Tupla Roadtrip

Terve perheni:

Busy busy week this past week. On Tuesday i think I had the most disgusting meal of my mission so far. It was at a member's, she was going to feed us and help us with Finnish afterward. The meal looked like spaghetti but oh man it wasn't. She dumped a whole can, juices and all, of old tuna fish into a pan of old tomato sauce and the multicolored shell noodles. Sounds not too bad, but this tuna fish did not smell like tuna fish. She filled our plates and we gagged it down, then she picks up our plates again, of course, and fills them again. I was last to be served, which means she just dumped everything left in the pot onto my plate. It's apparently rude to have leftovers in Finland. She scraped that pot clean, juices and all, onto my plate as i gagged and smiled at my companion. I almost threw up. She told us she wasn't a good cook, then she invites us over for lunch. Not a good combination, haha.

We had our weekly teach with Toni on Tuesday. He is progressing really well and I see a bright future for him. We are trying to get him to listen to better music and put uplifting pictures up on his bare walls. He seemed happier when we left and I stole my companions beenie when we were getting ready to leave and Toni saw me and chuckled. As my companion was looking for it I waved it at Toni and he laughed some more. I gave it back. All Toni needs is a good laugh now and then. :)

On Wednesday we trekked 2 hours south to Savonlinna for Splits. Vanhin Behnke, in my MTC group, and I were paired together for a few hours while the other 2 went our for errands and referral visits with the car. So two greenies were left together, haha. It was awesome. We would stop people and talk and do what we could. When we were walking away we'd be all like, Did you get any of that? Nope. hahahahaha It was fun. At one door we talked to a lady who we were actually able to set up a return appointment with. When she shut the door, as confused as we were with Finnish, we looked at each other and bumped fists and said to each other, "we greenies just got a return appointment!" We were excited. A half hour later we got another one while talking to a guy on the street, haha, we were in heaven. Two greenies on their first month in the country just got 2 return appointments, haha. It was awesome.

The next day we all packed up and the four of us drove 6 hours to Oulu for Zone Conference. It was long, but fun. Blasting Motab and church songs and singing along and having fun. Road trips are awesome. Zone Conference was better. Practically everyone stayed the night in the Oulu church building, that was a first experience for me. The theme for conference was: Teaching to the Investigators Needs and adjusting and adapting to them. The APs the ZLs and Pres and Sis Brown all spoke and taught and it was really good. Pres Brown had us listen to a talk by Elder Holland from a mission presidents seminar not too long ago titled: Teaching by the Spirit: The Divine Companionship. Vau. It was good, as expected, I mean come on, its Elder Holland, he's on a role lately. He talked about having and recognizing the spirit with us. He asked, Is the Spirit the Sr Companion, the Jr Companion, or even there today? He talked about the Principle of Three Witnesses. How a companionship is not just a twosome but a threesome. It happens all around the church, in the Godhead, the First Presidency and other presidencies, and the three witnesses to the book of mormon. It was awesome.He talked about other cool things. Pres Brown talked about it and let us ask questions and he answered them. Prayer was another theme. I wish I could keep writing about it but I'm running low on time. But all in all Zone Conference was really good. It was cool to meet other missionaries that are serving here and to be able to get to know them.

We stayed the night again then Saturday morning we set out again for our cities. This time I drove. The speed limit was 80km\hr, seems like a lot but that's only about 50 mph, no wonder it took so long. It was 8 hours to Savonlinna to drop off those Elders, then 2 hours back to Joensuu. We were pooped. But I drove the whole way. It was cool to see more of Finland. At one point everyone fell asleep so I had some quiet peaceful thinking time all to myself.

After church we had a DA and I had moose meat with mashed potatoes. haha, reminded me of home. :) They have a popular dish here called Kebab. Its not the one your thinking of. But we have it now and again. But no one really knows what kind of meat it is, kinda like hot dogs, haha. We think its sheep. But its pretty good if prepared right.

Well fam, you're all awesome! Thanks for the e-mails, I wish I could respond to each of them individually. Seth, get better! Thanks for writing me! Shannon, I typed your e-mail in wrong last week, sorry! Good luck my RS Pres sista. Mom and Dad, thanks for the updates and notes. Dad, Optifast must be working! haha, good luck, I kow you can do it! Eden and Lindz and Company, love ya all.

If you haven't sent the package yet I need deoderant, because here its expensive and small. Prefeeably the Gillette Arctic Ice kind. :) Kiitos!

I always feel like I'm forgetting something, then I have to wait a week to remember and tell you, haha. Can't wait for this long awaited heard of so much package, haha, with pics. I haven't seen any pics for a while. :(

Kiitos everyone, I'm out of time or I could keep going, haha. Love you all. Pray for me to have the gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues. I pray for you!

Rakastan teit채. Moi moi

-Vanhin Watson