#36 As a missionary...nothing goes as planned!

GGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD MMMMMOOOOOOORRRRNNNNIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGG VIETNAM!!! Just kidding!  More like Good Morning from Drammen, but you know// I just had to spice up how I start my emails!  I'm getting bored with my own "Hei Hei"!  

Monday

So last Monday we did end up playing Around the World Ping Pong.. and we played Horse too...not too good at basketball but you know..what else is new?! We updated our phone because that was a mess and then tried to get appointments for this week! 

Tuesday

So as a missionary you plan for every single moment of the day...nothing went as planned today..that is one thing I have learned as a missionary.  Nothing goes as planned!!:)  But you learn very quickly to laugh it off which is a good thing!  We had an appointment with a new investigator at noon and then she texted us an hour before and said that she wasn't going to be able to make it. We're meeting with her this coming week so hopefully that is better!  So we decided to go contacting instead and the first man I stop looks at my tag and says, "Søster Love. Jesu Kristi Kirke av Siste Dagers Hellige.  Do you even know what your doing?  Do you even think?" I was so taken off guard that I just began, well attempted to start a conversation and he very quickly interrupted and told me that I had been brainwashed and that what I believed in was just a fairy tale.  Now, first of all...there is nothing that bothers me more than when other people tell me what I believe!!  But even though he wasn't going to listen to me I just told him, "I'm sorry that you think that but I know that what I believe is true" we then said goodbye and then were on our way.  We just walked across the bridge because both me and Sister Cook needed to cool down for a minute hahaha! I was so mad! But, we just laughed it off:)  I prayed that we would be able to talk to some friendly people... and we had a good conversation with a 90 year old lady...we just talked about the sun and how good it was that young people are involved in helping others and believe in Christ!  That was a breath of fresh air after what we just went through.  The people we talked to the rest of our time contacting were all so friendly and even though they weren't interested, they still respected what we were doing and we had a nice chat!  Then we had another appointment but he cancelled on us... so we went home for dinner!  Then we were going to teach a lady... but we got there and her son said she wasn't home so that didn't happen either...so that was really sad!  So we went home after that! Like I said...as a missionary...nothing goes as planned!:)

Wednesday

Today we had an appointment with a member.. and she is the sweetest lady ever!!!  She made us waffles and we just talked about how she had found the church and the role that it played in her life.  We shared the story of Abinadi and how Abinadi thought no one had listened to him. Alma was the ONE that listened...and because of him over four hundred people were baptized!  We talked about how it all happened because of the ONE and how we need to be able to be ready to help that ONE.. because you never know the affect that it could have.  It was such a good visit!!! Then we did our studies at the church and then the elders picked us up to go to a family in the ward for dinner and it was great!!  The family is so much fun!!  The Elders shared a  spiritual thought about faith and acting on faith and it was a great visit!  After that we went and played volleyball with the young women and young men.  They were all  practicing for Balliaden (Youth Conference)  (and everyone knows that mom is really good at volleyball so they expect the same thing out of me) but I'm just a disappointment! Oh well!:))

Thursday

Today we had zone conference in Oslo with the people in the east zone and that was so much fun!!!  It's always fun to see people that you haven't seen in a while... and everyone knows everyone because we are such a small mission!  So I saw Sister Petersen (her friend from EFY and first companion) and got to talk to her for a while so that was a blast!!  We went over the missionary broadcast and discussed it, role played and then had lunch and dessert with everyone!  We also said good bye to the Brostroms because they are leaving in March... and that's just super sad!!  I love the Brostroms!!! I will never forget all their Sunday dinners and chats...and my amazing Christmas! When Zone Conference was done, we went back to Drammen and went on splits with two sisters in the ward. I went with a sister... and we went and visited her grandma and went shopping for groceries since the grandma can't do it by herself. Then we just sat and chatted with her for a little while.  So much fun!  Love going on splits with members!  It's a blast!! 

Friday

Today we did weekly planning, had diinner... and then met with a lady in the ward. We talked about the temple and the blessings and the why behind it all.  It was a super good lesson and the Spirit was so strong!  I really miss being able to attend the temple so often!  But it was so fun to teach her about it!  Then we went home and invited people to come to church!

