Eli, Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Tuesday kicked off the craziness this week. President Rawlings was supposed to be in Turku to do interviews in the morning and sit in on our District meeting, so we were all hyped up for that. But they accidentally put the wrong coordinates into the GPS and ended up in Hammenlinna! Not exactly the plan, but it was pretty miraculous because we had a lesson set up for that evening and Sisar Howell had felt pretty impressed to invite President and his wife to come with us to teach this guy. So we called President and he said he would come, but the appointment cancelled last minute! We weren't about to cancel with President, though, so we spent a good portion of the afternoon frantically scrambling to make a new plan. We ended up setting an appointment with a part member family who lives about a half hour away by car (which was perfect because the Rawlings could drive us!), which was really good because we had felt that we really needed to make this family a priority and get the husband progressing toward baptism. So we went out there with the Rawlings and had an awesome lesson with the family and the husband became a new investigator! It was a miracle! This man is really, truly prepared, but we have to go slow with him because he is a very thoughtful, careful person. But we know he will progress because this is the truth and it cannot be denied!

The first of May was the grand holiday of Vappu, which is a national everyone-has-the-day-off day. I think it was labor day, or something of the sort, but basically people, especially students, use it as an excuse to drink, and we were not allowed to go outside at all unless we were travelling to a solid appointment. We woke up that morning and it was snowing! Apparently that's a pretty normal thing for Vappu, or so we've been told. We did weekly planning, so that filled most of our day, and luckily we had a pretty solid plan for the evening, so we weren't cooped up in the apartment.

 Vappu food - funnel cake and mead (non-alcoholic of course)

On Saturday, we took a district trip to the Turku castle. We only got to tour it for about an and a half, which was definitely not long enough, but we had a such a good time an I would love to go again. In the afternoon, we went out to meet with the same part-member family we'd visited with the Rawlings. The wife had invited a good friend too, and she picked us up and took us out there. It was super kiva because we think this woman might be pretty interested and super willing to learn more as well. We had a good afternoon out there fellowshipping the family and getting to know this lady and then teaching a pretty good lesson about how to receive answers to prayers. 

In the courtyard at Turku Castle

 Yes we are adults and yes we still like dress up

Yesterday, we had great fast and testimony Sunday. Sisar Howell and I performed our musical number, "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul," in our ward. It was such a perfect sacrament meeting song. I know I talked about it in one of my last emails, but I just love the song so much. It is such a powerful testimony to me of the love Christ has for me, and how through Him and His Atonement, I can become so much better and stronger. I know that He loves all of us and He will help us all and strengthen us if we just turn to Him and ask. I love my Savior, I love this work, and I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Lord's true and full church once again established on the earth. 

I love you all and am so grateful for all your thoughts and prayers! Stay shiny!

Rakkaudella, 

Sisar Hillebrant

Our district in Turku castle