Well, there wasn't much work done this week. Mostly because we were traveling to Helsinki a lot. We had to go at the beginning of the week to get the mission office people some stuff and pick up a new phone (exactly like the old one), in the middle of the week for a Zone Training meeting, and in the end of the week for the Helsinki Stake Conference. Lots of time not in area. The time spent here was spent trying to fix up an unkept Area Book and find actual potentials within it (5 years of not being touched, grr...), as well as trying to physically locate where those potentials are now. Not too much teaching to anyone but members.
The Conference was great, though! We got to attend the Saturday Session as well, this time around, in addition to the Sunday Session. I think I got more out of the Saturday, so I'm glad we were invited. A few funny things happened there. I got to meet all of the people I just left from Porvoo - including our recent convert! - and had a lot of fun with that. When we came in to sit down, my companion and I noticed that the back of the room was all filled up, and that the first 3 rows were entirely unused. So, I said we should sit in the 3rd row, and that way we will be close when other people continue to come in and fill up those spots. But no one ever came. Which meant that despite 2 rows of chairs in front of us, we were in the front row of people. We WERE the front row of people. A bit crazy, since Pres. Watson was sitting in the front with his wife, and the member of the Area 70 was there. President actually started to make funny faces at me and my companion when we were sitting down, and when I pointed at him to let him know I saw that, he started to laugh! I think Pres. Watson has a great sense of humor, and despite his rules being really strict, it's fun to interact with him.
Another cool thing: The member of the Area 70 that was there was a member in my ward in Tampere. He is the only one in Finland, so he is invited to many of the Stake Conferences. He was also on several lessons with me and Elder Nemelka when we were teaching our investigator-now-recent-convert in Tampere, and I learned a lot from his lessons. He is that recent convert's home teacher, so she is in good hands! After the meeting, I told my companion that I wanted to go try to talk to him at some point before we left, to see if he happened to remember me. To my great surprise, once he stepped off of the podium, he made a beeline to where I was sitting and shook my hand, saying, "Hello, my dear friend, Elder Milligan!" He didn't even need to look at my badge! He then proceeded to tell me everything happening with our recent convert, and saying how much she missed me being able to talk with her and read scriptures to her. He gave me a lot of comfort on how she is doing. I was the first one he talked to after the meeting, and one of the only ones, as he very quickly escaped off to another meeting. That was really cool to see that I could have made an impression on someone!
Well, that's it for amazingly-interesting things that I can think of... To the questions!
How is your health?
I am still at the same weight, but it may go up soon as we continue to have members inviting us over to feed us! I have been a bit tired lately, but that's to be expected when you are a missionary. You don't really have free time to relax.
Are you enjoying your new area?
Oh. My. Goodness. The area? Is HUGE. I finally counted up the kilometers our area stretches. If you happen to have a Google Maps thing handy, go look for Nummela, Finland. That's almost at the top of our area, further up than that requires letters that aren't on your keyboard. Now, look for Hanko, Finland. Not the one in main Helsinki - the one that is to the southwest of Nummela, Lohja, and Ekenäs/Tammisaari. Yeah, it's on the coast. And it is also my area. The whole connecting line of Nummela/Vihti, Lohja, another town, Tammisaari, and Hanko is my area. It ranges about 150 kilometers. I have no idea how we are supposed to get anyone to church!
From Lohja alone, it takes between 45-50 minutes to arrive at the church building, and our area stretches +90 kilometers past even that. We can't really invite them to only 1 hour of church - anyone that takes them there will want to stay for the whole 3. We have to ask investigators for a minimum 5-hour-commitment to coming to church, and even more if they live further away than Lohja. Most of our potentials live in Tammisaari, or Ekenäs. That basically doubles the travel time. We haven't even been able to visit there, yet, due to the time it takes and the travel involved, not to mention the fact that the place is primarily Swedish-speaking!
Oh, well. I bet everything will work out in the end.
Are your shoes surviving all the walking?
Those shoes I got? Super sturdy. I haven't even needed to break out the second pair, and these are doing great. They might even last my whole mission, warranty aside!
Do you go back to your apartment for lunch, carry snack food to munch on, or eat out?
We go out at 11 and come back at 12 for food, generally, with going out again at 1. It is pretty nice to contact at 11 - there are actually occasionally people outside! We don't really ever eat out, although both me and Elder Greciano Raiskila want to at least try some of the places around us. Even the ones that are rumored to be absolutely horrible from other missionaries, like Hesburger. Pray for our health...
Are people feeding you well?
Yes. To make it short. We have had quite a few dinner appointments, and will likely continue to have more as the weeks go on!
What is something you learned this week?
Well, I have learned that in really hard situations that can lead you to question, "what is the most effective thing that I can do right now?", one of the best things that can guide your actions is a small prayer. Whether or not you are religious, you have to admit that taking a moment away to calm yourself and seeking for a way to be open to inspiration can be quite beneficial in getting action to be more precisely oriented. I have constantly been wondering, "How can I best help an area that I am not even aware of what is going on?" The most helpful thing has been to just seek for that which can help, and then prayerfully bring it before the Lord and ask if it is right. More often than not, the action that I want to do feels right, but it still gives me more confidence to know that it is a good action, rather than just half-heartedly doing it, wondering if I'm in the wrong place at the right time.
What is something you studied this week?
I have been going through all of the Missionary Purpose that is on page 1 of the Preach My Gospel manual. I am going through it right now on the basis of "how can I give investigators that which is my purpose", and plan to later go through it with the emphasis of members. I think it has gone well! It is almost like studying the Gospel of Christ, but there are a few different things emphasized in this.
Have you had any funny language mishaps lately?
Hmm. I can't think of anything, actually... With Elder Greciano Raiskila, we have been talking about mistakes that we hear a lot, but there's not too much that we ourselves mess up on. So how about 2 funny idioms that I've learned?
If something falls through, like a plan, then you can say that it "palaa poroksi". This roughly translates into English as, "burns into a deer". I don't understand it, but Finns do, and they laugh when an American knows the phrase.
If something begins to nose-dive (that's the rough English-equivalent of this idiom) and fail, it will "loppua kuin kanan lento", or, "end like a chicken's flight". This one makes me laugh more than the Finns that hear it!
Did you learn any Swedish in Porvoo?
