The postman gets mail...and a chocolate bar

This week was full of FINDING. Okay, every week is focused on finding, but this week especially. I have grown to love bus contacting. I walk into the bus and sit close to someone and usually give them a Bro Fist. I know, it sounds weird, a sister missionary Bro Fisting, but it honestly just loosens the people up. Although I am wearing a dress with a name tag, they think I'm more normal. When they finish the Bro Fist, they usually chuckle a bit, and then we talk. This week, we met three awesome new friends who we taught. They all have great potential, and we are super excited that we were able to meet them!  

 

Church yesterday was INSANITY. Absolute insanity. We missed the bus going to church, so we got there at 10:50 instead of the usual 10:20. When we walked in the door, the halls were flowing with people. Members of the Malmö Stake came and spoke, but we also had many of our friends there at church. There were more than 70 people in sacrament meeting and it felt so good. Just like home. :) I am grateful that the members of our ward are so loving to our friends who come to church. I talked to one of our friends who came to church after (about what he felt about it) and he said, "I had so much fun today. There are so many kind people that I met." It just warmed my heart. I truly believe that one can feel our Heavenly Father's love for them through others. And that definitely happened that day in church.

 

This week, I studied "Love, the Essence of the Gospel" by President Monson. It was a talk that he gave last conference. Although I had read it before, I learned new things reading it through this time. He spoke of love- the center of our beliefs. He encouraged us to love more freely; to show kindness to everyone around us, not just to those who are good to us. I have thought about that talk this whole week: How can I be better and love more deeply? I have thought about the times in my life where I have felt loved, and they were after small things. A smile, "I love you", act of service, quality time. Although I am far from perfect, I am grateful that I have been blessed to love the people I serve here in Sweden. You don't need money to prove that you love someone. You just need time to show that you care about them through service.

 

Times I have seen Love through the Week:

 

-Syster Carlson making me meals and being patient with me. She just serves selflessly.

-The Elders giving us water after our bike ride to their apartment.

-My family and friends writing me letters, even though I am a horrible pen-pal.

-People in the ward praying for the missionary work here in this area.

-Nice texts from past companions I have had.

 

 

 

(Me with the birthday present I bought for myself)

 

Sometimes I worry that I am going to come home and be a completely different person. But then I have experiences like I had this week that remind me that I am still the same Airhead I was before. It started last Sunday. We were taking the 20 minute bus ride to the church and as I got off, I left the bus card on the seat. Totally forgot it! So Syster Carlson and I tried to track it down, but no one turned it in. Which meant that I had to buy another pass. Now, this isn't just some one-time bus pass. This little card gets us EVERYWHERE for an entire month. My heart broke a little bit when I had to spend the 1000 Kronor to buy it again. (About 150 US Dollars). OUCH! But, Happy Early Birthday to Me! :)

 

Long story short. I am such a blonde!

 

 

Syster Carlson and I. Isn't she the cutest?!

 

Missionaries in our area- Elder Zauggie, Elder Milnie, Syster Carlson, and I. Also, a zone leader is in this pic, too.

 

I am still the silly McKenzie I was before. I left a letter to the postman, thanking him for walking up the three flights of stairs every day to deliver our mail to us. I also left a chocolate bar for him. It made me so happy when I returned later that night and the note and candy had been taken. :)

 

Every Tuesday we have soccer night. Let's just say that I didn't leave unharmed. (Right shin)

 

Zone Training in Helsingborg

 

Pday Adventures with Syster Carlson! (Exploring the coast)

Sweden's National Day

This week, Sweden celebrated their National Day. I was expecting a huge celebration; fireworks, parties, Swedish patriotism. Syster Carlson and I wore blue dresses with yellow cardigans to celebrate the big day. When we stepped outside of our apartment, I realized that my expectations of this holiday were very different than the reality. First, there weren't any people wearing clothing of the Swedish colors or flags. I actually saw many people wearing stars and stripes, but that is just typical Swedish fashion. A friend invited us to come to a celebration on an island close to our apartment. There, Swedish songs were sung and typical dances were danced. A cannon was fired. But there wasn't a huge party that I was expecting! Later, I talked to some Swedes who told me that National Day isn't celebrated very much here in Sweden. It is looked forward to mostly because some stores are closed and people don't have to work.

