July 31, 2012

Dear Family

So life goes on here in the MTC. Sunday we watched "Becoming a Missionary" by Elder Holland. It was super good. Amazing good. He spoke on how missions are super important and we only have 2 years. But we will remember what we learn for the rest of our lives and it will help shape who we are in the future. Also, the importance of everything that we do. It really is crazy that I'm 10% done and I haven't even left the MTC. I feel like I have catching up to do once I get to Germany. I want to go and just teach everyone. Yea The MTC is great, but I want to go teach real people the gospel. Gaaaaa. Oh well, I'll go whenever I'm allowed to. It's not the end of the world. I'll still have close to two years to teach. 

Oh, this Thursday we have a general coming to see how we learn languages. It is only to my district. Kind of cool that we'll be able to answer questions to a general on how to learn a language. I'll tell you more about it next week. 

Oh, and I won't be going to the Referral Center. Kind of funny I am, I'm not, I am. Oh well I think this is for sure because they want missionaries who go there to have at least 4 weeks and I might be gone before that. Hopefully. 

I don't really have very many stories to tell because the MTC is all the same. Study, eat, study, eat study, sleep. No real stories to share i'm sorry. So what else can I say. 

So is jason even preparing for the marathon anymore? Tanya said they might beat Jason because he isn't training much.

I have a really small brace. Like NFL size or whatever, just a sleeve. Then I'll probably wear it for two more months. And pants in germany are super cheap. So it doesn't matter that this one is dying. My teacher's pants were 8 bucks and look almost new after 3 years.  The only time my knee hurts is when I have the brace on tight for too long. But it would hurt my good knee too. So that's very good. I don't even realize my knee is hurt anymore. I still take it easy of course but It feels completely fine. Oh there's an elder to my left who is typing with one pinky. How he is going so fast I have no idea. Anyway, I'm taking it very easy on my knee, don't worry. I walk everywhere but I don't go faster than I should or run. I want to but I can constrain myself. I want to get better as soon as possible. 

My district president is going to a meeting this Thursday for all of the medical delays. He is going to try to get the doctors to let me leave. It's up to the MTC not the surgeon. But I wouldn't bet on it. Maybe 5% chance the MTC doctors will change their minds. I'll prob just have to stay here a few more weeks. Kind of sad because there are Germans who need the gospel and every missionary counts. But what can I do? it's not up to me. If it was I'd be there by now walking the streets talking to everyone in broken German.

The temple is open now. So finally we can go again after over a month. It will be all sparkly clean again. When it closed it was but now it will be even cleaner. So there is a good side of staying. I get to go to the temple more. and yea that's about all there is going on.

Love you

Elder Devon Kinghorn

July 24, 2012

Well I don't know if I'm going to the Referral Center or not. It's really really confusing. As I told tanya I'm in Limbo. But oh well I have plenty of time to study. And I can help out the new Germans with studying. 

So It's been quite the adventure here at the MTC. Long days and I'm just in limbo right now. I don't specifically have a class and my companion just had double knee surgery (he isn't in the best of shape) Soon he will be in the Referral Center and I will be stuck in limbo. No real companion just a member of the zone and can go with whoever whenever. But that's ok. I hope I'll be good to go next monday. I really hope that the surgeon says I can go. I'm walking with almost no limp. And every day it gets so much better. Flexibility is coming back so fast. I can fully extend my knee and almost pull it back to my butt. (That's really good considering the goal on paper is to be able to pass 90 degrees I think). Last Tuesday was super super hard watching my district leave and getting stuck behind. It's not exactly what I'd like to call a happy day. But now i'm doing good. I wish I could have left last week but If I leave next week that would be ok with me. It's up to the Lords time table. And if you keep reading in alma trials really make up a big part of it. Alma 26 alma 38? i think. A Zoromite prison does not sound like a fun place to be.  So yea if you ever feel like your day is going terribly just think "I'm not in Zoromite prison" and everything will seem much better. You have a loving family and are not beaten every single day.

Oh one of the sisters who was going to Germany. Yea her call was changed yesterday. So she is going to The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Portuguese speaking. She has to start the MTC over with 9 more weeks. That's 13 total. I know what she feels like I'm on week 11. But yea everything is going great right now. I love the MTC. It's not bad, I just really really want to be in the mission field. I've heard from so many people that the mission field is amazing. So I'll try really hard to convince my surgeon to let me go. I'd even wear this giant brace for 2 months just to be safe. 

