Cha-cha-cha-changes

Rakas ystäviä!

What a week, what a week. 

I hit my 6 month mark on Wednesday the 18th! One third down and it actually feels now like it's speeding up and I'm freaking out a bit!

We had wonderful exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders, Sisaret Foster and Jones in Turku on Thursday, which was Sisar Howell's and Jones's one-year mark! What a way to celebrate! I was with Sisar Jones, and we had a really good day biking all over town trying to contact people. It was raining too, so that was fun :) We may or may not have stopped as well to check out an old farm and an the site of an old church ruin. We got lots of fun photos. That night there was a YSA party as a fun Juhannus celebration. There were a few teams, and a bunch of ingredients were put out one the table, and in teams we had to make cookies without a recipe. It was probably one of the more fun baking projects I've ever been involved with. We had a really cool guy there who is the non-member son of a less-active in our ward who we accidentally contacted when we were trying to find his mom. We think he has a lot of potential!

We got our CHANGE CALLS on Friday morning!! And the verdict is ........................................................ .......................................................................................................................................................................................I will be staying in Turku for another 2 months and will be joined by Sisar Ross from Jyväskylä!

I'm way stoked to be here for the rest for the summer. Sisar Howell will be moving to Espoo, which will be hard for her because she really loves Turku and the people here. I imagine it will be hard for me too when I will probably have to leave in August. But for the time being, I'm excited for these next two months with Sisar Ross!

We had a pretty weird weekend. It was Juhannus, or midsummer, which is huge holiday here, and subsequently it is also a "Hard Red Day" because people like to get super drunk. So, there was pretty much no one to talk to and our appointments were few and far between. But, we had a musical number in church to prepare for so we got to practice for that and Sisar Howell had a chance to start packing. We were also invited to come the Huhtalas' for lunch which may or may not have turned into a 5 hour event. But we had brought and investigator and recent convert with us, so we were OK. We ate far too much and played a super fun Finnish game called mörkky, which basically consists of throwing a block of wood at other blocks of wood and seeing who can get to 50 points first. It was grand day.

Happy Juhannus from Finland, where midsummer is cold and wet!

I had some really lovely experiences with following the Spirit this week. The first was with Sisar Jones. We were a little early for an appointment, so we walked around a bit. Sisar Jones felt impressed to turn down a certain street, and we saw a young woman and started a conversation with her.  It turns out she has been looking for the "right church for her" ever since she moved to Turku. We talked for a bit, but unfortunately her bus came too soon and all we could do was give her a pass-along card with our church information on it. But she will find the right church and I think the Spirit will direct her back to us soon.

The second was just this morning. We had a church tour with an older woman set up and we had tried to call a woman in our ward to get her to come with us. We called once and the call didn't go through. A while later I felt I needed to try again, and I almost ignored the thought. But I called her, and she answered and she was super down to come and help on the lesson. And she ended up being the biggest asset and the biggest help in teaching this woman who was about her same age. She was able to explain some things so much better than we could and may also be a good family history buddy for this lady and help her get started with that. It was a good reminder to me that the Lord knows His children and he knows what they need. He knew that the woman we were teaching would need a good friend and a good "missionary-Finnish" interpreter. If I hadn't followed His guidance, the lesson would not have gone nearly as well.

Well, my friends, I must say TTFN. Hope this week finds you well and remember that Heavenly Father knows you and loves you!

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Hillebrant

My Mom made pillow cases for Sisar Howell and me.

It was a pretty good week :)

Rakas ystäviä!

A lot of decently good stuff happened this week, one of them being that we had our last Zone Conference with President Rawlings on Thursday. His mission officially ends on June 30th at midnight, and President Watson takes over on July 1st. It was a very good zone conference and I learned SO MUCH and am SO MOTIVATED to do so many things better. We talked a lot about praying always and really inviting the Lord to help us in the work. Most of the time when we get stressed as missionaries, it is because we are trying to do too much without Heaven's help, so the biggest way to combat stress is to pray always about EVERYTHING. I'm telling you, it is way hard to pray always and I sometimes get stressed because I remember I'm not praying always! But in my experience thus far, when I am praying for guidance with even the littlest things, the work goes way more smoothly and miracles happen.

Speaking of miracles...

