The Wallet Prayer

(Finland – Week 36)

15 Sep 2015

We are currently emailing in a new place, and it's the coolest library ever. It has all these modern chairs, glass everywhere, and a bridge that leads... to no where! I can't even comprehend all the symbolism and deep thought, it's super great. I'm more cultured just by sitting in here.

This week we had an awesome experience with prayer! A lady was looking through the bushes with a shovel, obviously she lost something. We asked if we could help, she said she had misplaced her wallet which had everything in it. ID cards, bank cards, bus card, everything. We happily whipped out our umbrellas and started parting the bush sea in search of the wallet. After about 10 minutes of fruitless searching, my awesome companion said, "I know how to find it! Let's say a prayer!" So the three of us huddled together and prayed right on the street. After the prayer the woman let out her breath, and thanked us for the beautiful prayer. Her stress had melted from her face and she said that she knew her wallet would be found. She said that from the moment we approached she new who we were, one because no one else wore skirts like ours, but also because only people like us would stop to help. She accepted a Book of Mormon, and promised to read it. We never found the wallet, but we saw her again just last night. She was with a group of friends, and she flagged us down. She yelled across the square that she had found her wallet, and that she knew it was because of our prayer. She then excitedly started telling her friends about prayer. It was so wonderful to see this woman recognize an answer to a prayer. I don't remember even learning how to pray, I've done it my whole life, seeing someone who just discovered the miracle of prayer for the first time was fantastic. It reminded me of how special prayer really is. Enos in the Book of Mormon received an answer to his prayer, and he asked, how did this happen? His answer was, "And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ,whom thou hast never before heard nor seen... wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole." (Enos 1:8) I know that prayer works, that it's so simple but profound. Think about it, every time we pray we are in contact with our Heavenly Father, we feel the Holy Ghost, and we pray in the name of Christ, we involve every member of the Godhead! I love prayer, I have found so much comfort, peace, and answers. Prayer is real, it works.

If you all would open your May 2015 copies of the ensign and look on page 108, you will see a cute family sitting on a lovely bench. That bench is in the church of my first area in Finland!! You can look at that and imagine me sitting there, doing something missionary-y like reading my scriptures. I definitely have read my scriptures there. I think I also napped there once, we had to skip dinner for something so we took a little break at the church and I took a few minutes to re-energize. Anyway, it's a pretty great bench. I don't actually know the family though, I think they were from a different congregation. Also in the same Ensign, on the computer screen on page 74, is Finnish!!!! Also, read the talks from this Ensign, they're even more fantastic than the bench.

This picture is of my companion! And the beauty of Finland never ceases to amaze.

Much love! Have a wonderful week!

Sisar Mendenhall

        

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

Stopping a train, with my face.‏  

(Finland – Week 34)  

31 Aug 2015

Ok, so I guess I stopped the train with my whole body, not just my face. I was hopping off a train the other day and a man that was just about to hop on said, "Hei Sisaret!" He quickly got on so I whipped around and punched the button to open the doors. I asked the man if he knew anything about us, I don't remember what he said, the doors started to shut again and because the train was ready to go I couldn't push the open door button again, but I couldn't let him just go. In a moment of slightly-less-than-clear clarity, I stuck half my body in so the doors shut on me. Thank goodness for safety features that prevented half of my body from traveling back to Kerava, the doors popped back open again, and I was able to hold the train and give this man a Book of Mormon. He was really grateful, as was I for my intact torso. The conductor was less grateful, I hope the rest of his day went well.

I came across this scripture recently and I was really touched as I focused on the first 12 words. This is Alma 7:13, "Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me." The Spirit knows everything, Christ could have been taught everything he needed to know by the Spirit, He did not need to suffer for us so that he could know how to succor us perfectly, to love us perfectly, or to have any personal gain. Our Savoir suffered purely for us. Everything He did was for us, everything He still does is for us. As I've come closer to Him on my mission I have felt more joy than ever before in my life. I know He lives. I know He loves each of us. This motivates me so much that I feel like Lehi who said, after having a dream in which he tasted from the Tree of Life (representing eternal life), "And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." That's why I'm here, that's why I find joy in being shut in train doors, Christ truly can give us all the peace and happiness possible, which is much more than we can imagine.

Oh, also we got change calls! I'll be staying in Espoo and so is my companion! It's so nice to not have to pack. This picture is courtesy of my companion, she enjoys dramatic settings.

Have a fantastic viikko!

Love Sisar Mendenhall

BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY!!‏

  (Finland – Week 33)

25 Aug 2015

This week was fantastic! And as a matter of extreme importance, I am now an incredibly mature 20 year old. No more punk teenager. I'm 100% adult! Hence the incredibly mature and selfless balloons I treated myself to for my birthday (see attached picture). The second picture I have to give credit to my companion, she'll see cool sunlight, tell me where to stand, and then snap away. In this shot we were in downtown Helsinki waiting for a couple of sisters to go on exchanges with.

