So I realized this past week that it will be another year and a half before I get to eat In-n-Out again. Then I realized it will be that long before I eat a Cheeseburger again. So I decided that the only thing I want in the terminal when I get home is my whole family, and a double-double. (I wrote it down so I could stop thinking about it)
This past week was a very interesting week. It was very difficult to work this last week, because it seemed that CHile took it as a weeklong holiday and nobody let us into their house until Friday. Then Sunday, Colo-Colo played (Colo-colo is the favorite team of 1/2 of Chile, the other half love La U or La Catolica) so we didn't enter any houses yesterday either. But its all good because Church was amazing!
Yesterday 2 inactive families that I've been working with came to church. the first hasn't been to church in 8 years, the other about 2 years. The families Viscarra and Pino. It was awesome. The ward mission leader even was surprised to see them come.
Anyway, a fairly uneventful week aside from that.
Also my trainer, my uncle, and my DL are all going home in a week. so thats kind of sad to see them go, and even weirder to think about how I am a 6 month missionary already. crazy.
thats all for this time folks
Love you lots,
Elder Knecht
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Shwester Knecht writes 1/20/2014: Lüneburg!
Lieber Familie,
This week was fun we found three new people!!! and I'm starting Jesus the Christ again! Our standards of excelence have been changed from one baptism a transfer to 4 baptisms a month. So yeah, we are going to be working on our Faith a whole lot.
And I don't have much time because We travel everywhere by train and bus and we always have to catch it or else we get stuck in the wrong city for an hour or more. we have to go all the way from Lüneburg to Lauenburg to do emails because there is no internet Laden in Lüneburg. I've learned to be very punctual. The Language is coming on great I don't know if I already told you this but the word Ivory in German is Elfen beine translated directly to elf's legs. Also the German people love Rocky Balboa, I was walking past a Hotel the other day and there was a sign for Rocky the Musical in Hamburg. I was amazed and astonished and cracking up the whole way home. I will have to get a picture. Anyways I love you all!!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Knecht
This week was fun we found three new people!!! and I'm starting Jesus the Christ again! Our standards of excelence have been changed from one baptism a transfer to 4 baptisms a month. So yeah, we are going to be working on our Faith a whole lot.
And I don't have much time because We travel everywhere by train and bus and we always have to catch it or else we get stuck in the wrong city for an hour or more. we have to go all the way from Lüneburg to Lauenburg to do emails because there is no internet Laden in Lüneburg. I've learned to be very punctual. The Language is coming on great I don't know if I already told you this but the word Ivory in German is Elfen beine translated directly to elf's legs. Also the German people love Rocky Balboa, I was walking past a Hotel the other day and there was a sign for Rocky the Musical in Hamburg. I was amazed and astonished and cracking up the whole way home. I will have to get a picture. Anyways I love you all!!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Knecht
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| Also there is a pic of my new Companion, Sister Sadler She's a quadruplet (or Vierlinge) |
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| Germans are Pirates and if you didn't believe me before you will now that boat is so cool looking! |
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| This is Ryan in car form. |
Monday, January 13, 2014
Elder Knecht writes 1/13/2014: IT'S A BOY!
At least I hope so. It would be really weird if I was training a sister missionary. Anyway I'm fairly amped about being able to train these next to cambios, it will be a grand experience.
Also they went and made me a DL. I'm actually a little bit terrified. But, in the words of a very intelligent (one might say inspired) man, "Come what may, and love it." (I love that talk)
But seriously, any and all prayers will be very appreciated.
The ward here is relaunching the missionary effort. Its all very exciting. This last Sunday only 42 or so people showed up, and the bishopric was pretty upset about that. They made that point and said "We're a ward. Even branches dont have this little attendance." So they drew on the whiteboard a schedule and said "when can you leave with the missionaries?" and pointed at every Priesthood holder. It was really neat. So it looks like the whole ward is going to start leaving with us every week.
Next we got to get home/visit teaching established and this ward is going to be rocking and rolling.
Anyway, the missionary work is progressing. Something about no unhallowed hand being able to stop it.
Hurrah for Israel!
Love,
Elder Knecht
Shwester Knecht writes 1/13/2014
Hallo Lieber Familie und Freunde!!
Ich bin versetzt nach Lüneburg!!!! The ward here is so nice and so ready to grow!! They love the missionaries and I love them!! They are so ready and willing to do anything to help they are actually going to have a training conference for the ward on how to be good ward missionaries! Our ward mission leader is so pumped up about missionary work!! We are so excited! Sister Ashley Sadler is my new mitarbeiterin! She's so great and knows all the rules by heart and is not afraid to say it how it is! I think it may be the first time that I've had a companion who is just as bold as me!! We are just going to rock it here in Lüneburg.She is actually a Quadruplet!! one of four!!!! and all the others are boys.
