What I Learned: REPENTANCE

 

(Finland – week 71)

  16 May 2016

Rakkaat ystävät,

Wow it's been an amazing week! We had stake conference on Sunday, so I got to see all of my dear friends from Espoo, Haaga, and Neitsytpolku. It was a wonderful day!

I feel that repentance often has a bad reputation. It's looked at as the word yelled on street corners or something you do as a punishment for doing something wrong. But that is not right. Repentance as defined in the Bible dictionary is, “a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined." Repentance is change. It is coming closer to Christ, which means finding peace, hope, and becoming better. Repentance is what fills us with the love and light of Christ. "And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God." (Moroni 8:26) Elder Moreira spoke yesterday at stake conference, and he said something wonderful about the gospel. Life is complicated. So we think we need big complicated answers to handle our complicated lives. But we do not, we need only repent (change for the better) daily, and then we will be filled with the love of Christ. It is simple. It works. We know that the less parts something has, the less likely a problem will occur. I'm so grateful that the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't have a thousand complicated parts, it's truly very simple. I'm so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, if I have done or become anything good, it is because through Him I am able to do and become good. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. And I testify that He lives.

I wish you all the best! Have a wonderful week.

                                                                                                                                           

Rakkaudellani, Sisar Mendenhall

P.S. This is Julia's mom, making my last addition to the blog.  Julia comes home tomorrow!  It has been a fabulous 19 months and I have enjoyed posting her reports, thoughts and insights.  Just for fun, here is the first picture we received of her on her mission(in the MTC cafeteria) and the last image we got before she comes home(a screen shot of our Mother's Day call three days ago). 19 months of growth, she's beautiful!!

  

What I've Learned: JOY  

(Finland - Week 70)

10 May 2016

This past week has been wonderful!! Happy Mothers' Day to all of you mothers and to everyone
else as we celebrate our remarkable mothers:) It was wonderful to see my family! We also went to Suomenlinna last preparation day, it's a island castle fortress where people still live. The views were beautiful.

Part two of what I've learned, joy. The past 18 months can sound pretty rough if you focus on certain aspects. For example, I have never been so tired. But, the much more impressive aspect, is that never in my life have I felt so much joy. "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name." (Alma 26:35) I LOVE this verse, we always have great reason to have joy. God wants us to have joy. He made us to have joy. Joy doesn't come from having a lot of things, or having time to clock out from responsibility, joy comes from actively doing good. We have fun with lots of these other things, I still definitely have fun from things, but I've learned what joy is, and it's better. It's more than just passing time in an agreeable way, it brings us closer to our Heavenly Father, and brings lasting peace and hope. It makes us better people on the way, and is independent of our circumstances. That means, we can create joy, we can create our own weather! My experiences here helping others find joy, has brought me more joy than I could have found on my own searching for my own.

Have a wonderful week!

Love Sisar Mendenhall

  

What I've Learned: PRAYER  

(Finland – Week 69)

03 May 2016

My dear ystävät, you have all gone way too long without a tale of a language blunder. Fortunately, my language skills have improved over the last 18 months (yes, I hit my 18 month mark last week!) so there aren't as many, but buckle up, this one is good. We were having lunch with a wonderful Finnish woman, she loves music so I told her about the Mormon Tabernacle choir. How they are a choir of members of our church that sing wonderful hymns around the world and such. Her eyes got huge and she said, "Wow! That's amazing! Just unbelievable!" I thought, yeah they are amazing but it's not that unbelievable that members of our church can sing... She saw that I looked confused and said, "It's just amazing that they are so accomplished even though they can't hear!" I then realized I had accidentally switched the words "choir" and "deaf" saying that there was a large group of deaf members, not a large choir of members. Those words are too similar! I was rather embarrassed, my companion didn't understand why, I explained later and she found it humorous.

I can't believe I hit 18 months as a missionary last week! Serving a mission is without a doubt the best decision I have ever made. My time focusing on others and what is most important, the gospel of Jesus Christ, has changed and blessed me in more ways than I can say. Today I want to focus on one: I have truly gained a testimony of prayer. I have always prayed, my parents taught me how before I can remember, but I never prayed  before my mission like I have on my mission. Any time in the past 18 months that I have wanted to call my mom, my dad, my sisters, my brother, anyone, I haven't been able to. So instead I called on my Heavenly Father, and He listened. I asked Him my questions. I asked Him for advice. I asked Him for help. I told Him what made me happy, what parts of my day were a good surprise, I told Him when I was upset, why I was upset. This has strengthened my relationship so much with my Father in Heaven. I know prayer works. I have seen it work so many times. It's more than just a cry for help, it's communication from Heavenly Father to one of His precious children. I know that we are each children of God, and that He always listens to our prayers. I invite each of you to remember that relationship as you pray.

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! 

That calls me from a world of care

And bids me at my Father's throne

Make all my wants and wishes known.

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief

And oft escaped the tempter's snare

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

And oft escaped the tempter's snare

By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

(Sweet Hour of Prayer, William W. Walford)

Have a wonderful week!!

Love Sisar Mendenhall

Here is my celebratory 18 month meal, carrot casserole and kiiseli:) And our Vappu meal! Brain bread and lots of other strange things that aren't really Finnish.