week ending 8.14.11

Hola everyone,

Well, we have good news that Fresia (56), Maria Jose (26), and Jenifer (15) got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so amazing! I had the opportunity to baptize Fresia and Jenifer. It was so funny, Fresia was so nervous for it all but when she got out of the water she was so happy! When Jeni came into the font she asked me with a worried look on her face, "I am going to fall?" I was like no your not going to fall. She didn't fall but when she came out of the water you couldn't see her face because her face was covered with her hair! ha ha. I was like oh no but it was amazing! I love seeing the miracle of baptisms. Today after I get off of the internet they invited us to go eat with them and after we eat with them we have a family home evening with them so it's a day full of the Aguilar family. ha ha.

 So we have been working hard but we are missing something and we have found it and we are going to have a lot more success this week. And all the other investigators are doing good and we have a lot of good plans for them. We are planning on having at least one more baptism before I get out of here. So keep praying for me! 

 All the people that want to go to my grandma's house when I get home on August 30th your all invited. Because the next day I go to school so it would be cool see a lot of you!

Well, I love you all so much and thank you for all your support that you have given me during my mission, the next week the email I send will be really short because I will be visiting all my converts and people I love here. Well, have a good week everyone!

love,

Elder Christensen

from elder maigua

como esta hermana bien espero que siii....yo aqui con su hijo la cual es muy bueno la verdad supo educarle a veces compartimos experiencia en cuanto a como nos educaron nuestras madres y la verdad sabemos sin duda que muestras madres lo sabien sabiena que saldriamos ala mision y cambiariamos nuestras vidas gracias por ser una madre espectacular estaba pensando ir a los estados unidos, estudiar en BYU la cual espero lograrlo pero las probavilidades son del 5 % jajajaja pero si no voy su hijo me ba ayudar jajaja fue un placer aver concido con su hijo el me demostrar realmente como amar a las personas..aqui le mando unas fotos ok cuando recivimos nuestros paquetes muchas gracias por su bondad y amor no solo con su hijo sino con las personas que le rodean y con las personas de otros paises  y me gusto mucho las pistolas nerf a mi me encatan son buenas jajaja haaa y tambien por el jerky es fabuloso  y la polera(t-shirt) es fabulosa vivir en una vida loca solo para locos jajajaj pero que este biennn cchauuuu

elder maigua

week ending 8.7.11

 Hey everyone,

This week my flight plans got to me and I know when I will be in Utah................... I know you all want to know so I might tell you but,................... okay I will tell you. My flight gets in on the 30th of Aug. at 3:00pm. Yeah, when I got my ticket I was like crap it's coming to an end and I can't slow time down. But there is one thing I can control, and that is how hard I work. These last 2 weeks I have been working so hard and we are having so much success. So much success that we are doing to have 3 baptisms this coming Sunday! Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Fresia, Maria Jose, and Jeny. They are so excited for their baptisms, they are so ready for it as well. When we taught them all the commandments they had questions but we could answer them and they accepted them all and prayed to know if they were commandments or not and they feel that they are! I am so pumped for them! And I also gave the baseball that my mom sent me, thats from Walt Disney World to Jeny and she freaked out. She loves it and she wants to go to there for real and I told her that my mom would take her if she can make it to the USA. haha. So mom I made a promise that you can't break. haha.

We have a lot of people that we are teaching and we are having a great time working hard and helping a lot of people. Even though we had a great week Elder Maigua and I feel bad, like we didn't do the best we could have. We want to change that this week and kick butt! haha. Sorry for my wording. haha. We are teaching another family that is so amazing, their kids Javiera (11) and Victor (13) have gone to church the past 3 weeks and just love it. Their dad takes them to church every week and comes to get them, the dad is going to go one of these weeks but he says he doesn't know when. But the mom says we need some time because we are changing our religion. I am not sure how many of them I will see get baptized but that's okay - I know that they will and that they will be so blessed!

 The last Monday we had a BBQ and it was great! You can see me with the grill and all the meat we had. It was great! 

On Wednesday we made breakfast for the zone and I made pancakes (25) and French toast (30). Everyone loved it. 

 We did some service for a family and that is the son of the family. He is 9 and his name is Franco and he needs to be baptized haha. we are working with him and his family - his mom is a member. 

