Life changes

We enjoyed going to a round of zone conferences. This lets us get to know all the great missionaries as well as see some countryside. The roads are a lot easier to drive these days, mostly free of snow, though the land and lakes are still covered. Bit by bit it's becoming Spring.

It's hard to comprehend how well we humans adapt to changes. The weather is cold or the weather is warm, the wind is blowing or breezy, snowing or raining, we still continue through whatever comes at us to get where we're headed.

Sunrise and sunset move every day by 3 minutes each, making over 20 minutes added to morning and afternoon one Sunday to the next. We adapt, usually more easily when it's going this direction.

Tradition expects missionaries who will not see another zone conference to share their thoughts and testimonies. 

A sampling of what I heard:

• "It was hard."
• "I didn't know why I was here."
• "I talked with Pres and my family about going home."
• "I love it here."
• "I now understand we are not working for Jesus, we are working with Jesus."
• "Finland is special to me because this is where I learned that Jesus Christ loves me."

Changes

I shared that 2 months ago in February, a pile we walk past on our way to the office each day.

 The sun is dealing with it.

We get to enjoy zone conference in 4 cities.

It's nice to get to serve the missionaries lunch too, sometimes.

Jean doing her thing at the mission home.

Our President on the porch.

This is identical to my view for 6 months in 1982.

Only the cars are different.

Downtown Helsinki office/chapel/apartment is now a chapel (English ward).

The mission office is in Espoo, a suburb.

March 1982, Jyväskylä train station: Jean met two "old" Elders, I met the most atypical new Sister.

The exact spot, exactly 40 years later.