#66 Best Zone Conference and splits miracles!!

Hei Hei Fra Bergen!!! 

This week has been another incredible week...but what's new haha!  Every week in the mission is just another incredible week and I am so blessed to be able to serve the people here in Norway! 

Monday

Last Monday we went with the other sisters to teach språk to an investigator that is trying to learn Norwegian and then ate dinner at home after that... and that about summed up our evening!

Tuesday

Today we left for zone conference in Stavanger!!! This was probably one of my favorite zone conferences in my entire mission!!!  We talked about having the faith to find and letting the spirit guide and it was incredible!  They then gave us 10 minutes at the end to be able to reflect on what we learned and what we can apply to our missionary work.  I decided to read D&C "A marvelous work has begun to come forth" and I already started to get teary eyed.  This work that we do is absolutely incredible and "if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work" I finished reading this chapter and at the bottom of the page there is one of the paragraphs written that is in every mission call letter.  "Greater happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you serve the Lord in this labor of love among His Children" that is exactly what a mission is and I have totally seen that come to pass throughout my mission.  I decided that I was just going to seize every moment.  When I'm contacting then I'm focused on contacting and focusing on where the Lord is leading me.  If I'm teaching a lesson then I'm fully focused on those that I am teaching.  I will seize the day, seize the moment for the rest of my mission.  It was incredible!  We then had interviews with President Hill and then we went on splits with the Stavanger Sisters, Sister Sorensen and Sister Morris and did 12 week and had dinner!

Wednesday

Today we were on splits!  I was with Sister Sorensen (my old companion in Drammen)!!! for the beginning of the day and we were out contacting because the one that we had an appointment with wasn't showing up ...so we instead were out on the streets and talk about splits miracles!  We got two people one right after the other telling us that they were interested and took the Book of Mormon and got numbers and it was awesome!  Then Sister Morris and I went and taught a less active about the Book of Mormon and how she can gain a better tie to it using the Bible and seeing how they work together.  Then we had our splits review and then we were off to traveling back to good ol Bergen!  

Thursday

Today we went and taught some investigators and we talked about prayer and the Holy Ghos...t and they are just the sweetest!  We were sharing experiences about the power of prayer and our experiences with the spirit and it was incredible.  She has such a great desire to do everything that the Lord commands and has the attitude of "Well if God says it, then I must do it" and it's incredible!  She doesn't ever hesitate, she just does.  Then we were out contacting because we had a few lessons cancel or didn't show up so we were out on the streets.... and there has been the World Cup Bike Race thing going on in Bergen so the city is literally packed all the time.  There were sooo many people!  We did find a couple of people who were interested and we got their numbers and one of them actually texted us yesterday saying that we could meet!  SWEET!!!!  Then we met with our investigator, our atheist...and he was late because of the bike race.... and we had another appointment scheduled...so we only had like 30 minutes! So we watched a couple of the Bible Videos and talked about faith in Christ and he is making so much progress!  He said that he would read in the Book of Mormon every day and he is working on coming to church!  He is so awesome!  Then we went to our next appointment and that fell through so we tried knocking on doors of potentials that we knew lived in the area...and tried to go knock doors in other apartments but the doors were locked so we ended up back out on the streets!  But it was a good day!

Friday

Today we had a lesson with a new investigator!!!  We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he was just accepting absolutely everything.  He was in total agreeance  with what we were saying and then so we of course invited him to be baptized and to set a baptismal date!  And guess what he said?!  YES!!!  So we have a baptismal date for November 11th!!!  WAHOOO!!!!! I'm so pumped!!!  I was later bearing my testimony of the blessings that will come from baptism and he looks at me and just says, "You are so easy to believe.  I just listen to what you have to say and I just believe you" Then he went on to say that the first time he had met me on the street he had felt a "connection" that apparently just makes it easy for him to believe in what we have to say.  He says that he can feel the Spirit when we teach him the lessons and that he will be baptized, he just has to gain a testimony of it:)) So we are working on that!:))Then we had another lesson with another investigator and we taught him the Plan of Salvation as well.  He said that he wants to be baptized when he finds out it is true but didn't want to set a date which is alright!  We'll keep working with him!  Then we went to sport and played volleyball! 

