Terve Perheni ja Hyvaa Joulua!!
Can you believe I've been gone for 2 months. Seems like just the other day I was playng with a nephew of mine that couldn't even roll over. Ah, so much has happened! haha I'm glad you all are together and having fun. I hope you all realize the true meaning of Christmas and enjoy it in it's fulness.
So, KIITOS to everyone for the packages!! It is immensely appreciated! Now, I leave on Monday . . . . . what am I gonna do with all this candy and food before I leave? haha I'm so full, haha.
Our last TRC teach was last week. It went awesome. I felt the most comfortable I have ever been so far, but still need improvement. It was fun. We taught a native Finn and a Sister that just returned from Finland last month. After we taught, they gave us and our whole district Finnish deserts and food to share. They are all so nice and the food was awesome. This Thursday, each companionship is getting a younger Finn Elder as a Jr Comp and we're teaching the 1st lesson again. Should be fun, haha. We're only teaching our teachers this time.
The temple is closed now, but we got assigned to help clean it today!! It was a cool experience. We cleaned locker rooms in awesome white p.j. looking outfits, haha. Fun fun
On Sunday, when our Branch presidency was doing interviews, my brand president pulled me out AFTER I was already interviewed by someone else, and took me to a room and told me how much he has appreciated having me here and the obedience and example I have shown. He said that if he ever has the honor to be a mission president, he would want a mission full of missionaries like me. :D That made me smile, haha. It was really nice of him and he didn't do it to anyone else.
Time is short . . . .so . . I got my Travel Plans!! I leave Monday morning. The airline the whole way is Lufthansa.
Europe is 8 hours ahead, at least Germany and Finland are, so I think those times are according to whatever city they are by, not MDT.
SOOO . . . during one of those layovers I can call you!! I won't have much time I think, but I can NOT call on Christmas. I don't know how it is all gonna work or how we can plan this b/c the mail and Dear Elder scheduled delivery are all screwed up this week and I leave Monday morning before they arrive I think. AHHH!!! I wish I could call and work this out. I don't know yet. Hmm . . . . . I guess I could briefly call everyone! haha, just call home and who ever is not there I'll get the number and hurry and call them too. It'll prob be in my layover in Denver, when everyone is awake. But it'll be SHORT. Sorry!!! Just be by your phones, haha, and answer them if a strange number is calling.
Time is short. AHHHH!
Elder Anderson of the 12 was here last night, but no time to explain what he said but it was on 1 Nephi 11:16, "Knowest thou the condesention of God?" It was good!
I'm gonna try and get permission to call home to work out a time I can call in my layover or something. No promises though.
The address all of you should use when I get to Finland to write me for my WHOLE mission is the mission home address. They forward it to me and it gets there next day. It is:
Elder Watson
Neitsytpolku 3A4
FL-000140 Helsinki
Finland
Use it. Love it. Write it down. :)
I gotta go. Have fun talking to Layne! Say Terve to her for me! Have fun together! I love you all. I know I am supposed to be here now, going to Finland, learning Finnish, with the people that are with me.
Mina rakastan teita!!
Moi Moi.
-Vanhin Watson
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Hyvaa Joulu!
Hei minun perheni!
Ug, I felt so bad after writing last weeks e-mail home about complaining about mail and what not. Sorry everyone. It's hard when no mail comes at all for a while. Thank you to all who wrote.
Soo . . . .time is creeping up fast here. I leave in less than 2 weeks! In some ways it does feel like I have been here for 2 months, and in other ways it feels like it was just last week that I got here. It's crazy.
The Fireside this past Sunday was entirely by the BYU Mens Chorus. It was awesome! It was a nice change of pace, and good to here music for a change.
The Devotional last night was by Elder Maynes of the Quorum of the 70. He and his wife talked about being Celestial missionaries and how to become one. It was really good and he used a lot of quotes from Pres. Hinckley.