No, no no no no. I only learned how to say "Do you speak Swedish?" and "I speak a little Swedish", because when you say those things, people tend to switch back to Finnish. They will speak Swedish to avoid speaking to you, and then they will try to speak Finnish to throw you off a second time, so it is great! I actually got a Swedish missionary nametag from being in Porvoo - Åldster Milligan! Woo-hoo! Now I have a similar situation with Ekenäs in my area - everyone there speaks Swedish primarily. Snap...
Which is your favorite tie?
That skinnier blue-with-silver-stripes ties, with the two lines always really close together. I normally wear it with my vest, 'cuz I think it looks nice together! But, any black- or blue-themed ties are my favorites in general.
Well, that's it! I'm done! I don't have anything left to say! The rest of this email if I tried to continue would "loppuu kuin kanan lento", so I'll just sign off. Be safe, everyone, and thanks for emailing me about everything going on in your lives!
Vanhin David Milligan
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
May 12, 2015 - Lohja - The Lahja of Suomi
The Finnish word "Lahja" means gift. I think there is a reason the name of this place so closely matches it!
I have had a CRAZY time here already. In this first week, I have had more area-member-interaction than all of my first change in Porvoo. The members love to have the missionaries be a part of their lives. They are in the middle of doing a 90-day-reading of the Book of Mormon, specifically for missionary work here. How cool is that?! The missionaries didn't even initiate it, it was the members. They are great. I have been talking a lot with them about how we can help them achieve those things which they desire - our work to succeed! They have given a lot of ways for us to be involved in this area, including they are in the midst of setting up a set of classes to teach English for free to anyone that shows up, and then have a spiritual thought afterwards. They have already invited a lot of their friends, and it appears that if it works out, we will have a very full, very eager class. I'm excited!
I wish I could talk about everything that has happened, but there has just been SO MUCH. Getting used to a new area is difficult, even with a companion that knows it leading you. But the blind is to lead the blind here - let's just hope it doesn't end like it does in the Bible! (They are both brand new to this area. That's what he means about the blind leading the blind! ~Mom)
I actually have been very surprised by how getting used to Porvoo has helped me out here. I used to be very geographically-challenged. I couldn't lead you to my school without quite a few wrong turns. However, I am confidently remembering where we've been, who lives where, and how we can travel along roads I haven't been down yet! It's crazy to just know that I am going the right way, I always have sort-of surprised myself when I show up where I want to.
Well, I think most of the rest of what I want to address is in the questions, so! Here we go!
How was your first Sunday in your new ward?
The first Sunday was great! One of the things that we did was meet with the bishop. We called and asked for his aid in finding out how we can help the members here, and he was very shocked, yet eager to help. He actually used to live in this area some time ago, so his aid was invaluable! The members are so nice - From the number of them that greeted us and said they live in Lohja, I'm pretty sure over ½ of the ward lives in our area... WOW.
Have the dinners with ward members included any new recipes we should try?
Hmm, yes. Last Sunday was Mother's Day (it was great to talk with you, Mom!), and we did it at a family's house here in Lohja. I didn't know what was for dinner until after I finished talking with y'all, but when I stepped out and asked, they responded that it was a kind of noodle-and-BACON dinner. I felt really bad that Mother couldn't have any! I'll ask for how they made it, it was VERY filling, and VERY bacon-y.
Do you already have a favorite cook?
No, no... I am waiting until the end of this week and I try to get all of the members' names straight before I pick favorites. Plus, since Lohja Family Night was last night (everyone in Lohja gets together for games, a spiritual thought, and dinner), I have tried most everyone's food, but don't know who cooked what! I need to sort them out... give me at least a week, maybe two!
How is your new companion?
My new companion, Elder Greciano Raiskila, is a great Elder! He is probably the companion that I've bonded the quickest with, since we are both facing the same shot-gunning trials as one another, and we have very similar interests! I hope that this companionship will grow to be as good as my last - I'm not certain it can be better, but we'll give it a run for its money!
What is your new apartment like?
My first thought when stepping in was "big", now it has kinda evolved into "narrow". The areas are pretty spacious for missionary apartments, but the rooms are sort-of all combined with walls that make it so that almost every room can interact easily with the next, at the sacrifice of kitchen-space. It's a bit tight after the Porvoo apartment, I think I like that one a lot more. The good news is, I haven't really spread out with my junk a ton, so it will be easy to pack up and move out, whenever that happens!
What is the view from your door? or window? (Whichever one is more interesting!)
Yeah, that's kind of a disappointing one... The door leads into a building hallway, so that's no fun, and the window looks over... the parking lot and the backs of buildings. Sigh. The balcony is REALLY spacious, though! You can play Sähly in there!
What is something you learned this week?
It is important, almost no matter what the situation, to follow the rules as they stand. While there are understandable exceptions that may come up as you go, you must remember that each decision should not lead to you compromising the biggest rules out there. A simple "only this once" creates a habit - one that can be hard to get rid of. I don't want to talk about everything that made me learn how important this really is! Suffice it to say, this wasn't a learn-by-doing experience, so don't worry about my obedience levels here.
What is something you taught this week?
We actually got to teach someone at the FHE night yesterday. It was someone that we had actually walked into and tried talking to earlier, so after we got over that awkward bit, we got to get to know him. He's an Estonian man, so English was really the only shared language there, even if they can mostly understand Finnish and we can mostly understand Estonian... weird language commonalities. We taught mostly about Agency with him and about our loving Heavenly Father. I think in the end, he thought very differently about us than his intitial thoughts. Hopefully, we will continue to see him in the future!
What is something you hope to accomplish in the next month?
Hmm. I have been talking about this with Elder Greciano Raiskila, and I am honestly seeing this area as, although having the reputation of one of the hardest areas (minus the members), one of the most potentially untapped areas. I think that this area is already expressing many of the things that we seek for as missionaries, and it is up to our actual working to start to see the blessings! Imagine that.
What is something you want to share with us?
Wow, this is a hard question. I think I just want to kind of talk about family a little. Since we just have had Mother's Day, forgive me for addressing this a little late. Family is a great blessing that we have in life - we are able to learn and grow within it, we can experience some of the most important lessons we'll ever learn within it, and we should feel the love the God has for each of us within it as well. If there is one thing I miss most about being out here in the mission field, it's not the video games (I know, shocking), it isn't being able to understand 100% of a conversation (although that runs a close 2nd), it is being seperated so far from my family. I just wish that I could do the things that I normally took for granted - discussing books with my sisters and bantering with them about school-related trials, playing with my brother all sorts of interesting games and tricks, talking with my father about the different ways that we can think about something to learn an infinite amount of things (and by that, I mean an unquantified amount, since my father is so math-oriented), and being able to look at how my mother acts to not only tell, but show, a love for me and all of my family. Thanks for all of the examples and time you gave to me! I can't wait to treasure them all the more as I work towards coming home!