Saturday

Today we taught the språk class in the city and then cleaned the teaching center and then we did weekly planning, 12 week, the rest of studies and dinner!  That took up that!

Sunday

There were barely anyone in church today because all these roads were closed for the bike race... but three of the missionaries bore their testimonies in sacrament meeting which was really cool and then I translated for Sunday School!  After church we went out on the streets to contact and there weren't people who were interested but that's alright! Then we had dinner and our studies and 12 week!

Today

Today we are probably going to be outside doing something and then we are flying to Oslo for First Transfer Training so that will be a party!!  

Love you lots and miss you tons!!

  

#65 Splits...ridiculed...and miracles!

Hei Hei Fra Bergen!!! 

Bet you'll never guess how I'm gonna start this email?! Haha! It was just another amazing week in the mission field!  We have seen miracles upon miracles and as always, God is Good! 

Monday

Last Monday it was all rainy so we just walked around stores and shops and different things like that!  Then Sister Hatch and I had an appointment with a less active out in who knows where. Elder Hansen was telling us how to get from the bus stop to her house because he had a picture of the map on his phone and so he was trying to lead us there...we took the longest way possible and totally got lost and it was literally a minute away from where we started haha!  But it was a good visit!  She is a super sweet lady and we were just getting to know her and laughing but then she was eating and she literally started choking...full on choking!  We thought it was just kind of a "wrong pipe" ordeal but no, choking so both of us got up and were ready to help her and then she got air!  Talk about a freak out moment..so our less active is still alive and well! 

Tuesday

Today we had District Meeting and we were talking about The Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ and then our appointment cancelled so we went out contacting instead. We had dinner with a family in the ward and that was super good!  They are such a sweet family and are always so kind to the missionaries!  Then we had our MMK meeting and then finished up with studies and dinner! 

Wednesday

Today we had an appointment with another less active family and we taught them about the fall of Adam and Eve and agency.... and it was a super good lesson!  We were teaching them and then the lady started tearing up and just said, "I love the way that you teach the gospel" and that was a super cool for me to hear!  It was just a reminder that I am called to serve in a specific place for a specific reason because the way I teach the gospel is what the people that I am called to teach need!  Then we were contacting and then we had another appointment with a new investigator!  We talked to him about the Book of Mormon and he said he would read and we got a return appointment!  Then we had splits with the Haugesund sisters and so I was with Sister Horrocks for the rest of the day.  We met a JW on the bybane and we were having a discussion about Adam and Eve and the fall... that was cool that that was the topic because I had just taught a lesson about that earlier so it was all fresh in my brain! What we had said really got her thinking.  It was a good conversation!  Then we went apartment banking...we ring the doorbells outside of the apartments and talk to people that way and we actually had someone say we could come back!  Then we had a Relief Society Activity!

Thursday

Today I was with Sister Earl for the majority of the day!  We went and taught our investigator and we asked her to write down the blessings that she had received since she had been investigating the church and what it could mean if she joined the church.  We had a way good lesson with her and really made a break through... so I am super excited to see the progress that she will be making!  Then we went out and contacted and found a potential and  were reminded of an appointment that we hadn't written down... so we ran to meet him and taught him the Restoration and he took it all in!  He told us that when we had recited the First Vision that he had gotten goosebumps and said that he would read and then he said, "The only thing you're not going to get me to believe in is the pope" and I just laughed because we don't have a pope!  Easy! Then we taught another lesson with another investigator and taught him the Plan of Salvation and that was an interesting lesson.  He had some different ideas about the atonement and what that meant and how it wouldn't work and things like that, so that was an interesting lesson.  But he is one that just needs to read the Book of Mormon with not a desire to prove it wrong, but to take it as it is.  So we're working with him. Then Sister Hatch and I went apartment banking and someone let us in but then they didn't open their door...so almost! 

