Stay Strong in the Gospel and the Blessings will Come

Dear beloved fam,

This week has been a good time. To start, We moved! our apartment is just too expensive, so we moved in to the senior couple apartments right next to the church. Yeah, definitely an upgrade. It took all morning, but was well worth it. we finish cleaning it tonight. 

Teaching in San Jose has had some amazing blessings. Brother D is our best investigator, and he is the brother of one of our recent converts. We taught him about the gospel, and the steps he needs to follow, and we asked him if he wanted baptism. He said "yes" but also wants to be sure that's right. He had some amazing questions that were serious and inspired. His biggest concern is that he says he doesn't really know about Jesus Christ. We said that we would teach him, and he was excited about that. he came to church, and enjoyed it. He is the best. We are also teaching a family, the O family. the nanay is inactive because she moved, and we are teaching 4 of her family. They read without us asking them to and enjoy when we visit. We will be working with them. 

other then that, we just work in the office. nothing really new. Just work work work. It's like dad, but in a more exotic location and no pay. Wish my email was more exciting.

I wish you didn't mention rice krispie treats, because those sound SO GOOD! I miss american food, but I still am enjoying the filipino food. Just different tastes, that's all.

I heard about Lance and Angie's new baby. Congratulations! 

Really, that's all. I love you all, and hope that all is well in life. Stay strong in the gospel, and the blessings will come.

Love,

Elder Kuehne

 

 

 

If The Savior is With Me, How Can I Fail!

Dear Fam,

So, we had some visitors last week and this week as well. Elder Soares, from the presidency of the seventy, and Elder and Sister Hayne from the Seventy. they had a devotional for the missionaries for those in the close zones, and I was invited. Elder Soares talked a lot about the "Center of Strength," and his own family and their conversion. It was a great devotional, and I learned a great deal. Elder Hayne is here for a few more days as he gives trainings, tours the mission, and evaluates. These are inspired men and women, and they speak the words that Heavenly father desires for us to hear at this time. 

we had a good week of work. We have a new investigator, we visited his home and asked if he knew someone we were finding, turns out that's his cousin. so, we set an appointment, and we visited and shared about the restoration. Great lesson, strong spirit. We go back Friday and see. we have another investigator who is the brother of a recent convert. He asked some amazing questions about the plan of salvation, and he understood it so well. we go back on Wednesday to visit with him again. lots of work done, lots of chances to teach.

I have been reading, and I think I finally understand what true charity is. Charity is a word that is used a lot, but I never truly understood what it was. Charity is basically doing what Jesus himself would do if He were me. It means kindness, patience, and thinking of others more then yourself. I understand it more, but That does not mean that I have it mastered. IT'S SO HARD TO DO THAT!!! I want that so much, and I want it so I can be like my Savior and help others as he did: unflinchingly, lovingly, and boldly. I hope some day that I will figure out how to have that type of love for others. a great example is President Argana, who traveled to Manila for the celebration of the 100th stake in the Philippines. Despite a 5 hour drive, a 1 hour layover in the airport, and the general tiredness, he still found time to bring back Krispy-Kreme for the office and assistants, something we don't have here in Tacloban. I want to be like that. I want to be able to remember other's needs and happily do them. I want to be thoughtful and considerate to those who pass my way. It's going to be a long road, but the Savior is with me, and if He is there, how can I fail?

Still busy in the office, still enjoying it while at the same time completing my work. it's pretty rough. busy couple weeks. But, I'm thankful that I can take an hour and email you all. I love you all, and I still know the church is true, I know that the Lord has restored his gospel through Joseph Smith. Many people have tried to convince me that that's not true. But, I have read the evidence, the Book of Mormon, and I have felt the Holy Spirit confirm to me that this is true. Who can argue against that? it's true, all of it, and I know that it is. 

