Spencer's Weekly Letter

Love Sunday evenings!  Spencer sounds so busy and so happy! Couldn't ask for anything better! Sure love our missionary!  He even included some fun pictures! Enjoy!

Dear Family & Friends,

Actually our responsibility as the assistants is to have, basically, the best area in the mission. We are baptizing roughly monthly in our area. After we have done serious work in our area is when the AP tasks come in to the priorities. We havent had under 20 lessons in almost a year. 

Swedish is a germanic language so it sounds like english with some rocks in your mouth. It is completely different than Finnish. Finnish is such a different animal its crazy! 

Pretty crazy about Rexburg! I cant believe that.

This week we had a pretty solid week. Due to the summer a lot of our investigators have excuses for why they cant meet. Our really solid mother son combo is in estonia for vacation. So we have been in contact with the missionaries in Estonia. Kinda fun I talked with my old friend Elder Brown from the MTC!

We had a lot of time in our area this week which was exciting. 

However on friday, we were contacting a referral and she was talking for like 30 minutes and then rejected us! So we were a little tired after that so we found a nearby bench and sat down. We started sharing some concerns with each other about how the people we find our going inactive so fast. It makes sense because we baptize a lot of people from other countries and its almost impossible for them the get friends here because they cant speak Finnish. So we thought if we want to baptize kingdom builders they would need to come from the members. So after idetifying the thing that made us understand the importance of missionary work and the restoration, we decided that we would hold a stake wide MTC experience for the members. So we waved our title around and got some of the leaders in Helsinki to sit down with us. (we did that because sometimes members dont really take us seriously) We are now in the proccess of putting together a committee to plan and throw this thing off! 

Pretty fun. 

We had to send an Elder Home this week for a health reason. It was super hard because he was legit. He should be coming back though he had only been out for a couple months. 

This week we will be on exchanges every day. Tomorrow we are going to Kouvola and I will be going to Mikkeli!!!! Then Wednesday, Elder Kiuttu and I will be in Seinäjoki, then Thursday we will be in our area with the Elders from Oulu. Then friday we go to the Temple and have the MLC meeting. Then on saturday the Elders from Jyväskylä will be with us in our area. It should be fun but lots of traveling this week. 

Great stuff, thanks for the letters and encouraging words! 

Love,

Vanhin Tippetts

A few fun photos!

This is called Herttoniemi.  Its basically in the middle of Helsinki.

This was the wedding of their last investigator.  They got married so he could get baptized.  He had investigated the church for years.

Fun Week

Love Mondays!  Spencer had a great week of getting to do actual missionary work! Enjoy!

Dear Family & Friends,

Wow what a great and fun week you all have had! Not much here too much more exciting than for you guys! 

This week we had our pday eatin up with little tasks, and we were really dissapointed because we had a really slow start to the week. Well long story short we ended the week with 30 lessons! haha

We had a zone meeting that was really good. It was about remembering what it was like when we were in the MTC and what we can do to have that kind of faith again. Afterwards we met some missionaries who are serving in the Russia Vladvostak (not sure on spelling) Mission who were here renewing visas. They had to stay for three days so they stayed at the temple guest house. We met up with them and did exchanges! Good thing we ran into a bunch of Russian people that day that I wouldnt have been able to talk to! 

Well it was me and Elder Riggs (from the russian mission) and he is from Mesa. We talked to everyone and had a great time talking about the differences in our missions. Then we had to ask for directions so we asked an old lady. She didnt know so she called for two girls from across the street to help us. They didnt know but a group from across the street shouted and told us where to go. So we said thank you and turned around to head that way when we saw a women so we stopped her. Then as I was talking to her in Finnish, three other Finns walked up and waited behind her to talk to us. Then Another man, who spoke english, came up to us and Elder Riggs started talking to him. then I started to talk to all four of my people. It was crazy because I felt like we were in the old times where we talk to big groups! It was fun but goes to show that there are people that want to talk. 

After we walked away from that group after maybe 30 minutes, We stopped another lady and said hello. Then she answered in Swedish to try to throw us off so we would leave her alone. But When she started talking in Swedish, so did I! I asked her how she was doing and told her what we were doing. Then once she realized I could speak swedish she switched to Finnish to see how I would do there (Thank goodness Im a lot better at Finnish!) Then I had her! haha she listened for a minute but then walked away... Anyway. That day we taught a total of 9 lessons and only 4 were on the street and 2 of the 5 sit down lessons were from following promptings to call people. 

We are making preparations for the September Mission conference with Elder Bednar. Elder Bednar and Elder Uchtdorf are coming to Scandinavia and there is a rumor that they will be splitting the Helsinki stake. Big deal! Also a story about the Espoo ward. It had 190 people in church every sunday. so the Stake decided to split it. The sunday after the split each ward had 150 people in it! How is that possible? once they realized the wards were gonna be smaller they went out and started filling the chapel with less actives and friends! Pretty cool success story. 

