This week's email!

 

This week we were able to have a Zone Meeting in Gothenberg. It was really fun to talk to other missionaries and see Sister Bass and Sister Fawcett, my two roommates from the MTC. I learned a lot from the meeting and felt very happy to be there. When we tried to take the two hour train home, we learned that there had been an accident that kept us from taking the train in the direction back to Halmstad. So a group of us chatted for the three hours until they cleared the crash. We didn't get home until midnight!

 

Funny moments of the week:

-A man opened the door and started modeling for us on the door. So awkward!

-I tried liver and pickled herring at a member's house. Definitely not my favorite food, but I loved the opportunity I had to try different food.

-I played Inbandee for the first time! It is an indoor hockey game on cement. It is a pretty big deal here in Sweden and I am terrible at it. But it is a really fun game.

 

 

This week I was able to meet two of the young women in my ward. They are both 13 and I already care about them so much. I feel like I can be my silly self with them. I was able to teach them both about prayer and how important it is to remember that God listens to our prayers, even when we don't feel so. I really hope that I can share some lessons with them that I taught at Brighton!

 

We were able to teach a teenager a couple days ago. He is an athiest, but was willing to listen to our message. After we taught him about God and the Plan of Salvation, he told us that he hadn't thought of it that way before. I could tell that he felt something. We are going to call him this week and try to set up an appointment with him again. It is SO interesting to me that so many people are athiests here. It would be very depressing to me if I thought that I would simply cease to exist once I die. Why would you have any motivation to live at all?

 

Life is great! Sweden is beautiful and the fall is gorgeous.

This past week, Sys Hosenfeld's first week in Sweden, from her companion's point of view (Grandparents might enjoy).

Excerpts of Syster Christensen’s letter this week…it has some additional details I thought you might enjoy about their area, etc.  (Her mom graciously agreed.)

“I then received my little greeny companion who was actually McCall Frampton’s comp in the MTC. Small world. Syster Hosenfeld is darling, asks lots of questions and is a hard worker. She's great.

We got settled into our brand new apartment on Wednesday night - and you will not even believe where we are living. We are living about 20 minutes from Halmstad in an area called Tylösand. It is the nicest apartment in the whole mission. We live in a resort, three minutes away from the beach, and we have our own washer, dryer, and dishwasher. The people who live in this area own big name brands in Sweden and we live close to the lead singer in a famous rock band.

Everything in the apartment is new and the beach by our house is said to be the nicest beach in all of Sweden. So no need to worry about me and my living conditions because I am WELL taken care of. One morning this week we ran right along the water on the beach and then the next day we took our towels out to the beach and did yoga. We are pretty lucky.

Halmstad is B E A U T I F U L. It is an artsy city and a lot of color. I love it. There are hardly any immigrants in this area from what I have seen. Pretty much everyone is a Swede. Its going to be a lot of work to get this place going, but I know the Lord has something wonderful planned for putting four missionaries in this area.  It is amazing to see the missionaries come straight from the MTC and see how far you can go within a couple of months of living in the Country. There really is no other way it would be possible to learn a foreign language so fast without God.

We have spent a lot of time with the Elders here the past couple of days because we had NO idea where anything was. They are awesome missionaries and are very patient with me. The bishops cute wife picked us up on Thursday morning and took us to the store to do some grocery shopping- she is a sweetheart. We were welcomed in with open hands and the ward is so excited to not only have 4 missionaries in the area, but to have sisters. And we are excited to be here as well.

On Thursday we were waiting for the Elders to get us the ward list out of their apartment and we waited outside and did some contacting. We talked to a guy named Tim, who gave us his number but was kind of laughing at us so I didn’t think anything would come out of it. A couple hours later he called us and said he wanted to meet. We met up with him that night and he said that he noticed what it said on our tags, so he went home and looked it up on the computer. He read about missionaries and was interested in what we had to say. He also said that there are two ways he normally walks home but he rarely walks home the way he did- so it was cool that we met. I just smiled because I knew the Lord prepared it to happen that way. While we were walking we ran into one of Tim’s friends, Tibias and taught both of them the plan of salvation. It was hard because it was the first time I had to teach everything without another companion to back me up or help me if I forgot something- which I am sure I did. It was not perfect but the spirit was there and my companion bore a sweet, sincere, simple testimony. And these two guys- both swedes, about 23 years old, came to conference yesterday.

