An Apostle of the Lord

Wow. Is all I can say for this week! So amazing 3 hours with an apostle of our Lord and Savior and it was magnificent. So much planning and preparing to get the chapel immaculate, little details of everything, perfection for the messenger of the Lord. As a mission we have been praying and preparing, being exactly obedient to invite the spirit in, reading the talks that he sent us to read and prepare. I know how much each of us has been praying; we know that especially with Elder Bednar he only teaches by the spirit. If the people he is with are not ready or prepared, he can’t teach them. Its how the Holy Ghost works. We were trying so hard to show to the Lord that we really valued that He was sending His own to Finland to teach us. 

We met in the Haaga chapel in Helsinki. One hour of studying, waiting for him. The whole mission of Finland was in one chapel. Elder Bednar, his wife, Elder Kearon, his wife, Elder Joutunus (Tampere member of the 70) our mission president, and wife, and Tampere stake president and wife all enter. 

We sing together Hope of Israel. The spirit so strong, you can almost touch it. So much joy in my soul I can barely contain it. An apostle of the Lord is here and ready to teach us. This is way better than Christmas or any other holiday. While singing this beautiful song, tears start streaming down my face, so much happiness, so much peace, I could never fully explain that feeling. I look up and make eye contact with Sisar Kearon and she smiles at me, the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. She just seems to be glowing and for a second I can see into eternity, for the person she will become. This was life changing. He is my role model. I will never forget this. 

Other people spoke and finally Bednar gets up. It turns out that their youngest son served in Finland on his mission. They said they know how hard this mission is. The first thing Elder Bednar says to us is “Thank you for your preparation.” You know you all have studied, worked, and prayed hard for this. You are now ready to be edified and taught by the spirit. Thank you. And we were ready to be taught. Instead of just talking at us, it was a question and answer, both ways, a discussion with the Apostle. So many of the questions I had and didn’t even realize it, was answered. Every person in that room was a participant. I was able to ask and talk to him directly as he asked a question. He looked and me and smiled when I explained one of the biggest things that I had learned from his talk was that we can’t learn in behalf of our friends and investigators. We can show them the way, but we cannot do it for them. He looked at me and said, "well done" and then said a couple more things. This whole mission conference was amazing. The big elements were ask in faith, and act. Become agents to act not objects asking the Lord to do it for you. Ask with real intent to see who you really are and the Spirit will show you, it will be brutal but it will humble us and give us things to work on. Little by little, line upon line we need to work on it, individually with our Savior, and then string all the things together each week, each day. We will continue down the road of conversion. To not beat our selves up about what we are or are not doing. He said that we must continue praying and work as hard as we can. He evoked an apostolic blessing in the end and prayed that we would delight in repentance. That is the key to the gospel.

I will never forget that day. I want to let it change me, my whole soul, my desires, and my heart. I want to align my heart with the will of the Father. It was amazing to be with so many other missionaries that have such faith, such hope, such obedience. 

Also another amazing thing that happened this week the Lord achieved a goal for us that we have had since last transfer. A couple MLCs ago, the APs asked us if we would set a goal to get 5 investigators at church, to show other missionaries, give them hope that it is possible! Well for almost 2 months straight that has been where our sights have been. Finally this last Sunday, we had a musical number in church with out recent convert and pulled out all the stops to get all of our investigators and people around us to come. Yesterday in church we had 6 investigators at church! It was actually a lot to organize, but IT HAPPENED!! The Lord just showed His finger of how easy this is for Him! Again, it was another humbling experience. 

When President Rawlings was here there was a big focus of what to do for the first 10 days of investigation. We have still be really focusing on it, and getting members there for whenever possible and organizing it before hand. It was so great to see that by the end of the week we had had 11 teaches with members present. We have two friends with baptismal dates and they are so amazing, such sincere questions, and really searching, keeping commitments, and doing their part. I have never seen such prepared and willing to work people with real intent before in my mission than the ones we are teaching. I know the Lord has everything to do with this!

Love you all!

Sisar Hübner

Blue berry picking and my favorite Finnish flowers!

Here is a flower for you mommy!