November 12th

We had a good amount of success this week. Remember the girl I told
> you about last week that we had started to teach. Ya we set a baptism
> date with her for.... DECEMBER 1 haha what a coinicidence right?? But
> too bad I wont be able to teach her all the way up until her baptism
> cause ill be getting a new companion next Tuesday. I think I might be
> getting Elder Simms!!! Man I love that Elder! He was my zone leader in
> my last area and in my district and hes a great elder. We are thinking
> its him, or Elder Duran (funniest person I know) or maybe Elder
> Ferguson. So Im really excited to be able to work Spanish work again,
> but Ill be honest its going to be hectic cause its like were going to
> be opening a new area.
>
> I had a really cool thing happen to me this week. So the zone leaders
> came on.... I think it was Thursday and I went with Elder Richins and
> he only has one more week left in his mission. But I decided we were
> going to go try a former Spanish investigator and so we did, she didnt
> answer, and then the thought came to me to go to a street called
> Landings. Like the 5th door we knocked on was hispanic and before I
> could even get out that we were missionaries he asked us to come in
> and teach him. We ended up teaching him and 2 other men. They are all
> from Honduras and he had seen missionaries there and had always wanted
> to speak to them but never had. Hes been here in the states for 5
> months. But we taught him the Restauration and he really liked it and
> we set up a return appointment for last night, we went over and he
> hadnt got off work yet so that kinda sucked. Oh wait.... nvm it was
> Saturday, but ya I really think they could progress!! It was a really
> cool experience cause its really rare to have Hispanics just let you
> in on your first contact with them out here.
>
> We had 3 investigators to church yesterday so that was really good. My
> translation is getting a lot better to say the least. I felt like I
> did really good yesterday during Sacrament. We had a returned
> missionary sister speak and also a high council man, and so it was
> pretty profound talks too. But like even a member was like Dang Elder
> Knuden, That was pretty impressive, seeing as you didnt speak like
> that last week haha. So its getting better to say the least.
>
> Elder Sizelove said something funny to me this week haha. He was like
> Elder Knudsen, I know why your speaking Spanish now, Its because if
> you were speaking English your mission would just be too easy for you.
> I really have felt really comfortable speaking English and I feel like
> I can connect to a lot of them. Like Its just the other elders door
> approaches and contacts are really awkward and seem like rehearsed and
> so they get the door shut on them, but when you start to speak to them
> like a person, then thats when they will open there hearts.
>
> But there wasnt really anything too much different about this week. We
> recieved a training on how to change our door approaches that
> President learned from his Mission President Seminar for the 17
> Southern missions. And guess what.... It came from the Ft Lauterdale
> mission haha I was like PONDDDDD haha. I guess when they tract they
> say "We representatives of Jesus Christ and as such we bring His peace
> and blessing to your home, could we maybe come in and offer a pray
> with you?" And they have seen there baptisms sky rocket. Like my
> mission, we have never had more baptisms than we are having right now.
> We might hit 70 this month which is really high for this mission,
> Actually the highest its ever been, but there mission had 160 last
> month and they have less missionaries than we do! Crazy right!?!?!
>
> We also had some crazy guy. Man I was so mad that day. He asked us to
> come in and then he starts asking all these questions that were very
> specific to the temple and I wouldnt answer them and so he went into
> that hes done research on the Mormons for 7 years and hes found out
> that we are Satan worshipers and stuff like that. It was just
> ridiculous. It made me sick to my stomach some of the stuff he said,
> so i got up and left the room.
>
> Ive been really tired this week Ill be honest. Its went by pretty
> fast, but man. Im just exhausted or something. Its crazy to think I
> turn 20 in less than 3 weeks haha. It sure doesnt seem like im that
> old. Like im going to hit my year mark in no time. Like its only 3
> transfers away!! Man I hope I actually get to go to transfer meeting
> this time. But I think they will just bring my companion out here and
> I wont go, but I wish I could just see everyone down there haha like I
> really do miss Louisville. I feel like Louisville is my home.
>
> Thanks for sending out my winter stuff. Man im not excited for winter
> to hit. Ya its been pretty warm this week, its been nice. Today its
> been raining all day and it was raining all last night and just a lot
> of wind, so I think its coming haha. I didnt feel the earthquake by
> the way. But the Elders Im with have been making fun of how much
> winter stuff I got. But im like man Im going to need it. But then
> again one of my companions is from Alaska, and the other is from Idaho
> and apparently it gets like -30 where he lives too. So they are really
> used to the cold to say the least.
>
> But everything is going good with me. Just the same old song and
> dance! Hope all is good with you all.
>
> Elder Knudsen