February 28, 2011

Hey Family,

I got the The Fed Ex package. Whoa! There was a ton of football stuff! I liked the Driver story. I didn't know that stuff about him how he was a drug dealer and car theif. Pretty crazy. I also like the article about Jake Plummer. I thought that was pretty cool if you guys read  that. We have newspaper articles of the Packer game laying all over our apartment. Elder Peck knows absolutely nothing about football.The other day, I was asking him if he even knew of any NFL players. He says, " Yah, I know who Collins is. He had a 37 yard touchdown return against the Steelers in the Super Bowl." It was really funny. Now, Elder Peck knows a lot about just the super bowl and that's about it. He knows that the "Packers beat the bears and a very large man had an interception for a tocuhdown." What do the Packers even need in the draft?

Speaking of the story that Presdient Walker told about how the Lord directs you to people who need in, that just happened to us last night. Elder Peck and I were tracting and the idea to go back to this guy who wasn't very interested when we talked to him shot into my mind. We left tracting, drove to the guy's house, knocked on the door. I was still thinking it's a slim chance anything with come of this and plus that nights were off and it looked as if no one was home. He answered, we asked if he had time and he said, "Why not" We were so excited! We went in and taught him and his wife. At the end, they weren't interested to learn anymore. But we gave them a Book of Mormon and they promised us (promises are big in this culture) that they would read it. So, though we didn't get a new investigator, I think we really needed to go place that Book of Momorn there. Something, myabe even way in the future, will come from that Book of Mormon. This is a very quick summary of the story but it was pretty cool. We are also going back to a guy with a smiliar type story that happened to us right after I write this letter. It's exciting with the things that happen to a missionary.

That's all I have right now. As for a package, I think cereal would be awesome and if, at all possible, judging that it's cheap, do you think you could send us The Best of Enya cd or something of Enja or Sisel. That would be wonderful. That's all I have. Thank you for everything and I will write you again next week.

Love,
Vanhin Behnke

February 21, 2011

Hei

I'm still in Pori with Elder Peck. 

I haven't gotten a package from you all yet. I tried calling the middle man place but they said that they don't get FedEX packages at all. Weird because they have given them to me before. So i have no idea. 

We had an investigator in church. He looked GLORIOUS! It was fun. We are also working with his wife to stop smoking. It's great. It's a fun time.

Pori is a little slow right now but ready rocket. Elder Peck and I are excited for the change.

We had Zone Conference. It went really well. We got up at 4:45 to go pick up Elders Lytle and Budd and then got to Tampere at about 8:45. 

The puppy isn't a puppy anymore. Ellie also isn't a little girl anymore. She looks so tall! How tall is she? 

I don't have any questions for you. I hope they get answered in the package i'm waiting on.

That's all I have. I love you all

Vanhin Behnke

Zone Conference

Zone Conference, their "crazy" shot!

February 14, 2011

Hey Family,

I need info on the packer game. I'm deprived!!!! I want to know Dad's reaction. I wish we got that on film.

How was Grandma's birthday? Happy Birthday to Mother Behnke! Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! What is everyone's plans for everything?

I'm doing ok. My back feels better. I'm not so sick anymore. We're good.

Seppo got baptized on Saturday. Elder Baccile called me and was super excited that the baptism finally went through. He is sending me a picture so I can send it you when I get it. 

We have only 3 investigators right now but they are slowly progressing a long. 

We had a fun week. I stumped a JW. Elder Lytle and I got let in tracting and helped an old man find his teeth haha. I watched Elder Peck try and jump over a fence in his tight European pants. Elder Peck almost got eaten by a giant- gorilla dog thing during tracting haha. 

As for your question on Joseph Smith seeing the first vision. The majority of people I talk to don't really have a problem with it. It seems pretty reasonable to them. The Book of Mormon is the problem. Nobody wants to read it. Also people really don't care to find out more. There is kind of a "good church, bad church" view on things. There isn't so much as one true church but many good churches that are all true. That is more of the problem. Plus, Finnish tradition is a huge obstacle.

That's all I got this week. I can fill you in more about some of the stories new time but we have a lot we need to get done today. 