We have done a lot of contacting and tracting and I know that is what we will be doing for the next couple months.”

Yay! I do have a pic for this week...

...thanks to Syster Christensen's mom.  Thank you!!!

 

Syster Hosenfeld, Syster Christensen, and another sister.  Ha!

 

Syster Hosenfeld's first P-day in Sweden - no pics this week

I am finally here in Sweden! Svierge is beautifully different than anything I have ever seen before. The first day I got here, I went to grocery store and had MAJOR culture shock when I learned that you have to pay to use public restrooms here, as well as shopping carts, and grocery bags. I almost stole a bag until my companion, Syster Christensen, told me that you have to pay for them here. Craziness.

 

I also need to tell you about my experience with singing in the Relief Society General Conference Choir; it was unforgettable. I am very lucky that I was able to take part in such an experience- to sing for the women of the church and for the First Presidency. It was also an incredible experience because I was able to see my mom and one of my best friends, McKell Stauffer. After the meeting, they were able to get my attention and we were able to have a little conversation through hand movements about 100 feet away from each other. It was such a tender mercy to be able to see them both.

 

The flights here were smooth although our group was split up. That just allowed me to have more time to call the people I love at the airport. But when I arrived at the Amsterdam airport, I felt like a fish out of water. When someone would look at me and I would smile back at them, I received so many dirty looks. Whoops. 

 

Once I got to Sweden, I learned that I was assigned to serve in the Halmstad area. My companion and I are able to open this area for sisters, which is a really cool opportunity for me as a "greenie". I feel very blessed to be here. It is absolutely GORGEOUS. There is a big river going through the city with old chapels and such. It is beautiful plåce. Also, our apartment is incredibly nice and we live on the beach. But that is another story.

 

I hope you all enjoyed General Conference and learned a lot. My favorite part about General Conference was the emphasis of missionaries and members working together. That is how we will strengthen the church and help others come to know Christ.  

 

The language is going well. I get the funniest looks when I attempt to speak Swedish. But I äm getting better!

 

Now for funny stories:

 

-I talked to a couple in Washington D.C. who is from Denmark. We were discussing their time in California and how much they loved it. Then they asked me where I was going, when I replied, "Sweden". They asked me why and I told them that I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Then it all got really quiet. Then I felt awkward, so I asked him, "Could we share a short message with you about the meaning of life?" Then he told us about how he was really tired. Then we just stopped talking. It was just so funny because they were both really outgoing and friendly to me, but the moment I talked about God, they were really cold. That is something that I have noticed here. No one believes in God!! ...yet. I have so many opportunities to teach of God and His love for them. 

 

Jag älskar dig. Ni är bäst!! 

 

Med kärlek.

Syster Hosenfeld  

 

Syster Hosenfeld's mailing address in Sweden

Please use the address listed on the right-hand side of the main blog page.  That's the mission home address.  If I get any other info./updates, I'll definitely let you all know.  Thanks for supporting our syster missionary!

Another pic

FYI -

Her first area will be the Halmstad 2 area of the Sweden Stockholm Mission.

Mondays in the Sweden Stockholm Mission are traditionally Preparation Day.

Also, if you are planning on sending any packages, I have info regarding that.  I don't want to post it on here. 

 

Systers Hosenfeld and Christensen pointing to their area on the map!  Syster Christensen's mom messaged me the following: "He (the Mission President) is a great man and I know he put our girls together in a new and untried area for a reason!"

This is for those of you who aren't on Facebook

Here are the first pics of Syster Hosenfeld in Sweden.  Enjoy!

 Upon arrival at the airport.  What a welcome!

Syster Hosenfeld with Syster Christensen, her training companion