New Office Missionary and Melting Mess

This week we had a new young service missionary start working in the mission office. 

Her name is Sister Laitinen. She is delightful! 

She is learning Sister Airto's responsibilities and later will learn Sister Herttuainen's responsibilities as well. 

Right now she is working part time in the mission office and part time at the temple.

On Monday evening, it was our turn to host the FHE that we do with the temple missionaries. 

It is always so nice to get together with them. 

We had just learned that Elder and Sister Evans will be going home this month for medical reasons. 

We are so sad to see them go, but are grateful that our paths have crossed and 

for the time that we have been able to be with them, especially our trip to Lapland.

Our lesson was on the blessings of missionary service.

We had carrot cake for treats.

Tuesday (Feb 5) was runebergin päivä (Runeberg Day). 

It is  celebrated in honor of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the national poet of Finland. 

He wrote the lyrics that became the national anthem of Finland. 

Runeberg tortes are traditionally eaten to celebrate. 

They are only available in stores for a few weeks before this day. 

We brought some to the office for the occasion.

It snowed some more the first part of the week. 

On Wednesday, when we left the mission office, 

we noticed how big the snow piles were getting there by the office

 The walkway was nicely scraped and looked more like a sledding hill. 

We held onto each other and walked carefully!

I have been working on crocheting a nativity set. 

I had Mary and Joseph mostly finished, but they were very rounded on the bottom and wouldn't stand up. 

 The pattern had said to put rocks in the bottom to help them stand up, 

but I didn't want to add any extra weight to them. 

 I talked to Sister Airto about it to see if she had any ideas. 

Together we came up with the plan to use the end of the yarn to poke inside 

and pull tight so that there was a bit of an indent in the bottom. 

 That is what I did, and it worked!

I was very excited. I finished baby Jesus, and the shawl/cloak later in the week, and today I finished the manger. 

I am quite pleased with how it turned out!

The last half of the week, the temperatures were above freezing, so things are melting. 

We had this puddle as an obstacle between our apartment and the office. 

 We also have almost a small pond to drive through to get between our garage and the street.

What a mess! It is really going to be a challenge when the temperatures dip below freezing again.

On Saturday, one of the things that we did was to go get summer tires 

out of the Pelican storage to make room for furniture. 

We had to take two carts in to get the tires for our car and for the car that was supposed to go to the Bridges.

We were able to get all 8 tires into the Yaris. 

We brought our set over to our apartment to put in our varasto. 

The other set is going to stay in the Bridge's car until the car goes to some missionaries.

This is what happens when you try to wash a rug in the washing machine and the spin cycle gets a bit rocky.

Everything on top of the washer was moved around, 

the washing machine had moved and the vibrations even unrolled the toilet paper.

Saturday evening we went to Chicos for dinner to bid farewell to the Evans, and to say hello to Elder and Siser Lewis. 

They are a new temple couple. 

Elder Lewis's visa was denied, but they were able to come because Sister Lewis is a Finn. 

He will now apply for a visa using family ties as the category.

It was a nice way to spend the evening.

This afternoon, we went over to the apartment which was supposed to be for Elder and Sister Bridge.

Because their visas were denied, they are going to be reassigned, so sadly, we need to close the apartment.

We had the temple couples come to the apartment to see if there was anything there that they could use.

That way we don't have to move or store it.

We took the bedding back off the bed. It seems like it was not too long ago when we were putting it on.

We were concerned this week when we learned that Parker 

had been having a hard time breathing and was in the hospital.

We were grateful to learn this morning that he was able to go home. 

They think that he has asthma and whenever he gets a common cold, 

he gets a cough that won't go away and has a hard time breathing.

Hopefully now they will be able to control it with medications.

We received a cute picture of Lucia from Stephanie this week. She is a smiley baby.

On Saturday, we were able to listen in on a little memorial service that was held for Evelyn. 

We wish we could have been there, but we were happy to be able to join in a little bit. 

We are so grateful that she is a part of our eternal family!

Today as we were walking over to the Bridge's apartment at about 4:00, we noticed how light it still was. 

We realized that at the beginning of the month, when we came home from church it was already getting dark. 

What a difference a little over a month has made.

Today, the sunrise was at 8:12, and the sunset at 16:57 for 8:43 hours of daylight.

In Provo, the sunrise was at 7:26 and the sunset at 17:56 for 10:30.  We are catching up fast.