Thanks to Syster Sandberg's mama, Lesa, I DO have some pics to post this week! Yay!

Systers Hosenfeld and Sandberg serving in Sodertalje

 

 

Wow- look at that hair!

These four systers are living in the same apartment - close quarters, I'm sure.

Short but sweet this week

Another one bites the dust. These were the highlights of my week:

1. Pedja

Pedja is a friend who Syster Anderson and I met in Karlskrona. It was our "Contacting Fury Week" which meant that we talked to everyone possible. And Karlskrona being the small city it is, we contacted some of the same people twice that week. There was one night that we were exhausted from a long day of teaching and talking, and we were waiting for the bus. There was a man starting to pass us, and we decided to talk to him, even though we were both worn out. We met a really nice man from Serbia named Pedja. 

We taught him every week, got owned by his soccer skills at the ward's weekly sport night, and also Skyped our families from his house on Mother's Day. When I had to say good bye to him when I left Karlskrona, I was devastated! We have still kept in contact through emailing, but this past week, I heard that he was leaving back to Serbia in a few days. I called him, and we chatted for a little bit. It was such a needed reminder to me of how many people I love here in Sweden. I really am so blessed to have met the most incredible people who have taught me so much. 

I wouldn't have imagined that I would have met so many unforgettable people on my mission. 

Pics of Kenzie and her trainee, Syster Sandberg

Hejsan!

This week... another great one! As always.

I have noticed that most immigrants who live here are from Syria and Africa, so I have been using a little bit of Arabic contacting people. It never gets boring seeing the expressions on peoples' faces when I pull some Arabic or Persian out of my sleeve. :) I also have been meeting Americans lately, and that is my favorite language to use so far... haha.

Things with investigators are going well. As Syster Anderson said every week in Karlskrona, "It's Finding Week!" 

 

It's always a finding week, so that is something that we will continue to focus on this week. We talked to 125 people on the way to lessons this week, which is a new record that we have set here in Södertälje. It was a good week.

 

 

The zone pic ‏



Outdoor play for Language Study. Beautiful!



 

At training. It is SO weird to be serving in the same district as Syster Hannah Powell, a friend I had from High School. Small world!

 

I hate seeing these signs! Come on, guys!  ("Witnesses no thanks"?) 

 

 

Loving Stockholm! Beautiful city!

Pictures from two weeks ago. I saw my favorite people! (Syster Anderson, Syster Christensen)



 

Mom... I think Airheads got ripped off. Haha.

 

Syster Sandberg and I at an outdoor play

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elder Bednar visits the missionaries in Sweden!

Week 57. Another one bites the dust. 

This week has been the best week of my entire mission! Why? Because Elder Bednar of the Twelve Apostles came to Sweden, Stockholm to speak to us. I have been looking forward to this day for more than three months when I first heard of his coming. Not because I would be able to see my Mission Trainer, Syster Christensen for the last time before she goes home (even though it was incredibly fun to see her again). Not because we would get free lunch with candies. Love that, too. But because I would have the privilege of being taught by an Apostle in person.

We arrived at the Västerhaninge Chapel at 9:30 and quietly studied until he came at 10:00. He came in, we stood up, and the epicness began. Elder Bednar came up to the podium and told us that he wouldn't be giving a talk today, but that we would instead have a discussion. So, for three hours, we had a discussion with a Q&A Session. We discussed the Holy Ghost, Faith, Effective Prayer, and Agency. I learned about the importance of not simply praying and waiting for God to answer, but to end your prayer and start WORKING to accomplish it. I really believe that He wants us to work hard- that He will always help us, but that He asks us to do our best and He'll make up the rest.

This whole time, I was squirming in my chair because I had a question that I wanted to ask. I had been pondering about the Holy Ghost recently and I really wanted an answer. But every time that I began to stand up to ask my question, my legs wouldn't let me do it. I was terrified to speak to an apostle I have only seen in General Conference on the TV. I was having "star-shock". I tried to phrase it clearly in my mind, repeated it until I felt like it sounded good, and then stood up. The phrased question I WANTED to ask was: "How can we invite the Spirit more effectively into our lessons?" Clear, simple, understandable. Sweet! But NO. What came out was blonde McKenzie getting nervous talking to an Apostle. It was worded awkwardly like this: "In all of the talks you give, you vocally ask the Spirit to testify. How can we invite the Spirit to testify to our investigators? It's hard to describe- is there a 'checklist' we have before He can come?" 

Now let's take a pause in this story for a second. This is a TRUE STORY. At this moment in time, I want to find the nearest hole and jump in it and never come out. I am blushing and soooo embarassed. 

