Jan 6...baby its cold outside

New years eve was crazy! We went to a members house for dinner and not only did she feed us Finnish food which wasnt the best tasting stuff, we then proceeded to have to not only sing for our food but dance too!  But before we even got to dinner we got to help a man dig out of a snow bank.... It first started with just us trying to dig him out with a pathetic snow shovel in our car. Then a random stranger came with a real shovel and started getting work done... then four elders, two random strangers, and two sisters finally got him out of the snow bank! Then we went to the church and had a party with the missionaries in the city. it was called our YOMO night (you are only a missionary once). It was a fun way to send off 2013 and welcome 2014, bad party hats, balloons and card games are always needed in a 10:00pm curfew send off of the new year. 

We had dinner with the Barretts on new years day and on our way home they did donuts with us in the car. It was SO MUCH FUN! At bingo this week there was a lady who won 4x in a row... that never happens, she was extremely lucky... yes we help old people gamble. Sister rush and sister hill slept over this week as they were traveling to different cities for exchanges. It was a lot of fun and we were able to have a sisters lunch at chilis which was really fun... it reminded me of my mom a lot. :)

As for people we are working with  it has been a strange, powerful week! We started working with these teenage girls whose faith has been struggling. Its so hard to see someone so young question so much. I really hope we can help them. We also taught some of our investigators about prayer this week. They are nine and eleven and it was so nice to hear both of them pray and bear their testimony on why prayer is so important.... it was the most powerful spirit ever. Then sister davis had an ah-ha inspiration moment where she is like... sister harrison we need to knock on that door and after some inner battle we knocked on the door... on the other side of the door was seven investigators absolutely welcoming to our visit. We sat down and due to a language barrier struggled through the restoration but we did it. They even invited us to stay for dinner and we have four new investigators that we get to see agian this next week... im so excited. Im really really glad sister davis followed that prompting. Then ryan and raechel... this family is stuck in my heart forever! They had such a progressing week. We went over the word of wisdom, had a powerful priesthood night, and he is SO ready for his baptism! Oh and no more caffine for me... YAY WORD OF WISDOM LESSONS!!!!

Now... about my studies this week.... they were incredible. I used chapter one of preach my gospel followed by setting goals in chapter 8 to learn on how to set goals and that combined with my patriarchal blessing helped me set goals for not just my mission but my future life as well. It was such a good study. And then in doctrine in covenants section 50 are some of my favorite scriptures where christ is promising to never leave us. It was such a good spiritual week... loved this week!!!!!

oh now about the cold ... yes it hit -50 celcius.... yes thats cold... yes cars struggle in that weather... NO IM NOT DEAD... i still have ten fingers and ten toes.... and i love the cold!!!!!! (besides church being canceled)