10/26/23 Hyvää Joulua Kaikille🎄

Well, Finland's holiday arrived and this week has been quite packed. 

First, we had Christmas zone conference and that was fun. Christmas dance routine take two and it went much better. We also had a really lunch made by Sisar Lehtinen. We also sang some Christmas songs and had a secret Santa. All and all, really fun and it was a good precursor to Christmas. 

Then, splits 2 days later was pretty interesting. We had a few dining appointments, so we were in two places at once. Elder Rawlings is pretty cool and gave me some good advice going into the rest of the transfer. One other thing I learned is that "all things which are good cometh of God" (Moroni 7:12). Looking for the good in the world in turn means were looking for God and Jesus Christ. Remembering the why behind Christmas makes the season truly special. 

With that in mind, Christmas Eve came. We went to church and our friend came as well. Christmas Eve here is the big day and we got to see Santa come after lunch. We also caroled and visited the cemetery in Turku. That place is pretty cool and very sacred. My best comparison is when Asian cultures pay their respects to the dead but different. Candles were put by each gravestone and a small shrine had candles for everyone without a grave. 

Christmas day was also really fun. Spent time with members and also went sledding as well. Going down a hill in pitch-blackness at 4:30 PM is pretty fun. Did some karaoke with everyone as well and with that, our Christmas here in Finland reached it's end. 

Well, the rest is a little less interesting but also important:

- talked to a few people on the street about Christmas and understood what was sad (aka comp talked and I listened)

- talked with a guy about Undertale for a solid half hour

- had quite of few close calls with ice 

- learned another dance that the sisters create

Well, Christmas truly is special when we remember the why. Hope you all had very merry Christmas and a good new year to come.

The work awaits, 

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

Santa meet us at a members home

 

District @ Christmas conference pic

The shrine

 

Another DA photo

 

At a peace declaration thing they do every Christmas w/ Vanhin Watson

 

Reuniting w/ Vanhin Larsen @ Christmas conference

12/19/23 Tis the Season

Well, settled more in Turku and it's been a good week.

We started doing street contacting a lot and Turku is not the same as Pori. Lots of spoken Finnish and I'm having to relearn some Finnish to understand them.

We had two crowning events happen this week. First, the Christmas ward party was pretty epic. The ward here had a lot of good musical numbers. We were the intermission act and we danced. Well, besides loosing my part, it went well. Nutcracker experience did me justice.

The second was a lesson we had yesterday during church. This guy came and we had a lesson during church and it went really well. The spirit guided a lot and the power of the Book of Mormon manifested. When we gave him a copy, it was a surreal moment. After years of searching for the book, we were finally able to give him one. It's just like Preach my Gospel says, "The Book of Mormon can change their lives forever" (pg 114). If you have the chance to find some time to read in the Book of Mormon, you will notice that things tend to work themselves out. 

Anyways, here's the rest:

- President Lehtinen (our mission president) showed up out of the blue at the ward Christmas party and we were all taken aback but it was just for a bit.

- hearing to zone p-day

- It's getting super warm (36 degrees) and everything is melting. It's all going to freeze later...

Well, more to come. 

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

Dining Appointment with everyone

 

After the ward Christmas party clean up

 

Sunrise the other day

 

Color wheel we found

 

Linux Debian login on a bus. Been a while...

12/12/23 Going South

Well, I was hoping it would be a little warmer but it'



s not. Humidity, wind, and temperature are all still around 15 Fahrenheit. Anyways, Turku has been an adjustment but its been kinda fun.

Moved to Turku and my new companion is Elder Watson. Its a different pace to missionary work and a lot more lively with other missionaries in the city. On Saturday, we had a sports night and all the missionaries as well as a bunch of others came. That was pretty cool to see and experience. Still a little sore from volleyball.

Sunday was pretty amazing, I'm starting to understand what's going on now. I also understood a few jokes passed in Elders quorum. The only catch is it takes a lot of mental effort to understand people. After church, I was pretty exhausted. 

Otherwise, we were on the streets a lot. One thing I found during one of my studies was in a talk from Elder Jeffery R Holland. He said in his April 2022 talk that "Before you ever received the gift of the Holy Ghost, you had the Light of Christ planted in your soul, that “light which is in all things, … giveth life to all things,” and is the influence for good in the hearts of all people who have ever lived or ever will live". Everyone has that light in them and remembering that makes contacting easier.

Well, first preparation day here in Turku and looking forward to see what happens next. Pysy Lämpimänä tänä viikon!

The work awaits:

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

On the streets

 

The streets

 

At church

 

Train ride to Turku

12/6/23 Pori's Last Week

We received our transfer called the other day (Saturday) and I'm going to Turku! It's a little sad to say goodbye to everyone but I look forward to what's next.

Okay, we taught a bunch because we wanted to see everyone again before we left. If my count is right, that was 12 lessons in total. That just doesn't happen often in Finland but man it was fun. Honestly, the Gift of Tongues really helped in all the lessons. The cool thing is the common language of the Spirit. I was able to teach and testify of Christ by trusting the Lord to help me teach.

Another part that I learned was to look for good things. "...If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things," Articles of Faith 1:13. When we look for the good, whether it's in others, nature, or the world, you will be able to find it. There's much good out there that can help us remember Jesus Christ, who is the nurturer of good.

Well, many good byes later and packing, we ship out. Elder Kunz (my companion) is returning to the United States to start the next chapter of life as I leave to Turku to start the next chapter of my mission.

Anyhow, here's the rest:

-Went to Oulu and watched my next Assistant to the President get called. That was pretty cool. Also contacted for 3 hours in one of the northernmost parts of Finland. Good times.

- 12 really good lessons and another friend wants to be baptized! No date but hopefully in the near future.

- Received a few gifts from members and friends. Everyone we know here is really kind.

- Time has become almost irrelevant. We plan the day and the time vanishes. It's a weird phenomenon that happens sometimes.

- Birds are still here... and it's wild how many are in Oulu.

Hope you all stay warm that I am and have a good start to the holiday season.

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

After biking in 0 Fahrenheit 

 

Tori Poliisi in Oulu during the mega splits (Kemi, Pori, Oulu)

 

The pigeons amass

 

Another mega splits photo

 

Final testimony in Finnish at church

 Final photo