Footprints in Finland: #94 We can street contact again!!

Yeah it's a long juan. Just thought I'd let ya know and good luck haha. But it's been a great week! Here's what happened:

Tuesday was zone conference! So we got up way early in the morning and caught our train at 06:50... ooofff that was early:)) But we got on with the other elders and sisters in Turku. On the train ride down we just chatted and we played some games on the train to pass the time.... and that was way fun. When we got to Tampere we started walking to the church and another big group of missionaries caught up to us.... so that was a lot of fun... to get to see so many missionaries walk together to the chapel. When we got the the chapel we were greeted by Sister Aura outside and we chatted with her for a bit before heading in and saying hi to everyone else. Zone conference was really good. It was way sad as well cause it was President Aura and Sister Auras last zone conference. We reviewed a lot of mission policies and getting things ready for the new mission President. We also talked about the work in Finland and what we can do at this special time of work. After zone conference we went to get some food well.... we didn't think going to a Burger King would take that long cause everywhere else had lines. Well we waited and waited and we weren't even close to getting our food and we had to head to the train station. Big sad. So we got to the train station and rode back to Turku. We were all just so tired and exhausted from the day... but we played more games on the way back and talked. It was way fun! When we got back we stopped by a small store to grab some food and had a debate on how to properly say the word "Sherbet, sherbert, sorbet" haha. So that's how our day ended pretty much and it was hilarious and way fun. So fun to see elder Isom, Aitken and Roylance again.

Wednesday was a pretty good day. We started out the morning with some good Facebook finding and talking to people on facebook, posting, and commenting on stuff, and trying to find some new groups to join. We had some lunch and went for a walk down by the river to check out a new spot we had never been to before. Nobody felt like saying hi back to us but that's okay. When we got back we waited for the sisters to come pick up a bike they were borrowing. So while we waited we chatted with the mailman for a bit who came to sit by us and eat a banana. Helped the sisters get the bike and then we did some studies and contacted a few people. We had some dinner and then the part of the day that I had been waiting for all day was finally here. Our street contacting block. We found out at zone conference we are now allowed to talk to people on the street and stop them. Obviously maintaining a social distance the best we can and we are also not allowed for stop every person we see. But that is wayyy better than sitting inside.... so we went and walked around the city talking to people for about 2 hours and that was awesome! This one old man on a bike stopped us and chatted with us cause he had talked to us before but we didn't look like the other elders Haha so we got to chat with him a bit and update the phone number he had. We had a few people say hi and keep walking. But we also chatted with a guy and he took a Book of Mormon! He was headed to the train station going back to Tampere. But it was so fun being back out on the street talking to people again!

Thursday was pretty busy. A member came to pick us up and it was Veli Lehtinen. The guy we helped practically put in a new dirt driveway. Well he had us come over to do some yard work and take up a bunch of grass. Well little did we know his yard is a lot bigger than we thought. We raked and raked and raked all this grass. Plus the guy's got an ant problem.... they were everywhere and occasionally you get some fire ants crawling on ya and you get those off quick cause they are just bad ju ju. He also took us to a grilli for lunch and I got a decent burger so that was a good upside to the service project besides getting to be outside for a while. We came back and talked to the APs for a bit cause they called us. We did some studies and had language study with a member. But it was also a chance for us to help answer questions about missionary work cause she is getting ready to put in her papers, so that was fun to help out with that! We had some dinner and then went our for a good street contacting session and anyone that could have avoided us did. They walked as far away from us as they could. Honestly I think its hilarious Haha. But we stopped to talk to this guy about his dog and he said he wasn't interested in talking about religion. But he thought we were Finnish cause apparently we look Finnish. He was surprised that Finland had their own missionaries. Then we explained that we were from America and he told us how he lived in Boston for a bit. And he asked us about the church so we got to talk with him a little longer. He also told us that the way we do missionary work was the right way and compared us to another church *cough* *Jws* *cough* and how we were very nice and he left us with a big smile on his face and said "well now I've met 2 mormons can you believe that" haha. But we had a way good conversation with him and we continued home trying to talk to a few more people but wayyyyy fun! Street contacting is bomb!

Friday started out with our usual morning routine. We spent some time on facebook and contacting people on there. That went well and we had some good discussions with people. Hopefully we can get somewhere with them and set up lessons. But that was our morning and then we had some lunch. Then we took a walk to the church to contact people and so we could do some weekly planning. We had some weekly planning and also did language study at the church as well. Came back for some dinner and talked with the elders and sisters here in Turku to try to get together a sports night again.

That night we finished off the day with some more Facebook contacting with people there and trying to find more people through facebook as well. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this Facebook stuff as I'm learning all the ropes very slowly but surely Haha.

Saturday was a pretty fun day. So in the morning it was the Facebook find n grind and of course it was just as enjoyable as always trying to find new people and get discussions going. Then we found out Elder Larson had to get his driving safety packet filled out cause he needed to get it done for him to have any chance to drive in Finland haha. So after lunch we headed to the church to watch it cause we don't have a DVD player in our apartment. We get to the church and guess who we see? The elders! They were at the church doing some stuff and then guess who walks in? The sisters! Cause they had a lesson and a video to film as well. So we all ended up at the church with none of us thinking that anyone would be there and it was a huge surprise and it was way fun! But Elder Larson and I went to go watch the video to get that done and the computer was throwing a temper tantrum and well after a few smacks, trying to figure out what was wrong by reading computer words in Finnish (yeah that's a hard one), telling the computer "please work" and an hour later the DVD played! And an hour and a half later it was finished! Soooooo yeah that took a blue moon to get through Haha. But it was still fun and we got to see other missionaries so that's way fun! We had some studies after and dinner and then met with out returning member Jukka Pekka and that was good as always. And we finished off the night with some more Facebook and inviting people to church!

Sunday was a good day. We went to church in the morning and President Aura and Sister Aura spoke in church so that was fun getting to listen to them speak. We had a good come follow me discussion as well. The rest of the day was filled with studies and facebook finding. We tried some new ways to contact people... so we will see how that goes... but other than that it was a good day. It ended with call ins and everyone was in a very good mood and I laughed way hard so it was really funny and enjoyable haha.

Monday I'll keep this day short cause the email is already long as it is Haha. But the biggest thing from Monday was we had interviews with President Aura one last time before he leaves and also got to have some time with Sister Aura as well. So it was way good to get to chat with Sister Aura just kinda talking about anything and everything and cracking up and having a good time. We even went back to the old days when I was a young missionary and funny experiences we had had together earlier in my mission. I am going to miss Sister Aura a lot. And then I also got to meet with President Aura and that was great! I love President Aura so much and we chatted for a very long time Haha. I was the last interview they had and we talked for a while and that was way good.

President Aura is the best mission President in the whole world. I am really going to miss him as well. But what do you do? I guess life has to go on Haha. But that was the highlight of Monday.

Well thanks for taking the time to read that long email. But anywho Elder Love is off for a fun P day with the district so see ya!

Elder Love out

1) View from the apartment

2) "Just out preaching the good word"

3) Close to the center in Turku

4) Turku train station

5) "Just going for a walk"

6) "Burgers are way better in America hahah"

7)"Cool coke thing in a grilli"

8) Just a street in Turku

9) "Walked by a cool church"

10) "Going to get some food in Tampere."