Lahetyssarnajia

Dear Family and Friends,

Great week this week. A lot of great people and a lot of great conversations!!  We found two new investigators this week which was great. One of our new investigators is from Eritrea, which is a country I didnt even know existed.  We had a powerful first lesson with her.  So one thing I have been thinking a lot about with Finnish people is that they dont like to be served, but they LOVE serving. So one thing we have been asking a lot of finns, is we have been teaching a finnish class to english speakers, and now were asking a lot of finns if they can come and help us teach the class, and feel the spirit of service. In my head there are two types of people who arent religious, but then join religion.  Ones that are compelled to be humbled by there circumstances, and feel the difference gods light makes through the darkness, and then ones whos lives are fine and perfect and dont need god because they see no reason because there life is great. What they need and yearn for is to serve people, because in everyone there is the light of christ. Thats why people who arent even religious find joy out of helping there fellow man, because Mosiah 2:17 "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God".  So when we give people whos lives are great the opportunity to serve then they to feel the love of christ.  

Crazy, I just realized that at the end of this month Ill hit my 7 month mark! its crazy how fast time flies out here. But the work is going good here in Helsinki, the Lords hand is prominent in many ways! 

The pic is of this pizza kebab place that we found that sells 5 euro pizzas. Almost as good as Little Caesars.  

Love

Elder Ford

Again, the new mission office address because some were asking is: 

Elder Weston Kevin Ford

Finland Helsinki Mission

Upseerinkatu 3 C

02600 Espoo

Finland

Good ol¨¨Helsinki‏

Dear family and friends,

Well, I have been serving for almost a week now in Helsinki! Love it, so many great people from around the world and so many great finns!!! The ward down here is absolutely amazing and I absolutely love the piispa (bishop)! Such a wonderful guy. Basically the whole bishopric is 30 year old guys with 2 kids.

My new companion is Elder Smith, he is from Centerville, Utah. He is actually my first companion out here from Utah. He is a super cool guy who is going home this October.  Him and I served together in Jyväskylä in the same district. But this week we have been working super hard and have talked to tons of people on the street. We have so many new potentials, its awesome. A lot of great things are going to happen in the Neitsytpolku ward. Now were just trying to follow up with everyone in the most efficient manner.  

But Helsinki is such a beautiful place, it has an old look with a super modern look. Really cool.  Right now the world gymnastic cup is going on in Helsinki, so there are teams from everywhere around the world, a ton from south america.  It makes me wish I would have kept studying spanish in school haha..  

Right now we have two solid investigators. One is a really cool finn girl, and the other is an American from Los Angelos, whos lived in Finland for a long time now.

One thing that I have been studying is the Journeys of the Sons of Mosiah and everything that they went through.  They experienced all the highs and lows one could get, but they did it with diligence and faith and because of that they helped many souls come unto Christ. Hopefully we can all be to as diligent as they were. They are living proof that no matter where we come from in life, we can all turn around no matter what. They were the worst of the worst, but they became some of the best of the best. Anything is possible with Christ.

Love

Elder Ford.  

IM GOING TO HELSINKI

Hey everyone!

So this week we got our transfers.. of course my companion elder bascom got his new companion, sister bascom... cause hes going back to Atlanta. Im so grateful for the opportunity I got to serve with him, I have learned so much from him, finnish, and spiritual.  Hes such a boss, and hes going to shred it up back at BYU!  

This week has been fast for sure. Said goodbye to a lot of ward members and investigators that I have come to known here in Jyväskylä!!  Its been great and I am so thankful for my opportunity! My new area that I am being transfered to is Neitsytpolku, which is really the richest place in Finland. Basically downtown Helsinki, right in the heart of it.  Its right on the ocean, super cool! My new companion is Elder Smith who was in my district last transfer! Super excited, he is so cool!  But this is my last email from Jyväskyla, been super cool!

One cool story is thursday me and Elder Bascom were in the finnish forest when we found a man sitting, resting.  We approached him and started talking, and found out he had visited Salt lake city and had a book of mormon. We talked to him for a little while, and then this other man approached us. Soon man 1 left, and we were talking to the second guy for like 2 hours. He was a very nice man and we got to place a book of mormon with him at the end. 

I also met with my Kenyan investigator for the last time. He is such a cool guy, he is one of the first people I met here in Finland.  We had a wonderful lesson with him yesterday and Im really going to miss him. He has so many cool stories from kenya. I now understand why Kenyans are such good runners haha!!  

The pic below is me and an investigator. He has been one of our great friends here in Jyväskylä and has shown us a lot of cool things!  

Other picture is of our district. I dont know why I am making that face.  

Me and my majestic horse.

Raukaudella,

Vanhin Ford