WE HAD A BAPTISM THIS WEEK!! Our beautiful, shiny, sunny 18 year old girl A was baptized on Saturday and confirmed a member of the church and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday in church. I did not realize it was possible to feel this much love and joy! Saturday morning was one of the craziest days of my life. Sisar Howell and I were all over the place trying to make sure everything was ready and that no one needed to worry about anything. The service was so nice and spiritual. Her non-member mother was there and I think she had a way good experience. Taking A down to the font was just SO EXCITING and when she came out of the water she just glowed! She is clean and I really think she can feel it :) The ward is so excited for her, and the YSA group here just loves her. After the service, A was suddenly bombarded with flowers and other gifts from the people that came. It was so touching to see the ward reach out and just embrace her. One family even got her a nice triple combination (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price) of her own :'D A is going to be such a wonderful part of our ward, and we think she might hopefully be our replacement in the mission field someday soon!

(Photos to follow soon, I hope)

Earlier this week I was thinking about the section in 1 Nephi when Nephi is commanded by the Lord to kill Laban, a really nasty tyrant, in order to get the brass plates that contain the genealogy of Nephi's father. A lot of people have concerns with this because of the commandment "thou shalt not kill." But as God told Nephi, He will fulfill his purposes and it is better that one man should die so that a nation won't dwindle in unbelief. I was thinking about how Nephi WAY did NOT want to kill Laban, but he did as he was told and trusted that God's vision was bigger than his. And because He followed the Lord's commandment, a nation received scripture and the records of their ancestors, Zoram was brought out of Jerusalem to marry Ishmael's oldest daughter and follow Nephi to build up God's righteous people, and Nephi was further shaped into the great prophet he would one day become. It is so important to remember that the Lord's vision overreaches ours, and that even though we may be asked to do things we don't want to do, or that might be uncomfortable and scary, if we trust in the Lord and do as He commands, His goals, which are greater than ours, will be reached.

Well, that is as much good stuff as I can pack into one email :) I hope you all have a lovely week and that you enjoy the start of the summer!

Rakkaudella, 

Sisar Hillebrant

PS Next week you will find out whether or not I will be staying in Turku for another change!

Fruits of Our Labors?

Rakas ystäviä,

I'm not going to lie, this past week was really hard! We didn't have very many appointments scheduled, and many of the things we did have got cancelled on the other end. There were times, I'll admit, when I wasn't perhaps as consecrated as I should have been, dragging my feet in the apartment and whatnot. But we really did try this week to have good back up plans and at least stay out on the streets trying to talk to people if we weren't in a lesson. President Rawlings talked a little last week in his email about remembering to involve the Lord in the work instead of just trying to figure out what we are dong wrong.  So, I was trying to keep that in mind and I was trying to pray always, and sometimes it just didn't feel like anything was coming of it. But I stuck it out and tried to keep a positive attitude and focus on Christ and the strengthening power of the Atonement, and all was well. The things that were good were really good, and the tough parts were bearable. 

And then we had a miraculous Sunday! I can't even believe all the blessings we had. On Saturday, we were in an area trying to do some contacting and pihpataa-ing many of our formers and potentials in the area, while knocking a couple doors along the way, when we got a random call from one of the families in the ward inviting us to dinner on Sunday night! As it turns out, they had invited the Elders, but they had something else, so the invitation fell to us. What a blessing! Then Sunday morning, we had a fall-back appointment with a potential investigator that we had rescheduled from Saturday (she had been our only appointment on Saturday, and she had to cancel). We met with her and she had some friends over. Turns out she was super Muslim (we weren't too surprised because we knew she is form Iran) but she had invited us over because she wanted to introduce us to her friend who is Hindu but has visited in Christian churches and is looking for religious direction. We invited him to church and he came! And we hadn't even asked that lady for referrals! We also invited a lovely Chinese woman to church who had only just become an investigator on Tuesday, and she came with her 5 year old son. So along with our two regular church-attending investigators (A the 18 year old girl and J the college guy) and the nonmember daughter of a convert (who would probably get baptized if the father gave permission), we had a total of 5 investigators in church! It was amazing!! Then we had dinner with the family from our ward and a recent convert as well. Then in the evening, our call-in time got pushed back, so we went out on the street and ran into a less active man whom we taught and got one more street-contact teach! It was really a miraculous day!! It really was the bright spot at the end of a frustrating week, and really made all the hours of what felt like pointless contacting really seem worth it. And it showed that God is in control, because no matter how hard we work, we won't see results until the Lord reaches out His hand and gives us the fruits. I can testify that praying and inviting and testifying are the keys to the work, because when we do these things, the Lord gives us miracles.

