April 30, 2012

This week was terrific. We have been praying and looking for ways to find new investigators. Our teaching pool is very small so we are searching for new people to teach. We have seen many blessings through working hard and striving to be obedient. I love being a missionary!!!

 

So we have found that working with Less actives is usually our key to new investigators. We found Chip this week who is a friend of Some less actives and he is searching for God and knows he needs Religion.

 

Yesterday we had the most amazing miracle! We went over to teach these 2 teenagers who have a hard time making it to church. That day they had brought two of their friends to church. When we went over the little kids were so excited we were there. The 9 year old said "I just want to become a member of your church" So we are now teaching Jamie, Lilly and Nate. They are great kids!!

 

I am loving merlin. The area is beautiful and it is warming up real nice. I just love it here, the members are amazing and the work really is helping me grow as a missionary.

 

We have zone conference this week! I am so excited to go down to Central Point and get council and guidance from our amazing Mission President and his wife. We also get to go to the temple!! I havent been for almost 8 months so I am super excited to do a session. It is an amazing peace and comfort that comes from the temple I just love it!

 

Transfers are coming up in 2 weeks. I am hoping I get to stay here in Merlin, I really like it here. And it is seriously just amazing.

 

I love you all!! Hope things are going well for all of you!!

 

Love Sister Mckenzie Rose

April 23, 2012

This week has been AMAZING! The weather here is beautiful, it got up to 85 this weekend. I just love the sun, even when I get sunburned. We spent some time out talking to people, We had the lessons outside with a few people. It was crazy we were at this guys house teaching and you looked up and it looked like snow but it was pollen. Elder K, from fiji is having a real hard time with his allergies, its kinda sad.

 

Anyways, the work is going amazing! We met with Kaalyn and were able to talk more and solidify her Baptism date. Unfortunatly she moved out of our ward boundaries so we now have to get her going to the other ward. I know we will be blessed if we get her into the right ward. Its kinda disheartening because the last 5 baptisms in this ward have ended up moving to different wards right after baptism, and keeping them active in the church is a real challenge when that happens.

 

This week we had specialized training with president young. I am so blessed to have the best mission president in the world. He is so inspired and cares so much about all of us, as does Sister Young. We traveled to Medford for training and were taught about recieving Christ image in our countenance. It was a spiritual meeting that really helped all of us.

 

I had a neat experience this week, While we were in Medford the sisters down there informed me that one of the ladies I had worked very closely with had died. She had battled a lot of things while we were working with her, and we even had her getting ready for baptism but unfortunatly the worldy things consumed her and she passed away. The drive home was a time of reflecting on what I could have done different as a missionary, wondering why this had happened, and I was almost bugged that she had died without being baptized. I prayed really hard that night that I would be at peace with what had happened and know that It was Gods will. I was able to recieve a peace of mind knowing that all will be well. Then yesterday we had a lesson with a recent convert, Krista. We had her teach us the plan of salvation. The spirit was so strong and testified to me that Heavenly Father does know each and every one of us. He has a plan for us, he loves us and wants us to return to him. The peace that came during the lesson over Nikki's death was unmistakable. I know that she now has the chance to recieve the gospel and accept it without having to deal with the earthly addictions that consumed her while she was here. I love the gospel, I am so grateful we have the Book Of Mormon that teaches us of the Heavenly Fathers plan so we dont have to have the pain of never seeing these people again.

 

On a lighter note, I trained a members bird to dance when it hears my name, The member didnt think it was too funny, but lets be honest it was hillarious. Then I have a picture with Kaalyns Pit bull, We call him Kitty because he is so tiny.

 

I love you all and hope things are well

 

Love sister Rose

April 16, 2012

This week has just been amazing. I have been feeling way better and the work here is just on fire. I cannot believe how amazing the missionaries I am working with are. I am in a zone with 10 other missionaries and they are just dead set on being obediant and doing the work. Right now as a zone we are preparing 14 people for baptism!!

 

Me and Sister Judd are working with Pam, who is an older lady in search of the truth. Well she has found it and is loving what she is learning. She plans on getting baptized the first part of May and we cannot wait for her to recieve the blessings Heavenly Father Has in store.

 

We are also working with Kalynn. She is a Young mom and her Husband is a member but hasnt been to church for years. They are just the most amazing people! They are working hard to overcome some issues and then She will be baptized May 12th. I feel so blessed to be working with both of these amazing people.

 

Being a missionary is truly one of the greatest things in the world. The spirit is so strong and I feel so blessed to have that with me all the time. I have felt so many prayers being answered this week as my health has been improving and we have been able to really see the work just explode.

 

I love this gospel, I know this is the true church!! I feel so blessed to be here in Oregon and meeting all these amazing people.

 

Love Sister Kenzie Rose

April 9, 2012

Its been a week her in Merlin and I just love it. The people here are amazing, and the work is going great. This week we prepared Krysta for Baptism. She is so solid and has such an amazing testimony. My first night here I met her and she is just golden! She was baptized saturday and the spirit was super strong.

 

So covering the Merlin ward we cover 5 towns. We cover Glendale, Sunnyvalley, Hugo, Merlin, and one other I cant remember the name. It is very Rural and the area is huge and spread out. But it has been fun getting to see the beautiful country out here. We like with the Johnson's who live on a mountain. We wake up to the most amazing view every morning. I seriously if I am not in a good mood by the time we walk out the door, I am once I look outside and see the amazing Valley.

 

I am companions with Sister Judd. Who my first transfer I met her and was like, flip I need to be her companion. She is just great, she is an amazing Missionary and I have learned so much from her. I am the junior companion this transfer and its kinda nice not having the responsibility to train or run the area. I do my part, but its nice to have someone who knows whats going on so its not on me so much :) I cannot believe how blessed this area is. I love it so much, it is beautiful and has so much potential!!

 

I love you all and hope its all well.

 

Love Sister Mckenzie Rose

April 2, 2012

I need to start by saying thank you for all the prayers and fasting in my behalf. This week was a little touch and go with my stomach issues and I can feel the prayers and fasting and how much it truly works. God Answers prayers and I feel so blessed to have family and friends who have faith in that and have kept me in their prayers.

 

Well Wasn't this week just amazing. It has been a long week! But it has been good. Monday We had sisters Conference, which I think I already emailed about. It was great being with the leadership in the mission.

 

Conference was such an amazing experience. I love how much the importance of family was talked about. I love that it is true council from the Lord through his servants. One of my favorite talks was Pres. Utchdorf. I love how he gave the council to just "Stop It". If we all could listen to that council and follow it I cannot imagine the peace and love that would abide in our homes. 

 

I got notice thursday that I would be transfered, so this weekend was a lot of goodbye's. Six months in an area makes you feel like you have a lot of family there. It has been amazing to really go back and look at all the people I have met, they truly have been such a blessing to my life. I will never forget all that I learned here in Roseburg.

 

I am headed down to Merlin, Its right outside of Grants pass. It is an amazingly beautiful place and I cannot wait to get to work with Sister Judd. She is an amazing missionary and I have a lot to learn from her.

 

I love you all and hope things will continue to be well with all of you.

 

Love Sister Rose