And I'll just buy some new pants in germany. I hear they're super cheap and really really nice. like 70 euro for a nice full suit.. But then again I might not leave for 5 more weeks. But Dan (my physical therapist) thinks I’ll be able to go. And I've had tons of prayers which I know helps a ton. So thank you for that. 

I saw the picture Dad sent of the Alps. It's beautiful. And Elder O. (my roommate) said people are blunt there, kind of like me but more. Sometimes if you ask how are you they'll reply with something like ‘why do you care’ or they'll really unleash all of their problems on you. It's not a very closed society like America. Much more open and you make life long friends very easily there. 

The work is really progressing. Two years ago it was a good week to teach 5 lessons. Now if you aren't teaching 15 you're a slacker and 20 is more often the norm. President Bengtzen said Germany will have thousands of wards hundreds of stakes and dozens of temples. Germany was also rededicated for Missionary work just a few years ago. Now it's not uncommon to have 8 baptisms as opposed to 1 or 2. And the numbers will really start rising as I'm there. I know I'll be involved in the Baptism of many different people. Elder B.'s brother was involved in 22 baptisms. Eight of which he was the missionary when they were baptized. I'm just saying this because a guy yesterday kind of upset me. He asked where I was going, I said Germany. Then he asked why I was going. I said I'm going to invite others to Christ and baptize so that they can go through the temple and return to God. He pretty much told me “that won't happen and you're there to plant seeds”. I'm sick and tired of that mindset. If I go with the attitude I'm there to plant seeds I'll plant seeds. But that's not what I've been called to do. I know I'll plant seeds along the way but the field is white ready to harvest. I'm a representative of Jesus Christ and saying that I won't bring others to Christ is like saying Christ is unable to fulfill his own prophecies of the work in Germany, that Christ can't baptize. That goes for any place in the whole world. its 2012, in the latter days. The work is going to start accelerating all over the world. Missionaries really are better than they used to be.

I Love You

Elder Devon Kinghorn

July 16, 2012

Guten Tag Mine Familie,

So today is PDay because my district leaves to Germany tomorrow morning. It's kind of sad watching them leave but oh well, I should be able to leave soon. Whenever the Lord needs me to leave. The physical therapist thinks it will be 2 or 3 weeks. Not bad for ACL surgery. 

So yesterday at the fireside Jenny Oaks Baker came and "spoke". She played songs on the violin and then gave spiritual messages in between songs. She was so freaking good. The violin is so pretty. I wish I could play like that. Then again, if I could I'd be one of the best in the world. Near the end of the Fireside her small children came out and played "I am a Child of God" ages 5-10: piano, violin, guitar, and cello. Haha remember when the H. daughters played?

So I have some bad news about my zone. An elder was playing soccer and he tore his platella tendon. His knee is enormous. He isn't sure if he needs surgery. He might be going home. I feel so bad for him. I know what it's like not knowing if you'll go home or not. He is looking optimistic but I know what he's going through. It's really, really hard. I hope he is able to stay and just do rehab here. I guess we will see what the future holds for him. I wonder why they allow soccer. So many knee injuries. Three or four torn ACL's in the past month. The week before me an elder broke his leg. Basketball just has sprained ankles, which isn't so bad compared to knee surgery. 

Oh, I forgot to tell you. My right thigh and calf are so tiny. I think that they might be smaller than Tanya's. Ok, maybe not, but it's close. There's nothing there! Well, some has grown back in the last week because I'm only on one crutch. Hopefully tomorrow my physical therapist Dan will let me use no crutches. It's a very professional place. They know what they're doing and it's fun so don't worry. I'm in good hands. 

What else is there. Oh, so two of my suit pants are ruined from the brace. Oh well I have two pairs I haven't worn in a long while. I'll just have to buy some more pants in Germany. The velcro just eats away at the pants. It's kind of funny. I have soft spots on my pants. It's not as bad as Elder L. So, his pants got a hole in them from the dry cleaners. So, they gave him some new pants. The problem is he wears a 30 or 32 waist and these are 36's tailored to him. So they are super- baggy. And in Europe baggy isn't really in style. Oh well. He was planning on buying his second suit in Germany from the beginning so it's not bad. 

