Snow? Nope. Let's talk about rain.

I just read all of your emails and it sounds like the snow has arrived. Not so much here. Today it is happily pouring rain outside. But, most finns cannot wait for the snow to arrive. Right now it gets dark at about 17:00 (5pm) When snow comes however, it seems like it's lighter longer because the snow reflects the light. But enough about the precipitation here, because it has also continued to rain miracles! (cheesy I know)

But seriously, this week has been fantastic. Not only did Sister Schellenberg find new investigators for our first time, but we also got to meet with some less actives, whom we had had a hard time contacting before, and we also had a Halloween themed district meeting (sorry, no pictures... but I was a pirate). 

Sister Schellenberg and I have really been trying hard to follow counsel, and have a lot of lessons set up for the following week by Sunday. The fun thing is that a fair few of the lessons changed, moved or got cancelled, however the Lord was able to make up the difference. For example  we had arrived at a dinner appointment to find out that the family had completely forgotten we were coming, and the mom and dad weren't even home. Sister Schellenberg and I decided to walk to the grocery store and pick up some chocolate to make cookies for a former we had plans to meet with. In the candy aisle of the store there was a man in a wheelchair, to whom I said 'Hi'. That was all I had really intended to say. But before I knew it we were teaching him, exchanging phone numbers and giving him a Book of Mormon. Say what? It turns out he's really cool. He doesn't have legs due to some medical circulation problem, but is one of the most happy, friendly people I've ever met!

The less active we got to meet was another miracle. We had gone by her house a couple months ago, and she was really grumpy and didn't want to talk to us at all, and would even take the cookies we had made for her (we make cookies a lot). Last weekend it was raining, again, and we had a couple minutes on our hands before the bus left. We decided to try and drop by her again, and she totally let us in! Although, she does not want to ever come to church, she is happy to talk to us. Crazy.

Halloween was fun. We had a Halloween district meeting. Funny story. We were supposed to get up early and play Sähly with the four other elders in my district. But between us missionaries, there's only one key to the church, and they locked us out by accident. So we went home and made pancakes! Truth be told though, they don't really celebrate Halloween here. Not too much. But Saturday was Pyhäin Päivää, which is All Saints Day in english. Finns go to the cemetaries and light candles at all of their dead ancestors' graves. It's supposedly really beautiful. I didn't get to see it, but they also do it at Christmas. Perhaps I can go then. 

Anyhow, I got to go. Have an awesome week. Be happy. Stay Safe. Remember who you are and what you stand for. 

Sister Kastendieck