OCTOBER 26, 1963......

"MET A LADY TRACKING,

TAUGHT HER THE ENTIRE FIRST DISCUSSION"

(as written in his missionary journal from his 1st mission here from 1962 - 1965)

"NOVEMBER 23, 1963......

SISAR KYLLIKKI ILONEN LEINONEN BAPTIZED"

(as written his his missionary journal from his 1st mission here from 1962 - 1965)

The picture below of Wayne taken when he was a young missionary here in Finland (in the foreground), and the background picture of Wayne, today, serving his 2nd mission here in Finland! (picture taken by daughter, Becky Higgins, while on her visit to us here in Finland.

DO WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?? YES, INDEED WE DO.....

FAST FORWARD TO JULY 31, 2010.......

While serving in the Helsinki Temple today, there was a very large group of Sisters from the TAMPERE STAKE who came for a 'SISTERS TEMPLE DAY'.....it was very well attended and very busy. We LOVE days like that.

While busily rushing around to take care of 'things', Wayne had stopped to talk to me for a second (he was the brothers shift coordinator). A sister came up to him, looked at his name tag and then said "YOU BAPTIZED ME IN 1963".......after a back-and-forth conversation Wayne indeed recognized her as SISAR KYLLIKKI ILONEN LEINONEN whom he and his companion had taught and baptized!!! What a wonderful reunion the two of them had right there in the Temple!!

We obviously could not take pictures in the temple but met up with Sisar Leinonen afterward at the asuntola.....where we could talk a little more and take pictures. Above, Sisar Leinonen is hold a 'MISSIONARY ARTICLES OF FAITH CARD' which Wayne (Vahnin Allgaier) had given her in 1963 with his home address on it. She has carried that card in her wallet for ALL THESE PAST 47 YEARS!!!! She took it out of her wallet and showed it to us!!!

Sisar Leinonen and Veli Allgaier TODAY! We have got to go visit her in her home before we finish our mission here.....we feel like we are running out of time!! :-( She currently lives in TAMPERE and we obviously is active since she was in the temple today......

WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY.....WE DO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!!

(I think a cross stitch bookmark is in order here don't you!)

MEET......

VANHIN BRYAN MORTENSON....... Veli Mortenson is from Peoria, Arizona. Veli Mortenson lives in Becky and David's Ward there. He arrived here in Finland to begin his mission the same week Becky ad David came to visit us......the end of June. We did NOT get to 'run into him' while they were here though. We have been 'looking' for him since that time. Well, today, his companion needed to see Veli (Dr.) Allgaier for a little medical issue. Didn't know that Elder Mortenson was his companion until they showed up here at the asuntola. How fun!!

One interesting thing about Veli Mortenson (standing next to me on my left, by the way) is that his mother passed away right before he got his mission call.......she is a FINN!!! And then he got his 'call' to come here!! Amazing......just amazing!! And he has 'found' relatives since he has been here......some of whom are NOT members of the church yet!

While we were talking to the missionaries, this cute little young women comes over and says...."Do you remember me"? Well, it took a minute but when we realized who she was we were so pleased and happy to see her again!! We first met MARJA SANKOLA (from Oulu) back in January 2010. She was at that time celebrating her 12th birthday and she wanted to come to the temple and do baptisms to celebrate her big day!! How sweet is that. Guess what she got.....yes, a counted cross stitch picture of the temple that I made for her! And then when we visited Oulu chapel on a Friday night as we were on our trip up the west coast of Finland during the two-week closure of the temple, we got to see her again!!

Here she was TODAY......and she has grown up just in those few short 6 months since we last saw her. She seemed really excited to see us again!! How fun to keep seeing so many people that we have met here over the last 13 months!! How in the world are we going to be able to go home when our mission is complete here!!?? :-( It makes us sad to think about that!!!

"H E Y

V I R G I E ....."

Received word last Saturday night that Virgie fell at home. Her injuries were more than her 95 year old body could recover from!!

Received word Wednesday that she peacefully passed away at the Baptist Hospital in

Winston-Salem, North Carolina (same hospital my mother was in just before she passed away)

The pictures below were taken on July 11th of this year (as in 2 1/2 weeks ago) when Virgie celebrated her 95th birthday!! AAAHHH sweet celebration time for her and her children and grandchildren!

Virgie will be missed. I don't remember my childhood at all without Virgie and Troy (her husband) a part of it.

Faye holds Virgie's birthday cake for her. Faye is the oldest of Virgie's children......Faye, Randall, Gary and Sharon

I can only imagine the PARTY going on in heaven right now.......Virgie and Troy, my mother and father, Annie Gaye and Herman, JohnLee, Granny Jones and Grandpa Jones, Grandma and Grandpa Marion, Annie and Pearla and so many more family.....all sitting around a pump organ and singing and having a good time......and PUNKIN in the middle of all of them. Now there is a picture!! :-)

VIRGIE DOROTHY MAE MARION WILLARD

July 08, 1915 - July 28, 2010

Y E S ......

