Dear Family and Friends,
This week was my very first week in the field and it was filled with
adventure! Saying goodbye at the CCM was pretty hard especially to all
the missionaries I had come really close to, but I know that they are
going to be doing amazing things wherever they serve! We ended up
leaving the CCM at 3 in the morning and headed for the airport! I was
traveling with two of my district mates so I was very happy with that
situation!! Everyone was looking at us like we were diseased, no joke.
Mothers would grab their child's hand and pull them closer and people
would look away when we looked at them. It was really discouraging. I
hadn't done anything to these people, I just wanted to get my ticket
and go! And then I realized that I was now a missionary and it all
made sense! It took us two and a half hours to get through the ticket
line and security and another half an hour to get on the plane but
thankfully we finally were boarded! I have never stood so long in my
entire life...Okay, so now I am seated and the lady sitting next to me
starts a conversation and I explained to her that I was a missionary,
I swear missionary must be code for plague or something because after
that she practically ignored my existence. That was okay by me because
I wanted to sleep and write in my journal. About an hour into the
flight I pulled out my preach my gospel and scriptures when she
touched my arm. She looked me in the eye and asked me in all
seriousness to pray for her. Never in my life has this happened to me,
it was awesome! I said I most definitely would and I asked her to
share what was bugging her with me. I won't go into specifics but she
needed not my help but the Lord's help. She shared that she knew that
God could do all things and asked for my help. Coolest thing ever. I
told her I would pray for her, explained the Holy Ghost then shared
John 14:27 with her and told her that as she continued to have faith
in Christ and pray with that faith she would be blessed with that
specific peace she needed. I then testified that I knew Christ would
would help her in her life if she would continue to have faith. I
didn't have a Book of Mormon and I honestly was scared to give her
one...but I am guessing she needed the fullness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ in her life because she found us after we had gone through
customs. My companion thankfully had a Book of Mormon that I was able
to give her and a mormon.org card. I highlighted and shared Helaman
3:27 with her. It was a testimony to me that I can do this work and
The Lord is truly helping me and guiding me to those who need the joy
this gospel. That was pretty awesome.
When we actually got through the airport, our mission president was no
where to be found! We waited for a while and them were going to find a
pay phone to call him when Bam! We found him! It was awesome, finding
where they parked the car was not awesome. Then we had to go pick up
other missionaries who had missed their plane and couldn't call us.
The president and his wife were freaking out! I would be too if I had
been entrusted with the lives of these people. During this time I was
able to call my family, and I forgot it was a holiday so when I heard
my dad and brother's voice, I cried. I started to tear when I heard my
moms voice and everything just fell apart when I heard the other two!!
We eventually found the other missionaries and then headed to pack up
the truck. This is where I met Elder Jensen, this may not mean much to
anyone, but his son was my professor and advisor in college! I had
like six classes with Aaron and it was so neat to be able to meet him.
Then after that we headed to the mission home, this is where we
received our iPads, and instruction on how life in the field happened.
They fed us which was nice and then we received even more instruction.
We went to bed, woke up the next morning, repacked the truck, and
headed to the stake center for transfer day where we received even
more instruction! Then I met my new companion!!!!!! Her name is
Hermana Santos, she is a native speaker and has trained I think 3
times before and she is amazing! I love her!
Now I can start my infield adventures. The very first day, it was
pretty stressful. My parents had sent my bedding in a package, but it
wasn't supposed to get there until Tuesday. Tuesday was the day of the
transfer meeting! I was freaking out, but all was well, we called the
office and after a few minutes of looking, they had found it! Yay! So
we made our way back to Bloomingdale which is my first area. My area
has Addison and a few other cities in it. Tuesday we taught two of our
investigators and it was my very first lesson in the real world! We
taught them about the restoration, they had questions about the
apostasy and we cleared up how prophets are called and how they are
called of God. I didn't understand much but I felt the spirit. I am
one lesson in with this family and I already love them. We had a
member with us, Hermana Rendon, she was great. I loved her. She shared
her testimony about her own conversion experiences in Colombia.
Hermana Santos did an amazing job teaching and really gave them
opportunities to participate in the lesson. I was pretty quiet during
the lesson but my companion got me involved in the lesson and let me
describe Joseph Smith and the first vision. My Spanish was kind of
shaky but they understood me. I wasn't able to understand much but
they thought it was pretty impressive that I was learning Spanish to
teach the word of God. It was a good start to my in-field experience!