Well, that's about it. I'm going to try to attatch a pic of me and Elder Greciano Raiskila together, but these library computers are really slow, so let's cross fingers here...
Vanhin David Milligan
I have had a CRAZY time here already. In this first week, I have had more area-member-interaction than all of my first change in Porvoo. The members love to have the missionaries be a part of their lives. They are in the middle of doing a 90-day-reading of the Book of Mormon, specifically for missionary work here. How cool is that?! The missionaries didn't even initiate it, it was the members. They are great. I have been talking a lot with them about how we can help them achieve those things which they desire - our work to succeed! They have given a lot of ways for us to be involved in this area, including they are in the midst of setting up a set of classes to teach English for free to anyone that shows up, and then have a spiritual thought afterwards. They have already invited a lot of their friends, and it appears that if it works out, we will have a very full, very eager class. I'm excited!
I wish I could talk about everything that has happened, but there has just been SO MUCH. Getting used to a new area is difficult, even with a companion that knows it leading you. But the blind is to lead the blind here - let's just hope it doesn't end like it does in the Bible! (They are both brand new to this area. That's what he means about the blind leading the blind! ~Mom)
I actually have been very surprised by how getting used to Porvoo has helped me out here. I used to be very geographically-challenged. I couldn't lead you to my school without quite a few wrong turns. However, I am confidently remembering where we've been, who lives where, and how we can travel along roads I haven't been down yet! It's crazy to just know that I am going the right way, I always have sort-of surprised myself when I show up where I want to.
Well, I think most of the rest of what I want to address is in the questions, so! Here we go!
How was your first Sunday in your new ward?
The first Sunday was great! One of the things that we did was meet with the bishop. We called and asked for his aid in finding out how we can help the members here, and he was very shocked, yet eager to help. He actually used to live in this area some time ago, so his aid was invaluable! The members are so nice - From the number of them that greeted us and said they live in Lohja, I'm pretty sure over ½ of the ward lives in our area... WOW.
Have the dinners with ward members included any new recipes we should try?
Hmm, yes. Last Sunday was Mother's Day (it was great to talk with you, Mom!), and we did it at a family's house here in Lohja. I didn't know what was for dinner until after I finished talking with y'all, but when I stepped out and asked, they responded that it was a kind of noodle-and-BACON dinner. I felt really bad that Mother couldn't have any! I'll ask for how they made it, it was VERY filling, and VERY bacon-y.
Do you already have a favorite cook?
No, no... I am waiting until the end of this week and I try to get all of the members' names straight before I pick favorites. Plus, since Lohja Family Night was last night (everyone in Lohja gets together for games, a spiritual thought, and dinner), I have tried most everyone's food, but don't know who cooked what! I need to sort them out... give me at least a week, maybe two!
How is your new companion?
My new companion, Elder Greciano Raiskila, is a great Elder! He is probably the companion that I've bonded the quickest with, since we are both facing the same shot-gunning trials as one another, and we have very similar interests! I hope that this companionship will grow to be as good as my last - I'm not certain it can be better, but we'll give it a run for its money!
What is your new apartment like?
My first thought when stepping in was "big", now it has kinda evolved into "narrow". The areas are pretty spacious for missionary apartments, but the rooms are sort-of all combined with walls that make it so that almost every room can interact easily with the next, at the sacrifice of kitchen-space. It's a bit tight after the Porvoo apartment, I think I like that one a lot more. The good news is, I haven't really spread out with my junk a ton, so it will be easy to pack up and move out, whenever that happens!
What is the view from your door? or window? (Whichever one is more interesting!)
Yeah, that's kind of a disappointing one... The door leads into a building hallway, so that's no fun, and the window looks over... the parking lot and the backs of buildings. Sigh. The balcony is REALLY spacious, though! You can play Sähly in there!
What is something you learned this week?
It is important, almost no matter what the situation, to follow the rules as they stand. While there are understandable exceptions that may come up as you go, you must remember that each decision should not lead to you compromising the biggest rules out there. A simple "only this once" creates a habit - one that can be hard to get rid of. I don't want to talk about everything that made me learn how important this really is! Suffice it to say, this wasn't a learn-by-doing experience, so don't worry about my obedience levels here.
What is something you taught this week?
We actually got to teach someone at the FHE night yesterday. It was someone that we had actually walked into and tried talking to earlier, so after we got over that awkward bit, we got to get to know him. He's an Estonian man, so English was really the only shared language there, even if they can mostly understand Finnish and we can mostly understand Estonian... weird language commonalities. We taught mostly about Agency with him and about our loving Heavenly Father. I think in the end, he thought very differently about us than his intitial thoughts. Hopefully, we will continue to see him in the future!
What is something you hope to accomplish in the next month?
Hmm. I have been talking about this with Elder Greciano Raiskila, and I am honestly seeing this area as, although having the reputation of one of the hardest areas (minus the members), one of the most potentially untapped areas. I think that this area is already expressing many of the things that we seek for as missionaries, and it is up to our actual working to start to see the blessings! Imagine that.
What is something you want to share with us?
Wow, this is a hard question. I think I just want to kind of talk about family a little. Since we just have had Mother's Day, forgive me for addressing this a little late. Family is a great blessing that we have in life - we are able to learn and grow within it, we can experience some of the most important lessons we'll ever learn within it, and we should feel the love the God has for each of us within it as well. If there is one thing I miss most about being out here in the mission field, it's not the video games (I know, shocking), it isn't being able to understand 100% of a conversation (although that runs a close 2nd), it is being seperated so far from my family. I just wish that I could do the things that I normally took for granted - discussing books with my sisters and bantering with them about school-related trials, playing with my brother all sorts of interesting games and tricks, talking with my father about the different ways that we can think about something to learn an infinite amount of things (and by that, I mean an unquantified amount, since my father is so math-oriented), and being able to look at how my mother acts to not only tell, but show, a love for me and all of my family. Thanks for all of the examples and time you gave to me! I can't wait to treasure them all the more as I work towards coming home!
Well, that's about it. I'm going to try to attatch a pic of me and Elder Greciano Raiskila together, but these library computers are really slow, so let's cross fingers here...
Vanhin David Milligan
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
May 5, 2014 - Wait, WHAT? O_o
The other crazy thing that happened is actually in the questions, sooo... Here we go!
Did you get transferred?