I stand as he replies, "There is no checklist!" I must have given him a weird look (Typical McKenzie) because he said, "Well, you opened your eyes a bit so let me describe something to you. Try your best. You bring goodness into the room when you walk in. Try your best. Be yourself. It will all work out." 

He talked about how we overcomplicate the Spirit, thinking that things must be in a particular order in order to feel the Spirit, but he counseled us about how simply the Holy Ghost works.

After he spoke for a few minutes, (which felt like decades because I felt so scared), he asked me if he had answered my question and I nodded and thanked him and sat down. 

For the rest of the time, I kept on thinking about what he said: "Try your best. Be yourself." Now, you are probably thinking, 'That is a simple answer to a complicated question', but it was exactly what I needed to hear. He knew the driving force behind my question: I don't feel like I am good enough.  But when he looked at me in the eyes and told me that I brought goodness into the room and to try my best, that was all I needed. I felt the warmest feelings while talking to him- that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and doesn't want me to be hard on myself. Just to try my best and be myself. 

I am incredibly grateful that I was able to go to the Conference with Elder Bednar. I learned about the Spirit, prayer, faith, but more than that, I learned about what God wants me to be doing right now... trying my best and being myself. 

I love all of you, family. You are the best! Thank you for the letters and emails. You guys make my days soooo great. 

Much love,

Syster McKenzie Hosenfeld

I apologize if these are duplicates - Systers Hosenfeld and Bass...and the elders in Taby

These two systers part ways, again - love this picture! What beauties!

Syster Bass and Syster Hosenfeld

Kenzie's first week as a trainer to Syster Sandberg - pics will come later, I hope.

This has been my first week in Södertälje! All I can say is... "Where are the Swedes?" I am in Culture Shock over how many immigrants there are in this city. I am in LOVE with immigrants- they have been some of my favorite people on my mission to teach. (Pedja from Serbia, Davey from Gambia, you get the picture.) In this town, there are lots of Syrians and Serbians, which means that I have used my newly acquired Arabic and Serbian phrases I learned in Karlskrona. I love the look on people's faces when I say, "Kafalhal". Gets me every time. :)

With this said, there is also a lot more going on here in Södertälje than any other area I have served in. There is SOOOO much to do and it is such a change for me. The Area Book is FULL of people who haven't been contacted in years. The sisters before me found quite a few positive people that we are teaching. Life is good, and coming here to a quick area has made the transition from Täby less difficult. (I do miss Täby already.)

 

Awkward story of the week: While on the bus to a lesson one day, I sat by a "bro". We talked a little bit about why I was here as a missionary and what we believe in. We exchanged information and I later invited him to church. He came to the second hour of church, and Sister Sandberg and I taught him a little "base lesson". (Learning about his beliefs, getting to know him, etc.) The lesson was bad. It was just BAD. For some reason or another, I was just silly me and I got SO awkward about the whole thing. So I was blushing and messing up pretty terribly in Swedish, blah blah blah. So that was just so embarrassing to me. After the lesson, we invited him to go to the third hour class with the Elders. He stayed for a few minutes there, then had to leave to chill with friends. BUT... the worst part of this story is that I was calling him the WRONG name the WHOLE TIME!! Long story short. I am such a blonde and unfortunately, it is something that I haven't been able to overcome.

 

We have been teaching a man from China. Let's call him "Pete". "Pete" is one of the most sincere people I have taught on my whole mission. He has been taught by sister missionaries for a few months now, but you can just tell how much this means to him by the way he talks about our beliefs. While he lived in China, he was always interested in the Mormon Church, but wasn't able to become involved in it because he was a party of the Chinese Party, which makes it illegal to be religious. But since coming here, he has been learning a lot about our beliefs and he adores it. It has really touched my heart to teach people who have been led here to Sweden and then given the opportunity to talk to missionaries. There is truly a plan for us in this life. A quote I think applies to this is, "Coincidences are God's way of staying anonymous."  

 

Training is a very fun experience. I was extremely anxious about it, but I have enjoyed it! Sister Sandberg is just ready, prepared, and happy to be here. Being around her has reminded me of when I was trained in Halmstad, almost a year ago. I remember how difficult it was to be trained. I had an amazing trainer (Shout out to Syster Christensen), but it was still a painful experience for me! It is so humbling to be in a new country, new culture, with a new language, with a new life! Everything is so foreign and hard. But being with Syster Sandberg has helped me seen how much I have grown because of the experience. I still have a long way to go, but it has been really rewarding to see how far I have come.