October 24, 2016

It takes at least 5 minutes to get out the door every day because...winter!

It's supposed to snow on Wednesday!

Suomi!

This is our little friend who followed us around.

And our district!

Notice the awkward distance between the sisters and elders.

This past week went by so fast it's weird! We are headed of to go to interim later today and we are looking forward to the experience, especially being able to go to the temple this week.

We got to celebrate Sisar Holbrook's 20th Birthday yesterday! We celebrated with red velvet cake and an amazing dinner appointment with a great American couple that live here. After that we went right back to work! We were tracting and there was this random cat that kept following us. It even ruined one of our contacts because someone answered the door and the cat ran into their house....it was way awkward. I am not sure what else to write but, the church is true and I love serving as a missionary here in Finland.

October 18, 2016

Studying Finnish!!

Half way there! I hit my 9 month mark last Thursday and it was the weirdest thing ever. Time is going way too fast! This past week we had Zone conference in Haaga with all of Helsinki Zone. We got to hear from the Watsons and from a couple of the new senior couples that just came here. 

Last Saturday the Elders in our ward had a baptism! We were able to go to it and 3 of our investigators came as well! It was truly a great week, especially seeing the baptism and seeing how happy their investigator was afterwards. One of our investigators that came to the service is being baptized on November 5th and now every time we meet with him he starts off by saying, '' What am I learning today?'' He is so excited for his own baptism and has such great faith. (He is the one that told us he wanted to be baptized after General Conference) 

Fun fact about Finland is they don't name their babies until like 2 months after they are already born. Usually they get their names when they are baptized into the Lutheran church, or in our church when they receive their baby blessing. They refuse to tell anyone the baby's name until then, even their parents! I think my mother would kill me! 

Next week is interim, which means we will be spending a couple days at the mission home to receive training for all of the new missionaries. They have had to do it in two separate groups because there is so many new missionaries. It's been another great week and I love it here in Finland. Even though there were two days this past week where it was so overcast that we couldn't see the sun and I'm pretty sure I'll start seeing the sun less and less, it has been such a joy to serve the Lord. 

October 11, 2016

Sistar Roberts' work area!

Apartment Kitchen

Helsinki train station

Did I say mention last week that winter is coming? Well it's already here! I had to unpack my winter clothes this past week and get used to the days getting darker and darker. After having the summer here with even the nights filled with sunshine it is so weird to have my nights be dark again. But all is good! We have had some amazing experiences and we have been blessed to be finding more and more people to share the gospel with! 

I have such a testimony now of not complaining and just getting to work. If we are outside, even if it's cold and dark out and we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, we will be blessed with people to teach. It has been a humbling experience to really see why I was called to Finland. I makes me feel that my loving Heavenly Father really does have high expectations of me and I don't want to let him down! My Finnish is still coming little by little everyday but I know that the Lord qualifies whom He calls and if I try my best He can give me the words that I need to tell to people. I think I finally get the ''Helsinki slang''! Basically they don't say half of the word and they speak way fast but with the Lord's help and a lot of educated guessing it's all been going pretty well! Also realizing it is totally fine to ask things like, ''Sorry can you repeat that?'' and ''Can you say that either slower or a different way.?'' It has really helped to be straightforward and when the people see that you're trying your best to speak their language they are so loving and willing to help. And it totally breaks the ice to have a couple language fails =)

One night Sister Holbrook and I were walking back home and this woman caught up to us and said ''Hi sisters!'' Turns out she was a less active member that lives in our area that we didn't know about. She said she could see us from a mile away, even in the dark and knew we were the sister missionaries. We talked with her a bit and got her information and hope to be meeting with her soon. I just thought it was really cool that first of all she came up to us and that people really do recognize us and notice us so easily. I told Sister Holbrook that it must be because the light of Christ still shines even if it's dark outside! That'll be good for the winter months =)

October 4, 2016

Winter is coming!!! I've had to unpack my winter clothes yet again and accept the fact that I live in Finland. It is still so weird to me!

What an amazing week, we had the opportunity to watch a couple sessions of conference over the weekend. The only ones I haven't seen yet are the priesthood session and the Sunday evening session because of the time change. It was so great meeting together with a combined group of 10 missionaries that came to watch and we even had an investigator come to two sessions. I had written out some questions that had been on my mind beforehand and they were all answered. I can't believe I used to sleep through conference!!! I love hearing from our amazing church leaders and of course our amazing Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. How incredible is it that we have a living day prophet and the same organization of the church as when Jesus Christ was on the Earth? I feel so blessed to be able to live at such a time as when we can hear from the prophet and his twelve apostles. Most importantly, my testimony that Jesus Christ leads this church and directs our leaders grew. 

After our investigator had watched the Saturday evening session with us we went to go talk to him to see what he thought. Here is how that conversation went:

          Us: ''Well what did you think?''

          Investigator: ''I'm convinced.''

          Me: ''What does that mean...''

          Investigator: '' When can we meet again, I want to be baptized. This is true.'' 

So that happened. We set a baptismal date for him next month and we are so excited! It's impossible to watch general conference and not know it's true if you have a sincere heart.

I love this church so much and know that it is true. I love our dear prophet Thomas S. Monson and all of our church leaders. I have a testimony that Jesus Christ is our savior.