YES. Against almost all of my theories. I thought for certain I was sticking around in Porvoo,since I've only been here 4 months and Elder Saunders has been here for 6. But, no.
I will be moving to Lohja. It is another close-ish-to-Helsinki area, about 40 minutes north of Espoo. So, I'm going to be experiencing roughly the same amounts of weather and sunshine that I would in Porvoo. I will be the Senior Companion in this transfer, also something I didn't expect. I am "shot-gunning" or "white-washing" the area, meaning that I am coming into the area with my new companion, the first time for both of us. It should be crazy, trying to orient around a completely unknown area!
As for the reputation of Lohja. It is a lot like Porvoo - not too much activity normally in the way of investigators - but there is one HUGE difference - the number of members. Apparently, there are a TON of members that absolutely LOVE the missionaries, and it reflects in the amount of Dinner Appointments received. The last set of Elders there were talking about how recently, they've been getting 3 A DAY. That is VERY different from Porvoo, where in the first 2 months, I had gotten 2 DA's. It's expected for me to gain quite a bit of weight there. Woah. Lots of capital-letter exclamations there.
That also means that I am leaving a lot of good people behind. I am going to miss a lot of the people I've come into contact with out here! I got a lot of emails from people, so I will be staying in touch. That'll be fun!
The little red dot is Lohja
You can see Porvoo and Tampere, his previous areas, on this one.
He is definitely staying in Southern Finland!
Did your companion get transferred?
No. That was another spurt of craziness. He is staying in Porvoo. By the end of this next change, he will have been in Porvoo for 8 months. That's long. He will be serving with a newer missionary, Elder Hyer, who has been in Finland since January. Best of luck to him... It's mostly due to his teeth operations, President said.
Who is your new companion?
This is another crazy moment. When I was in the MTC, I had that weird 1-week extension that made it so I got to see my "baby Finns", or the people in the next group. One Elder came a day earlier than the rest, due to him not being from America, and I got to talk to him for quite a bit. Guess why I am talking about him?!
I will be companions with Elder Greciano, from Spain. He is actually ½ Spanish, ½ Finnish. His mother is Finnish, which makes the second part of his surname (I've just forgotten what it is exactly, it is close to Raskilla, or something like that...) since Spaniards have 2 last names, he said. Wow! This will be fun! I hope he's better at the language than I am, or this might get a little rough...
Do you need to buy a bike, yet?
Nope. It is... another Car area. WOW. 3/3 on that area count. And, since Elder Greciano doesn't have a driver's license, guess who's driving it? Yup. Minä. Me. I think this is a bit crazy, too. There's not that many car areas here... And after 1 year in a biking mission, I will have spent 0% of it with a bike...
What did you learn this week?
I spent quite a bit of time on the study of Fasting and Prayer. Basically, I have been finding all of the different ways that it is able to confirm, strengthen, and resolve the testimonies that we have or will soon have. It has been pretty cool to see all of the prophets that talk about the importance of it. I think there's a good lesson to be learned from the consecration of effort and time to receiving a witness of the truth. It doesn't just come passively! The Gospel is full of action. Faith in its fullness inspires so much. It isn't so much actions are what matter, in the end, but rather that the conversion that we should have inspires us to do things the Lord desires us to do, for our own benefit. I think that's an interesting concept on Grace that our church is rather unique in having: that yes, we are completely, fully, thankfully saved by Grace, like most others believe, but that we also should be changed by Grace, not just passively letting God's help to us be and not taking it on yourself! There was a reason that the Atonement was performed - to help us repent and return to Him. Acknowledging He exists isn't enough - you still need to actually take the steps that He has asked of us!
For a good talk that kinda defines Grace as our church believes it, look for a Brad Wilcox talk at the BYU Devotionals website. It is called "His Grace is Sufficient", and I've liked to listen to it!
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brad-wilcox_his-grace-is-sufficient/
(You can watch, listen, or read it at this link ~Mom)
What did you teach this week?
Not really much of anything... We got to talk about the importance of the Book of Mormon to a less-active member, and I think it really meant a lot to her that we cared enough to talk about it. She is confined to her house because of age, but she has been getting the sacrament each week from us. It is sad to be leaving so many people!
What is something strange that has happened to you in Finland?
Hmm. There's been a lot of strange stuff... Probably the strangest things that happen also coincide with meeting drunk people walking around. Finns love to drink. Oh, I've figured out the strangest thing! Being offered alcohol by a member. In keeping with Finnish culture, even some of the members drink. Crazy, right? There's a traditional, Finnish, "non-alcoholic" drink that you have to add yeast to and let it sit for a couple weeks. Mmm-hmm... Not alcoholic... They claim the % is virtually 0, so... Thankfully, a lot of the members are willing to actually follow the Word of Wisdom, but there are one or two exceptions.
Yeah, that's the end of the questions! I am looking forward to going to Lohja, but I'll be sad to leave Elder Saunders and all of Porvoo. Hope that I can visit again! And Lohja seems like it will be a lot of fun, so, there's that, too! Be safe, everyone.
Vanhin David Milligan
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
April 28, 2015 - This Week: Teeth Go Crazy - But Not Mine!
So, my companion Elder Saunders had one of his wisdom teeth taken out, along with the adjacent molar from infection. To skip past the gory details and revisits of the dentist in the days following, we have been stuck inside since Friday. Sigh. We are lucky, we were given permission to drive to church to email, but we will be returning to Porvoo to stay for at least another 2 days as we go again to try to fix stuff that is going wrong. Pray for my companion: I don't want him to die if I'm leaving!
Speaking of that - we don't find out our transfers (if there are any) until THIS Saturday. I think I must have said something wrong... Yeah. (Or Mom remembered the wrong week and asked him 20 questions about if/where/who/when he was getting transferred...) So I'm in Porvoo another week, at least. I'm personally thinking that, as weird as it is, I will be staying in Porvoo with Elder Saunders another change, due to all of his current and upcoming surgeries for teeth. Yes, we'll have been 6 months together if that is the case. I can deal with it, he's fun enough!
Yeah, with about 5 days of being inside and at least 1 more on the horizon, there's not much more to talk about. So, to the questions!
What is something you taught this week?
We taught a bit about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how it is that our message and commitments are all centered around following the example of Christ and being baptized. We have a few more potentials now that we are getting ready to visit and share the message with, just as soon as Elder Saunders recovers.
What is something you learned this week?