Saturday

We had a street stand today and gave out free hot dogs and focused on the Plan of Salvation!!  It was so successful!  We got 3 numbers from it and we had so many good conversations and lots of plan of salvation pamphlets were handed out!  It was a blast! I loved being able to focus on the plan of salvation and it truly is the plan of happiness!  I absolutely love it!  I love being able to bear testimony to people on the street that we can be with our families forever and that we are here on earth to have joy and prepare to live with God again!  What better message could you be sharing!  Then that evening we went to dinner with all the missionaries to a family in the ward... and they are the funnest family!  We of course had a competition to see who could do the plank the longest...and I was not the first loser!:))  We watched the talk from David A. Bednar from last general conference and then talked about how sometimes we need to sacrifice worldly things to come to know Christ better.  It was a great and way fun visit!  Then we studied with the time that we had left in the day!

Sunday

One of our potentials from the street stand came to church and he stayed all 3 hours!!!  It was the coolest thing to be able to sit next to him in sacrament meeting!  He read the sacrament prayers from Moroni in the Book of Mormon while the sacrament was being passed and read the words to the hymns as we were singing them!  It's the coolest thing to watch them experience the gospel even for just the first time.  The gospel makes you come alive!  (1 Nephi) and it's the greatest blessing and is a reminder for me of just how amazing and joyful this message is!  We talked about the Plan of Salvation in Sunday School with him and then one of the members did an AMAZING job fellowshipping him!!! Thank heavens for member missionaries!! We got an appointment with him for this week!! After church we had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward. The dinner was delicious and we had so much fun with them! It was such a relaxing dinner appointment and it was fun to just sit and talk with them!! Then we went home and did studies for the rest of the evening.

Today

Today we are going bowling!! Whoo!! And after that....who knows what! We have two appointments tonight that hopefully go as planned....so that will be good!!

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!!!

1-6 Zone Conf

4 Kylee and Sis Brostrom

5 Kylee and friend from EFY

6 Kylee and Sis. Missionary 

7 View from her apartment

8 Drammen

9-11 Hot dogs and free Book of Mormons:)

12 Kylee by the town's main bridge

13 Kylee and her companion

#35 God is good all the time

Hei Hei fra Drammen!!!

Guess what everyone!? The sun came out AGAIN!! MULTIPLE times this week even!  And I'm convinced that the fact that the sun came out and that God is good all the time, that is why we had the greatest week ever!! 

Monday

So last Monday we went and got Kebab with our District and it was actually really good! We came back to the church and played "Around the World Ping Pong" and that is the most hilarious game with our District!  We were all laughing so hard that we were just about in tears!  Funniest thing! Sister Cook and I shared a Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice Cream and it tasted like America!:)) We headed home after P-Day and continued to work in our area book! 

Tuesday

Today was the day that the SUN came out!!!:)) We went out and contacted people in the city and almost every single person we talked to wanted to stand and chat!!:)  It was because the sun was out I swear!  The first person we talked to, we talked about the Plan of Salvation and what happens to us after we die and gave him the pamphlet for it, and that was probably a 15 minute conversation! We talked to a few others that weren't interested.. but still friendly conversations... and then we talked to another guy that was actually Muslim... but he was so interested to hear about what we believed about Christ. We explained the Atonement and gave him the pamphlet too! After that we met with a lady who we found in our phone. We had our lesson with her and just got to know her a little bit.  She is from Kenya and is the only one from her family here in Norway.  She is very religious and literally everything she talked about is what our church believes!  She talked a lot and is super friendly and sweet and we are so excited to teach her!  Then we caught our bus to go to dinner at a members house and we watched Finding Faith in Christ with them and that was great!  They are the coolest family!! 

Wednesday

We had District Meeting today and I was teaching the doctrine portion this time!  We talked about the Book of Mormon and how we need to use it against objections and that if one truly believes the Book of Mormon then there is nothing else holding them back from gaining a testimony. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and so on and so forth.  We also talked about how if someone really believes the Bible, then they would believe in the Book of Mormon... because it talks about it in the bible! We tried to visit a former investigator but she wasn't home so then we tried to visit another former investigator, but we will just have to go back to both!  We had a lesson with another new investigator... and we taught him about God and about prayer!  He said the closing prayer in the lesson and it was the coolest experience!!  The Spirit was so strong!  It really puts into perspective the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father when we invite investigators to pray... and it's one of my favorite parts of teaching a lesson!  After that we went to Young Womens and continued to work on their High School Musical songs!  They're pretty good if I do say so myself!

Thursday

Today we met with former investigators to figure out if they were interested in learning more or if they were done. They were honest and told us how confused they were with everything and so they are just going to take things on their own.  But we hope they come back one day!  We also met with a new investigator and taught him about the Plan of Salvation!  He had lots of ideas and deep deep questions so it was quite the lesson... but it was good..and we're teaching the Restoration this week! After that appointment we had our studies for the day because we had to leave early in the morning... and then we went and visited our neighbors!  It was her birthday the next day so we had made brownies and had a little birthday celebration!  It was so fun!!

