In the Finnish language 'it' doesn't rain. Rain just happens. It's weird. You can't say 'Se sataa' (it's raining) like you would in english. You can say "sataa kovasti" or "sataa vetta" or "sataa ulkona" or "sataa tule" (traslated respectively rains hard, rains water, rains outside, rain comes) but "it" never rains. In any language, rain came this week. And adventures with the bike continue. This time I got to ride my bike with an umbrella. I still haven't bought a rain coat, and umbrellas work fine, so that is what I have been using. Finns also sometimes use umbrellas with there bikes so I don't feel totally weird or anything.
Anyhow, change calls came this week! And.... I am no longer staying in Oulu. Kinda sad. My trainer Sisar Vath is staying and training a new missionary. And I am headed to Tampere! I'm mostly excited. I get to serve with Sisar Holt, who was my MTC companion's trainer. I was able to meet her when I went to kielikoulu at the beginning of last month, and we both enjoy the Court Jester so I think it's going to be a lot of fun. At the same time though I am really going to miss Oulu. Yesterday I was in church and looking around at everyone and was thinking how much I'd truly miss the branch. This is a bit weird for me. I've only been here 3 months, hardly enough time to get to know people, but they've become my friends!
Also, this week I got to go to the town of Kuopio for exchanges! It is BEAUTIFUL! (well, all of Finland is. It's funny, whenever someone talks about a place in Finland they'll say "oh it's so pretty there!" regardless of the place, and it's always true. It always is really pretty.) Along with getting to play sählö again, I found out one of the Elders in my zone shares my birthday, and I got fed a lot of ice cream by members. I guess this is because we told all the people we were visiting that we didn't need anything to eat, but they still wanted to give us something, so they fed us ice cream. We also went tracting and met an older lady who seemed so happy, and we were telling her about how the gospel brings us joy, but surely we were preaching to the choir because she was so joyful. She then proceeded to tell us that half of her children had died, and one was in the hospital. So, that just teaches you not to judge by the outward appearance, although it is amazing that she could have all those things happen to her and be that joyful, without the gospel perspective.
Things in Oulu have been a but slow, It seems like none of our investigators are really progressing. Our investigator who was going to be baptized last month, seems to be facing a lot of opposition right now. Sisar Vath says it's because Satan doesn't want him to make the right choice. I have to agree with her. Yup. That sneaky little devil, ruining everyone's happiness. It's just not nice. Hopefully though, things pick up soon again. We have a couple potentials we want to visit before I leave for Tampere tomorrow!
No niin ( alrighty then)! I should go!
Love you all. Hope everything is great!
Sisar Rachel Kastendieck
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