Hey
here's what happened this week:
We had a teach with one of the guys we have been teaching for awhile on Friday. We brought Veli Roivainen and we taught him about authority. It was probably the best teach we have had yet with him. He didn't have any questions and I think it really hooked him. He was absorbed into it and I think he was a little shocked, but understood. He came to church and stayed the whole time. He was singing hymns and even participated in Sunday School. It was fantastic!
We have two new investigators this week. The first is a Kurdish man, about 23 or so, from Iraq who speaks very good Finnish for only living here for 5 months. He is athiest and is interested in all religions. He came to the open house and we taught him the first lesson with the pictures and went very well. He can understand some but the pictures are what helped him get a better grasp. The language communciation is a barrier but he still is interested. He wants a Book of Mormon in Kurdish but the Church doesn't have one. So, he speaks and understand Arabic, so we got him one of those. He told us to call him today or tomorrow to set up another appointment.
The other is a former investigator who was taught in 2007. She is about 75 years old. Elder Sharp and I went and taught her on splits and it went very well. She agreed to meet with us 3 times a week as long as she had time. We asked her to come to the open house and she came. He doesn't remember a lot about Joseph Smith but she has a Book of Mormon and remebers the peace she felt when she would come to church. Great! She came to church this week too. She was fellowshipped very well at church and it was great.
One of the guys who has been investigating for the past 7 years isn't really going anywhere at the moment. He still refuses to pray. It is so right in his head, but yet he can't pray. He is scared that God would lead him astray. But, he knows a lot about the church. He uses scriptures in the Book of Mormon talking about stuff and he even knows a lot of deep doctrine things. We really need to focus with him how God is our loving Heavenly Father and really make it simple and clear.
One of the ladies we were teaching moved to Turkey and doesn't know if she is coming back at all to Savonlinna.
Things are going well! We had splits which was fun. Elder Gorringe is very good at speaking! He's a lot better than me. It was a ton of fun though.
My talk went alright. I wrote so small I couldn't see my notes. I like studderded my way through it until finally ended it and then I just spoke. When I just speak and not worry about notes, I'm so much better. It ended very well :) When I was just speaking up there, that's when I realized that i can speak another langauge. I*M BILINGUAL!!! Understanding is still ridiculously hard though.
I'm going to go buy a compy tie. Got to look like a team walking into comference.
Not sure, what to do with the package. Take a shot and send it to the mission office this time, if i don't get it, i can just order it and they will put a little fee on my tab. Thank you for that.
I hope all is well at home. I love you all. I don't know what else to say. Take care.
Rakkaudella,
Vanhin Behnke
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
May 24, 2010
What's up!?
Here is what is going on with some people we are teaching:
One of the guys we have been seeing is still on the mark but not progressing anymore. He is not really responding to texts and keeps cancelling appointments. We do have one set up next week. He isn't getting an answer and we keep asking him to do the same things. I kind of feel like he is getting tired of us having him read and then pray to know so I'm not sure how much heart is going into his prayers anymore. We got to try and fire him up again somehow.
One of the ladies we have contacted still hasn't met with us. We're trying. Another guy is having some troubles. We met with him and had a great discussion. In his mind, logically, the church is true. But, he WILL NOT pray. We tried to figure out why and he has no reason. He just won't do it. He even admitted that only real answers come from God and that we need to pray but he won't. He is a former investigator and has been taught for the past like 7 years. All of the drop statuses say he absolutely refuses to pray. I feel like he thinks of it like a game. Like he likes us trying to get him to do it, if that makes sense. We'll keep trying. We want to find a reason to why. We have some ideason how we can go about this. We teach him again on splits and Elders Sharp and Gorringe will be another good benefit in helping him.
Things are going well here. We contacting a referral who wasn't a referral. We went and conatcted a referral and were talking to her and she was interested. We set up an appointment with her and everything. We got her name and it wasn't the referral. She lives alone and it wasn't her. But this girl was interested. SWEET! Tomorrow it goes down.
Scott is moving into a new apartment. NICE. Thank you for the ipod you are making. that should be sweet and most needed.. The weather here is way nice. It feels so good and Savonlinna is a totally different city in the summer time. Everything is going very well.
Elder Bryant bought a 4 euro suit also? I love Elder Bryant. He is so awesome. The suits here are so sweet. I love them. Elder Slade just bought a pair of pointy European shoes. They're sweet.
Story. We ran into this crazy bird. We filmed Elder Slade going over to it and it was swooping at him and yelling. It was so funny. But then some lady came out and yelled at us cause she thought we were like taunting it. So, it wasn't too good.
I speak in church this week. It should be fun. Patience and Hope is what I'm going for.
