Easter and Transfers in March

The month of  March is very busy for us. We had missionary transfers. Our district leader, Elder Kontinen moves to Savonliina as their district leader (left in left photo). We are will miss him but we know he is needed there and he will do a good job there, too.  We have a new missionary (left in the right photo) who transferred from Savonliina to Joensuu. His name is Elder Allen from Colorado. He is now our district leader. It is enjoyable to work with these young and very intelligent missionaries.

We drove past some pine trees that
 lose their needles in the winter.

      
In our travels we drove by a castle. We have been traveling a lot to other cities for missionary district and zone meetings and regional conferences. The photo on the right shows ripples in the snow as spring takes an effect on the snow covered lakes and fields. The country is so beautiful.

Our branch conference was here at the Joensuu chapel. Today is the third Sunday and we have been spiritually uplifted with good instructions and encouragement from our priesthood leaders. Today our Mission President and his counselor came from out-of-town to talk to us along with our local leaders at our church branch conference. It was a wonderful conference. The priesthood was in charge of the soup and bread luncheon afterwards. They did a good job. They served delicious vegetable and pork stew with Finnish bread, cheese, and juice. It was very filling. No one went away hungry.
We would like to share a one line or two line summary from each speaker as recorded in Sister Hunt's notes (She wears headphones to listen to a translator who translated the Finnish language to the English language). Many of the talks were on Easter and Christ's love for us and on His resurrection. Each speaker expressed their love for each member of the branch. Our branch president spoke first. He said that we must not be afraid to act for ourselves to choose God's laws and aim high to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then Mission President's counselor, President Kervinen, spoke next. He said that the distance to heaven is the same no matter where we stand on earth and that nothing is impossible to God. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we too will live again when we leave our earth life because He loves us. Then our mission president, President Watson, spoke about becoming perfect in Christ through His atonement (Moroni 10:33). The power of atonement is repentance. He told of how the Provo Tabernacle in Utah burned down years ago and now has been rebuilt into a very beautiful temple of the Lord and it was being dedicated today. He likened it to each of us, that our failings may cause us to feel like a burned down tabernacle. And that we can renew our spirits through repentance and rebuild our purpose and bring happiness back into our lives. Think of Jesus Christ more this Easter to make it more meaningful (D&C 19:23). He gave His life for you and me. Because He suffered He knows how to heal us.

Happy Easter!  (A Christmas Cactus  
in bloom at a member's home)

Our Easter message is simple: Our Savior Jesus Christ loves each of us and wants us to return to our Father in Heaven. He died and rose on the third day and gave us the gift of the atonement and resurrection. He lives and is our Redeemer!

We love our mission. We have been serving four months in Finland. We truly appreciate the longer hours of sunlight from six a.m. to six p.m.  We love seeing the snow slowly melting away everywhere. Soon the forests will come to life when the hibernating animals wake up. We imagine there will also be more walkers and bikers in the walkways everywhere. It is wonderful to feel the season of spring. Even the potatoes in our pantry are sprouting.

Thank you very much for your love, prayers and support in every way. We are strengthened by them, We love you all for all that you do for us. You are in our prayers. May the Lord bless you abundantly this Easter season. Happy Easter to all!

Our Missionary District before the
transfers.

Joensuu Missionaries before the transfer.

February Tour with Pictures

Sister Hunt's Blue Ribbon Banana Bread
has made it's way into Finland.

Mail from home is extra special
in the midst of our busy daily schedule.

This is leap year day and we are enjoying this extra day in February. We have learned much and still finding out new things. Finland is a beautiful country with beautiful people. We want to share some pictures and take you on a tour of some exciting things that happened in February.

Beautiful and Peaceful Helsinki Temple

Valentine's Day is called friendship day. We visited many friends. We helped members move. We assisted the Elders in teaching investigators. We taught Institute. We held Family Home Evening every Monday night in our home. We drove a lot on the icy and snowy roads. We gained longer sunlight. We have been learning more of the Finnish language. We attended the Senior Missionary Day in Helsinki and attended the Temple there. We made and served a lot of homemade treats. We drove to many places. We made many good friends that we will never forget. We love our mission and love the people we serve.

Nice day at the temple.

Thank you for your prayers, love and support in every way. Thank you for your emails, letters and packages. Our prayers are with you. We are very blessed. We love you very much. Enjoy the photo tour. :-)

Stairway to the temple.

Beautiful from every angle.

.

At the temple with
President& Sister Watson

Senior Missionaries 2016

Good company, good meal.

The best baked salmon

The best dessert.

Snow makes everything beautiful.

Snowy roads but safe.

Country scenery.

 

More country road.

Ski poles & a worn out broom.

Walkers ski everywhere.

People ride their bikes in the snow.

People ride bikes everywhere.

Train Station
Many travel by train.

Road into the City Center.

