The Polar Vortex

Hola familia!

Wow, what a historical week it has been in Minnesota. 

We reached the lowest temperature MN has had since 1996. Temperatures dropped down to -60 degrees (with wind chill) on Wednesday.

Ya know how I told you I was taking the train to the University of Minnesota campus Monday night for an exchange? Okay so I got super bundled up and I got there just fine. I found the other sister and we walked back to the apartment. 30 minutes later, the AP's texted everyone saying that President Barney has grounded all the missionaries until Thursday, meaning that we can't go outside whatsoever. So I was stuck in the Twin Cities YSA ward pretty much all week! I was with Sister Carpenter who is really sweet, but it was hard not being in my area and not being able to leave. I got soooo bored out of my mind! Those were the longest 2 days by far on my whole mission, I was so grateful that we could have freedom on Thursday to finally go out. But yeah! Definitely the coldest temperature I had ever been in. Everything shut down, even the postal service. Nothing happened in Minnesota for 2 days haha. I did some art, cleaned, played some foosball, watched some church movies, listened to all of General Conference again, and tried to find other things to fill my time for 2 whole days. 

What's funny is that on Saturday when it was like 25 degrees, people were outside without coats on and no hats or scarfs hahaha. I think I can say that I've had a Minnesota winter! 

Thursday we had interviews with President Barney. He is amazing. He gave me a lot of advice as to what I should do in this area, as I have been very overwhelmed lately with all of it. I have to remind myself "All I have to do right now is..." hahaha. 

Friday we had Mission Leadership Council all day in Bloomington. Man was it a heated day. At the beginning of MLC, we do the stewardship report where the Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders of each zone get up and report the zone's goals and actuals  for the past month, as well as state the goals for the coming month. Then President Barney opens it up for everyone to ask questions about what went well, what our plans are behind our goals, and what our focus is going to be for the month. The Saint Paul West Zone did not do very well in January as far as meeting our goals, and the goals for February were definitely far-fetched, but we still put them up on the board for everyone to see... and MAN we got ROASTED so so hard. I definitely had to toughen up my skin to take the heat and come up with some quick responses. President knew it had been going too far, so he told everyone to stop. It's tough; being a missionary is so competitive. There's always things to compare yourself too, your companionship too, and even your zone too. But by the end of the day, does any of that really matter? It's made me think a lot more about my purpose as a missionary. If I'm talking to everyone, inviting everyone, and being exactly obedient, then that's all I'm asked to do. 

So yeah, I survived the "polar vortex" this year! Probably the coldest temperature I will ever be in. It was colder than the North pole and Siberia. While I was trying to find stuff to do, I looked at my family history and saw that my great Grandpa had lived in Virginia, MN. That's in my mission! I told President Barney that on Friday and he told me to ask Grandma if she would possibly have the address to his house and said that I could go there some day if she has it. That would be really cool I think. 

This is for you Joe!

Anyways, been one heck of a week. I'm ready for this next one. Thanks so much for the emails and support. Sorry I'm terrible at writing back to everyone. I just really don't like emailing anymore hahaha. Today we are gonna get together with the elders and play some games and get some energy out from being stuck all week.

Love you guys!! Have a wonderful week and good luck with everything.

Xoxo Hermana Nissinen

A Cold Welcome To Frogtown!

Hola hola! 

Whelp, I made it to St. Paul! It's been the craziest, most hectic week of my mission by far. My farewell party in Rochester that the ward held for me went really well. About 50-60 people came, which I think is more than who came to my actual farewell when I left for my mission hahaha. But it was really sweet of them to all come. Tuesday and Wednesday were packed with just random stuff that I needed to get done before I left. I had procrastinated packing until 10:00 Wednesday night, so I was up until 1:30 AM packing Thursday morning... I have SO MUCH STUFF. I really don't know how I've collected this junk.

Early Thursday morning all of us missionaries that were getting transferred left early to drive up to Bloomington. I was off of about 4 hours of sleep, so I was exhausted. I was in the car with Sister Knapp while she was driving, and as we were going 70 mph, all of a sudden we looked back and her bike completely FLEW OFF the car and slid to the side of the road. It was so bad! We ran down the road and got it and luckily only her fender came off. Not sure how that was the only thing. But since it was so blizzardy that morning, a semi truck drove right past me and completely blew me over so I fell hahaha. Crazy morning.

My new companion is Hermana Powell! She is from St. George, Utah and she's been out for about 8 months. She's really fun and has lots of energy, so it's gonna be real fun with her. Since we are the STL's over 2 zones, it's been really confusing trying to figure everything out. The other problem is that we actually do have a car now, but we barely have any miles to use for the month. Sooooo the mission bought us each bus passes, so we have been using the bus everyday. It's really crazy! There's some interesting people here in St. Paul, it's a whole different world than Rochester lol. I'm really trying to take it one day at a time and just stay positive through the freezing cold temperatures. Wednesday is a high of -13 but with wind chill they are expecting it to be about -45 so that will be exciting. If it gets -40 or below with wind chill we are not allowed to go outside, so no worries ;) It snowed quite a bit last night and is expecting to snow more today so President Barney just told everyone that they have to stay inside until this afternoon. 

Spanish work is also so much different than English haha. I'm literally having a culture shock, it's crazy. In my ward here, there are 500 people listed in our ward records. And only about 50 come regularly. 50! If any of you previous missionaries could give me any advice of how to work with all of these less-actives, I would greatly appreciate it. The Bishop asked me yesterday in sacrament to go up and share my testimony and introduce myself, and looking over the congregation I just felt so overwhelmed at the work that needs to be done in this area. There hasn't been a convert baptism here in over a year, and no one has been coming to church, so I'm seriously so stoked to just get in here and get some stuff done! I know it will be hard work, but I love the members here already and I just want to work my hardest and make an impact in this ward. It's gonna take time for sure, but I just pray that I can do it! 

