April 24th

Well its been a weird week to say the least. So I am sorry I didnt write you on Monday and it is because as a zone we got to go to the temple this week and so we had to change our P-day from Monday to Wednesday and so we have been working the last 2 days! I forgot to tell you last week. It was super amazing though. I miss the temple a lot! Its a super small temple though, like tiny, there isnt even a chapel inside. But its really nice.

 

So I dont really even know where to start at this week. So probably the craziest thing that happened was President gave all the missionaries in the Lousiville area permission to go to "Thunder Over Louisville" Its like the biggest firework show in the nation to start off horse racing season. It was nuts. It started at like 9:30 and went until like 10:30 and so we didnt get home until 11:30 haha. But the crazy thing was was like the night before the show, President had a dream that there was a bomb at Thunder Over Louisville like there was at the Boston Marathon haha but he still let us go. It was super fun. I really didnt feel like a missionary that night, like we had to go in our suits and stuff, but like before the fireworks we went to a wedding for a lady in our branch and so it was just a weird day.

 

So the next thing.... WERE HAVING 3 BAPTISMS TONIGHT haha. So Pablo Fabiola and Marcela have decided to get baptized again and so we are doing thattonight. It should be exciting. Also the Northside Elders are having a baptism tonightand so were having 4 in the 5th branch tonight so thats pretty exciting. Pablo asked if I would baptize him so that was really cool. Warner is going to baptize Fabiola and then Adams is going to baptize Marcela. I am super excited now cause like if they can go through the temple before I go home I get to go no matter what because technically they will be my converts. I love that family so much. They dont really want to be baptized again, but they are sick of waiting and so its probably for the best.

 

So Vicente came to church this week so that was really good. He is looking like 100% for being baptized on May 11. The crazy thing is.... I might not be getting transferred now. Cause like it was like 100 percent sure a couple of weeks ago but one of the visa waiters left and he was in the area where I was going and so the Elder that is there is going to have a different Elder, another visa waiter and he will at least have to be there for another transfer. So I am thinking I am staying in Okolona for another 2 transfers haha. I will find out on Saturday and so you all will know on Monday.

 

So its been kinda a weird week. So I went on an exchange with Northside so I went to there area and Elder Singleton went to Okolona. So that night when I was in Northside, Okolona found a ton of bed bugs, like it got infested, so we had to get the exterminator to come and now we dont have box springs so were just sleeping on the mattress on the floor. We also had to throw out the couch. But its funny cause I was never bit and Elder Singleton woke up with like 30 bites that night. And then this week I got like bit on  my hand by a spider and then like I didnt really know where it came from.... then Elder Adams sees that there is a spider straight up living in my handlebars!! Like whats up with that!!

 

But I got the glasses and the brownies. They were all great. Everyone said they are the best brownies they have ever had and they asked me to ask you for the recipe if you can.

 

Ill be honest I dont really want to be in Okolona much longer. I am running out of places to go. I have knocked like every door 5 times and I really feel like I know everyone here. I really want to see the baptism of Vicente but its really hard staying motivated in an area that you have just destroyed for 10 months. Like there are definately pros and cons about staying or leaving.

 

So I will probably call home if I am still here in Okolona like between 430 and 600. I am going to skype again just so you know, well if thats ok I guess. Like its going to be hectic though cause we have church until 4 and then we are going to have a fireside at 7 at the mission home so that doesnt give us a lot of time to run call and then leave again haha, but its ok. Its crazy to think I will only have one more phone call after this one!

 

Thats pretty much all I have to say this week. Sorry yall. Love ya

 

Elder Knudsen

April 15th

So this week was pretty normal, nothing really too exciting. So we had interviews with President and my interview was really lame haha usually he gives you like a pep talk or something like that and then talks about some cool things, but pretty much he just talked about the rest of the district with me and stuff like that and then he told my companion that I am leaving at the end of this transfer which is in 2 weeks. So thats kinda sad, but its time for a change. He said he was proud of me for the work Ive done in Okolona and hes really seen an increase in the work. So it made me feel good, he said I was doing a good job with Elder Adams as well.

 

So Vicente didnt come to church this week so he will not be baptized this week so thats sad. Were going to try and reset the date for the 27 so that I can be here for it. We knocked on his door sunday morning and apparently he was sleeping. He called us and apologized, but we will see what happens.