Mailboxes are yellow.
Elder Hunt mailing a letter.

 

A popular gas station eatery.

Looking across the river.

You can only get this rare item
in the mail from home in America.

Elder Hunt's Car Wash 

Don't forget to wash the wheels.

Playing patty cake with Sister Hunt

   

Winter birds in feeder & in the bushes.

Walkway snow remover.
It comes comes every morning. 

Logs being railed away. 

Missionaries on the way to
Zone Conference In Mikkeli

Missionaries walking from
Zone Conference

Elder & Sister Hunt with a
Friendly Bear in the country

February Snowflake

We are enjoying the month of February. We have been very busy and working hard that we did not realize that it was mid month. The days are now getting longer with more sunlight. The river in front of our house started to thaw but it froze again. Every now and then we see a white rabbit hopping across the frozen river. We always try to get a picture of it but we are never in a situation to do so. All we have are his tracks as he passes our house on his way to the river.

For our district meetings we go to another city, Kuopio. It is a two hour drive. We take with us our young Elders to the meeting every week. It is always a lively and a happy trip. There is a Senior Couple there and a set of Sisters and a set of  Elders. The common language used there is English with Finnish for parts of the meeting. After the meeting we eat our lunch and then drive home. Lately our trips have been on snowy days. It is a beautiful drive with lots of frozen lakes and rivers along the way.

Every Monday we have Family Home Evening in our home. We have six people who come regularly, and a few others who show up on occasion. We have a short meaningful lesson and then play a game or games and serve refreshments.

Sister Hunt has been making the refreshments by baking a delicious sweet bread or cake like banana bread or crazy cake. It is fun for her since she loves to bake. She says some of the tools and gadgets in the kitchen are still unfamiliar to her. Also new to her is the way of baking by lining the pan with a baking sheet (paper) and then place the bread or cake mixture on it and bake it.

On February 9th we attended a Senior Day Conference in Helsinki. All the senior missionaries in Finland got together at the Mission Home for an uplifting and fun meeting.

There were senior couple missionaries, mission home office workers, temple workers and President and Sister Watson. It started out with President Watson telling about "Life's Defining Moments". Many of the stories were from the Book of Mormon. An example story is Lehi taking his family across the ocean to escape the destruction of Jerusalem, his homeland. That was Lehi's defining moment when he and his family left his beloved homeland and everything they owned except a few things that would help them survive. They left to find a new home on a land far away across the ocean. He probably experienced great stresses, difficulties, challenges and trials. But through it all it was his faith and trust in God that helped him and his family to establish a new home in peace and prosperity.

Then each person told about their life's defining moment. It was interesting of what each person's defining moment was. Next each couple was given 30 minutes to present a previously-assigned gospel topic to present and lead a discussion. The Assistants to the President also presented.

 Some of the topics were Charity Never Faileth, How to Strength Young Single Adults, Visiting the Temple Often, Finland, The Creation - Fall - Atonement, and Blessings of the Book of Mormon. They were interesting presentations. Then the closing remarks were given by President Watson. He told us that we were all chosen to serve here in Finland at this time and that we are angels to all we serve. His words and counsel are always uplifting.

The next day we attended the Helsinki temple. It is very beautiful.

             

The meals were so delicious and all healthy foods. Different couples brought their food assigments. Then all the sisters prepared the food. The desserts were so wonderful in sight and taste. It was truly a rewarding day. We renewed friendships with old friends and made new friends. We stayed at the mission home upstairs where the new incoming elders stay. Another senior couple, the Melbys stayed in the suite where we stayed when we first arrived in Finland in November.

   

Other events this month: We helped moved a family and stored their things in their summer country cottage. It was so beautiful with snow everywhere with a country home. There was a rug loom that the family used for generations. It still had an unfinished rug on it.

We have been visiting a member out in the country. She lives in a beautiful place with fields, forsest, and lakes all around her. We loved helping her shovel the snow and clearing pathway between her house and garage.

  

The school gives their students a winter break. Then a new session begins with a new start in all subjects. There was a parade of students in trucks to celebrate this occasion.

We also got a new car. The best thing it has is an updated navigator which every car should have. Without it we would be lost all the time. It speaks English :) so we are never lost with its directions. We have to plug the car in every night to keep it from freezing.

We love Finland and the wonderful and kind Finnish people. We see them walking and skiing on the walkways every day. Some play with their children in the snow. Some throw snowballs onto the frozen river. When we visit them we are greeted at the door kindly and they invite us in. It is customary to take off your shoes or winter boots and coats, hats and scarf and hang them up before entering the main part of the home. Then we are served pastry and herbal tea. Many times we have been invited to have dinner with them. We have made many good friends. We are happy to serve as the Lord's missionaries in Finland. We love the Lord. Our testimonies have been strengthen by living here.

 

Thank you all for your love, prayers and support in every way. We love your emails and letters. We love you very much.