Friday

Today we had weekly planning and then worked in the area book...every single former in that area book has been contacted now!!  Yes!!! We got quite a few that are interested in meeting and then a ton that aren't interested, but we found the ones that are prepared within the mix!  We had dinner and met with a lady in the ward and watched Meet the Mormons with her... and it was so cool!  She told us how she could relate with all these people and told us how big of a blessing the gospel is in her life and how it was all changed because of the missionaries. The last part in Meet the Mormons is about a missionary so of course that made us cry!  The Spirit was so strong and it was a super cool experience!  

Saturday

Today we went to a sweet family in the ward for breakfast!! Delicious! We walked all the way up the Stenseth hill!  Now none of you guys know what this hill even looks like but it's basically a neighborhood on a mountain so we sure got our workout with that one!  We watched the silent interview of Christ with them and it was such a good visit!  We did our studies for the day because we had to travel this morning and then we went to my grandparents!  We had a way good dinner and then we showed the mormon message about the blessings of the temple and how they can look forward to that and being sealed in the temple!  It was such a good lesson and so fun to hear the excitement!  Temples are truly the biggest blessing and the blessing that we can be with our families forever is amazing!! Because of temples and God's authority and power on the earth, it's all possible!!  That in itself is the greatest message anyone could share! 

Sunday

We had MMK and church today and then we did our studies, had our meal times and then went through the whole area book and organized it all. We sent messages and gave referrals to other missionaries in the mission and what goes around comes around because we got a referral!  So that's super exciting too!  More people to teach!!! 

Monday

Today we are emailing and honestly probably playing ping pong again because we had a blast last time:))!!! 

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!!!!

1. From Drammen

2. Splits in Skien

3. View from the apartment

4. Studying and late dinner

5.My little Viking:)

6.Too much fun at the bus stop

7.Two girls having a lot of fun:)

8. Kylee and Sis. Cook

9. "Oh how I loooove the sun!!"

#34 Sunshine and splits to Skien

Hei Hei fra Drammen!!!

This week absolutely FLEW by! It was another great week and guess what everyone!? The sun still exists and it came out yesterday and it's out again today! That's 2 days in a row!! So this week is fantastic!  Still freezing cold but there is a sun in the sky!!:))

Monday

So last P-Day we just went home and called through our phone and we got appointments from it!  I think we had 3 or 4 appointments that we got from calling, so that was a big blessing!  Miracles do happen!  Things are looking up!

Tuesday

We had a mission wide WebX and then we had District Meeting and talked about what we want the culture of Drammen to be!  It was good! After that we had district meeting and then we had all of our studies, because we had to catch the bus early today. We watched Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration and that is literally one of my favorite movies!  It's so good!! You just watch it and just know that Joseph Smith was a prophet that was called of God to restore the church. When you have time, just watch it!  We also listened to a BYU talk called "Remember Lot's Wife" and that's another way good one that you should listen to when you have time! After our studies we went to this family in our ward...they live far away...but it was such a good visit!!  We shared the Testimony of the Book of Mormon by Holland and then we invited them to read Moroni 10 and actually..you guys should just watch that video too:)) Then we had an appointment with a potential!!  Who actually cancelled just an hour before our appointment... so we decided to call people instead and see what other appointments we could get!

Wednesday

We had an appointment today!!! We met with a guy who we had found in our phone and area book!  He has had a few lessons with the missionaries before, but said that he was willing to meet with us again.:)  Our MMK came with us on the teach and it was really good!  We spent the majority of the time just getting to know him and then asking him what he thought about God.. and that took up the rest of the time.  He had a lot of different ideas that he explained and wants to know how everything works! It was funny because Sister Cook later said that that is how she would've been if she was an investigator... so maybe this will something positive and great!! After our appointment we had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward! It was a great visit and we had  a lot of fun!  Then we went to the church to go to Young Women's... and the girls had to write their own young women songs to the tune of two High School Musical songs.... and it was hilarious!  We were made as the scribes because they wanted to do it in English and it was so funny!!:))

Thursday

Today we did weekly planning and then called through our area book and we got another appointment for this coming week, hopefully today actually but we will see!! So that was successful!  We had dinner before we took the train down to Skien... which is a two hour ride... because we had splits! Oh funny story...so we couldn't find the keys right before we were going to the bus so Sister Cook says, "Okay...prepare yourself heavens.  You're about to be opened" Haha!:))) So this day just flew by!!

