Whats up family and friends? 
I hope you all had a great week of the first 2 hour church and a great start to the new year. Sounds like everyone is back in school and back to work. 

This week has been pretty good. This Wednesday we had district counsel and it was Hermana Gray year mark. She is the girl that sat next to Rosie during a meal at the MTC. She reminds me of her a lot as well. We had some cookies and we played all the Chubby Bunny game. Make sure to check out the drive for a funny video on that. 

This week was also the first week of home cooked meals. As you can imagine with any missionary, this is something most struggle with, including myself. I got all the ingredients for the spaghetti and it turned out pretty good, all expect the sauce tasted good. I got diced tomato and sauce and it literally tasted like a stink-in tomato, not marinara sauce. However the meat was great and the noodles. This week I will be getting better sauce for sure and hopefully a few more things for more meals. If you do have any recipes that are simple and easy to make, make sure to send them my way. 

I hope you all had a great time at two hour church yesterday. For me it was more than two hours, but it felt nice to get out earlier. Our branch combined with another so now we have a lot more people coming, probably at least 70 or 80. We also had one of our investigators come as well for the second time with his son. He stayed both the two hours and even invited us over to make some burgers. So in the afternoon we went over there and ate with his family. That is one key to missionary work. By simply going in to their house and teaching them all the lessons, I feel like isn't enough. They need and want friendship with the members and including the missionaries. So that is one thing I have noticed this week teaching and visiting him.

Well there is only one more week until transfers. I will know who is staying and going when we get a call this Saturday. I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas break. Keep working hard and don't forget how much I miss and love you all. Happy Birthday Dad and Kim and happy 1 year mark Rosie. 

Elder Nissinen

Pictures in the Drive will be uploaded soon. Love ya