I have been studying a bit from the different scriptures where it talks about Brotherly Kindliness. The passages almost always can apply to missionary companions, so I figure it might be a good way to always try to seek to treat my companion as I best should. Especially if I have a difficult companion!
What is something you want to study?
I think I should be studying a little more about Love. Yes, that's a weird and general statement, and in the end it all funnels back to Charity and the Pure Love of Christ, but hear me out! In almost all of the parables that I have struggled with applying in the past - The Prodigal Son, the Workers and the Same Wage, and others - the way to best overcome that pride is through a sense of Love of your fellow brother, for receiving that which is able to help him in life. I am comfortable, I think, with the concept, now, and try my best to always think like that, but sometimes, when even in their "forgiveness" people seem to squander that which is re-given to them, it is hard. My pride of the "always doing what is right, I deserve these blessings and you don't" attitude shines through a little here... So, I think I need to study Love a little more, and maybe even just the steps to return to our Heavenly Father - because everyone seeking forgiveness and betterment is also focusing on those same steps, and I might see myself more like them if I understand that our struggles and accomplishments are the same!
What is something you are working on?
Probably getting rid of excessive pride... Pride in your work in fine, in healthy doses! It keeps you encouraged that your actions will keep you on the right path to be in the place to help others. But, if it gets carried away into boasting, then we have a problem. I don't think I boast too much, per se, but I do have a silent "you deserve the bad consequence coming to you" thought when someone tries to do something I've warned them is futile/wrong. It gets a little annoying when you are trying to love someone else and they just keep bashing you down.
Don't worry, none of this is happening from Elder Saunders!!! We are doing well together, but I'm just remembering past problems and seeing them in current former-investigators, and in some other missionaries in the field... I do my best not to judge, but that's what I need to work on most, right now!
Is it getting warmer? When does Spring arrive in Finland?
It is getting up to high 40s, low 50s in the temperatures. So, yes, much warmer! I'm practically roasting! I'm not certain exactly when it is supposed to come... I think that it is technically already here! There are some tulip buds coming, even if the tree leaves haven't returned yet.
Well, that's all, folks! We need to get back to the safety of Porvoo before more crazy stuff happens with Elder Saunders! Love you all, (at least I'm trying to,) and be safe!
Vanhin David Milligan
P.S. Something for Dad's Birthday today!
Speaking of that - we don't find out our transfers (if there are any) until THIS Saturday. I think I must have said something wrong... Yeah. (Or Mom remembered the wrong week and asked him 20 questions about if/where/who/when he was getting transferred...) So I'm in Porvoo another week, at least. I'm personally thinking that, as weird as it is, I will be staying in Porvoo with Elder Saunders another change, due to all of his current and upcoming surgeries for teeth. Yes, we'll have been 6 months together if that is the case. I can deal with it, he's fun enough!
Yeah, with about 5 days of being inside and at least 1 more on the horizon, there's not much more to talk about. So, to the questions!
What is something you taught this week?
We taught a bit about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and how it is that our message and commitments are all centered around following the example of Christ and being baptized. We have a few more potentials now that we are getting ready to visit and share the message with, just as soon as Elder Saunders recovers.
What is something you learned this week?
I have been studying a bit from the different scriptures where it talks about Brotherly Kindliness. The passages almost always can apply to missionary companions, so I figure it might be a good way to always try to seek to treat my companion as I best should. Especially if I have a difficult companion!
What is something you want to study?
I think I should be studying a little more about Love. Yes, that's a weird and general statement, and in the end it all funnels back to Charity and the Pure Love of Christ, but hear me out! In almost all of the parables that I have struggled with applying in the past - The Prodigal Son, the Workers and the Same Wage, and others - the way to best overcome that pride is through a sense of Love of your fellow brother, for receiving that which is able to help him in life. I am comfortable, I think, with the concept, now, and try my best to always think like that, but sometimes, when even in their "forgiveness" people seem to squander that which is re-given to them, it is hard. My pride of the "always doing what is right, I deserve these blessings and you don't" attitude shines through a little here... So, I think I need to study Love a little more, and maybe even just the steps to return to our Heavenly Father - because everyone seeking forgiveness and betterment is also focusing on those same steps, and I might see myself more like them if I understand that our struggles and accomplishments are the same!
What is something you are working on?
Probably getting rid of excessive pride... Pride in your work in fine, in healthy doses! It keeps you encouraged that your actions will keep you on the right path to be in the place to help others. But, if it gets carried away into boasting, then we have a problem. I don't think I boast too much, per se, but I do have a silent "you deserve the bad consequence coming to you" thought when someone tries to do something I've warned them is futile/wrong. It gets a little annoying when you are trying to love someone else and they just keep bashing you down.
Don't worry, none of this is happening from Elder Saunders!!! We are doing well together, but I'm just remembering past problems and seeing them in current former-investigators, and in some other missionaries in the field... I do my best not to judge, but that's what I need to work on most, right now!
Is it getting warmer? When does Spring arrive in Finland?
It is getting up to high 40s, low 50s in the temperatures. So, yes, much warmer! I'm practically roasting! I'm not certain exactly when it is supposed to come... I think that it is technically already here! There are some tulip buds coming, even if the tree leaves haven't returned yet.
Well, that's all, folks! We need to get back to the safety of Porvoo before more crazy stuff happens with Elder Saunders! Love you all, (at least I'm trying to,) and be safe!
Vanhin David Milligan
P.S. Something for Dad's Birthday today!
I hope you enjoy his creativity and the fact that he put the harmony part for the last line of the song! Such a talented musician!
Entertainment in Finland?
Snowing
The Ukelele that got left behind by another missionary and now belongs to David!
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
April 21, 2015 - Things Looking Up! (Right Before Leaving?)
We have another investigator now, and he has accepted a baptismal date. He's kind of younger, so it's cool that he is interested. We should meet with him again today. I hope we can be open enough to understand what it is that he is looking for, and show that the gospel can individually help us with our lives.
We will continue to be visiting people that said we could come back, so there are even plans for us to be busy this week! All just in time for changes... When it's possible that I could leave Porvoo... Hmm.
On a positive note, we had a pretty good Zone Conference just last Saturday. We had to get up at 2:30 AM to get over to there, but it was worth it. Why? The Zone Conference was a Double-Zone Conference, being held in THE TAMPERE CHAPEL!!! I got to go back to Tampere for a day! That was quite a lot of fun. My old bishopric was there, and all said "Hi" when they saw me! They mostly all remembered that I had been transferred down to Porvoo, so they asked how that was. We got to hear from Elder Nielsen, the one who spoke last General Conference about the Prodigal Son in the analogy of his sister's experiences. He was a good speaker, even if for a while during the last part he made it seem like we were going to be receiving iPads any day now, just to then tell us we aren't in the European testing group that he and Elder Bednar are here to give iPads to. GRR.