The TRC last week went alright. Not our best, but not bad. There was a part where it was my time to speak and I completely blanked on what to say. It was embarrassing, but I recovered and eventually said something and continued. The investigators there are the same group of people that are there every week, cause how many people in Provo speak Finnish, haha. Anyways, they have been telling elder Fuchs and I how much improvement they have seen in us and that we are doing really well, even better than most of the other Elders in our district. They said our pronunciation and grammar were better. So that was uplifting. :)
Speaking of uplifting, yesterday in class each companionship taught a principle from the 3rd lesson in PMG in Finnish in front of the class. Afterward, we each had our weekly personal interviews and checkups with our teacher(s). Veli Bush told me in mine that he really enjoyed ours especially and that he's definitely seen a change in us since we've been here. He said that when the teachers have their weekly meetings together they mention how much they enjoy me in class and they love listening to what I say when we have spiritual discussions and participate in class. :D That was nice to hear. We really do have awesome teachers. One has been teaching for 2 years and the other has been off his mission for 7 months. They both have their own unique style that is awesome.
Ok, time running low . . . .
I was a Host missionary today! I was the guy at the curb that helped the newbies as they arrive at the curb and show him around and stuff. It was pretty fun.
Random: I've been reading in the NT and just made it to Romans yesterday.
Eden and Company . . .THANK YOU!!! I got the package. The musical tie is awesome, the notebook was desperately needed and awesome, the candy is delicious, and the card and pictures were AWESOME. Tosi Kiitos. The lil guy is growing so much. The pictures were adorable. Thanks.
Alaska Crew: I am curious to see how this house of ours is looking. I'm hearing raves about how awesome it looks and the new fixtures. Pictures?! :P Love you all. Seth, enjoy the new phone. I get phantom feelings in my pocket from me thinking my phone is ringing. haha.
Dad - Love you and all you do. Your a busy man but a savior to many. Thanks!!
Mom, thanks for the Dear Elders and updates. Very much appreciated. Love you.
Linds and Dan: Love you! :)
Shannon and everyone . . .I'll be thinking of you the next few days! I'm jealous you'll almost all be together. Love you all.
Holidays in the MTC are pretty normal. Just a special Fireside. There are some lights up. My comp gets to go to Temple Square on Friday Morning cause hes international and they get to do that. :(
No time, Love you all! Thanks for all the love and support and mail. I'm trying to send more pictures but it's slower this season b/c BYU has finals now.
Hyvaa Joulu!! I still don't know when I can call home. I might get flight plans tomorrow or Friday. We'll see.
AHH! Gotta Go!!
Moi Moi
-Vanhin Watson
Ug, I felt so bad after writing last weeks e-mail home about complaining about mail and what not. Sorry everyone. It's hard when no mail comes at all for a while. Thank you to all who wrote.
Soo . . . .time is creeping up fast here. I leave in less than 2 weeks! In some ways it does feel like I have been here for 2 months, and in other ways it feels like it was just last week that I got here. It's crazy.
The Fireside this past Sunday was entirely by the BYU Mens Chorus. It was awesome! It was a nice change of pace, and good to here music for a change.
The Devotional last night was by Elder Maynes of the Quorum of the 70. He and his wife talked about being Celestial missionaries and how to become one. It was really good and he used a lot of quotes from Pres. Hinckley.
The TRC last week went alright. Not our best, but not bad. There was a part where it was my time to speak and I completely blanked on what to say. It was embarrassing, but I recovered and eventually said something and continued. The investigators there are the same group of people that are there every week, cause how many people in Provo speak Finnish, haha. Anyways, they have been telling elder Fuchs and I how much improvement they have seen in us and that we are doing really well, even better than most of the other Elders in our district. They said our pronunciation and grammar were better. So that was uplifting. :)
Speaking of uplifting, yesterday in class each companionship taught a principle from the 3rd lesson in PMG in Finnish in front of the class. Afterward, we each had our weekly personal interviews and checkups with our teacher(s). Veli Bush told me in mine that he really enjoyed ours especially and that he's definitely seen a change in us since we've been here. He said that when the teachers have their weekly meetings together they mention how much they enjoy me in class and they love listening to what I say when we have spiritual discussions and participate in class. :D That was nice to hear. We really do have awesome teachers. One has been teaching for 2 years and the other has been off his mission for 7 months. They both have their own unique style that is awesome.
