The best Exchange ever! - January 5, 2015

This week was great! On Tuesday I got to go to a New Missionary Training in Manchester. I got to see all of my friends from the MTC and also learn a lot about what It takes to be a good missionary.

On Wednesday I had the chance to go on Exchanges to Concord NH. The Capitol city of the state. It was really good to get a change of scenery.

My temporary companion was Elder Buchanan. He has been out for the same amount of time as Elder Jensen and he is training one of the missionaries that came out with me. I had a really good time with him and we set some crazy goals and achieved a few of them as well.

During the exchange I got to meet with investigators for the first time! I got to teach the Restoration to a brand new investigator named Honore (honor-ay). Honore is a refugee from Africa (Congo I think) and he barely speaks English. It was really a really cool experience to have to find a way to teach him simply enough for him to be able to understand. Near the end of the Lesson I extended the invitation to be baptized and he said yes! He doesn't have a baptismal date yet but he will within the next week or so. It was just so powerful to teach in such a simple way. The spirit was so strong.

After teaching Honore we got to teach another African-American man named Jean Claude. It was another lesson where we had to communicate with them simply and decipher their answers that came in somewhat vague broken English. Jean Claude is getting baptized near the end of this month! it's amazing to hear how he has progressed. He used to be totally drunk every time the missionaries went over to teach him and now he hasn't had any alcohol in weeks. I have loved teaching these people and seeing their progress.

On Thursday I got to teach 2 more investigators! on Thursday morning I taught Rob, the only thing keeping him from baptism is the Word of Wisdom. I did all I could to show him the blessings that he would receive by living the Word of Wisdom and I got to give him a Priesthood blessing at the end of the lesson. After teaching Rob we had a lot of time in-between appointments and we had made a goal to hand out 10 copies of the Book of Mormon. We each took 5 copies and put all the faith we could muster our ability to get them handed out. after a long cold day of tracting and street contacting we managed to hand out 3. I handed out 2 and Elder Buchanan handed out 1. We felt a little discouraged but we had a lesson coming up so we didn't let it bring us down too much.

Thursday night we had a lesson with an investigator named Heather. Heather is fairly new but it was plain to see she had been prepared by the lord to be put in our path. In the middle of the lesson we discovered that she had attended a sacrament meeting once around 16 years ago. She explained that she has always felt an indescribable pull toward our church ever since then. I know that the Lord has been preparing her for a long time to receive the Restored Gospel.

On Friday we had the chance to exchange back and we got to meet with some less active members of the ward and I placed the remaining 3 copies of the Book of Mormon I had! It was good to see that if you put your trust in the Lord you will meet your goals in due time.

On Saturday I got the flu so I slept all day. It was good to get caught up on sleep.

Love you all an I hope you have a good week!

-Elder McKenzie
Luke 1:37

Christmas Week! - December 29, 2014

Christmas on the mission is great! It has been really good to spend the season focusing so much on Christ. After all, it wouldn't be Christmas without Christ, It would just be mas or something weird like that. Anyway, It was a really good week this past week. We've been working with a lot of less active families and members in hopes of sharing the joy of the season!

Christmas Eve was fantastic, we had a zone meeting where we got to talk a lot about the Savior and the gift that he is to all of us and we also got to watch the movie "It's A Wonderful Life". I've been getting to know the members of my zone better and we had an amazing testimony meeting of sorts. It was a really good meeting full of the spirit! 

On Christmas we were booked full! We visited 3 different families and had a blast with it! I had a really great day and got to eat a lot of food! Skyping home was really good! Even if I had only left my family 3 weeks before. I really did have a great Christmas and we got a lot of food from people to take home and eat which never hurts.

After Christmas we got right back to work! We've been working hard to find investigators and hopefully we'll get some this week. I haven't met an investigator yet but I'm sure there's good reason for it. I just have to keep doing the best I can and rely on Christ as much as I can.

Oh, this week in coordination meeting with the ward mission leader I mentioned my goal to gain weight. He then told everyone about that over the pulpit at general priesthood meeting. Needles to say I've been given a lot of food over the past couple of days and we're getting a few more meal appointments than usual.

I'm loving it out here and I hope you all are doing well back home.

My Christmas present to myself was some Coke and some Totino's party pizzas, not a whole lot has changed :)

-Elder McKenzie
Luke 1:37

I'm In The Field!!! - December 22, 2014

I've finished serving my time in the MTC and now I'm serving in New Hampshire in the Canterbury Ward. The MTC was super cool and I got to see Darren Gleason while I was there. I've missed all of the friends I made there since I came out here.

I flew into New Hampshire and It's BEAUTIFUL here. It's like a snowy Oregon with more Trees. I have yet to meet an Investigator but we have an appointment with a family coming up and it looks promising so I'll keep y'all posted.

My Mission President (President Stoker) is AMAZING! The very first thing he did when he saw me was give me a hug. It's not hard to tell that he truly loves and cares about each and every one of his missionaries.

My trainer is named Elder Jensen and he's Deaf, he can hear me because he has a surgical implant thing but when he takes off his hearing aid he can't hear a word I'm saying. The work here is good, we do a lot with less actives and strive every day to get new investigators but the people here are really set in their ways and don't seem to want the gospel. I pray all the time that we will be able to find new people to teach. It's a little tough but I know that with God we can do all things. We do a lot of service at soup kitchens and food pantries and it feels good.

I'm about out of time but I'll just say that I know exactly why I'm here and I may not know everything but God sure does and he'll help me figure it out. I love the people out here. It seems surreal being on a mission, like I'm living in a dream or something. It definitely feels right though.

I'm just striving to find people who are ready to receive the greatness that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that a mission is where I'm supposed to be and I've learned so much since I've gotten here. I love you all!

-Elder McKenzie
Luke 1:37

First P Day - December 5, 2014

I'm a zone Leader! I've really been enjoying the MTC. There has been so much to learn and It seems like a lot to take in. I have 2 companions who are also going to Manchester, Elder Wonnacott and Elder Davey. we get along pretty well.

It has been a good first few days and being a zone leader makes me want to be a lot better so I can be an example to them.

My companions and I are the only ones in our zone Going to our Mission. All the rest of the Elders and Sisters are going to Spokane Washington. I really love how hard our Zone works to be obedient and fulfill our purpose as Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are all really good examples to me and they are helping me come closer to Christ as I try to help them as well. I love this gospel and I know I'm doing the right thing being here on a mission. I find myself praying more often than I ever have before in my life. I know that the power of the atonement is infinite and I know that God takes care of his children. I hope everything is going well for all of you back at home and I pray for as many of you as I can every day.

-Elder McKenzie
Luke 1:37 For with God, Nothing shall be impossible.

MTC and All - December 12, 2014

The MTC has been crazy. I wish I could send some Pictures but the computers here at the MTC are so locked down it won't let me send photos. I'm loving the MTC and I've gotten really close to my zone. We've been eating every meal as a zone for the past 5 days or so.

I get to leave here soon and it's really bittersweet. Like I said in my last letter all of the other elders and sisters in my zone are going to Spokane Washington. I'm excited and sad all at the same time.

I don't have a whole lot of time but I just wanted to say don't worry about me, I'm doing well. I love the teachers I have and I'm learning how to teach. I love you all (this doesn't mean I miss home) and I'll write you next week!

-Elder McKenzie
Luke 1:37

Photo's:
1. Me and My Companions
2. My District
3. ​Elder Louis (district leader), our teacher Brother Garcia and I