FESTINORD!!

Rakas ystäviä!

Man this last week was SO surreal! It seemed we were in Naantali for like half the week helping with Festinord. We had the Sister Training Leaders camping at our apartment Monday and Tuesday night because they were helping as well, and then we were on splits with them.

On Tuesday, we were up early and got out to Naantali by 7am. We helped with some setting up, and then directed people to their rooms as they arrived. There was a bit of a panic because the lady who was supposed to provide musical numbers (with whom I was originally doing a duet) suddenly cancelled due to illness and asked me to figure it out. Everything worked out fine, but it was stressful.

Ready to Assist with the Great Naantali Race

The rest of the time, we helped with "The Great Naantali Race" where we were posted at stations and the groups had to come around and do activities such as figuring out if various quotes were from General Conference talks or Disney movies. It was a lot of fun, and I got very sunburned, despite being in the shade (I know, I'm pathetic). We did get some proselyting time in the evening. Sisar Jones and I were together to go contacting for an hour, and it was way fun.

Wednesday we were basically on kitchen duty all day, washing dishes and cleaning up. Then we got to go on splits with some of the young adults that were there. Sisar Ross and I each had a young woman, and were assigned a car to take them out to a couple lessons. Let it be known that I had not driven in over 7 months, let alone in a foreign country, and we only got lost twice. Thank heavens for GPS!

Thursday Sisar Ross and I performed a musical number in the morning devotional, but got to go home after that. We did our studies (during which there was a MASSIVE thunder storm) and Weekly Planning. Then, we had our first interviews with President Watson! He and his wife are SO NICE.

A Duet With Sisar Ross

Friday was the longest day of my life. We were at Festinord a little after 8am, where we participated in a choir for the morning devotional, then got put on dish duty again. We sang again in the afternoon conference meeting, then got assigned to help make flower arrangements for the center pieces for the fancy dinner that was happening. We got pulled into the rush of setting up the tables in the gym, and making sure there was enough silverware and the like. There was so much disorganization that the dinner started about 45 minutes late, and then we helped in the food service line.  This was also very stressful because, again, of little organization and lack of communication, and the poor kids got out of the dinner and on their way to the big dance about an hour late. But, I think all and all they enjoyed themselves. After dinner we were on table cleanup and breakdown duty, and we didn't get back to our apartment until after 10pm (with permission form the higher-ups).

Look, I'm a "Budding" Floral Arranger!

Sisar Ross Making Flowers (and Faces)

And just think that everything we did was super surface-level. Now I know what all goes into these kinds of events, and I will be SO APPRECIATIVE of the people helping if I ever go to one. 

And still after all that, we even had a great teaching week. I attribute this entirely to the Lord, because we were so drained from Festinord. But with the help of a lot of prayers and the blessings that come from doing so much service, the Lord helped us to keep the work going despite being gone so much. I truly believe we can't do anything without the Lord's help. Good thing he wants to help us :)

You guys are all rock stars. I hoe you have wonderful weeks and enjoy the Lord's love and your air conditioners.

Stay shiny!

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Hillebrant