It's definitely different here it is much smaller than Leipzig. This city was one of the ones that didn't get bombed in WW2 so it still has tons of old buildings it is so pretty! and pretty touristy. The people here are so nice too! It's difficult because the people all think that we are Jehovah's Witnesses, because they work this area a lot too, but the challenge is getting people to church. The busses don't run in the morning on Sundays and you have to take a 15 min train ride from Lüneburg Bahnhoff to Lauenburg, after taking 30 mins to walk to bahnhoff from where we live, and then to walk from the train to the church takes another 15-20 mins. So we leave at 7 to get there by 8 in time for meetings. Then Church starts at 9:00 So if you don't have a car it makes things very difficult for 1st world country people. But from Lüneburg you could catch a train that would take you all the way to the boarder of Denmark!! I don't know where I'm going with this train of thought. (haha train hahahaha...) I'm so tired.
Every two streets here are named Johanna-something or something-Johanna. And there are so many Church buildings here!! Just not Mormon ones!!!
I miss Leipzig and all but here is good too and I hear that it's just nicer.
My new address is:
Johanna-Stegen Straße 1
21339 Lüneburg
Deutschland
Mission address is immer noch the gleiche:
Zerbster Straße 42
(keine ahnung) Berlin
Deutschland
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Kelsea Knecht
Ich bin versetzt nach Lüneburg!!!! The ward here is so nice and so ready to grow!! They love the missionaries and I love them!! They are so ready and willing to do anything to help they are actually going to have a training conference for the ward on how to be good ward missionaries! Our ward mission leader is so pumped up about missionary work!! We are so excited! Sister Ashley Sadler is my new mitarbeiterin! She's so great and knows all the rules by heart and is not afraid to say it how it is! I think it may be the first time that I've had a companion who is just as bold as me!! We are just going to rock it here in Lüneburg.She is actually a Quadruplet!! one of four!!!! and all the others are boys.
It's definitely different here it is much smaller than Leipzig. This city was one of the ones that didn't get bombed in WW2 so it still has tons of old buildings it is so pretty! and pretty touristy. The people here are so nice too! It's difficult because the people all think that we are Jehovah's Witnesses, because they work this area a lot too, but the challenge is getting people to church. The busses don't run in the morning on Sundays and you have to take a 15 min train ride from Lüneburg Bahnhoff to Lauenburg, after taking 30 mins to walk to bahnhoff from where we live, and then to walk from the train to the church takes another 15-20 mins. So we leave at 7 to get there by 8 in time for meetings. Then Church starts at 9:00 So if you don't have a car it makes things very difficult for 1st world country people. But from Lüneburg you could catch a train that would take you all the way to the boarder of Denmark!! I don't know where I'm going with this train of thought. (haha train hahahaha...) I'm so tired.
Every two streets here are named Johanna-something or something-Johanna. And there are so many Church buildings here!! Just not Mormon ones!!!
I miss Leipzig and all but here is good too and I hear that it's just nicer.
My new address is:
Johanna-Stegen Straße 1
21339 Lüneburg
Deutschland
Mission address is immer noch the gleiche:
Zerbster Straße 42
(keine ahnung) Berlin
Deutschland
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Kelsea Knecht
Monday, January 6, 2014
Shwester Knecht writes 1/6/2014: Transfer Calls!
Dearest Familie und Freunden!
I'm getting transferred to Luneberg (SP?) Its just south of Hamburg! I get to serve in the west!!! That is so exciting for me and there is a harbor and a beach and oh I'm so excited! They speak Blatt Deutsch there which is much different from Sächsisch which is the dialect they speak here in Saxony. Blatt Deutsch is closer to Hoch Deutsch and much closer to the language that I learned in the MTC. It's just more clear and they don't use as many made up vowels. I will miss this ward however, they are making some slow progress. They finally finnished their ward mission plan after two years of working on it!