Friday

Today we were going to teach two people but both fell through so we were out contacting!  We meet so many people every single day that I literally don't remember what happened but I'm sure it was great!  Then we went and visited a sister in the ward and I just love visiting her!!!  She is the best!!!  She even walked with us to the bus when we were going to the city!  We changed for sport and were walking to the bybane and this guy saw us and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk right in front of us and says, "Hey Babes" and we just kept on walking and then he was yelling after us saying "Wait, babes, sorry" and Sister Hatch and I were just cracking up!  Oh the stories from a mission! Then we played volleyball for sport! 

Saturday

Today we had language class but the world wide bike championship is going on so going into the city takes an eternity... and all sorts of things are blocked off... but there are millions of people!  Which leads me to our contacting session!  There are some places where it is just impossible to contact... so we walked until a not so crowded area and then stopped people.  We met 3 Americans which was super fun, it's always refreshing to hear "Hi Sisters" because someone actually wants to talk to you!  I did get one of the hardest rejections though on my mission.  Everyone has seen the Book of Mormon musical and we stopped some lady and she was flat out making fun of us and laughing at us and all these other people were obviously watching.  We told her that that wasn't true and that we hoped she had a nice day but dang is it hard when people are literally laughing at you when you share something that is the most important thing in the world for you! But we were blessed because later after contacting through millions of people we found ONE person who took the Book of Mormon and said that she wanted to learn more!  The Lord leads this work!  And Jeffrey R. Holland has a quote that says, "When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Then it makes it all worth it!  Then we did weekly planning and then practiced our song that we were supposed to be singing in church on Sunday.

Sunday

Well we sang our song in Ward Conference and it went really well!  I don't know why everyone assumes that all missionaries can sing... but I have sang way too many times in church for someone who can't sing haha!  But it was great!  I got to see a lot of people from the Drammen Ward because many of them have stake positions so that was really fun!  Also, our investigator came to church and you could smell cigarette smoke but I just thought how cool that was.  I'm sitting in church and I can smell that, but that means that there is someone that is trying to change, coming closer to Christ and they may not be there yet, but they are one step closer than they were yesterday.  Then there was a school group that interviewed us about what it is like to be a missionary and that was cool!  They said that they gained a lot of respect for us and what we do after our interviews.  Then we went to a less actives house for dinner with a former investigator and that was great!  Good food, good company!  Funny story though, we were walking in the city earlier and we were talking about how hungry we were because we hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was now almost 5 and this lady who worked for some store is standing with a platter with pastries handing them out for free!  We couldn't believe it!  Also, we kept laughing and saying that it was like the pioneer miracles where food just appeared!  Then later we were standing at the bus stop and witnessed some fighting scene type thing, they were fighting in the middle of the street and screaming and yelling and then two random Norwegians stopped their cars and went to go and help and I was just amazed at that. Everything was fine but I love seeing acts of service happen around me, light of Christ! 

Today

Today we are going to go play basketball with our District...yea that's going to be hilarious!  Because as we've all discovered I'm not too great at soccer or volleyball, basketball is the one that I'm the worst at if that's even possible.  So in case any of you are having a rough Monday or start to the week, just know that I'm playing basketball in Norway and that will get you laughing! 

Love you lots and miss you tons!

Kylee wanted to share this "story"

At first I saw God as an observer, like my judge, keeping track of things I did wrong. This way, God would know whether I merited heaven or hell when I died. He was always out there, sort of like the President. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn’t really know Him at all.

But later on, when I recognized my higher power better, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, on a tandem bike, and I noticed God was in the back helping me pedal.

I don’t know when it was that He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since. . . .

When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring but predictable. It was always the shortest distance between the points.

But when He took the lead, He knew delightful cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He [said], “Pedal!”

