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
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 . . .”
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