May 13, 2013

Dear Family

First of all I am glad I was able to see all of you yesterday. It was great being able to call home. And it was much easier saying goodbye this time than Christmas. It makes me realize how much of a loving family at home I have. Lots of people don't have that. And I'm so glad that I have all of the support that I have out on a mission that you give me. I know that all of you love me and I love all of you just the same. 

And mom, Happy Mothers Day

When I get home I'll show you how to make farmer schnitzel. It tastes way good and you've never had anything like it before in your life. 

Well starting last week it was pretty good. We actually had 8 lessons in 7 days. That hasn't been done in Ulm in, well over a year. So we are trying our hardest. Ya, it's not Jason’s "we have lots of fallen out appointments but still 2 or 3 a day" but that's ok. Every mission is different. But the second highlight of last week (second to calling home) was mission tour. Elder Teixeira from the area presidency talked with us. We learned a lot and actually he gave different points to every part of the mission. Here it was a lot of getting referrals from investigators, so teaching their friends. It was actually really good and we plan on putting it into effect. The problem is we have only had one lesson since then and the time never felt right to bring it up. But the next lesson we feel will be much better for it. 

Ok so another really cool story. So last Wednesday we had a lesson with a guy named H. He was in our phone as a potential so we called him. Apparently missionaries found him about 4 years ago. But then we found out that he lived in America years ago and he had Mormon friends who gave him a Book of Mormon. So he showed it to us and the testimony that they left inside. Sadly, he didn't come to church but we are trying. Well then for the rest of the day we had planned to go around the area finding people (which is a 30 minute train ride). After hours we found absolutely nobody. We really felt like we had a good day plan and there was somebody else in the area. So when we finally got home that night we looked in our mail and we had 2 letters. One for a missionary who I replaced. And the second was from the mission office. We opened it excitedly and it was a referral. She lived just a few bus station stops farther than where we were contacting. So probably a 10 minute walk. It was great, so we called her up and she wanted a Book of Mormon. So we are bringing it by as soon as we can. 

The Lord really does work in amazing ways. We try all we can and then the Lord blesses us with more than we can imagine. The trick isn't to ask why don't miracles happen. It's instead why am I not seeing the miracles that go on every single day

I Love you

Elder Kinghorn

May 6, 2013

Dear Everybody

Well this week has been a good week. Well we had lots of stuff fall out again, but that's ok. That's life as a missionary. I didn't know it could happen so much, but oh well. We are trying. But a good thing is that R. is really progressing well. He loves meeting with us.  And whenever we make out another appointment he always says, “Ok Siebzehn uhr five on the clock Heiligen der Letzen Tage.” It's great. We have gone over all of the lessons with him and just have a few more commandments to go over. But he really likes them. Last week we were talking about personal revelation and he loved it. He thought it was amazing we could receive revelation. Then also we talked about him receiving the priesthood and how he would be a priest. And he said, “My dad always wanted me to be a priest but I didn't make it. I guess I would actually become one.” Then he'd ask us about the baptism with the Holy Ghost. He doesn't care so much for the baptism by immersion. Like ya, it's ok ,but the baptism with the Holy Ghost he is way excited for. And wants it as soon as he is ready for baptism. 

Sadly Frau W. wasn't able to meet with us on Friday. We went to her house and she left a note saying call this number so we did. She tried to talk to us but it sounded like a million kids were using her like monkey bars. So she was baby sitting. She really appreciates that we are trying to come. We called her today and she thought it was nice that we remembered her and that she would look at her planner and maybe tonight meet and if not than next week. She is a super nice lady. 

Oh also this week we have mission tour. So a general authority is going to come and speak to us. I forget his name. He is a seventy from Europe I think. But that's on Friday so every missionary in the german part of the mission is going to Munich. So it will be my third time there. In this mission we don't go to mission hq very often. 

But we do have some other really good news. So this week we are basically booked with time. Between members, investigators and less actives (with the hours of travel in between) our week is full, which isn't bad as a missionary. Ya, we aren't like stateside missionaries with a car who's travel time is 5 minutes. But we still have a lot going on. So, hopefully it doesn't all fall out again. But not much we can do about that. 