ONE MORE LANGUAGE ON THE WAY!!

It feels sooooo good.....like maybe I can contribute something more to our work here in the Helsinki Finland Temple!!

I am almost 'there' with adding yet another language to my 'list'!! That of

LITHUANIAN!!

The picture below is of a PLATE from Lithuania that the Pecilius gave us shortly after they arrived here on their mission. I treasure it! Has many happy thoughts when I see it!

And the 'group picture' taken on MONDAY from our BOAT RIDE with the President and Matron.......again, .......well, you will be Veli ja Sese Pecilius standing to our immediate left. They are wonderful. Sese Peciliuene is the one who has helped me learn some of the ordinances in Lithuania. I am so excited to have some Sese's come from their home branch next week so I can see how well they understand me!!

"OLE ROHKEA JA LUIJA"

--Joshua 1:9

(Be Courageous and Strong)

This, being the GENERAL YOUNG WOMEN THEME FOR 2010, was told to me by Sisar Metsätähti as we were finishing up our P-Day 'cruise' with the Temple President and Matron...arranged completely by them. They wanted to do this for 'their' missionaries!!

I was not sure I wanted to go on this little cruise because I didn't know what the boat looked like....big, small, old, new.....

I have to admit that I was quite SHOCKED when I saw just how LITTLE and OLD it seemed to be. Was it really 'sea worthy' and would we get back to the dock safe and sound?? I had to trust my mission presidents judgment!! Or did I??

I finally decided I had to give it a try.....

Sisar Haikkola (left) sat on one side of me with Sisar Vormio on the other (one of the Assistants to the Matron).....they were trying to help me 'adjust' and make sure I was okay!! Bless their sweet little hearts!

I was pretty soon enjoying some of the 'local' sights.....like this next WORLD'S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP being built right here in TURKU FINLAND!!! Yes, there it was!!

And pretty soon I found myself out on the front of the boat......directing traffic on the waterway to make sure we did not hit any other boats, and vice-versa!!

After a couple of hours of 'driving around' the TURKU ARCHIPELIGO (which by the way is just gorgeous) we made land-fall (or should I say ROCK-fall since we cooked and ate on a huge rock)......

We cooked our Finnish Pancakes (LETTUJA) over an open fire.....they were soooo good!!!

We then climbed up more rocks for a group picture.....isn't that a FINE GROUP of FOLKS there ever was!!!

While we were up there we saw a large over-night FERRY headed from TURKU to STOCKHOLM SWEDEN going through.

And back to the boat for the ride back to the dock.....notice I have graduated from my life-vest......I suppose I graduated and didn't need it any more.....and that is President HAIKKOLA steering the boat now!!! He says he knows how to drive a boat better than he can 'run the temple'. That is not true in our opinion!!! He knows exactly how to 'run the temple'!! With the Lord's help, of course!!

Veli ja Sisar Metsätähti are the official 'keepers' of the boat. They are great people. She was newly sustained as Young Women President yesterday in the Turku 2nd Ward. She is the one who told me I was 'ole rohkea ja luija'!!

More sights along the ride back.....a beautiful statue in the water.....

and flags flying of all of the NORDIC COUNTRIES.....L to R: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the European Flag

We made it safe and sound back to the dock.......and I was quite HAPPY that we did......

OLE ROHKEA JA LUIJA for sure!!

RAUMA VISIT.....DAY #2

Our day in RAUMA today would be attending the RAUMA WARD. What a great ward it is. The Michie's spoke in Sacrament Meeting. The Groberg's, the Michie's and we sang "SAAN KÄYDÄÄ TEMPPELIIN" as the intermediate hymn. I think it turned out quite well!

We had our picture taken out in the front of the chapel.

And another picture taken inside the chapel before church began.

After church we had 2 DINNER APPOINTMENTS.....Us and the Groberg's went to the MÄKINEN'S and the Michie's went to the LAINE'S.

Here we are arriving at the Mäkinen home....it is a beautiful home and very tastefully decorated. Very 'classy' just like they are!

The dinner table was set soooo beautifully!

Veli Mäkinen was in charge of cooking the SALMON on the grill.....and boy was it delicious!!

After dinner we walked down to the shore of the GULF OF BOTHANIA which is just about 1/2 kilometer from their home!! Nice!! It was quite windy down there.

And here are the cutest little couple!!! VELI JA SISAR MÄKINEN

On the way from their home we drove by Pispa Hilakari's home at his invitation to see his wonderful wood sculptures!!! They are just amazing!!! He is very talented.

And they have this cute little, small river running through their backyard. Just right there.....amazing. OH but wait....we are in FINLAND and this is the country of MANY LAKES.....so this should not come as a surprise to me at all!!!

