Real Love

(Finland – Week 35)

08 Sep 15

The other day we were at this old couple's house and they had this strange meat that they said missionaries weren't allowed to eat, but that they had made chicken for us. I asked what the suspicious meat was, and was appalled when they told me it was hedgehog! What?! I imagined my little sister's poor pet upon our platters. I didn't really want to believe it was true so I asked, "Do you mean the little animal with spikes that runs around at night?" (There are lots of hedgehogs here.) They looked at me funny, and said, "no, it's fish." I was super confused so I had them it spell for me, S-I-L-L-I.   I went home and looked up hedgehog in the dictionary, it's spelled S-I-I-L-I, how could I possibly have mixed those two? To add to my shame (just kidding, I feel no shame, those words are basically the same) my companion saw this sign advertising Finnish classes a few days later, it was too perfect in light of that meal. I'm just grateful that people here don't eat hedgehog, and if they do I'll pretend it's silli (herring).

A lot of other missionaries ask us how to find joy, and it all goes back to the same thing, knowing that our Savior Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father love us perfectly. I read 2 Corinthians 4 this morning, here is a good chunk from it:

 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 

Wow. I know that Christ has been there for each and every one of us. He is with us always, and thus we never can be beaten. We will be beaten down, hurt, and slip, but we will never ever be done. That gives me such joy, to know that we are already destined to succeed. God doesn't give us the spirit of fear, "but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2

Tim 1:7) God's entire purpose is literally to help us, "For behold this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) The more we can realize that, that we have literally the Creator of the universe on our side, the more we can confidence in our lives, joy in keeping the commandments of God, and happiness in the life to come. I love my Savior! Every time I study joy I am reminded how much He loves me. That love is very, very real.

Much love to you all!

More wonderfully dramatic shots from my fantastic photographer companion.

Much love, Sisar Mendenhall