August 26, 2013

hello people

this week has been good.  people are finally starting to come back from vacation.  so that is good.  we met with B, but F or Y or L are not back yet.  and there are a few other people who we meet with like once ore twice that are not back yet either.  we met with B. and it was a good lesson.  he is reading more so that is good.  the filipino family is amazing.  they came to church again, we taught them the restoration.  the mother said she had a dream that she was dying, and she didnt want to because she wanted to take care of her family.  so she prayed to god and jesus came, and he looked just like he does in the first vision picture.  she said she believes the first vision is real.  it was super cool.  then we taught them about baptism, and it was good.  we left them with calendars for them to chose a date to be baptized.  they said they wanted to.  im not entirely sure they understand the whole calendar thing though so we will have to go over that again.  the read but they didnt really understand.  we just have english and spanish for them to read.  we are trying to get tagalog.  but showed them online they can find tagalog.  they also always feed us afterward, and the dad was so excited when the food was done.  they are such a cool family i love them so much.  we met with B. the chinese man last night.  he couldnt come to church because he was outside of madrid.  we are not exactly sure of his name.  we think it is something close to B. but that doesnt sound chinese.  so we will have to find that out.  and we also dont know the filipino families dads name.  it is a strange name so i dont remember it.  so we will have to find that out as well.  

anyhow with the chinese man we read 3 nephi 11 and it was super cool.  he said he would read the rest of the chapter that night.  he prayed at the end of the lesson and it is super cool when he prays, because he has never known about god that much, or jesus, and it is super cool.  hopefully he can come to church next week.  he has Sundays off so he should be able to.  so one night last week we were walking down the street and like a million bicyclists started riding down the street.  i think it was some sort of protest or something.  so ron and rod were baptized saturday.  that was super cool.  but they are going to barrio 1, but thats still good. so with my name everyone always calls me kingkong.  so we watched a video about king kong singing to fiona (from shrek) singing then she goes super high and the birds pop.  and when that happens a rock falls on king kong.  anyhow i think that is about all this week.  have a splendid week.  

In madrid i have seen a lot of pigeons and dogs.  but no buffaloes.  i guess i could probably find a bull in a bull fight.  i saw an elephant at a zoo.  oh and a buffalo so i guess that counts.  would you take the job at vivint if he offered you one?   

my companion and i do get along.  he is from lindon.  so not to far.  we will probably keep in touch after the mission.  You should go to toledo.  it is really cool.  

I think you should just buy the sls one day.  it has a lot of power.  i think quite a bit more than the cadilliac.  transfers are next week.  they come out saturday.  i really hope i am staying.  there are to many people here.  at first i thought i would be fun to get transferred everywhere, but the mission is about the people.  and ive gotten to know so many good people here and i dont want to leave them.  but I’ll go wherever the Lord needs me.  i do miss playing ball with bruno.  you should take a golf club and hit the ball with that.  i did that and it was fun.  and you could learn golf!!  although the ball is a lot different.  are you still going to learn how to golf?  it would be exciting!!!  it seems like i was just in the mtc, or in mexico with you and dad.  that was lots of fun.  that was fun just doing lots of things with you and dad before i left.  

i think madrid has the least amount of cloudless days for all capital cities of Europe.  Sunny and warm about every day right now.  boating would be a fun pday activity but i dont that that is possible.  so i will have to wait for that.  soccer here has started again.  last night everyone was in the bars watching the game.  and everyone had their real madrid jersies on. it was the fastest but not street legal so they took it down.  do they do many challanges this season?  they didnt do to many last season.  

there are a fair amount of jehovas witness here.  obviously basically everyone is ¨catholic¨ but there are a fair amount.  we see them preaching often, and we never really talk.  well have a nice week. 

Talliehoe

 love elder jason kinghorn

August 19, 2013

Hello.

This week has been good.  The Philippinos in the ward organized an activity.  We ate in Retiro Park and they brought some friends. It was sweet.  We went over 3 Nephi 11, then they all shared their testimonies.  It was in Tagalog, but the spirit was so strong.  We got the reference of an entire family: mom, dad, children and a cousin.  They are married for 22 years.  We went to meet with them Friday and we talked about families, reading and praying together and they feed us a ton of food.  I didn’t really want to eat more but they said eat more, so I did.  I did eat pig ears.  They are kind of crunchy,  but good.  They all came to church on Sunday for three hours.  Their friend comes to Sacrament Meeting, but not the other two and she also came to all three meetings.  We are super excited to continue teaching them.  We are meeting with them tonight.  

Well basically everyone else is still gone, like the song Wake Me Up When September Ends, but they are starting to come back.  Last week church attendance was 73 and normal is around 110.  This week was 90, so they are starting to come back.  B. comes back today or tomorrow.

R. and R., the two younger Philipinos that I was teaching before, but now they moved, are being baptized this Saturday.  They might come to this ward again because the other ward has 2 old Philipinos and our ward has about 15 and they are good friends with most of them.  They might now come to this ward again because they also don’t speak Spanish really and are all right with English.  They speak Tagalog and there are many other people that speak Tagalog in this ward.  So we will see what happens.  

We met with the Syrian.  Her family sounds to be going through some rough times in Syria, but she still has strong faith.  She couldn’t come to church because of work. 

