We Have a Plan for that Though

Dear Fam,

this was a pretty hard week. the work is slowing down a bit, and we have dropped some investigators simply because they haven't been keeping commitments. It's hard to have it happen, but it's happening, and we need to get some new investigators. so far, we really don't have a lot of investigators. we are reaching out more. our 3 best investigators, who should be baptized this week, slipped and broke the word of wisdom, so we had to move the date of baptism for 4 weeks. unfortunately, we had to do it, but it gives them more time to read the scriptures, gain a testimony, and follow the commandments, so it's alright for them. the work is now much slower, and just isn't working as well as before. we have a plan for that though, so no need to be concerned.

Elder P is the best! he's so loving and is really growing in the gospel. The only thing now is he is so shy! but once he gets the hang of speaking Waray, he will get the hang of it. The time will come he will be a leader in the mission. he's power, and I am really enjoying having him around.

I'm doing good right now. the time in Tacloban was great, we learned a lot. now, we just need to apply what we learned. we plan on finding a new apartment as well, so wish us luck with that! for mothers day skype, we pick any day from may 7 to may 13. so, let's all pick a date that We can skype! let me know next week what the best is.

so far, that's really it. 

Love you all

Elder Kuehne

 

2 Nephi 31:20

Dear fam,

This week has been a slow week. We are working on getting some new investigators, and have made some progress with our investigators. firstly, we have the Y family, who were baptized 2 years ago and then went less active. We are working with them. They both said after the lesson, which had the elders quorum president, his wife, the primary president, and another member in it, that they felt they needed to come back to church and trust in the Lords blessings. it was very helpful to have those members in the lesson. without them, they may have felt left out. I am grateful that they helped us. it was a great blessing. other then that, life has been good. 

Elder P has been blossoming. He has been working so hard to accomplish the work, to learn the language, and he is also a scripture master. His scriptures are pretty marked, he's set for anything. it's been a great blessing to have him as a companion. he works hard, and loves the work. 

just a short one. We are in Tacloban for the next few days, which I am so happy about! It's good to be back, even if for a short while. I love the mission. I love you all as well!

Reading the scriptures has made a big difference in my life. I read 2 Nephi 31:20, and then the scripture was elaborated in a recent missionary broadcast. I encourage everyone to read it and see what it says about qualifying for eternal life.

Love you all!

Elder Kuehne

Working Together for the Common Goal

Dear Fam,

Lots happening. We are expecting 3 baptisms on May 6th. we have been working really hard, and have started seeing some blessings in the area. we have been working with the members, and have been getting some good referrals! one is sister N, who's husband is a long time less active. she agreed to a lesson, and we then visited the chapel, the elders quorum presidents house (I got it wrong, we actually don't have any counselors in the branch presidency), and we mentioned it. turns out that after church, we went to our investigators house, and we saw the EQP visiting that less active member, in a real and loving way. it's been so exciting to see all the members coming to the aid of their less active friends. just like a big clock is run by little gears moving together, so does the church work by everyone working together for the common goal.

I have been good! Elder P is a stud, and is committed to exact obedience and working by faith. he speaks Tagalog, which I understand on a first grade level :) and I respond in Waray, which he now understands. I speak in Waray because that helps him improve in his language. so far, he's doing great. We are focusing on the Book of Mormon this week, so we can help him prepare to use the Book of Mormon to answer people's questions. He's also not half bad at cooking and cleaning, so that helps me a lot to learn about those things.

I have been doing great. We go to Guiuan this week for a baptismal interview, then next week, we go to TACLOBAN!!!! so excited to go back to my old zone and area! we have zone conference, and also have our zone interviews there. so, I'm pretty excited!

That's all. Not a lot of time today due to some preparation we have to do. Love you all!

Elder Kuehne

Whiteout .... So it Doesn't Say What Week It Is

Dear fam,

boy oh boy, has this been a tough one. whitewashing an area, training, and district leader for the longest distance district in the mission. it's been exciting, but also terrifying. When we got here, there was no area book and only few active investigators, many not progressing. we are working on getting this work started in the branch, but right now it's just us doing the missionary work. We just have to go finding. 

the church building here is interesting because it's a PERSON'S HOUSE!! we meet in the 1st counselors house for Sunday services, because we don't have a meeting house just yet. We should be close, though. That's what everyone tells us, so we'll hope that's the correct information. the church hasn't been that progressing because the last missionaries didn't give much effort for missionary work, so it was closed down because it wasn't progressing. we are down to open it, it's just going to take a lot of sweat, tears, and work. the good news is my companion is great. Elder P is from Marinduque, which is in the Philippines San Pablo mission, where Elder C, my companion in the office, is from and where Sister Argana served her mission. He's a hardworking missionary, and despite the new language, lifestyle, and location, he hasn't complained, and has spent his time taking it all in. This week, we really focus on teaching him the 12 weeks program. I hate the 12 weeks program right now, because we study it every day, and it keeps freaking reminding me how many weeks I have LEFT in the mission! so I may take whiteout and color the book so it doesn't say what week it is. my planner also.

I got the package, and I love it! once I finish marking my current set of small scriptures, I will be marking the set you gave me for additional knowledge. The journal is also great! Thank you so much for the package! talking about vacations right now, I would be very excited to see some church sites. There's a missionary here from New York, and he has visited a lot. He says it's amazing! 