This past week I had a really unique experience. A sister left the mission field by herself, and she couldn't go to the final meetings and devotional alone, so my companion and I went with her! So at only my halfway point I have been to a departure devotional. At first it felt a little strange, even my companion only has two months left while I still have nine months to go. But it turned out to be wonderful to see such great examples of missionaries, such dedicated servants to the Lord. While there I was thinking about a recent convert here in Espoo, due to a pretty intense language barrier we teach very very simply. Through pantomime and broken french (on both ends) we communicated the question, how do you think it will feel to go home to your Heavenly Father, and literally be wrapped in His arms? I have since pondered this myself, and I thought of the verse in Alma 5:16, "I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?" In the MTC I read this scripture, and all I could imagine was going home, and having my family say something like this to me. While I still hope they do, I've since realized that there is so much in each of our lives, and my true going home will be that final day, when I meet my Heavenly Father in the flesh. At this departure devotional I felt such intense desire to hear my Heavenly Father say those words to me, I can't even imagine how amazing that will feel. Every time that I feel the Holy Ghost I get a glimpse of the joy, and that makes me want to share my testimony of Jesus Christ even more.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Much love, Sisar Mendenhall 

All of those scenes in movies that are super beautiful, were probably filmed in Finland 

(Finland - Week 32) 

18 August 2015

This past week we went to interim! That's a 3 day training meeting for all of the missionaries that have been in the field for 5-6 weeks. Normally the sister training leaders don't go, but since these new missionaries are all sisters we did! I was in charge of the kieli koulu, the language school, that was exciting. I got to tell my story about how every word is useful in bringing others to Christ. For example, I learned "to vomit" and thought that would be totally useless. The very next day we visited an elderly woman and learned that she needed help because her dog had vomited all over the house! Yay for Finnish vocab! We were able to teach and serve this woman as well as her dog (we created some less-abrasive-on-the-canine-stomach meals thereafter). 

I've been thinking about the desire of Alma to be an angel, so that he could proclaim the gospel to everyone, Alma 29:1-2 reads, 

"O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth."

I love why he wants to share the gospel, so that there might not be any more sorrow on the earth. The world teaches that there is nothing that works for everyone. No law without exception, no person everyone can love, no right way or even wrong way. All that is just really confusing. It's wonderful that the gospel really does work for everyone. We meet so many different people everyday, and always whatever they say to us relates back to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yesterday was had a training meeting with about 40 missionaries and we asked how the Book of Mormon motivates them to keep working. It was amazing. For so many different reasons--inspiring stories, good examples, feeling the Spirit whilst reading--the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ has helped all of these missionaries to keep going. The Book of Mormon truly contains the fullness of Christ's gospel, I'm so grateful for it every day. 

I was exceedingly happy this morning about the size of our apartment. It's so small that I can plug the vacuum in one spot, and vacuum the whole place!

I just love Finland. 

Much love, Sisar Mendenhall

Mini Missionary and Huge Testimony

                                      (Finland – Week 31)

10 Aug 2015

Our week with our mini-missionary was awesome! She just loves life so much, and she loved being a missionary for the week. We put her on the train back home and she wanted to wear her name tag all the way back. She taught me a lot about appreciating what I have and how to have joy in everything. She reminded me of this scripture in 2 Nephi 5:27, "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." At the mini-missionary closing meeting it was wonderful to see how much each of the mini-missionaries had grown. Just a week of really focusing on the Lord and His work had built each of them so much. The Finnish people are wonderful. They truly stand as lights to their nation. For example, in Finnish culture you do not say hi or talk with people you do not know (trust me, we get lots of weird reactions to our openness with people). Seeing the bravery of these little missionaries as they went against social norms to share the good news of Jesus Christ was awesome. I love Finland, it's good to see that this country will always be in good hands. 

This week we've been studying the example of Abinadi, and how motivated he was to do the work. Abinadi knew that he was going to be killed for his testimony, he had no motivation to keep going other than his personal testimony of Christ. I love his testimony part of which can be found in Mosiah 15:6-9,

6 And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even asIsaiah said, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

 8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—

9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

Abinadi is such a wonderful example of relying on the Lord completely. He knew without a doubt what he needed to do, and he needed no other motivation than the knowledge of his Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Have a wonderful week!

Love Sisar Mendenhall

Wow! You are so______!   

(Finland – Week 30)   

04 August, 2015

Well, it finally happened, a Finn has finally told me that I sound ____ . Twice in a week I was called the same thing, finally I looked it up, it meant fluent. Funny how I was being called fluent but did not understand the actual word fluent. I assure you that these were very kind Finns, I am not fluent, but I will work on that so that one day I may be, SUJAVA! (that means fluent, I think, I hope I spelled that right...) 

This week we have a mini missionary!! It's the coolest program ever, for a week teenagers come and live with the missionaries, eat with us, teach with us, and be officially representatives for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! They are so excited, I love it. Our mini missionary is 15, like my wonderful sister Leisel! We have taught together, talked to so many people, and had a lot of fun. I helped teach the 5-hour "mini MTC" and watched them all be told where they were going, they are all really prepared. It's awesome to see the testimonies Heavenly Father gives, we don't need to have years of experience teaching or anything to have bright testimonies that stand as a sign for the nations. 

This week a scripture was brought to my notice in Jeremiah 16:16,"Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." Someone pointed out that the huge apartment buildings all over here in Finland would have looked like giant mountains in Jeremiah's time, and that each apartment would be like a hole in the rock. This made all of us missionaries feel super epic, hunting out God's children across the land (probably with epic music in the background), and it reminded me how much I love what I am doing. I never thought that I would love the fact that I have sore feet all the time, because every time I feel my feet, I remember that that's because I told 100 people that day that Christ is their Savior. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I love how the scriptures apply to us today. They are meant for us, to strengthen and enlighten and inspire. I love studying the scriptures, it is always worth the time. 

I hope you all have a most wonderful week! Much Love!

Sisar Mendenhall