The Chinese man B. returned from vacations so we met with him last night and finished the restoration and is was so cool.  He prayed and that was super cool.  He says he feels more peace and calmness in his life.  When we taught about the first vision and the restoration of the priesthood he was like, “Oooo.”  It made sense.  He is super cool.  Anyhow that is all.  Love Elder Jason Kinghorn

We went to Toledo last week and it was sweet.  It’s such a cool city and looks like what I though Spain would look like.  I will send pictures next week, hopefully.  I have quite a lot to send.  The sword shop was so cool.  The first shop wouldn’t let us play with the swords, so we left.  The second shop would though, so a bunch of 19 year old boys playing with swords.  We all kind of bought swords.  They are super cool though. A sword from toledo!  super cool.  I will probably ship it home soon.  One elder got a sword that says “Captain Moroni”  Some missionaries ordered them to be made,and he had an extra, so the elder bought it.  Some of the swords were so much money.  The hand made ones a small dagger was 1800 euros, quite a lot.  

Hermana T. birthday is today.  We are going bowling, and I will make a cheesecake or nutella bread pudding.  Maybe I will have to give it to her tomorrow though.  Oh well.  I just went to the driving range for fun.  My companion does not golf.  We just had like an hour left of Pday, a lesson in the church at the end and the range it right next to the church.  So he wrote letters and I golfed.  I would not have thought Bono would be for capitalism.  That’s sweet though.  Politics did come up a little the other day.

We finally moved.  The address is Calle Jose Abascal 23 3E Madrid Spain.  I’m not sure of the zip code, you can probably look it up though.  It has a balcony and it is super fun just to watch all the people walk by.  We cleaned the last piso and there was still a lot of junk.  We should have counted all the trash bags we have used.  It was a ton.  

I am also very grateful for our family, and grateful that through the gospel we can be together forever.  The mission is really stressing finding families right now, because through families the gospel can bless us even more.  

Well, have a lovely week.  I forgot to say happy anniversary. It left my mind when I wrote you, but I thought of you on Thursday.  

Well that’s about all from this week.  

love elder Jason Kinghorn

August 12, 2013

My birthday was a good day.  No paella, but we had spanish ham, octopus, tortilla espanola, and it was a cool location.  It was really good.  It was a good day.  We ate with I.  She is kind of like a mission mom.  She is a really nice member.  We are also eating with her tonight.  Afterward we went to the church which was supposed to be a surprise birthday party from the missionaries, but I kind of knew.  It was still nice and fun.  We had cake.  Hermana T. organized it.  She is a really fun sister. She is from Colombia.  Her birthday is next Monday so we will have to do something for her.  

Last Monday I went to the driving range!!  It was a good time.  Today we are going to Toledo.  It is the sword capital of the world.  The Lord of the Rings weapons were made there, so that’s kind of cool.

Bruno is a way smart dog.  I talk about him here and I tell people that Tanya and Kevin don’t have a child, but they have a dog.  I’m not sure if people think they are family, but they are.  Make sure you fill up his food bowl, as I always did before.  haha.  I’m sure you are.

Family history is just like missionary work.  Without the temple also, this missionary work stops right after baptism and baptism is just the door we enter.   It is a funny story.  I have told it to a few people and they just laugh.  I don’t know why so many people move, no commitment like a house, and maybe only some have a contract.  I want to see that movie.  I have never even heard of him.  That’s good you keep on watching Top gear.  My companion watched Top Gear as well.   

Basically everyone is on vacation.  I guess in Spain everyone leaves in August.  B. has left, only for a week though.  F. left until September, Y. is still gone. A lot of people we have contacted are gone.  Everyone is gone.  We still teach some people. F. is still doing well.  We said goodbye on Saturday and she said she is still reading and praying and she said she would take the Book of Mormon.  We didn’t even tell her to, she just said she would.  L. is in his pueblo, so he didn’t come to church.  B.  left so he didn’t.  We had a lesson with him on Thursday and he is so close to baptism.  I think he knows he needs to, just when the decision comes he thinks ‘Do I really want to do this?”  He is so close.

We met this Chinese man, named B..  It’s kind of nice, he doesn’t have any real religion, but he thinks it’s good to believe in God, but he doesn’t really yet.  Our main focus point is just helping his faith to grow in Jesus, and he will accept the restoration. Actually he already has, he is so ready.  Whereas with everyone else, it all rests of Joseph Smith.  He just doesn’t have the background.  But, he has left for a few weeks like everybody else.  My new companion arrived last Monday.  He loves Top Gear as well, so we talk about that often.  And he loves U2, so we talk about that a lot as well.  

We met a Syrian lady the other day.  She actually stopped us, she knew some Australian members.  We haven’t met with her yet, but we will.  We also met with the B. family (a member family) and had a super cool lesson about Jesus talking to Peter about “Do you love me, then feed my sheep.”  It was super cool.  We are really trying to work with the members more.  Afterward we were walking toward the metro to lavapies, which all the area books say to avoid at night.  But we were there, and there was a huge party going on. It was actually kind of cool.  We left.  Well, that’s about all.  

We have not moved yet.  We will soon though I hope.     

To all a good week.  I love you.

Love Elder Jason Kinghorn

August 5, 2013

Hello

For my birthday we are eating with a member at night, so for lunch we will go somewhere I guess.  We don’t have the new apartment yet.  We are hoping for this week we will move.  I know it makes things difficult for mailing, but I will just have a belated birthday I guess, but that is still good.  

60 is quite a lot.  That is a problem.  and just thinking there are probably duplicate oxen as well.  I don’t remember where in the scriptures, but it talks about how we need to record things, like if we don’t then its not legitimate or something like that.  We need to make sure we do it right.  

That is good we will finally have good furniture again.  No more splinters in the bum when I get back i hope.  I actually see quite al ot of big dogs here, like huskies and german shepherds, which I don’t understand because there isn’t much space.  That’s exciting she had the same type of dog as Bruno.  