Side shout-out to the Nissen family if they are out there: I got to finally meet Elder Nissen during the Zone Conference! He seemed a little shocked that I existed beyond the electronic blog. It was fun, I got a picture with him to prove that we've finally met. (Of course, he did not SEND the picture... Mom) (April 22nd - However, Elder Nissen sent one to HIS mom and she forwarded it to me!)
(I am laughing so hard right now! Mom)
Well, I think that's about it! Questions!
What is something you learned this week?
This week I've been going over a lot of my General Conference notes, as well as the Plan of Salvation. I have been studying it with a large emphasis on having faith during trials. The stories of how burdens have been lifted in different ways has made me desire to be the kind that gets through trials because I am stronger through them, rather than trying to "pray them away". That was a big thing that Elder Nielsen talked about at the end - how Christ's Atonement is not only a redeeming power, but an enabling one. That was really good! There is a new Mormon Message out today about exactly that, quoting the talk I was reading for a lot of the study of it. Mom, if you want to grace the blog with a link, that'd be much obliged! (He was studying Elder Bednar's talk from 2014 April Conference as well as Elder Nielson's. Elder Nielson gave them those talks to study from before the conference, as well as another one that he did not tell me the title of. The Mormon Message is from Elder Bednar's talk. Just in case any of you got as confused as I did! Mom) https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/bearing-our-burdens-with-hope
What is something you taught this week?
I taught a pretty good lesson about the Restoration and Being an Example to our recent convert. I was with Elder Hugie, one of the Zone Leaders, and although we had planned to talk about strictly the Restoration, I felt impressed to share some of my recent thoughts regarding how important it is to be a righteous example of what you believe in, and how much that can show what you really have faith in. After that, I talked a bit about S. Michael Wilcox's talk "The Fourth Watch", which I actually haven't read. I've just received some excerpts of it from Father's coworker from BYU, Sister Stoddard, I think. She shared a great section about how important it is to realize that some concerns in our prayers don't seem to be being answered or addressed at all, even when we are asking the right questions and seeking for the right things, because we need to have had the situations to best understand it. It was a great section, and perfect for bringing the Spirit into the lesson. Elder Hugie then brilliantly gave a different commitment than we'd planned: he invited us ALL to pray about a way that we can change our attitude or perspective or actions so that we can be a better example, and be more open to the answers that we are searching for. It was great! (Thank you, Sister Stoddard for sending inspiring messages to our boy! Mom)
What is something you think we should know?
Hmm. I guess if you all could try to find and read the S. Michael Wilcox talk, and then get me a copy right after that, then I think that we could all learn from that. It really, from what I've read so far, seems to address the questions we all have at one point or another: why am I having to endure this trial, in this way, at this time? If you all could think about that and make it so that I can as well, then that's what I'd like us all to know. (This is a talk from BYU Education Week as far as I have been able to find. It is available on Audio CD, but I haven't found a transcript of it, yet. If anyone else has info, let me know! Mom)
What is something your companion has taught you? (serious, not goofy! ok, after you say something serious, you can say something goofy!)
Oh, serious, THEN goofy? Okay...
He has taught me a lot about drive to find people to talk to, even when all has seemed futile up to that point. Despite whatever we have gone through that day, no matter how rough the lessons or day itself, he seeks to be in a place to be able to find His children. That's really inspiring, because it can be hard to keep going when there's nothing left. And now we have stuff to do!
And now the goofy-ish one. He knows a LOT of musical references, and together we have made our own little 4-Chord Jam using songs that aren't in the clip I always used to watch. It is great! I know my family is probably groaning over that one, but, hey! (Definitely groaning! Mom)
What stood out to you in General Conference?
There was a lot about marriage and family in that... 'Nuff said... It still helped me think about stuff that's important, though!
Does Finland have a lot of bugs? Snakes? Scary critters?
Lots of mosquitoes are appearing now, although they seem to hate me here as much as they do in Oklahoma! I haven't gotten bit yet, but my companion seemed to be getting attacked for a while.
Have you been able to go to the Helsinki Temple more than once?
No, just the once that I got to go during Interim, after 6 weeks in Finland. We'll find a way to get there sometime...
I'm guessing you find out sometime this week if you are being transferred?
I find out next Saturday, at the beginning of May. It should be fun, but I'm a little worried for the time leading up to it, because this Friday, Elder Saunders has to get a wisdom teeth extraction, which will be putting him out of commission for a while... basically, until change calls. Oh, well. I'll find a way for us to still get work done somehow! Pray for him, though, will y'all? It's hard enough being on a mission, even harder to be on one and not get to do mission work.
Did your package ever arrive?
I got it last Wednesday! It was AWESOME!!! Tons of American candy, all of the letters from my Birthday present, and 2 new ties! It was great, I wore one of the new ties to Zone Conference, the one with the matching pocket square.
I feel I need to say this again, though... I love the fact that I have a package, and it REALLY did make me happy... Just the occasional letter with a flash drive of "hello" videos from people would be a great present - I don't need that much candy! That being said, Thanks again! I am going to space this out again - I still have quite a bit of candy left over from the MTC packages...
Well, that's about it. I hope that everything goes well for y'all! Be safe!
Vanhin David Milligan
If you click on this to make it bigger, you can see that his eyebrows are FROZEN. Mom's question: Where is that toasty warm hat we bought that would cover those frozen eyebrows???!!!
Friday, April 17, 2015
April 14, 2015 - Just About Nothing New
February Sunset
Well, it is coming as close to being dead as it could possibly be in our area... There are no really progressing investigators. We have dropped now all but one of our investigators, period. It is getting a little discouraging for me and my companion, but thankfully, we are still getting along with each other, despite being together for the last 3½ months with no one else really to talk to or go on splits with...This last week was filled, though, with the craziest amount of "trunky" discussions yet, at least on my part. I dreamed about walking around Porvoo, contacting, and then having President Watson call and tell me that we were now authorized to catch Pokemon while we walked and train them up with potential contacts. All of a sudden, the world was filled with Pokemon everywhere and I spent the night catching and training a team... That was super-nerdy, and super-disappointing to wake up from. The next night I dreamed about building a D&D castle, like, life-size, in-between the apartments located near us, so that we could go a'venturing inside on quests. Yeah. I'm going off the deep end a little. My companion has been all of a sudden remembering tons of really good music that he likes, and has been explaining how he likes different artists and songs and what-not. Then we both talked about video games a lot. I'm a little afraid for our next change if we find out we are STILL serving together...