And back to the hotel for the night. Tomorrow: Off to TURKU to meet up with the other missionary couples and President ya Sisar Haikkola for a BOAT TRIP!!!

RAUMAN PITSIVIIKKO

The Michie's .... The Groberg's ...... and Wayne and I headed to RAUMA today for the Lace Festival event......

We had been planning on this for the past 4 months now. We were looking forward to it.

In front of our BEST WESTERN motel located about 2 blocks from the MAIN EVENT (held in the OLD WOODEN HOUSE section of Rauma

Just to make sure our car is protected at night, they have an old 'bomb shelter' converted into a parking garage!! And they lock it at night!!

Yet another STATUE in this little canal.....3 'bathing beauties' with an approaching boat.

Had lunch in a little cafeteria at the TORI

Beautiful handmade lace everywhere!!! Just gorgeous....hard to choose just 'one piece'!!

Another statue.....a lady making lace taken in March of 2010 (this year)......

......and NOW, July of this year!!! What a difference a few months can make!! :-)

Wayne at the 'helm' in a MARITIME MUSEUM....

Tomorrow.....CHURCH IN RAUMA WARD where some of us will speak and sing and whatever!! Should be a fun day!

STOP ME......

ANOTHER PROJECT 'FOUND'......

You may think all I do is 'projects'! Well, when we are not working in the temple and traveling around to the wards and branches to visit saints in outlying areas, I certainly DO work on projects. I love making and giving little gifts wherever we go......'just because' and to show appreciation for dinner invitations, etc.

I decided I wanted to 'find' a crochet project that I could do quickly but looks nice at the same time. I think I found one!! On the internet no less!! (Isn't the internet wonderful for finding 'things' quickly and easily!!! Got to love it!)

My first recipient for this project was Sisar Anja Multamäkki!! She is just the sweetest little thing......this is the sister that Wayne taught when he was a young missionary here. This picture of us together in front of her little 'grandma (babuska) house was taken in summer of 2009 shortly after we arrived here in Finland)

When I work on my projects, it is usually on our sofa in our small little living room area. We have just the most perfect view of the TEMPLE!! I am always getting distracted and looking out the window......saw this pretty cloud formation and couldn't resist 'just one more picture'!! ANTEEKSI!!!! Just have to 'put up' with that!!

ANOTHER

FULL

ACTIVE

GOOD DAY

AT THE TEMPLE......

The ESTONIAN Saints are a great group this week. So much work is being accomplished! And, I think I mentioned, that Wayne and I have added another language to our growing list of 'tongues'!! YES....Estonian! Swedish needs to be next for me....Wayne already has that one 'down'!!

Our FIRST wedding for the summer from St. Petersburg was Wednesday! Such a cute couple. And so in love......

President Haikkola was walking up to the temple as they were taking pictures! Perfect timing to get the President in the picture.....just as though it had been planned!!

They are cute aren't they!!

MEET: Aleksandr and Margit Timakov from Tallinn, Estonia. They came over to our apartment Wednesday night after our temple shift and our weekly meeting with the President and Matron. They were skyping with Steven and Elinn from our computer and made some plans for their upcoming visit here to Finland and Estonia (S & E and J & T that is). Elinn knew them when she served her mission in Estonia back in 1994 - 95!! Small world in the church!!

YESTERDAY (TIISTAI)

GOT AWAY FROM ME......

It was a super busy day. A super BUSY week here in the Temple.......wonderful saints from ESTONIA here this week!!!

Can you believe we have added yet another language to our 'repertoire'!! Yes indeed!! ESTONIAN!!! Feel good!!! And maybe a wee-bit helpful!

They do have a large number of ordinance workers in this group but at least we can be helpful if that is what we need to do!!

Before we went to work (we are on afternoon shift this week) we headed over to the Motor Vehicle Department at the POLIISI Station. Wayne Drivers License was READY finally to pick up!!! We now have TWO MORE LEGAL FINNISH DRIVERS!!! And it only took about 2 1/2 months and countless trips back and forth!!

YEA for us!!

NICE, QUIET P-DAY!!!

We like those once in a while....

Feeling better today.....only slight 'residue' of the stomach pains so at least we are headed in the right direction!

We have a few errands to take care of at SELLO and my HAIR CUT!!! Opposite directions from each other and we had to do everything by 'foot' because both mission vans were being used by others!!

As we were nearing Sello, we had a POSTI GUY pass us......they are just so cute with their POSTI BIKES.....NO cars for these folks!

The FINNS do love their bikes.....even little grannies have bikes and they use them!

The fields seem to be very pretty right now......this field is behind the asuntola.

AND.....walking home from my hair appointment.....LEIKKAUS!!!

And TUULA gave me my next LEIKKAUS appointment.....goodness, the summer is gone already! FALL will begin next month!!