we all face trials, but as we continue to press forward and focus on the good, we able to enjoy life more fully (something along those lines) it was great. It made me think of the times I have felt a little down, and when things haven't gone the best... by focusing on the happy things and joyful things I actually don't remember any specific downer times., by that same token you can bet that I remember every joyful memory. Every smile that lights up an investigator's face. Every truth that hits them and enlightens their understanding... I think that is what life is about... and I'll bet it is even a greater feeling to see your children FINALLY understand an eternal truth you have been trying to teach them for 20 years of their life (lol like me :) )

President uchtdorf says this about not giving up in his talk "the love of God" (oct 2009 conf.)

My dear brothers and sisters, don’t get discouraged if you stumble at times. Don’t feel downcast or despair if you don’t feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try. We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.

Progression is what it is all about. Finally another talk by Elder maxwell entitled "concecrate thy performance" Is truly humbling about giving your whole heart to God (haha this is kinda like alma 5 in a sense that if you are prideful and think you have got it... just read this and you are in tears and realize how far from perfection you are)

In pondering and pursuing consecration, understandably we tremble inwardly at what may be required. Yet the Lord has said consolingly, “My grace is sufficient for you” (D&C 17:8). Do we really believe Him? He has also promised to make weak things strong (see Ether 12:27). Are we really willing to submit to that process? Yet if we desire fulness, we cannot hold back part!

Having our wills increasingly swallowed up by the will of the Father actually means an enhanced individuality, stretched and more capable of receiving “all that [God] hath” (D&C 84:38). Besides, how could we be entrusted with His “all” until our wills are much more like His? Nor could His “all” be fully appreciated by the partially committed.

I loev you all and hope that by sharing my personal study with you rather than share my weeks events you are able to learn :) haha maybe next week I will give a good report lol :) haha

Löve,

Vänhin Thömäs Nielsen

*(haha julia that was the perfect quote because it is almost direct translation how a finn would say that)

February 28, 2011 (Fairy tales do come true! :)

Dear Family,

Wahoo! They did it! They became investigators! haha a Whole family of 8! I can't even begin to describe the Joy I felt at our teach yesterday. I'm very excited to see how the next few weeks go, and pray that we can teach with the Holy Ghost so that it can enlighten them and help them come closer to Christ by being baptized into his church... and gettign sealed in the temple!! We taught about the Book of Mormon yesterday and it really was a powerful lesson. They Father was in particular touched, and his "TERVETULOA UDELLEEN" (Welcome back again) at the end was music to my ears. Family are great! We will see if they keep their commitments. haha It is some much different extending commitments to an entire family. It was exciting to bring 7 copies of the Book of Mormon (the father already had one) and deal them out. The youngest daughter (6 years old) was particularly excited to get her own copy, even though she can't read yet. Fun fun fun!!!

So... Life is good... God's work is going forward... and the Lord is really sending some forces of angels to Finland! YESSSS!! We'll pray that a couple extra get sent southeast of finland too :)

So... It is back to meeting time again haha. This week we have another Zone leader council, and next week we have the 4 day long training meeting... Whew! I'm pretty excited because it has been 2 months, and we have already had 1/3 as many baptisms here in the south Zone as we did all of last year. So with a little math, that works out to be double if we can keep up the same pace (which we will, as long as we remember in whom we trust :) ) by the end of the year! And last year was double of a couple years previous... GROWTH GROWTH GROWTH... really I'm not leaving Finland :) LOL now it probably easier to see why we are all so excited here in the North!

Did I ever write about the Jarvis family when I was in Jyväskylä? They were the american family whose mother is a finnish. Anyways... they moved away at the end of my time in Jyväskylä, but guess what, the son is now in Finland... he got his mission call to serve here a while back (I don't think I ever told you) but now he is here. I haven't seen him yet...

Vanin Sharp (my companion) says Hi.

We had some russian elders in church with us yesterday... they were renewing their visas...

I enjoyed mom's series of unfortunate events, it made me laugh... I don't think the lady siiting kitty corner of enjoyed my laughing... I tried to keep it quite.. too funny.

No niin, that is about all that happend in my week, it was a very eventful week... hey actually. We tracted into a man named Petri, we set up an appointment for 3 days later, and we went back and had a wonderful first teach. He had already read two thirds of the Book of Mormon. I can't believe I almost forgot to share that haha. Pretty incredible!

Fun to hear the good updates of the family... Hope they keep coming... I sent some random packages puolitoista viikkoa sitten... and I sent them all to our home address because I don't have anyone elses address except kimberlies... divide and conquer I guess. Hey, what is julia's, kyle's, and jessica's addresses by the way? (well... I assume kyle's and Jessica's is the same... you don't have to write that twice) lol

Alright enough babbaling elder nielsen. Love you all, wish you the best.

until next week!
tons of rakkaus!

Vanhin Thomas Neal Nielsen

February 21, 2011 (Finland is getting Cold haha I LOVE IT!)

Dearest Family,

Ok, I will give the run down as thoroughly as I possible can of this whole week. It was a good week. Zone conference was a fun one, and it actually wasn't much different than teaching a District meeting, except that there were about 30 people instead of 8 or so. It was nice, and I felt like heavenly father did a wonderful job at sharing with our zone what we need to do. President Brown is one of the greatest men on earth! you guys are going to have to be at his "homecoming" talk in July!

Elder sharp and I made it through change calls un-scathed, I am pretty excited because I enjoy being the junior companion, and not having as much stress.... but I'm sure the time will come that I will be knocked out of my comfort zone again. He always does. I loved you emails and it sounds like you had quite the eventful week. Pretty neat. Elder Sharp and I have been blessed. This last week we found 3 new investigators, and held a family home evening with a member family and another family there with 6 kids. I am very excited to see how that goes, and see what miracles will be brought into their lives through the gospel. Maybe there with be a whole family of investigators next week! (a missionaries DREAM!)
So they 3 people we meet were actually all found through tracting. Teuvo came to church for the first time and he loved it! It was a really good overall week.

I forgot to share that last week I went to the FAZER chocolate factory again, I sent some goodies home! ENJOY!

We are doing well, I kind of told all my stories not really in a story format... kind of like an outline of the whole week haha. The cold is setting in... brrr... I enjoy it. Ok I just thought of a story about good old teuvo. Teuvo has been an investigator for a while, ever since Elder Sharp and I got here. The previous Elders taught him but he had never been to church. He was ready to come to church this sunday (eli yesterday) and we had a ride and everything set up so he could come. The ward mission leader informs us as we get to church that because of the -24 degree morning Veli Ylisaari's (the memeber who was going to pick him up) car wouldn't start. We called teuvo and you know what, He was outside waiting for the ride to come, he was standing out in the cold in his church clothes, we explained the situation and he said well... maybe next week. I was pretty sad because he was ready :( and so we go and sit down and the sacrament meeting starts. About 20 minutes into the meeting the ovimies (usher) opens the doors and motions for the missionaries to come over, there was teuvo! So teuvo made it to church for his first time thanks to the member finding a back up ride. Teuvo loved it and the High counciler gave a really good talk about coming to church for the right reasons... teuvo loved it!

Thanks for all you do, hope you have a great week!
Love,

Vanhin Thomas Nielsen

(Thomas said he's really not a fun-hater... he just switched jackets with Elder Fuchs in this one... I personally think that's a little on the fun-hating side :)