Week 102 in Mikkeli (The Proof of your Love)

What a week, folks! I'm so happy to be a missionary in good ol' Finland. This place is still gorgeous, by the way, and I'll prove my claim to you with some photos and stories from the week! 

We started off with some wisdom and counseling at district council! We had a lot of inspiration and training about some of our new mission policies.

Thereafter, the Joensuu Elders stayed with us for exchanges! We had a great time doing work, and talking to some amazing people here. While blasting through town on the bikes, Elder Wawdrey and had a little surprise:

Yep, that's a little birdie. On my finger. I told you I'm an adorable princess.

Had a great time though. There's also a huge carnival going on in the park right next to our flat, so we look off of our balcony, and we see candy, clowns, and larger mechanical machines that hurtle children into the air. They say it's fun. Their screams say they're terrified. I, being a missionary, know nought of the festivities of the gentiles, so apparently this is how people.. ahem.. have fun.

Just kidding, we went to the carnival and bought some candy for dinner:

Among the multitude of amazing people we were able to talk to this week was this fellow, named Mohammed! We had a good discussion for a while about the Qu'ran, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and life in general. And he asked for a photo with us! I'm honored. 

Our work also took us to the edge of this beautiful lake, and there was a lady sitting at a bench there, so I started a conversation by walking up to her and saying, "how about all these mosquitos?" and she was going off for five minutes before we got talking about anything else. Don't ask me how I related mosquitos to the gospel. (For the record, I personally am of the opinion that mosquitos are lucifer's servants sent to torment us. Take that for what you will.)

We also were invited to Family Home Evening with one of the families in the branch yesterday, and it was pretty awesome. We had a spiritual thought based on a board game that's in the Friend magazine, it focuses a lot on love, and how we show love to others. I made a goal to especially pray for all the people that I meet in any given day, to show God that I love them. That's the secret of missionary work - love for everyone that you meet! I know through my experiences here that if we love God and mankind with our whole heart, might, mind, and strength, then He will work through us to bring miracles to mankind. I rejoice in that! I hope that you'll be able to bring to pass those miracles as well. 

With love,

Vanhin Bolingbroke

...Aaaaand... dramATIC PHOTO here...