Well, there is a run down on my pics. Well, I love you all and I hope your week goes well!

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 7.31.11

 Hey everyone,

How are you all doing? I am really good, the week we had was really good! We had 5 investigators that went to church and they are all progressing towards a baptism. The Aguilar Family are doing really well, the dad doesn't want anything but that's okay for now, he will see the change in the life of his family and we will see after. But the mom and daughters are really excited for their baptism.

 The other people that we are working with are Victor and Javiera they are brother and sister and their mom likes that we are teaching her kids and she wants to see how the church is.

Francisco is a young man that is 15 years old and he is looking for a church to join and he has prayed and feels that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. He is going to make a lot of friends in the church I am really excited for him!

 So today a couple of us are going to have a BQ and we are going to fly Chilean kites and play ping pong! I am really excited to eat some meat baby haha. 

I am doing good and I am really excited for this week that is to come! I love you all and we will be talking!

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 7.24.11

Hey everyone,

This week we had a lot of good things happen to us. We have been working so hard and this week - for the first time in a long time - a family accepted a date to be baptized on the 14th of August.  They told us that they are really excited for that day. It's the Agilar Family - Victor (dad), Fresia (mom), Maria José and Jenifer (daughters). They are so amazing!  Please put the dad in your prayers because he is trying to quit some addictions - thanks, that would be sweet.

 Yesterday we made them breakfast.  I made pancakes as you can see in the photos i sent you all. They turned out really good and they loved them so that was good! the only bad part was that the Jenifer got sick during church so I wont be making pancakes for anyone here soon haha. But they are really excited to be baptized and I am really happy for them.

 Also, we had 2 young kids come to church with us, Victor and Javiera they are really special. Their parents couldn't make it to church but they want to go to church next week. Their mom Gloria is so happy all the time and she wants her kids to go to church and learn more. I have a lot of respect for her because her husband works far away and she is home alone all week long with 5 kids. If you could put her in your prayers and her family that would be sweet! Thanks.

So I have been learning about the importance of being able to say no to things that we shouldn't do. It's a lot easier to say yes and just do it but its not what we should do. I know that I have changed a lot during these last 2 years haha. Also, I have a talk on Sunday about the Atonement, and I am going to kick some butt but with a lot of love. I have learned to love giving talks now, I love sharing what I know and I have gotten good at it.

I invite all of you to keep working on the things that God wants you to do, like prayers and reading, for a start. Well, I love all of you and I hope all goes the way you want this week! Have a good week.

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 7.17.11

Hey everyone,

This week was a great week, even though we had a lot of rain and I got all wet - I lived and didn't get sick. haha. The best part of it all is that we had 5 people come to church with us and 3 of them were able to stay for the whole thing and they loved it! Their names are Fresia(mom), Maria Jose(daughter), Jenifer(daughter). They are amazing. We are going to be working a lot with them and I would love if you all could put them in your prayers so they can accept to be baptized and that satan won't have power over them. And that their dad's heart will open up to the message. Thanks.

 The others that went to church were Margarita and Gisela. They are sisters that are super amazing. Gisela is 21 years old and was really excited to go to church and she went with a dress! That was sweet! I can see her going on a mission and doing a lot of good so pray for her as well please! 

Last night we had changes, well we didn't have changes, but the meaning of that is that I will be ending my mission with Elder Maigua. Yup, that's right, I am on my last change(6 weeks). More than that, I am working really hard I need to complete my mission goals and I am really close to doing it! I am really happy that I was able to stay here to work with the people that we are working with.

I have a example of a young man that is amazing! His name is Isreal, he has 18 years old and will be going on the mission and he likes going out with us. Last night the Chilean soccer team played in the Cup of America and he loves soccer but he went out with us to work and we had a lot of success. Some one turned on the TV while we were in the house and instead of staying, he was like, "let's go Elders," and got us out of there. I love that kid! I am so happy that I have the oppertunity to get to know him and work with him! And another time while we were working everything we had planned was falling through and he was like, "don't get down Elders - we are going to find someone!" And at 9 at night someone let us in and when we left the house he ran and jumped on us and was like, " that was worth it!" He is amazing!

That's all i got for this week! Have a good week and thanks for reading and to the people that wrote me! Love you all!

love,

Elder Christensen

{with Elder Brunt}

week ending 7.10.11

Hey everyone!

