6/23/14

Dear fam, this week was crazy! 

This week was another crazy one. I did divisions with the Hermanas from Centro-- Heath and Garavito. That was fun. I love the Hermana Heath-- my comp from the MTC. Did I every mention that she is here in my zone? Ya, she is. She is super great. :) She makes me want to be better. She loves EVERYONE and EVERYTHING so much and it just makes me happy :). 

As far as Hermana Lachos goes, she will be going up to Comodoro to work soon. And we only have like a week left in this transfer anway. Plus yesterday she got hit by a ball in the face in Ushuaia and her glasses are now broken and she can hardly see anything. She has a cut above her eye and it is a little swollen too. 

Did I mention that we went to Ushuaia yeterday? Ya, we totally hit up the end of the world to celebrate the missions 1 year birthday. It was very fun! The 2 zones from here and Ushuaia were together and enjoying our time :). We left at like 4:30 in the morning to make the trip and got back at like 9 last night. We took a ship out to see an old light house. It was cool stuff and very cool weather-- there was so much wind that our skirts were all over the place! pictures included. 

This week, we put 5 new fechas with investigators!-- each of them in faith because none of our investigators are married but are living together, so we will just be working hard to help them make that step. They are all so great! One of them, Sylvia, already has a testimony of the restoration, we are just working now on helping her take the next steps.The rest of them are not quite there yet because they forget to read or pray, but I know they will be getting there soon. My companions and I have really been focusing in on what they need and we are finding it little by little-- our other fechas names are Laura, Antonella and Jeramias, and Jessica and Pedro. Antonella, Jeramias, Jessica and Pedro have all been to church. I think I may have mentioned it arleady but Pedro has major anxiety, especially in big groups of people so they were worried to go to church. But they went in faith, and he didnt have any problems-- in fact, he said he felt a fealing of consolance. Miracle! We had a cita with Anto y Jeremias this week and I testified of baptism. That through it, and more than that, through Christ, we can be cleansed from our sins. Jeremias was so happy to hear that. He has made some mistakes in his life. He isnt usually willing to commit. But when we asked him if he would be baptized. He said, ya, that would be good. Something huge coming from him! That was cool-- another miracle. In another cita with them, we went next door to their neighbors house first to grab chairs to use in our cita becuase they only have 2, and their neighbors are members. When we set the chairs up Anto said, good idea. we only have 2 chairs. theres only 2 of us, so what do we need more for? Wow, how different that is from life back home. We need seats for everyone and couches, and everything. But they are fine with having only what they need. Good for them!

This last week we ate lunch with the Chpylik family-- we ate with them once before and I was rememembering the first time. THey have a ton of big old dogs that are all around us as we eat. THey are everywhere and it grosses me out. They have one super old, sick dog that is super gross. Last time we were there, she sat next to me at the table. Just for a little while until they made her get down from the table. But as she was sitting there, the Hermana looked over and goes, binchie, whats that on your lip? SHe looks closely, and goes, oh, thats a tooth. and just pulls it off her lip. Oh, I almost gagged. Good thing the food was good or I dont know if I would have eaten.

 Things have been crazy with the world cup and I have to admit that I have not been as effective this week because of it. I have let myself fall into the temptation to watch a little bit-- its on at every house! I enjoyed my sin but  have started to feel bad about it so  we have set a goal as a companionship to be so much better about the mundial from here on out. I have learned through it though the importance of team work and that I need to support my companions as much as I would team members in a huge game. We havent had problems with my companionships, but I could always be more helpful to them. This week I learned that when I make mistakes, if I just put them behind me and work toward a better future, I can overcome them and enjoy myself. Every once and I while I still fall into the old habit but then I forget about it again. Its all up to me, I just have to put them out of my mind and focus on the task or people at hand. I have been really happy this week, with just a few moments of falling again. I am learning through the mission that through the atonement Christ really loves us so much and has so much mercy with us. I know that I have to do my part but that through Him all of my shortcomings are forgotten-- all of my mistakes in my service don't matter anymore. I love the Savior so much and am learning more all the time that He truly lives and blesses my life. I receive a stronger testimony daily that He really has restored His church through the prophet Joseph Smith and that He speaks to us today.