Well the new address of the apartment is Calle Jose Abascal 127 or 125.  I’m not sure.  L. is progressing though.  It’s just, I don’t know, very slowly.  I want to know how we will use Facebok.  I could see how it could be for good though.  

One member who was always in lessons with us with  has been in contact with her and she says she is still reading and praying and is doing well.  We will call her sometime this week to check up on her.  I think she gets back the end of sept or aug.  I’m not sure, but it is soon.  I can’t wait until she comes back.  I forgot to buy another bible, but we will be in the temple again aug 21st. 

This week has been good.  For a little while we didn’t have a phone.  We were using pay phones for a bit.  So that was kind of exciting.  We went back to the 90’s.  They are expensive though.  It’s like a cent for one second.  We mainly just used the other elders phone in the morning.  We have one now.  It looks like the phone came from the nineties though, so not to much of a change but it’s good.  

We cleaned out the piso the other day because some of the elders moved out and a water fight erupted.  We found water guns and it was a good time.  Also, we found a 2x4 so I smashed it with my head and it broke!!!  Some elder has a video so I will have to obtain it and send it to you.  

Anyhow, so awkward story of the week-we were contacting and I found a lady on a bench.  Usually they are good to contact because they have time and will listen.  So I was in the middle so I didn’t really see her too much so I went to say hola.  Then I noticed she was breastfeeding her baby, with nothing covering.  I was kind of shocked, and I thought “well this is awkard.”  I said “hasta luego” and ran away.  I will try to avoid that next time.  

One day we contacted all day, all of our lessons fell through.  We walked through Sol and there was a riot demonstration going on.  That was kind of exciting.  I wanted to get closer but my companion thought maybe that wouldn’t be the best idea, which it probably wouldn’t have been,  so we didn’t go.  

Anyhow, this week we were not able to meet with F. We couldn’t find someone to accompany us to a lesson in her piso, and she seemed really disappointed that we weren’t able to meet with her.  We are going to meet with her tomorrow.  B. came to church again.  We weren’t able to meet with him either because we didn’t have a phone, so we called with a pay phone after no one answered the piso, and he didn’t answer the phone.  Then at about 9:15 she called the other elders and said she arrived.  Oh well.  He still came to church and we are meeting with him wednesday.  L. is in his pueblo so we haven’t meet with him either.  One of our baptismal date, a 12 year old whose family is less active moved to another ward,so we will no longer meet with him, which is sad.  It’s kind of a problem in this area.  Everyone moves all the time.  One other person who the sister missionaries from Barrio Uno are teaching (who has a baptismal date), moved into our ward so we will start teaching him. His name is A., and he is quitting smoking.  From what the hermanas said, he is doing well in quitting.  We will meet with him on wednesday.  

I’m guessing you returned the Nike driver?  That is quite low for a high school team, considering for lots of other high schools you basically just sign up and you are on the team.  You would just have to win 12 dollars like 10 million times, then you would about be there.  You better start golfing more.  What tournament did Tiger win?  When is the PGA championship?  Tiger better win the PGA.  I bet Spencer Moss a nickel that Tiger would win a major this year.  What is Phil in the world rankings now?  Is he close to number 2?  The o line wasn’t too good last year either and it hurt them quite a lot.  Maybe they will go undefeated this year.  haha.  I kind of doubt it though.  Will you be going to any away games this year?  Football is really soon.  It doesn’t seem too long ago that we watched the championship in San Diego, but i guess that was  7 months ago.  Wow.  We better beat Utah this year, and some good team not just all the crappy ones.  I guess that’s a good reason to root for the Niners or the Seahawks.  I think they are supposed to be good this year also.  Here if you ask what team are you for, and it basically means Real Madrid or Barcelona.  Basketball is a long ways down here.  

I would be quite excited if Top Gear sprayed me with water.  It would be quite a good story.  It’s kind of strange that everyone is leaving on missions now.  Pretty soon JJ will leave.  Did he come over to watch the Top Gear.  

We do need to know the character of God.  Most people just believe faith will save us, but our faith needs actions.  The more we know about God the better disciples we can be.  I read today at the end of Helaman that God chastens us because he loves us.  If we don’t know that then all the bad things that happen to us could hurt our faith, but because we know of some of the nature of God, we know that it is for our benefit.  

We haven’t moved out yet.  I’m not exactly sure when we are going to.  The landlord guy is taking a while to sign the papers.  We might move out this week.  When I find out when I will send a letter and let you know, or an email if its closer to monday.

Well I love you.

To all a good week.

Love Elder Jason Kinghorn

July 29, 2013

We are moving pisos this week so it won’t be so crowded.  There’s only the three of us, then my new companion so four.  That is a lot better than 7.  Someone does sleep on the couch.  Two missionaries are moving out today so he will get a bed tonight which I’m sure he will like.  

The missionary was really protected.  I saw the video of the train derailing and it didn’t seem good.  The first text we got said he was in severe condition, then by one or two days he was released.  He actually got a call from President Uchdorf though, so that is cool.  Was the crash all over the news there?  It sure is sad.  A lot of people were killed or injured.  It’s really sad when you think a lot of those people don’t have the knowledge of the plan of salvation, but thats why we are here.  

That’s way cool that Top Gear came to Spain.  I didn’t see any super cars in Madrid though recently.  That would have been way cool if I saw them.  I would go and talk to them.  Did Spain seem pretty?  Elder C. does know Devon, not well, but he knows him.  