I hope all is well. No news from home, so I assume that you all are ok and well, though busy with school. Go get it done. Love you all

Elder Kuehne

 

this is a quick follow-up. Last Sunday, we had a lesson about developing our talents. It was a great lesson, and I have felt a stronger desire to improve my talents. one of the suggestions is to ask family and friends for help in finding my talents and figuring out which ones are worth developing. I would like to do just that, Ask you my family and friends what you think my talents are. I really feel this is important, and I would love to hear an answer from everyone so I can develop my talents and be better then when I left. 

Love,

Elder Kuehne

 

Helping Others Makes Us Better As Well

Dear fam,

Sorry for the late email, what a busy transfer/MLC. MLC this cycle was actually on Tuesday morning, so we had a lot of prep to do on Monday. better late then never, I say 😅

last week was very busy, as I said. it's been a wonderful time in the office, and we are slowly starting to pick up the proselyting. last week, Our area changed, so I have whitewashed 2 times so far. Yeah, it's hard. but, we are slowly finding some people to teach and we have a great ward mission program that is working pretty well. We have done some finding, and we have been doing some great work in the office.

Elder C is still my companion, but we have a trio now. The new missionary is Elder D, from Pampanga, the same place as my last companion, elder D. He was assigned in Sta. Margarita, my first area, but he has been having some health issues and President Argana wants him in Tacloban until his health stables. He was assigned to work with us, and he helps around the office. He's a good kid. Elder C is a bit hard to work with sometimes, and I feel that I may not be his favorite, but we are still trying. we will get it eventually. 

Balancing office work and proselyting work has been a real issue, but we have found the solution: set a time when we leave the office, and keep it. we leave at 5:30, and so far, We are all leaving because we help each other and remind each other. We do the same for our morning studies. helping others makes us better as well.

yeah, driving here is fun, by the way.

The mission is good, and all is well so far. Hope everyone is well and ok, and that some good is happening in your lives. 

love,

Elder Kuehne

PS - Please tell grandma that I truly appreciate the package.

People Know Who We Are

Dear Fam,

Last week didn't have a lot to it. I worked in the office, filled out orders, checked cars. As I type this, the going-home missionaries are here, and It's really nice to see these people for one last time before they get home. Busy Busy Busy. We met a guy named I, and we talked with him a little bit. he seemed excited to talk to us. as we talked with him, he had a cigarette in his hand, and he never took it from behind his back, until he threw it away. when we pass someone smoking, they stop until we pass. There was a day that we went to a party, and the majority of the people were drinking. we went passed to say hi to a member who was friends with the host (of course she wasn't drinking) as we passed by, saying hi of course, the drinking absolutely STOPPED. not a single person drank while we were there. They saw us, and they seemed a little ashamed they were doing it, and they didn't resume until we turned a corner. People know who we are, and they also know our standards. However, not everyone is as obvious as us, so, we need to tell people our standards. We need to be strong and consistent in the standards we use, whether it be about drinking, smoking, certain clothing, certain activities. Everyone knows, so it prevents awkwardness because no one offers. it is a strong reminder to me to always follow my standards and follow them to a T. 

I just got back from the Argana Family home evening. they invited all the missionaries that are going home to join them, and the office was in charge of games. It was so much Fun!!! President Argana also participated, and it was such a good time. after that, back to work. transfer day is this week, but its a fact I will not transfer from the office for about 3 more cycles. next cycle, I will be learning from Elder C how to be the travel manager, and then next cycle he will transfer and I will become the new travel manager. Hopefully, I can learn quickly, as 6 weeks barely covers all I need to know about his job. 

I have had a really good week. I found a new style to mark my scriptures, and I am absolutely Loving it! I have learned a lot from verses I have read a dozen times before. the scriptures seem to add to themselves sometimes. However, I have discovered one thing that  I lack: keeping a study journal/daily journal. so, I may start with those two things so I can get started. the prophets are always encouraging us to do these things, But I have never done it. oops. once again, Hope it works.

I love you all so much, and I enjoy my mission. I don't need to be care-free all the time to be happy, I just need to enjoy the happiness when It comes. 

with love

Elder Kuehne