Christmas Skype!!

One week until Skype!

Dear Fam

Good to hear from you, as always. Sounds like a lot of change is happening with surgeries, therapies, and all that jazz. Change happens so much, and it can catch us off guard. Many of my friends are Terrible at adjusting to change, I am glad to hear that you all are doing all you can despite what life throws at you. Please continue to do so.

I got some news about a friend from high school who went to Africa on his mission. He lost 60 pounds in one month, and is sick beyond all sickness. He is going home for a season so they can get him feeling better. More reason to not get sick and take care of myself, I guess.

The full swing of Christmas is finally here. everyone is getting ready for the special day. how do that do that, do you ask? they drink. they party. it's a very different kind of celebration. but, that's how they do it here. when they are drunk, their english is perfectly fluent.

We have been having a drought with investigators coming to church. We only have one right now, he comes to church every Sunday, prays, and is in alma right now with his reading. The plan is to have his baptism the 31st of December, and so far, that looks very, very likely that that will happen.

Elder R and I are doing much better. We can talk and teach together much better, we are figuring out all the little things we need to do to be successful. so far, lots of challenges , but we are still working as hard as we can, and that is the sign of our success.

Lot's of people here are catholic, but they are a EC church goer, which is Easter and Christmas church goer. it strikes me as very odd that anyone could be so passive in their beliefs. I personally know this church is true in part because We have to DO something about our belief, not just say I know it is true, we must show the Lord that we believe it is true. An idle mind means the adversary can do his tricks. If we are active in the gospel, then we can start to see how much better our lives are when we follow the gospel.

We visit lots of less actives. One family is now reactivated in the church, and comes regularly. Some just need a little more time and faith to better develop their desire to go to church. until that happens, we can only do so much but visit and do all we can to share our knowledge with them.

later today, we have a Christmas concert in Calbayog. We will be singing and having a good time sharing with them our Christmas message. then tomorrow, we go to Tacloban for a little Christmas celebration/meeting. Pretty excited, except we have to get up at 2 AM to make it there in time. Not super excited for that, but the meeting will be fun. I will get to see Elder D, so I am pretty excited about that. He was great!

sounds like we may have to stay where we are apartment wise. If we move, then our zone leaders need to as well, because It is pretty expensive to live where we are. We will just have to see how all that goes

Got the email about the info for skype. Super excited about that! We said Monday at 9AM, Filipino time. may have to do the math to figure out when that is for you.

Excited as can be for that chance to call. Love you all.

Elder Kuehne

He did it, but hopefully NEVER again!

Dear fam,

just want to start by saying I have officially eaten Balut. It's nothing special, and tasted just weird to me. won't be eating that again hopefully.

One thing I have learned is that everyone has a chance to participate in the work of a missionary. Whatever can be done to help them, take that opportunity. 

This week is, to be frank, killing me. Elder R has been sick, so we haven't visited Sta. Margarita most of friday, and all of saturday and sunday. It is worrying me so badly. We did get to go to sacrament meeting, where 2 investigators and 5 Less Actives, 35 in all, were with us. we have 8 investigators with a baptismal date, yet only 2 came. Prayer can do many things, But I unfortunately cannot pray away someones agency and schedule, As much as I wish I could. 

Training is Rough. this sickness means not a lot of time for training or anything, and not a lot of chances to speak the language. Elder is a pretty Independent person, and has been having a hard time adjusting, especially to food. But, I continue to want to help him, If he ever decides to let me.

Health hasn't been a problem. I eat lots of food, though strange, yet I also work out and walk all day, so It just doesn't stay. I may have to start eating more to counter too much weight loss. I was sick for a day, but every missionary is when they first get here, so no problem. Other then that, no complaints there. the food is really delicious, though odd and usually simple. 

The weather is same old. Hot, Rainy, and Hot again, but the rainy season will be ending soon. sometime in January usually. 

We went with President V to go and look at a new apartment that is actually in our area. It's a nice apartment, and we are waiting for President Maurer to check it out. Should be nice to actually live in our area. I would love that. 