Another fruit is the upcoming baptism of A the 18 year old on Saturday!! We have been organizing that this week, and it has almost come together all the way. We just can't get over how wonderful and ready she is, and she is a little spot of sunshine that has made our whole week just so good. We can't wait to change her in our phone from tutkija to jäsen! Details next week on how it all plays out.

I just want to testify (again?) about the strengthening part of the Atonement. Check out Alma 7:11-13. When Christ felt the pains of our sins, he also felt all our physical, mental and emotional pains, illnesses, weaknesses, frustrations, disheartenments, disappointments, discouragements, angers, sadnesses, and all other bitternesses (forgive me, I believe I have invented some new words). So that means whenever we feel something negative or unhappy, or if maybe our week stinks a little bit, He has felt it and knows how to comfort us and lift us up. All we need to do is pray for help and for these burdens to be lightened, then have faith that He will run to our aid. Then we have to live in faith and look for the good parts of our day, and then the bad things won't feel so bad. If we bear our burdens with cheerfulness, Christ will make us stronger (Mosiah 24:15 "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.").

I hope you all have a wonderful week. And remember to be good missionaries! In stake conference a few weeks back, we were asked to do just ONE THING EVERYDAY to make someone else's day a little bit better. When we turn out and serve others instead of focusing on ourselves, we find that we have a better day too. I challenge you all to make that your focus this week, then to go out and live in faith in Jesus Christ. I love you all!

Rakkaudella, 

Sisar Hillebrant

One Rainy Week...

...two missionaries got absolutely soaked. I wish I had more pictures, because when the rain gets through your jacket and your sweater, you know you weren't prepared for the weather. Welcome to a Finnish spring, folks. We went from having record high May temperatures of around 30 degrees Celcius the week before to having record low temperatures of 10 degrees. Talk about fickle. This last week was dreary and wet, but all is well because the sun is coming back and summer is on it's way again!

No, we're not crazy!  Really!

We had a great last week of May, especially regarding our lovely 18-year-old young lady who is possibly the most golden, absolutely prepared person I have ever met! She is such a big miracle and we don't deserve it. But that's OK because this is the Lord's work and not ours, and he is going to let her blow us out of the water with her readiness so that she can get into the waters of baptism. We're starting to plan the baptismal service this week so all will be ready for the big day on the 14th of June. Just two weeks away! Oh, AND she is going to Festinord (a big Young Single Adults conference, kind of like a big EFY, held for the Nordic countries. People from all over the world come. This year it's in Naantali, an island just off Turku, and if I'm still here for another transfer, my companion and I might get to help out) and SO excited about it! She is probably the cutest person on the planet.

J the college guy's baptismal date got pushed back another week. He still needs time to process everything, so we're giving him this week to think about everything on his own. We'll stop by once this week, then ramp up the visits next week and the week after to prepare him to get baptized on the 21st of June. He's been a slow-goer, but all the better if it means he is ready.

Did I tell you last week that our bishop is the best? Well, he is. We've been tackling those lists he gave us last week and reported back yesterday. He is preparing the ranks (aka himself and maybe the ward council) to go to battle and help us help these people. Sisar Howell and I are going to start doing the member role-plays with his family ASAP.

I was reading in the Book of Mormon this morning in 3 Nephi. Mormon, the guy who compiled and abridged all the writings to make the book, took the liberty of inserting his testimony that all the things he was writing and copying over are true. It is so powerful that he write his own conviction, especially when we think about how difficult it would have been to carve letters into gold plates. A lot harder than writing with pencil on paper, so everything he was saying has got to be pretty important. One of my favorite bits was verse 13, when he says: "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." We have all been called to be disciples of Christ and to declare His word. It's part of our baptismal covenant when we promise to remember Him always and to bear witness of him. Christ trusts us to do the things he has asked, and in return he has promised us eternal blessings more extensive and incredible than we can imagine now. Let us live up to His trust by living as he would live, serving as he would serve, and loving as he loves. Take the step and share these things with the people you love. They deserve to know about the restored gospel too.

Well, I was about to dig out my planner and go through the week to see if there was anything else to tell you, but I just switched planners, so all that is at home on my desk. Alas, you will have to be satisfied with this. I hope you all are doing wonderfully well and that you are having a pleasant spring. I love you all!

Rakkaudella,
Ssiar Hillebrant

From the blessed land of Turku

Rakas ystäviä! 

Hope y'all are having a great week and that all is well in the Americas on this fine day. Here is a rundown of what went down this last week.

