HOME AGAIN

ANOTHER WEEKEND HAS FLOWN BY!

Before we left Jyväskylä this morning to head home, there were a few 'things' we needed to do around town!

We headed over to the Koivito's to visit with them. They invited us over to visit with them. We have never met Sisar Koivisto. She doesn't get out much because she has MS and is wheelchair bound. What a sweet lady she is. We had a wonderful visit. Veli Koivisto invited us along with the Michie's to attend some sort of 'retirement lunch' where they have speakers come in and speak on a variety of topics. These meetings are held maybe once a month. Barbara and I decided we would go shopping since we would be just 'sitting there' and not being able to understand anything being said.

GOOD CHOICE we thought! It was a bit nippy outside however! That was okay....we still enjoyed our time.

Veli Koivisto brought the guys over to meet us when they finished. He helped us load our luggage in the mission van so we could head home.

I LOVE the Finnish sculptures they have all over the country! We 'found' this one on our way out of town. Yes, it is a bit blurry but that is what you get when you are driving and trying to take a picture! I still thought it was cool!

We made one quick stop on the way out of town to see the house where Wayne taught the Gospel to Olevi and his brother Antero 45 years ago. We visited with Olevi on Sunday night. It was just as Wayne remembered it. So neat!! So glad he is having these wonderful experiences!

I want to share a little of what Wayne wrote to the kids in an e-mail sharing his feeling about our weekend here.....seems to be typical of these weekend trips we have! Love it!

"Just like last Sunday in Joensuu, we got to see a lot of people we've come to know in the temple, as well as others with whom I was able to renew ties with the past, like Br. Allonen who came up to me and said he was 14 years old when I was here as a missionary, and he still remembers me. I think this is incredible! He reminded me that his father was the branch president back then. I got a little chuckle out of the congregation when I told them that I had helped build the chapel there and added "You're welcome." I also told the story of how the building construction foreman, a member of the Church, called me over one day and pointed up to a man on a ladder and said, "Elder Allgaier, that man needs to hear the gospel message. Can you teach him?" I told the congregation that we started teaching Br. Kuronen, but I left before he was baptized and never heard what became of him. After Sacrament Meeting, three individuals came up and told me that he and his wife remained humble and faithful members of the Church until they died. Heartwarming.

After church we had lunch with the Lampinen's, then along with Br. Lampinen (a member of the bishopric) we visited Olli Hakala, an inactive member whom I had taught. Nice visit, and he was agreeable to have members of the Church come visit now and then.

Although we were exhausted by the end of the day, it was a satisfying feeling of exhaustion. Hopefully some day all of you will be able to return to your mission areas and be able to have similar experiences."