We left them with a Book of Mormon and gave them the challenge to read
it, little by little, and to pray about the truthfulness of Joseph
Smith and the Book of Mormon. They also said they would be baptized,
but we haven't set a date for them yet. We have also been teaching an
older Cuban man, he is about 70 years old and his wife passed away a
year ago tomorrow. He doesn't have a strong background in Christ so we
have really been working on establishing that faith. He is an awesome
investigator though and last night we were able to teach his son too!!
Some funny stories: we are in a bike share in this area so Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday we are on bikes, Monday we share the car, and the
rest of the time we have the car. Well Friday we were riding to our
next appointment and this corner was so sharp! My companion tried to
make it, she really did, but her tire got stuck between the grass
and the sidewalk and she fell, hard. She hopped right up with huge
hopes that no one saw her epic fail, even though everyone did and was
laughing at her, myself included, but then she got right back on her
bike, bloody and all and we rode off to our next appointment. The next
day, my companion had started to ride in a parking lot and had stopped
without giving me much time to stop. I tried to stop. I have short
legs though. And my legs couldn't reach the ground!!!!! I ended up
falling, hitting a Car on my way down. But thankfully, I only have a
purple knee rather than a bloody one like my companion. And so the
many adventures of bike riding have began!
The mission is a lot harder than I could have ever imagined. I never
thought it would be easy, but I never thought it could be as hard as
this is. Satan really comes after us missionaries, trying to get us to
go home, to give up, to leave without sharing the message of the
restored gospel. It has been exhaustingly difficult to overcome those
thoughts and feelings, however through the atonement of our savior
Jesus Christ, I have been able to overcome it! It doesn't mean that
those thoughts aren't there, and trust me, they are still difficult,
but I have been blessed with an amazing companion who helps me
maintain an eternal perspective. It's hard, but I can do it. Thank you
all for all of your prayers, I know that it is your prayers that give
me the extra strength that I need in the times of great difficulty. I
know that this gospel is true and that there is a serious power when
it comes to fasting. I don't know why, but I know that when you set
aside your natural wants, food and water, for spiritual strength you
will be blessed!
So for those of you who are having a hard time, keep praying, fast,
and study! I know that you will be able to receive the strength and
peace you need in life as you do those things. Come unto Christ and
let Him help you! He is there ready and willing to help, we just have
to ask for it. I have found that out in my few days here. I love you
guys and I also love emails or letters! ;) Until next week!
Hermana Kunz
This week was my very first week in the field and it was filled with
adventure! Saying goodbye at the CCM was pretty hard especially to all
the missionaries I had come really close to, but I know that they are
going to be doing amazing things wherever they serve! We ended up
leaving the CCM at 3 in the morning and headed for the airport! I was
traveling with two of my district mates so I was very happy with that
situation!! Everyone was looking at us like we were diseased, no joke.
Mothers would grab their child's hand and pull them closer and people
would look away when we looked at them. It was really discouraging. I
hadn't done anything to these people, I just wanted to get my ticket
and go! And then I realized that I was now a missionary and it all
made sense! It took us two and a half hours to get through the ticket
line and security and another half an hour to get on the plane but
thankfully we finally were boarded! I have never stood so long in my
entire life...Okay, so now I am seated and the lady sitting next to me
starts a conversation and I explained to her that I was a missionary,
I swear missionary must be code for plague or something because after
that she practically ignored my existence. That was okay by me because
I wanted to sleep and write in my journal. About an hour into the
flight I pulled out my preach my gospel and scriptures when she
touched my arm. She looked me in the eye and asked me in all
seriousness to pray for her. Never in my life has this happened to me,
it was awesome! I said I most definitely would and I asked her to
share what was bugging her with me. I won't go into specifics but she
needed not my help but the Lord's help. She shared that she knew that
God could do all things and asked for my help. Coolest thing ever. I
told her I would pray for her, explained the Holy Ghost then shared
John 14:27 with her and told her that as she continued to have faith
in Christ and pray with that faith she would be blessed with that
specific peace she needed. I then testified that I knew Christ would
would help her in her life if she would continue to have faith. I
didn't have a Book of Mormon and I honestly was scared to give her
one...but I am guessing she needed the fullness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ in her life because she found us after we had gone through
customs. My companion thankfully had a Book of Mormon that I was able
to give her and a mormon.org card. I highlighted and shared Helaman
3:27 with her. It was a testimony to me that I can do this work and
The Lord is truly helping me and guiding me to those who need the joy
this gospel. That was pretty awesome.
When we actually got through the airport, our mission president was no
where to be found! We waited for a while and them were going to find a
pay phone to call him when Bam! We found him! It was awesome, finding
where they parked the car was not awesome. Then we had to go pick up
other missionaries who had missed their plane and couldn't call us.
