Elder Knudsen's Kentucky Mission: Week 3-April 26th

Hey ya'll how are ya doing?!?! I’m doing pretty great! It’s crazy to think that next pday it will be a month since I’ve been gone!! I know it feels like I just got in yesterday!! So Saturday was our last day with Hermano Avila and that kinda sucked. Like he was a crazy strict teacher, but it was good because he kept us on track. Now he’s the teacher for the new district we got yesterday. We got 8 new elders so that’s kind of exciting because now I’m not the newbie haha. But ya Hermano Avila gave us all some good praise and what he told me was amazing! It helped me so much! He told me I’m like the happiest kid he has ever met and it’s amazing how positive I am. He also said that he knows I love the gospel and that I try and live it to the fullest and that’s why he can see the love I have for it. He also promised me if I open my mouth I will touch so many lives because I have a strong spirit about me!! It was really amazing because he usually never compliments us so it was kind of cool.

Sunday was probably one of the best days I’ve ever had! It was so spiritual uplifting because I had an answer to so many of my prayers. So I had talked to Vankomen and he was having a really hard time adjusting and so I prayed really hard for him. On Sunday he was made a Zone Leader and he started to love the MTC so that was one answer to my prayers. Um then that night we heard from Stephen B Allen and he gave an amazing talk. Um I don’t really remember what the talk was about. Then after that we went and watched a talk from Holland that he gave a long time ago in the MTC and honestly it was probably the most inspirational talk I have ever heard! He talked about how we as missionaries are apostolic and how we really are just like him except he has different keys then us! The passion he had for his mission wanted me to work so much harder! I want to have no regrets and I want to go to sleep every night physically and mentally exhausted, so exhausted that I feel like I can’t even make it to the apartment. I want to make Abraham 1:39 personal. I want my work and my happiness to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of the people in Kentucky!! There will be no other time in my life that I will have the keys I do now and so I want to take advantage of that!

We got a new teacher this week! He really is amazing! His name is Hermano Toone and he is ridiculous! Like he can have fun, but he knows when to be serious and spiritual. He will also call you out on things which I like because sometimes we just need to be put into place!

Um I lied. Tuesday was the best day ever! So me and Elder Gonzalez had the best lesson we have had so far with Pedro (Hermano Wadsworth)! It was ridiculously amazing! I started to talk at the end of the lesson, but I honestly couldn’t tell you what I said in that lesson. It all just came out in Spanish, and then my teacher started to cry. I don’t know what I said, but I’m positive that it was all guided by the spirit! Like I can’t even describe that feeling! If only every lesson could be like that. Like all our teachers say we have to do the work like Spanish wise, and then if we do then the spirit will direct us what to say. The gift of tongues isn’t something that just comes, you can’t just learn a language. You have to put in the work, but once you do one of the promises of the Holy Ghost is that he will give you the gift of tongues. Pretty much what I feel like that is, is the spirit will just help you recall words that you already know or have heard. But that’s not even the end of why Tuesday was so great! We got to hear from another apostle! I guess apostles just love the MTC because I have seen 3 in 3 weeks and other elders in my zone have been here for 6 and only seen 3. It was Russell M. Nelson! He helped me learn something I had never noticed while reading the scriptures. In the scriptures, the word doctrines has a bad connotation. Always the word doctrines is attached to things like the doctrines of man and the doctrines of Satan. But the word Doctrine always has a good connotation. It goes with phrases like The Doctrine of Christ. The True Doctrine. I have never realized that so that was cool. Then he just pretty much started talking about the 9 aspects or basics of the gospel. It was really knowledgeable. But during his talk, a thought came to my mind. How great must all these missionaries be! Like literally think of how many billions of people have been on this earth and how many would have wanted to be on this earth at this time in my situation! Like I get to help fulfill the prophesy of bringing the house of Israel together and preparing the way for my Savior! Who wouldn’t have wanted this opportunity in the premortal! It reminds me of the scripture in Abraham, I forgot the exact one, but it talks about the noble and great ones being foreordained, and I know these missionaries are some of the noble and great ones!!

Elder Beverly is gone! Sad day!! I love that kid! It’s crazy to think that he came in the same day as I did and he’s already gone! I hope you got the pictures I sent! I send 2 of the one of me and him because I thought maybe you could give one to his mom because I don’t know if he’s sent any pictures! Um he also got to say the opening prayer for the devotional that Elder Nelson got to speak at! He’s going to be great! I haven’t seen big red yet though so that kind of sucks!! Hopefully I’ll see him at dinner or something like that!

Hermana Pasquale is a dork, but she’s great haha! Now you know what she looks like though! It’s great fun!!

Um I don’t really know what else to say! I’m sorry haha! I don’t really have any input in the name for the new dog haha I kind of wish you would have gotten a mini husky though!!! Do you know how legit that dog would be haha but I know mom can’t not have pugs! Oh and thanks for the package! It was great! I’m going to dominate in the water fight haha the butterscotch stuff was good too. You didn’t have to buy me all new ties haha I thought you were just going to send some of my old ones, but that’s ok too. Maybe if you have to send me anything then throw some of my old ones, because one of the elders in my district only has 4 ties haha!

Well I love you all!!!! Thanks for everything!! Talk to you next week.

Elder Knudsen