I got to go, I love you all
Vanhin Behnke
Here is what is going on with some people we are teaching:
One of the guys we have been seeing is still on the mark but not progressing anymore. He is not really responding to texts and keeps cancelling appointments. We do have one set up next week. He isn't getting an answer and we keep asking him to do the same things. I kind of feel like he is getting tired of us having him read and then pray to know so I'm not sure how much heart is going into his prayers anymore. We got to try and fire him up again somehow.
One of the ladies we have contacted still hasn't met with us. We're trying. Another guy is having some troubles. We met with him and had a great discussion. In his mind, logically, the church is true. But, he WILL NOT pray. We tried to figure out why and he has no reason. He just won't do it. He even admitted that only real answers come from God and that we need to pray but he won't. He is a former investigator and has been taught for the past like 7 years. All of the drop statuses say he absolutely refuses to pray. I feel like he thinks of it like a game. Like he likes us trying to get him to do it, if that makes sense. We'll keep trying. We want to find a reason to why. We have some ideason how we can go about this. We teach him again on splits and Elders Sharp and Gorringe will be another good benefit in helping him.
Things are going well here. We contacting a referral who wasn't a referral. We went and conatcted a referral and were talking to her and she was interested. We set up an appointment with her and everything. We got her name and it wasn't the referral. She lives alone and it wasn't her. But this girl was interested. SWEET! Tomorrow it goes down.
Scott is moving into a new apartment. NICE. Thank you for the ipod you are making. that should be sweet and most needed.. The weather here is way nice. It feels so good and Savonlinna is a totally different city in the summer time. Everything is going very well.
Elder Bryant bought a 4 euro suit also? I love Elder Bryant. He is so awesome. The suits here are so sweet. I love them. Elder Slade just bought a pair of pointy European shoes. They're sweet.
Story. We ran into this crazy bird. We filmed Elder Slade going over to it and it was swooping at him and yelling. It was so funny. But then some lady came out and yelled at us cause she thought we were like taunting it. So, it wasn't too good.
I speak in church this week. It should be fun. Patience and Hope is what I'm going for.
I got to go, I love you all
Vanhin Behnke
Monday, May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010
Hey Family,
Our triple team is absoultely awesome. We haven't found anyone though. It's way fun. I'm loving it. We just need to find someone. We are thinking about having a little compettion between us on p-day which consists of Putt-putt, bowling, and that's all we have right now. It's going to be epic though.
Sister Voima's birthday was great. Elders Slade, Linn, and I sang her a song. It was good. She's so awesome. She might one of the coolest people I've ever met. She says Happy Mother's Day by the way. :)
I bought a suit. It was 4 euros. It's light gry and siloutte. I went to a garage sale type stoe called a kirpis and found a sweet suit. It's wool and kinda itches a little bit but it's way sweet. I'll take a picture of it.
Story. One day this past week, it was really hot. I was rocking the short sleeve shirt it was so great of weather. When we all ran out of water, we went and got water at the local shopping market. I bought these 2 huge bottles of water and a carton of juice. I was so pumped. I drank the juice and was feeling good. We went tracking for about 2 hours and then rode out to one of our refferals. When we got there, I pulled out my water. I open the top and it exploded everywhere. I was a little confused to why it exploded. Then it hit me. OH NO! I bought 2 huge bottles of that Euoppean carbonated water!!!! It was trecherous. Not a good time. haha.
I saw Elder Gorringe. He looked glorious. You can tell his mother that.
That's all i got. We are just doing the missioary life. Love you all and talk to you all soon.
Love, Vanhin Behnke
Sent pictures of us at district meeting before the transfers and of Savonlinna in the springtime, beautiful!
Our triple team is absoultely awesome. We haven't found anyone though. It's way fun. I'm loving it. We just need to find someone. We are thinking about having a little compettion between us on p-day which consists of Putt-putt, bowling, and that's all we have right now. It's going to be epic though.
Sister Voima's birthday was great. Elders Slade, Linn, and I sang her a song. It was good. She's so awesome. She might one of the coolest people I've ever met. She says Happy Mother's Day by the way. :)
I bought a suit. It was 4 euros. It's light gry and siloutte. I went to a garage sale type stoe called a kirpis and found a sweet suit. It's wool and kinda itches a little bit but it's way sweet. I'll take a picture of it.
Story. One day this past week, it was really hot. I was rocking the short sleeve shirt it was so great of weather. When we all ran out of water, we went and got water at the local shopping market. I bought these 2 huge bottles of water and a carton of juice. I was so pumped. I drank the juice and was feeling good. We went tracking for about 2 hours and then rode out to one of our refferals. When we got there, I pulled out my water. I open the top and it exploded everywhere. I was a little confused to why it exploded. Then it hit me. OH NO! I bought 2 huge bottles of that Euoppean carbonated water!!!! It was trecherous. Not a good time. haha.