We went to the church really early this morning and we had a ping pong turny and it was really fun! 

It was sweet that I took 3rd, although I should have taken first but I sucked it up at the end! 

I made the bracket and it worked out good and it was fun doing it. 

This week was a tough week. We had at least 4 to 6 appointments every day and about 25 in the whole week and how many of them were home?  None. It was a test,but in the end we could enter into some houses and talk to people and find 8 new people to teach! Here in the sector we have been able to find a lot of people but we haven't had anyone that has been able to progress and it's a test for me. So if you could put that in your prayers that we can help some people go to church and progress towards a baptism that would be so amazing! Thanks.

Oh, for everyone I have something I would like that you all could do for me and that would be don't talk about how much time I have and things that you want to do with me and stuff like that - unless its really important because I have been having a hard time keeping my mind straight and it would help me a lot. Thank you so much for you help!

So this week The Cup of America, a soccer tourny here in South America is going on and when Chile plays no one wants anything to do with us. Sometimes the people get really mad when we pass by, but it's funny how crazy they are about soccer. But it's cool at the same time how dedicated they are to something.

The names of the people we have found this week are Elizabeth, a young girl that is really amazing because she has her way to do things and doesn't care what others say. Angel and Hernan, brothers that don't have a religion but have a lot of info about a lot of things that are really different. Fresia, Maria Jose, and Jenifer: they are a family and are really excited to learn more. And finally, Margarita and Gisela; sisters that want to follow Christ and they let us in at the very last hour of the week so it was sweet!

Well, there is my week for you all! Have a good week and talk to you later!

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 7.3.11

Hey everyone,

This week was really cool! 

This is the doctor that I have been going to and the same one the cut me open. haha. So, if anything bad happens in the future, we can all blame him haha. His name is Raul Morales. He is a great guy haha. 

This is a little girl that asked me to baptize her. I didn't teach her but I know her family, they are all members. When they asked Krishna (that's her name) who she wanted to baptize her she said, "the tall, funny one, Elder Christensen" and then she called me and asked me herself.  It was great!  I love that family!

 So we have been working hard this last week and we found some good people that are really interested in listening and a young man that isn't baptized but his parents are members and they want him to get involved in the church again. We are excited to work with him. His name is Leo. So if you could put him in your prayers that would be sweet! 

This week the weather has gotten really cold, there hasn't been a lot of rain - but it's so cold. I am wearing a coat over a sweater, over a white dress shirt, and over an Under Armor long sleeve. And I am still cold! haha. But I bought some long johns and they are great! haha.

I have started to teach English in the church every Saturday and last week I had 4 students.  Yup, it was the other 4 missionaries in my ward (I am the only North American out of 5 missionaries, there are 2 from Bolivia, El Salvador, and Honduras). No one showed up but this week, we have told a lot more people so I think there will be a lot of people there.

It would be sweet if you could put me in your prayers so we can do all we need to do, like be obedient, diligent, happy and all the other things a missionary needs to do this work because I don't want to lose the stride in these last months. Thank you! I love you all and have a good week!

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 6.26.11

Hey everyone,

 

This morning I was thinking about my mission and my life and I was like what am I doing? And how am I ending my mission and how will it help me with my life? So I started thinking how hard am I working and where is my heart in all of my thoughts, baseball, home, girls, the mission, where? That's what I want to figure out here soon and start working harder then ever but I need my heart here, because that is how I am going to work hard.

 

We have been trying to find new people to teach because we have been losing all of the people that we have been teaching. We have two young people that are really interested in learning more. Their names are Alexandra and Erasmo. They are dating and have plans to get married here soon and they are super cool. All Erasmo talks about is Disneyland and how he wants to go there so bad. haha. But they are really awesome.

 

The weather here is so cold and its kicking my butt!  I am so cold. But I am getting over it and just working through the cold.

 

Thank you all that wrote and have a good week everyone!  I hope that this week is the best one for you! Love you all!

 

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 6.19.11

Hey everyone!

 

Well this week was a tough one for us, we worked hard but it didn't turn out like we wanted it to and then the weekend turned out to be a wet one. Oh man, I have gotten wetter before but it was a crazy one. So we were walking down a street trying to get to our house and we couldn't because there was a river in the street so we had to walk half way down the street to find a place to cross. Here in Chile when it rains - it rains - and the streets become rivers. Oh man, it's so cold here when that happens haha. Well more than that, I am doing good and fighting the blues from this cool rain but we are doing good.

