Southward Bound!

So... change calls happened this week. And I'm not staying in Lahti. I'm getting transferred down to Espoo! (pronounced like S-Poe [like Edgar Allen Poe]). Not only that but, I am shotgunning an area for the second time on my mission. Which means, both former missionaries have left the area, and two new ones are coming in. My new companion is Sister Vincent, who has been in Turku for the past six months. I'm headed down on Wednesday morning. I'm a little bit terrified but, everything should turn out great! Supposedly it's a huge area, and the bus system is near impossible to navigate but, everyone loves Espoo. There are a lot of members (and missionaries too) down there AND the temple is there! So that's exciting. But, I am incredibly sad to leave Lahti. I've learned so much here in the Chicago of Finland. It's pretty much like home, and I just love everyone so much! Cheesy I know, but it's true. I'm determined to come back someday!

As far as the past week goes. It's mostly a blur. We had a LOT of dinner appointments with members. Really fun. We had African food, and Finnish food, and American food. A bit of everything. The Elders dared us to eat all the food at one member's house, who makes enough to food to feed an army. They've done it before. We failed. Valentines Day happened and Sister Dayton and had a ton of pink foods... not on purpose. It just happened. We ate borsch, and viispipurro (oatmeal... mush... berry deliciousness), and strawberry flavoured vitamin C water because I got a cold.

The Lu'au is happening this next weekend. Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to go. Sister Dayton and I spent a lot of time delivering invitations to everyone we could. Everyone is really excited about it though, and inviting friends, and making leis! One Sister even came up to us and said "I'm going to be in Spain next weekend, so I can't go. But, I'm still trying to get two of my friends to come!"  

Also, we had an investigator in church yesterday! It was a miracle! Most of our investigators, as of late, have been a bit wishy washy. Never really committing to anything. We got a bit frustrated with one who kept saying he'd tell us when he's have time to meet, but then never would. So we texted him and asked if he could meet this past weekend. He said "yeah, I'm free on Sunday"... and then we invited him to church! And we walked with him and he came! Okay there's a bit more back story to that. He's always said he wants to come but, just never had before. He's a really cool guy from Vietnam and is really sensitive to the spirit. We're planning on handing him on to the Elders, as they'll have an easier time teaching him. 

Sunday was a really sad day. Had to say goodbye to everyone! Hugged pretty much everyone. Got to bear my testimony in Sacrament Meeting. I talked about how the gospel is really a foundation in my life, and that all are invited to it. I'm so grateful for it. It really is true after all.

Anyhow, I hope you all have a fantastic week and that life treats you well. Jumalan siunauskia teille! 

Rakkaudella,

Sisar Kastendieck

p.s. Happy Family Day!

(no subject)

This week has been an adventure to say the least. I learned a lot if nothing else. I learned that missionary work is really just loving and inviting, and loving some more. No other tactic. If that even is a tactic. It's not a game. I don't need to worry about what to say. That and I really don't have a ton of control of whether or not people accept the us or not. And I don't expect everyone to. I just want to help lift people a little higher. We are real people who get to love everyone! I mean I knew this before, but it really just clicked this past week. Don't know why it took so long.

This week Sister Dayton and I had a couple of experiences this past where we invited into someone's home and then they proceed to attack, tear down and mock our beliefs. Not overly fun. But, I suppose it's part of the missionary calling. It happened to Christ, the early apostles, probably to every missionary that has ever walked this Earth, so why should we be the exceptions? Each time as we walked away we would first shake our heads in disbelief as to how people could be so rude, and then reflect on how thing they said did not shake us or our faith one bit. It brought to mind Jacob 7:5. I mean I haven't seen angels or anything but, I do know that the the gospel is true. 

One happier note, we've also had some great success this week. One night we were making our way to the church to help with preparations for the upcoming Lu'au. We were running a tad bit behind but, saw a former investigator, and chatted to him for a couple minutes. As we we're talking with him, a man that we had talked to a couple days before walked past. We finished our conversation, waved to the other man and walked a few steps further. Both Sister Dayton and I felt we needed to talk to the man but, by this time we were most definitely late. Then Sister Dayton looked straight at me and said "Time is not the issue". So we went back and talked to him. Turns out he was really happy to talk with us again, and asked if we could talk some time about our religion. Later that night he called us and asked to meet sometime! Very exciting!

I don't have time to email anything else but, I just want to let you know that you are all amazing and that this gospel is worth it.

Rakkaudella, 

Sister Kastendieck

Living the Missionary Dream!

This last week was fantastic (usually it is but, this week was extra fantastic!)!  Lahti is starting to blossom! It's so exciting. 

It all started with us Sisters having free reign on Lahti for 4 days as the Elders were in Helsinki for training. Last time this happened, missionary work kind of fizzled out. This time, it exploded! We had so many appointments, and it just felt like that was all we were doing! Which is good, except I had rededicated myself to talking with people where ever I was. It's a bit harder to do that when you're rushing the whole time but, it still worked. So we went from appointment to appointment, member to member, investigator to investigator, friend to friend. Very busy. It was fun! But, we were sad because we never seemed to have anytime to actually stop and have a proper conversation with anyone outside of appointments. Fortunately the Lord is able to make up the difference.

On Friday we had no appointments set up (for the first time). We had district meeting, studies, weekly planning and then a chinese new year's party that our investigator invited us to. And that was our whole day.We didn't see very many opportunities to stop and talk with people coming but, we'd had a pretty good week so far so, we weren't overly worried. On the way to district meeting we said "hi" to a man in passing, who actually ended up calling us back, and invited us back to his house sometime. (By the way, this is a very rare thing that happens in Finland. Usually people are either too surprised we talk to them to say much back, or don't even acknowledge our existence)We didn't get his full address as we felt rushed to make it to our meeting on time. We later felt very bad about this, and decided that no matter the circumstances we'd try to take time to do things completely right if that ever happened again. Later that day, on the way to an impromptu coordination meeting, the same thing situation again, with a different man. We said hi, kept walking  and he called us back asking "Oletteko  Jehovan Todistajat?" ( Are you Jehovah's Witnesses?) To which we replied, "Emme. olemme mormonia!" (Nope we're Mormons!) . We went back. He invited us to come to his home. We got the full address this time. Then at the new year's celebration we not only saw our investigator but, a potential we had met on the bus a week ago! He's an exchange student, who believes in pretty much everything we believe. For example that drinking is bad, and that we should obey the law of chastity, and that God loves him. And he says one day he'll live those standards but, he's not ready yet. This caused Sister Dayton and I to really ponder over the next couple days, why do people do things they know are wrong? Any ideas? At any rate, it was probably one of the best days in my mission thus far! Not even the man that swore at us of the way home could put a damper on our happiness!  

Things are going so well. I wish you could all be here sharing in this! Oh, and we received snow this week. And we had an investigator in church for the first time in three months or so. The ward here is the best. I don't know what more I could say! Life is Wonderful! 

I love you all and miss you lots! 

Love, Sister Kastendieck