Friday

Today we were in Skien all day!  I went with Sister Nielsen for the first half of the day and we went with the Elders to go and visit a less active. She was just the cutest little lady!  We just sat and talked about all sorts of random things and then we shared the scripture in 3 Nephi when Christ introduces himself to the Nephites!  It was so cool to hear what she thought about Christ and the role that He plays in her life even though she has been struggling with coming to church.  Then we went with Sister Claridge and Sister Cook on a ferri to go and have our dinner appointment with a family. They were a fun and crazy family!:)) Then me and Sister Claridge were supposed to teach a lesson, but he cancelled on us, so we traveled back to the apartment and called through the area book. We had splits review...while eating peaches and this yogurt thing (it's like Danimal for adults) and it was delicious!  

Saturday

Saturday morning we left to go back to Drammen... so I spent that time reading the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is just the coolest thing ever!  I feel like I'm just a sponge trying to soak it all up when I'm reading it!  It's incredible and testifies of everything that this gospel is! We had interview with President Hill and that was great!! He told me that our old neighbors' niece got called to Norway!! Crazy small world!!  Then we went and contacted. We had planned a Meet the Mormons night so we had invited potentials and a less active and had gotten food and such...but no one showed up. I have to say I was really disappointed...but, we watched it as a District and it was great!! Way good movie!!

Sunday

Today we had MMK and then we had church... and I learned so much in church today!  I have a goal to take notes in each of the meetings..so that will be cool!.it  I absolutely loved church today!  We had a dinner appointment..with the elders..at a member in the ward's house. She is just the greatest!! She told us how she wants to invite less actives, investigators and whoever over for dinner when we come for dinner so that she can get to know them too... and that we are more than welcome to use her house for teaching!  She is the sweetest and we appreciate the member help so much!!  After the dinner appointment we went and visited two single sisters in the ward and had so much fun!  We watched the Mormon Message "Where Justice, Love and Mercy Meet" (SO GOOD!) and talked about how Christ will never let us fall and how He has always been and always will be with us in the hard times and in the good!!

Today we have no plan for the P-Day so who knows!  But it will be great because THE SUN IS OUT!!! 

Love you all lots and lots and miss you tons!!  Also...HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!! Go tell people you love them...after all I am Sister Love!!  Ohh so funny!  Making jokes about my own name!!

Kylee took some beautiful pictures of Drammen

A member sent this pictures of Kylee and her companion

#33 Heavenly Father counts the tears, each and every one

Hei Hei fra Drammen!!! 

Monday

So last Monday we walked around a few stores in Bragernes Torg and then we went to a less active's house here in Drammen with Elder Jefferies and Elder Johnson...because she had some canned fish from Sweden...that sounds like a lame story. It's basically like rotten fish in a can and you have to open it outside because it smells so bad!!!... but the elders and my companion wanted to try it, so I was in charge of video taping them:) There was no way that I was putting something that smelled that bad into my mouth!!:)) so I just watched them gag instead!:))   After that event we went back to the apartment and called people in the phone!! 

Tuesday

Today was a day filled with trying to find investigators which is actually just everyday!  But anyway, we walked around in a different area today because we were trying to not just go in the same spot. We talked to a few people...we met this super sweet old lady and just talked to her for a little bit and then continued on.  There were barely any people outside so we decided to go bus contacting. The bus was packed so I asked one lady if I could sit next to her and then I asked where she was headed to strike up a conversation.  The minute I said that she just said, "What religion are you?" because she had seen my missionary tag.  I then had the lady across from me talk about how she told the missionaries to never come back to her house and then the lady next to me started talking about all the other churches and how we're just "another one":)) So I responded by complimenting the similarities and slipping in my defenses because what they were saying wasn't true... so that was a fun little bus ride!  But I gave them a mormon.org card so I guess you never know!  A little bit later we had an appointment with just the cutest little lady ever!  She had warmed up cinnamon rolls and then I helped her with her family history for a little bit and then shared the scripture in Alma about none of the souls being lost to our Heavenly Father. She told us about her baptism and it was such a great visit!  We ended the day with the usual calling!!  Need to get through those potentials!