This week has been good.  The piso has been way crowded though but we are all moving out this week, so that will be nice.  And everyone will have a bed and space to study and cook and everything.  Well my other temporary companion is Elder D.  He is new.  He was at BYU and lived in Helaman Halls, so that is cool.  I never knew him though.  We know some of the same people though.  My other companion should be coming soon though.  

Anyhow so this week we have meet with L. more.  The new missionaries met him.  He is progressing, kind of.  He is reading and praying and he came to church but when we invite him to be baptized he doesn’t want to.  When we invited him to pray about the Book of Mormon with us he didn’t.  So we are going to try to have a way spiritual lesson, then who knows what.  

We met with B. again and we talked about the story of Saul and Paul, and the story of Phillip and the ethiopian that was baptized in like acts 8 the end of the chapter.  He came to church also, so that was good.  We didn’t meet with F.  well kind of.  She came to english class and the ward Family Home Evening that we taught about faith.  She wasn’t able to come to church because she took her grandkids to the pool.  She said she wanted us to come and meet with her this week.  So, we are coming tuesday and hopefully also saturday.  During the Family Home Evening though when we first contacted her, when she saw us she thought oh those are the mormon missionaries (because she already knew about the church)  then as we approached closer and closer she wondered if we were going to talk to her.  It’s amazing how many people the Lord does prepare to hear the gospel.  She is so prepared.  So A. is from Argentina and we only first gave him a book of mormon like one week ago (well more now but when we met with hiN last week) and he is past 2 nephi now.  We just have to make sure he is praying.  His wife came to church but he is outside of the city until the 11th.  But they are both reading.  We had lunch with a Dominican members house and the sisters were there also.  Dominicans can talk forever and talk so loud. She is a really good member though.  

I had quite a bad phone call the other day.  It was a philipino so it was in english.  I said “we are the missionaries remember us?”  and she said no, and I was like oh...  and i just burst out laughing.  I don’t know why.  Then everyone else did, and the sisters were there and I couldn’t talk into the phone so I just held it out for like 7 seconds, then tried to talk.  Then later she asked me if I was gay.  It was a bad call.  Then she remembered us and told us to call back next week.  We will see what happens.  

I just studying the miracle of Christ walks on water this week.  It’s a way good story.  When the apostles first saw Christ they were afraid.  I started studying about fear. In 1 John, I don’t know where, it says perfect love casteth out fear.  ThenPpeter wanted to walk, and while he was focusing on Chirst he was fine, but then he saw the waves and was afraid, and began to sink, but Christ was there to save him.  There are a lot of scriptures about fear, and what we need to do.  

Anyhow to all a lovely week.

Love Elder Jason Kinghorn

July 22, 2013

Well transfers came and I am still staying, which I am very happy.  We have a lot of investigators that are really progressing now, and I don’t want to leave them.  I feel my love for these people growing, and wanting what is best for them.  Well my companion left to Orense or somewhere up in the north.  My companion situation is a bit complicated.  My companion, Elder C. is in the office and he is going to be training there for 2 or three weeks his replacement.  In barrio 5 they are adding two more elders,  so Elder C is my companion for today, then today we are going to pick up his companion from the MTC, so we will be in a trio until Elder C. is finished training and then we will separate.  The only thing I know about Elder C. is that he is a liberal.  That reminds me of the Blind Side when the tutor is a democrat.  I wonder it politics will ever come up.  I   will try to avoid it because we would probably argue a lot.  

There are 7 missionaries in our piso.  That is not a typo.  We only have 6 beds, and three rooms, so we will be everywhere.  We will try to find a new piso quickly.  Cool thing though Elder Cloward went to Lone Peak.  He graduated with Devon and is living in the piso with me for now.  So that is kind of cool.

Anyhow this week has been good.  L is still reading and praying everyday.  He came to the baptism Saturday of the hermanas from barrio 5 and he also came to church yesterday.  He is really progressing now.  He took us out to dinner last night (Santos´s last night) along with the hermanas.  We went to a tapas bar.  Really good food!  It was really a good time.  R. and R. don’t speak spanish and kind of speak english, so we (I) taught them, sort of. The next time we brought two members who speak tagalog.  That was better.  One of them attended the baptism and both of them attended church.  Their family are members, but less active.  They were never baptized.  F/ is doing as good as ever.  her whole family attended the baptism, but only she attended church.  she said a prayer and asked that she could be baptized with her whole family.  She is so prepared for the gospel.  We will try this week to get her whole family to church.  

It is really good that Phil won.  It has been quite the up and down year for him.  Obviously more up than down, but plenty of disappointment as well.  He almost shot a 59 in a tournament (only like 5 people have done that before), his put on the last hole lipped out, so he shot a 60.  He still won the tournament, but 59 would have been lots better.  Then he lost the US Open as you know, won the Scottish Open and now the British Open.  I bet he will win the US Open before his career is over.  That must be his final goal now.  He could also have a career grand slam.  That would be nice.  He does seem really nice and seems like a good family man.  Golf is quite old.  We should take a golfing trip to Scotland.  

It sounds like there will be plenty of hammy-down clubs when i come back :)  Kevin should be able to hit it far.  He has the body, but its just tempo as you know.  But, I still have faith I shall conquer when I return.  Utah Lake is good still though.  It’s good it’s so close.  The bottom is kind of nasty though.  Did you take Bruno on the boat?  or Ava?  I feel there is a problem with those tires.  I think if you just fastened some big rocks for tires that might just work better.

That is quite cool about our stake.  100 missionaries!  That’s like a small mission right there.  Whenever I tell anyone about missionary work in Utah, like how we don’t even know the missionaries, they think it is so strange.  Maybe we will watch the broadcast next week (I will probably say that next week also, but I have faith one week we shall watch it). 