Yeah, that's about it for my week that I can think of... To the Questions!
How big is the ward you are serving in?
Hmm. Numbers... There are about 150 or so that are actively showing up every Sunday, at least that's what my companion thinks.
How big is the youth program in your ward?
There are a few youth in this ward, but it's not as big as Tampere's. They have about 6 Young Men, none of which are Priest age, and 5 or so Young Women, also not being in the Laurel age group.
How many families in the ward are in Porvoo?
There are around 50 families, from a quick glance at the ward roster!
Did your package arrive?
No, not yet. I really hope you all didn't pay to have it shipped quickly, because it is far beyond the day that you all predicted when you sent it out... If you did, might want to see about getting a refund. No letter, either, if you've sent one yet.
Is the weather getting better?
In a sense, yes! The sun has completely reversed schedules this last month. When the month started, it was still kind of following that winter schedule, dark pretty early. However, just last night we were actively contacting until 9 without realizing it was even getting close to time to head in, because the sun set at 8:40 PM. The sun is also up at around 3 AM or so, so we've had to block the window with mattresses. It's all fun. There is still quite a bit of cloudy rain, though, so my suits are still facing a little danger if I try to go out without a jacket.
What is the strangest thing you have eaten on your mission?
Mämi. Probably. It is just pure rye. You need to eat it with cream and sugar, but it's all good. I actually liked it a fair bit. I think I emailed about it last week, though.
If not that, then it would be something that wasn't actually a Finnish food. I had black-seaweed jelly made by a Polynesian family in Tampere. That was weird.
How long has your companion been on his mission?
He's been on a mission for about 1 year and 3 months. He has hit his 1-year-in-Finland mark already. He feels old. And yet young. We've talked about this.
Weirdest part? Sister Seegmiller, from my group, is training right now, and she will go home at the same time he does, while her trainee goes home at the same time I do. So weird.
When is your next transfer?
May 1st, basically. Great thing - It is right after another set of 2 Hard-Red days, as graduation/Labor Day to the extremes. With lots of alcohol. That's not the great part. The great part is that if this is the separation point for me and Elder Saunders, our change will have started and ended with Hard-Red Day celebrations (New Years Eve/Day for the beginning, Vappu for the end).
Well, that's it over here. I hope you all are doing well, I am hoping to hear from a lot of you!
Vanhin David Milligan
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
April 7, 2015 - General Conference Was Pretty Awesome
Yup, I'm really happy that I was able to watch General Conference out here. I still haven't seen the last part of Sunday Morning or the whole of Sunday Afternoon due to not enough time / satellite problems. But it's cool. I think there was a lot of Family/Marriage related talks... Not sure how that applies too much to me as a missionary beyond teaching and goal-setting... :)
Did you get your package?
Afraid not. Finns really like their holidays, so the Friday-to-Monday time this last week, Posti was closed. It is normally closed and not delivered on weekends, but Friday and Monday got thrown in due to the normal Friday holiday and to the Finns' 2nd Easter on Monday. Yes, they have more than one day for most holidays, like the 3 days of Christmas. Everything shuts down. I'm not sure I like it. I'm looking forward to receiving it sometime this week, then!
Did you meet anyone new this week?
Although we have managed to better our street contacting to hand out with commitments more copies of the Book of Mormon and more pass-along cards, we have not had any success in being able to visit any of these people. It's too bad, but we walk on. We are walking for SOO LONG all of the time. Yesterday was a strictly contacting day. We couldn't even tract if we wanted to, because it was 2nd Easter and door-knocking is not allowed. Porvoo is going a bit slowly, but we are working our best to see it pick up. Elder Saunders and I had a long talk yesterday while walking (with no one in sight, since, you know, holiday) about the importance of not losing faith in an area. Our recent convert is what's keeping me faithful right now that there is still something to do and people to teach.
How are the members treating you?
It has been alright. There's still involvement from the members in Porvoo, and we even have had some members from the Marjaniemi Ward that we attend to reach out to us. We got to have a dinner appointment this last week with an American family! The Humphries (that is soo not a Finnish last name, it's great) invited us over, and we had traditional Passover-style food. But a little more yummy than it would have been for them. And, I got to try out a Finnish Easter delicacy there. It is called Mämi, or something like that. It is essentially pure rye. It looks like a chocolate cake/fudge mix, but tastes very different. I actually really liked it, so I think that threw off the family and my companion. Apparently missionaries react badly to it, normally, especially if you think you are eating chocolate goop.
Our recent convert has been getting people at work interested, has even given out an Estonian Book of Mormon that he got from us to an interested coworker. He is so excited to share the Gospel, it really encourages me.
What did you learn this week?
I spent a lot of time preparing for General Conference by studying the various ways that prophets make known the word of God. It was really insightful to listen again to a BYU Devotional that Elder Saunders had by Hugh B. Brown, called, Profile of a Prophet. I like it a lot, and it inspired some scripture searching along the lines of "how can people righteously receive the word of God as told to them?" I thought it was a good prep for General Conference.
Small note: In General Conference, Elder Nielsen spoke about the Prodigal Son, and the lessons from that parable. He is coming to the Zone Conference in Tampere on April 18th. I'm trying my best to prepare for that, as well.
What did you share this week?
Not too much teaching was done this week to anyone besides members, but they were still good lessons regardless. To the Humphries, we talked a bit about Agency using their favorite superhero, Spiderman. They are really young kids, so that was important to keep them entertained enough to listen. We talked about how Spiderman had to repeatedly make one good choice after another to become a superhero. It was really good, because at first they said how Spiderman tried to make money off of his powers, and his uncle got hurt. (I didn't have the heart to tell them that he died...) Once he learned from that, he did one good thing after another, and eventually, at the end of the day, realized that he was a "good guy". We said that it is important to in each small action, make a right choice. Enough right choices will eventually make people trust you, and you will find out that you are being called a "good guy" by those that see you. It went well, all together.
What was your favorite talk from General Conference?
There are a few that I really liked , so pardon me while I get all my favorites out in a list of appearance! Appearance by Finnish broadcasting, that is.
L. Whitney Clayton's talk about Light and Belief was good, with the story of Sailor.
Elder Ballard's talk on Missionaries felt rather direct, even if most of the time was talking about prep leading up to and then continuing lessons learned afterwards.