Love you all, have a great week!
Hermana Kuhn

6/19/14

First off, happy Fathers day yesterday. Love you dad! And happy
birthday in 2 days Park! The big 18, how exciting! My little stud
brother :) I hope you have an awesome day! Your senior pics look
great! Very handsome :)
This week was crazy for my companions and I. We didnt actually get out
to do a whole ton of work because my companion was still sick, in fact
we did almost no work. I believe we had three appoitnment all week
because we couldnt leave until Saturday and then Sunday we had a big
meeting with the temple president of the Buenos Aires temple (which
was so cool.. he brought such a neat spirit). In one of our
appointments we put a baptismal date in faith for the 19th of July.
But she isnt married and didnt come to church this past Sunday but
hey, miracles happen. If she doesnt make it for the 19th, she surely
will for another date. All of the family of her boyfriend are members
and they are so great. She is super great too and has a ton of faith.
It was cool to see. Our other investigators at the moment havent been
making it to things. Some are sick and others busy (the world cup is
sure making things crazy-- its on in every house!), but during this
week we plan to see them all. We have Sylvia whose fecha recently fell
through and is a little bit afraid to commit herself to baptism and
hasnt come to church yet. But we are working with her. We have Jessica
and Pedro and their 2 kids who havent been able to see us much because
Pedro is sick and often with the doctor (he has anxiety problems) but
came to the church once and felt the Spirit really strong even with
the noise of all the little kids in the meeting (so cool :)),
Antonella and Jeremias that also made it to church and recently got
engaged!, and now Laura. They are all so great. This is the first time
I have had so many investigators and it is awesome. They are going to
get there too, they are going to arrive at baptism. It may not be
while I am here but I get to help them in the process of finding out
about the Lords church and that makes me feel awesome. One day all
these seeds are going to be lovely plants. I am excited to get to work
with them again this coming week now that we can leave the pension
again. This week too when we were in the clinic with Hermana Lachos we
talked to the other people their too and invited them to learn more :)
Hermana Lachos is doing better but still has attacks of pain on a
daily basis. We found out that she has a muscle problem instead of a
lung problem like we originally thought. She just gets super tensed up
in her back when there is a lot of cold. They may move her up north
but we still dont know. She has been really strong though and just
endures it. Poor thing! I love her and Hermana Salazar a whole ton!
Things are still great with my companions. They are both hard workers
with real testimonies and I love them a lot! A miracle we saw this
week was when we went to give a Book of Mormon to a doctor at the
clinic and the patient with whom she was with said, do you have
another copy of that book that I can have? She said that she reads it
just for historical learning but we gave her one too and invited her
to institute classes :). We saw a whole ton of miracles actually but I
just have a hard time remembering well, but a bunch of little things
like that happen all the time. It is always a miracle to me too when
the Lord teaches me through the Spirit as He did in my time in the
pension this week as I studied the scriptures and the Liahonas. I
learned that Christ truly loves each of us. He didnt just live once
but lives now, and right now knows, and loves us. We each have the
capacity to love with the same love He has too. I hope one day to love
both my Heavenly Father and my fellow men with that perfect love.
Christ guides this church now too because He loves us so much. Its so
beatiful, and perfect, and makes so much sense :).
Love you all, have a great week!
Hermana Kuhn

P.s. hit hump day this week. Crazy! I cant believe it. I have been
reflecting a little bit this last week and I would never trade this
last 9 months even though they have been a little tricky the Lord has
taught me so much so that I can in turn bless others. He needed me to
serve and I needed to serve and I still have 9 months that I get to
serve too and that also makes me happy :)

6/9/14

First off, happy Fathers day this next week! Love you dad :). You are
the greatest! I wouldnt want anyone else as my papy :)
And congratulations for finishing school. Especially you Parker! Thats
awesome :) Now get ready for the mish little friend :)
Wow, this last week was crazy! I feel super lazy because I hardly did
any legit missionary work, but it was a fun week :). Monday night this
last week Hermana Lachos from my trio started having attacks of pain.
She has lung problems and the cold here has been really hard on her.
We went to a clinic and they gave us meds and told us to come back
later if the pain continued. Tuesday I flew up to Comodoro in the
morning and spent the day working with a sister training leader
there-- Hermana Mergenthaler from Montana. It was great. We taught a
wonderful family and I hope to hear about them later. We had our
conference then all day Wednesday. We felt the spirit so strong and
learned a whole ton. I learned a bunch of things that we need to apply
in my area (although when I mentioned them to my companions they had a
hard time accepting them-- pucha!(a special spanish word :))
Patience-- I always run into that same wall but I am really going to
try to apply them and motivate them to do so too. Wednesday night we
were supposed to fly back to Rio Grande by plane but due to a ton of
rain it got cancelled and we got sent back by bus. What should have
been like a 3 hour trip became about 24 and we came unprepared. We
loaded a bus at 2 that morning and travelled until like 5 the next
day, sleeping and waking as we pleased. Then I spent 2 days in Rio
Gallegos working with Hermanas there because there werent the correct
buses available until Saturday morning. We saw all kinds of miracles,
people were opening their doors to us like crazy and we put several
baptismal dates. It was legit! I saw and learned lots of things from
them too that I just hope my companions will be willing to try. It was
truly a blessing to spend my time there and see how others work to try
and be a better missionary. I am so antsy to go out and work right
now. I have been doing nothing so long. Saturday in the morning we
travelled until late afternoon-- passing through Chile again (I have
so many stamps in my passport :)). Then in the afternoon Hermana
Lachos was having more problems so we went to another clinic. They
told us that she needs at least 4 days of rest. So yesterday we didnt
even go to church. We ended up leaving to write today but yesterday we
were inside all day, going back and forth from the doctor and stuff.
We are going to try to do divisions in the afternoon today and I am
going to go out and work. I am excited. It will be good. Hermana
Lachos has another doctors appointment and is going to be going with
my other comp. I hoep that everything goes well. It wouldnt surprise
me if they have to transfer her up further north for the cold which
makes me sad because I love this trio! But whatever happens is for the
best. Anyway, so I finally get to work today in the afternoon after
like a week off. I really missed my area actually. Especially 2
investigators we have named Jessica and Pedro. I called them when I
got back. They have a little girl named Valentina who is probably 4
years old. They told me she had missed me and she wanted to talk to me
on the phone. So sweet!

