Week 29 & 30: Vitsinpumpula (oopsi daisy)

 Many things have happened but most importantly it was so nice and warm this week! 

Went to the Zone Leader’s baptism, and I got to play the piano there. Push-up competition with another zone, which means doing a lot of push-ups. English Church is every other week, so we got to go, and I played a musical number in the regular church. Soccer, running basketball, and spike ball in the mornings are a highlight.  Had a cool egg that was hollowed out and filled with chocolate. Went Northern Lights hunting and saw them, only faintly, though

Spiritual Thought:  

“But the Lord Knoweth”. Mormon and Moroni just finished compiling the Book of Mormon. They both know their inadequacies. Moroni even engraves his imperfections inside the plates, The writing, the space limits, the language. He says “Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection”. But after he wrote, “But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written…therefore he hath prepared means”. God knew Moroni, He knew his faults, imperfections, strengths and weaknesses. But he still prepared a way to have the Book of Mormon translated and brought to us . 

Mormon believed that God could do it. And God did. I've learned that God knows me. He works with me, as I believe, to do a lot of hard things. He knows all his children and works the same way through each of them. 

Short Version of Email: A lot of things happened, too many to count, or say. Sorry. 

Finnish Word of the Week:    Kokoo koko kokko. koko kokkoko? Koko kokko! = Assemble the whole bonfire.  The whole bonfire?  The whole bonfire!

Daylight Counter!

Where we started–4 Hours 40 minutes

This week–12 Hours 2 min

5 Amazing Things This Week:

1: District Council this week in Hämmenlinna which is a city I have never been to before. It has a really cool castle we got to go see. And a wonderful member made us all food. It was lovely. 

2: Went to a concert commemorating the end of the Winter War in Finland. It was in an amazing old church. Our mission coordination leader sang in the choir and he gave us a tour all around the church afterwards. Such cool art and organ. 

3:  President Interviews are always a highlight. We got to see them for extra time this time because there are so many missionaries in Tampere they stay for 2 days here. They also stayed for the baptism which was great. 

4:  On Sähly night we had 12 missionaries in Tampere at once because of splits. The members there let us do a game with all missionaries playing. It was the most fun I've had in quite a while. 

5:   Went to a really cool tower in the woods for P-day. Got to climb up to the top, the tower also has a little café in the bottom with the most amazing donuts. Afterwards we went to this Lutheran Church to look around and found these two ladies who requested we pray with them. We did and I mentioned I love to play the organ. One of the ladies insisted we go find someone to ask if I could play the organ right then and there. We found someone so now there is a chance I may be able to play a cool organ in the future.

 

6:  Moved an entire member's house to another house right next to his house. We then proceeded to unload a truck full of all his son and wife's belongings into the house. Moving a washing machine and dryer up very tight spiral stairs might be one of the hardest things I've ever done lol.

7:  We have been visiting a lot of members which has been good for our finding efforts and visiting the members is a great way to feel so connected to the ward which makes me happy

Tender Mercy of the Week:  We were out looking for one of our friends to try and meet her in person. She had texted us in the morning telling us she would be at the bus station at 4 pm. We both somehow read her text as “train station” not bus station. So we arrived at the train station and as I walked inside immediately felt that something wasn't right. I didn't realize what but I started looking at the texts and realized we were in the wrong spot. I'm grateful for the prompting that made me realize we were not in the right place at the right time. 

Where I am/Who I'm With: I am serving in Tampere. My companion is Elder Gillespie. 

More Fun Facts about Elder Gillespie: 

-is very punctual. 

-drinks so much water. 

-has no fear of talking to anyone anywhere at any time.

-is constantly working out. 

Scripture of the Week:  

Doctrine and Covenants 17:8

10 And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.

My thoughts:  I really like the idea that sometimes we must lay aside the things of this world to make time for other things. More spiritual, more Godly, more Holy. 

Talk of the Week:  https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/mark-a-bragg/a-master-class-in-leadership-one-day-with-the-savior/

“A Master Class in Leadership: One Day with the Savior”. Mark A. Bragg

My Thoughts: An absolutely wonderful talk. So many great lessons and parallels from the Savior's life that I want to implement with mine. So many great teachings from only studying a day with the Savior. It makes me want to study all of Christ's actions more fully and in depth. 

