ANOTHER

F * U * L * L

DAY .....here in Espoo

It was a super busy day at the temple. It was Helsinki Stake Relief Society day and the sisters came out in great numbers. All went well from our perspective.....Wayne and I were the shift leaders today. We were very relieved when the day was finished and we felt good about how good things had gone. Andy and Geralyn came up to attend the last session at 1:00 p.m. Wasn't really room for them earlier than that.

We remembered it was another FLAG DAY here in Finland as well. At least A & G got to see the flag flying while they were here. It was a beautiful day......very windy and chilly but beautiful.

How about this for a desert!! SO DELICIOUS!! Loved every morsel of it!! We headed over to the Voutilainen's for dinner.

We love this family. They have been so sweet to us and we will miss them. Turns out that Veli Voutilainen took some music classes from Geralyn's father who is a professor in the music department at BYU-Provo. Small world....

Equal opportunity here for us as well.....probably the last time we will see them before we leave.

Arriving back at the asuntola we found a 'party' going on in the main 'greeting' area downstairs. There were 5 young missionaries who came from Yketerinburg, Russia for visa renewals. Veli Michie and the Zaretski's and Veli Ojala were there talking up a storm with them. We had to join in the fun for a few minutes as well.....

We just LOVE all of these great people. The time is flying by and our final good-byes are coming all too quickly!

What a wonderful week it has been with Andy and Geralyn. Next trip to the airport will be OUR turn to leave!!

ANOTHER TWO DAYS

GONE......

Our time here in Finland with Andy and Geralyn is going by way too fast! Just like it did when the other kids came to visit. Don't like that but what can we do!

THURSDAY evening we visited the Multamäki's in Mäntyharu. We are going to miss that entire family when we go home. We LOVE them! They are so wonderful. They are so kind and giving and loving. They are what the Finns are all like! We feel we just don't deserve their generosity. This was probably our last time to see them before we go home in 3 weeks. Sisar Multamäki is so cute and reminds us of Grandma Allgaier so much. KIITOS PALJON!!

They were kind enough to let Andy and Geralyn 'experience' their SAUNA!! They loved their first time doing this.

We spent the night in KOUVOLA, half way between Mäntyharu and Porvoo (where we actually spent the morning on Friday!).

FRIDAY......SPRING may have actually come to Finland this week....even with the snow still around.

We did a little shopping in the OLDE CITY and had no problems finding cute little things.

Andy and Geralyn loved the quaintness of the town.

Visiting the church is also a MUST.

Andy and Geralyn LOVED the frozen Gulf of Finland with the ships 'frozen' in place.

And.....SPRING has come to HELSINKI too........

Love our favorite little shop in downtown.

AND......look who we ran in to while downtown walking around! How fun to see them there and talk with them.....the Vorimo's. Great couple of days......can't believe they have to go home in two days!

A * A * M * U * K * A * A * M * P * P * A......

Know what that means? Nope.....well, Wayne learned yesterday from one of the local Finns that when you are in the Finnish Military they use a COMB to 'count down their days in the military' when they get close to the end. This Finn taught Wayne to do this with the remaining days we have left! We are NOT trunky.....just trying to 'realize' that we are about to have a 'reality-check'! So, Wayne decided to keep track the Finnish Military way.

TUESDAY in Hameenlinna.....can you believe it......the CASTLE was closed when we got there at 4:15 p.m. We checked on the internet and sure enough it said they stayed open until 6:00 p.m. during the January - end of April time! SWEET!!! Off we went. Well.....the information on the website is NOT up to date! Very disappointed.

We walked around and saw what we could though. We even got picture with 'FLAT STANLEY'.....I think 'he' enjoyed the walk.

We decided to walk around downtown HAMEENLINNA to see if we could find any 'stores' to shop in. Even they were closing......bummer! It was a very nice drive though. And the weather was good.

We stopped at an A-B-C on the way home and had some delicious dinner. No foolin'....it was good!