This week was wonderful!!! We had several lessons with Gustave! And he knows that he has to get baptized, but he still wants to know 100% for sure if this church is true because he was baptized before! And he doesn't want it to be okay to just be baptized over and over again. He says that he believes that the Book of mormon is true and that he hopes that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. He has explained many experiences where he has recieved the answer to his prayer but he refuses to recognize it. He just doesn't understand why God would appear to Joseph Smith and let him know and not the rest of us. That God would only give him a feeling. He says that a feeling is not enough, he needs something more but he can' define what it is so he will probably never get it. There is just something holding him back that I just can't understand. I know I'm a horrible missionary. But we have explained everything that in this life we are meant to live by faith, and that 100% knowledge comes as we act in faith. It takes a long time to get 100% knowledge. And guess what! A lot of people don't achieve that in this life! But we live in the hope that comes from Jesus Christ. That he has saved us from our current state of being and has given us a reason to keep progressing and to keep living! To give us light in this life, and to make it possible to really learn and grow. It takes time I undersand that and for most older people who have lived long in this life without the light they have lost the hope of good change. People cling too long to the here and now because they are afraid that it's going to be too hard to change too hard to do, or maybe that they may no like the future. These people are living with out the hope of something better. They can't imagion that there could be something better! This I also think comes from self esteeme issues. They think that their life right now is more than they deserve, even though that may be true, Heavenly Father doesn't care about what we think we deserve. He knows what we deserve, and it's not much (personal revelation is the only thing that we deserve and that is only because he says so), but he wants to give us so much more! And that is what amazes me. He wants to bless us even though we rebel and can't do anything right! I mean think about it if you set up some really nice vacation deal for someone and tailored it exactly to their needs and wants and paid for it, and they refused, rather rudely, would you offer it again? Probably not. Personally, I would probably just go on the vacation myself and forget about them. But thats not what Heavenly Father does! He offers it again and again and again xinfinity! And you may think it is very "Natural Man-ish" of me to ask but, what does He get out of it? Only our company on this fantastic vacation that He planned?! Really?! Does he really love us that much!? That he would do all of that just for our company? When we were whining and complaining and saying no and telling him he should change his plans because we would rather get the bennefits and not sign the contract or so that we could jump ship once we weren't satisfied.
Anyways enough of that. We said good bye to several people as I will be leaving to go to Luneburg. And I gave my testimony that I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that He loves all of His children and that he wants us to be partakers of his glory. I'm really sad to leave Leipzig. I hope that Moritz will stay we got him started on his Family History so that he will be looking forward to the temple. I'm so happy that he is making such great progress!
Thank you everyone for your wonderful support! I love being a missionary I love bringing people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ I love the people even if they don'T love me back! I know that everything is possible with God! The Gospel is just like math one plus one equals two and keeping the commandments everyday brings blessings! When you are doing the lords work you are entitled to His help and he wants to help you! He loves you!! And I do too!
Sincerely,
Sister Knecht
I'm getting transferred to Luneberg (SP?) Its just south of Hamburg! I get to serve in the west!!! That is so exciting for me and there is a harbor and a beach and oh I'm so excited! They speak Blatt Deutsch there which is much different from Sächsisch which is the dialect they speak here in Saxony. Blatt Deutsch is closer to Hoch Deutsch and much closer to the language that I learned in the MTC. It's just more clear and they don't use as many made up vowels. I will miss this ward however, they are making some slow progress. They finally finnished their ward mission plan after two years of working on it!
This week was wonderful!!! We had several lessons with Gustave! And he knows that he has to get baptized, but he still wants to know 100% for sure if this church is true because he was baptized before! And he doesn't want it to be okay to just be baptized over and over again. He says that he believes that the Book of mormon is true and that he hopes that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. He has explained many experiences where he has recieved the answer to his prayer but he refuses to recognize it. He just doesn't understand why God would appear to Joseph Smith and let him know and not the rest of us. That God would only give him a feeling. He says that a feeling is not enough, he needs something more but he can' define what it is so he will probably never get it. There is just something holding him back that I just can't understand. I know I'm a horrible missionary. But we have explained everything that in this life we are meant to live by faith, and that 100% knowledge comes as we act in faith. It takes a long time to get 100% knowledge. And guess what! A lot of people don't achieve that in this life! But we live in the hope that comes from Jesus Christ. That he has saved us from our current state of being and has given us a reason to keep progressing and to keep living! To give us light in this life, and to make it possible to really learn and grow. It takes time I undersand that and for most older people who have lived long in this life without the light they have lost the hope of good change. People cling too long to the here and now because they are afraid that it's going to be too hard to change too hard to do, or maybe that they may no like the future. These people are living with out the hope of something better. They can't imagion that there could be something better! This I also think comes from self esteeme issues. They think that their life right now is more than they deserve, even though that may be true, Heavenly Father doesn't care about what we think we deserve. He knows what we deserve, and it's not much (personal revelation is the only thing that we deserve and that is only because he says so), but he wants to give us so much more! And that is what amazes me. He wants to bless us even though we rebel and can't do anything right! I mean think about it if you set up some really nice vacation deal for someone and tailored it exactly to their needs and wants and paid for it, and they refused, rather rudely, would you offer it again? Probably not. Personally, I would probably just go on the vacation myself and forget about them. But thats not what Heavenly Father does! He offers it again and again and again xinfinity! And you may think it is very "Natural Man-ish" of me to ask but, what does He get out of it? Only our company on this fantastic vacation that He planned?! Really?! Does he really love us that much!? That he would do all of that just for our company? When we were whining and complaining and saying no and telling him he should change his plans because we would rather get the bennefits and not sign the contract or so that we could jump ship once we weren't satisfied.