Ok, time running low . . . .
I was a Host missionary today! I was the guy at the curb that helped the newbies as they arrive at the curb and show him around and stuff. It was pretty fun.
Random: I've been reading in the NT and just made it to Romans yesterday.
Eden and Company . . .THANK YOU!!! I got the package. The musical tie is awesome, the notebook was desperately needed and awesome, the candy is delicious, and the card and pictures were AWESOME. Tosi Kiitos. The lil guy is growing so much. The pictures were adorable. Thanks.
Alaska Crew: I am curious to see how this house of ours is looking. I'm hearing raves about how awesome it looks and the new fixtures. Pictures?! :P Love you all. Seth, enjoy the new phone. I get phantom feelings in my pocket from me thinking my phone is ringing. haha.
Dad - Love you and all you do. Your a busy man but a savior to many. Thanks!!
Mom, thanks for the Dear Elders and updates. Very much appreciated. Love you.
Linds and Dan: Love you! :)
Shannon and everyone . . .I'll be thinking of you the next few days! I'm jealous you'll almost all be together. Love you all.
Holidays in the MTC are pretty normal. Just a special Fireside. There are some lights up. My comp gets to go to Temple Square on Friday Morning cause hes international and they get to do that. :(
No time, Love you all! Thanks for all the love and support and mail. I'm trying to send more pictures but it's slower this season b/c BYU has finals now.
Hyvaa Joulu!! I still don't know when I can call home. I might get flight plans tomorrow or Friday. We'll see.
AHH! Gotta Go!!
Moi Moi
-Vanhin Watson
Thursday, December 10, 2009
ei poste?!?
Hey Fam:
Soo . . . . . no posti for a week? Dear Elder broke down twice, so after it's fixed I get all excited and . . .nope. Thanks for the e-mails. But in the MTC, on a time limit, not so much time. So letters or Dear Elders are better. Thanks!
Christmas Devotional was awesome. It was nice to hear music again. Can't listen to it here.
Sunday was really spiritual because of the testimony meeting and my companion and I gave the lesson. It was awesome. Very, very spiritual.
Dad, I sent the scripture last week but I typed your e-mail in wrong and just found out. I'll send it again. I have questions for you to answer in there. Kiitos!
Layne, haha, you won't get this for a while, but you're awesome. Time really does fly when your on a mission.
Can you guys believe I'll be in Finland in 19 Days!? We get our travel plans next Friday! :)
Not much else to report. I can't answer any questions or say anything because I got squat this past week. So nothing to say. Anteeksi.
If anyone is sending me a package here's a list of needed things:
-those tiny Moleskin notebooks (Shannon, you might know what they are), the small ones. I use it for everything and I've only got a couple pages left
-A big Moleskin notebook
-mail :)
-some stocking stuffers for my district
-anything else that could make a missionary's day
I don't know what else to say everyone. TRC teach in Finnish went well last week. Another tomorrow. It snowed. Yup yup.
Thanks everyone. Love you all, please write! Mail makes a bad day more cheerful. Say anything, just write me. Dear Elder won't work when I'm in the field, so take advantage. Dear Elders come at 6 PM every weekday.
This church is true. The blessings it's given me and all of us are innumerable. This season remember our Savior Jesus Christ and all he does and did for us. Be Grateful. Be Cheerful, Be Happy. Be Christlike.
Moi Moi
-Vanhin Watson
P.s I always feel like I am forgetting something. Ahh!
Soo . . . . . no posti for a week? Dear Elder broke down twice, so after it's fixed I get all excited and . . .nope. Thanks for the e-mails. But in the MTC, on a time limit, not so much time. So letters or Dear Elders are better. Thanks!