 

Later that day, Syster Carlson and I went to the ice cream shop across the street from our house. We were talking and enjoying our waffle cones when I heard English. The "Heavenly Language" as I have heard it called (haha). And this English wasn't Swedish-English. This English was the REAL stuff. I turned around in my chair and asked the people behind me where they were from.  Their reply: "We are from the United States. We work for the Navy and we are stopped here for a few days". I wish I could accurately describe to you how excited I was when I talked to them!! REAL Americans in Sweden! We talked about where they were from (The South) and their lives in the Navy. We talked and talked and talked. And it was so nice!

 

I guess I have forgotten how much I miss America. I miss the prices, I miss the big portions (lol), I miss the huge choice of cereals (again, haha). But in all reality, I feel super grateful to be an American. I love Sweden more than I can describe. I love the culture, the people, the love I feel here. But I am glad to be an American! I look forward to the day when I get off the airplane and kiss American soil. (But seriously, though. I really am going to kiss it.)

 

Life is good and I am grateful that I am here. I have learned so much, and I feel incredibly blessed!

Kenzie has a new companion, Syster Carlson

This week, I have a new companion! Her name is Syster Carlson and she is from (wait for it).... UTAH! Woo hoo. She has a hilarious Southern accent somehow, she loves Laffy Taffy jokes, and she is a light sleeper so she hears ALL of my sleep talking. Supposedly, this week while I slept I said: "Ughhh! He knows I believe in God so he thinks I'm a freak!!". Random. haha. 

 

This week, I am grateful...

 

-That we could hit many of our goals! We were blessed and were able to teach a bunch of lessons and talk to a ton of people.

-I could use my Serbian and Arabic. I swear, I say "Kafalal" and "Kaka Si?" more than "Hejsan". I love the immigrants here!

-I could read a lot from the Book of Mormon. The missionaries in this mission were invited to read the entire Book of Mormon before the end of June. I am so close, and I have loved reading through the Ether chapters. I am very grateful that we have so much time to study every day. But it isn't enough. :)

-For the sun. I know I said this last week, but I am grateful for it. Sunshine helps with missionary work. The people are nicer, I feel happier, everyone is in a better mood when the sun is in the sky.

 

 

Sometimes we get random texts in different languages... I am guessing this is Italian?

Hosenfeld School! Woot woot!

I don't know what "RM" stands for in this situation, but I know what it stands for in my mind. :)

 

I have been very blessed this week to see small miracles. The first miracle I saw was my growth in Swedish. This week, I have been speaking a lot more Swedish and feeling more comfortable about talking. I am more confident than I have been in a long time, and it makes missionary work a lot easier! I have also seen growth in myself. I have been thinking a lot about the changes I have seen in myself while serving a mission. I am grateful that I have had the privledge to serve a mission. Although I have been struggling trying to see my influence as a missionary in my area, I know that being a missionary has influenced my life.

May 26th - "I am grateful for my BROTHER."

We were in the paper!

 

This is the general translation for all of you Americans. :)

 

Missionaries Spread Their Faith

 

"Many see us as Aleins, but we are completely regular people."

 

Caption for picture: "As many young Mormons, Ashley Anderson and McKenzie Hosenfeld have chosen to be missionaries. Mormons have a tradition in their young years to give a portion of their life to serve. "We try to spread the message we have with others. We believe that there is more to this life than to simply live and die", says Ashley.

 

They are on their life's journey.

They have travelled to the other side of the world. The language is different, the culture is different, and the people are different.

Ashley Anderson and McKenzie Hosenfeld are two young women who have chosen to lay aside their lives to spread Mormonism.

 

"99.9% of the people here don't believe in what we believe in", says McKenzie Hosenfeld. McKenzie speaks good Swedish for only being here for 6 months. When I heard them speak Swedish for the first time, I thought "No Way" that they had learned their Swedish so quickly.  Ashley speaks almost fluent Swedish and sounds although she has been here in Sweden for many years.

 

As missionaries, they speak with people everyday on their faith. They believe that God has helped them learn the language so quickly.