In conference this last week I realized that I have been doing a lot
of things wrong, or not as well as I could have been doing them. I
honestly never realized or had sincerely forgotten. I was never taught
a lot of things and had never seen missionaries work so hard and I
realized that I need to step up. I realized that everytime I have felt
bad in the mish, it was because I wasnt working right. There really
isnt any excuse, but after months with companions who didnt want to
work, I really got slowed down and didnt realize. In seeing others
work, I feel like I have hardly worked in my mission. With my current
companions we have been working a whole lot more than we were working
before. But now I have realized how I can give even more and be better
and I am going to do it. And even though I have felt really bad about
it, like I have used the Lords time poorly, I am really grateful for
what it has taught me. I have come to realize the reality of the
Savior Jesus Christ. It is going to be a process repenting for it all
but the Lord paid for all of the mistakes I have made, both as a
missionary and before. He truly lives and truly has provided the way
to change and happiness. He truly suffered for all of the silly things
I, and each of us has done because He loves us. I love Him so much.
This is His church.

Ok, I had a bunch of pictures from the trip that its not letting me
send right now. I will send them later. Love you all! Have a great
week :)
Love,
Hermana Kuhn

6/2/14

This week was so great! We had 4 investigators in our sacrament
meeting this week! And we had a few menos activos that showed up too.
And even though the meeting was super noisy with screaming kids, they
almost all made comments about the peace and comfort they felt in the
meeting. It turns out that one of our investigators Pedro also knows
President Orona (from our rama) well. Milagro! Oh man, so great. We
still have our fecha but she didn´t show up at church again, darn it!
But the rest are doing well.

My companions are super great. They are teaching me all the time by
example how to have the Spirit with me more and even enjoy everything
more. Every day I feel that I am growing closer and closer to the
Savior and my Heavenly Father. I am realizing that the way to be the
most happy and most close to Heavenly Father is by humbling myself,
acknowledging my mistakes, and making changes enough to do all that He
asks of me. I have been trying to be more humble, obedient and
dedicated this week and it has been super. I want to use every moment
better in the service of the Lord and be better and better all the
time because that´s where happiness comes from. I also know that
Christ has paid for all of my past mistakes and errors and that the
past doesn´t matter anymore, just the here and now. Wow, the mission
sure teaches you a lot. Sometimes too I feel like I am speaking
Spanish the same as if I were speaking English (not all the time of
course, but occasionally) and that makes it so much easier to teach by
and feel the Spirit. I love it, so great! We have felt the Spirit a
lot this week, mostly thanks to my companions but it has been so great
:)

This coming week I have conferences in Comodoro with President Rogers.
Me and the 2 zone leaders from Rio Grande are going to be taking a
plane to Buenos Aires and then to Comodoro to be able to attend. Crazy
how big our mission is! Anyway, that will be a fun experience. I´m
excited :)

This week we had a miracle with 2 investigators in 2 seperate lessons
where we met with them and taught them briefly. When they didn´t want
to pray at the end of the lessons, in both cases their children asked
them to pray and they did. One of them even got emotional in his
prayer. Little children have the Spirit so strong and are tools in the
work too :)

Well, that´s just about it. I love you all! Have a great week :)
Love,
Hermana Kuhn

p.s. I tried to make a cake this morning for an Elder´s birthday and I
murdered it (ha, that´s what I get for expiramenting-- but it was
fun!)