 

My mom asked me to write more about my companion so here is a little more about him. He speaks almost no English, so I am speaking Spanish 24/7 with him. He is 21 years old and his birthday is the 30 of May. He has 10 months in the mission and is a hard worker. We laugh so much and work really good together. All the members of his family are members of the church. He comes from the South part of Bolivia, its called Tarija. He is really cool and I am glad to be with him.

 

The work this week went okay. We found 6 new people to teach 2 of them are a couple and they both are 20 years old and the girl was so interested and I am excited to keep teaching them. And our goal this week is to invite all the people that we have found and going to find to be baptized, so we can know what their doubts are and to see if they really want to learn and progress.

 

For me, I went to the doctor this last Friday and he told me that all is going well with my surgery and that I can start to work out again. haha. I am getting fat and we can't have that. So I am going to start working out really hard. haha. I just got over a cold and now I am feeling good. Well, I am happy and strong and ready to work! I love you all and thanks to all the people that wrote me this week. Have a good week all!

 

love,

Elder Christenesn

 

PS The family that's in the photo are members and we had a family home evening with them and I made them pancakes. They loved them haha.

 

week ending 6.12.11

Hey everyone,

 

My companion and I had a good week!  We found a lot of people and I feel so blessed. I think the Lord is telling me that I have to work harder than I have in my life right now and he is giving me a really big chance to do a lot of good work. We also taught a girl her name is Nataly and she accepted to be baptized in July and she is really excited, we are really happy for her. We also found a family that the mom is a member and no one else is and they loved talking with us and want us to keep going over. I know that that family will be a great family in the gospel and they will be baptized next month.

 

More than that, nothing really happened that cool, but there is a kid named Isreal that works with us and he is really cool. He will be coming home in a week from school and wants to work a lot with us, so I am really pumped for that! Well, I love you all and have a good week!

 

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 6.5.11

Well hey everyone,

Last night we had changes and I have a new companion that is from Bolivia his name is Elder Maigua and I have been in the same zone with him before and I am really excited to be with him and I think I will be with him until the end of my mission. And that means that my Spanish is going to be so good and I will not be able to speak English. haha. That's one of my goals, and last night 2 people were really surprised when I told them that I am from the USA. They thought I was Latin, so I am going to start saying that I am Latin. haha. Well, I am really pumped for these last months of my mission because Elder Maigua and I are going to kick some butt.

We had a lesson last night with Miguel and Marlen and we told them that they need to choose what church they want to follow and they will be telling us what they think tomorrow. But I know that they will find the truth and they will be baptized here soon. And we have been finding a lot of people and I am really excited for all the things we are doing. I love the mission and I feel really old now. 21 is a little to old for me and I am in one of the last months of my mission which makes me sad. A friend said it best: "I bet you feel bittersweet." It's true, I want to do this forever but I also want to come home and start the next part of my life. But I am not going to talk more about this or the house so I can be here in the mission 100%.

I love you all and I miss you all. Have a good week. Talk to you later and thanks to everyone that wrote me for my birthday - it made my day!

love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 5.29.11

 Hey everyone,

Well it looks like something cool will be happening this Saturday. If you guessed the end of the world - you're wrong. haha No, it's my birthday! whoooooooooooooooooooooo! That's right, I will be 21 years old and I will be just kickin' it here in Chile doing the Lord's work - not doing anything cool for my birthday. What am I saying? The Lord's work is the coolest thing in the world, so that's ok.

This week we found 10 new people to teach and 2 of them are from Peru and it's a family and they said yes to get baptized on the 26 of June so we will be working with them a lot this month to come. And we found a lady that is really awsome. She believes in the Bible and when we started to show her the Bible with the Book of Mormon she was like, "I like the Book of Mormon, it seems like it's more complete." I was like, "You got it!" haha But she isn't married so she can't get baptized until she is married to the guy that she lives with or moves out. Moving out won't happen. haha.

