Sisar Indiana Jones 

Finland – week 4  

01/27/15

Moi! Hei! Terve!

This week has been very slippery. As in literally the roads and walks have been slippery. Here they put down gravel on top of the ice rather than trying to melt it, I think that's because whatever they did the roads and sidewalks would still have ice. The other day we realized we were about 30 seconds late for the train (as often happens) and my companion decided that we were not going to miss it! She dashes up the stairs in a way only someone accustomed to 10 lbs. of winter gear can, rounds the corner onto the track and splat! She epic-ly lays out on the station floor. I, in a great impression of Indiana Jones (at least that's what I looked like in my head), leap over my fallen companion in an effort to just punch the open door button. I didn't notice that my companion was getting up and my purse (containing an English Book of Mormon, Russian Book of Mormon, Finnish triple combination, and English quadruple among other things) smacked her in the head forcing her back to the pavement. I figured I'd apologize later, ran to the train and punched the button just in time to have it pull away. About then is when I realized how ridiculous we must have looked, and we've laughed about it for the whole week. It turned out much better that we missed our train. I think we probably made the days of a few people at the station too.

This week I've been thinking a lot about how the gospel really is for everyone. No matter who or where we are in life, we can be helped. It's wonderful because there are so many different kinds of people, and we usually think peace between these peoples is just the wishful thinking of beauty pageant queens, but peace really is possible when we bond over the gospel. Ether 12:9 says, "Wherefore, ye may have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith." Anyone can partake! We pass out cards with our number and the invitation to come to church because everyone is welcome. One of the students from our school presentation last Monday came to church Sunday and it was awesome! Church is really a great way to rejuvenate for the week. I appreciate church so much more now that I'm here. I'm telling you all this so that you don't have to come all the way to Finland and knock your friend in the head to learn this. Church is very meaningful, go with a question you've prayed over and you will receive answers.

Word of the week: tulentekotaito = the ability to make fire! Obviously that's a word I use every day. 

This is me revolutionizing the work atop my noble pig steed. There are lots of random animal statues here. I'm not sure why.

I love you all! Keep warm! Or cool! Whatever your climate demands.

Much love and prayers,

Sisar Mendenhall    

High School and Mexican Food  

Finland - Week 3

01/20/15

Moi ystäviä! This week has been wonderful, so many fun things.

Yesterday we gave a school presentation to a class of 17 and 18 year-olds. I was pretty scared at first but it was actually a lot of fun. They asked really great questions and we got to talk about things people don't usually know or ask about, like our humanitarian program. They asked a lot about families so I got to tell them how we normally did Family Home Evening, opening push-up war and all.

One of our investigators is just the coolest person you will ever meet. He invites his friends to church, he talks about the church as "our church", he reads the Book of Mormon on the train even though it's not translated into his native language, and he just gets along so well with everyone. However he didn't start off doing all of this, we had to bug him for a bit. It's wonderful to see people grow and change in the gospel, sometimes you don't expect certain people to be very wanting to change, and then they just are! That's why it's so great to always be thinking, who can I share the gospel with next? You don't have to stress a lot, when you're really trying to find the Lord will give you opportunities. We find here that the more people we talk to on the street, the more referrals people give us! We have yet to meet someone on the street that wants to be taught, but still the more we try the more people we find in other ways. I found a super awesome scripture this week, 2 Ne 5:27 "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." It's simple, to the point, and tells of the joy we get from living the gospel. I love to share that with people and tell them, I'm telling you this because it makes me happier, and it will make you happier too.

I eat way more Mexican food here than ever before. I guess I didn't really eat much before so that's part of it, but my companion loves Mexican food and everyone here is like "You're American you love Mexican food!" A Russian lady made us really great Finnish food, I guess everyone just likes each others' food.

I've found I really like yogurt-covered raisins, I ate like a pound this morning. On the bright side I will go through them quickly and then have no more temptation! Also I found the best looking chocolate so I attached a picture. 

And I found this squirrel in a tunnel one day, Finns don't like the word "squirrel", it's hard for them to say.

It's still snowing here and it's so beautiful! I really love the snow, I'm a little worried about it melting soon, it's gotten warm enough that I'm only wearing one pair of thermals rather than two.

I hope everyone has had a great week!

Sisar Mendenhall

Missä on sinun sormet?‏   

Finland – Week 2

Moi!! 

