Week 5- May 10

Hey everyone how’s it all going!?!? I heard you got my package so that’s good. Sorry it was so early I know you got it like a week before your birthday but that’s ok. Um where do I want to start... Um I’m now the new district leader so that is pretty exciting! It just means a lot more meetings for me haha.

So I can already see the blessings of my mission haha guess what!?!?! I LEARNED HOW TO WHISTLE haha I thought I was a lost cause but apparently not so that was pretty dang exciting for me!! Um I have to tell you a way funny story about elder green.  I love that kid he’s so dang funny, so it was late one night and he decided he wanted to finish reading his scriptures but it was light out time so he went outside the room. He forgot his pencil... me being the prankster out of the group used my squirt bottle for my hair to fill up one of the water guns. Right when he walked in... BOOM right in the eye.  It was so dang funny so that kinda started a little fun that night! He came at me with a pillow and swung it at me and his shoulder hit the top bunk and it just dropped him.  It was so dang funny I don’t think I have laughed that hard in awhile.  The MTC changes your sense of humor.

So guess who moved in down the hall from me. Kalin Burr!!! I know pretty crazy huh! It’s a small world! He’s going to Milan Italy so that is freaking legit, but ya that was really weird to see him! We have had amazing speakers the last week! Every fast Sunday we have a missionary conference and it’s like a 2 hour stake conference and it was absolutely amazing!!! Then that night we had a member of the 70ty talk to us. He was really good and funny!

We got to hear from another apostle this week! 4th once since I’ve been here so I’ve been really lucky. It was D Todd Christofferson! His talk was really different that most apostles, like honestly he didn’t say much, he lead us to find the answers so they had like a traveling microphone, but it was a really good meeting. We received another apostolic blessing so those are always amazing!!

One of our elders in our zone decided to go home yesterday. He was one of the kids in the new district. He was a convert like he got baptized last year. He was a good kid, but it’s really sad to see him go. After he left we watched a talk from Elder Holland about missions and just that the church will move on, but he would beg any missionary who was debating on going home to stay for their sake because really they will never have this opportunity again. I feel like that has been stressed really strong since I’ve been here and it just makes me want to work that much harder. Like really this month has gone by so fast.... I only have 23 more. I know when I look back on this time it’ll seem so short and I don’t want to have any regrets. Like right now 2 years seem like forever, but really it’s not. So I’m really trying to work as hard as I can.

I actually memorized the first vision this week in Spanish so that was kinda exciting! I feel like the Spanish is coming along great! Like every lesson or every time we're just talking in Spanish I say things that I didn’t even know that I could. It just starts flowing and I know that without the Holy Ghost it would not be possible! I have also received revelation on almost a daily basis. Like last night I was just praying and when I finished I just got a thought to read a random chapter in the bible. It’s like one that I probably learned 5 years ago in primary, but I just decided to turn there and it was AMAZING!!! Like it is so crazy, I really can’t wait to leave the MTC. It’s so great to be able to see familiar faces every day though! Elder Gerrard leaves on Monday! Then I think Corbin leaves the week after that, and then I’m 2 weeks after that!!

Hermano Toone is the most amazing man I have ever met. He is one of our teachers and I really hope I can be as strong as him one day! I feel like he is so wise, and yet he is only like 24 years old. Every lesson I learn more from him and the spirit is so strong!!!

This part is pretty much for L BELL!!! I forgot to throw it in your letter my bad bro!! Um so guess who is staying on my floor! Elder Asiata!! He’s the defense end for Utah! He is a beast! Like he is so spiritual too.  He pretty much engulfs me, but he’s been in our room the last 2 nights! He’s going to Oklahoma so he leaves I think on Tuesday but he’s crazy!!! Like he’s going to change a lot of people’s lives!!

Um... my district is doing as great as ever! Um nothing really new with them! Elder Gonzalez is pretty much the same.... not more to say there... I just keep praying for my heavenly father to soften my heart... I just don’t know what else to do but the teachers have really helped me out! I don’t know if I told you but they were just saying that they are amazed by how patient I am and that I will be blessed for it.

One of our new elders has probably became my best friend in the zone. His name is Elder Wakeham. He’s from Morgan and he is just straight legit! Um he’s just the nicest kid and we have had some amazing talks with one another. Like we have some similarities and stuff, but his dad passed away from cancer.... but he is so strong! I love that kid!! The whole new district are studs! Haha there is one of them that looks and acts just like Ben, not Casper but like my cousin...I'll have to send a picture of us. It’s crazy how much they look alike!!!

I’m glad that the move went all good! I wish I could see the new house and the new dog! I bet she is adorable!! I bet Oaklee is changing every day too  but really the only time I have to think about home is at night. Like its crazy.... there is just not really a care in the world when you are doing the Lords work! I’m starting to really love the MTC. The last few days I have been pretty exhausted, but it’s fun. I’m really going to miss having so many guys just to hang out with at night cause in the field I'll only be with 1 other elder unless we have another companionship in our apartment. Like it is just cool to hear everyone’s story. Like there is one kid named Elder Higdon and he's from LA. He’s a straight up model, like he’s been in JC Penny catalogs and he is good friends with lady gaga and stuff. It’s kinda really funny. Then there is a kid that just decided like a year ago to start coming back to church and now he’s on a mission like it’s just amazing my testimony grows from each of them every day!!

Um well that’s pretty much all I got! Thanks for all the love and support and you’re all in my prayers!!

Love Elder Knudsen