Hyvää Vappua!

Hyvää Vappua! 

Okay so, Vappu was nearly a week ago. But you haven't had the chance to hear about it yet. So last week I was down in Helsinki from Monday to Thursday for some Interim Training and Kielekoulu (Language School) and it was so much fun! I got to see my MTC group, which was grand! I hadn't seen any of the Sisters since coming to Finland. I did lots of role plays in training... which wasn't so great. I really don't like role plays. They are awkward. And I got to play sählö... which, for those of you who don't know is pretty much floor hockey with shorter sticks, and smaller nets. But it is so much fun! I got to play every morning I was down there for exercise  which beats doing crunches and push ups in my apartment any day. Kielikuolu was fantastic! We got to make milkshakes and go over common language problems. I guess our language coordinator was blown away by our mad skills in the Finnish Language. Although... I still really don't feel all that great at Finnish in the least, especially my comprehension when others speak. I also got to experience (or at least watch) Vappu from a safe distance. 

Vappu is the Finnish Labour Day. It takes place on May Day, and is pretty much a big drinking fest. Everyone wears the cap they received when they graduated and drinks. Don't really know if there's any logic in that, but they seem to think it's dandy. They close down a whole ton of streets in downtown Helsinki due to the amount of people celebrating Vappu. At any rate, us missionaries are not allowed to contact, or tract. We can only go out if we have appointments... or in my case training. 

So Helsinki was fun. But I am glad to be back in my area. I love Oulu. And this weekend was really good too. We had Piiriconferensi (District Conference), which is like Stake conference... only Oulu is in a district. The President Rawlings, my mission president and his wife both spoke, along with a member of the Seventy. We also had a meeting later that day for just ward missionaries, and full time missionaries in Oulu, where President Rawlings talked and instructed us. I've received a lot of training from him over the past week or so. Oh, and there was also a meeting for new converts, and investigators with baptismal dates. One of our investigators was able to go. He was a former investigator we found a couple weeks ago. His biggest obstacle to joining the church is his smoking, but yesterday he got a blessing to help him. It was really cool. Afterwards he said he felt really peaceful inside. We have an appointment with him later today. 

Also, one of sisters in my branch has been inactive for a long time. This is because she's been living with a boyfriend, who doesn't like her to come to church. Anyhow, a couple days a go we got news that she's moved to her own place, with no boyfriend, closer to the church! She came to district conference and loved it! It's so exciting! 

One thing that I have learned is that I have nothing to do with the changes that happen in peoples' lives. Absolutely nothing. I mean personal worthiness, obedience, and always having the spirit helps, but when it comes down to it, I'm pretty sure that I play a very minor part in helping people come to Christ. They do it themselves.

Love you all!

Sisar Rachel Kastendieck