Stuffing and Yams?

Family,

Seems like you guys had such a good week. I'm glad Emma is working hard! Those leaves look a lot like the leaves over here. They just die because it gets too cold too fast. Emma should start to prepare to serve a mission. Sister missionaries are way better then the Elders, ha ha. How did Dad's business trip to Oklahoma go? Did he eat way too much good food? Did he accidentally bump into Elder Tanner?? That would be pretty funny. I wish they had Mexican food over here! One can of refried beans costs about $3.00!!!

I can't believe that it is Thanksgiving this week!!! Man, I am going to miss Momma's cooking, but there is a member feeding us on Thursday and hopefully there will be stuffing and yams. That would be sweet!

This week was pretty crazy. We talk to so many people that I can never remember what they look like. I am going to have to get better at remembering names and faces pretty quick. Louise has made so much progress and is scheduled to get baptized this Saturday! Pray that things continue to go well with her and I will send pictures next week. Chris and his friend Marco are making amazing progress as well. They are my new best friends. They made me and Elder Costigan dinner the other night and are just super fun to be around. 

I don't have much time but overall it was a great week and time is flying. I feel like I am not going to have nearly enough time to do everything and go everywhere that I want to while I'm here. 

Lots of Love,

Elder Kmetzsch

The Time of the Chinese

Family,

Sounds like this week was pretty fun! I definitely took firesides and FHE for granted! They are such a fun thing! So Emma never complain about having to go to church activities. They are the best. 

Thank you so much for your prayers for Louise. She has been having a really positive experience with the BOM and the church. She is progressing really well towards baptism and hopefully things will continue to go as they are. So everyone keep praying for her!

This week has been crazy! I don't think I have ever been so tired in my life. We have just been finding and teaching so many people. Elder Costigan is crazy. He literally runs around to talk to people. I am learning so much about how you just have to be a little bit crazy cause Mormons Missionaries are suppose to be that way. I love talking to people especially the Chinese.

So Coventry has two major Universities in it and they both have loads of Chinese students! Elder Costigan speaks a bit of Mandarin so we have some really funny conversations. My favorite face is the face they make when he first speaks and they are like, "Whoa you speak Chinese!" He then proceeds to introduce us as a Kung Fu Master and Spongebob Squarepants. I am Spongebob of course. 

We are teaching a lot of Chinese and I love it. President Rasmussen has said that now is the time of the Chinese. The young students are so open minded and humble that it is just a joy to teach them. We have seen some amazing miracles with some of our investigators. The one I want to talk about is Chris. Chris is my new best friend! He break dances and is just the funniest guy ever. We told Chris that if he came to church with a question in his heart that God would answer him. For someone who grew up not believing in God this was a hard concept. But he did it. He came to church and in the meeting he leaned over to us and said that God was speaking to his heart. It was so amazing to see him discover that God is there and that he can answer his questions. He said that God told him that he sent us to him and that he should follow us. Now he reads his BOM and prays everyday. He is just such a blessing to us. God is there and he loves all of his children. He wants to help us and all we have to do is ask. It may not come when we want it too, but it will come. 

Things are going really great here in Coventry and hopefully it will keep going up!

Love, Elder Kmetzsch

A Crazy Australian and Heaps of Rain

Family,

Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad! I was actually thinking about that this week. I was like, man, my parents have been together for 33 years! I don't even know what 33 years is. I hope that someday I will love someone as much as Dad loves Mom! They are such a great example to all of us kids! Family is the most important part of the gospel. I am so grateful for the absolutely incredible family I was blessed with! I don't care what anyone says. My family is the best one around! 

Not gonna lie I am super jealous that Emma got to sing at a Grizzlies game! Cool story, I actually met a Canadian hockey player the other day! He had some friends that played for the Grizzlies! When I told him I was from America he was like, "No your not," and this last Sunday a girl in the ward said that I was starting to sound English. Maybe I'm losing my amazing Utah Accent!! Nooo, but is was weird to hear a Canadian talk, and I thought about Sam! So here is a shout out to Sam! Love you my Canadian Brother! 

So this week was transfer week, and I have a new companion. His name is Elder Costigan. He is from Australia! He is possibly my new favorite person. We have been together for 4 days now and have had so much fun. We have seen loads of miracles as well. But he is one crazy Australian.  

My new companion Elder Costigan.

The first miracle is a girl named Louise. She is from Coventry and is so awesome! She was the second person that we talked to as a companionship and she is set to be baptized later this month. The day that we ran into Louise she had this strange feeling that she wanted to go into a church. So she went into a random church. She had never been religious before so she didn't know why she wanted to go into the church and later that day she ran into us. Pray for her to get an answer about The Book of Mormon for me! 

The other miracle is how many people actually listened to us. For some reason people are just stopping and listening to us. Maybe its because we are smiling so much. I don't think that I have stopped laughing since Elder Costigan has gotten here. He is one funny guy. 

Winter has hit here in England and the rumors are true. Last Saturday it rained more than I have ever experienced in my life, and it was colder than I thought it could get here. I was soaked to my bones and very, very cold. I felt like I was at the top of the mountain at Snow Basin accept it was raining and I was wearing a suit. But I don't mind the cold and I really like wearing sweaters!

A bombed out Cathedral.

The top of the Cathedral tower.

Love,

Elder Kmetzsch

Baptisms and Baby Blessings

Family,

Sounds like you guys had quite the Halloween! All the costumes for the girls looked really good and the pumpkins were awesome. I loved Emma's Ursula and Dad's monster made me laugh. Halloween is not the greatest thing over here. Mostly people just get really drunk all night. So the missionaries actually have to go inside at 6:00 that night. Needless to say my Halloween was pretty boring. 

It is funny that you mention the Christlike attributes because lately I have been studying the New Testament, specifically the gospels and the life of Christ. It has been really cool to read and see those attributes come to life in the teachings and actions of Christ. I always avoided the bible because it is super long and complicated and I felt like I couldn't understand the parables. A challenge that my mission president gave to us was to put your name into the scriptures. When you really make the scriptures personal for you they come to life. It has worked for me and I challenge all of you to try it.

This week was pretty boring, again. But I did get to be apart of some really cool and really fun things. First of all I got to play the prelude music for a baptism. I was really excited to find out that I can sight-read! It was super fun to actually be able to play hymns. I have made a goal to be able to play at least 50 by the time I get home from my mission. I also get to be apart of the ward choir and that is so much fun! I never thought I would say this but ward choirs are the best. We are so blessed to have them.

Next was at the baptism. The person that was going to baptize the sisters investigator, named Ray, couldn't make it to the baptism so at the last minute they asked me to perform the baptism. It was such a special experience to actually perform my first baptism! I really hope that next time it will be someone that I have actually taught! 

This Sunday there was a baby blessing and it was way cool, but the best part was the food after. It is good to know that the church munch and mingles are the same everywhere you go! 

I hope you all have a great week and love you bunches!

Love,

Elder Kmetzsch