Kuopio!

8/26/13

Well, pretty sweet week. It started with Pday in Mikkeli and I am so glad that package made it home. it was about 45 euros. So, after saying goodbye to all the people I had grown to love in Mikkeli I boarded a train towards kuopio! After loading three suit cases and a Bike onto the train I searched the whole train to see if there were any other missionaries on board. I was all alone! so I sat down and enjoyed the ride as best as i could! Two hours later I heard "seuravana Kuopio" I had arrived! So, I unloaded all my stuff onto the platform and looked around for some suited friends with name tags and I didnt see any one! So. I waited a little bit then thought maybe I should go outside. so, I locked up my bike to all my suitcases and started walking around the train station... by myself. then my common sense kicked in and told me to go back and wait with my stuff on the platform. good thing i watched all those survival shows! A few minutes later Elder Durrant showed up with Veli Ahblad. They then took me to the apartment. I unpacked and went to bed. 

We went forward with a normal week of missionary work but on steroids! we taught 28 lessons this week, which is an all time record for me! This is magic land out here! People have seriously been prepared! 

We had district meeting also and we went on splits with our district leader and his companion. I was with the district leader who was in the Helsinki Zone with me. We both had never been to kuopio before and we had no idea where we were going! we stopped many people and asked them for directions. after each time I made sure to give them a pass along card! That was crazy! 

We have a car! It is an Opel something or other. not sure. I asked for a BMW but I guess we just dont want to look to flashy or something! ;) Its super fun to drive here. but You cant turn right on red...

Cool story, Elder Durrant and I were tracting and we knocked on one door, waited, then proceeded to the next well after both doors had been knocked on the first opens at the same time the second opens!!! So, Elder Durrant and I without speaking each choose a door and talk to them seperatly. The both shut the doors in our faces... but I believe we have discovered a new tracting technique! haha Double Jeoprody! 

We went to church on sunday and the chapel here is huge! it fits like 100 people! haha Our chapels at home dwarf every church building in Finland but its okay because its true here to! BTW Kuopio is a branch because there arent enough people up here so it is the Oulu District not stake. Well at the beginning of church the second counselour asked me to come up and introduce myself. so, I went up and said all the stuff about me and my family. I mentioned that my dad is a putkimies and that my mom on parras aiti koko maailmassa! Then i mentioned how i was "born" in mikkeli and a member stops me and asks something. Me, not expecting to do a question and answer in the middle of sacrement meeting replies, "maybe?" Then she breaks into english which always makes you feel real smart and says are your parents Finns? I said no, they are americans and continued. I later realized where the confusion came from. 

Overall crazy week. We are super excited about the work here in Kuopio. Thank you so much for all the support from home, I love you all! 

Vanhin Tippetts

PS. Can you send me the "little missionaries book of insperational quotes and stories" book? thanks! Also, I need to buy a new jacket, is that okay?