Go watch conference as a family and eat uugali.‏ 

(Finland – week 38) 

29 Sep 15

What a week!

I had Uugali for the first time! No idea if that's how you spell it. Our African recent convert made it for us, and I ate it with my fingers in a way that would make my poor father cringe. (Dad, maybe you should skip to the next paragraph.) So uugali is corn flour paste in a consistency thicker than mashed potatoes but thinner than clay. It's on a big plate in the middle and everyone pulls off a chunk, massages it into a ball, and dips it in this spinach sauce. We had it with fish, still no utensils. It was super yummy and I'm not even sick! Blessings are real. I was so impressed by this uugali, it inspired my cleaning today (see attached picture).

I went to the doctor this week and there was a TV in the waiting room. It was ok, until the second Harry Potter came on. We didn't know what to do, we shouldn't watch but we couldn't leave yet! We decided to go to the free hot chocolate machine. And then to go to the free hot chocolate machine again. We were able to resist the TV, and the hot chocolate was way good.

We met a girl on the train who was really nice! And then we learned she was deaf. We started writing notes back and forth, and we invited her to conference! I'm so excited for general conference this week. We've been telling everyone we can that twice a year God's prophets and apostles speak to the whole world, and it's happening this weekend! That usually gets people to stop and listen. And rightfully so, because it's amazing. Amazing that God loves us so much that He wants to be in direct communication with us through prayer, scriptures, church, AND living prophets (and a lot more). Amazing that God is truly the same, yesterday today and forever. Amazing that when we listen to the words of the prophets and apostles, we can literally receive answers to any question. Amazing that when we listen to the prophets, we cannot go astray. We are promised in Mosiah 15:11 "Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God." I am so grateful for prophets. The other day we watched a talk by the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in Swahili with an African woman, it was amazing that I still felt the calming influence of the Spirit, even though I could not understand the words. I love hearing the words of the prophets, they bring me such peace and knowledge. Mosiah 15:14 "And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto Zion: Thy God reigneth!" I know that God has called a prophet, and that he is speaking this weekend. Everyone go listen! Go hear the good tidings of joy, go learn of salvation. One of our investigators received a testimony of prophets recently, and hearing her sweet words talking about her knowledge that God still speaks to us, was one of my favorite parts of the week. I am so grateful to our Father in Heaven for prophets. I know they are special witnesses of Christ. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on conference next Tuesday!

It's super dark at night now, the temple is so beautifully and brilliantly white against the sky!

Much love! Have a fantastic week (even though I know you will because you all with go watch general conference on www.lds.org/general-conference)!

Sisar Mendenhall