May 13th

Well Ill be honest I dont really have too much to tell yall cause I already talked to yall yesterday. Nothing has really changed from 12 hours ago or so haha. But everything is going good. We dont really have any big plans for the day. Were going to go play basketball with the English Elders here in a couple hours so we will see how that goes. I actually bought some new shoes haha. So there was an Elder that bought them and he decided he didnt really like them so he bought some new ones haha. He bought them for 130 and gave them to me for 50. Yall probably wont like them but they are so sick haha. They are pink haha. But you know how I do, I gotta go a little flashy with my game haha. Ill have to take a picture of them and send them to you. They are like pink and grey with like hot pink laces haha.

So like I told you all this week was pretty good. We are seeing some good things. Like this week we got a really good referral from a member. Like so we went to a carne asada bbq with some members and there was a lady there that wasnt a member and she just started asking us all these questions and now wants to learn more and like all her family/friends are members and so its should be super great. We have a lesson with her on Wednesday.

And then the lady from Honduras will probably be baptized in June. I am going to let me greenie set the date with her haha it will be a good experience for him in the first week of his mission. Shes super ready because once you feel the spirit testify that these things are true, nothing else really matters.

I have been reading Jesus The Christ a lot lately and its been super great. I have been learning so much more about my Savior. I started it about 2 weeks ago and I am on page 300 now haha I just read it at night before I got to bed and I have gotten pretty far haha. Its super crazy though. Like even if I didnt know the church was true, reading that book would have to give you interest in the church because there isnt a man on this earth that could expound the bible in such a way without the help of the Holy Ghost.

This week we have Spanish Conference. That should be pretty good and be able to see Elder Warner and Singleton and Baker and everyone so I am excited for that. Its going to be weird though cause we will be doing a lot of role plays and stuff and me and my companion will have not taught a single thing together yet haha so we will see how that goes for sure.

We also have like 2 meal appointments. Ill be honest I have really missed American food. Like I love hispanic food so much, but when thats like all you eat, some good home cookin is really good. So I am excited for that. And like Josue and Norma will give us spanish food whenever we want. Like last week we had a bbq with them and had carne asada and carnitas and chorizo and it was super good. Its super funny cause like in Honduras they dont eat spicy food and so Elder Castillo was like dying because of the salsa and stuff. Its the same way in Peru so we will see how my companion handles it. His name is Elder Torrico.

I think thats about all for me. I hope everything is going well over there. Love yall and talk to yall in 7 months haha.

Elder Knudsen

May 6th

Hey yall so its been kinda a crazy week to say the least. Georgetown is a super cool town. Its super small and old, but super pretty. Its like all horse farms and stuff, but its super fun. So my new address is 125 Hiawatha Trail #10, Georgetown KY. I am serving with an Elder named Elder Castillo, but thats going to be getting changed. So Elder Castillo is from Miami, but President called us yesterday and told me that I am training starting today.... So ya.... But then he called and said he misread the letter and he wont be cominguntil next Monday. So I will be with Elder Castillo for one more week and then I will be training. His name is Elder Torrico and he is from Peru!!! Like straight up wont even speak much english haha. Like hes not going to the MTC really cause his English is good enough apparently and hes been waiting to come out for like 6 months but hasnt been able to get his Visa. So our apartment is like an hour and a half away from the mission home so you can just send it to the apartment. Its a pretty safe area.

 Its pretty nuts though. So there are now 6 Elders in Georgetown, and 5 of them are new to Georgetown. So there is an english companionship who is whitewashing and then the other one got transfered and so its been super hectic cause nobody knows the area and the one that does is super lazy. Like I really dont like the other elders that we are serving with cause they dont do anything all day. But oh well. Elder Gonzalez is now in my District haha so thats pretty exciting. But everything is going pretty well.

So I am really not sure what time I will be calling home. I am pretty sure I will be skyping and I think we are going to go to a familys house from Chile. They are super legit. But I think I will call you Sunday to let you know when I am actually going to call. I think it will be around like 4 or 5 our time. Like our church gets out at 1230 and so ya, something like that. I dont really know. Cause this week was Stake Conference and so we didnt even get to meet really any members and so we havent been invited to any houses, but then we were talking to a member about it and he probably would be fine for us to come over, but we will see.