Another thing that is funny (my companion said it was okay that I write this). We were walking down the street and my comp says, "We need to go to the house. I need to use the bathroom right now." So we started back home. I thought it was just a normal bathroom run but he says if another wave hits me I wont be able to hold it in. So we started to walk a little faster, he was squeezing so hard but all the sudden he stops and puts his back to the wall and with a terrified look on his face and says, "I am pooping." Oh man, I started to laugh. I felt bad but it was so funny. And then we get to the house and he's like "It's running down my leg." It's so funny at this point but it gets better, he starts to poop his pants again before he got to the bathroom. After all of this, there was poop everywhere and the words of my companion "I feel like a 240 lb baby!" He is so funny. I will never forget that day.

Well that was my week and I am pumped to be 21 this Saturday. Have a good week and I will talk to you next week. Love you all!

love

Elder Christensen

PS The photos are of me in the hospital and it was great fun. haha.

week ending 5.22.11

Hey everyone.

 

This week has been a good one for me. On the health side, I have started to work more and I feel a lot better, but on the work side we lost all of our investigators and now we have to go find some more people. I am ready to do it so we will see some good stuff come out of the week.

 

Well, an update on me: I will be going to College of Eastern Utah again after my mission and I will be playing baseball for them as well. I will be getting home on the 30 of Aug. and I go to school the 31 or 1 of September. We will see. But I am excited for that but I am not worrying too much about that. haha.

 

I have nothing more to say - I am out of things to say this week. I love you all and thank you for all your prayers. Have a good week.

 

love,

Elder Christensen.

week ending 5.15.11

{at zone conference with President and Sister May the day after being released from the hospital.}

 Hey everyone,

I didn't write last week because I was having surgery (for all of you that didn't know.) It wasn't anything super bad, but if you want to know more you can ask my mommy what, how, when, why, and all that jazz. haha.

This week I sat in the house and read the Book of Mormon for a week and now I think I am good for this week. No, that's a joke. I love reading that book.

On Sunday I used my surgery to ask our investigators if they would come get us and take us to church. It worked and they came and liked it, but they couldn't stay for all the meetings. The next thing that happened at church was that I was in pain for all of it but after it was all good. It was sweet, I got to stay with a family while my companion went out to work and I got to help the kids with English.. well they are not really kids, they are as old as me but it was cool. My companion had a good day working he did a lot and found new people so that's pretty cool. We are trying and praying that Miguel and Marlen get baptized this weekend so pray for them. If anyone goes to the temple this week please put them in there as well. Thank you so much. Oh, and please pray that I get better so that I can work at 100% for a whole day because I am at about 45%.

Today we went to the doctor and he told me that everything is healing well and that I am just fine - so don't worry. I go back to talk to him on Thursday to get checked out again. All is well and now I don't have so many pains.

I love you all and thanks for all you do and for all of your prayers. Have a good week and we will be talking next week.

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 5.1.11

{with Elder Tialavia}

 Hey everyone,

Well, this week was a good one. Elder Evans and I worked really hard and we had some success. We are teaching a family of 4 and they accepted a baptismal date for the 22 of May. Their names are Miguel (Micheal) and Marlene and they have 2 sons. They are super great and I would love if you could put them in your prayers and ask God that he helps them receives the answer that they are looking for. They want to get baptized but they still haven't gotten their answer, so please put them in your prayers.

When I went to church this Sunday the members received me well and they are really nice. I am really excited to be here. They have a lot of good plans and ideas that I know will help out the members and investigators. haha. And it was different because there are a lot of people in this ward, my last branch had not that many, so I was happy to see it and shocked. haha.

My health is good and I am really excited for this next week, because I know we will have a lot of work to do and a lot of success too. So please put me in your prayers as well so I can do what the Lord needs me to do. Thank you.

Have a good week and talk to you next week.

love,
Elder Christensen

{with Elder Evans}

{Danilo came to see me}

week ending 4.24.11

Hey,

Happy Easter to all! This week is a great week and a sad week because this computer won't let me send a photo to you all of my new companion. Yes, I was changed and now I am in a new ward as well. I am in the ward Zañartu, I will give anyone a dollar that doesn't know how to speak Spanish that can say that name. haha. It's in a place called Quilicura. I am really excited to be here and my new companion is from Nephi, Utah and his name is Elder Evans. He seems like a good guy and I am really excited to be here and I am still a District Leader so that is pretty sweet! haha.

