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 12.19.10

Hey Everyone,

Well today was a sad but a happy day! I got a new companion and he is from Mexico.  His name is Elder Mendez. He is really funny and I think we will get along just fine. haha. So we got together around 1:30 today and its only 3:45 here and we already have been making jokes and stuff. I hope he can help me loosen up a little, I have been really stressed with the work but the work always goes on and we will see fruits here soon.

Yesterday we went to see a family that we contacted in the street and when we got there they let us in and we started to teach them and they were just sucking it all up, it was sweet! haha. They were so excited and they are going to pray about Joseph Smith and they said they want to get baptized! And we will be doing everything to help them, they will be going on a trip here soon but that wont stop us. haha. Their names are Danelo (dad,22), Violeta (mom,22), Ben (son,almost 2). They are awesome.

So something I learned this week is that I need to learn more about love with patience. When I lose one of these things it's all downhill from there.  So if anyone has a thought or anything to help a poor missionary out I would love for your help. One thing that I learned is that the prayers helps out so much in any situation that you are in, even when you lose your patience. But the thing that we need to do to have love and be patient is have the Holy Ghost, and how do we get that? We are obedient. So almost everything comes down to being obedient.

Thanks to all that wrote me and i hope that everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all and have a great Christmas!

love,
Elder Christensen

week ending 12.5.10

Hey everyone,

Well, this week was a tough one for us - but we fought through it and we ended up kicking butt. We completed a lot of the goals we had. I feel so blessed when we get to help the children of God and share a message that can change their lives. So we are doing ore best to find new people to keep helping the branch and doing all we can for the members in the branch. I learned a little more about love this last week, I was reading in Ether Chapter 12 - I think verses 33 and 34, it talks about love and charity. I keep gaining a big testimony of the principle (love), without it I wouldn't be anything.

I have a really funny story for you guys! I was riding on my bike and to let you know this bike has been welded together. lol. Well, I just fixed it on Saturday and it cost a good amount of money. That night I was riding a little fast and all the sudden the bike broke in half! My legs got all tangled up in the bike and I was sure I was going to eat the ground but I was helped by something, (angles), and I landed on my feet. This is the second bike crash that I have been in and both of them I landed on my feet and walked away so I am doing good. But it was just funny that it happened and I am fine - just thought I would tell a funny story. haha.

So we got a Christmas tree from a family that we are teaching, (Elizabeth and her daughter darling). We bought lights and I put the silly rubber bands I got from Mandy on it so it's a sweet 2 or 3 foot tree. I will be having a fun time with that tree, I hope Santa brings some gifts to put under the tree! haha.

I am going to be going now so I will talk to you next week! Have a good week everyone!

Love,

Elder Christensen!

week ending 8.15.10

Hey eveyone, 

Last night we had changes, but nothing got changed for us so Elder Nielsen and I are here together for another 6 weeks. oh yeah man! haha. I am really pumped for this next change and the things I am going to learn  from it. The last change I learned a lot of things and one of the things I learned that has changed my life is LOVE! I have learned how important love is in our lives.  I have been trying to show my love for all the people I serve and get to know, and I do it by doing service for them, even if it is just a little act. But I know now if I dont have love for what I am doing or for who I am with (companions, wife, kids, family) it's not going to be very fun! I now understand what I need to do to make things work out, forget myself and focus on others and help them through their problems and when I do that they will be happy and I will be happy. Man, what has happened to me? I am growing up and I like it. I never thought i would like growing up and learning all these things but it's cool. It all started with my love for my Savior, if I didn't have that I wouldn't have come here and I wouldn't have grown and learned so much in my life! But it's great and I am loving life.

 
Well, a little about the family we are teaching, they are doing great! They went to church this last Sunday and are all down with the lessons and are going to be baptized this coming Sunday so we need your help. If you would put them in your prayers - Cristian, Carolina, and Janaby - that would be great. So I was in church and Carolina was sitting next to me and all the little girls in this ward for some reason love me and always wave and smile at me, well, Carolina was like, "man, you have a lot of girlfriends!" I told her it comes with the job! haha, not really, but I thought it. I love this ward and I love Cristian, Carolina, Janaby and Martina they are great!   

Here are some photos for you all to enjoy. Look how skinny I am getting, I have lost almost 15 pounds in the last month. noooooooooooooo! I am going to try and get that back, I came into this sector at 210 and I am down around 195 or so. oh man. =( Well, I am out. Until next week... have a good week!

Love you all!

Elder Christensen