I love the mission. This is a unique challenge, but I accept it.

General conference was amazing! lots of changes, lots of new things, and lots of new responsibilities. Let's hope we can keep up with the Lord's pace!

Love you all,

Elder Kuehne

I Get the Blessing of Sprinting to the Finish

Dear Fam,

Right now, I have a great blessing of being the assistant to the president. however, that will change. We have seen the transfer board, and it is sure. I am transferring to Maydolong, Borongan zone, Eastern Samar. I will be opening the area (Because the area hasn't had any missionaries there for about 3-4 months), I will be the district leader for a district of 8, and I will be TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY! That's pretty much the most responsibility that I can receive at one time. Heavenly Father doesn't want to leave me any time to be trunky!!! :) the area is Waray Waray, but a little different. All the new missionaries coming in are Filipino, so It's guaranteed that I will train a Filipino. 

I will miss Tacloban 2nd ward! We taught sister F yesterday after church, and we asked how she was doing in reading and finding an answer. She said, I have my answer. this is true. I am ready to join the Mormon church, I am ready for my baptism. I just about cried with joy. The only thing is she lives in another area, so we will hand her off to the missionaries in that area. She's ready!!!!!!!!!!!!! I won't be the one to baptize her, but that doesn't matter! she will be baptized, and I will have participated. that's all I need. 

I am very nervous, but excited. President Argana said that he felt this was the right way for me to go, and that he needs me to accept all the responsibility. so, I said yes. I said yes because though I am not perfect, God is perfect. Though I am not sure, God is sure. though I may not have the abilities, God has all power, all abilities, and all knowledge. HE will lead the area, not me. This is a chance for me to work harder then ever, and to leave my mission knowing I left it all here. My last 2 cycles, My last 3 months, and I get the blessing of sprinting to the finish. 

Elder J has been the best! he has been such a blessing in my life. He also got your package, and just about burst into tears. He loved it! thank you so much for making his day! It's this kind of Christlike act that makes me proud to wear the Kuehne name. 

I haven't seen general conference yet, I still have to wait for this week. But I have heard the highlights of the new apostles and the new temple built in Cagayan De Oro. That's in the south, and to hear there's a temple there is amazing! if they have a temple, we can't be too far behind! 

it's a long email, but I have a lot to say! I'll have more to say next week, for sure! Love you all so much!

Elder Kuehne

the 2nd pic is from the Agasagas bridge in Sogod. It's the highest bridge in the Philippines!

the last is in the hospital. We visit often if we hear there's a member there. 

Being Authentic is The Key Word

Dear Fam,

Bit of a tough week. We have been working to coordinate with the members about what we need to do to have 4 baptisms in Tacloban 2nd. That is the plan we have made, and I really want to do it. But, with our busy travel schedule, we have to rely a lot on the members. we hope that we will be able to help them realize their role in missionary work. sometimes we make member missionary work too complicated. We just need to live the gospel outside the chapel and someone will be interested. We just have to help others answer their questions about God and religion and help them realize if this is right for them. being authentic is the key word. sometimes that's something we struggle with. we hope to help the members help the ward to grow.

We traveled to Calbayog, and we had some time that we planned to work with the zone leaders. we had a very spiritual planning session, and I was all set to go and work. right as we ended praying, the phone rang, and it was President, who had finished his interviews. At that moment, I had a spiritual impression that we didn't need to teach these people. We needed to help the zone leaders create a good plan for them. That was the Lords will for that visit. We did it, And I felt that we did all we came there for. The conference was great, and we have been working since. So far, nothing really new with our investigators. We are planning on having 7 baptisms in April, so I am really excited for that. so far, they are promising. 

I am doing well. I have felt that I am really missing something so far in my mission. I am trying to figure out what it is, so we will just have to see what I lack yet. working hard every day. Elder J is amazing! he's hardworking and really working to increase. It makes me want to do the same thing. I need him right now, and we are getting along so well!

that's really it for this week. This is the week before transfers, so we are meeting with President this week to plan out what will happen. Excited to see!

Love,

Elder Kuehne

 

BEST. WEEK. EVER.

Dear Fam,

BEST. WEEK. EVER. 

we are working right up until the curfew now, Brethren and Sisters. I'm tired, I'm sore, but I LOVE THE WORK!!! We had the best week of the cycle last week! we committed that we were going to work even if we don't have a lot of time. We have seen blessings from it. we have 2 new investigators from Luzon. They are both Tagalog speakers, but we are able to piece the language together so that they understood us. Sister F and J are both AMAZING! they just need to ask their parents for permission to be baptized. The problem, both of their families are dedicated to their faiths, and F and J are both a little bit nervous about asking, but we were able to share some scriptures to help them. Pray for them please. 

I've been really feeling something in me all week. It's a strong desire for Conversion. Conversion means that we know the gospel is true and we are true to the gospel. I feel that It's something that I want to have. I am working toward it. I am committing to give it my all. no holding back, no saving energy. I'm giving it all now. I have to, because I now realize just how little time I have. It's just enough time for me to accomplish my purpose to "Invite others to come unto Christ." I love the Lord, I love his children, and I love who I am.

this week is the travel to Catarman and Calbayog. It's only my favorite travel of the cycle. We get to return to Samar and have a training and conference there. Looking forward to it!

not a lot more to say. I am enjoying the mission. Love you all!

Elder Kuehne