Christmas Devotional was awesome. It was nice to hear music again. Can't listen to it here.
Sunday was really spiritual because of the testimony meeting and my companion and I gave the lesson. It was awesome. Very, very spiritual.
Dad, I sent the scripture last week but I typed your e-mail in wrong and just found out. I'll send it again. I have questions for you to answer in there. Kiitos!
Layne, haha, you won't get this for a while, but you're awesome. Time really does fly when your on a mission.
Can you guys believe I'll be in Finland in 19 Days!? We get our travel plans next Friday! :)
Not much else to report. I can't answer any questions or say anything because I got squat this past week. So nothing to say. Anteeksi.
If anyone is sending me a package here's a list of needed things:
-those tiny Moleskin notebooks (Shannon, you might know what they are), the small ones. I use it for everything and I've only got a couple pages left
-A big Moleskin notebook
-mail :)
-some stocking stuffers for my district
-anything else that could make a missionary's day
I don't know what else to say everyone. TRC teach in Finnish went well last week. Another tomorrow. It snowed. Yup yup.
Thanks everyone. Love you all, please write! Mail makes a bad day more cheerful. Say anything, just write me. Dear Elder won't work when I'm in the field, so take advantage. Dear Elders come at 6 PM every weekday.
This church is true. The blessings it's given me and all of us are innumerable. This season remember our Savior Jesus Christ and all he does and did for us. Be Grateful. Be Cheerful, Be Happy. Be Christlike.
Moi Moi
-Vanhin Watson
P.s I always feel like I am forgetting something. Ahh!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Moses 6:34
Hey Everyone:
First off, Mom . . . .I DID NOT FORGET YOUR BIRTHDAY! Time ran out on me on my last e-mail, but I was gonna write something to you. So, happy late birthday, I'll send you a letter soon.Love ya!
Soo, Thanksgiving . . .WOW. Elder Holland did come and it was AMAZING. That guy is on a winning streak on recent talks. So a few weeks ago we all have to write down a question we would ask an apostle, and turn them in. He picked 3-4 good ones and answered them at the devotional . . .not mine, haha. Wish I could tell you all he said but no time. Just trust me, you all know how he is. After he answered the Q's he gave a strong testimony and some advice for us. Best devotional yet by far. The food is a different story, haha, not too good. Typical thanksgiving good, but not too tasty unfortunately, not too surprising, haha. Glad you all had some good times.
Teaching in Finnish is coming along tosi hyvaa. There are always ways to improve, but we are getting better by the day, and tomorrow we teach the Plan of Happiness. Lots of stuff to cover and a lot of Finnish. The other day my teacher took my outline I wrote out in Finnish to his meeting before our class. He and the younger Finns teacher edited it and gave it back to me. They liked it and only a few minor corrections and advice. So that was good. Pray for me for huomenna! Kiitos!
Dad, you ready for this . . . . . drum roll . . . .your gonna be so excited . . . .I have picked a missionary scripture :) Moses 6:34. BAM. As for the picture going on the plaque... Is it removable?? I wanna like the picture going in it, haha, gonna look at it for the rest of my life, and will be on display. Is there a way for you to send me a copy, or I send you one I like and you can just tell me the specifications for how big and stuff. Kiitos. Let me know.
Shannon, feel better and get some rest sis. The baby Patience gave me a good chuckle, poor kid. At least it's a Christlike attribute, haha. Thanks for the mail and updates. Love ya!
Eden and Spenc: Ahh, the lil guy is growing so fast! haha Love ya guys.
Lindz and Dan: still praying for you both. Names are in the temple again. Good luck. Get some rest! Thanks for the email.
Alaska Crew: still no snow here. I want pictures of the new stuff in the house. I'm sure it looks amazing. Love ya all. Dad, good luck with tithing settlements.
AHHH time getting low . . . .
