March 14, 2017

Exchanges in Turku!

Three times this transfer people have just walked into our church building because they felt like they were looking for something more in their lives. This past Sunday when we got to church some of the members told us to go to the chapel to talk to this man who had just randomly decided to come and so we did. He told us that he was walking past the church and he just felt like he had to come in. He said that he loved the peace that he could feel in our church and that he had had a lot of hardships in his life recently. Sister Adams and I testified to him that our Savior Jesus Christ truly loves and knows each of us personally and that through him we can find peace and joy in this life. We are teaching him tomorrow and it was just a really cool experience to be able to see that other people really are searching for happiness in this life. 

We also had exchanges in the beautiful city of Turku! When I come back to Finland one day I will definitely be visiting Turku. It was gorgeous and it was so much fun to spend the day working with the sisters and their investigators. It was also our last exchange so we'll be staying in Tampere for the rest of the transfer! As much as I love traveling, it is kind of a relief to be able to just work in our own area these last couple weeks together. 

Sister Adams and I have for some reason been teaching the commandments and about repentance in a lot of our lessons recently and it has really helped me to see that God's commandments are given to us because he loves us. God knows exactly what will keep us safe and happy and just like a loving parent He has told us exactly what we need to do in order to come back home one day. My view of repentance has changed a lot on my mission. I have such a testimony of daily repentance. In the world we live in today there is just so much temptation and people telling us that our actions right now don't really matter. God wants to bless us and help us become more like Him but we prevent Him from blessing us when we sin. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and His atonement and that He knows exactly what we go through every day. Repentance is such a gift and we can't utilize the power of the atonement without it. I know that life is hard sometimes but we never have to be alone. I love this church and I know that it is God's true, restored church. I am thankful for the chance that I have to be a missionary and to share the wonderful news.