 

"Many see us as aliens, but we are completely regular people. I studied art when I was home and am the youngest of six children. I would love to become a photographer", says Ashley. Ashley Anderson is 20 years old and is from Utah, USA. But now, she is Syster Anderson, a missionary for her church. She says, "To go on a mission is a free choice for us, no one forces us to go. It means so much to us."

 

McKenzie Hosenfeld is also from Utah. Ashley and McKenzie met here in Karlskrona for the first time. Her is 19 years old and has a younger brother. (Haha, shout out to my BROTHER!) She also went to college when she was home and have divorced parents.

 

"My parents are also Mormon, but they didn't force me to go on a mission. They support me because it is important to me", she says. "Many believe that we are paid to be here, but we actually pay on our own. But it is something that we are willing to do because our beliefs mean the world to us. It has been an amazing experience."

 

What have you learned from your mission here in Sweden?

 

"I have learned how much I love the people here, even when I don't know them." says Ashley Anderson.

 

"I have learned as a person and I have learned about myself. The Swedish people here have taught me the importance of taking advantage of every single day. " says McKenzie Hosenfeld.

 

 

Side bar:

 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...

...is the official name of the religion that is most commonly called "Mormons".

...believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Redeemer of the World. They believe in the Bible as God's word and also believes in another scripture called the Book of Mormon

...is an international religion with more than 15 million members around the world. There are more than 8900 members in Sweden.

 

 

It was a tender mercy that the newspaper was willing to write an article on us. There have been people who we have talked to who reccognize us from the article, and they have been more open to discussing. :)

 

 

Gratitude of the week:

 

-I am grateful of my knowledge that I will continue to live on after I die. It is something that I never really thought was that unique until I came here and saw that no one believes in it. It gives me comfort that I have a purpose more than simply living and dying.

 

-I am grateful for the weather. The sun is shining here now and I cannot describe how much I love the sun. At home, my mom would tease me for being a vampire because I liked the dark. Not anymore. The winter here in Sweden made me miss the sun. I will NEVER take it for granted again.

 

-I am grateful for my family. I love them. I think about them everyday and they do wayyy too much for me. Truly. I love them all with my whole heart and I am excited to see them again.

 

-I am grateful for my BROTHER. I miss him- I really do. He is the nicest brother in the whole world and I am grateful that I have him in my life.

 

 

Hey, we met Christians this week! MIRACLE OF THE MONTH! Kidding... not kidding. 

 

 

On Friday, we drove to a member's house to help her paint. While we were out there, we stopped by an International Fair. There were many booths with foods from different countries. It was cool to try all of the interesting foods from around the world. It is still amazing to me how many cultures there are in Sweden. I would have never imagined that I would be learning Serbian phrases from Pedja, African sayings from Sanna, or Arabic salutations from my companion. The world is beautiful and I want to travel the world!

 

Shout out to Robert and Sigrid for letting me pick up one of their baby lambs. :)

 

My left eye has been KILLING me this week. Nope, not both eyes, just my left eye. So, I had to walk around with only one eye open for a day or so. Awkward.

 

Big man, small backpack

 

Pday adventure of last week: Ferry to an island and exploring a castle!

 

 

Hej då, Syster Anderson. We just learned this week that my dear companion will be transferring to Uppsala tomorrow. I cannot describe how much I will miss her. She has been the most incredibly patient friend in the whole world and I have learned so much from her. Truly. We have had the deepest talks, most unforgettable adventures, silliest jokes. She has been an incredible best friend these past couple months.

 

I would have never thought that I would learn so much from having companions. My companions have truly been angels. They are with my 24/7, have heard my sleep talking, seen the worst sides of me, and have loved me through it all. I am grateful for them!  

 

 

Yesterday I had a strange realization about Swedish. I was sitting in church, talking to a couple of the Primary kids in Swedish and had a "lightbulb" moment, as Gru would say. I took a theoretical step back and realized how crazy my life is right now. That I am in a country thousands and thousands of miles away from my home. Able to understand and simply communicate in a foreign language. Sometimes I forget that! I forget that I had a "regular" life back home. That I went to school, that I could listen to hipster music, that I could kiss boys I liked! Haha. I just forget about McKenzie because I am Syster Hosenfeld here. It is so strange!

 

May 19th - There is no such thing as strangers, just friends waiting to meet!

 

Yay!! We were in the PAPER!