I heard from someone else also said lighter suits are good now.  Probably not seer-sucker, but it would be fun.  Your spaghetti sauce is good.  I will like eating that again when I am back.  

I don’t know what I want for my birthday.  I made bread pudding and the hermanas loved it.  I guess a spring form pan would be nice.  Cheesecake is really good.  Clothes, I don’t know-things missionaries use.    

It doesn’t seem that long ago.  It’s been six months already since we went to California.  Mystere was really cool.  Maybe one day I shall be able to join the traveling circus and become famous.  

I hope i can see Ben while he’s here at the MTC.  Could you send me his mission email.  We should try to coordinate to see if we can.  I will ask Pres if we could, because the zone meetings are right by  the MTC.

Funny story of the week with J. and E, they are cousins and laugh a lot and have two small kids.  Lessons are all over the place with them and at one point during the lesson I was playing fetch with J’s son.  It reminded me of playing fetch with Bruno.  I would throw a paper ball thing and he would run and get it and bring it back.  

My accent is still gringo I fear.  I still can’t roll my r, and the regular r´s are still a problem as well.   

A good thing about faith and works, with Alma’s seed parable, near the end he talks about the fruit of the seed, and if you don’t nuture the seed you will never taste of the fruit.  Or with Christ’s parable about the seed, four seeds are thrown, but some die, eaten by bids, stony path, but one grows.  We need to work on our faith.  

There was also a downpour here yesterday, but very nice weather.  It’s almost always sunny.  The rain on Spain falls mainly on the plain.  But there is no rain, so I don’t understand.  

Well i think that is about all from last week.  I always forget what else to write, so I have a letter I am writing of the things I forget.  I will hopefully send it soon.  

Well to all a fantastic week.

love elder Jason Kinghorn

ps I have a picture of the lemur that bit me.  Hopefully i will send it next week

July 15, 2013

Hello family.

This week has been good.  So funny story, we were eating with an older member and so we sang some hymns.  Well as you know I can sing, my companion can and the older lady couldn’t really either.  So she would be off beat and I wouldn’t be able so sing all the words.  So we just started laughing in the middle of the song.  

So we went to the temple this past week.  We were trying to make the 8 o’clock session, we missed it by like one minute.  But it was good.  Travis was in the ten o’clock session.  We talked for a while outside and in the metro.  F. came to church again, but her family didn’t.  Her daughter went to church in ... but not here.  F. read the Book of Mormon and prayed, and she is so ready.  She is really progressing. We also met with a member from Colombia and her husband a nonmember from Colorado.  He really likes golf, and said next Monday we should go golfing.  So maybe I shall finally go golfing!  He has read the whole Book of Mormon, but wants to be baptized in America.  He was in church yesterday, and they are moving back to America in 2 weeks.  B. came to church, and we had a super good lesson about chose ye this day whom ye will serve.  We are going to invite hime to be baptized Friday.  L. was in his pueblo but we had lessons with him throughout the week.  He is reading and praying every day now but he doesn’t know what he should feel, or what God hopes from him.  I don’t know with him.  It seems like he wants a miracle or something.  

Today we went to the zoo.  There is a lemur cage you can go inside.  I was petting  lemur and he bit me, then I touched him again and he bit me again.  So, I stopped petting that one.  The zoo was fun.  There was a way cool dolphin show.  

I still have not watched the broadcast.  Who knows when I will.  

I like lighter colors anyhow and I like cardigans more than sweaters.  The church is getting more stylish I guess. 

I’m glad to be in our family.  Thats not too good dad got cut.  It will be a memory later though.  Seems like there is always something, but not too serious this year so that is good.  

Dogs are lots better than cats.  People say of my cat is like a dog, but never my dog is like a cat because everyone knows dogs are better.  It sounds like Joel is fun, and he likes golf.  I’m sure he was excited when he found out you guys had clubs.  The bug zapper sure was fun in Brazil, but only works with smaller bugs, but there are a lot there.  There is a hermana missionary from Rio and another whose parents are from Brazil.  I’m sure you all still had a good time at Lake Powell even without us.  I remember Bro. Rios telling us that in class.  I kind of miss college.  I like BYU.  I’ll work lots harder when I get back.  We should teach bruno teatherball.  He and Ava could play together.  That would be cute.  The box did arrive.  Thank you.  One recipe book is in spanish and the other in french.  I can decipher the spanish but not so sure about german.  That’s exciting Alex is engaged.  

 I do cook pretty well in the piso  I made bread pudding, russian meatballs, chicken crepes.   

So one more funny story, we were playing do you like your neighbor and lots of people said no in a row, where you change seats when the person says because i like black hair and everyone with black has to change and the person has to try to steal a seat.  but someone said yes, so Hermana Hone and I were startled and had to change.  I must have kicked the chair and when she sat she fell down.  It was funny.  She was fine.

Well that is about all.  I love you all.  Have a dandy week.

Love, Elder Jason Kinghorn

July 8, 2013

Hello family.

This past week L. had a party that he could have gone to in his home town, but he decided not to go so that he could come to church.  He came to church.  We invited him to be baptized, but he said he would like to see a baptism first.  A week ago with him we basically said you have been talking to the missionaries for months, know basically everything, so either you do your part to know if this is the truth or we will have to drop you.  He has been talking to missionaries for about 7 months.  I think now he really wants to know for himself.  We are being very direct with him.  

This last week I was with a member going to appointments and no one was there, so on the last one we knocked on the door next to our appointment and she answered.  She is from .... and was baptized there.  She always attended church there, but never in Europe.  She said she would attend church the next day but she didn’t.  This week we will have to meet with her again.  