 

We found a really cool new investigator this week. His name is Juan Carlos. Hes from Cuba and has been in the states for like a month or less. We actually taught his brother one time and we went by to teach his brother again, but his brother wasnt home and so we started talking to Juan Carlos and he didnt really want to talk to us. But then I started talking about Cuba and where hes from and so he let us come in. We started kinda just asking him questions about religion and then shared a little bit of the restauration and he was like "Oh that sounds familiar" Then he pulls out the Restauration pamphlet that we had given his brother and he had said he had read all of it and it was really interesting. We then gave him a Book of Mormon and he also came to church yesterday so that was exciting. Hes a really cool guy.

 

So probably the most eventful thing of the week was going to the restaurant called El Rincon. Its a cuban restaurant and Darely and Amiley really wanted to take me there because they found out I was going to be leaving soon. So we go over to Darelys and like everyone is getting super dressed up and stuff and im like man where are we going!! So we show up to this restaurant and pretty much it was how I pictured Cuba (utter caos) Like there is like 30 people dancing and drinking and just lots of yelling and stuff haha it was nuts. Then Amiley asked me to dance and I was like I cant Amiley haha she loves me. It was a super good time. They threw down so much money for it though. So like there was 9 of us.... it cost $190!!!!! Like I probably got the least expensive thing. My meal was $13. But like man they threw down so much money. I felt so bad cause I know that they dont have the most money in the world.

 

But really there was nothing too exciting about this week. Just same old same old. But it would be super cool if you could get brownies sent off cause I want to bring them to my last district meeting. It would be super nice. And I am going to go send off the glasses today and so Ill be getting that done.

 

It was kinda hectic this week with Lousiville winning though. There are like stands on every corner selling shirts and stuff. There is a shirt I am looking for and I havent been able to find it yet. They are always sold out so we are going up to the main store today. It says "CUT THE NET, National Champions" Its super legit.

 

Eufemia kinda chewed me out yesterday at church. So she was like Elder Knudsen you dont love me anymore. You dont come over as much as you used to and you dont call me and stuff and I was like man!!! I am sorry!! Cause like she wants to feed us like every day and shes been working a lot in the afternoon and like we are busy pretty early on, but it made me feel really bad. Shes so amazing though. She taught gospel principles this week and did an amazing job. It was kinda super funny. The lesson was on Repentance and she like called the whole class to repentance. But thats about all for me.... I felt like I was going to tell you some other stuff... but dont really remember.

 

Well love yall

 

Elder Knudsen

April 8th

So this week went by super fast. We got like no time to work in our area, but we really had some cool things happen. We set a baptismal date with a family of 4, but only 3 are over 8 years old. They are the cutest family ever and they are going to be such kingdom builders. We set the date for May 11 and so it kinda sucks that I wont be here to see it. Its pretty much set in stone that I will not be here in 3 weeks. It really makes me sad. Vicente still has a date for April 20, but he hasnt been coming to church and so we will see. I really want to see him baptized before I leave. I have worked so hard for him its not even funny. I would do anything for him.

 

So General Conference was really great. Man I feel like every talk was about family and marriage haha. Thats like all they talked about, or maybe thats what I was searching for haha. But it was a really good session of Conference. So we were there all day saturday and sunday to watch it, like at the stake center. It was the first time I watched it in spanish, so that was kinda weird. I only have 1 more conference in my mission too. Nuts right!! Marcus hits his 18 month mark in like 3 weeks!!!! Its going by so super fast.

 

So we went to buffalo wild wings this week. Man it was so good. There is member that always takes the missionaries  out there to eat and so he paid for 6 missionaries to eat. And like hes the guy that is like if you dont have left overs you didnt order enough haha. Hes a lawyer, but our meal was like $130.

 

So I have been sick all weekend so that really hasnt been fun. I have had the worst headache and sore throat ever, and so it didnt help having to watch conference all day in spanish. But idk. Today we had a zone activity and that was pretty fun. Can you believe Louisville is in the championship. Like pretty much we cant be out tonight cause we are so close to the city. Like last year when UK won the missionaries had to stay inside cause it was just utter caos.

 

So i got the year package and thank you so much. It was great. I also got the glasses.... so... they are really thin and dont really look good at all..... I dont really want to ask you to order the other ones.... but like these ones look like girl glasses...... So its up to you. I think the other ones were only like $10 and so I could pay you if you want.