 

 

We went the most amazing man this week! He is from Africa and has been taught by missionaries before. Our lesson with him was really powerful. I love teaching people who believe in God and Jesus Christ. It is such a WONDERFUL blessing. I think I sometimes forget that there are people in the world who are religious...

While on the train to... somewhere, we sat across the row from two Africans. We started to talk to them, but then realized that they were deaf when they began to sign to us. Since neither of us can sign sufficiently, we communicated via typing in the notes section of our phone. It was really cool to communicate with them, and we invited them to come to church if they get the chance. I am amazed everyday at the people we are able to meet as missionaries- people from all walks of life, all countries, all beliefs. It has helped me grow a love for every culture.   

 Note. I almost asked them to call us... haha. 

 

 

This week, I made a mistake. A big one. I set the background of our phone an embarrassing/funny picture of Sister Anderson- it gave me a good laugh. At the end of the day, I looked at the phone and noticed that she had changed the background to a funny picture of me: A closeup of my "hamster face". We laughed together and have had a war the whole week! :)

 

Loving being a missionary. I cannot believe that I celebrate my half-way mark in two days. I have grown so much, but still have a long way to go! I am so grateful for all of the experiences I have had. I truly feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world to be here as a missionary.

 

Love the young women. Shout out to Elisabeth and Lina who are reading this right now! Hejsan- jag älskar er! KRAM!

 

HAMSTERS FOREVER. hahahahaha.

 

 

My view when I sing from the rooftop.

 

Studies! Best part of the day.

 

Haha. I LOVE my companion. She is the nicest person in the whole world. She is with me 24/7, sees the worst sides of me, and yet loves my all the same. I am so blessed to learn and grow from her. Shout out to Syster Anderson. :)

 

Being taught Serbian. We have used "Hey, how are you?" in Serbian countless times this week! "Kako Si?"

 

Visiting the smallest library in Sweden. We left a Book of Mormon there. :) 

 

Traveling to a Zone Training. Beautiful!

 

Awkward tracting moment of the week:

 

We knocked on a door that was opened by a man in his mid-sixties. But unfortunately for us, he was wearing very little clothing; only his tightie-whities and a shirt rolled up to his chest. I was so confused! Why do people feel comfortable opening the door to strangers in only their underwear?! I just don't get it.

Starting from Scratch, Skype, Students, Swedish

Starting from Scratch, Skype, Students, Swedish?

 

Missionary work has its ups and downs, this week definitely had its fair share of both. Monday started the week off well with P-day adventures. We explored the Naval Base near our apartment, then treated ourselves to the Karlskrona's famous ice cream. I got lemon and pralines- heaven. It has proven dangerous that the ice cream shop is literally across the street from our apartment. No regrets... until the scale. haha.

 

We set a new "Vision" for Karlskrona this week. In the past months of being here in Karlskrona, we have talked and taught many people. But none of them have been "sticking". For one reason or another, they haven't been truly prepared. So we set new goals and got excited for this next transfer we have together. We will be baptizing someone before June 15th. We don't know who we will baptize or how we will find them, but we have faith that it will happen if it God's will. We are excited to find new people!

 

This week I was able to Skype my family for Mother's Day! The connection was less than perfect, but it was such a good feeling to see the people that I love the most. After talking with my family, I always feel a new desire to work hard and do better.

 

This Friday, the graduating students here in Sweden participated in a tradition of wearing their graduation hats and gathering together in the city and partying. There were hundreds and hundreds of students in the same hats blowing whistles and talking. There was definitely alcohol involved, which made everyone super loud and annoying. But on a high note, they were friendly and were open to talk about God. haha.

 

The language barrier is a HUGE thing as a missionary. And not even just with Swedish. In this city, I honestly think that I would use Arabic more than Swedish because there are so many immigrants from the Middle East. It is disappointing to truly want to talk to someone, but not being able to because they don't speak a single bit of Swedish or English, and I don't speak Bosnian or Arabic or Italian. Shame!

 

I love all of you so much! Thank you for being the best!!

 

 

Getting ready to Skype!

 

 

Pizza Party!

 

 

We live in such a beautiful area!

 

 

I love my AMERICAN SWEATER!

 

 

P-day Adventures!

 

 

Couples put locks on bridges and throw the keys in the ocean.