On the Fourth of July we had a zone meeting and we sang the star spangled banner, which was cool, and we had cake with strawberries for the stripes and blueberries for the stars.  Not to much of a Fourth of July party, but it was something.  I’m glad we live in America.  We also met a new investigator from the Dominican Republic.  She talked to missionaries over there, but never here.  We meet with her Saturday and she came to church on Sunday.  She seems to be a really good person.  The Lord does prepare people.  We are going to meet with her again tomorrow.  

I had ceviche, the food my companion always talks about from Peru.  It wasn’t all that good.  The other american hermana and the spanish hermana didn’t like it all to much either.  It wasn’t horrible, but I wouldn’t order it from a restaurant.  One strange thing we saw on the metro, I don’t really know what happened, but one guy started to fight another guy.  I don’t know why.  Lots of people on the metro started helping the other guy.  Nothing to bad happened but it was really strange.  

I have not watched the broadcast yet, next week I think.  Well, at this point I don’t know.  We might just end up going to a computer and watching it, which would be fine because it would be in english.  I think sometime next year for the internet and ipad.  There is one american and one bolivian in our piso.  I think we are moving pisos soon because this one is pretty run down. 

Lake Powell is nice.  We will all go together again though.  I’m glad we have fun together and am glad we can be together forever.  Being here I’ve realized how blessed our family really is.  It sounds like you are still having a nice time in Lake Powell though.  I’ve thought of Lake Powell a lot lately.  It will be there when I get back, although Dad said the level is decreasing quite a bit.  But, it will still be there.  I love the picture of us three kids all small on the boat at Lake Powell.  Boating is like our family thing.  Did you bring a sand wedge and a golf ball to Lake Powell this year?  Your bunker game could be amazing after a week of just that.  Is it pretty hot in Lake Powell right now then?  It must have been hot golfing.  I remember going to coral canyon in the afternoon in July.  The good part is there is nobody there so you can play quite quickly, and the ball goes further.  Well have a lovely week in Lake Powell.  I’m sure you will.  Next time Devon will be there then I will.  Not too long if you think of it.

Bruno sure does go though a lot more stress because he is so smart and we love him so much.  He knows we actually leave and he loves us also.  It’s kind of cool how a dog can love us.  Bruno did always follow us.  He is a people persons dog.  He likes to be with people.  

I didn’t see to much of Top Gear, but it still made me smile.  I knew what was going on.  Good ole Top Gear.  There will be a bunch to watch when i get back.  My spanish is progressing.  I still have to concentrate what the people are saying, but I understand the Mormon Messages videos a lot more now and at the beginning I really didn’t.  F. is a guy we didn’t teach all to much, but he called us and said he could come to church this week.  He knows a less active member.  

Well I love you.  I can feel your love here.

Love Elder Jason Kinghorn

July 1, 2013

We are going to watch the broadcast Sunday.  I don’t know why it got moved.  

It was just a cheap spanish one (the Bible that got ruined).  I don’t have nice spanish ones yet.  In the Provo MTC they give you nice ones, but here just cheap ones.  So, if you could send one, send the small and spanish one.  Did you ever find my nice english scriptures?  Do they still sell those, like the nice leather.  If they still sell those in spanish, get those.  Or big if they don’t have small, but small preferably.  

I love America.  I love how we started fighting for freedom, and people stood up for what they believed, and founded a country under principles that God wanted, and they acted under promptings of God and how they prepared a country for the gospel.  I will miss the 4th of July.  Being here I realize how blessed we really are: a close family, good education, nice home, good friends and atmosphere.  

I have no clue how many missionaries.  There were 140ish and I think 250 will be after a year or so, but I’m not sure.  

bruno is a good dod.  im glad joseph smith said heaven wouldnt be heaven without his horsse.  so bruno can go to heaven as well.  if you think about it god created the creatues so bruno is also a creation of god, so he will not just disappear once he dies, he will go to heavan.  

I will miss Lake Powell.  I’m glad we have that family time every year to relax (well not really) but play hard, be together, and make memories. Time does fly.  Just thinking 21 months ago it was October and my first marathon.  That really doesn’t seem too long ago.  I’m glad to be born into this family.  

I’m not to hot but everyone else is.  It was about 34 the other day.  That seems really cold, but I assume its celsius.  My companion has learned some english.  We go over pronunciation and other things (everyone thinks pronunciation is really hard).  

Just what ever recipes seem good and quick, like that shrimp roasted red pepper recipes.

This past week Y. left to the small pueblo for three months.  It was really sad, but maybe I will still be here after three months and can continue teaching her.  

An exciting story in a kebab, and food place. They had Top Gear on, where they cross the English Channel.  I would love to have watched it all day.  It was in spanish, but it still made me smile.  Well, on sunday F. came to church.  He has never been able to come because of work but he had Sunday off yesterday, and then we had a lesson with him and he said he wants to be baptized.  The only problem is work.  We prayed with him that he will be able to attend church more.  L. I didn't teach because I was in an intercambio in Villalba.  I don’t remember what happened, but he is in a wedding last weekend so he couldn’t attend church.  K. is still progressing.  We left him with the restoration video and he watched it.  He still doesn’t know if the Book of Mormon is scripture.  He couldn’t come to church because of work.  Everyone works on Sunday, it’s kind of a bummer, but we try to work around it.  

For p-day we went to Retiro Park for a fourth of July thing.  We ate food, threw a football around, then a soccer ball.  I like football more.  

