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

Merry Christmas 2010

Hello Everyone!

My Christmas was just great!  I spent the 24th with a family that is amazing.  I am going to have photos of them to show you. Enzo the dad, Maria the mom, and Maxi and Seba their 2 sons. They are so cute, we got to help Santa Claus and bring out the toys for the boys while they went and looked for him outside. Because in Chile Santa comes at night on Christmas Eve at 12:00. It was so sweet to see the look on the faces of the little kids when they saw their new toys!

Then on the 25th I got to call my mom and family! It was great! It's crazy to hear the voices of my mom and of my family members, sorry family haha. But it was nice. We spent the day with the Alomia family, they are from the USA and they made a Christmas lunch which was just great! haha And I got 2 ties from them and they are so sweet! haha.

So to tell you a little about Colina, well it's up around 98 degrees and its just cookin me everyday! I wear sunscreen and it still kicks my butt but what can you do? ummmmmmm go out and work for the Lord with all your heart, mind, might, strength, and will. When I do that I don't even feel the heat I don't think about the house I just work and work and love it and love it! haha. I love this work, I love Colina, it's a small little town and we have about 5 smaller towns that we have to ride bikes to.  It takes about 20 to 45 minutes.  The one that is far away - we haven't gone if we go we will be taking a bus! haha.

Well, that's my week and I just want to say Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Here comes 2011! One year until the world ends in 2012 haha NOT! Well, have a good week everyone! Peace and love!

Love,

Elder Christensen

{Christmas eve with an amazing family}

{Elder Christensen & Elder Mendez at the mission home Christmas dinner}

{the yard he sat in as he was talking to family on Christmas day}

{Jessica sent a Christmas gift to this beautiful girl in Chile}

{pumpkin pie MK made for Christmas dinner}

week ending 9.20.10

Hey everyone,

Well this week was a good week for us!  We had a great time because Chile was in party mode!  haha. They celebrated 200 years of independence so they gave everyone 4 days off of work and all that fun stuff. Our ward had a sweet activity that we went to and the pictures are from the activity - and yes, I had a good time. The one where I have flour all over my face is from a race where we had to spin 20 times then run to a chair and thread a needle and then run to another chair and drink/eat this drink they have here - it's call "mote con huecillos" it's really good.  The next chair had a bowl with water and a spoon that we had to pull out with our mouth then the last chair they had a coin hidden under a pillow of flour and we had to get it out with our mouth and my mouth was full of flour - but on the good side I won! haha. It was super fun.
After the games we went inside to watch a show that they had planned and they had all types of dances from Chile and they were really cool.  I took a lot of pics and videos so it was a good night for my camera.  I want to come back to Chile and learn the dance that they have here and dance them of course.  haha.

 So about the people we are teaching, we have been teaching the guy from Austria still and he is super cool, he prays in German and I have no idea what he is saying - haha. but it's cool, it's fun to teach him and he loves the church and keeps coming to church every Sunday, he will be getting baptized next month. Then we have a family of 4 - a mom and 3 kids (22,15,12).  They are really amazing, they are passing for some tests right now but they are ready to hear the gospel so I am really happy that we found them and have the chance to teach them. We are also teaching a little 9 year old girl - her mom is a member and they want to go to church and this little girl is like a sponge, she just takes everything in and understands everything. That's what you look for on the mission. haha.

Well if you could put Karl, from Austria. Carolina, Carolina, son, Monseratt, the family, and Camila the 9 year old in your prayers it would be great! Thanks.

Love you all - have a good week!

Love,

Elder Christensen

week ending 5.30.10

Hey Everyone,

Well I guess this week is a cool but weird week. I can't turn 20, I want to be a teen forever. haha - joke not really. I think it's going to be different, but we will see on Friday. Today we are going to have a party with 2 other missionaries too because today one of them turns 20. So we are going to cook tacos and we bought a cake, (3 leche). Oh I am so pumped to eat that cake.

This morning we did something fun, and I forgot my camera but we woke up at 5:40 to go play soccer. Oh man it was so much fun, and I'm not going to lie - I was doing great. I scored a lot of goals and had some assists. But how we play soccer here is on a really small court.  It's a little bigger then a tennis court and it's called Baby Futbol. Oh it's so much fun, I like it because its really fast moving and everything. Elder Ojeda and I kick butt when we are on at the same time. hahaha.

The photos are of me in the baptismal font, we went to the church and helped the ward clean it up and my job was the font. I was like, this is just like baseball, we clean and get the field ready for a game. Well I was getting the font ready for a baptism, well - once we find someone to baptize, haha.  It's really fun doing things with the members of the wards to get to know them better and to see how much they love the Lord and the sacrifice they are willing to do. I love my job!!

Here are some questions that I am going to use to contact people on the street. I am going to write them down in Spanish and in English:

¿Cree en Cristo y lo acepa como su salvador?

Do you believe in Christ and accept him has your savior?

¿confía tanto en el salvador que acepta su voluntad y quiere hacer cualquier cosa que Él le pida?

Do you trust the the Savior that you accept his will and want to do whatever thing he asks you to do?

¿Tiene tal fe en Cristo que obtiene respuestas a sus oraciones?

Do you have such faith in Christ that you can obtain answers to your prayers?

These questions made me think a lot myself, it's good sometimes to ask yourself questions like this to see where you are at. So read them and think about them is my invitation today.

Thanks for all your help and support. Have a good day and week. 

peace,

Elder Christensen