Our apartment is way nice. Nicest one I've lived in. We have a sweet clubhouse with a really nice gym as well, so now I can burn off all these tacos that I'm eating again (woohoo!). I'll put the video in Google Photos.

Been a crazy long week, but I'm stoked for this next week. Tonight I'm taking the train (by myself!) to the University of Minnesota campus to meet up with the sisters there for an exchange tomorrow. Should be an adventure. 

Love you all! Have a safe week. Good luck with work and school.

Con amor, 

Hermana Nissinen

Frogtown!

Hey everyone!

It's a bittersweet time for me. President Barney told me last week in my interview that I will be getting transferred to Frogtown, St. Paul this Thursday. I am excited, but also pretty sad as Rochester has become my family! I really love this place so much and especially the ward members. Tonight, the Bishop's family is hosting a party for me at their house for everyone to come over and say goodbye. They even put it in the bulletin and announced it in Sacrament. So sweet!! I've grown really close to many families and people in this area just over 6 months. It's hard to say goodbye, but I'm looking forward to all the friends I will meet in St. Paul!

The Ferrara's took us to Olive Garden the day before I left! He is in the mission presidency and they recently just got
home from their mission in Italy

The Hardman family. Brother Hardman is our ward
mission leader in Rochester. Super cute family.

Mrs. Monica Geang, really funny lady from South Sudan

Super bad picture, but this is Deng.
Less-active kid we worked with.

I looooove the Prices! They are AMAZING at family history. They know their stuff. And she is a really great cook so I always looked forward to dinner at their house. They even called us sometimes in the morning and invited us over for breakfast.

Sweet Haley Taggart :) A laurel in my ward.

The Vincent's are this really cool couple up in Pine Island. They are so complimentary and want to take me kayaking when I come back! I love them a lot. They also just got married like 2 years ago so that's cool. Sister Vincent is a science teacher at a private Catholic high school and Brother Vincent works at IBM.

Little Monson couldn't stop crying as well. I love it!

These kids started CRYING when they had to say goodbye to me! So dang cute. Clayton, the 10 year old, even said between his tears, "maybe we can even write each other when you leave" hahaha awwwww.

The Rowse family (minus Brother Rowse). She served her mission in Mongolia, and her husband is a surgeon at Mayo. They have 3 really cute, very well behaved boys.

The Petersen family! Crazy fun family that moved into the ward a few months ago and fed us pretty much weekly. They have 6 kids, with another on the way! AHHH!

The Fletcher's :) My all time favorite family in Rochester. Bishop is amazing, Ella, Clara, Eliza, and Calvin are great kids, and Sister Fletcher is so loving and generous. They hosted about 60 people last night to say goodbye to me. Definitely a family that I will always love and stay in touch with. Their niece is the one in Joe's mission right now... JOE GO HIT UP HERMANA LAMB SO WE CAN BE RELATED TO THE FLETCHER'S

I'm gonna miss the Wheeler family. They are so funny and quirky. Brother Wheeler was a really big help to me during my past few months here since my companions have been English. He knows spanish, so he would help us with the spanish speaking people.

Pretty awkward picture, but this is Brother Foster (far right), Vivek, and Bishop Fletcher (far left). All 3 of these guys are really high up at the Mayo Clinic. Vivek and Brother Foster are cancer researchers, and Bishop is a radiologist. If I ever need a job, I know who to talk to!

I LOVE THE BLY'S! They are the most amazing couple I have ever met. I love them so much! This is who you guys send my letters and packages to. Sister Bly is an early morning seminary teacher and the Sunday School teacher, and Brother Bly is a dentist and also plays the banjo in a bluegrass band. They said if I ever go to BYU they have a son to set me up with hahaha. They have definitely become some close friends of mine.

The Widman's are an amazing family. Sister Widman reminds me so much of you, mom. I told her that last night when I said goodbye and she said, "Wow, I take that as the biggest compliment." Haha Brother and Sister Widman are so cool.

I will be going up to a Spanish ward there. My companion will be Hermana Powell who is super awesome! She's been out for about 7 months now. It will be fun to be her companion. I will continue to stay as the Sister Training Leader, but I will actually be over 2 zones now! The St. Paul West Zone and the Minneapolis Zone. I'll have 6 sets of sisters to be over and do exchanges with. I've never had that many, so it will be interesting! It helps me remember that I have to set a good example and be exactly obedient.

It has been very very cold here this past week. Saturday night we were doing some stop bys and I was outside for like a minute and my nose hairs froze. It hurt. It finally snowed again too so that was fun! Our weather app on our phone isn't working for some reason so I never actually know how cold it is, but it's definitely in the negatives for sure.

Yesterday after church, we had a great lesson with Vivek. I have been wanting to set a date for him to get baptized for weeks now, and we finally did yesterday!! His date is for February 16th. I am sooo happy. He's a great guy with so much potential. 

I hope you all are doing Come, Follow Me. It's awesome! This week I learned about how I can worship my Savior. What can I do to show my love for Him? I thought about it, and I wrote in my study journal this phrase. "Because I love the Lord..." and then filled in the blank with a few different things. What do you do because you love the Lord? Just something to think about :)

Man I'm gonna miss this place so so much and all of my friends here. 

Love you guys,

Have a wonderful week and stay warm for me! Last night walking into the apartment, I wanted to cozy up by our warm fire place so bad haha! Please say hi to Mama and Papa for me too. 

Love Hermana Nissinen