March 14, 2016 -- Kenya's Group Email 

Hi everyone!

This week was great! On Wednesday and Thursday the Kirtland Visitors center directors wife put on an event that was a "Feast for the poor." It was the 180th anniversary of this event that Emma Smith and Ann Whitney started 180 years ago. They cooked for 3 days giving all the food away for whoever needed it in the Kirtland area. So Sister Wynder did something kind of like that this week. It was really neat because the LDS church, the Community of Christ (the church that owns the Kirtland temple) and the church of Christ' restoration branch all came together to help out with it, and it was a really good time! 

This week I took my first solo-tour, basically. I had to go on a last minute exchange with a brand new sister, while our companions went to the Hospital to see a sister who is there. She had only taken 1 tour and been out in the field for a week, so didn't know anything about the History. So we got called on tour and it was a realization point seeing how much I actually know and how much more I need to learn. But it ended up being such an awesome and spiritual tour! 

Other than that, we are doing a lot of service and trying out hardest to find more people to teach! The Lord is preparing the elect, all my job is, is to find them and teach them, and have the faith that we will find them. There are miracles everyday. 

Thank you for all the love and support! I love you all so much!

Love, Sister Berntsen

Ps. Shout out to Emily McGee who is opening her mission call tonight! She will be such an awesome missionary!!

Pps. The church came out with a new Easter video yesterday and it is AMAZING. Everyone needs to watch it! It is called Hallelujah

Caption of photo from Kenya:

"This is the only picture I can get to you this week. This was taken at the VC by the loudest and funniest Elder. In the email he sent he said "sister Berntsen looks hungry" probably true.. hahah"

Group Email from Kenya:

March 7, 21016

Hello family!

I made it through my first transfer! It has been a crazy/amazing 6 weeks. I have really learned so much about myself and the gospel and how truly important it is. But this week was great! One of the busiest and funnest weeks for sure! Sister Adame and I were at sites only 1 day this week which really scared me. I was used to having 2 full days at sites and was worried to be a normal missionary for 6/7 of the days this week. But the Lord knew the situation and really blessed us. 

Monday, we got done shopping and came outside to see that a sweet older lady had hit the back of our car a little. Long story short, she felt really bad but we set an appointment with her for this week! That was really awesome. Tuesday we were at sites, Wednesday was transfers. So everyone in the Kirtland stake who was getting transferred or was getting a new companion came to the Visitors center and did their transfers. Thursday, Friday, Saturday we had filled days with a lot of service and appointments with some less-actives, and the usual missionary stuff. 

Sunday evening we taught our investigators Holly and Thomas. They are 8 and 12 and their dad is a less-active that we are working with. They are great kids!! We are working with their dad to quit smoking so he can get the priesthood and baptize his kids. They are a great family!

Thank you for the love and support you all give me. I am so grateful for each one of you. Hope you all have a blessed week! 

Love, Sister Berntsen

ps. we only served at sites once last week, and this week we serve 3. #blessings

Kenya's Third Group Email

Monday, February 29, 2016

Hello friends and family!

This week I have finished my first transfer and been serving for 2 months! Not a lot, but its progress. The past few weeks have been great! I am learning more about myself and the Savior everyday. We are working a lot with the less actives in the ward and have seen a lot of progress in their reactivation in the church. And of, course some of our great investigators! 

At sites we take a lot of Spanish calls because my companion is the only person at Kirtland that knows Spanish. She lets me open up with some "Hola! Esta es Nohely y Kenya, como estas?" And then I am cut off from there because that's basically all I know.. But anyway, we have a few Hispanics that we teach from Mexico that are progressing really well and will hopefully have a baptismal date this week! It's crazy that I really have no idea what they are saying to each other but they spirit in their voices bring the spirit so strongly to me as well.

It is such a blessing being able to serve here and do the things that I get to do. I love serving at sites and in the Hiram area! I will start to give tours at the Johnson farm within the next 2 months which is super exciting! Life is great here in OHIO. Love you all!

Love, Sister Berntsen

Also, my companion and I gave up a habit this week to relate to a less active that is giving up smoking. So of course, I gave up drinking Coke. Capri sun was the next best thing apparently. 

Kenya's Second Group Email

Monday, February 15, 2016

Hi everyone!

Happy Valentines! Life has been going good (cold) here in Ohio! So the area that I am in right now is Hiram which is about 45 minutes away from Kirtland. Hiram is where the John Johnson farm is, it's right next to our church. We get to study there every Sunday which is amazing!! Us and the 2 other sisters that live with us drive to Kirtland on Wednesdays and are at sites all day Wednesdays and Thursdays. I have now given 5 tours which have all been so amazing and so spiritual! I still have SO much history to learn about Kirtland and about the Johnson farm! 

When we aren't on tour at the Visitors' center we are on computers taking chats and calls from Mormon.org. We also have our own investigators from around the world that we get to teach. It is such a wonderful calling. 

We have been doing a lot of finding this month in our areas and are finding a lot of success! 

I am still learning and growing everyday, but I know that my testimony has grown the most which is the most rewarding. I know that this is the Lords work and how grateful I am to serve Him everyday for 18 months. 

Thank you for all the love and support! I love you all and pray for you!

Love, Sister Berntsen

Also, I love my little Hispanic companion so much. Her name is Sister Adame from Salem, Oregon. She is teaching me tons of Spanish!

Kenya's First Group Email

Monday, February 1, 2016

Hello friends and family!

Life is going great in Kirtland! I love this place so much, there is such a special spirit here. I have learned so much about our church history in the last week, its crazy! Still don't even know half of what I will by the end. 

I love all the sisters here! Especially my companion Sister Adame! She has already taught me so much! Next to her, my favorites are the senior couples for sure. They're so cute.

I love Kirtland but I love my area as well! I feel so blessed to be able to serve in the Visitors' Center but also get serve in an area as well. Everything is going great here in oHIo. Thanks for all the emails and support the past few weeks, I have felt the prayers. I love you all so much! Have a blessed week.

Newel K. Whitney Store in Kirtland, OH

Historic Kirtland Visitor's Center

Kenya's "Bio" for the Visitor's Center