I love you all

Love Elder Kinghorn

June 24, 2013

Hello people-

Well, so bad story of the week-my water bottle opened inside of my bag and got by Bible and Book of Mormon and and pamphlets pretty wet.  Well, the Book of Mormon is alright but the Bible is in bad shape, but my wallet was fine.  

We met with Y. once and she wants to be baptized.  It’s just that she is traveling.  She is also traveling this weekend for work.  We didn’t meet with L. and he is traveling also.  It’s frustrating.  We find new people and we have a good lesson, but then that’s it. We haven’t met with K, but we called him and he said he has been reading the Book of Mormon, so that is really good.  We are now meeting with B, the husband of a member and he is progressing now.    So I was just with a member going from appointment to appointment and no one was there, so on the last one we knocked on the next door and she opened and invited us in.  She said she had talked to missionaries before. then we found out she was baptized in.. but when she moved to Europe she never attended church.  We will start meeting with her more.  We are having a missionary work activity for the ward.  It’s just a social thing where we invite members, investigators and encourage members to invite friends also.  Hopefully we can find lots of people to teach through this.  Well  C. moved suddenly and doesn’t have a number so we don’t know where she is.  It’s sad.  Hopefully we will run into her somehow.  

There is a soccer tournament in brazil for the champions of the regions that everyone is watching.  Spain is in it for Europe, so they will win.  We have had a few lessons with a recent convert in Plaza Mayor.  It’s kind of a touristy spot.  It’s  kind of cool to have a lesson there.  It’s such a famous spot.  Well I taught english class this week and it was good.  Neither of us are fluent is spanish, but we managed though it.  We went over pronunciation and vocabulary.  

I guess JJ opened his call with no one there.  He does fit in there.  I was secretly hoping he would come to Madrid, but I think if we were ever companions, the work we would get done would be lacking. but he will learn spanish.  

We do have to be diligent with family history.  It’s like missionary work.  They are people, not statistics.  You wouldnt just teach a lesson and not listen to the investigator at all then leave.  we need to know them.  its the same with geneology.  we do need to treat it sacredly.  i just found out we are watching the broadcast june 30. 

I have no clue about Facebook or anything yet.  The mission is growing a ton.  Each transfer about 10 or 15 leave and about 30 come in, so a lot.  The mission is a lot more work than I thought.  Before I thought it was just teaching people, but it is work, but it is good.  

My spanish is really coming along.  Hermana C, a missionary from spain, asked my companion what he has done for me to learn spanish so quickly.  Nothing really,  just learning and speaking.  We don’t do anything really to learn.  Just personal language study and talking obviously in spanish.  Time does fly.  I’m already one-eighth done with the mission.  And it only goes faster I hear.

Just one more thing, there were 3 Americans visiting church.  One his passport was stolen, so it going to the embassy today.  One is traveling Europe with friends, but they went to missions to France and he had already been there, so he came to Spain.  He goes to a university in Utah and the other is a family traveling.  The boy’s name was Phil, so i said my favorite golfers name is Phil and he knew him and he likes golf!

Well I love you all.  Thanks for all of the support.

Love, Elder Kinghorn iiii

ps did you send some recipes and some of the ward mission letters?  Thank you.

June 17, 2013

Hello everybody

Well on saturday we did a ward activity with the members.  We met at the church then divided up like me with a member, my companion with another, and members with members and went to go teach less actives.  No one was there so everyone just contacted.  Next time we will call ahead more and plan more.  The members really want to do it again.  We just gave then an area with addresses with less actives.  So we will plan more next time.  It just came so quickly and we ran out of time.  

Well K. didn’t come to church because he was traveling, and Y. also is traveling and L, well we talked about Moroni’s promise and how we need to do our part to receive revelation.  I think he will start reading more.  Also, we had a supper spiritual lesson with B, the husband of a member.  He has come to church many times but didn’t really have any desires.  We talked about 1 Nephi 1:1 about families, then about the Book of Mormon.  He came to church yesterday and we feel like he will start progressing.  We have a brazilian investigator and she really wants to know more.  We have taught her twice and are meeting with her tuesday again.  This week has been good though.  Also we might start teaching a couple from Michigan.  They attended church, are friends of a member.  

That is so exciting about JJ!!!!!!!!!!  so he will open it soon then.  

Obviously the first thing I looked at in your email is about the US Open.  That’s too bad Phil lost.  I found out he had the 36 hole lead saturday night here and we had a lesson afterward.  It was a bit hard to focus.   Well I think that is six second place finishes in the US Open for him now, most of anyone.  Maybe next year.  

Did you have fun in your trip? That’s exciting you went to Devon’s mission.  Bern sounds cool.  Soon we will all have to come to Spain though.  That is quite a old clock tower.  Every city in Europe is kind of different, or country at least.  The hermana from Switzerland made is seem pretty cool.  That is a lot of windmills.  Did you eat a lot of pastries.  i wish there were more good pastries in Utah.  Oh well.  Utah is still a good place.  That’s kind of disappointing you were booted at the last minute.  The Smiths have talked about that a lot though.  We also had a long layover in New York, but it was all fine.  That’s strange that no one speaks english.  The hermana from Switzerland speaks like five languages.  Oh well.  At least you got it the package sent.  Funny story to tell though.  Business class is always nice though.  Don’t go too much though or you won’t want to do coach ever. Well I guess that is the risk of using buddy passes.  It’s not bad if you can just watch golf the whole time like we did in our long layover in New York.  Kind of funny both times Phil was near the lead and ended up just losing.  So did you stay in Bern or just pass.  And Lausanne is in Switzerland?  Mainly just meetings in Switzerland or did you and mom walk around?   That is quite a lot of pictures!  Too bad you couldn’t go into Einsteins house.Well my companion talks about ceviche a lot.  maybe Peruvian pride.  Fish is good. but never great.  

