I think that there are times in life (and especially during the mission) when things just come together and you're able to reflect, look back and see why things had to play out the way they did.
There are times on the mission where it is very difficult in the moment and it is hard, in the moment, to see what significance or meaning what is being done with the time accorded even has. But then, after persevering for a few hours, days, weeks, or even months, you're able to see to what cause your efforts serve. And sometimes you never see them.
This last week it was miserably hot during the day every single day. Then, out of almost nowhere, on Thursday night and again on Friday night, there were huge storms of lightning, thunder, rain, wind. Trees were distroyed, debris could be found everywhere. On friday, we had a rendez-vous with someone we met a month ago porting in Libourne. She had to cancel because of the floods. Mid-summer flood.
This morning we got to teach here. We understand now why it needed to be this morning. There is a member in our ward, our Elder's Quorum President, an amazing man (we spent our last p-day out at his home in the country). He is a convert of 7 years to the church. A former Catholic with a great Christian knowledge and a deep abiding testimony of and love for the Savior. He just happened to be at the chapel this morning with his brother in law, nieces and nephews, playing ping pong.
The woman who came to the chapel this morning is named Colette. She comes from Libourne (40 minutes from here in car). She is Catholic with great faith in Jesus Christ. She needed to hear the testimony of Brother Moulin. Yes. And Heavenly Father did the work to make it so that she would. He answered her difficult questions better than we ever could have, he shared his conversion story and the steps leading up to him meeting the missionaries (pretty similar to the steps leading up to her meeting us). It was just a perfect rendez-vous. She reads from the Bible and she reads every morning. She is going now to read the Book of Mormon. She said the prayer at the close of the lesson and was very sincere with God. She said something like "Thank you for allowing me to meet these people and feel of the warmth, joy, and peace that you have given them. Help me to know if the things which they have brought to me are true."
Patience is a principle that we have to learn in this life. God has a greater perspective than we do and we certainly must learn to follow his timetable and not our own. One thing that I've learned from the experiences that I've lived in the last few months is that God really loves his children more than we can comprehend. He's willing to go to great, great lengths for them.
Life is good. Got to see some awesome people come unto Christ. We conducted a few baptismal interviews in Talence and Perigueux (a ville that Elder Andersen worked in when he was a missionary here). It was cool to get to see how the power of the Savior's sacrifice worked in their lives.
This is the last week of this transfer here with Elder Johnson. You have no idea how fast they fly by. I'm loving every minute of it. I'm sorry family, but I don't think that I ever want to come home. Muahaha
I love you much and wish you much joy this week,
Avec amour,
ELDER KUNZLER
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