Defining Week. Alzheimer's. Joy. Covenants.

Hello! 

We tried a former investigator (somebody who has been taught by missionaries before) named John this past week.  He let us right in and we had a great first lesson with him and he accepted a baptism date and was very eager to attend church and read the Book of Mormon.  We came back a few days later and he had read the Book of Mormon and really enjoyed it.  When we got there his goddaughter Dorothy was there and she stayed for the lesson.  We taught the Plan of Salvation and it was the most powerful Plan of Salvation lesson I have ever been in before.  The Spirit was undeniable and I could feel the Spirit speaking through each of us.  At the end of the lesson Dorothy made a comment that touched my heart so strongly.  She said that after hearing this message she "wants to be better", she "wants to improve her life".  That's what the truth does to people.  It makes them want to change.  Powerful.  She called us a couple hours later and thanked us again and said it was an answer to her prayers to hear that lesson and she was very excited and eager for our next visit.  How humbled I am to be a part of this work.  It's the greatest that God allows me to be a part of His work. 

We celebrated Sister. Thompson's 20th + 1 month birthday this past week!  It was so much fun!  We made signs and hung them all over the apartment and of course we had ice cream!  Blue Bell!  Yummy!  And we sang to her!  We took a church primary song and changed the words a little bit!  It goes ...

It's your birthday shout hooray

We're gonna sing to you today

20 years older and 1 month too

Happy birthday to you! 

How perfect is that?  ;) We sure had a great day celebrating!  You probably want to know why we celebrated the "1 month too" day.  Well... no great explanation besides that we like to celebrate!  So we did!  Silly Sister Missionaries!  :) That's US! 

Speaking of my companions!  The other night we tried a less active and he wasn't home.  So my companions started walking down the stairs and I stopped to feel the aloe vera plant.  Have y'all ever touched one?  They are so squishy and soft!  They feel amazing!  Like those stress relief balls.  I asked my companions if they had felt the plant before and they both laughed and Sister. Thompson said "Sister. Kunzler, I swear you are going to have Alzheimer's someday, if you don't already".  I had asked them just a few days before the same exact question.  I have a bad memory, what can I say?  It's the running joke in our companionship now though! So funny! I love these two sisters SO MUCH! 

Tyronne came to church!  He joined the church in Louisiana years ago and has a really cool conversion story!  He was awake in the middle of the night, saw a Mormon Ad on TV, called the number and the next day the missionaries came over!  He had a great conversion, went out with the Elders all the time and then moved to Texas and lost his way.  He just found out this past week that he has to have open heart surgery and he is a young guy in his 40's.  As you can imagine, its been a wake up call for him.  It's was great to have him at church yesterday!  The first time in a long time.  :)  

I got the opportunity to go on two more exchanges to Spanish areas this past week.  As you all know, this Sister Missionary does not speak Spanish at all.  As you can imagine, it was fun!  :) I felt such charity for everybody, even though I could not speak their language.  I had an experience at one lesson though where the less active was really struggling because she is pregnant and there are a lot of complications with the pregnancy.  She was very upset.  I felt very prompted to say something specific to her, but I couldn't.  I didn't have a clue what was happening in the lesson.  I had no idea when the "right" time would be to share the experience (and have the other sister translate) and I walked out of that lesson feeling very sad that I could not help these people.  It's amazing how much love you can feel for people and how much despair you feel when you cannot help them.  I've kept a prayer in my heart for her and her family though and I know that God is with her.  I know that they know about the Gospel and pray that they will find strength through the Atonement of Christ.  

I have had the opportunity to study about covenants these past few days and tomorrow I have the chance to do a training for the MLC on it.  I have learned so much and my testimony has grown so much on the importance of aspiring after the honor and glory of God and not the honors of man".  This morning with President. Ashton we actually studied this same topic.  It was crazy.  I was so humbled to recognize God's hand in my life.  He is so aware of me, all the time.  I cannot deny it.  And covenants are so amazing.  I have learned so much!  It's been a huge learning experience for me!  HUGE.  I will bring my notes and write about it next week.  :) 

Does life get any better than this?  Truly!  Missionary work bring this UNREAL amount of JOY that cannot be explained, it can only be experienced.  This past week was a very defining week for me on my mission.  Well, basically a defining week for my life.  I think we all have moments in our lives where we can recognize the "why" of a situation that has occurred in our lives.  Where we all of the sudden have a "perspective" on things that we had not seen ever before.  This past week I was able to see a handful of the "why's" for my mission thus far.  I had this perspective that I have never had before.  The entire week I was taught by the Spirit and was able to see the Father's hand in my mission.  I was able to see why I was supposed to be with the companions and the people and the area and the trials and the successes every step of the way.  In very specific details I was able to recognize why God has set my mission up this way.  A mission changes people.  It changes hearts.  I am grateful to be witnessing and experiencing this in my life right now.  It's been very humbling for me.  A great week.  To say the very least.  My love and desire and joy for missionary work is at the highest it has been on my mission so far.  My companions are some of the biggest blessings in my life right now and I am grateful for them and thankful that God has put us together.  :) 

I love all of you.

I love God. 

Life does not get much better than this. 

Sister Kunzler