3 days stuck in the apartment has really changed me. before, I loved the work and the people, but now, I am really CRAVING the chance to go and teach and visit everyone and get them on the track to eternal life. I study the scriptures hard. right now, I am reading the Book of Mormon, as well as a little old testament. Never read it before, but it has been very interesting to do so. 

I don't know anything about the whole situation with Skype. It may be best if you make one and send the info to me. That may be helpful to do that. 

Make sure Tyler and Morgan know that I love them, and can't wait to talk to them. Morgan didn't send an email, she's slacking on me :)

short this week, but perhaps next week will be a bit longer, hopefully. 

Love you all, 

Elder Kuehne

Butt Kicking Week

Dear fam,

This week has been a real butt kicker.

We only had 1 investigator at church, and the rest of them all were busy. We had far less lessons. all the new investigators were busy and couldn't have a return date. It really sucks. but, I am trying to continue looking on the bright side. We had 5 less active members at church, and it was amazing to see that! we are still working on some of them, and we are going to have to make some changes to how we do the work here to better accomplish our work here. I am just trying to continue looking at the good things that are happening, but I won't lie, that is real tough some days. we are going to continue to work and change to try to get some more life into this area.

but, we have lots of great things to talk about. Firstly, Brother J. He is AMAZING! he missed church yesterday, But that is because he was stranded in a different part of Samar and couldn't get a ride back in time, so that is ok. He passed his teaching exam, so he can be a teacher next year. He is so happy about it, and tonight, he invited us to dinner to celebrate. He reads, he prays, his questions are profound, he is a great, great person with a real conversion. He is currently trying to talk with his family about the church to see if they can be converted also. Doctrine and Covenants says that people receive amazing joy if they bring but 1 soul back to the presence of Heavenly Father, and I certainly feel that joy! 

I have lost about 7-8 kilos so far, which is about 15 pounds! I had to cut my belt down so I could cinch it up! it is amazing to see how much better I feel when I work out and eat differently, and that is my reward. It is such a great blessing to see me do that. I always wanted to, so maybe if I go and work hard for Heavenly Father, He will help me temporally and spiritually. 

my area is actually 9 little areas, or Baranguay's, that we go and visit. in order, Burabod, Cautod, Monbon, Cagsumje, Solsogon, Lambao, Palale, Napuro, and Inoraguiao. our church is in Solsogon. we live in Calbayog, which is west of all of this. This is one branch, mind you. we usually spend about 110 pesos per day in travel funds. little expensive, but we do lots of travel, so that is expected.

the issue here is less actives. President V says that we have about 350 baptized members, but our sacrament attendance is 45 or so. he asked us to help do some reactivation, so we have definitely done that. it's going pretty well so far, but lots of less actives mean we have to stretch ourselves a bit. We will certainly do all we can to get people back, while also doing investigators. It is so hard to not think there was something more you could have done in a lesson or otherwise. it's rough.

Haven't played basketball in a while. I really want to. Elder D gave me a jersey, and I really want to try it out, but, Elder R isn't big on basketball, so we have other ways to exercise. Still, I'd really love to play ball. really badly. SUPER BADLY.

this week, We have exchanges with our district leader in San Juaquin. We'll see how that goes. We travel December 20th to Tacloban for zone training. another long travel day. oh boy, excited.

now the exciting part. I received news about when to skype home! I can do it the 24th, 25th, or the 26th (Filipino time). I am coordinating with Elder R to figure out the best time. so far, we think Monday 26th, 9 AM or, for you all at home, I think that is December 25, Sunday night at 6PM. please double check if that is right. 

looks like that is all for this week. love you all, and I will be sure to talk more next week. 

Elder Kuehne.

The photos are from a district meeting. we have some missionaries that have an investigator that came. I was outside talking with some people, and one of the missionaries comes out and says to me, "Der! we have an investigator who would love a photo!" so, I complied. I got an email from this investigator with the pictures. not sure how she got my email, to be honest. probably from one of the missionaries.