I worried and became anxious, asking, “Where are you taking me?” He just laughed and didn’t answer, and I found myself starting to trust. I soon forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure, and when I’d say, “I’m scared,” He’d lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed; gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey. Our journey, that is, God’s and mine.

And we were off again. He said, “Give the gifts away, they’re extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him at first, in control of my life. I thought He’d wreck it. But He knew bike secrets, knew how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear places filled with rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.

And I’m learning to [be quiet] and pedal in the strangest places, and I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, my higher power.

And when I’m sure I can’t go on anymore, He just smiles and says, “Pedal . . .”

#64 Come and Follow Him

Hei Hei Fra Bergen! 

Well friends, it's just climbing into September and I already cracked and I have winter tights on.  We were going as long as we could without having to do that and now all 4 sisters in our apartment are wearing winter tights and sweaters haha!  It has been another great week so I'm just going to jump right in:)

Monday

Last Monday Sister Stolp and I were traveling to MLC in Oslo with Elder Hansen and Elder Cole and that was just funny!  We were cracking up and laughing over all sorts of things!  Then Sister Stolp and I stayed at the Hill's and we had cereal and banana bread and then talked to President and Sister Hill before we went to bed!  I have seriously been blessed with the greatest mission president and mission president's wife in the entire world!  They are sooo awesome!  

Tuesday

Today was MLC and that is a 6 hour long meeting!  We went over a lot of different things in the mission like splits and zone focuses and then Sister Stolp and I did a presentation about the importance of addressing families in contacting....so we talked about that and it went really well!  I learned a lot and have new things that I can apply in my missionary work... so that's exciting!  We then traveled home and then ate dinner when we got there! 

Wednesday

Today we hada  WebEx with our entire mission and had announcements.... and the new missionaries introduced themselves.  It's crazy how young our mission is!!  There have been 46 missionaries that have gone home since July.... so more than half of our mission are new missionaries.  Crazy!  But it's a fun time!  We then had District Meeting and we talked about the last part of the Plan of Salvation and how to connect before conversion!  It was really good!  Then we had our personal study and then we had a couple of appointments but both of them cancelled.... so we were out on the streets contacting! 

Thursday

Today we had a lesson with a potential that we found on the street and that lesson lasted about 30 minutes if that.  We were prepared to teach them and we had started on the first point.... but there was already a language barrier and he had brought a friend with him... and then suddenly they just looked at us and said, "Can we go now?" and I told them that they could and they took the Book of Mormon and the pamphlet and just left.  So that was an interesting lesson.  Then we contacted and we went and taught our friend who is the atheist (I taught him before with Sister Bennett) and we had an awesome lesson with him!  We taught him the last part of the Restoration and he said that he was ready to now read and get back into the swing of things.... because it had been a long time since we had met with him.  But I told him that there was a reason that he kept meeting with us, that there was something that kept pulling him back.... and he agreed with that and told us that he wants to find out if there is a God.... and then he's supposed to be coming to church on Sunday!!  SCORE!!! Then we were back out on the streets and calling through potentials.... and this whole week we were getting appointments from the phone left and right! 

Friday

Today we had a lesson with a NEW INVESTIGATOR woo woo!  We met him on the street last week and he is an atheist.  We also seem to find the people who don't believe in God at all haha! But we taught him the Restoration and he was just taking everything in...really well for being an atheist!  He had lots of questions about things that pertained to the Plan of Salvation so we are meeting with him again this coming week....but we committed him to read 2 Nephi 2 and 9 and within a couple hours of the appointment  he had read both chapters and texted us a summary of what he had learned!  WHAT?! That's awesome!!!  So I'm way excited about him!  Sister Hatch keeps saying, "He's going to be baptized!" and I can totally see that happening so I'm pumped to see his progress!  Then we were back out on the streets and then we played volleyball for sport and out of my 14 months on a mission, that was the best I have ever done in sport.  "Perhaps faith isn't faith until it has been tried" hahaha! Kidding!  But it was fun to actually feel like I could play haha!  

