domination

Well, taas, all the e-mails have been read and the excitement built up from last week has started to build up for next week already as every time I read about you guys the adventures and the news the thrills just never cease! Well, on to my limited time and stories for my week. Actually, it can all be summed up in about one word: DOMINATION.

-ZONE CONF on Tuesday was excellent as usual. Crazy those only happen 4 times a year now. We were uplifted and taught about becoming more 'consecrated missionaries.' We were reminded of our call letters and how we have agreed to Go and Do, and give up everything and go to work. The Finland Helsinki Mission has come a long way in the past 2 years, even the past half year. Our numbers used to hit stock bottom and now, we're playing with the big boys. :) The word is, is that the MTC is now using the Finland mission in some of their meetings as an example to others. :) But, as Pres. Hinckley has said, 'We can do better.' The fine tuning has begun and we are slowly starting to make the Lord's wrok move forward in Finland. Some quotes that I liked were:

''You're TOAST unless you can hear Him during hectic.''

''The possible we can accomplish, the impossible takes a little more time.''

The talk from Pres. Uchtdorf 'Of The Things That Matter Most'

The scripture in Matthew about the rich young man that asked Jesus about how he could obtain eternal life, when he asked 'What lack I yet?' . . .a question we should ask ourselves every day.

. . . much more . .just no time to explain

Well, this week was DOMINATED because we had Zone Conference one day, District meeting in Mikkeli another day, then the Branch put on a Movie Night (for the members to invite friends and stuff. Only 15 or so people were there, but 4 were non members. We watched The Other Side of Heaven), we had a planning meeting, and a bunch of cancelled teaches or no shows. So, it was a bitter-sweet week. A lot of learning, just not much teaching unfortunately. We got let in 3 times . . .but they didn't turn into anything, the last one being extremely drunk and hugging us and stuff, haha . . . .yeeeah. Receiving Spiritual Guidance has been our goal for a long time, it being very important in this work. Let's just say I was doing a lot of soul searching last night when doors were slamming in our faces one after another before a sentence was even uttered. Clearly wwe weren't supposed to be there. Teaches were being cancelled all week long, or they were just falling through. We are looking to a much better week this week, after some planning, prayer, and soul searching.

On a brighter note. I read Helaman 5 this morning and I was just blown away. Let me tell ya, there is more to that chapter than just a scripture mastery in verse 12. Good stuff. Nephi and Lehi gave me some good encouragement.

Another note: O is still progressing to baptism very nicely, he even participated in Priesthood Meeting!! The man is so ready and the branch is anxious to have him as a member.

RANDOM: the cool thing about Europe is the public transportation. We were in Helsinki when we saw our metro was about to leave. So we ran and got on, then I turned around and saw the doors closing and my companion was on the other side!! He stuck his hand in the door and it closed on it and we started moving. I kinda pushed and he pulled and got free and all we could do was laugh and smile as I started zooming away, leaving him on the platform. What was also quite funny was turning around after all this and facing all the Finns that just witnessed the whole thing. haha Alone, I got off on the next stop, and hoped he'd hop on the next metro in a few minutes, which he did and I got on that one, and everything was fine again, haha.

Another transportation story: we ride the bus a lot. On one such occasion a man of quite the body mass index sat down next to me, squooshing me against him and the side of the bus. It was all I could do to prevent myself from laughing out loud . . . I haven't been squooshed in a while.

On that note, I better go. Still pictures to attach . . . but I want to tell you all I love ya. Families are forever. Love ya all more than the almost -30 degree weather we've been having all week.

Happy Birthday Shannon!!!!!!!!!!!! I sent you a letter!

So much more stories to tell, but time is up, a lady is kicking me off, it's her turn.

Rakkaudella,

Vanhin Watson

Pictures: me on a Mummo Scooter we found!! haha Next, a group of people outside our window gathering for some type of parade where kids in costumes were throwing candy and everything. Halloween in February? en mä tie haha