The weather is nice here.  My companion is dying because he says in peru 25 is normal and 30 is pretty rare.  .  

Send some recipes, just some that don’t take too much time and are still good, like german pancakes.  or some cookies, or cheesecake,  russian meatballs, pastas or whatever.  We like to cook a bit more extravagantly.

For my mission plaque I want Romans chapter 15 verses 24, 28, and 29

Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. 

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Well thats about all for this week.

Well have a splendid week.

I love you all.

Love, Elder Jason Kinghorn

June 3, 2013

Hello everybody

Y. has been progressing but she left for the weekend to a tiny pueblo with no church and she is traveling to that tiny pueblo for three months soon after.  We want be able to meet with her.  Hopefully there are missionaries near by or a larger city with a church and hopefully she keeps on studying.  

L. came to church yesterday.  We fasted with him also.  He is progressing, just slowly, he does want to know the truth.  On sunday we meet with someone from Ecuador and she studies the bible a lot and prays.  She asked why are there so many churches if there is only one God.  It’s sad though because she only has time to meet on Sundays, but she seems so prepared.  We are going to meet with her next Sunday.  She even prayed in the first lesson.  Most investigators don’t like to, but she already has a lot of faith in Jesus and God and wants us to act on that faith.  

We went to President’s house today and played volleyball, soccer, tennis.  We ate.  Travis was there so we talked for a while.  Other people from the MTC also were there.  Sister President told us of a couple who were called to be president in south carolina, then not to long after they changed the call to Thailand, and neither of them spoke thai.  That’s kind of a big change.  

I think it was wednesday we needed something signed by the bishop.  We thought he lived at one end of the line, so we went all the way there, but he actually lives on the other end of the metro line.  One is call Valedecarros, and the other Valadeceros.  So what should have taken 1 hour took  4.  Lots of time in the metro.  

Spanish is improving.  If we teach from the pamphlet I am fine, but when it goes to more of a conversation it is a bit more difficult.  I have learned a lot these five weeks.  It’s crazy this transfer is already almost over.  Time goes by so quickly.  we don’t go tracting to much, but we have this past week.  It’s hard just doing it over the intercomb, but we were tracting and the the lady was across the opening in the apartment, its hard to describe, but we were like 20 feet away and she just said come back tomorrow, so we will tomorrow at nine.  I don’t even think she knows we are missionaries.  

I’m trying to teach my companion english.  I am his first american companion so we just go over basic words.  We talk to people from spain as well.  Sometimes they listen, but it’s sad that some people say that they don’t believe in God.  I don’t remember where (I think 2 Nephi 9) but it says ‘believe that God is and all things testify of him’.  

Dang Ava pup.  which shoes were they.  ava is still cute though.  

That is quite a bit of countries.  That’l be exciting.  I remember we talked to a girl from the Netherlands on our cruise in Europe.  You should sneak down to spain somehow as well.  The hermana from switzerland said they have a holiday where you take your cow for a walk in the street.  Sounds like india.   

Transfers are next week, like people move next monday.  Time goes by quickly.  It’s been almost 3 months that I have been out.  I do love that song also.  I also love ‘This is the Christ’.  

We are trying to teach people more about family history.  It’s basically missionary work.  We get to go to the temple wednesday and I’m excited.  I love you and your example has helped me a lot on my mission.  I really am glad to be a part of our family, and am grateful for the gospel that we can live together forever.

Well I love you all.

Love, Elder Kinghorn

May 27, 2013

Hello people,

Well this week has been good, a bit warmer.

I think we had 16 lessons last week, but lots of the investigators don’t want to do anything.  They always say they don’t have time today.  But some do really want to listen.  I was on an intercambio last week and we just contacted, and now I just want to talk to everyone on the street.  My companion and I have gotten lots better at contacting.

The bolivian is always attacking the peruvian.  It’s pretty funny.  I have learned a lot of spanish.  I can understand a lot more than when I first arrived.  I did get your card and I really liked it.  We have a passalong card that says faith in Jesus brings hope.  We watched a Mormon Message video with President Eyering from his talk Mountains to Climb.  It is really good.  

Sometimes we all cook together or sometimes not.  It just all depends.  Reimbursements for traveling and various other things are the 15ish of every month, so we were just waiting because we travel a lot.  But we have money now.  There is a grocery store close by, and a pastry shop also that is really good.  We should have gone there with they money you sent for the piso but we went to a farmers market place thing.  It was still good but not as good as the other place.  

Well Y, we taught her basically all of the lessons except for tithing.  She reads everything.  She said she doesn’t feel like she needs to pray because she already knows that is is true.  I guess that is good, but we still need to pray.  She has attended church two times and she has a baptismal date for the ninth of June.  We found her just contacting on the street.  So it’s way exciting we found her and will hopefully baptize her.  

Lino we have taught a bunch.  He just needs more of a testimony.  He thinks a lot with logic, but he listens to us.  He also needs to attend church.

  

So yesterday there was a marathon right in front of our apartment and the church.  I wanted to join in.  Also I think I might be the youngest missionary in the mission.  I was in the MTC so i suppose I would be here as well.  

We watched a way good video in our district meeting.  It was called ¨La expiacion y la obra misional”.  I’m sure it is in english.  It was actually just in english with spanish subtitles.  It was President Eyering and Holland speaking.  You should watch it.  

Well, to all have a good week. I love you all.

Love, Elder Kinghorn