5/28/24 Unexpected Dates

Baptismal dates with baptisms on the horizon. 

Last p-day, we went to Suomenlinna. Its an island which we can visit with just our public transport passes. Lots of older buildings, some bridges, and some cannons. The weather was perfect, except it was super humid and like 75 degrees outside. 

The following day, we had splits with the Lohja elders and I was with Elder Smith. He is one of 5 Smith's in the mission. Anyhow, went contacting and proceeded to give out a Book of Mormon and get a phone number on our first contact of the block.

 After that, we went to teach a recent convert family and just answer questions. Well, as we were talking, my companion asked how old their sons were. The response, 8 and 9. In our church, we believe one must be 8 years old to be baptized. So, then and there, we asked if they wanted to be baptized and the said yes. This humble answer reminded me of what Elder Patrick Kearon said. "[Christ] will not refuse you or those you love when you bring to Him your broken hearts and contrite spirits". Their sons were ready and willing. With the faith of the parents, other missionaries, and the sons, they're now preparing for this next step. 

Ok, here's the rest:

- Made dumplings again and they're finally starting to taste like my dads.

- Lots of finding and blazing sun.

- Stake conference. Saw the whole zone again and it as pretty cool. Lots of really good talks and testimonies.

With weather dial amped for summer, hope you all are staying cool.

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

With Elder Smith

 

Capital building

 

Cool pic

 

My comp blinded by sunlight

 

Origami mini dragon trio

 

Dumpling setup

 

The ocean view from Suomenlinna

5/21/24 Doors

And yet another week but it only felt like a day or a two.

Honestly, not much happened but contacting. That included some really good tracting. Two doors we knocked on were Americans who moved to Finland and it was pretty fun. One was even from Sammamish! Anyhow, found a guy who may be interested and things are looking good.

And, on the topic of doors, one door I have thought about is our spiritual door. I forgot who said this but it was something along the lines of this. The atonement of Jesus Christ is available to everyone but we must let the atonement work in us, hence opening the spiritual door within to help Christs influence influence our actions. It is truly amazing how much good comes from this work.

Honestly, here's the rest. its a short one this week:

- Played frisbee golf on Tuesday.

- Cooked in the 70 degree 90% humidity all week.

- Had interviews with president Lehtinen in all Finnish! It is cool to look back at everything I learned over the year.

- 1 year mark comes in 8 days.

Hope summer is treating you all well!

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

10 PM

 

Door knocking and found an Angry Bird park

 

Creek

District lunch

5/14/24 MyPlan

Clarification, I did not go to MyPlan but I did help drive the missionaries to places for MyPlan. 

Overall, kind of loaded week with many happenings. First, we went to the Temple. It was a good time to go and it helped me refocus. Good way to spend a Wednesday.

Right afterwards, we had splits with the ZL's and they went well. Some door knocking, some studies and then our last Chosen night. The interesting thing about Thursday was that it is a holiday in Finland that celebrates the fortieth day after Christs resurrection. After all, "all things which are good cometh of Christ" (Moroni 7:24). Whether it is forty days or millennia after, this still stands true. Sometimes, things don't work out the way you want them to but it can still be good. So, despite not finding anyone, we still kept going because it is a good thing. 

Not too much else this week. Here's the rest:

- Got trained on and drove the mission van.

- Had apartment checks and overall, it was good. Our apartment is really nice and fortunately easier to clean.

- Ate my companions homemade chicken noodle soup while holding district council.

- Zone p-day also happened last Tuesday and it was epic. I may or may not have stepped on a piece of wood while playing beach volleyball. Overall, it was epic by the lake.

Hope you all are doing well and hope that spring is treating you all well. The long awaited Finnish summer is here and looking forward to what awaits.

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

Northern lights hunting unsuccessfully

 

MyPlan group assembled

 

District on the dock

 

Elder Brown and I walking around

 

"Finland" picture

5/7/24 To Space

Here we go.

We had zone conference and it was pretty good. The APs focused on space but had a cool take on it. Using a space theme, they talked about surrendering our will to God's as we do the missionary work. 

Right afterwards, we went on splits with the Lohja elders. Contacting with Elder Roberts was pretty fun and we had some good conversations. Also, it was like 60 some odd degrees and we were dying a little. 

Overall, the week went really fast even though it felt like we didn't do much. This week was Vappu. Essentially, it is labor day for Finland and doing proselyting missionary work would be culturally inappropriate. So, just some studying and playing the piano that day.

Besides that, I recently listened to a talk called A Higher Joy by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf. One thing in the footnotes was the parable of the prodigal son. To summarize the parable, one son of the Father left with his inheritance and wasted it on rambunctious living. With nothing left, he decided to return home in hopes of becoming a servant working for his Father. Upon return, the Father's joy was great and was glad to have his lost son return. In a sense, we all will have moments were e feel like the son. Feeling lost, feeling down, feeling unimportant, however, the Father never forgets us. Even in times of darkness, there is light. Jesus Christ can help us when we let him. We just need to give space for Him to work in our lives.

Anyhow, here's the rest:

- Reunited with half of my MTC district at zone conference

- Teaching my companion how to play MTG

- Working our way from the ground up here in Espoo

Hope you all are having a wonderful Spring!

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

With the MTC gang

 

ZC presentation about moving address forms

 

Walking to the metro

 

Splits with Elder Roberts

 

Sunset at 9:45 PM

 

My companion in a round of Port Royal

4/30/24 From Snow to Summer

Wild week weather wise and less wild missionary work wise but still a good week.

Last P-day, we ended up making some massive snowmen because literally 2 feet of snow fell. Snow in April is quite a sight. 

Then, the contacting grind this week has been quite big. Went door knocking and some homes here have locked glass doors as well as a front door. Every time we saw one, we just walked by because it felt like we were intruding even when we could open them. 

We had a decent amount of office work this week. Just to sum it up, on an office day, we plan travel for bigger events (Zone Conference, MyPlan, MLC, and transfers), buy requested travel for the week (for splits or district council), and organize the rest of the resources (housing registration websites and other general management). To some, it may be boring but I find it fun and a nice mix-up to normal missionary work. 

The catch, the area we work is notoriously slow for Elders. So, we contact a lot and it can be tedious but not hopeless. For as 2 Nephi 31:20 says, "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men." The work is slow but it does not mean that it moves forward. We got our first phone number from contacting the other day and it was good to see that there is still people out there willing to listen.

Here's the rest:

- New companionship goal is to play "Go the Distance" from Hercules. It's coming slowly but surely.

- Literally 65 degrees today and I'm cooking. May have climatized a bit.

- Helped with a school presentation and it was a lot of Finnish at 8 in the morning.

- Following that, we helped a member move and that was a lot of stuff to move and do. Lets just say we were spent physically and mentally that day.

Hope you all are having a good rest of April and looking forward to May. May 1st in Finland is like labor day, so things are about to get interesting. 

The work awaits,

Vanhin Hsu

Photos:

 

Foosball at a members

 

The Snowmen

 

Literally snow in April

I'll take more photos this week