The president and his wife were freaking out! I would be too if I had
been entrusted with the lives of these people. During this time I was
able to call my family, and I forgot it was a holiday so when I heard
my dad and brother's voice, I cried. I started to tear when I heard my
moms voice and everything just fell apart when I heard the other two!!
We eventually found the other missionaries and then headed to pack up
the truck. This is where I met Elder Jensen, this may not mean much to
anyone, but his son was my professor and advisor in college! I had
like six classes with Aaron and it was so neat to be able to meet him.
Then after that we headed to the mission home, this is where we
received our iPads, and instruction on how life in the field happened.
They fed us which was nice and then we received even more instruction.
We went to bed, woke up the next morning, repacked the truck, and
headed to the stake center for transfer day where we received even
more instruction! Then I met my new companion!!!!!! Her name is
Hermana Santos, she is a native speaker and has trained I think 3
times before and she is amazing! I love her!
Now I can start my infield adventures. The very first day, it was
pretty stressful. My parents had sent my bedding in a package, but it
wasn't supposed to get there until Tuesday. Tuesday was the day of the
transfer meeting! I was freaking out, but all was well, we called the
office and after a few minutes of looking, they had found it! Yay! So
we made our way back to Bloomingdale which is my first area. My area
has Addison and a few other cities in it. Tuesday we taught two of our
investigators and it was my very first lesson in the real world! We
taught them about the restoration, they had questions about the
apostasy and we cleared up how prophets are called and how they are
called of God. I didn't understand much but I felt the spirit. I am
one lesson in with this family and I already love them. We had a
member with us, Hermana Rendon, she was great. I loved her. She shared
her testimony about her own conversion experiences in Colombia.
Hermana Santos did an amazing job teaching and really gave them
opportunities to participate in the lesson. I was pretty quiet during
the lesson but my companion got me involved in the lesson and let me
describe Joseph Smith and the first vision. My Spanish was kind of
shaky but they understood me. I wasn't able to understand much but
they thought it was pretty impressive that I was learning Spanish to
teach the word of God. It was a good start to my in-field experience!
We left them with a Book of Mormon and gave them the challenge to read
it, little by little, and to pray about the truthfulness of Joseph
Smith and the Book of Mormon. They also said they would be baptized,
but we haven't set a date for them yet. We have also been teaching an
older Cuban man, he is about 70 years old and his wife passed away a
year ago tomorrow. He doesn't have a strong background in Christ so we
have really been working on establishing that faith. He is an awesome
investigator though and last night we were able to teach his son too!!
Some funny stories: we are in a bike share in this area so Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday we are on bikes, Monday we share the car, and the
rest of the time we have the car. Well Friday we were riding to our
next appointment and this corner was so sharp! My companion tried to
make it, she really did, but her tire got stuck between the grass
and the sidewalk and she fell, hard. She hopped right up with huge
hopes that no one saw her epic fail, even though everyone did and was
laughing at her, myself included, but then she got right back on her
bike, bloody and all and we rode off to our next appointment. The next
day, my companion had started to ride in a parking lot and had stopped
without giving me much time to stop. I tried to stop. I have short
legs though. And my legs couldn't reach the ground!!!!! I ended up
falling, hitting a Car on my way down. But thankfully, I only have a
purple knee rather than a bloody one like my companion. And so the
many adventures of bike riding have began!
The mission is a lot harder than I could have ever imagined. I never
thought it would be easy, but I never thought it could be as hard as
this is. Satan really comes after us missionaries, trying to get us to
go home, to give up, to leave without sharing the message of the
restored gospel. It has been exhaustingly difficult to overcome those
thoughts and feelings, however through the atonement of our savior
Jesus Christ, I have been able to overcome it! It doesn't mean that
those thoughts aren't there, and trust me, they are still difficult,
but I have been blessed with an amazing companion who helps me
maintain an eternal perspective. It's hard, but I can do it. Thank you
all for all of your prayers, I know that it is your prayers that give
me the extra strength that I need in the times of great difficulty. I
know that this gospel is true and that there is a serious power when
it comes to fasting. I don't know why, but I know that when you set
aside your natural wants, food and water, for spiritual strength you
will be blessed!
So for those of you who are having a hard time, keep praying, fast,
and study! I know that you will be able to receive the strength and
peace you need in life as you do those things. Come unto Christ and
let Him help you! He is there ready and willing to help, we just have
to ask for it. I have found that out in my few days here. I love you
guys and I also love emails or letters! ;) Until next week!
Hermana Kunz