Please, no more pie...

That is President Caussé in the middle... Can you see me?!? haha :)


Hej Familj!!!

Yes, it is true... I actually said that! NO MORE PIE!! haha As you may have guessed this past week Äldste Maxwell and I have eaten a lot of pie. Right now in our fridge we have three!! A chocolate one, an apple one, and also a pecan one! Yum! The reason for the pie invasion is a certain holiday we all know as Thanksgiving. I am certainly giving thanks for all of the food I received, but I mean come on, it needs to stop!! :)

We had a wonderful Zone Conference which was actually a mission tour with President Caussé. For lunch we had yet another Thanksgiving feast. This one was catered from a nearby restaurant. Mmm! Turkey and mashed potatoes, and the Senior Couples all brought pumpkin bars that had everyone searching for more! They were delicious! We hopefully will have the recipe soon! So, the food was incredible, but the real treat was President Caussé. He brought with him an intense Spirit which flooded the room as soon as he walked in! We were all able to go up and shake his hand and get to know him a little. His main message was on how we can be better missionaries and improve as to better reach our brothers and sisters here in Sweden. I once again am at a loss for words. The meeting was so... special to me. I learned a lot that I will be working on applying for the future and the present. I love having the opportunity to come out of the world and to be able to take part in this glorious work! It is so important!

Anyway, I will move on so I can get all of these things typed! (I would give so much to be able to type faster!!) On Saturday we headed over to the Siikavaara's house. They are the American family I was telling you about. The father is actually from Finland, and one of the daughters was actually born in Ireland! They travel around a lot! haha Sounds fun!?? :) When we arrived the Thanksgiving feast was all ready to go! The table was set beautifully and the food smelled delicious. We all ate and had a fun time together. We were able to go around the table and each name five things that we are thankful for! It felt like home! After the amazing dinner of turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing (imported), sweet potatoes, a berry jello thingy, and fresh home-baked bread it was time for dessert! There were at least five different kinds of pie and in total about nine or ten pies! Wow! We were soooo full! I am going to need to exercise even harder to get rid of all of the weight! :) So, as you have probably guessed, they sent us home with pies! Three of them and told us to come by and pick another one up sometime! hahaha! The kids don't really like pie so that is why we were given them... Anyway, so now we have lots of sweets around the apartment! Every missionary's dream I guess!

Okay, before I get to the family e-mail I would like to say a little something. Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!! I was told that there was a family/friends fast for me this past Sunday. I can't explain how much the knowledge of this has strengthened me. As I read of the fast, tears filled my eyes. The love you all have for me is something I am VERY thankful for. God answers prayers. Often times through other people. I know that this love and support is a direct answer to my prayers. We have the Lord on our side. He is with us... He is with me. I feel his presence everyday. Blessings follow after an act of faith, and you all, myself included, have put your faith in God. Now, we must be still and KNOW that HE IS GOD. He will help me. Through my trials he already has! This will pass and I will be a better person because of it. I love you very much. Each and every one of you. I hope one day to repay you all for the miracles you are bringing into my life.

Okay, now I will get to the e-mail! We will start things out with our celebrity, Mr. Kundis! I love you Matt! That was a pretty awesome article and picture of you in the Great Falls Tribune! Hey, even Molly was mentioned! That's my dog! She is so awesome! So, I must get a picture of all of your lights when they are done! And since you made the paper you will have to be the best house in Great Falls!!! :) Go get 'em tiger! haha How did the paper find you? Did they just see you outside and come up and say, "hey, want to be in the paper??" Just wondering on that one! Yes, they have lights here in Sweden. But they are very European in that sense. Very plain, but in the plainness there is beauty. Almost every window in the entire city has a little candle looking thing in it. Basically it has seven lights that look like candles and they are arranged like stairs that go up and then down. Like a roof from the side view?? haha _-^-_ <===Kinda like that! :) Anyway, they are really into lights here in Linköping. All of the streets are covered in lights and they even have a festival going on with a trail by the river with different light displays! Cool huh?! I liked how you mentioned the Christmas call! It will be fun! I bet you are still the same, and I would not want it any other way. You are awesome! I love you! I have not changed.. much... haha I am still the same Garrett, but I have received a few "upgrades" if it is okay to call them that.. :) Still the same though! No worries there! I too hope that the upcoming season has people more interested in the Gospel and gets them asking more questions. That would be great! You finished your BYU application? That is awesome! I wish you luck! I am sure your essays were great.. I remember those being very stressful! It is at times like that I ponder on the whole "don't judge others" thing. hehe ;) There are amazing friends waiting for you at college. Whichever it is. I know that for a fact! It is part of your personality to make friends. No problems there! Well, I love you Matt! You are awesome and good luck with the rest of the lights!

Okay, now it is time for the other Mr. Kundis! I love you Dad! :) Thank you for letting me know about the fast. I really appreciate it. :) Warmed my heart! Haha, I laughed at Nana's comment about the crawling through the phone and strangling a doctor. Haha I understand her completely! I have had those same feelings myself! ;) hahaha No news yet, but I will be calling the clinic this week to see whats up. I have no idea what the waiting list is like for MRI's but if you ask me, it is too long! I hope as always to have more information for you next week. It sounds like your Thanksgiving with the family was really fun! Yay for memories! :) That will be really exciting on Christmas! Josh, Hillary, Landon, Kevin and Annie all there! How lucky! :) I look forward to the phone call so I can hear you all! It will be great! Thank you for your e-mail Dad. I will keep up the positive attitude and continue to give my all in the service of the Lord. You are in my prayers! I love you!

Okay, now what would the e-mail be without Mrs. Kundis! hahaha I love you Mom! As you already saw, Zone Conference was awesome! So much fun, and very Spiritual! Our week was really slow, but on Sunday something happened and we were blessed by the Lord! People were very open to talking with us. We had an amazing number of teaches and new investigators to work with! A real miracle! It was a great way to end the week. Yes, I do remember the Great Falls wind! I have actually been reminded of it lately! It has been very warm here the past few days, but the wind has been "howling" almost 24/7!! It is crazy! I think today it has mellowed out quite a bit though. Everyone is stunned that we have not seen snow yet. I feel personally that the weather Gods are holding it all back and one day they are going to let it all go and we are going to have a real blizzard on our hands! :) It is great that the Primary kids had such a wonderful Primary Program! You truly do love those little ones! They are very lucky to have you helping them! :) ;) I will start working on something for the Khronicle! Crazy that it is time for that already! Where does the time go.. I mean really... where has it gone!? Thank you for sending off the envelope and for putting a Christmas box together for me! I love you very much! Have an awesome week!

Okay everyone, I want to end this "book" right. So, here is a Spiritual Thought. I have been reading a lot lately in the Doctrine and Covenants. It is amazing to me to see all of the promises made to the saints. Since I am a missionary, those promised to the Saints serving missions are especially interesting. I think that the promises contained in the scriptures should be taken to heart and studied often. We know that we can be blessed. But I think if we knew really what the scriptures were promising us, we would be seeking after them a lot more. Life often times gets in the way, and we may not even notice the blessings! What a tragedy! We should never allow a blessing to come without recognizing it, giving thanks and seeking for more! haha I don't mean to sound greedy or anything, but there is SO MUCH promised to us. It is all just right there waiting for us! It is ours.. yours, mine, everyone's! Do we want a happy life? Then search the scriptures! Learn of the promises and about how easy it is to take part in them! I would dare to say that many of us already are taking part in MANY blessing and promises fulfilled, but we just don't realize it! Wouldn't realizing how much we have been blessed and how much we are going to be blessed afford us with a much more enjoyable, and much happier life?! I think so! I KNOW so! :) haha I love you all very much! You mean everything to me! Have a wonderful week and enjoy the blessing we have all received! Until next week...

Trogen och Stadig, Är Jag Redo!!!!!
Faithful and Steady, I AM Ready!!!!!

Äldste Kundis :) :) :)