Send me an email about the last great food you cooked! 

Until next week! 

-Elder Balls

Week 28: Little Red

Lots of service this week. Makes for a good week. 

Spiritual Thought:  

This week someone asked me, What did you learn about God today? And how did that change you?  It's easy to identify spiritual experiences, But sometimes not to reflect on what those experiences can teach us. How did what happened today help me understand my relationship with God? As I think about that question each night, I lie in bed grateful. Because God's character is eternally the same.  Eternally loving. Eternally caring. and Eternally good.   Even after our spiritual experience. Although our lives change, God doesn't. 

Short Version of Email: Did some service. District Pday. German pancakes at district council. Moved 2 apartments. Ate yummy food. Too many canceled lessons :(

Finnish Word of the Week:    Punahilkka = Little Red Riding Hood! IE Elder Gillespie :) 

Daylight Counter!

Where we started–4 Hours 40 minutes

This week–10 Hours 52 min

5 Amazing Things This Week:

1: District P day this week. I actually got to sleep in my own bed. We had fun playing basketball, and seeing the city. Went to a Finnish industrial labor museum. Built a cool house out of some blocks and ate good burgers. 

2: Moved our Zone leaders' apartment for them while they were out of town. There were a lot of things to move and to clean. But we prevailed. Maybe they will thank us with dinner… 

Right after we went to help a lady in our ward move out. Lots to clean as well. Lots… 

3:  Went to an art exhibit made by a ward member and I got to keep a painting she made. The art was really cool! 

4:  Met some friends this week and one of them boxes. I put on this big chest pad and let him go at me. It was fun and only slightly painful. Video is on Google photos. 

5:   Went to a Nepalese restaurant with the ward share. It was very yummy. 

Tender Mercy of the Week:

Prayers are amazing. This week we had a day with a lot of cancelations and changed plans so it was hard to feel productive and like a good missionary. Gillespie and I said a rather long, very heartfelt prayer and both felt a lot better after. #Prayerworks

Where I am/Who I'm With: I am serving in Tampere. My companion is Elder Gillespie. 

More Fun Facts about Elder Gillespie: 

-Cooks the biggest pancakes I've ever seen, they are also the best I've ever eaten. 

Can do a lot of pull-ups 

-loves “what are the odds”, riddles, and “would you rathers”

Scripture of the Week:  

Doctrine and Covenants 17:8

17 By these things we know that there is a God in Heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of Heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;

My thoughts:  As the early saints wrote this section of D&C, they list many of the things they know and how they know they are true. What are the things we know about Jesus Christ and his Gospel, and what experiences have we had to show they are true?

Talk of the Week:  https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/stephen-e-robinson/believing-christ-practical-approach-atonement/

“Believing Christ: A Practical Approach to the Atonement” Stephen E. Robinson  May 29, 1990

My Thoughts: A very cool talk. Everyone should listen. So many great quotes and stories. 

To have faith in Jesus Christ is not only to believe that he is who he says he is, but believe him, that he can do what he says he can do. 

Nähdään ensi viikolla 

-Elder Balls

Feb 2025

We had one good snow storm in February.  That was it.  It was a pretty sad month.  But we are always glad to get out.  Darren and Ella get out and do some good backcountry skiing.  Ella took Jacob Hamblin to Sweethearts Dance.  Darren took some girls down to St George for Valentines Day weekend. They did some nice pre-riding of the True Grit course. It was super muddy.  It cost almost 50$ to spray wash the bikes at a carwash after their ride.  

My Abigail is growing up.  She loves her Tiggy.  She goes out all the time with friends now.  She got braces mid 6th grade.  She is hoping to get them off by mid-8th grade. She has been going to the temple every Thursday morning at 6:00 AM with friends.  She had a few fun days skiing with school friends at the resorts. We all love to Tyler on Tuesdays. Abby always loves to talk to Tyler and tell him about her week and play all love talkin piano songs for him. 

As a family we went to a hockey game.  Not sure how I feel about adult men beating each other up.  Katie and Ang came over for a belated birthday celebration.  They made up a song for me which I loved.  Rachel came to visit with Ely and Rob.  It was a busy few days but we were able to squeeze in a quick icecream stop. 