Week 2 has been great! I've been speaking more Finnish which means more laughs for my companion. I asked someone without gloves where their gloves were the other day, they laughed and said "Well I sure hope I know where they are!" turns out I asked where their fingers (sormet) were, not their gloves. 

This week I've been singing a lot of hymns for several good reasons. One of which is that they speak fabulous Finnish, and another is that they really invite the Spirit and calm the atmosphere. People always say when you have bad thoughts or are discouraged to sing and hymn and honestly, it's great counsel. "A song of the righteous is a prayer unto me" is so true, and earnest prayer is the best way that we can really develop our own personal conviction that Christ is the Savior. So sing hymns! Hymns have the power to calm, to teach, and to testify. All of those are invaluable in a world that teaches you not to hope, there is always hope! I like to stop people on the street and ask them what hope means to them, often they don't really know how to answer. I'm so grateful for the gospel so that I can know what hope is and what to hope for, and I'm so grateful for hymns to bring that hope to light. 

On a completely unrelated note (pun 100% intended), we have a really great investigator with really affectionate cats. I'm finding myself grateful for all of my weird animal stories (such as when our school had a cat infestation in the ceiling and for a few weeks cats were raining into the classrooms) because they've been testing my vocab and helped with contacting! 

People here are very kind. Really, we're spoiled a lot. Lots of people tell me how good my Finnish is, but they always say it in a creative way that, ironically, I don't understand. If they just said, "Wow you have great Finnish!" I could say, "Thanks! I try." But instead they say, "your ability to communicate in the Finnish tongue is quite impressive" and then I say "I'm sorry, I'm new and don't understand Finnish" and my companion says "They just said you speak great Finnish" and then no one quite knows what to say. I don't even know the word for awkward.

Word of the week: tiskaan, which means, "I am doing the dishes" Hooray for Finnish efficiency!

Hyvää päivää!

Sisar Mendenhall

Suomissa  

Finland - Week 1

Wow a lot has happened! Christmas, New Years, and I'M IN FINLAND!! I'm literally in a library in Finland and it's the coolest thing ever (literally and figuratively). I guess I'm not that cold, I've got two pairs of thermals, two pairs of socks, a massive coat, a scarf, gloves, and an ear warmer. So I'm actually quite warm!

First off Christmas was awesome!! Elder Nelson came and spoke at the MTC, I sang in the choir (btw, angel choir went really well, I didn't fall or anything), we had talent show (featuring an Elder from my district and his yo-yo, definitely the best act), we woke up at 5am to do presents with all of the Finns, ate a sack dinner in the hall (which is a lot of fun), sang more (lots of singing), watched Ephraim's Rescue, and called home! That was really fun but I think my mom thought I was a different child of hers for a second. So, a very busy day that was wonderfully focused on Christ. He's truly the reason for the season. 

FINLAND!! I don't know where to start, it's wonderful! Our trip over was great, both of my bags weighed exactly 50.0lbs so the trip started with a miracle. I came at the perfect time to clean up all of the Christmas chocolate:) I've already told people that I am a car, that my family has sold a lot, and several other things that I wasn't trying to say. Finns are genius, our towel rack is heated.

My second night here I taught my first lesson! (That's when I said lots of interesting things about my family, thank goodness I have my companion to translate my Finnish into Finnish!) And it was a lot of fun. I didn't understand much past the food being delicious, but that's ok. We taught that same lady again yesterday and I already understood so much more. It's amazing how much the Lord will bless us, He really wants to help us.

I'm in Haaga which is an area of Helsinki so thankfully I'm in the warm part of the country. It's a wonderful area! We already had a miracle Sunday! Two of our investigators, two less-active members, and another non-member who just wanted to come were all at church on Sunday! Sometimes church seems like a small thing, we think that as long as we worship God in our hearts it's fine. Really though coming to church is important because we get to worship together and strengthen each other. The power of unity is awesome, particularly with hymns, I love hymns! Last night we visited an old lady and all she wanted us to do was sing with her, it was really great and definitely brought the Spirit.

In case anyone wants to hear Finnish, "The Testaments" movie is in Finnish! So if you have the DVD you can just go to the language section and change it, and if you don't I'm pretty sure you can request a free copy. Try mormon.org and lds.org. The movie is awesome, so if you watch it in Finnish watch it in English after.

Oh man I just love Finland! The bread, yogurt, people. I'm so glad I get to come here as a representative of Christ, it's truly unique and I just love it!

The picture of the snowy forest that you might recognize from Narnia, that's the view out my apartment window.

Thanks everybody for your love and support!

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Mendenhall