This morning something happened that we shouldn't do but it was out of my power, Danilo came to see me and I signed a baseball that I had and he loved it. Oh mom, I need more baseballs, it's a sweet new gift for the people here. haha. And Danilo started to cry and I was like don't cry, you're going to make me cry and I don't cry I am a man. I was joking with him to make him smile so he would stop crying. haha. Well, I am happy it was the first time that I was not sad to be changed. I am still sad that I left all those people that are so sweet but I am happy to be here!

I also learned something really cool this morning, that the way of the Lord is the best way and the way of Elder Christensen is not the best way. The Lord knows best and He does what He thinks best. So I will go and do what the Lord commands and not complain about anything. haha.

Thank you all for your letters and your love, I feel the power of your prayers every day and I am really grateful for them. Have a good week!!

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 4.17.11

 Hey everyone,

Well this week was a week full of things! We had a lot to do! We planned the baptism of Marcela and it turned out so great! It was a baptism to remember - not going to lie - I was like it's going to be interesting. But it was so amazing! Danilo, my convert, did the baptism but I went in with them to help carry her into the font and hold her in the water. We didn't fill the font all the way up and we had her sit down while we did it and it was sweet. I held her legs down and Danilo did the baptism.

But something that was really funny, we sang I Am A Child of God in English but we forgot the last part of the last line and we just stopped singing it was bad and really funny. haha. Well, something else cool happened... Danilo was called to be the president of the Young Men. That man is doing so well, they are planning on going to the temple in a year. So, yes mom we will be coming back to Chile next year so work on your Spanish! haha.

We also had a sweet activity in the church that we planned and ran. We bought 12 cakes and played games and shared a small message, and all the members and investigators loved it. haha. One of the games that we played was where we made teams and put them in a line and the last person had a small balloon hanging from their pants and the person in front is the only person that can grab the balloon. Oh man, they were throwing everyone around people ended up on the floor and it was so funny! I am going to do that for a activity when I get home. haha.

We also did some service for a member and we painted. We painted a wall then when we were alone I painted my name on the wall so they will alway remember me. They were not mad but they were like, "Sweet! Now Helmick you do it too!" haha. But the family we did it for is a family that I love, they are so sweet I am going to be sad when I have to go. But that is the mission. haha.

This week we have  a lot of plans to do a lot of good stuff! Please put us in your prayers that we find that family that is waiting for us please. Thank you. Have a good week and I love you all! It's a joy writing you all!

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 4.10.11

Hey everyone!

 This week ended really great! We had a baptism of Erick, he is such an amazing kid! I talked about him last week and now he his clean of all of his sins and really to get the Holy Ghost the next week. Also, Jordan was confirmed a member of the church yesterday - but his sister was sick and couldn't make it. I was sad about that but next week she will get confirmed.

All of Erick's family were able to come and see his baptism and they loved it so much and it was really cool! We sang I am a Child of God in English, and they all loved it. Everyone here wants to learn English and a lot of people think they know English but the only things they know in English are swear words. haha.

Another thing that was sweet: I was able to go work with one of the zone leaders, Elder Tialavea. That elder is so cool!  I learn so much from him and we worked really hard and I felt good about our work together. And I did something for the sisters of my district, they were really sick so I took them a lemon pie and cleaned their house while they were working and they were so happy. They are so great - some of the best sister missionaries I have met.

This coming weekend Marcela will be being baptized, and I would love if you could put her in your prayers. When we found her last month she was smoking 20+ cigarettes and yesterday she smoked 0! She is working so hard and making so much progress. She is in a wheel chair and everyone in their house smokes, so it's hard because she can't leave. But we pass by everyday to help her out and take her mind off of smoking. So if you can pray for her, she has been waiting so long for her baptism and she is the sweetest lady. I am going to be so happy for her on Sunday! Thanks.

This is Benjamin, the son of Danilo and Violeta. He is the cuteist kid, and says amen after the prayers. So cool! I love him!

 I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me. Thanks for all of your prayers. Have a good week!

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 4.3.11

Hey everyone!

First things first:  If you are going to send* me something, you need to send it to:
Elder Jackson McKade Christensen
Mision Chile Santiago Norte
Sucursal Correo Patronata, Casilla 60
Santiago
Chile
*and if you live in the USA, only send stuff through the USPS.  haha.