Pres. Utchdorf's was awesome, since I knew about the Potempkin Village myth from AP Euro, and seeing how it can be a metaphor for avoiding Facades in our life was great.
Wilford W. Anderson's over the differences between going through the motions and knowing the reasons for our actions through the comparison of Dancing the Steps vs Hearing the Music was quite fun!
The little that I saw of Elder Holland's talk was really good. I liked the story of the rock climbing and where the metaphor was going with respect to the Fall and Christ's role within the Plan of Salvation.
I think of those, though, Pres. Utchdorf's was the one I most needed to hear, not so much for my own actions right now, but for trying to make sure that I never decide to just fake things and not have the right attitude. In that sense, Wilford Anderson's was probably my favorite when it came to a metaphor that I see me using in the future, and I think that it can give us all a good way to see if we are teaching things correctly to those under our stead.
What is your favorite Finnish hymn?
Okay, this is new! Let me grab a hymnal really quick so I spell this right... "Maa on niin kaunis". In Finland, this is a Christmas song and has a little different of a message, but the tune is very familiar to me from the days I sung in the Christmas Cantata back home. The English song with the same tune is "Fair Is the Sunlight", or at least it starts that way... Mother, feel free to put in the right title now... (Beautiful Savior)
Well, that's it! I'm glad to have been around to see General Conference, and that we can still access it out here, even under very different time windows.
I hope that all of you will continue to be safe!
Vanhin David Milligan
Did you get your package?
Afraid not. Finns really like their holidays, so the Friday-to-Monday time this last week, Posti was closed. It is normally closed and not delivered on weekends, but Friday and Monday got thrown in due to the normal Friday holiday and to the Finns' 2nd Easter on Monday. Yes, they have more than one day for most holidays, like the 3 days of Christmas. Everything shuts down. I'm not sure I like it. I'm looking forward to receiving it sometime this week, then!
Did you meet anyone new this week?
Although we have managed to better our street contacting to hand out with commitments more copies of the Book of Mormon and more pass-along cards, we have not had any success in being able to visit any of these people. It's too bad, but we walk on. We are walking for SOO LONG all of the time. Yesterday was a strictly contacting day. We couldn't even tract if we wanted to, because it was 2nd Easter and door-knocking is not allowed. Porvoo is going a bit slowly, but we are working our best to see it pick up. Elder Saunders and I had a long talk yesterday while walking (with no one in sight, since, you know, holiday) about the importance of not losing faith in an area. Our recent convert is what's keeping me faithful right now that there is still something to do and people to teach.
How are the members treating you?
It has been alright. There's still involvement from the members in Porvoo, and we even have had some members from the Marjaniemi Ward that we attend to reach out to us. We got to have a dinner appointment this last week with an American family! The Humphries (that is soo not a Finnish last name, it's great) invited us over, and we had traditional Passover-style food. But a little more yummy than it would have been for them. And, I got to try out a Finnish Easter delicacy there. It is called Mämi, or something like that. It is essentially pure rye. It looks like a chocolate cake/fudge mix, but tastes very different. I actually really liked it, so I think that threw off the family and my companion. Apparently missionaries react badly to it, normally, especially if you think you are eating chocolate goop.
Our recent convert has been getting people at work interested, has even given out an Estonian Book of Mormon that he got from us to an interested coworker. He is so excited to share the Gospel, it really encourages me.
What did you learn this week?
I spent a lot of time preparing for General Conference by studying the various ways that prophets make known the word of God. It was really insightful to listen again to a BYU Devotional that Elder Saunders had by Hugh B. Brown, called, Profile of a Prophet. I like it a lot, and it inspired some scripture searching along the lines of "how can people righteously receive the word of God as told to them?" I thought it was a good prep for General Conference.
Small note: In General Conference, Elder Nielsen spoke about the Prodigal Son, and the lessons from that parable. He is coming to the Zone Conference in Tampere on April 18th. I'm trying my best to prepare for that, as well.
What did you share this week?
Not too much teaching was done this week to anyone besides members, but they were still good lessons regardless. To the Humphries, we talked a bit about Agency using their favorite superhero, Spiderman. They are really young kids, so that was important to keep them entertained enough to listen. We talked about how Spiderman had to repeatedly make one good choice after another to become a superhero. It was really good, because at first they said how Spiderman tried to make money off of his powers, and his uncle got hurt. (I didn't have the heart to tell them that he died...) Once he learned from that, he did one good thing after another, and eventually, at the end of the day, realized that he was a "good guy". We said that it is important to in each small action, make a right choice. Enough right choices will eventually make people trust you, and you will find out that you are being called a "good guy" by those that see you. It went well, all together.
What was your favorite talk from General Conference?
There are a few that I really liked , so pardon me while I get all my favorites out in a list of appearance! Appearance by Finnish broadcasting, that is.
L. Whitney Clayton's talk about Light and Belief was good, with the story of Sailor.
Elder Ballard's talk on Missionaries felt rather direct, even if most of the time was talking about prep leading up to and then continuing lessons learned afterwards.
Pres. Utchdorf's was awesome, since I knew about the Potempkin Village myth from AP Euro, and seeing how it can be a metaphor for avoiding Facades in our life was great.
Wilford W. Anderson's over the differences between going through the motions and knowing the reasons for our actions through the comparison of Dancing the Steps vs Hearing the Music was quite fun!
The little that I saw of Elder Holland's talk was really good. I liked the story of the rock climbing and where the metaphor was going with respect to the Fall and Christ's role within the Plan of Salvation.
I think of those, though, Pres. Utchdorf's was the one I most needed to hear, not so much for my own actions right now, but for trying to make sure that I never decide to just fake things and not have the right attitude. In that sense, Wilford Anderson's was probably my favorite when it came to a metaphor that I see me using in the future, and I think that it can give us all a good way to see if we are teaching things correctly to those under our stead.
What is your favorite Finnish hymn?
Okay, this is new! Let me grab a hymnal really quick so I spell this right... "Maa on niin kaunis". In Finland, this is a Christmas song and has a little different of a message, but the tune is very familiar to me from the days I sung in the Christmas Cantata back home. The English song with the same tune is "Fair Is the Sunlight", or at least it starts that way... Mother, feel free to put in the right title now... (Beautiful Savior)
Well, that's it! I'm glad to have been around to see General Conference, and that we can still access it out here, even under very different time windows.
I hope that all of you will continue to be safe!
Vanhin David Milligan
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