It's crazy to think my year mark is right around the corner. Missions go by so freaking fast. Then the second year goes by way faster than the first I've heard. That's crazy to think about.  It shows how much every day counts

Well to let you know I did get you something for christmas. Problem is it's still just sitting in my apartment. So don't feel too bad about it. But you can ship stuff to me I don't care. Just as long as it's not an enormous door that I have to ship home. If it's small enough that you'd be fine carrying it to the Williams than go ahead. And using the truck doesn't count as carrying it.

That's funny about prom. JJ is quite the character. He makes me laugh every time I see him. I wonder where he will go on his mission. I bet he had fun at prom. That's weird to think about. I remember when Michael was going to prom. Well Jason and Michael. I was just about to ship out. That's crazy. When JJ leavs I'll be just about to get home from my mission. I won't see that kid for quite a long time. 

That's really cool about the dogs and cancer. Why don't they just use dogs to diagnose everyone? I know it would take a lot of time and money. But hey, it would work. 

And it's cool how the Lord really has us go to each calling for a reason. He knew you knew how to work with the youth so he sent you there to make a bridge between the residents and the youth. That's just how it goes.

That's a great quote about the spiritual gifts. I think I'll use that in district meeting tomorrow. They are every Tuesday and cost 50 euro from travel. It shows how important a lot of the meetings are. Mission tour is going to cost thousands of euro. It shows the importance of us gathering together to learn the word of God. Lots of people don't realize just how important it is for us to gather together. Learning from each other is one of the most important things we can do. That includes home teaching and every other teaching opportunity we are given.

And spotify I remember that from BYU. I used it all the time. Way better than pandora. I stopped using I tunes from my computer. 

c’ya sunday.

I Love you

Elder Kinghorn

P.S. 15:30 here I'll be calling

April 29, 2013

Dear Family

Well transfer calls were last week. And Elder F. and I are staying together for one more here in Ulm. And hopefully that should mean summer is here. We had a couple of really really warm days this past week. Elder K. and I were on an austausche last week. (he is the one from Ireland and he's going to Austria next transfer) And it was really warm-sweating. And sadly President Miles said we couldn't roll up our sleeves. So that is kind of a bummer when It's super hot. I could wear short sleeves, but here in Germany people look at you like you're crazy for wearing a short sleeve shirt with a tie. But that's life. Anyways on this exchange we spent like 6 hours contacting in this little village called Buch, which means book. That was interesting for a name. But we found quite a few people. By that we found 4 maybe's. But oh well. We tried our best. Then the family we had an appointment with, they were shocked that we found so many. 

So we have some sad news. So O, the guy who has read tons of the Book of Mormon. Well he was too sick all last week to meet with us. So we haven't met with him yet. I wish we could, but eh that's life. 

Ok so our new ward mission leader. His name is K. He is German, but not really German. He is like, “Hey what's up” and a huge hug. He’s lways joking and way funny. Then he has this Phillipino wife. She is way funny too. She talks to us in an English German mix. It's quite entertaining. Who knows Cody could end up coming home with a girl like that. Well hopefully not come home but go back and then come back with her. That would be way funny. Cody-super white boy with a Phillipino wife. It would just work perfect. 

Anyways but Frau W. (the russian) we are going to meet with her this Friday and then she said she'd come to church this next Sunday. She really wants to know more about the church. She already cleared up the trinity. She said that confused her. Now it's no problem. Then R. is going well. We are meeting with him tomorrow and he is also loving the Book of Mormon. Well the Pearl of Great Price. He really likes the Joseph smith history. And he is coming to church this week. He is also starting to live the Word of Wisdom. Last week he made the commitment to give up caffeinated coffee. Then after that we'll do black tea. And then he doesn't drink or smoke which makes it easy. 

Well madrid lost bad. 4 1. Like it's going to be Dortmund vs. Bayern. Spain just isn't going to cut it. Ok maybe. But Bayern will win. Jason will just have to lose. People here take football seriously (soccer). It's definitely not a small thing. 

Well I've got to go.

I Love you

Elder Kinghorn

Goppingen District- Kelly, Kinghorn, Fletcher, Stewart, Clark