September 17th

Haha well its been the hardest last 2 days of my mission.... and probably not the reason you think! Haha so.... we have had amazing things happen this week, i dont really know where to start. Heck ill just give you the news. So.... Yesterday the Assistants called us at like 9 in the morning and then they said they wanted to talk to me. They are doing an emergency transfer (which is ridiculously rare) because an Elder is coming in tomorrow and so.... Im getting transfered..... Elder Warner is training again. I really dont want to leave this area.... Its so hard to have someone have to tell you your leaving 5 days before your first baptism.... So its been a really rough few days but im staying strong. I know that there is a reason in all things. Who knows maybe ill just be like  John the Baptist and just prepare the way for baptisms. But ya I leave tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM so I hope you havent sent anything to our appartment... cause I wont be there haha. Um im going to the boonies of Kentucky. Its called Versailles. Its about an hour away from here and the 2nd farthest spanish area. Its in a richer area, but its just hick country. Its the place I was describing when I thought I was getting transfered. Like they eat posum, raccoon, and rabbit out there haha so that should be fun. My companion is going to be Elder Granodos. He was Elder Warners tranier.... like I dont want to judge him yet and im not.... but everyone says hes the worst missionary. Hes really lazy and disobedient. Everyone says its the longest time in there mission when they are with him.... but we will see what happens. Im going in with an open mind and im not going to lower my standards for him. Im making him work!!! But it should be pretty fun out there. Im in a car so thatll be nice during the winter thats for sure!!! I think Elder Warner is kinda bumbed he is staying here. If he trains this kid all the way through the training program he will have been in this area for 10 1/2 months and then he will go zone leader for sure so his whole mission will have been right in downtown louisville pretty much, but hes being a trooper.

 

It was the hardest thing to have to Eufemia that I couldnt baptize her this Sunday. She started crying at church and was just saying the Lord wont allow it to happen. But today she was more ok with it.... she started crying again today though. Its been really hard to just say goodbye to everyone I have grown so close to. Its worse when its so unexpected ya know? So im all packed up and everything. Like I guess the zone leaders really loved me.... like Elder Simms, I felt like we were on ok terms, but just like friends ya know and he like took me aside and almost started crying when he said he was going to miss me. Its been really rough to say the least.... but im sure its not the first time its happend to anyone so its ok. Um I actually have a letter from Eufemia to you all. Its in Spanish so I translated it and ill just type it on here!

 

"Dear Brothers/Sisters

 

I would like to write this letter to you all to congradulate you for the son so marvelous that God has given you. He is the most beautiful thing that has come into my path at my age of 55. I have been blessed to meet him and get to know him. The Lord has used him as an instrument so that I came to know the Gospel. And which I give thanks to God because I am sure that it is the true religion and that this is the true church. So my life has changed completely and I can assure you that I am ther person most happy now that I know the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In all my prayers to the Lord I pray for all of you and for all the missionaries. I ask the Lord everyday that he will continue blessing your family and their lives.

 

Love

Eufemia"

 

It was just so sweet. You dont know how amazing this woman is! She is so elect and is going to be such an amazing member of the Church.

 

Um we also had a really cool lesson this week with Darely and Amiley. They are investigators that have been investigating for almost a year now. We pretty much dropped them, but we see them every once and awhile cause they live right by Eufemia. We walked in and just started talking to Darely and then Amiley walks in with her Bible and asks if we can teach something. So we just taught a little bit about Baptism.... then at the end of the lesson Amiley asked if she could be baptized. That she thinks its the right time in her life. It was the most amazing thing ever! And Darely knows the church is true and so does her mom Marth, they just dont like going alone, and they are friends with Eufemia... so now they want to come to church.

 

So we had a party on Saturday for all the branch and all investigators and stuff with just a bunch of food and then dances from like the elders and the primary and relief society and things like that. Amiley and Darely and Eufemia and her husband and then all the kids of Darley and Amiley came to the party and loved it. Then on Sunday they all came to church too. So its looking like this area could have 6 baptisms in the next transfer. Cause Eufemia will be baptized sunday. Then Darley and Amiley and Martha want to be baptized and they have 2 kids that tell us they want to come to church and be baptized. So needless to say... we had a very successful week and so thats why its so dang hard to leave. But they saying is always leave an area better than when you got in it....and this area is pretty dang white to say the least!!

 

Um thats pretty much all I can remember with whats been going on this week just cause Ive been really caught up in just all of this thats just happened. Um If you could maybe send out my singulair and maybe some stamps that would be great but make sure you send it to the mission office and they will get it to me.

 

Love

Elder Knudsen