I had my first interview with president Watson. It went really well. 

Well pretty good week. Im still alive and ready to work! 

Thanks for all the letters! 

Love 

Vanhin Tippetts 

Wow! New President

Love missionary Monday!  Spencer sounds like he had a much better week and is loving his new president!

Dear Family & Friends,

Well pretty insane week again! We had to wrap some things up from last weeks crisis at the beggining of the week which really helped us calm down about it all. BTW I dont have any problems it was just things that were happening. So dont worry about me, just pray that we can keep strong in the work and hasten it! 

We had a series of Zone conferences called Meet the President. Everybody got to meet him through these meetings. In order to help him get around and know certain things about the areas one of us went with him to each of the conferences. Since I served in Oulu I went with him there. We took a plane Thursday night. While on the plane I gave a BOM to the lady next to me. It felt super good to just do normal missionary work for a change! Then we arrived in Oulu and I arranged for a ride to pick us up and take the Watsons to their hotel and me to the Church where all the Elders where sleeping. Boom that was that. Then in the morning we picked them up and we had a meeting. It was awesome. Then we flew back. Due to the situation we had some sit down time so I basically had an hour long question and answer session with President Watson. It was cool. 

Then we had some normal stuff happen... like a baptism on Saturday and stuff nothin crazy! It was with Esko the man we threw a wedding for. He had been investigating for 11 years and finally sealed the deal! Fun stuff. 

Our goal is to have 1 baptism a month. So we have July down and now we are looking forward to August. We now have three people preparing for a date in August. One of them is a mother son combo. The son is 9 years old and went to primary for his first time yesterday. He loved it! We are super excited! 

Yesterday we had a huge fireside where the Watson's intoduced themselves to the country. It was broadcast all over. Sister Watson gave her testimony in Finnish and it was incredible!!! She killed it. President Watson also had a great talk! 

When I was on the airplane I talked with that lady for an hour straight without ever using any English. I was even explaining that my ears were popping! Part of that means I have been here for sometime but also people study Finnish for 20 years and don't speak like that. The Lord really helps us learn. I felt completely fluent when I was talking to that lady. Hopefully I can keep getting better in the next few months! Its way fun being able to speak a different language. I can literally have thoughts that others can't because I can think in Finnish! Weird right? 

Well the church is true, Thank you to everyone who helped me through letters Aunt Judee and Trav (Brother McBeth!) and the Fish family. You all rock! Thanks so much! 

Have a great week! 

Love 

Vanhin Tippetts

Sending home President & Sister Rawlings whom he adored.

A baptism of a man that investigated the church for 11 years.

Spencer's new glasses.  Definitely our Spencer!

Great Week!

I love missionary Monday except this week it was missionary Sunday. Because he is so busy on P-day he writes on Sunday these days.  I get worn out just reading all the things he is doing.  Makes my heart happy though to see how hard he is working! This week when he picks up the new missionaries one of them is our very own Elder Hatch from Gilbert, AZ.  I know he will take great care of Elder Hatch. 

Dear Family & Friends,

Well, I hear a baby is on its way! crazy! I am an uncle! Congrats Dallin and Aubree! 

This week has been the ultimate preface to the most ridiculous week of my life coming up next week! First off, it has been raining and its been around 8 degrees all week. No fun at all! 

This week we were in Oulu for two days (which requires a plane ride) and Kemi. (Kemi is the farthest north I have ever been) We did exchanges with some elders up there. Then we came down here to Helsinki and tried to do work but there is a huge Juhannus or mid summer party that happens so we can't do work on these days. So we tried our best to be productive.

Then the change calls were made and the whole mission received all their new cities. The change board looked great and we all felt great about it but what we didn't look at was that every companionship in the mission but 2 were moving in some way. We have to buy all the train tickets and arrange it so that no one is alone during the whole proccess. It is literally soo confusing. We bought over 50 tickets and not a single person is ever alone! Yay! We sacrificed though. We started on saturday at 4pm and finished on Sunday at 3am. It was awful! Now everything starts being put into motion today then tomorrow is crazy. 

During all the transfer madness, will be going to the airport at 4:30am to pick up the new missionaries! We then take them to the mission home and we have dinner. Then we can go on splits with select new missionaries. 

Wednesday we do a trainers meeting for all the new trainers and then we do a meeting with the new missionaries and the trainers before they leave and when they get their new companion. Then we shuttle people to the train station and rush to get to presidents house for the departing dinner. (Elder Jefferies will be in this group. My trainer is dying!) Then Thursday we get to sleep in because we are averaging 3-4 hours of sleep a night right now so we are gonna catch up on Thursday. Then Friday is MLC with all the sister trainer leaders and zone leaders. We will be making an appearance at this meeting and by an appearance I mean will will be conducting it. We also have the temple that day and then after the MLC we my companions and I will go to the airport with the the Rawlings and pick up President and Sister Watson. Then Saturday we do work and Sunday we do more work then the week after we go on a mission tour with President Watson! Yay! 

