21 March 2011

Dear Dad and Grown-Up Sisters

Dear mom and lovely family (yes mom you are lovely too...often you impress me by how much)

This past week the pace of missionary work in Helsinki just keeps speeding up and up. There is one definite reason to stay organized, plan well, keep your peace so the Lord can perform miracles through you. That is my simple testimony.

First about our investigators. The Lord has blessed our investigators exceedingly. A, who will be baptized on Saturday after general conference, is progressing very well. You can see in his eyes and feel from his testimony that the Lord has and continues to change him into a better man. He has stopped smoking and we will be doing our best to help be ready. We will be focusing on improving his relationships with the members so there is no sudden break after baptism. Then T, whose girlfriend is less active now coming back, came to church for the first time. It was a Kodak/precious moment when I saw him walk into church. We have been working with them to come but they did not feel ready until this past Sunday! Oh if I could properly describe the inner joy of seeing someone for whom you pray for make simple but huge steps back Home. This work is most difficult but also the most rewarding.

Power of Learning by the Spirit:
President Brown recently has taught us in a week-long leadership training meeting which has changed me. Each time I come to a training meeting my understanding, testimony, and personal vision grows. My sights go beyond the treeline and into the heavens. In other words the Lord has enlightened my mind and heart to see more of what He sees. He helps me see what is my next steps to personally become more like Him and bring as many others along for the ride. And as I have followed the inspired counsel the Spirit is more present and I have more power to bless others and overcome weaknesses. I share this because of General Conference coming up. This is crucial time to prepare our minds and hearts to really hear, see, and take to heart what Heavenly Father wants us to become. Please ask him what questions you need to bring and what you need to do to prepare your hearts and minds. We cannot prepare our hearts and minds without His help.

Finding Miracles:
This past Saturday we were traveling to a funeral of a less-active man who we taught and actually went to the wrong place. So we asked for directions and eventually caught the right bus to the right church. During the trip we saw a different part of Helsinki (suburbs not just downtown). It was snowing and Elder Esplin and I called this one of our adventures up north. Unfortunately we did not make it in time to the funeral but it's alright. He (Heavenly Father) has our back. So we headed home and we walking from the train station when we saw a father, pregnant mother, and child walking in our direction. They stuck out for some reason and we talked with them. Sure enough they just moved to Finland and reunited their family after some time. The next day we met and they are now investigating! The Lord has good plans for them. When I entered their home on Sunday I felt the power of humility and faith in their home. They have good hearts. Their simple desire to survive in life humbled me and I look forward to our next meeting.
One note about that: the importance to ask for the gift of discernment in order to recognize the elect because there are so many people in Helsinki if I were to talk with everyone then I could not get from one appointment to another in time. The Lord is blessing us to find.

Prayer Needs:
Please pray to protect A before his baptism. T that he will gain the faith to set a baptismal date. J to understand the need to be baptized. Thank you for your faithful prayers. Miracles are happening. Records
are occurring. The Lord does lead this work and we are just conduits/instruments to bless others.

Love
Vanhin Hamner
Thank you for the CD. If you don’t mind I gave it to Aki to help him keep the spirit in his home especially before baptism. I love you!