Why do you do it?

Once in a while I sit down here and seem to blank. But it also seems that whenever that happens I start rambling about something and end up writing forever. Well the leaves are FINALLY starting to change in Hamden. They seem to be a week or so behind some other places I've been lately. I LLOOOOOVVVVVVVE the color. Seeing color occurring in nature really hits the spot for me. Its almost as good as the apple cider I bought at TRADER JOES yesterday, which tastes like drinking the best cinnamon apple sauce you have ever had in your life. My gosh. Its so good.(Mom you make fantastic applesauce I remember. I want some!). But I might venture to say that I like seeing color even more. And that's saying something. Ha. Anyway, when I have a moment to just gaze, admire, ponder, it makes me so happy to be alive. To be able to observe the beauty of God's creations and how perfect it all is. Color. What a blessing. It amazes me.

Well it was a busy week. Went quickly. Had two exchanges. For some reason I don't particularly love exchanges, but they're usually fine when I get there. Just kind of a hassle, but its part of the job I guess. And they are quite beneficial. One of them I had with Elder Mansfield! Ha ha, it was pretty fun to spend a day with him again. He's such an interesting boy and I sure do love him. We had some fantastic experiences together in Waterbury and it was nice to reminisce with him. The other exchange I went on, I was in Waterbury! That was interesting too. It was a good visit, but by the end I found myself glad that I wasn't serving there anymore. Which is kind of strange because I really look back on those three transfers with nothing but fondness. One thing I was thinking about during all this is how skewed our timing gets as missionaries. I saw a few people while I was there in Waterbury, people I really loved up there like Sister Lopez. Turns out everything is pretty much the same. It feels like I've been gone from Waterbury forEVER but its really only been 4 months. Does that much change in the life of the average person in 4 months? Probably not that much. And for me, ever since I left, everything about my life has been Hamden. Woodbridge Ward. Its easy to take comfort in knowing that someone else is now taking care of all the Waterbury stuff, and put it out of mind most of the time. Just one of those funny things about being a missionary I suppose. The Elder up there in Waterbury is named Elder Goncalvez. I served around him 3 tranfers when I was in Hartford, so we're buddies and it was great to spend the day with him. Its neat because he and I have little in common, but we get along great because of many of our desires and ideas in the gospel and missionary work. I've so come to love that about the gospel. And the life lesson in general, that people can get along. Regardless of interests and hobbies and all that, with the right principles and eternal goals/desires, we can all get along. Sounds hoaky, but its true. The Gospel of Christ crosses all bounds. That's nice.

We had a lesson with this couple we taught several weeks ago. A part-member family. Perhaps you recall, this particular lesson a few weeks back was fantastic and I loved it. It was the first time I had felt like I really taught someone in a while. So we finally sat down again with them this week. They're tough to stay in contact with. We stopped by earlier in the week to confirm our appt, and were greeted by the young wife with a great big smile of surprise. To make a long story short, she/they had been trying to do all the things we told her. She was trying to get some faith. She/they were doing all these "small simple things" that we apparently told them to do, and that had been making all the difference! It was quite literally saving their marriage and their family. This was so amazing to see. Who would have thought, if you apply the gospel, it blesses your life. I wish more people would do the things we tell them to do! ha. Anyway, I was just amazed with the way this lady was talking to us and everything she said. I remember the lesson we had being quite spiritual, and she really decided to take our challenge of trying to see if this wonderful sounding "Atonement of Jesus Christ", which we told her had the potential to save us and heal broken promises and fix things and all that, really worked. Well, so far its working! We had her read Alma 32, which she understood, explained back to us perfectly, and was currently trying to apply. Ah man, it was so neat to see someone really receive almost immediate blessings for making changes in their life.

The lesson we had this week was about the Atonement, we read the debtor and the creditor story that illustrates Christ's role as the Mediator. It was perfect. Gosh. It makes me feel so wonderful to think that we are being instruments in the Lord's hands in bringing this woman to a greater knowledge of Him. To know that the Spirit is guiding us. We're doing something right! We haven't even gotten into the Restoration and Joseph Smith and all that, but I know we are on the right track. She is slowly coming to an understanding of Jesus Christ, and that is fantastic. That is our purpose.

Let me throw in here that the Church of Jesus Christ is the truth. I know that by the power of the Holy Ghost through sincere prayer. As I've lived it, I've had confirmation after confirmation that it is real. I guess it took me a long time to have the courage to ask, but God answered me, and he will answer anyone who really wants to know. My answers were not conceived by my imagination or emotions. They were things only felt by the power of God. I don't doubt them and I hope that none of you will doubt my sincerity and testimony. We can all have the same knowledge and answers. If we are humble enough to ask. Humility, that one took me a while. Still working on it a lot.

Well shoot, time does fly. Its starting to pick up pace here lately. We've been surprisingly busy, which is such a blessing. I've been so much more consistently happy lately. I talked to a missionary the other night who happens to be struggling with some things that I much struggle with myself, or have struggled with. It was a great chance to see and say, yes, I've felt that same way, and then think wow, I've worked through that struggle. I understand now. And be able to hopefully pass on some counsel. The Lord does seem to bless us, and fulfill our desires. Even the unsaid, perhaps unrealized, desires of our hearts. He knows us. Isn't that nice.

Transfers next week, we'll see what happens! Oh yea, we went to Trader Joes yesterday and it was GREAT! Got some tasty items. Pears are delicious. So are ginger cookies. Oh man I love those. Okay, well I'm done. Sorry for the delay, thank Christopher Columbus for that one.

Love my dears.

Elder Kunz