Festinord is Going By Fast in Finland

Day number 3 brought a temporary relief from the heat with a lovely summer rainstorm.  It was overcast all morning and the air was heavy with moisture.  It rained heavily for about an hour during midday.  Afterwards the air seemed a little lighter and of course the smell was wonderful.

The order of the day was similar to the last two….breakfast at 7:30, leadership meeting, devotional, classes, activities etc., except that after lunch most of the participants assembled at a soccer field where we watched a playoff game between the teams of the countries.  Denmark’s team (of course) wore red and white.  They looked pretty good out there and played hard, but unfortunately Sweden carried the day.  But we can still think of our triumphant Vikings from last night and take heart.

It is about 7:30 right now.  We will soon leave to walk the fifteen minutes to the shoreside hall where this evening’s social/dance will be held.  There is a pleasant breeze but it is still warm.  We are on duty this evening to serve refreshments until 11:45 when the closing prayer will be said.  That means we will be fortunate to be in bed by 12:30.  We need to report at 6 a.m. for the 2 ½ hour trip to the temple.  We will attend a session with the Friday temple group and then return to Festinord.  I am looking forward to it but wondering if I will be able to keep up.

SK always keeps up.  He was out on the soccer sidelines cheering everyone on today.  He and I are both sunburned, and after sitting on the bleachers in the sun, I feel pretty much like a mildewed dishrag.  He was snapping pictures right and left.  He is having a wonderful time here….as am I.  But he loves to be a part of everything.  He has played chess a few times and gets right in to the center of the groups of kids to find out what is happening.  If only there were a CRUD game going!  I don’t think it has come to Finland yet.

Since tomorrow night is the last night, it is customary for everyone to stay up nearly all night enjoying being together.  We will all have to be at the ferry by 6:30 a.m. Saturday (7:30 departure) for the 12-hour trip back to Stockholm.  That will mean being up by 5.  From Stockholm, it will be an 8-hour trip to Copenhagen.

I am very pleased at the prospect of having a room on the ferry.  It will be light the entire time we are on the water, so we will enjoy watching all the islands pass as we pull away from Finland, as well as all the islands as we near Sweden.  Once we get out on the Baltic Sea though, I am going to sleep and I am going to try to get SK to sleep since he will be driving.

On Sunday we will need to be at Sacrament meeting about 40 minutes from our apartment to hear one of our really great YSAs speak for a few minutes prior to his departure for the MTC in South Africa in a few days.  It will be followed by an open house.

What a magnificent week to enjoy the beauties of this small part of Finland.  Someone said to me today that our mission must be a particularly enjoyable one……if they only knew…..it is a choice blessing to serve in this beautiful area of the world, and to work with such incredible young people.