Helsinki Finland Mission Conference

Our All Mission Conference was held on 5 June 2012.  A conference like it had not been held for several years.  There were 82 missionaries in attendance, traveling from all corners of Finland to be there.  Our Area General Authority came to inspire and instruct with his beautiful and gracious wife.  Upon their arrival at the chapel in Marjoniem, all missionaries in attendance stood together in reverence and respect. It was beautiful!  Even more impressive was that the General Authority requested that each missionary file by him and his wife, our mission president and his wife, and the assistants.  Each missionary in attendance was greeted one by one.  It reminded us...

“And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place.   

And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death. 

And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

                  And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.

                  And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

                  And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

                  Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

                  And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

                  And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

                  Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

                  And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

                  And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.

                  And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

                  Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole ^dearth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

                  And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.” 

                                                                    3 Nephi 11:1-15 

One by one is good!!  It was a very personal and beautiful gesture by the Area President.  We were also part of the missionary contingent attending so we were greeted in this special way too.  

It was a full day of inspiring instruction from our mission president, his wife, the Area President, his wife, and the Assistants to the President.  

In the middle of our day we prepared lunch for all.  We served Hamburger Vegetable Soup, salads, and bread with a yummy dessert.  We sent each missionary off to travel back to their apartments with a sack lunch. The evening meal was catered for all the Finnish church leaders who came for training in the evening.

It was a wonderful conference!!!

   

"I've got your back President!"

Remember it is all about the "one"!