haha p.s. a trio is so fun! My comps are great :) The weather isn´t
all that cold...at least not yet. But neither of my companions are
used to it, being from Mexico and Peru, and they are already dying of
cold and I just laugh. Poor girls! but I´m enjoying the fact that I am
from Idaho :)

Me and my comps below at a less members house :)

5/26/14

Dear fam, I am not sure what happened this week but I am doing so
good! It could be that I have two super CAPA (super great) companions,
or that we just had awesome lessons and stuff im not sure but its been
great. I am here with Hermanas Salazar and Lachos. Hermana Salazar is
from Mexico and is super fun. She reminds me of Mackenzie Facer in
that she is always doing something super fun or funny and is also
really spiritual. I have felt the spirit so strong in my time with
her. She puts a lot of emphasis in the Book of Mormon when she teaches
and I love that. She is super chill and I love her a lot! Hermana
Lachos is from Peru and is a little bit more shy but really sweet. I
really like being in a trio . I missed having a little more noise in
my life. My last companion was super quiet too and that is totally
alright but I like hearing other people. I am having a lot of fun :) I
look forward to going out every day too and sharing. I have felt the
spirit so strong the last few days. We have just been sharing with
everyone what we love-- that salvation comes through Christ and the
gospel teaches us how to receive and accept it. We put a baptismal
date with a woman named Sylvia, invited 2 investigators, a couple,
named Jessica and Pedro to be baptized and they accepted (we still
havent put a baptismal date, but hey) and we got some great contacts
in this last week. On one occasion this last week my companions and I
decided to do contacts for a few minutes this week and we thought--
ok, where? I offered a quick prayer for the first time in a while
asking direction for where to contact and I felt that I should knock a
certain door. The young woman that answered was super friendly and
just great :). We made a cita and will be visiting her this week! We
also visited a contact once this week named Omar and talked to him
about the Book of Mormon. I felt the spirit so strong testifying to
him that the book of mormon is the word of God. I felt very strongly
about him. it was weird. It was something that i havent really felt
before-- that i was meant and supposed to meet him. he wouldnt accept
a book of mormon but I feel like one day he will change. I am praying
for him :).
Ha, this last week too we made a contact where we asked if we could
come in and teach but the man told us that we couldnt because he had
to go to the hospital. he was a little bit strange looking, poor guy
like he had some kind of health or mental problem so hermana salazar
asked if he was sick. poor guy goes, ¨no, actually i am a doctor¨. oh
man, i couldnt stop laughing. even at the next door when we knocked i
couldnt stop laughing to talk to our contact. so funny!
So this last week i got here, then we had interviews 2 days later,
then district conference the next 2 days-- we almost can have a stake
here combining rio grande with Ushuaia and we are excited about that.
we just still need a few more tithing payers and we are there. we are
going to mention that a lot to members and get them excited.
Oh, and as Hermana sister leader, its basicalyl like district leader
of hermanas. but i am going to do interchanges with the hermanas and
just train them. hermana heath and hermana garavito are the only other
hermanas that i am in charge of but they are super great, both of
them. I love them a lot!
I wish i could write about all of the members, less actives, and
investigators that i have met but there would be so much to write.
just know that they are all great! I do miss quite a few families and
people from Puerto Madryn but i am loving it here. things are super
good!
I hope you all are doing well and have a super great week!
Love you all!
Hermana Kuhn

Here we have Hermana Tumbaico and I with Gladys, afterwards a sandwich
that I bought in Chile :) It was delicious! The very little I saw of
Chile was lovely and then my companions. hermana Salazar is in the
middle and Lachos to the left.

5/20/2014

 