Oh and I almost forgot! We had a wedding this week! Our investigator got married so now he is living the Law of Chastity and can be baptized in two weeks! Pretty cool to see people get married to accept the Gospel. 

This week is gonna be fun! 

Have a good week everybody! 

Love,

Elder Tippetts

Another crazy week in the bag!

Mondays are the best days to wake up and see Spencer's email waiting.  He continues to work hard and is just loving his mission.  I can only imagine how hard these next 2 weeks are going to be with his mission president whom he adores leaving and the new mission president arriving.  The experiences Spencer is having is just monumental for him.  Enjoy!

Dear Family & Friends,

Well sounds like a great week for everyone back home. I totally forgot that it was Fathers day. In Finland Fathers day is in November. 

I still sometimes am shocked that I actually live here. Every Sunday night we drive to the mission office where we put in the mission numbers. On the way we drive right through downtown Helsinki. There is a harbor with super nice Yachts and bridges and cruise ships, tall european buildings and cobble stone streets. It is seriously a dream. And whats great is its 10>30 at nigt and its still bright as day outside! 

We are coming up on the longest day of the year ehich means everybody is gonna be drunk! not good for us... dont worry we are prepared.

We are making all the final arrangments for President Watsons arrival. We have our second to last meeting with President Rawlings today so no Pday this week! President Watson will arrive on the 27 of june and president leaves on the 1 of julyand President Watson will take over at midnight. 

Everything should be still moving to Espoo. We saw the final signing papers for the new mission home. Espoo is a way nice city. Its where the Temple is. In fact the mission home is supposed to be 5 minutes away from the temple. There is also a huge possibility that we get switched to that ward so we will be closer to the mission home. We have no idea yet though because it is up to President Watson. President Rawlings decided not to move us. 

I have been writing Derek Hatch. He is in the MTC and will be coming next week. He sounds super stoked! 

This week we had the Helsinki Zone Conference and the Tampere Zone Conference. Both were incredible. We drove to all the zone conferences so we have had some fun rode trips recently. 

Cool story was the day after we got back from the last conference in Tampere, we looked at our schedule and every single thing had fallen through... We had commited to follow every small prompting that came to mind that day. It was just Elder Kiuttu and I for this day because Elder Heaney was on exchanges in Turku. We prayed that the Lord would guide us through this blank day scenerio. Well after choosing a few names form the area book Elder Kiuttu looks up and says I think we should go to the X family. We really had no reason to go there because it was a little out of the way and the sisters were teaching them. But, we picked up some chocolate to bring over to them and offer some help. Well, we did that and it was super nice. Then the very first person right outside of the apartment of the X family catches our eye. So, we stop him. Long story short we have an appointment with him on thursday! The Lord can really direct us when we approach every moment prayerfully.

This week Elder Kiuttu and I will be going to Oulu and Kemi which are the 2nd and 3rd northernmost cities in Finland. We have 2 days there and then we come back to do eork for a day when everything shuts down because of the crazy holiday then we buy tickets for the next transfer which means we have to pull an all nighter to get them all in time. 

We are haveing tons of fun! the church is true. 

Have a wonderful week. 

Love,

Vanhin Tippetts

Clip from Mother's Day Skype

WOW!

Dear Family & Friends,

Well, I could die...

Just to explain last night and tomorrow morning. Last night we entered all the mission data and had to write a report. That lasted until 2AM... I didnt get to bed until 2:30! It was nuts. Before we did this we had our corelation meeting with president and it was good.

The next two months are going to be the craziest days of my life. We will be setting up a mission tour for the area president, we have a ysa function called festinord where 500 people from all over Europe will be coming to Finland. We are in charge of a piece of it.

We also will need to accompany our new president to all his meetings with local leaders and area authorities. In our meeting, we coordinated a ton of stuff.

This week is the 6 week interim training. It lasts 3 days and we are there helping president run it all. Today was day 1 and thats why Pday was off schedule.

Well tomorrow, we need to take someone to the airport but the flight leaves at 6:30am so, we need to pick up from the mission home at 4:00am... I want to cry! haha its super fun though.

My companions are Elder *** from texas. He goes home in three months. Elder *** is the same age in the mission as me.

Last week we had MLC or mission leadership council. I conducted. haha Then we went to the temple! It was super fun.

Well, after Thursday when all the people here for interim leave, we will then start on a road trip for 6 hours to Vaasa. We have a zone conference there for the north zone. We will be driving to Tampere and spending the night there with the Zone leaders there and then waking up early to finish the drive to the north zone.

After that we drive home have a normal weekend and then we turn back around to Tampere for their zone conference then back to Helsinki for that Zone conference. Its gonna be busy! But way fun because my companions are so cool!

I really am loving my mission. Its super hard but I feel like I am actually accomplishing something. This is the Lords work.

Love you all!

Vanhin Tippetts