Saturday

Today we were going to have a lesson at 9am but they forgot so they didn't show up...and then we were supposed to have another lesson and they also didn't come.... so we went home and called through the area book and this week in total we have gotten 8 appointments from potentials in the phone or in the area book so that has been super sweet!!!  We then had our study and then did weekly planning and that took up just about the rest of the day! 

Sunday

Today we had church and I just love church!  One of the new converts told us that he was playing football so he couldn't come to church.... and so we had multiple people from the ward texting him to say they were excited to see him there and all of that and then HE CAME!!! I was so excited!  Gotta keep these new converts strong and grounded! So that was exciting!  We then went banking around our neighborhood and we were not having any success... but we were praying that we would follow the Spirit and be led to someone who needed the gospel and even though we didn't find them while banking... it was on the street right after....and she had said that the past couple of years she had wanted to learn more about people like us and had actually sought people like us out (people who claimed they were Christians and actually lived differently than everyone else). It was so cool because at the beginning she didn't want to listen to us and I immediately started testifying of the Book of Mormon and she went silent... and it ended up being like a  5 minute conversation and her wanting to meet! Prepared soul!!!! God WILL put people in our path, or He WILL put us in other people's paths. It was awesome!

This past week I was thinking of something that I wanted to talk about in my email... but I totally forgot what that was:))haha... so instead I'm going to just share something else that I learned. When the Savior invites us to "come" and "follow" Him then "coming" requires sacrifice on our part but to "follow" means to live the law of consecration of being able to align your will with the Lord's and do whatever you can in your power to be able to help His work move forward.  As a missionary, that is what we do every single day.. but I hope that I have been able to be a missionary to people at home too.  This gospel means the world to me and I can't imagine my life without it.  It is REAL.  Sometimes I just sit and think about that fact that this is all REAL and it blows my mind.  How incredible is that!  I'm so blessed and I thank God every day that I have this gospel in my life.  GOD IS GOOD! 

Love you all lots and miss you tons! 

Pictures from the hike to Ulrikken...this time in nice weather

From Bergen and where she usually is contacting

Pictures from MCL in Oslo....thanks to Sis. Hill who takes amazing pictures!!!

#63 God will put people in our path

Hei Hei fra Bergen!

This week has been another amazing week!  Yes I know that is how all of my emails start... but I literally just love my mission with my whole soul... so every week is just another amazing week! 

Monday

So last Monday we ended up going to a lady's house and had raspeboller! and we just sat down and listened to her stories...she is always giving us advice on life so it was a fun little visit!  We had troubles with the bus getting out there so that took up almost the whole evening.... and we came home and called potentials and got 5 appointments with potential investigators!!!

Tuesday

Today I had a couple WebEx meetings with the mission to prep for training and to prep for MLC. So we were doing that for the first half of the morning and then we were out contacting for the last time with Sister Hutchings. We went and had a lesson with a less active family and we talked to them about church attendance and the importance of being there for all 3 hours.  It was a really good visit with them!  They are the sweetest family!  Then we had MMK and then we had a goodbye dinner for Sister Hutchings with all the missionaries, the senior couple and some investigators.  It was a lot of fun! 

Wednesday

Today consisted of going just back and forth to the airport multiple times haha!  Sister Hutchings left early in the morning so we all went to the airport with her and then said goodbye and then came back.  Then we had some studies and lunch and then took Sister Bennett to the airport because she was leaving for Ålesund. We went to the city and we met up with the senior couple....they picked up my new companion Sister Hatch!  Sister Hatch is from Layton, Utah and she is 5'11" so that is super awesome!! Now I have someone who walks at the same speed as me now haha!  She played volleyball in high school and we get along really well! I let her get unpacked, we had dinner and we did some 12 week training and then Sister Wheeler picked up her companion Sister Stolp! So...lots of trips to airport today:)) We are having a party in our apartment every night!  It is so much fun with the four of us!

