joulupukki 🎄🐐

I begin with a question:

"Have the days of miracles ceased?"

Hello lovely people out there who find themselves reading this email. First of all, thanks for bein here🙂‍↕️ and second, let's jump right in to answering this opening question. Hint: Heavenly Father has been blessing us with so many wonderful miracles...

HENGELLINEN AJATUS

*spiritual thought*

Moroni 7

27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?

29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.

37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought...

I love these scriptures and the important truths they teach. Miracles still happen! God lives, Jesus Christ lives, and they are constantly working in the details of the details of the details of our lives. I invite you all to do something I myself am working on. Take your goals/challenges to the Lord, tell Him your plans to accomplish/overcome them and before you get moving ask for His help! We can do things the hard way, or we can do them the way God intended and with access to His abundant support. I say it like every other week, but that's because it's true. God is a God of miracles, His power is real, and He hears your prayers.

IHMEITÄ JA PÄIVITYKSIÄ

*miracles and updates*

🎅 (TITLE EXPLAINATION) Alright for those who didn't know, my parents are becoming mission leaders of the Flordia Fort Lauderdale Mission so they were in the MTC this week. I called my Dad on Sunday to wish him happy Father's day and was surprised with the opportunity to speak with none other than one of the 12 apostles Elder Bednar himself?! Turns out he knows some finnish as he told me "joulupukki" which literally means christmas goat but translates to Santa Claus. Very wholesome, life can be so random sometimes haha

🇺🇲 Remember that American girl we met on the street because that one member just HAPPENED to mention American pancakes, and so this girl came to our Game Night?? Well, the miracle continues! She came to game night again, afterwards we had a lesson with a friend preparing for baptism and we were surprised to find this girl waiting for us 30 minutes after the event had ended. As it turns out, although she had told us upon meeting she wasn't interested in talking religion with us, her mind had changed! Aaaand we had a very spiritual lesson with her just a couple days later! It's so amazing to me how God prepares His children to learn about his gospel.

☀️ Okok so last transfer Sister Rudd and I street contacted a super sweet finnish girl, we taught her about Heavenly Father, and had a follow up appointment! Unforunately, she ended up blocking us on WhatsApp and when we called her on the phone number she told us she wasn't interested anymore. We were naturally quite devastated. BUT- THE DAYS OF MIRACLES HAVE NOT CEASED! She unblocked us and reached out saying she had been thinking of the things we taught her and wanted to meet after all! So we did! And it was a lovely lesson with some amazin members. It was great to see her again, it struck me because she already seemed changed somehow from the first time I had met her.

👧 "Jos minä tulen ja sinä tulet ja naapuri tulee, olemme kaikki kolme." *If I come, you come, and the neighbor comes, we are together three* Alright so we street contacted this super nice young finnish girl on the street, taught about and set up a lesson to meet again to talk more about the Book of Mormon. So the day of our lesson comes and she brought 2 of her friends?!?!! Guys. Miracles.

🔥 We had a really fun service opportunity gathering these huge branches to create a humongous bonfire...

🌻🌸🌺🌷🪻🌹🌼 HYVÄÄ JUHANNUSTA!! *HAPPY MIDSUMMER* So, yes we went back to the same members house and experienced a very large and hot bonfire as per Finnish tradition. Now, the reason I put those 7 lovely flower emojis is due to another Finnish Juhannus tradition. They say if you pick 7 flowers from 7 different fields and sleep with them under your pillow you might just get to see a glimpse of your future partner...

🎣 FHE! We started doing a fun little tradition of having a "family home evening" with the other missionaries in Kuopio and it's been super uplifting. Oh and Elder Huhtala caught a pike in the nearby lake this time too. It was hilarious because a girl came and offered him a waterbottle-to which he assumed it was to clean the fish but it was in fact offered because she thought he needed something to kill it with lol

🩵 My mission presidents, the Lehtinens had their last ever mission-wide zoom call with us. I'm gonna miss them like crazy, I'm so grateful for all the advice they gave and the people they are. We got to sing them "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" and it was quite tender.

(despite the zoom call singing-)

🍪 We had the opportunity to visit a friend and her 3 adorable kids. First of all, it was so funny because she came to the balcony to throw the keys down to get in the building. Then we were able to have a fun lesson with her and the kids all about the Book of Mormon and the ways it helps us. The friend also reminded me of a powerful truth. She explained that when we talk to God it shouldn't be how we feel/talk when we're in trouble and we have to "call dad" but instead that we pray to God to find help and understanding! So, call your Heavenly dad!

✨️ Now, for one of the greatest blessings in my missionary life. Our friend K is getting baptized this Friday and I am so excited for her. She's had a long journey, learning and visiting the church for 4 years! It's been amazing to see the change in her just from the time she recieved her baptismal date. She has so much light:)

VIIKON PARAS HETKI:

*best moment of the week*

This week I got to go to our friend G's baptism and it was the most incredible feeling seeing someone that I had helped teach make this very first covenant with their Heavenly Father.

I testify the day of miracles hasn't ceased because this is Heavenly Father's work and his glory. To bring [the opportunity of] immortality and eternal life of [every one of His children].

I love you all! I promise to be more diligent about writing my weekly up until my "expiration date" as to being a missionary which isn't coming up faster than I'd like at all...

Rakkain terveisin,

Kaikki järjestyy,

Sisar Dickson

these johns: