WHOA!

Dear friends and family,

First of all I need to get out all of the excitement that is in my soul right now because of the incredible announcement that my little brother will be going to serve in the Brazil Curtiba mission!  YESSSS!  Everyone in this little internet cafe knows it and can feel the missionary excitement in the air!  Ah, get ready, Brazil for Elder Kunzler #2.  You had your fun for a little interim, but his brother is coming back to fight off evil and call all unto Christ! I am SOOOO proud and happy for you James!

Well, it was a wonderful first week in Bordeaux that culminated with the joyful opportunity of listening to the words of living prophets.  On the streets on Saturday and Sunday, we went around asking people if they would be interested in hearing the words of a living prophet.  Although most people rejected, simply because they did not understand the significance, WE did and we had it in our hearts the entire time.  It was amazing to hear so many incredible messages for our day:  a missionary day!  Isn't it amazing that the Lord is hastening his work and that we as members of his church have the opportunity to be involved in such a marvelous work and a wonder?  I was especially touched by the missionary message of Elder Andersen... it was extra special knowing that he was a missionary in Bordeaux, a mission president in Bordeaux, then I saw him at a conference in Bordeaux just a few months ago, and now I am here, serving as a missionary in Bordeaux, listening to him confirm my testimony that there are MIRACLES going around us ALL the time.  We must just have the eyes to see them and allow our faith to overcome our doubts!

For example, I would like to share with you a few miracles that Elder Emal and have seen since we've been here in together, just this last week.  You're going to love this Jacob and James, you Brazilians.  So, Elder Emal and I were out knocking doors one evening and we came across a house where a Portuguese man told us to come back the another evening, and they would accept us in.  The following day, my companion and I were in the neighborhood and we contacted a woman with her stroller who told us to go visit her family another evening and that she would accept us.  Noticing that she had a bit of an accent, we asked her where she was from and she told us Portugal!  Whoa!  We asked her her family name and she told us Bravo, the same name that the man held!  We had found a family in which the husband and the wife were both interested in the restored gospel!  Since we were busy throughout the week, we passed them yesterday, just between sessions of conference.  Unfortunately the husband was sleeping, but we offered them Book of Mormons in Portuguese, and we set up an appointment in the week to begin teaching them as a family!  Miracles!

Since I wasn't able to go into much detail about my new area and my companion in my mail last week, maybe I'll introduce you all to Elder Emal and Bordeaux.  So Bordeaux is HUGE!  It is like the 4th or 5th biggest city in France.  Yes people LOVE wine here and once you get out into the countryside, it's vineyards and vineyards, but it does not at all look like it did in Provence.  It is very regal here, the people speak French very uniquely and beautifully.  The Garonne (same river that runs through Toulouse) runs through it and it is very beautiful on the river.  We are not too far from the ocean and it is pretty overcast this time of year.  There are 3 wards here in Bordeaux and 2 chapels.  I am in the Lormont ward, which is on the side of the river without all the students, cultural sites and pressure.  My companion and I are peacefully working close to the members in the suburbs, it's actually reall fun.  Elder Emal is a stud.  He and I have had a really fun time serving together so far.  My first impressions of him are Matt... he pretty much has the same sense of humor.  I can tell we are going to have tons of fun together.  He is a very concecrated and concentrated missionary.  He truly loves the Lord and shows it in the way he is obedient and always cheery and loving.  He also speaks better French than anyone I've ever served with.  I really look forward to this transfer!

So, I wish you all a wonderful week!  Continue to review the things that you learned in conference, download the talks and go over them again!  I'm sure you'll continue to get answers and be ultra edified! I love you and wish you happiness and peace.  CONGRATS AGAIN JAMES, YOURE THE MAN!

Avec Amour,

Elder Kunzler