Thursday

Today we had District Meeting and Elder Christian is our new District Leader.  So now our District consists of Elder Hansen, Elder Cole, Elder Christian, Elder Stephenson, Sister Wheeler, Sister Stolp, Sister Hatch and then me!  So it's a lot of fun!  We talked about the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost and it was a really cool District Meeting!  There were a lot of cool experiences shared and I learned a lot! We then had District lunch and then we went out and contacted!  We were out contacting for about 2 hours but we weren't having too much success!  We got one number... and you never know what can come from that one number!  So it could be a lot of success, who knows!  But it was good and I thought it was so much fun to contact and show my new companion how fun it can actually be!  She probably thinks I'm crazy that my favorite thing to do is stop random people on the street, but I think it's a blast!  Then we did studies and 12 week!

Friday

Today we had a lesson with a potential investigator but she didn't speak Norwegian well enough to be able to understand what we were actually talking about .....and we don't speak Tigrina... so that wasn't really working out... but she was a super sweet lady and I'm sure she would accept the gospel if she understood:) Then we had lunch and then went out and contacted and we found so many prepared people!  We talked to anyone and everyone and we got multiple numbers and we handed out both Book of Mormons that we had taken with us!  We also had a really cool experience when we were going to one of our other lesson with a potential investigator! She was running late but we were standing outside the building and there was a guy that told us that he knew who we were and that the missionaries had taught him when he lived in Ghana!  He was asking us all sorts of questions and we were able to teach him on the street!  The lady that we actually had an appointment with wasn't able to meet as it turns out, but the Lord led us there anyway so that we could meet this guy.  Super cool!  This whole day was just evidence to me that God truly does know us personally, He knows that we are missionaries, He knows where we are serving and where we had planned to be that day and because we were willing to work and follow the Spirit, then God could put people in our path.  It was the coolest thing!  I was so pumped!  AHH I love missionary work!!! Then we played volleyball for sport and we all know how great I am at sports so I won't go into that haha!

Saturday

Today I taught language class and then we had lunch and then it was back out on the streets!  We were getting hit with a lot of nei takks and then there was one of the last people that we talked to that took the Book of Mormon and gave us his number!  Just another testimony builder that when you are willing to work and follow the Spirit, then the Lord will try you...but you just have to keep opening your mouth and He WILL lead you!  I've seen it a thousand times on my mission and I'm so incredibly grateful that the Lord reminds me of it so often!  God is Good!  That is my mission motto! Then we had weekly planning and then some studies and 12 week!

Sunday

Today was a great Sunday!  There were great testimonies and I was able to translate for the last two hours of church!  I'm just the designated translator haha!  But it's fun!  Then Sister Stolp and I finished a presentation that we have to have at MLC tomorrow...so we were planning and working on that...and then Sister Hatch and I went to a less actives for dinner.   We had a lesson with one of our new converts with Elder and Sister Jenson (missionary couple)  and he was bearing his testimony of the Book of Mormon and telling us all the miracles that he had seen since being baptized and how he wanted to share the gospel with more than just his family.. and then thanked us for doing what we do because it is because of missionaries that his life has been changed.  I haven't cried in a lesson in a while but that one got me!  The spirit was SO STRONG! I know without a doubt that this church is true!!! God lives, Jesus Christ lives, the Book of Mormon is true and I'm so incredibly grateful that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!  I am incredibly grateful that I get to wear a tag that says "Søster Love

Jesu Kristi Kirke av Siste Dagers Hellige" I love testifying about this gospel.  I love telling people that the Book of Mormon is evidence that God exists.  I love telling people that I literally know what can make you eternally happy.  I love telling people that families are eternal and that I have seen that blessing in my own life.  I love telling people that they can live with God again.  This gospel is the greatest news that anyone could ever hear!  I LOVE IT AND I AM SO HAPPY!!!!!

Today

Today we are going to go hike a hike that I don't remember the name of and then Sister Stolp and I are going to MLC in Oslo so that will be fun!

Love you lots and miss you all tons!!