I saw Elder Gorringe. He looked glorious. You can tell his mother that.
That's all i got. We are just doing the missioary life. Love you all and talk to you all soon.
Love, Vanhin Behnke
Sent pictures of us at district meeting before the transfers and of Savonlinna in the springtime, beautiful!
Awww, food - Brian's favorite thing and this looks amazing!
More pictures just emailed over.........current
You can check out the castle in the background
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mother's Day 2010
What a wonderful Mother's Day it was. We called Brian at 10:00pm our time on Sunday evening which was 7am his time on Monday morning.
He sounded GREAT!!! He is currently in a threesome with Elders Slade and Linn - he says they are AWESOME! I asked him where he sleeps in his little apartment and Elders Slade and Linn have the twin beds and Brian has the couch - we asked him WHY he has the couch (if they outranked him) but he said he is the smallest one so he gets it and it is downright comfy!
The Branch President there in Savonlinna has moved which left only 3 members with the priesthood there in their small little branch of 13 - Elder Behnke, Elder Slade and Elder Linn. Yep - they are the ONLY priesthood in the branch. So, they have been busy!
It is beginning to warm up there. In fact, come Thursday it will be warmer in Finland than here in Denver - 70 degrees - wow. That is a far cry from the -30 degree weather this winter. The ice has melted and it looks so beautiful, Brian absolutely LOVES it there. He says that Elders Slade and Linn think it is the most beautiful place they have served in Finland.
Brian is becoming quite the chef - he is trying to master Finnish cooking - he is expecting to test it out on us when he returns. I am thinking reindeer pizza isn't something I am willing to even give a try. Yuck! He loves it and they put some sort of Devil Sauce on it too, I'll pass! :)
Of course he had to chat about the NFL draft -
Scott wanted him to speak Finnish so he read a paragraph out of Preach My Gospel - all I can say is WOW! It is amazing how much they can learn when immersed in the language and the life there.
I think the best part is really not WHAT he said - it is just hearing his voice. I could tell how happy he was and that makes me very very happy!
Friday will mark Brian's 7th month on his mission. He says he felt like it was just yesterday that he saw us (which was December) so that means the time is really going quickly for him, unlike his poor mother!
He thanks everyone for their letters, prayers and support.
Donna :)
He sounded GREAT!!! He is currently in a threesome with Elders Slade and Linn - he says they are AWESOME! I asked him where he sleeps in his little apartment and Elders Slade and Linn have the twin beds and Brian has the couch - we asked him WHY he has the couch (if they outranked him) but he said he is the smallest one so he gets it and it is downright comfy!
The Branch President there in Savonlinna has moved which left only 3 members with the priesthood there in their small little branch of 13 - Elder Behnke, Elder Slade and Elder Linn. Yep - they are the ONLY priesthood in the branch. So, they have been busy!
It is beginning to warm up there. In fact, come Thursday it will be warmer in Finland than here in Denver - 70 degrees - wow. That is a far cry from the -30 degree weather this winter. The ice has melted and it looks so beautiful, Brian absolutely LOVES it there. He says that Elders Slade and Linn think it is the most beautiful place they have served in Finland.
Brian is becoming quite the chef - he is trying to master Finnish cooking - he is expecting to test it out on us when he returns. I am thinking reindeer pizza isn't something I am willing to even give a try. Yuck! He loves it and they put some sort of Devil Sauce on it too, I'll pass! :)
Of course he had to chat about the NFL draft -
Scott wanted him to speak Finnish so he read a paragraph out of Preach My Gospel - all I can say is WOW! It is amazing how much they can learn when immersed in the language and the life there.
I think the best part is really not WHAT he said - it is just hearing his voice. I could tell how happy he was and that makes me very very happy!
Friday will mark Brian's 7th month on his mission. He says he felt like it was just yesterday that he saw us (which was December) so that means the time is really going quickly for him, unlike his poor mother!
He thanks everyone for their letters, prayers and support.
Donna :)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5, 2010
Transfers came and Brian is still in Savonlinna.
After no emails until today (Wednesday) he sent a one liner that they are "rolling with a threesome" there in Savonlinna with Elders Linn and Slade.
He did send some pictures from his trip to the castle with some other elders.
Brian, somewhere on the road in Finland
After no emails until today (Wednesday) he sent a one liner that they are "rolling with a threesome" there in Savonlinna with Elders Linn and Slade.
He did send some pictures from his trip to the castle with some other elders.
By the way.....this isn't his threesome, will have more of those to share as the weeks go by.
Brian, somewhere on the road in Finland
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