 

Week 27: Oats and Rice Cakes

  Change is so Good. 

I love being a missionary. It makes me happy. So many new fun things happened this week. 

Packed up about a million barbies. 

Rode a lot of very small elevators

And saw some very cool, very pretty places. 

Spiritual Thought:  

God is love.  I think I took that for granted before my mission. Back when I was with my family, surrounded by my friends, in my comfortable home. I never had to rely so much on God's love. But now, even without all those things I still feel love.  God’s love. Serving as Christ would has helped me know the love he has for others. And the love he has for me. And for you. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.   (John 14:21)  Serving others every day has drawn me closer to my Heavenly Father.  Through love. It has made me realize how many ways I can feel and receive love.  Because I think there is no better way to feel love than on a mission.

Even though it is hard. Through service, through random strangers, through new friends. Because God is love.

Short Version of Email: First week in Tampere. Such a busy week. Lots of service, lessons and events. Big church and ward. Running in the mornings. Senior missionaries are amazing. District council at a Lavu. Pday with 8 missionaries. 

Finnish Word of the Week:    Pilke silmäkulmassa = flirtatious or joking, but literally translates to “piece of firewood in the corner of the eye” 

Daylight Counter!

Where we started–4 Hours 40 minutes

This week–10 Hours 8 min

It is getting more light! I am in Heaven

5 Amazing Things This Week:

1: My comp and I, and the sisters we ward-share with, have been running in the mornings. It is so lovely. I get to see the city, get good exercise and get to know cool people. This week we ran 6 days and ran 49 km. It has been very fun. I am sore.

 

2: Last P day was so much fun. Because Tampere is such a big city there are 8 missionaries in this area that we get to share p-day with. We got some burgers and walked around the city. It is so fun to get to know new places and people. 

3:  The events here in Tampere are really fun and well attended. We have game night, Finnish Class, and Sähly. Lots of people come. We even set up a few lessons with people we met. 

4:  The Topham’s are the senior couple here in Tampere. They are absolute angels. It was Elder Topham's birthday so they invited all 8 missionaries in Tampere over to their apartment. We had the most amazing food ever. My companion and I also got lunch with them. They are always here to answer our questions and provide advice. Senior missionaries are amazing! 

5:  Mission Wide Highlight- For District Council on Monday night we hiked out to a Lavu, which is like a campsite with a fire pit. We had our council, roasted mäkärä (finnish sausage) and made smores. Being outside was amazing, despite the cold. The Spirit was amazing. 

Tender Mercy of the Week:

I am so often reminded how well God knows me. Day after day, week after week, there are people put in my path, experiences that I have, that make me realize how personally God knows me. Whether it be answers to questions I ask from others, people we find on the street, or times when a random thought pops into my head, there are so many times I see I am where God needs me to be. Sometimes it just takes some retrospective thought. 

Where I am/Who I'm With: I am serving in Tampere. My companion is Elder Gillespie. 

Fun Facts about Elder Gillespie: 

-Has a stronger mental fortitude than anyone I've ever met.

-Amazing singer. 

-Is 5 ft 5 in. 

-Survives on oats and rice cakes. 

-Can rival my Dad in his inability to sit still for more than an hour at a time. 

I love him. 

Scripture of the Week:  

Doctrine and Covenants 17:8

8 And if you do these last commandments of mine, which I have given you, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; for my grace is sufficient for you, and you shall be lifted up at the last day.

My thoughts:  We had a lesson with someone who has a very, very hard life. Someone who made choices that are hard to forgive and forget. I have never fully understood what it meant that Christ's grace is sufficient until that lesson. As we testified to her about a Savior who died for us, the Spirit testified to me about the power of forgiveness because the literal Son of God died to save us. 

Talk of the Week:  https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/steven-j-lund/flashes-of-light/

“Flashes of Light”

Steven J. Lund. September 20, 2022

My Thoughts: This talk reminded me of the Pillars and Rays talk given a couple General Conferences ago. I love that although we may not have magnificent, obvious, manifestations of God's power in our own life, we can look back and we will see the “flashes of light” that show God was in the details all along. 

Fun week with so many new experiences. Life is so good. I am so grateful. 

-Elder Balls