Exchanges and miracles :)‏

Hello all!! 

Sorry for the short email this week. Time is short (and so am I), sooo here's a miracle or two!

This week, we had the opportunity to go on exchanges to Farmington. Twas wonderful, and I learned more than I thought I ever could in a day. Awesome sauce. Then we had the opportunity to teach a Francisco this Sunday night; he only speaks Spanish, so we're using a translator from the ward. He accepted a baptismal date for the 19 of March!! Ahh!! Also, it's incredible how simple teaching can become when it must be translated into another language. In other news, this week seems like it will be CRAZY! MLC, Zone Training, Exchanges, annnnd transfers. Oye vei.

Hope you all have an incredible week!!

Elder Kraus

Week 4; Durango's never a bore ;)‏

Ok ok, I'm running out of ideas for title lines. Gonna have to figure out a way to get some creative juices flowing again...

This week was fantastic!!!

Remember David and Amy? They're a family we've been teaching who GOT MARRIED TUESDAY!! So much joy :) Then they came to Stake Conference, which was just the greatest thing evah. Had the opportunity to train the Ward Mission Leaders on Ward Mission Plans; supah dupah excited to see member missionary work take off in the coming weeks and months :) Pretty interesting experiences teaching some interesting people... learning to love the Zone and the people in Durango and my companions more and more every day. My spanish is improving; we're teaching a couple of people English and the lessons (with a translator), and that's been great :) All in all, I've been coming to love Durango like it's home. If you define home as where the heart is, then Durango is home. I don't want this mission to end.

Also, had a tie-trading session with our Ward Mission Leader. My collection is now Legen-(wait for itttt)-dairy. :) 

Loving life, loving this Gospel, loving God, and, in turn, loving His children more than I ever thought would be possible. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. 

Oh! I love you all too.

Have a fantabulous week.

Elder Kraus

Here's a selfie from the library; don't judge the face-chub. We get fed too well here XD

Answers to Prayers‏

G'morrrning family and loved ones!!!!

First things first, big birthday shoutout to the one, the only, Dussttaaaannn Krauuusss!! You're my hero ya old goon.

This week was crazy great :) Emphasis on the crazy... So, one of my companions had never had the opportunity to give a blessing before, and he was pretty trepidatious about the whole process. So, I, knowing fully well that prayers work WONDERS, decided to pray that night that he would have an opportunity to give a blessing soon. I found out exactly how soon the next morning. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say it's been a loonngg time since I lost that much weight in a period of 24 hours. He was given the opportunity to give a blessing, I had my prayer answered, and was better by the day after that. Lesson to be learned: prayers are always answered, but not in the way we might necessarily want or expect. Be careful whatcha pray for...

Other than that, this week was just AWESOME. Saturday morning began a new phase in missionary life for us. It's like fear doesn't even exist anymore... If there's something that moves in our line of sight as we go throughout the day, we will open our mouths and proclaim the gospel to them. We only have a short time to be full time missionaries of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You best believe we won't let one opportunity pass us by.

I love this work. I've been praying more for the gift of Charity and it's been there! The blessing of seeing people the way Heavenly Father sees them has been one of the most wonderful and apparent changes I've seen. Don't be afraid to open your mouth to share what you love with those that you love.

Praying for missionary opportunities for us all, always,

All my love,

Elder Kraus 

Didn't take many pictures this week, but I found this one from Kayenta AZ, atop of Black Mesa.... I miss that place like crazy, but I know Durango is where I need to be right now :)

Love you all! Have an incredible week!!

Pictures and other things!‏

Hello all!! 

Time is short; this week was crazy. Amid the highlights was picking up a new companion (back to a tripanionship with an Elder Waite! Woot!), teaching some awesome people, Mike receiving the priesthood, annnd getting to speak on Sunday in Silverton, where there's a branch of ~6 active members. That, along with the drive there, was puh-retty cool. Now it's storming. Here's some pictures of the drive and of Durango. We're lucky to be here. Have an incredible week!

Love you all!!

Elder Kraus

Oh!! And I ate a pepper 4.5 times hotter than a habenero this week. Ouch. That was the worst, but I got 6 ties out of it, soo totally worth it.