And they went into the forest....

Several Sundays  ago we and the London's,  Rick and Lynne, were invited to the home of Aimo and Nellie Jakko for Sunday dinner.  And to attend their branch in the morning.   We were excited to go visit them, they live in a forest about 3 hours away in the town of Kouvola.  Thank goodness Rick has a GPS and the voice of the very nice lady can "re-figure"!   We needed it, the nice voice and the 're-figuring'.
The branch meets for 2 hours, they alternate with Priesthood, RS , YM, YW one week  and Sunday School the next week.   Primary is every week. The music people were out of town so I played the piano and Lynne led.  Primary was practicing for their program so I got to play for them, too!  Yeah.  Lynne got to go to YW where there was one young girl and a visitor, the daughter of the high councilor who had given a very good talk in Sacrament mtg. Rick and Wayne were called on to share their testimonies in the meeting also!

Aimo stayed for a meeting and we left with Nellie.  The drive to their home was through the country.  The Jakko's bought a school that is between 2 towns.  They live in the building where the teachers lived!   The school part they use as a work place, they have looms among many items.   It truly was out in the middle of 'no one is around but the trees.'   It was much colder in that part of Finland than down here in Espoo and Helsinki by the ocean. 

One of the things Nellie wanted us to do was go mushroom hunting.  But it was too dark by the time dinner was through.  But, someone goes hunting for mushrooms because she had several LARGE jars full of dried mushrooms.  We had mushroom gravy over potatoes with baked salmon!  Yum!  It was such a treat to talk with them.  Nellie comes from Holland and Aimo was there for a short time as a building missionary....and love blossomed.   She speaks very good English besides Finnish.  Aimo comes from a large Mormon family and all but one of them are members.   Nellie is about the only member she knows of in her family.  But she is very proud of the Mormon geneology of their children and the Jakko family.

Lynne and Nellie and I went out to her 'building'.  Not huge, just accommodates her 'business' of miniatures.  She buys them on line and then has quite a list of customers who order from her.  She got into it about 3 years ago when she bought a doll house for a granddaughter....but she discovered  it is really a grown up  hobby!

Aimo and Nellie are amazing people!   They have been instrumental in introducing the Gospel to many Russian people.  In the early eighties they were instrumental in bringing the gospel to about forty (40) Russian Saints, baptizing, fellow shipping, and helping them along their way. Because of Nellie's championship table tennis days she was able to get into Russia a little easier!  She may be taking it up again this summer in senior games.

It's our priviledge  to renew acquaintances with them (for Wayne) and the rest of us get to know them!