Monday, May 30, 2011

May 30, 2011

HEI!!!

How is everything over there at Gram's? How is Scott doing at work? Where is his new house? Is Ellie really getting that car? How is everyone doing? Are you all going out to Kristen's wedding? What are the plans?

I got a email from Jake Wagner! SWEET! He left me his email address so I'm stuck and can't write him back. Everyone just leaves me there email address haha. That's super cool that Hunter B had his graduation. We went to a graduation party on Saturday and they played this game where you roll dice and what every number you get, is the amount of these huge marshmellows you have to put in your mouth. Then they give you a song to sing and teammates have to guess the songs. It's kind of cheating when the American missionaries don't know any finnish songs and it's their turn haha. So, basically, it was a struggle but we did alright. What did you do at Hunter's? That's super cool that you saw Kendall, Liza (Lisa?)(Finnish is messing me up!), and Emily. How are all they doing? I didn't get any letters from them. Maybe next week. This one member was giving me a hard time once about not having pictures of any girls I've dated so I just pointed to Emily's picture in the family book that you sent me for Christmas haha. It wasn't a lie because we did date for like 8 min. In 8th grade before she broke up with me. You can ask her about it. She never told me the reason why she shattered my small 8th grade heart :)

Elder Larson and I are headed down to Leadership Training Meeting in Helsinki for the next 5 days!!!! We leave tonight to Tampere to meet up with Elders Groberg and Lytle to drive down and stay with Elders Christiansen and Fuchs. It's like a big MTC reunion. It should be fun. I just recently relized that after this change, I have 3 more changes til I'm coming home. Next change, they start to send me my going home papers. Whoa. Not a lot of time left.

District meeting was great! I loved the stories you sent. I couldn't find a way to use them with what we needed to talk about but I'm thinking of ways to use some of them. We just set some goals with what we want to accomplish this change and we talked about the importance of helping our investigators come to sacrament meeting. Did you know that if you  bring a question to church, it will be answered there too like it would be in General Conference. I thought that was pretty cool. I spoke a little about the quote, "Be a creator of the circumstances, not a creature of circumstances." I'm trying to pump us up a little bit. We then read out of Alma about Ammon when the sheeps were scattered and his attitude and what he did to change and take advantage of his situation. I thought it was pretty cool.

We had a great sunday yesterday. There were 3 investigators in church! That's the most I have ever had in church on one Sunday. It went really well. Elder Larson gave his first talk in finnish and did a great job. Luckily, there wasn't a lot of time left, so I only had to get up and speak for 5 minutes. Sweet! Elder Larson spoke about fast offerings and I spoke about fasting. It was nice.

Things are going really well for us here. We have 3 porgressing investigators who are really making bounds. It has just been great lately. 

I don't really have anything else. I can try and talk with the AP's but I'm not really sure what they can do. I can ask. That is super awesome about Ella Bezzant wanting to befriend McKay! That would just be so awesome!!! You should tell him about it. I'm sure he would be up for it. I love you all. I hope you all have a great week. I will talk to you again next week.

Love,
Vanhin Behnke



Monday, May 23, 2011

May 23, 2011

Hei Family,

I'm sorry Dad didn't get my last letter. I most likely forgot to send it to him as well. I logged in today with tons of emails!! It was great!! After about a year and a half, I have finally heard from Zach and Justin. Haha. I think though that people think I can write them back because are leaving their email addresses at the bottom. You might want to make sure that you tell them that is their mailing address and not their email address that I can write to. But thank you so very much for setting that up because I'm hearing from so many people and it's great.

I got your package. Thanks a ton! It definately helps when you put my number on the package because when I'm not home and they call, I can just go pick it up because the place isn't too far away. I have been eating so much lucky charms it is awesome!! I average about 3 bowls a day. They are so good. Enough with this healthy Finnish cereal stuff. It just doesn't give me my daily dose of essential sugar in the morning. The See's candy was devoured in the first day. Someone (dad) put some weird like raspberry nutty cream thing in there that just wasn't very good haha. 

I saw the picture of Ellie's new car. Whoa! It is way super nice! That will be so awesome when she saves up for it. The tennis matches sound awesome. Ellie gets to go beat little girls up with her racket and totally dominate it bearing the Behnke name. That's great. Is it just for the summer? Is Ellie all registered up for middle school? Is she excited? You just all let me know when you know everything about her schedule and stuff.

Elder Larson and I got let in tracting the other day and we a talking to this woman and her way big, extremely drunk boyfriend who was hysterical and laughing the whole time. He goes out to give me a hand shake and just stares in my eyes for like 60 seconds and then says, "I'm not a gay but you are one good looking guy! Isn't he (asking his girlfriend)" It was really funny. Everyone was laughing. The woman was asking us if they only send the good looking mormon boys to Finland becuase every missionary she has seen has been "gorgeous" as she put it. It was funny-

We got a big week ahead. We have my first district meeting on wednesday then a splits with Rauma on friday and I give a talk on Sunday. Fun. Then the next week, I head down to leadership training meeting in Helsinki for the week. It's going to be pretty fun.

That's all I have for you. 

I love you all,
Vanhin Behnke

Monday, May 9, 2011

May 9, 2011

After having the most wonderful time chatting with Brian we received a short letter this morning and some pictures, which I love!

Hey Family,

It was really great to talk with you all last night. I hope all is well. I don't have much to say to you all because we talked about everything last night.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. 

(NÄSTI- pronounced "nasty"  . . . . .  I thought it was funny)


I love you all

Also, could you find out who Jeremy Irons is. He was the voice of Scar in The Lion King but we can't figure out what else he has been in.

Thanks and I love you all

Next time we will take will be face to face

Love,
Vanhin Behnke


A sign missionaries never like to see!  :)



Elder Lytle and Behnke at the Viking dinner!!!!

Monday, May 2, 2011

May 2, 2011

Hey Family,
 
How is everything going?  As far as the calling on Mothers' Day goes, it is all the same as Christmas. Same number and stuff. I don't know what time for you to call yet but I will let you know in another letter today after everyone talks with their parents. So just wait on that email.
 
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE DRAFT!?!
 
The threesome has ended. Elder Hunt is now in Seinäjoki. We did play putt putt last week. There was this one hole where you had to tee off with a putter off of a tire to get it on the course. It was crazy!  It was fun. But now it's just me and Elder Larson.
 
We are teaching a lot still and still rollin' well with our investigators. We have 5 at the moment. It has been fun.
 
So Chris is in Maine!? I haven't heard from him in a while. I got a letter from Abbey! She sounds like she is doing good. Also, since you put up my email address on facebook, i have heard from McKay. I don't think he knows at all when I come home. I think he thinks that I will be home for the fall semester. He was also talking about finding us an apartment for schooling. He said he was going to talk with you about that. Thank you for putting up my email address on facebook. I don't feel so forgotten :)
 
The language test works like this. There is vocab, reading, grammer, writing, listening, and speaking. There was like 10 vocab words. Then putting words in there correct cases in sentances. Then reading the article and answering questions. Then there is a writing prompt. Then there is listening (which kills me) and answering questions. The speaking is done over the phone with Elder Christiansen and he asks questions and has us read stuff. Kind of like that.
 
I'm doing good. I'm trying to get somekind of workout and eating plan. I have no idea what to do. You should find like a healthy food diet thing so I can have a more healthy eating plan. That would be great. Tomorrow, however, for district meeting, we will be dining in a viking restaurant. I'm so excited! We get viking hats!
 
That's all I have. I will have more for you hopefully when you call. I'll let you know soon.
 
Love you all,
Vanhin Behnke