WOW. There is this place called Franks Doughnuts!!! Best EVER!!! And... HES A MEMBER haha. Hes gives us free doughnuts whenever we want and hes actually from Honduras. Wow they are so great though. But I dont really have too much else to say this week. Like its just been a lot of bike riding and a lot of knocking doors to try and get something going. We would have actually had an investigator that we found come to church, but since it was stake conference it was in Lexington and so thats like 30 min away and so she didnt want to drive out there, but said she would come this week. Shes from Honduras and seems pretty legit though.

There are like 2 spanish areas in our whole area and they are on opposite sides of town. Like one of them is like 4 miles uphill one way and then the other one is like 4 miles the other way haha so we have been riding probably a good 15 to 20 miles a day, but its been good. Elder Castillo got his first flat tire haha. He was like what do we do?? And I was like.... we start walking haha. We had to walk like 2 miles home haha. It was super funny though cause hes never been in a bike area and got super scared.

Can you believe Elder Warner only has 5 weeks left in his mission!! WHAT!!! Its nuts haha. But ya our apartment is super nice. Like we have the same as the english elders do, but all 4 of them sleep there and only 2 of us in our apartment and its super new. Like its pretty big and a lot nicer than Okolona, but Okolona will always be my home haha. Oh and the size of pants just get what you got me at the beginning of my mission.

Love

Elder Knudsen

April 29th

Well its official, I am finally leaving Okolona and it has been super hard to say goodbye to the people I love so much. I got a call Saturday morning and President asked me to open up a new area and to train.... AHHHH haha. So I am now going to be going to Georgetown and opening up a spanish area. Its going to be super hard, there isnt 1 spanish member in the whole ward. I have really been stressed the last few days just thinking about it cause its just a big undertaking. I am also going to be on a bike and its a huge area. Like I will be covering a whole county on a bike and so the people said that most of the spanish areas are like a 45 min bike ride from the apartment haha. But then I got a call from President last night and said something happened to the Elder that I was going to train, so hes not coming out anymore and so I will not be training but I will be with an elder thats been out a few months and still open the area. President told me I will be training next transfer. So thats what is happening with me.

 

So this week has mainly just been saying goodbye to everyone and just doing some crazy things. The baptism was so amazing. So Powerful. And no the temple is not open on Mondays. The missionaries that go home go on Tuesday after transfer meeting.

 

Its so crazy to think that Elder Warner only has 6 weeks left. I talked to him yesterday and hes just freaking out haha. I was like Man I am never going to see you again. Ill probably see him like 3 times before he goes home. Its gone by so fast. He has changed so much its not even funny. He is not the same Elder I worked with a year ago. You going to have to go to his homecoming. It will be like June 16 I think. They get home the 12 of June so whatever that Sunday is. I am going to miss that kid for sure.

 

So I am not going to be District Leader down there, but its kinda nice just to be able to focus on getting the area going and not focusing on other missionaries problems. President kinda hinted that I will be going leadership again soon. He was like well Elder Knudsen I am realeasing you as District Leader but trust me, its not the end to your leadership haha" Elder Singleton and Elder Howard are convinced I am going to go Zone Leader in July, but we will have to see about that one haha.

 

So it was super hard to say bye to Vicente. He was like your coming back though right? And I had to tell him no. Then in the opening prayer he was like "God I am sad because my brother is leaving and so please help me be happy and please help him to help others find the truth" And he also wanted to say the closing prayer and prayed for me as well. Hes so legit. I am super sad I am not going to be able to see him get baptized. And then I told Eufemia yesterday and she started crying. IT SUCKED!!! And then she is making us come over today to have lunch, I am not really excited about that, but I couldnt say no to her. Then Amiley is just like the cutest ever. I asked her to write her info in my journal and she wrote me a note saying thanks for helping her be happy and shes going to miss me for her whole life and all this stuff. Shes the greatest. Then we had dinner with Aidee and her family and it was super hard to say goodbye to them. Like the youngest son was super mad. They are great though. I am not excited for tonight though. Tonight will be the hardest one. Pablo and Fabiola. I love them so much. He got the priesthood on Sunday so that was cool to see.

 

I got sick this week though. We went and ate at Eufemias and on our way home I just felt so sick and started throwing up onto someones lawn. I felt super bad, but it was so gross. So that was something else that happened this week haha. I dont know why I have been so sick lately. I feel like I am just dying or something.

 

I feel like thats pretty much all for me.

Love you all

 

Elder Knudsen

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