Well this weekend was a good one - that is for sure! We got to listen to our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and he had a lot of good things to say to us! And all of the other speakers as well, don't get me wrong on that. haha. I liked the talk Monson gave in the priesthood session about getting married. (Well, now, we all know why the missionaries get married within 1 to 2 years after the mission.... it's because the prophet said so. haha). But the one thing I liked was "choose your love and love what you choose." We need to find the love of our life and when we find her (him for the girls haha), we need to love them for the rest of our lives and do all we can to make sure that we never lose the love we started-out with! A lot of missionaries were like, "oh no, why are they talking so much about marriage?!" But I was like, "oh yeah, now I have a good reason to get married!" haha (just playin' mom.) But I am not scared of it like a lot of missionaries are here. haha. Well I would like to hear from you!  Write me and tell me what you liked about the conference we just had. Thank you!

This week we will be seeing another baptism and the confirmation of Jordan and Guisselle. I am really excited for them. The kid that will be getting baptized is Erick and he is 9 years old. He reminds me of my own baptism when I was 15. His family are members but they are less active. Now that we found him he loves going to church more then going to school and it's so funny! I love this little kid! I am so excited for him and his family this weekend. So be sure to put him in your prayers so that all goes well with his baptism. Thank you.

I am doing a lot better in my health and I am loving the mission. I keep finding all the good things about being here and all the good things of my companion and all the good things of bad things. I can testify that it makes the world a better place when you look at all the good things. When something bad happens be ready to look for the good things in that situation and you will begin to love all things. I invite you to look for the good in all things!

I love you all so much! Thank you for your support! Have a good week!

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 3.27.11

 Hey everyone,

This Sunday was good for us with 2 baptisms. Their names are Guisselle and Jordan. They are sister and brother and they were so happy to be baptized. We have been working with them so much and so hard and we got them ready in time haha. The day when they were going to have the interview to see if they were ready was nuts! We went past their house to take them to the church a little before 4 and they weren't ready and Guisselle wasn't there. Then we went to the church to wait for them and they didn't come so we cleaned the Font and then we called them at 4:45 and nothing. So we went to their house to see what was going on and they said their mom was sick. But in the end they came and they were ready and all was well. haha. But it didn't help the stress level. haha.

Now we are on a mission to help a kid named Eric and find more people to teach. I am ready to do what the Lord needs me to do! I hope.  haha. We have been working really hard and we are seeing a lot of fruits, and I am happy about that.  Now I want to see more so I have to work harder, so if you could add me in your prayers I need a little more help this week, and for Eric as well. Thank you.


Well I am really pumped to watch conference this weekend and I wish I could just watch it but no I have to worry about getting people there. Don't get me wrong, this is the best thing in the world for the new people to see so I am going to make sure that a lot of people get there. haha. But I really need some help from the leaders of the church! haha don't we all?!

That's what I have for you all this week! I am really happy for the friends and family that I have. I love you all!

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 3.20.11

Hey everyone!

Well this week was a short one for me. I have been working to lighten the weight of having the 2 sectors now and it's going well - so well that we are going to have 2 baptisms this weekend! I am so excited! Their names are Guisselle(16) and Jordan(10) they are brother and sister and they are so great! They love going to church and are so pumped for their baptism. This weekend they couldn't go to church and we passed by in the evening and they told me that they felt so bad that they couldn't go to church. Now think about this: 2 kids that aren't members missed a day of church and felt bad, and how many of us that are members miss a day and don't think twice. We have something so special but sometimes we don't see it. I invite all of you that missed a day of church to say sorry to the Lord and make it there this Sunday because it's something so little but so important in our lives! And I got taught that by two kids here in Chile. We can be taught by anyone and anywhere!

I would like to share with you this story that the mission president shared with us that teaches us some important principles:

The Silent Lesson

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.  After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.  Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing.  In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.  After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.  As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more.  Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.  The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave.  He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.  Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave his host said, with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday”.

Like before if we are going out just a little our fire goes out, but when we get put back in the fire we can catch fire so fast and just take off!

Well if you have anything you would like to know about Chile or my mission ask me because I am running out of things to write. haha. Thanks.

I love you all and have a good week.  I hope this message helped you in some way.

love,

Elder Christensen