Wow, so this week we got transfer info and i have been travelling by
bus for like 2 days and am in Rio Gallegos right now doing VISA stuff
because I am headed to Rio Grande in the South of the mission and I
have to cross in and out of Chile to get there. I have been called to
Rio Grande to serve with Hermanas Lachos y Salazar in a trio and as
Sister Training Leader :). This last week a whole lot happened as far
as farewells for the other missionaries who are finishing off their
missions, with stake conference, and with special meetings with the
ward leaders . It was just insane but it was a very good week. I am
happy to be leaving Puerto Madryn with several fechas and with Hermana
Tumbaico who I feel will do a super great job keeping up with those
investigators. We left Maribel and Adriana with a fecha, and Gladys
with the promise of a future cita. We left an investigator named
Noelia Rios-- who I love , love, love! with the promise of a cita when
she has her baby. she is 9 months pregnant and should be giving birth
any time now. she told us this last week that there has been a peace
that has come into her life from the things that we have taught her.
That makes me so happy! This last week we had a lesson with her and
the spirit just fed me a constant peace. I felt like i was in my
grandma´s house or something. I hate to admit it, but i am especially
happ y because I was the one who approached her in the first place
and asked her if she would be willing to listen to us after we visited
with her recent convert friend. We also have a future investigator
named Natalia who we havent taught yet but who has showed up at church
a few times and with whom Herman Tumbaico is going to put a fecha with
soon. I am pleased to have been able to get to know them and help them
out this little while. It was hard to leave Puerto Madryn this past
week-- many people told me they were gong to miss me and even those
i didnt know very well told me that they will all going to miss me
playing the piano on sundays and teaching piano class. I love the
members-- in specific the bishop and flia. montano, and my fave piano
student Ronaldo, the menos activos that we have visited (who are also
succesfully coming back! like Rosio and Victor) and our
investigators-- just our area in general and the super humble and
great people that we have found there. I am excited about this next
transfer and I am looking forward to serving in Rio Grande and as
sister training leader :). What a grand opportunity! I am looking
forward too to starting fresh in a new area, being obedient, working
hard, and just helping others. That is what I really want to do, help
other people and I have the great opportunity to do it. I have been
able to feel a lot lately the po wer of the atonement through my
prayers. I have been able to feel that Jesus Christ truly did pay the
price for all of my sins, mistakes, and even weaknesses and that I
have to do my part to overcome them, but they truly are paid for. They
can be immediately erased. And wow, how beautiful and wonderful is
that! I can start over with my Heavenly Father and be clean of my
mistakes. I love this gospel and its simple truths. :) I have been
talking to a lot of missionaries in my travels these last few days too
and have been able to listen to their testimonies . We have some great
missionaries here in this mission! I have loved getting to know them a
little better!!
The miracle of this week was just tranfers-- I immediately felt that
Rio Grande is where I need to be right now and with the Hermanas
Lachos y Salazar. I was reading the story of Paul in the New Testament
and a storm that he faced while as a prisoner aboard a ship headed to
Cesar. during the storm, an angel appeared to him and told him that he
would not be hurt and that the Lord had put him with the people whom
with he needed to be at that time on the ship. I feel the same about
my mission and my companions. The Lord knows!
I love you all very much. Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Kuhn

5/12/14

Dear Fam, it was so great to talk to you all yesterday! I sure enjoyed

it. Crazy to think that the next time we talk Parker will be out on
his mission and it will be Christmas again.
This week was super great. Although Gladys still doesn´t have
permission to get baptized, she continues to progress and her parents
gave permission for her little sisters to go to church with her! So
they came this week. We put another baptismal date with a woman named
Adriana. Her and her entire family are so great and I wouldn´t be
surprised if they all get baptized soon. Maribel who already had a
baptismal date quit working on Sundays so now she can come to church.
She still didn´t make it this last week but we have high hopes that
she will get there very soon.
Like I told you yesterday, I am doing so great right now. I´m not
exactly sure what happened this last week but I just jumped up from
where I was and I am feeling great. I had fallen a little but I am up
and now I am moving forward. I really enjoyed my week and we have had
a great week! More than anything what I enjoyed this last week was the
Spirit. I was just enjoying every lesson and moment with investigators
and that brought the Spirit super strong. I love Puerto Madryn and the
people here :).
My companion and I are getting a long well. It helps that she tells me
exactly what she thinks. Sometimes its a little abrupt and surprising
but in the end its a good thing to know what she thinks and wants. I
can see how each companionship is helping me learn and grow and I can
tell that the Lord has a plan for my mission. He is giving me just
those things I need to make me into the missionary He needs.
This last week I saw a miracle in answered prayer. Honestly the way I
have been able to jump back up has been through effort, but more than
that through prayer. The Lord has been answering my prayers to know
what to do and have the strength to do it. I know he loves His
children. We also saw so many miracles of being in the right place at
the right time so often-- showing up just when an investigator needed
us or was available. For example, this last week my companion and I
were leaving the house of Maribel who we could not contact right as
she was showing up and expained to us the problems with her schedule
that hadn´t allowed her to communicate with us and that she wanted to
meet with us again very soon. Everything just works out. :)

I forgot to mention it but this last week our zone went fishing
together. It was super fun! We made food on the beach and stuff too. I
loved it! Here are the pics :) Also I took up dad´s gander to write
down positive things in a little book-- my dad loves me book :). It
makes me feel special. ALright well have a great week! I love you all
very much!

Love,
Hermana Kuhn