Improved means to an unimproved end

Hello!

So in no particular order I'm going to just mention all the things I wanted to.

We had a baptism! Can you believe it? We found the guy on Wednesday, he was real interested and has not a job so he also has time so we taught him everything, he really liked it, we read a few chapters from the Book of Mormon with him, it sounded good enough, we invited him to be baptized, he said sure, so we had an interview Friday, and baptized him Saturday. His name in Haratio. But now he's moving to Morocco so I hope he stays in the church. Awesome huh.

Alright, alright, I'll stop with the antics, we did not baptize some random dude, but we did have a baptism. It was great. It is a guy we've been working with for some time. His name is Art, and Art is great. It was a different kind of thing for me, as I hadn't spent as much time teaching him as any of my other baptisms. And he's a little slower than the others too. Doesn't learn it the same, but he does just fine in his own way. Its been pretty neat because though he lacks the intellectual capacity of most folks, I've seen him change in the past 6 weeks. The gospel has worked on him the same way it does others. He reads the Book of Mormon. I really don't know what he comprehends of it, but man, he reads it every day, he says his prayers, and he comes to church. And he has told us of the good feelings and deliverance he has felt through reading. Its pretty cool, goes to show that there is some measure of power in the Book of Mormon. It can be read, even if not understood perfectly, and still provide spiritual strength. Excellent. Art is a fun guy. He's meshed with the Ward quite well. They can tell he's a little different, but they've done a great job of welcoming him and making him feel at home. Art's wife was baptized about 2 months ago, so now they're both into it. Its pretty cool. This whole family, a brother was baptized 2 months ago too, has experienced some serious blessings from the gospel. Their house was just chaos. And it's still a little shaky, but they've all come so far, its amazing to see. Anyway, it was special to have another baptism. To see another child of God make a covenant with Him. As I reflect on some of these different things pertaining to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it amazes me. It amazes me to see the spirit that accompanies these things. That although it appears as but a simple action of little consequence, there really is something special to it that comes when a person opens their heart. Its beautiful. And the change really does come.

Symbols. Symbols are such a perfect and excellent thing. So much of everything is symbols. A way to help us of a more simple mind understand things of a more complex nature. Its great and I love pondering on them. I've noticed several things this week that have caused me so say WOW. This all fits together so perfectly I can't even believe it. And all these things witness that there is a God. Again - beautiful.

So it was Thanksgiving. And, Dad, we actually ate at this Aussie family's house! The Armisteads. Moved here from Sydney 4 years ago or so. Fun people. They had a couple other families from the ward over so it was a great group. Delicious meal. How I love Thanksgiving. The focus everyone has had on gratitude the past few weeks. There is SO much power in gratitude. The scriptures teach us a lot, but even apart from that. Anyway, good day. Chocolate cream pie. This might be the new Elder Kunz favorite. I'm hooked. Its no joke. But like anything else, its gotta be a good one. Not just instant pudding in a pie crust. My companion speaks Spanish so we also went down to Hartford and spent a bit of time at a Spanish family's home with the Spanish Elders down there. I thought I was going to die at one point because I was super full, I was hot, and all I could hear all around me was a bunch of voices I didn't understand. I was trying so hard to keep a little smile on my face and not look miserable. Ha, moments like this make life great, don't they? But only in hindsight, right? I snapped out of it after a while. It was fun.

So, as far as Thanksgiving goes, I could have cared less about the food. This year, not unlike last, the highlight... was football. TURKEYBOWL!! Ha ha oh man it was WAY too much fun. We had a solid group from the Avon ward, and almost all the missionaries in the stake, over 40 people total. We split the field in three and played a bunch of 7 on 7 games for a while, then some poeple left so we played a full field game with line-men and everything. It was so much fun. I can't even believe it. It was freezing cold, but you know that doesn't last too long once you're going. We played at this school with a really nice turf field. My gosh you guys, football is sweet. I keep thinking, what in the heck was I doing playing soccer in High school? I think I'm way more of a strategy guy than a finesse/skill guy, and that seems to be football vs. soccer. Not completely of course, but you know what I'm saying. It was a blast. I've had so much fun playing football out here. Football, softball, dodgeball, its fun stuff. Keeps us going:)

So tomorrow is transfer meeting. But I am staying in Avon, and I'm staying with Elder Rogers. I'm really happy about that. This is Elder Rogers last transfer! I'll be sad to see him go, but were gonna love these last 6 weeks. After that..man...then I'll be in the same position he's in now. That is completely crazy. I can hardly beleive it. This transfer has FLOWN by, no doubt, and I only expect them to continue to do the same. Hard to believe.

This week has felt good. Great even. Holidays are kinda fun as a missionary I think. They're usually over as soon as they start, but that seems to be the feeling with most good things unfortunately. Its tough to be away from all you guys, but at the same time, by now I'm pretty well used to being in the position I'm in, and we just cope with it. Its life, and its good, even though I miss you all, and wish I could be up in Huntsville with everyone. What a good group up there, we're lucky to have all those McKays and Meyers and all. Family is great, huh! Good people.

So 98% of the time the subject lines of my emails have absolutely nothing to do with what I write. But that one I put up there has just been sticking with me. Its Henry David Thoreau. From Walden. I read it in this "New England Autumn" coffee table book they have at the mission home. But they don't drink coffee off it there. Ha. He was talking about all our inventions and technology and such, I believe. And that they are an "improved means to an uminproved end." Again, I love it. There are a lot of wonderful things that make our lives much easier. But I suppose that so often we don't use them as such. So often they prove to be far more of a distraction. Iphones, computers, the list goes on. Hopefully we can use these things as an improved means to an improved end, but otherwise, many things we surround ourselves with prove to get us, more quickly, to a place we don't really want to be. A question I've been asking myself is 'What is the improved end?' If Thoreau suggests many things are bringing us to an unimproved end (and I don't think he is correct in all cases, of course. One probably ends up a little loony spending two years alone in the woods. Nevertheless, I do agree with him), then what is the improved end we all ought to be seeking, and how do we get there, and how can these different "inventions" be used to bring us there more efficiently? I do think that most things available to us these days have some purpose for good. But I'm still not sure if video games have a purpose for good yet. Ha. Anyway, I just wanted to share that quote with you. I loved it, and still love it, and think we could all benefit from perhaps either simplifiying a bit, or "considering our ways" in the use of many of the things around us, and the possibility of them taking us away from perhaps more important things.

I say all this knowing the likelihood of me coming home and getting very distracted by much of what I have in mind right now. I just really hope I won't! So feel free to call me out if I do.

Sorry to preach, but I liked the thought. Hope everyone is lovely and had a fantastic holiday, and that the holiday's in general are marvelous! My life is good, I like what I do, and I know its a real thing. I have observed it, experienced it, and felt it. Love you all!

Elder Kunz