 

The Spanish Conference went really good. Like it was pretty much just teaching the the missionaries to go back to the basics and do everything by the spirit. But I got the nicest compliment from sister hansen. Shes a sister in my district and we were doing a role play and elder adams and I was teaching sister okey and then sister hansen was watching, and she said she could feel the spirit so strong and that she really learned a lot from me, so that made me feel really good. I really have been focusing all my trainings lately on baptism, people just dont understand why we baptize, but I think now they are going to be mainly on teaching skills. I feel like they have gone down a lot as a district.

 

Are you happy we have started to count down now?? Its so crazy. Its been the fastest year ever. But I think thats about all from me. I love you all..

 

Elder Knudsen

April 1st

Can you believe its been a year since I have been gone. Well not teachnically, but pretty much. Like last Easter I was sitting in the MTC listening to President Packer and his son Elder Packer. Not going to lie... I fell asleep in President Packers talk cause I was so tired because it was my first week in the MTC. So I couldnt really tell you anything about what he talked on.

 

So I dont really know what happened this week haha. It went by really fast and this week I am going to be so busy I am going to have no time for anything. Ill share with you the cutest thing ever that Amiley said to me last night. So last night we went and had dinner at Darelys with Amiley and everyone. It was super fun and then we had a lesson and for some reason I mentioned that I would probably be leaving in like 4 weeks and she liked freaked out. Like she looks at Elder Adams (the one that found them in the first place) and was like no offense but I trust Elder Knudsen more than like anyone cause he has been here so long and we have gone through a lot together. And then Darely was like I thought you were going to stay here for the rest of your mission?? Haha cause that has been a joke around the spanish elders and in our area. But it made me feel super good that they were super sad about the thought of me leaving haha. Like I really thought Amiley was going to cry. But I told her we will for sure stay in contact on Facebook and things like that haha.

 

So church was really good. Eufemia and Amiley and her whole family came. We are probably going to be able to baptize the daughter of Amiley this month. Shes come to church a couple times and has always hated it and didnt like us teaching her, and like yesterday in church she was just crying saying she didnt want to be there and stuff, but then we sang abide with me tis even tide and she really felt the spirit and calmed down and was blown away by the song and then she loved primary and so it was a really good turn around. Shes 9 years old

 

We also talked to Claudia this week. She was baptized in Peru and we found her a little while ago. We had started teaching her husband and he had a baptismal date, but he was just super busy and now were going to start teaching her kids. They are 9 and 12 and are friends of the kids of Pablo and Fabiola. They have been to church 1 and were supposed to come yesterday with pablo and fabiola, but for some reason pablo and fabiola didnt come and so I am not really sure exactly what happened.

 

So Vicente has kinda been really wishwashy. He cancelled like all the apts and didnt come to church. It just kills me. We will have to see what happens with him. We are teaching the coolest family ever though. They are such kingdom builders. They have been searching for a church that their kids feel comfortable in and like they live in a house (SOOO RARE!! First lesson I have taught in a house) and like speak really good english and shes going to school to become a nurse and are so great. We went by again on Saturday and like they asked us to teach their little girls about Easter. They are 5 and 7 and so cute. So we taught them. They were supposed to come to church, but he got called into work. I think they will for sure be baptized.

 

So do you want to know how busy my week is going to be. Tomorrow I have to go to the library to type up the monthly report of the district for the zone leaders and it takes around an hour and a half and then Wednesday I have District Leader Council from like 11 til 3 and then Thursday we have the first ever Spanish Conference as a mission and then Friday we have District Meeting and Weekly Planning and Ward Coordination and then Saturday and Sunday we will be at conference! Like I really dont know how were going to find any time to do anything. Oh and we have a meal apointment everyday this week and so thats even more!! AHH!!! Like I dont really like dinner apts because usually hispanics dont make the food before hand and then it takes awhile, and honestly I would rather be teaching the gospel and even tracting to try and find someone new. Like its the easy thing to do, but ya...

 

Ya I got my easter basket so thanks for that. You didnt have to send me another package haha. How was Easter for yall??

 

 

Elder Duran came back this week to visit. It was super weird. I could tell he felt super uncomfortable being there without the tag haha. But all is well. Man I was going to tell yall something but I forgot. Like I got a couple flat tires and stuff, but ya.

 

Well I love  you all

 

Elder Knudsen