Good afternoon! :)

 Hello there!

I hope you are all doing well. I am doing really well.

I am so thankful for facebook and messenger for helping me keep in touch with my bonus children all  over the world. Yesterday I callled two friends (separately but from the same area). I am so happy many children still want to keep in touch. I wish we could all meet up somewhere at the same time, a sis Santonen reunion lol. (Me, I am sis Santonen... in case you didn't know). 

Maybe that reunion will be after this life, who knows? All I know that it would be awesome and I might cry a little lol. I should probably also invite my big brother and big sister missionaries, those who came before I started adopting missionaries. I will have to think about it. 

Yesterday we had a testimony meeting here and I said an important thing about the missionaries. I said I am thankful for the support and help and care they give and that I want to support, help and care for them too. I also said they have helped me with coping with myself even when I feel like I can't cope with myself. I have always been very open and honest about my mental health problems. My depression often has made me tired, listless and I have sometime been too hard on myself. Well, often. So I am so happy that I have friends who don't expect me to be perfect. I know no one is perfect. I am not afraid to be myself with the missionaries. We all a little weird. :D

The mission is the best two years, 1.5 years or in my case 2 weeks of our lives.

I do not know if I personally feel like my mission was that but I can say they were life-changing and very special. I think about it daily, especially since starting this blog. Life is not supposed to be easy but wherever we are and whatever we are doing we can find joy.

I think you learn things on your mission that it is basically impossible to learn anywhere else. I think I kinda knew this back when I was 17 because even though I was young and immature, I understood that this mission thing is really special. I also feel a little sorry for those who choose not to go on a mission, not those who can not go because of health reasons etc. If I would be told to go on a mission NOW I certainly could not go because I have too many health issues, I can not serve an "senior" mission or something but I know that I can not go so I would not ask to go. I can be a member missionary and this ma' sis Santonen :D

Do not underestimate mothers, either "real" or bonus. Just sayin'.

More later!