How's life? How's work? School? The dog... oh wait no dog.
Life in Lahti, Finland is going pretty swimmingly. From awesome neighbours who bake for us, receiving texts from people who randomly want to go to church, to stake conference in Tampere, to feeding ducks in Hämeenlinna before district meeting things are great.
Sister Schellenberg and I have been having a lot of fun this week talking to people, and serving. And we had some cool experiences, like always! But to make it even better, last Wednesday we had district meeting, in Hämeenlinna, and the train got Sister Schellenberg and I there an hour and a half early. So we walked around for an hour and a half, trying to talk to people, but no one wanted to talk to us. We went to district meeting, had a way cool lesson about talking with people. What prevents us from doing it? We had a huge list! And then we talked about why we do it everyday all day, when it's so hard. And it kinda all came down to love, and charity. That we love the people, and Heavenly Father. And when we're filled with that love we are able to really touch people's hearts even if they don't know us, or want to know us. On the way home, Sister Schellenberg and I got to talk to three different people about the gospel, and it was great!
One kind of interesting miracle happened this week. We had made a goal to have at least one investigator in Church this week. A bit low, but it was stake conference and we've been struggling at having them get to church. We had two of them set up to go, a mom and her son, but they cancelled at the last minute because the mom ended up taking care of her friend's children while her friend was out of town for the weekend. Then Saturdaymorning we received a text from an unknown number asking what time church was the next day, and what were good sections to read from the Book of Mormon. We told him it was stake conference and we'd be taking a bus there at 8:30 am, but was welcome to come. And he came! And we get to see him again tomorrow, and he wants to come to a baptism that's happening on Saturday. Way cool! (A note about him. He's a bit extreme looking. Younger. Not at all mainstream. But he referred himself to the church, found out about the church from the website. It was interesting because I had just read that scripture about how God looks not on the outward appearance, like the day before. And it built my testimony that really everyone has been prepared. I had been anxious about talking to younger finns about the gospel before, now though I'm really excited!)
And Stake Conference was FANTASTIC! Especially the last talk. It was a member of the Seventy speaking and he talked about how everything is built upon laws. One of these laws is that when we give Heavenly Father what we have he multiplies and adds unto it until we have so much more than what we started with. For example the story of the loaves and fishes, or the law of tithing etc etc. It is also interesting to note that the Lord always asks us for what we do have, not what we lack, It doesn't matter what we don't have because the Lord makes up the difference. In my own life I can see how that works. Like, when I came to Finland, even though I was a missionary, talking to people about the gospel, especially in Finnish, was terrifying. But I was able to start with smiling, and then saying hi, to then asking how peoples' days' were going, and now my ability to talk with people about gospel (which is by no means any where close to perfect) has increased. I'm comfortable bearing my testimony to those around me. So next time a challenge comes focus on what you do have, bring it to the Lord, and he will multiply it...or at least make up the difference. Isn't the gospel great?
Anyhow, I'd better go. I've attached a picture of myself in front of Hämeenlinna's Linna (castle) and the long list of challenges we have about missionary work...
Love you all, Hope you have a fantastic week! You're the best... etc etc.
Sister Rachel Kastendieck
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