Anyways enough of that. We said good bye to several people as I will be leaving to go to Luneburg. And I gave my testimony that I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that He loves all of His children and that he wants us to be partakers of his glory. I'm really sad to leave Leipzig. I hope that Moritz will stay we got him started on his Family History so that he will be looking forward to the temple. I'm so happy that he is making such great progress!
Thank you everyone for your wonderful support! I love being a missionary I love bringing people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ I love the people even if they don'T love me back! I know that everything is possible with God! The Gospel is just like math one plus one equals two and keeping the commandments everyday brings blessings! When you are doing the lords work you are entitled to His help and he wants to help you! He loves you!! And I do too!
Sincerely,
Sister Knecht
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Ryan's First Email!
Hola!
Things are going great, and the language is coming right along, singing a song. Being in the MTC has been great thus far, and my favorite thing to do in gym time is play soccer. I forgot how much I love playing that sport. My district is solid. We got along right away, and things are great. As a DL I conduct stuff, and not much else. I kind of just set an example, is the best I can figure, but it's great nonetheless.And you should text Kimberly to look for these 2 people on HT: Chantel Fenn, and -------- Vawdry. I went on HT with Sister Fenn's older sister, and Sister Vawdry's sister is my teacher here in the MTC. I keep running into people I went on HT with, and it is super fun.
I can't think of anything else to write.
So bye!
Love,
Elder Knecht
Things are going great, and the language is coming right along, singing a song. Being in the MTC has been great thus far, and my favorite thing to do in gym time is play soccer. I forgot how much I love playing that sport. My district is solid. We got along right away, and things are great. As a DL I conduct stuff, and not much else. I kind of just set an example, is the best I can figure, but it's great nonetheless.And you should text Kimberly to look for these 2 people on HT: Chantel Fenn, and -------- Vawdry. I went on HT with Sister Fenn's older sister, and Sister Vawdry's sister is my teacher here in the MTC. I keep running into people I went on HT with, and it is super fun.
I can't think of anything else to write.
So bye!
Love,
Elder Knecht
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Kelsea's First Email!
Dearest Family who I love so very much!
I was so excited to here about the Smith's in Arizona's Friends' baptism. And all of your efforts in missionary work, remeber people are like 10x more likely to join the church when a member invites them first, missionaries are name tags members are friends, and what would you rather have?
You guys are so awesome! today was my first P-day. So sorry for the lack of letters, you should be getting some soon! Things are so busy here there is always something happening and everyone here is just so determined to be the best missionary they can be and you can constantly feel the spirit! Its so amazing to think that we are going to have General authorities here in the next three weeks making some big changes here in the MTC!!! We don't know what they are but we have been informed that they are going to be big, prehaps even bigger than indoor plumbing. My teacher of the German Language and all other things pertaining to the gospel is names Brüder Mower, and he is from South Jordan Utah, he went to Switzerland on his mission.
We have been teaching an "investigator" named Wolfgang Erlitz. It is the most interesting experience I have ever been through, to be forced to speak German that I didn't even know that I knew and trying to teach the gospel in the language of the spirit while also trying to not totally offend our investigator with our broken German. My companion is Sister Stuart, she is from Kaysville UTah. She loves to run and has run a few Marathons. She is so great, she is really sweet and totally humble she didn't know any German before coming here and now she already has Our Purpose (Unser Ziel) memorized auf Deutsch, and it has only been 5 days! It is amazing what the Lord can do with a few willing souls. I have seen Tanner plenty of times and Stephanie I see her everywhere, also Sister Jessica Howard. And a lot of people from Brother Greiner's class. There are only 4 people in our district. We have Elder Lloyd(UT), Elder Carpenter (ID) and Sister Stuart (UT) and myself (CA). Everyone here is from Utah we Californians have got to step up our attendance we need some more people to represent!! We have some sisters here from Finnland in our zone and some Elders and Sisters from Scotland and they have got some great accents I just want to listen to them talk all the time. I share a room with 6 other girls and I am the only one who is not from Utah. I think that there is one other girl who is from northern California and she is companions with one of the Finnish sisters. Everyone else is from Utah or Idaho.
I will try and get you a picture of our district soon! I love you all! keep up the good work! <3
Love,
Sister Knecht
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