WEDNESDAY was a 'catch up day' in the morning for A and G. They came up to the temple about 11:30 a.m. and were able to do some temple work. They enjoyed that. As we were walking back to the asuntola we stopped and talked with Sisar Haikkola (Temple Matron). A & G had not had a chance to meet her yet. She was actually 'scrapping' some of the slushy stuff off of the parking spaces.

Wayne and Andy took over for her.....not the kind of thing the Matron should be out there doing. Andy was hoping to be able to shovel some snow.....slushy ice stuff will have to do!

It was 'easy' to shovel up too......

Then it was off to SELLO for some late lunch/early dinner at CHICO'S. And a little more shopping.

Wayne had the ASUNTOLA DUTY tonight. Andy decided he wanted to help with that.

Fun day......off on a little 'road trip' tomorrow afternoon and Friday. The only day we have taken off to go 'visiting' with the kids while they are here.

SUNDAY

was General Conference Broadcast (as well as Saturday). All the 'men' went to Priesthood Meeting on Sunday to watch the re-broadcast at the Haaga Chapel. They are a handsome group of Priesthood holders don't ya think!! Andy was actually able to stay awake for it too.

MONDAY.....

We headed over to TALLINN for the day! We had the Zaretski's and Peciulius with us. We were able to 'find' great seats while we waited for our turn for the Breakfast buffet.

There was still plenty of ICE in the Gulf of Finland as the ferry headed from one shore to the other.

Don't let those short-sleeves fool you! It was cold enough outside!! Andy was just trying to be 'brave'!

'Flat Stanley' joined in on this trip too!

Cute picture from the back of the boat.....

Arriving at the OLDE WALL of Tallinn.......

GROUP PICTURE as we arrived at the WALL......

the GIRLS......

the BOYS.....

and 'FLAT STANLEY' getting in on the act.....

Shopping was on the agenda!

The RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH........a favorite foto op stop.

And another group picture from the top of the wall.....OVERLOOK of the city.

GREAT DAY.....more to come. We are on the morning shift this week.....

HELSINKI STAKE VIIKKO.

WHAT

A

SATURDAY!!!

This is GENERAL CONFERENCE weekend all around the world! And, by virtue of that, ALL Temples around the world are closed on Saturday. We decided to head up north to LATHI with the Michie's and Herman's.

"Herman's"....who are they? They are not new Temple missionaries but they are missionaries.....Church History Missionaries. They are 'stationed' in the Frankfurt, Germany office. They are here in Finland to do some Church History as part of their assignment. Since they are here for the weekend they wanted to come with us. The more the MERRIER......

Once to Lahti we decided to 'divide and conquer' with what we wanted to do....the girls headed out shopping!! Well....that is what girls like to do.

The boys, on the other hand, were out to the the Local Churches and statues and sights around town. Wayne was able to find a 2nd copy of the KALEVALA book (which our 1st copy is in BOX #3.....which has not shown up at our home in Brunswick yet......we are hoping it does!).

I remember on our first trip to Lahti about 3 years ago Wayne and I first saw these SKI JUMPS right here in the middle of town. Yup....there they were still standing. Incredible sight to behold.

Complete with the SKIER STATUE......with Wayne 'tagging' along behind.

We got home in time to change clothes and head over to pick up the Suominen's for a little 'double-date'! Is that allowed for senior missionaries? We attended the 25th ANNIVERSARY production/celebration of the NURMIJÄRVEN TANSSIOPISTO (Dance School) which was begun by Ulla Lehtinen. What a fantastic evening.

There she is in the final performance joining in with some of the students! What an incredible evening it was!!! Well done.....all of you great dance students.

AND.....we got home in time to get back in the car and head to the AIRPORT!!

LOOK WHO WE FOUND THERE!!!!

ANDREW and GERALYN have arrived to visit us for a week!!!! Let the F * U * N begin!!!

They looked so good and didn't even look like they were tired!! Even though they did NOT sleep a wink on that long flight.....SLC to Paris (with a 7-hour layover) and finally arrived in Helsinki at 11:00 p.m. What a wonderful week this is going to be.....They are the last of our 6 children to come and visit us while we are here on our mission. They barely squeaked this visit in before we leave our mission and go home!