Ok, here's some quotes fom recent devotionals and firesides. No time to explain them
-Obedience with Willingness and Exactness
-"Thanksgiving holiday is over, but the day of thanksgiving lives on today and everyday."
- "Foreknowledge is not predestination."
- "I want you to be homesick, it's how God feels all the time, so when your families are looking at those empty chairs this holiday season, think about that. We are doing this work to fill those empty chairs in Heaven."
- " Can't have the coming/returning without the going" referring to God and Heaven. We must do our part
-"You are called to a Full-time mission, not a part-time"
-"When you get home, you leave the calling, but don't leave the mission field"
-Bednar's "Becoming a Missionary" talk, good talk
-much much more . . .
Well, times up. Love you all. Send me pictures of you all. I don't have any!!!! Mina rakastan minun perheni!! The church is true. Jesus is the Christ. Love you
-Vanhin Watson
-GO BYU :)
First off, Mom . . . .I DID NOT FORGET YOUR BIRTHDAY! Time ran out on me on my last e-mail, but I was gonna write something to you. So, happy late birthday, I'll send you a letter soon.Love ya!
Soo, Thanksgiving . . .WOW. Elder Holland did come and it was AMAZING. That guy is on a winning streak on recent talks. So a few weeks ago we all have to write down a question we would ask an apostle, and turn them in. He picked 3-4 good ones and answered them at the devotional . . .not mine, haha. Wish I could tell you all he said but no time. Just trust me, you all know how he is. After he answered the Q's he gave a strong testimony and some advice for us. Best devotional yet by far. The food is a different story, haha, not too good. Typical thanksgiving good, but not too tasty unfortunately, not too surprising, haha. Glad you all had some good times.
Teaching in Finnish is coming along tosi hyvaa. There are always ways to improve, but we are getting better by the day, and tomorrow we teach the Plan of Happiness. Lots of stuff to cover and a lot of Finnish. The other day my teacher took my outline I wrote out in Finnish to his meeting before our class. He and the younger Finns teacher edited it and gave it back to me. They liked it and only a few minor corrections and advice. So that was good. Pray for me for huomenna! Kiitos!
Dad, you ready for this . . . . . drum roll . . . .your gonna be so excited . . . .I have picked a missionary scripture :) Moses 6:34. BAM. As for the picture going on the plaque... Is it removable?? I wanna like the picture going in it, haha, gonna look at it for the rest of my life, and will be on display. Is there a way for you to send me a copy, or I send you one I like and you can just tell me the specifications for how big and stuff. Kiitos. Let me know.
Shannon, feel better and get some rest sis. The baby Patience gave me a good chuckle, poor kid. At least it's a Christlike attribute, haha. Thanks for the mail and updates. Love ya!
Eden and Spenc: Ahh, the lil guy is growing so fast! haha Love ya guys.
Lindz and Dan: still praying for you both. Names are in the temple again. Good luck. Get some rest! Thanks for the email.
Alaska Crew: still no snow here. I want pictures of the new stuff in the house. I'm sure it looks amazing. Love ya all. Dad, good luck with tithing settlements.
AHHH time getting low . . . .
Ok, here's some quotes fom recent devotionals and firesides. No time to explain them
-Obedience with Willingness and Exactness
-"Thanksgiving holiday is over, but the day of thanksgiving lives on today and everyday."
- "Foreknowledge is not predestination."
- "I want you to be homesick, it's how God feels all the time, so when your families are looking at those empty chairs this holiday season, think about that. We are doing this work to fill those empty chairs in Heaven."
- " Can't have the coming/returning without the going" referring to God and Heaven. We must do our part
-"You are called to a Full-time mission, not a part-time"
-"When you get home, you leave the calling, but don't leave the mission field"
-Bednar's "Becoming a Missionary" talk, good talk
-much much more . . .
Well, times up. Love you all. Send me pictures of you all. I don't have any!!!! Mina rakastan minun perheni!! The church is true. Jesus is the Christ. Love you
-Vanhin Watson
-GO BYU :)
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