I love you all,
Vanhin Behnke

February 8, 2011

Hey Family,

I hope it's an exciting time at home. The Packers won the Super Bowl. That's wonderful! I bought a 5 euro green and gold tie for Sunday. I had a member go online and check the score for me yesterday. Total joy when the text came in. Sweet! Who was the MVP? What is the belt that Aaron Rodgers has in the picture? What did you all do for the game? Did you throw a party? How was the game? Tell me everything!

Nothing too much still is happening for us in Pori. We have 4 investigators. None are really progressing. We have a lot of people who are interested but we just can't seem to find time to meet with them. We are fighting away over here. It has been kind of a rough week. I got somekind of food poisoning the other day. My stomach was killing me. No puking though. Strangely enough, Elders Lytle and Budd came in for splits and they wanted kebab, so I went and ate that for dinner and I felt better. Kebab usually has a reverse effect. The next day i was fine until the end of splits and I hurt my back somehow.  I was just walking with my backpack on and then, i got that usually pain in the back when you have had a backpack on too long so I took my bakcpack off and it never went away. So for the past 3 days my back has been really hurting. It's getting better. I haven't been wearing a backpack lately and It's been getting better. I don't really know what to do. I used a heated rice bag and but it on my back. I fell asleep with it on and it burnt my back a litttle bit. I can't catch a break. Luckly, the Packers won haha.

The puppies look huge! That's great. Are you liking them? Are they Lambeau like? 

Congratulations on Scott being completely done with college. Sweet. How was his birthday? No one told me how it was. And congratualtions to mom for winning the family trophy. Did I beat Scott?

I got the Valentine's Day package. Is that the one you are talking about? To be safe, there is no packe coming in this week, right?

How are all the moms of Highlands Ranch doing? How is Cody Gibbs? Is he still at Wyoming? Was it a fun night?

That's way cool that Zac Griggs is going to Argentina. Is he super excited? Spanish would be sweet to learn. I am really thinking about coming home and learning spanish since I am learning Finnish. It would be cool to be TRI-lingual. 

You asked about Elder May. I know Elder May but not super well. Really nice guy though. 

I have a request, for some reason, I threw away the envelopes with Kendall Kelleher's address and Sara Gandomcar's address on it. Could you look their addresses up for me and send them to me in the next email.

That's all I have for you today,
Love you all.

Vanhin Behnke

So cute.....he held up the picture of Dan and Scott eating brats...........

YUM!  

Not a bad Packer spread for the Super Bowl - I love that he has all the Packer pictures we have sent him out so he feels like he was at the game.  Poor guy - luckily he had someone pull up the score for him - GO PACK GO!

February 7, 2011

Looks like Elder Behnke is a bit too busy to email home today - perhaps tomorrow.

Sure hope he got to see a newspaper there in Pori that says that the Green Bay Packers Won the Super Bowl, he will be out of his mind!!

db

February 1, 2011

Hei,

I got the package! Thank you! I love the soup things from Bear Creek that you send. They are super good. Most of the candy is already gone and we are saving the peanut brittle for game day on Sunday. Is everyone excited? Who is expected to win? It's on a fast sunday. Looks like we have something to fast for haha. I hope you all enjoy it and have fun.

How was Scotty's birthday? What did you all do? What did you buy him? Is he dating someone? 

It has still been pretty slow for us here in Pori. We haven't been teaching too much or finding anyone new in the past couple of weeks. But we do have a lot of potenial people to teach which we are excited for. We working for things to boom here soon. Let's pray that it does. 

I don't remember what questions you all asked in you letters to me in the package so I can check and answer them next time. No, I don't need cds though. Everything is cool. 

I have a request, for some reason, I threw away the envelopes with Kendall Kelleher's address and Sara Gandomcar's address on it. Could you look their addresses up for me and send them to me in the next email.

JIMMY IS A FATHER!!! Whoa! I have been in Finland for way to long. Jordan Secor. That's great. What other big news is happening back at home? How was the big mom night dinner fest? What's been happening?

Elder Peck and I tried to make a cake for a member's birthday. We had no idea what we were doing. We had to keep calling the sisters in Turku for help. Example: How the heck do you "curdle" milk? haha What does that even mean? We ended up with half the cake bruning to the bottom of the pan. We just took the top and glued it together with frosting and made a double layer mess. It was great. The member liked it! That's what matters most.

That's all I have. Have a great week! I will talk to you next Monday, possibly Tuesday depending on our schedule. Sorry if I scared you this week. 

Love you all,

Vanhin Behnke