Last Monday for YSA (we get to go when we have an investigator there, and our 18 year old girl goes whenever she's in town) we played ultimate Frisbee, and it was so much fun. I can tell you that I am a great thrower, but I cannot catch the Frisbee if my life depended on it.

On Tuesday, we went to visit the Huhtala perhe (whose permission I have to put their name and photos online) for dinner and to do some gardening. We pretty much just re-potted flowers because Sister Huhtala had broken her toe, but the plan is for us to come back this week to go with them to deliver potted flowers and a spiritual message to some of their neighbors. Four referrals from one family? I think yes :)

Planting seeds in a more literal manner

We have also met twice this week with our favorite Chinese recent convert. He tries so hard and has such a great, growing testimony (he also says the funniest things. Example : "The elders look so nice in their suits. I think if I was a girl I would have hard time not falling in love with them. Good thing I don't have that problem.") He taught the Gospel Principles class on Sunday this week about the priesthood and he did such a good job. It is so wonderful to see these people who have such a new testimony really putting all of their effort into continuing to grow their faith in Christ.

We had a lesson with J the college guy on Saturday. We're a little worried about him, not because of his progress per say, but because he is currently in the middle of a school rush, so we can't meet with him as often or reliably, and we don't think he's keeping all his commitments. He didn't come to church on Sunday, which is strange, because he didn't really give us any foreknowledge about it. We know he has a sincere desire to learn, but it seems his priorities may be focused somewhere else at the moment.

We had a neat thing happen this week, when we knocked on a door and woman around her 30s answered. We introduced the Book of Mormon to her and she was very grateful when we gave her one and would be happy to meet with us again. We came to her apartment again on Saturday and she had a friend over and we talked to the two of them together. We introduced the Book of Mormon to the friend, and when she flipped through it and read a little of it, she said she felt the Spirit and offered to pay for a copy! Of course we told her it was free, and she was exited to read it, and we are so excited to start teaching them. They are two very special people and I'm excited to get to know them and help show them the way to follow Christ.

Today we went to the other sisters' apartment for exercise (Sis Howell ran and I rode my bike next to her because I'm lame and really just don't like running) and to pick up a blender we wanted to borrow. Well, I locked my bike (there's a peg that sticks through the back wheel), then realized I did not have my key. So to get home, I steered the handle bars and Sisar Howell kept the back wheel lifted. we may or may not have looked like bike thieves.  Also today, Sisar Howell was using said blender when the lid decided not to work and green soupy glop splashed all over the wall and cupboard. Suffice it to say we did a little more cleaning today than anticipated.

We and the elders in our ward are ready to get to work on a big thing in our ward. We met with the bishop on Saturday evening and explained to him a few things we need help with. The first is working with less actives, and did he have a list of specific less active members he would like us to work with?

The second was that we want to really start hard-core implementing something called Active Member Plans. Basically President Rawlings has given to us 5 "role-plays" that we do with members to help them learn how to follow the counsel to do member missionary work. They are as follows: 1) The Invitation to pray - we ask them to pick someone in their life that we can pray about with the members to know how we can help bring the gospel to this person, then plan to come back and discuss and implement the revelation we receive regarding these people. 2) The Word Game - we play a game where we have slips of paper on which are written random words. Each person has 30 seconds and has to relate as many words as possible to the gospel within that time. The idea is to show them that talking about the gospel normally and naturally is easy! 3) The Book of Mormon role play - we teach the members how to give away a Book of Mormon so that the recipient is excited or has a reason to read it, then we set a date with them for when they would like to give away the book. 4) The Invitation role play - we help the members practice inviting a friend to church then set a goal with them of when they are going to do it. 5) Family History role play - we teach the members how to use family history to get their friends excited about doing it, and then set a goal to help them invite friends to do family history. We want to start doing this with as many people as possible to build a figurative army of member missionaries.

On Sunday we met with the bishop again and he gave us lists of members who would possibly be interested in doing this. Then he gave us a list of less actives he wanted to make a priority, plus a list of part-member families to work with and a list of people who might need regular visits form the missionaries to get an extra spiritual boost. We and the elders then went through these lists and split it up between the two companionships. This week we are going to contact as many of these people as possible and get as much useful information as we can, and then report back next week so we can start working with them together with the bishop to really build up and strengthen our ward. It is an exciting time in Turku 1st ward! 

As always, it's been a wonderful week of missionary work and building the Lord's kingdom on the earth today. I know that Heavenly Father lives and loves us all, and I know the Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. Through His atonement and His love, we can do all things!

I love you all!

Rakkaudella, 

Sisar Hillebrant