Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 3:51 AM
Dearest friends and family,
Sebatien and Utile are baptized and confirmed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! What a glorious day that was. On Saturday, it was so incredible to be there with them, all dressed in white and surrounded by all the incredible members who helped them so much in their conversions. Sebastien, a former atheist from a very anti-religious family could not stop smiling and at the end, he told me quite frankly that it was one of the happiest days of his life. It was such an atmosphere of love and joy! Utile was crying was when she walked out in white and cried after the ordonance, when musical numbers were given and the two were welcomed into the ward. It was a day none of us will ever forget. I am so grateful that the members here are so, so loving, so warm and so joyful to those who are taking their first steps in coming unto Christ. Elder Petek and I got to go back to the Concorde ward yesterday and visit all of the incredible members there who we missed so much, since Elder Petek was performing the musical number and I was confirming Utile. It was so good to feel their Spirit again... we love our new ward and our new area, but Elder Petek will never forget the short time we spent on the other side of the river with these people.
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| Utile and Sebastian |
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It is a season of rejoicing and newness! This is the time when we celebrate Christ's birth and then the newness of a new year just afterwards (if the world doesn't end on friday). It is also the best time to find people who are being prepared by angels to receive the message of Christ's restored gospel. The students in Toulouse (25% of the population) are finishing their studies, and going into a few weeks of vacation. There is less stress in the air and a lot more joy! We're having an easy time finding those who are really prepared. They're not hiding under any rocks, they're coming out and singing in the crisp wintery air. Elder Petek and I have been trying to add to this joy in the best way, by reminding people of the true meaning of Christmas. When we talk to people on the streets, we've been asking people what they think the true meaning Christmas is. We've gotten some great responses: family time, joy, parties, happiness and some less than great: money, commercialization, etc. But the best of all: a day to celebrate the birth and life of Christ!
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| Our friends... Elsa and David |
Iris, Elsa and David are progressing wonderfully. Elsa and David came to the baptism and asked some excellent questions and they are even the more excited for their own baptism. We are now teaching another Chinese student, named Zho. She is here as a business student, very intelligent, very funny, and very humble. She wants to change her life and is very willing to follow Jesus Christ. Another friend who we are now teaching is Benjamin, a student of politics from Sicily. He loves Americans, Mitt Romney and Mormons. Haha, in our first meeting with us, he told us that he was practically already a Mormon, just not yet baptized and all that. He has great desire and we'll be working hard to teach him the secret of what makes our message so great... Jesus Christ. A week of miracles indeed! And they are bound to continue!
Know that I love you all and wish you a very merry Christmas!
L'amour,
Elder Kunzler
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