November 25, 2009

Terve minum rakas perheeni,

Thank you for all the beef jerkey, cinnamon rolls and Thanksgiving care package.  I hope you realize that I can't eat it all on my own.  They are awesome though.  You can lighten on how much food you send me.  I'm working on my figure.  :)

Mom, thanks for the folding instructions.

The new Finns are really cool.  I feel so much older than them.  How is the Thanksgiving prep?  Who all is coming for dinner.  Have any of the guys stopped by?  I got a letter from Chris, I was pretty excited for that, he sent me pictures and stuff of what he has been up to.  Abbey and Dad are awesome about sending me the sport updates.

I got my first chain letter yesterday.  McKay to Nathan to Knapp to me.  Everyone is putting in a letter answering questions and pictures to see how everyone is liking their mission.  It's pretty cool.  I have to send out the letter by today.  Nathan lost 30 pounds in the MTC.  Knapp told me he is getting ready for his first baptism next week.  I have seen a couple of people from our stake in here.  Johnny Horan and something Dixon (I can't remember his first name).  Also, giant Thomas Graham is still here.  I saw Dean Dwyre, one of my friends from my floor last year and DAVID DYNES!!!!  How great a sight was David Dynes, words cannot express!!!

Finnish is hard.  I don't know if you knew that or not.  :)  It's coming though.  Our first lesson in Finnish went pretty good.  We have to reach again tonight, it should be fun.  I'm getting worried about this Finnish cold front I'm diving into.  I'm questioning how warm my stuff will be.  But there's only one way to find out.

Dallin H. Oaks came and spoke to us last night and works is Elder Holland is speaking tomorrow, so that will be cool.

Have an awesome Thanksgiving and save me my drumstick!  :)

Mina rakastan teita,
Vanhin Behnke

The NEW Finns:

Elders Marlor, Higginson, (old Finn Baccile), Lytle  and Christensen and of course Elder Behnke - always clowning around.  :)

November 18, 2009

Terve minun perheeni

Question:  How do I fold my white long sleeve shirts like you folded them when I came here?  And how do I fold my suit cold when I leave?  I was thinking about this when the older Finns were packing.  Me and Pond have the room to ourselves now, it is kinda nice but sad at the same time.  We just got the new Finns today.  There are 4 elders and 1 sister.  Haven't really met them yet but will tonight.

I know you want me to film me speaking Finnish but I don't know what to say.  I had someone film me giving the David & Goliath story in Finnish, so I will send that to you.  It was really hard to say so bear with it.  I like to think I'm better than I was at Finnish than when I was telling the story.  :)

The Finnish lesson I gave went pretty good.  I didn't say much cause I didn't know much.  But now, It's go time and I have got to start giving some good lessons.  I'll let you know how this one goes.

All in all it's going good.  I will be sending you a letter with a chip probably next week so look for that in like 2 weeks or so.  Elder Holland is coming in on Thanksgiving so that's cool.

Nakeiin,
Vanhin Behnke

Random shot on Brian's memory card.

November 11, 2009

Brian looks like he is studying really really hard!!

Terve minun perheeni!

.............this week, we got to write any question to a member of the 12 - I asked how many times God the Father has shown a part of his body to a human in the scriptures.  I couldn't think of anything great.  I think for Thanksgiving one of the 12 is coming in to answer selected questions.  It should be pretty cool.

The older Finns are leaving on Monday.  They have a 6 hour layover in Denver.  So, I might be getting something like that.  I'll know in about 5 weeks or so.

Finnish is still hard.  Some Mandarin Chinese speaking elders came up to Elder Watson and said how hard Finnish would be and said good luck hahah.  I love it when people say "you're learning Finnish?  Good Luck!!"  It is a good feeling to know that I'm doing it.  I gave my last lesson in English last week.  Me and Elder Baccile got selected to give the first lesson in Finnish a week early as junior companions to the older Finns.  This is going down tomorrow.  So we'll see.  I'm glad you liked the movie.  I tried making another of me speaking Finnish but I don't what to say.

(Can't download movie but you can see Brian singing a song with 2 Sister missionaries at:  www.youtube.com and search for Brian singing in Finnish).

The prophet is coming soon to speak, we think.  So, me and Elder Pond are going to join the choir because they get designated seats.  Good thing there's no tryouts or solos.  STRATEGERY!

Everything is good.

Mina rakastan teita

Moi Moi
Vanhin Behnke

November 4, 2009

Hey Fam,

Here's the deal.  I get 30 minutes every Wednesday to email a letter to you.  Please don't write me an email back because I can't see it for the next week, keep doing the dearelder.com thing.  There is a 30 minute countdown on my top right corner of my screen and when it reaches 0 it deletes everything I haven't sent.  Also, I absolutely LOVE getting mail during the day, I look forward to it so thank you.

Thank you for the brownies.  There was a TON of them.  I hope you don't expect me to eat all of them but to share them with my district which I did.  Elder McGavin who lives next door is going to Estonia - well he just got out of quarantine for swine flu and also the english speaking elders in my zone were leaving so we had a little brownie going away welcome home thing.

I took some pictures.  I'm mailing the memory card in an envelope to Ellie so just check for that.  I also took a video with my camera, it will be on the card so you know who is who in the pictures that I sent home.

When you get a chance - can you please send me Jesus The Christ in English, I want to read it.  Tell Jimmy that I go to the temples on Wednesday for the 11am session so hopefully he can make it and we can go together.

I have been doing the Perfect Push up but Elder Groberg is doing this crazy hard work out everyday so I've decided that I am going to do that with him until he leaves which is in 12 days, then I will go back to the perfect push ups.