And it's been super-super hot here. And the air-conditioning in our building doesn't work so well. We have two fans and everyone is dying from the heat. When we go into another building we remember what it's like to have a classroom that's 95 degrees. Or celcius 36. I think I'll be good at transitioning over to celcius. See, Science does come in handy. I can know what the temperature will be like in Germany from the weather report. Instead of just having to guess from looking outside. That is if I get a weather report. Newspapers aren't exactly delivered to missionaries. But I'm sure I'll have a heads up on what the weather will be like. 

Oh, I have full range of motion and I can walk with a small limp. Not bad for three weeks out of surgery. I thought I'd add that to the end of my letter. I have no knee pain just it's hard to get comfortable sometimes.

I love you and I pray for you

Elder Devon Kinghorn

July 9, 2012

Oh hi,

 How are you today? The fireside sunday was so good. It was pretty much just great advice to missionaries. Stuff you would normally learn 1.5 years into the mission. I'm so glad I heard it. 

So last Friday I got my travel plans. It was really sad to have to go back to the travel office and tell them to cancel my ticket. But the good news is physical therapy is going very well.  Today I made it to 5 degrees off from full range of motion contraction and 1 degree extension. From yesterday to today I improved 10 degrees in contraction and probably 1 in extension. So I'm healing very very fast. I am also on one crutch and have the brace unlocked. That should have been happening in two more weeks. But I know that I have been blessed to improve very fast.

So here is a really cool miracle. A sister here at the MTC (her companion dated Braydens brother right before he left) has had a torn ACL for the past few years. The doctor here and the orthopedic surgeon were very sure that It was torn. Her knee was super loose and would give way. But then her zone fasted and prayed for her. The next day with her MRI her ACL was perfect. She would have had to go home for insurance reasons. Her knee is as solid as could be. It's amazing what the power of prayer can do. She was healed and I'm healing twice as fast as on schedule. 

So what else is new. Um, last night I woke up at 3 and then laid in bed until 6:30 that wasn't fun. I have no idea why I did that. It's no fun at all. I was just bored in bed. It's not like I can play games on my iPhone anymore. Just lay there looking at the time. 

The Fourth of July was really cool. So up until 8pm it was a normal day but then we had a fireside. It was just a lot of fun. An elder from my zone played the fiddle and is super good at it. He is the second German to do a musical piece for the whole MTC. I guess we are cool that way. And about 75% of us went to BYU. In my district every companionship has a missionary that attended BYU. Another district 9 out of 10 went to BYU. 

So last week we had an Italian substitute. He told us a story about how he was explaining the new Rome Temple to someone and the person was just so weirded out about how people could be sealed forever. He was asking if the government knew about it and if they were ok with it. Then he realized he was saying frozen to be together forever not sealed. Haha I hope I don't have an experience like that. I will though. One elder earlier in the MTC experience said werden Sie beten uber die Toifel? That means will you pray about the devil. He meant to say baptism which is Taufen. Haha oh well. The funny moments you have as a missionary. You've got to love it. I bet Dad knows all about that. 

Well good luck in Lake Powell. I'm mildly jealous but oh well. I'll come in 2 years. I'll just be pasty white from my body not seeing the sun in 2 years. Good Luck, I pray that no one gets hurt while you're there.

Love your Son & Brother

Elder Devon Kinghorn

Physical Therapy and Health Update

I'm just fine. Physical therapy is at the outpatient center where the operation was. It's a nice facility and It's much better than BYU’s physical therapy. I'm well taken care of. So don't worry about it not being good. It is. Haha funny that you used that quote. 

So I went to class Friday.  I didn't really remember anything. Saturday I got some more out of it. But now I'm able to remember everything and am back in the groove. So don't worry about me I'm completely fine. So how are you doing?  So how are you coping with me gone? Is it getting easier? I hope so. It's not good to be sad. I'll tell you more stuff later.  

(this part is in response to a meal that Dwain was eating in Switzerland) Haha yea We'll see. I'll need the protein to go into my tiny little calf and thigh. It's already shrinking. Sad. Oh well. So I got your Dear Elder yesterday. That was nice to get. Maybe you could have Nexthink sponsor me or something so that I could get a visa into Switzerland. I don't know if that's possible but you never know. and I'm sorry about the golfing licence. It would have been so fun to go golfing in the Alps. And yea I'll be in the sound of music territory!!!

Oh by the way I was given clearance to wear short sleeve shirts because I was on Crutches. Elder G. doesn't have any.

I love you

Elder Kinghorn (Devon)