The Fastest Way From Point A to Point B is a Line

Family,

Wow, it's weird to think that Kristen isn't a Kmetzsch anymore;) I hope this Nathan guy is treating her right! Or he'd better watch out when I get home!:) But on a serious note Congratulations Kristen! I'm so-o-o happy for you. Can't wait to meet Nathan:)

Man, I am jealous that you guys got to dye eggs. They don't have white eggs here so even if I wanted to dye them I couldn't. But you should send me some close-ups of the best ones. Some of the ward members and other missionaries have never seen a proper dyed egg before! They think it is a tad bit weird.

A very old clock tower in a little village we went to. 

Anyway there is some exciting news. I know who my knew mission president is! I'll forward you the email because I know that Dad will want to know. His name is President Mark A. J. Leppard. He is from Southern England. I'm very excited to get to know him. The second and equally exciting news is that we are getting iPads in May!! So get out your wallet Dad it's time:) I'm really excited because I have also heard rumors that they are coming out with a new Missionary Handbook and Preach My Gospel, good stuff. But that's all the announcements for today. 

Conference was awesome!!! I love conference so much and definitely missed conference candy and going to priesthood with Dad. We had priesthood Sunday mornings here which was super weird. It is also still odd to watch conference in a suit. It almost feels wrong... But I did love the sessions none the less. I absolutely loved the Music of the Gospel. It just made sense to me because people always tell me on the streets, (especially students), that it is weird to not drink coffee or tea or alcohol, but it's not. They just aren't hearing the music, they only see the dance steps. Yes, it looks weird but when you hear the music it isn't weird at all. That was a great talk. I also loved President Hollands talk on the atonement. I would like to take a little time to share my testimony of how the atonement has helped me on my mission. 

I am not gonna lie my mission has been the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. I went from having not gone without my family for more than two weeks to suddenly being in a different country with no thoughts of going home anytime soon. These thoughts plagued me with worry and anxiety for fear that something would happen back home and I wouldn't be there to help. I became extremely depressed and homesick. I can now say coming through it that I have a firm testimony in the enabling power of the atonement. In the words of Elder Holland, "It was never meant to be easy!" That is why Christ did what he did for me. Because it isn't going to be easy, we are going to feel pain and sadness that is the nature of the world that we live in. But we don't have to be stopped by these trials. We only need to reach out as Peter did when he began to sink into the water. You know sometimes we are up and walking on the water, but often times we look around. We take our eyes off of Christ and begin to sink. Remember what Peter did. He called out, he reached out, and Christ was there like lightning as Elder Holland again put so beautifully. He is waiting for us to reach out, and because of what he did for us he is always in our reach. Never ever is Christ out of reach, never ever have we sunk too far for him to pull us out. We simply just need to rely on the enabling power of that great atonement and we can do whatever comes our way. It isn't a promise that we will be able to do some things, but a promise that we will be able to do all things through Christ our Saviour. I love him greatly for what he has done for me, for what he pulled me through. I was hanging on the edge of a cliff certain that I would never make it, but he didn't let me fall. He will never let me fall. He is my rock, my Redeemer, my all, and mostly my friend. Hold to him and never let go.

On a less serious note I'd like to tell you a funny experience that we had with our investigator Joe. Joe is a Chinese student, (have a mentioned that I love Chinese people). Anyway Joe is really funny and I have loved our lessons with Joe because he tends to go off topic very quickly with what we have started calling "Joe's Truths" these are just little things that Joe teaches us at random moments in our lessons with him. My favourite of "Joe's Truths" is after we finished explaining the Atonement to him. Joe looked up from the pamphlet and exclaimed, "Yes! This is Truth!" I looked at Elder Ruttan with a smile because yes the Atonement of Jesus Christ is truth. But this wasn't what Joe was referring to. Joe had read what we told him and also started thinking about his own truth and he then proceeded to teach us this truth. He said to us " This is truth, yes, the fasted way from point A to point B is a line." He then smile and said, "But! If you look at this through a microscope then is it a lie! The line is really wavy!" Honestly I didn't know what to say. I expected him to tell me something about the Atonement but instead was taught that amazing truth! And if anyone back home can explain to me what this truth is I would love to know:) To be honest I just kinda blankly looked at Joe thinking of a way I could acknowledge his truth as well as try to understand if he understood what the atonement of Jesus Christ was. I was at a loss, but we did make it back to the lesson eventually. I love Joe and his humility and just all over the place personality. Pray for him that he will realize that there is a line from point A to point B and that line is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. No other line will get us there, and even when you look at it under a microscope it is still true. I dare anyone to try and prove to me that this church isn't true because I know that it can't be done. 

Over all the week has been pretty slow. Things are going good for the most part and we are working hard. Transfers are coming up in a few weeks which is nuts. I can't believe how long I have been in Aberystwyth, over two months! But I love it here and am happy to stay another two. I hope you all have a great week! Love you bunches!

Elder Kmetzsch