Wednesday

So today was a rough day for me!!! To make a looong story short...I got a phone call from my old area and they told me that we had "lost" our new convert!! She had removed her name.  I was heartbroken!!  I called and talked to her for a little bit, but she hung up on me. My companion and I even took the train to my old area, knocked on her door, but no luck! My companion then told me to just go and pray and so that's what I did, but I just broke into tears!  It was a huge testimony builder to me that our Father in Heaven counts the tears, each and every one.  But also, that He truly does hear and answer every prayer, even if it's not audible.  It made me think too how much our Heavenly Father truly cares and loves each and every one of us.  And also how much our Savior loves us.  We know that He would leave the 99 to go and find the 1. I did think that it was my fault at the beginning but I've thought back on it and when we baptized her she was ready. We taught her and we had so many amazing and spiritual experiences and I know that she knew the gospel was true and I did everything in my power to help... but at this point, it is in the Lord's hands and in His timetable and there is nothing I can do about it, so I'm just going to hand it to Him.  We had a dinner appointment with a super sweet family in the ward that we don't actually know the last name too...but we know their first names so that's great!  We talked to their 11 year old daughter and she loves practicing her English with us, and she had started talking about Leonardo Dicaprio and then she just turns and says, "You know...I just like him" and we just burst out laughing!  We then had a delicious dinner and I even learned how to count to ten in French!  We then talked to them about missionary work and the 11 year old is talking to people at school about the Book of Mormon and talking about the missionaries!  How awesome is that!?!? She is fantastic!!! 

Thursday

Today we had District Meeting with our new District!  Elder Nelson is our District Leader and he is from Lehi, Utah and that's actually all I know about him haha!  We also have Elder Mitchell as one of our new Zone Leaders and he is from Saratoga Springs, Utah so we have lots of mutual friends so it's a blast!  We talked about the Book of Mormon and studies in District Meeting and it was really good!  Then we had District Lunch!  Then after that we did weekly planning and then we had an appointment with our neighbors!  We played the same card game that we always do and I literally lose every single time (go figure) and then had lasagna which was delicious! 

Friday

Today we had language study with one of my old friends and it was a blast!!  We read in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 11) and she helped us with our pronunciation and then we had her help us with vowel pronunciation and spelling!! Then we just spent the last little bit and just talked and caught up with what had happened in the past couple weeks!  So much fun!!  We then tried to print out a talk for a former investigator but the printer wasn't working, so we decided to go and try and visit a less active but she wasn't home, and then the girl who we had an appointment with asked us to come earlier!:)  So we went to her house and talked to her and her roommate, and it was so much fun! She showed us pictures from her mission and what she had made on her mission with talks and things and it was awesome!  We then watched the Silent Interview of Christ and asked them to write their testimonies in the Book of Mormon so that we could hand it out!  Great visit and so much fun!  Then we headed home and had dinner and then of course...more calling and working on the area book!!

Saturday

So we got asked to teach Sunday School and Relief Society... so we spent today preparing those lessons which was actually super fun!!  We are so excited to teach it!! After that we went to my grandparents's house and had a delicious dinner and dessert!! We talked about joy and how we are on this earth to experience joy and how that plays into the Plan of Salvation.  It's called the Plan of Happiness for a reason!!  It was a great lesson!!  Then we went and visited another member in the ward, and we watched the Silent Interview of Christ with her too.. and she was so touched by it!  It was incredible!!  If you haven't watched it yet, then you need to go and look it up!! We asked her to write in a Book of Mormon too!! Then we went to have the Elders print out a talk for our lesson for us and by the time we got home the day was over!

Sunday

Today was fantastic!!! We had a great Fast and Testimony meeting and then we talked about Charity in Sunday School which turned into a super cool lesson and there were a lot of awesome thoughts given!  Then we went and taught Relief Society which is the one that we were really excited about! We hoped to get the Relief Society excited about missionary work!!!  We watched Members and Missionaries and had them write down 10 names that need the gospel and pick one that they were going to contact this week!!  We then read parts of our mission calls and had a few of the relief society sisters stand up and read their "own" mission call saying that they were called to be member missionaries in the Norway Oslo Mission.  Super cool lesson and we had us all crying so it was great!!:))  After church we went to Break the Fast with the youth which was super fun and we got to get to know the youth a little bit better!  When we got home we had our language study and personal study and also called people and guess what!!?!? WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT!!!!! It was a total Best Two Years moment...I was on the phone and it was on speaker phone so my companion could hear his side of the conversation too... and he said he could meet and we set up the appointment and then we hung up and just yelled "YES!!!" and then jumped up and down!! Haha!!  Good times!! 

Today

Today we are emailing and then going to Gulskogen center and then who knows what else...we want to go up to Spiralen one of these P-Days so maybe that will be next week!!

Love you all lots and miss you all tons!!!!

Kylee's apartment...some of the her companion took before Christmas
Kylee has been out for 7 months!!