ERRANDS,

SURPRISE GIFT

AND MORE CROSS STITCH

When we got home from the temple this afternoon we had to run a couple of quick errands over to Sello. We drove because it was so yucky outside.....rainy, cold, dismal! We just simply did not feel like walking in that kind of weather.

One of my NEW FAVORITE stores is PENTIK. They have great things and great quality! All Finland made. I like that. I bought (for me!) the red votive candle holder. You can see 'yellow' in it by turning it a certain way! That apparently is an expensive process! Go figure.....

As we left the temple this afternoon, I found a little package by my locker! Handmade pair of wool socks in my favorite color....purple!! Made by Sisar Hyvarinen! Bless her heart.

I couldn't just give her a little thank you note. SO.....I did what I know I can do.....make her a personalized Helsinki Temple Bookmark. I bought a box of chocolates to go with it. When I see her at the temple tomorrow morning (Saturday) I will have a little 'gift' for her too!!

KIITOS PALJON Sisar Hyvarinen!! (that 'a' would be with 2 dots over top)

A WEEKLY TREK TO LIDL........

Lidl's? What is that?? It is the little 'local' grocery store where we walk to about once a week for in-between things like maito and leipa (bread and milk). It is about a 20 minute walk from the asuntola. Good exercise and we enjoy it. Today is turning out to be a really nice day.....NO rain. We have had rain for the

last week. Cold and wet....not fun!! We decided we would walk to the Posti and Lidl....we had a couple of things that needed to be mailed.

We left about 9:45 a.m. just as the sun was 'coming up'!! (See the first picture......you can see it peeking out behind the heavy fog we had).

We decided to take pictures of our 'usual' walking paths we go on to get there. Well traveled by a lot of people....and especially today. With the 'nice' weather it seems that lots of people had the same idea.

Yup......there are others out doing their errands and taking their walks. I can't remember when we have seen so many people out. This is the path from the Posti to Lidl's. The torri was open and running by the Posti today. I bought a large handmade wooden spoon to use for dipping soup from the pot. It was a fun little torri!

So when we got to Lidl's, we went to the

'return' for the plastic bottles that they have. It is a neat little gadget!

As we got back to the temple, the sun was just behind the steeple. That means it is at the highest peak and starting to set already!!

Can you believe this last picture was taken at about 11:15 a.m. We do enjoy our 4 - 5 hours of daylight at this time of the year! :-)

OFF TO THE POSTI!!

Time to get those Christmas packages mailed and

send the

Christmas Cards to all

parts

of the world!

It took some doing but we finally got everything

'signed, sealed and delivered'!

Hope everyone gets everything BEFORE the Holidays!

STAKE CONFERENCE AND....

It was a wonderful Helsinki Stake Conference. With a couple of visiting Area Authorities from Europe, a new stake presidency was sustained! It was a very, very good meeting. There were about 1,000 members attending.

DINNER WITH THE SUOMINEN FAMILY AFTERWARDS

Outi and her husband had invited us over for dinner after Stake Conference. We were excited to be in their home. They are very huge fans of Becky and love scrapbooking. I took my POTD book so they could see it! They asked to see it! I didn't force it on them.

They have 3 daughters and 1 son. All but the youngest is married. One daughter lives close by with her husband. They came over for dinner.

Outi shared her most recent scrapbook with us. She did a GREAT job! And she said 'I am not a professional!' She should be proud of what she has created for her family to have for may years to come.

We had a great day!!

WHAT DO TEMPLE MISSIONARIES DO ON FRIDAY NIGHT!?

Have a party, of course!!

We need to celebrate the Ojala's leaving and heading back to Mikkeli!!!

They have been serving full time here in the Temple for the past few months. They have become wonderful friends!! And we will miss them so very, very much!!

They have invited us to come back to Mikkeli to visit sometime! We will definitely have to do that. And, of course, speak in their ward. Veli Ojala is a counselor in the Bishopric and he has already asked us to speak! In Finnish, of course.

Veli Jakko is such a cut-up!! Notice the little 'horns' he is giving Veli Ojala!

What a fun little gathering! We just need to have more 'parties' but not have anybody leave!!

FUN DAY AT THE TEMPLE!

I was asked to come up and help in the Recorder's Office today because they were a little short-handed. I was happy to do that. I enjoy working there. We are on the afternoon shift this week so my working there would not interfere with my being 'on line'. Wayne decided to stay in the apartment and catch up on some things. I am sure he enjoyed having a bit of 'free time' to himself.

There were 3 Russian families that were sealed this morning. Wayne was able to get some pictures of them as they headed up to the temple! They were so very happy!! As they should have been. To be an eternal family is a wonderful thing!!

They have made a very, very long trek to get here. And a great deal of personal sacrifice as well. It may be a very, very long time before any of these folks get to come back to the temple. I am so glad they can be here and enjoy the spirit of the temple. Whatever we can do to make their trip more meaningful, we are happy to do. They definitely love to take as many pictures as they can to document their wonderful trip.

GOING.........AND......COMING!!

It was snowing when we got up this morning! We had not expected that.

Therefore, the 'snow fairy' did not get up early and go shovel as he normally does! 7:30 a.m. and time to get to the temple!

So.......on the way home from the temple around 12:30 p.m. the 'snow fairy' decided to give a little shove to the little bit left on the sidewalk! Oh well, it was worth a try! We didn't get as much snow as had been predicted. :-(