Happy fall! It is starting to get cold and dark in Finland, but hopefully my attitude won't go downhill with it :)
Our week was a really good week. Numerically, it wasn't super impressive, but I felt like pretty much everything we did was right in line with what we should be doing. The thing we still struggle with the most is talking with everyone, and that is a perpetual struggle I think for most missionaries, that we are working on overcoming.
But I guess the greatest news is that we finally, FINALLY have new investigators! We now have 3 very friendly, and very open, Chinese investigators (I promise we're not trying to profile - they're just really easy and open to talk to!), all of whom have very strong potential. There is an older man here studying for his doctorate, a middle aged woman who is married to a Finn, and a young man in his early 20s (we think) here as a student as well.
In particular, we have had some really miraculous experiences with the young student, (we'll call him V). We met him when another potential investigator asked if he could bring his friend, who was interested to learn more about God, to our meeting. That friend was V, and the very first referral I've ever gotten from someone who isn't a member if the Church. V turned out to be way more interested than we could ever hope, and in the last week and a half we have met with him twice, and he has come to church twice. Last Sunday he turned up to church on his own without any help -- we didn't even know he was coming. On Wednesday, he had planned to come to Institute and had shown up at the church, which was locked because, unbeknownst to us, Institute was not happening because there was a week long autumn break from school. We were able to find a member (by the promptings of the Holy Ghost) in literally the last minute so that we could have a short lesson with V before he had to go home.
On Friday we had our first official lesson with V, where we addressed some personal concerns he had posed to us on Wednesday. The member who came with us had had no briefing on what we were talking about with him, but with the Spirit guiding all three of us, V's concerns were sated, and he prayed for the first time! Then yesterday, V texted us in the morning saying that he wasn't going to make it to church due to poor planning. Sisar Ross and I have been practicing being more bold and we felt very strongly that we needed to help in understand how important church attendance is. So instead of just telling him that it was fine and that we would see him later, we prayerfully promised him that if he was able to come to at least the first hour to take the Sacrament, that the Lord would bless him with the time and strength to do all the other things he needed to do. Well, he texted back saying that he had missed the bus, so we scrambled to find him a ride, and after calling around to a few people, the bishop agreed to pick him up. When we got to church, there was V already seated in the chapel waiting for Sacrament meeting to start. The meeting was great, and the Spirit was strong, and V got to take the Sacrament. He was off like a shot after the meeting ended, but he came! And it was really a miracle. He is so excited to learn more and we are so excited to teach him more. We'll see him again when he comes to Institute on Wednesday :)
Well, that was a really long story, but I am just so excited about V. His desire to strengthen his relationship with God is strong. And did I mention that he only just decided to become a Christian early this year? He is SO COOL.
Honestly, that was pretty much the highlight of the week. There has been a lot of awesome stuff happening in our area, and I'm just excited to see what's going to keep happening.
I'm so grateful for the chance to be serving in Finland. I know the Lord has placed us all where we are "for the greater good," and we can be the biggest difference when we just trust in Him and do what He asks, which I will keep trying to do :)
Have a wonderful week, my friends, and stay shiny!
Rakkaudella,
Sisar Hillebrant
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