Whoops, Today is Tuesday…what happened?

Hahaha just kidding!   We had our preparation day today because we had changes yesterday so we didn’t have very much time to do anything. It was a good change. I can’t believe that 2013 has already ended. It makes me think how short life is, how little time that Heavenly Father has given me to work here in Chile. 2 years is all. At times it is true that it feels like it will never end. But most the time I hope it never does. My companion told me the other day," what is the point to start something if you are just waiting for it to end" It is true there. is no reason to serve a mission just to see the end of it.  We must love it and change through it. This time is precious and I don’t want to waste any of it.

Ok, I am going to make it short this week. I have a  Miracle of the Week and then Lesson of the week. First; the Miracle of the week: 

We have investigators named E and J. They are super cool, but we went to their house yesterday and they said we had to talk. They said they don’t want to listen to you guys anymore. We like your visits but we don’t want to get married or go to church. And we said whoa whoa whoa, Who said anything about that?  We just asked you guys to read the Book of Mormon and we can get to the rest a little later. They said oh that is ok we like to read the Book of Mormon because we feel better in our day and everything goes better. We also like the stories, so we will keep listening to you and reading the book of Mormon!!! Bam Roasted!!

I know that if we just read the Book of Mormon it will change our lives. We don’t need to think about anything else because that just complicates our lives. We need to pray everyday and we need to read the Book of Mormon and nothing else.

Lesson Learned:

Today I called a sister to see if we could just pick up our lunch so we could have more of a p-day. She said no. Then we went to her house and she started talking to me in English because she lived in Arizona for a long time. But she asked me," What does your mom do when she invites a lot of people over to your house to eat or have a party," So I said well she cleans up the house and cooks all day. Sets up the tables and makes the house look its best. And she makes sure everyone is happy and fed before she eats. Then the sister asked me, " How would she feel if they called and hour before to ask if they could just pick up the food".    Obviously that was bad. In Chile we call this a PALO which is like a Slap to the Face. I did not appreciate the work and the sacrifice the sister made to invite us to eat lunch with her and I felt sorry for that.  I will always remember to be thankful to eat with a family here. They sacrifice so much to have us over for lunch. I love the Chileans!!!

                                       
                                       

I love you Mom and Dad

Elder Christensen

With my Rudolph pen

I love Pretzels!

 

Friends

Elder Hipster

Friends

The Church?

Christmas Day Phone Call

Hey, I just wanted to let you guys know that I am super happy here, that I love the mission; that I love you guys, I love you all, you guys are the best; but also I know the Book of Mormon is true; we should be reading it everyday; it is so cool. It is the best book ever; and if we read it every day, it is going to help us as a family; it will help us in every way that we need; it will help us concentrate to do every thing we can to prepare for when he comes again; He needs us; we need him; thank you mom and dad for teaching me that to help me on the mission. I love you all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS from CHILE

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Family I love you all! I think one of the most important things I have learned in Chile is how to tell people that I really love them. Do we take the time to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us? But more importantly is to show it--am I right? I feel so happy to be here in the mission because I feel like we always say I love Christ or I love my heavenly father. But do we show it? How can we show it? I have asked that question before and what better answer than leave two years to serve my Father in Heaven.

Really this week was a little hard because we had a ton of Meetings! We had to go to Santiago and we had divisions and a ton of stuff. But I noticed an old habit that was creeping back in to my life, which is when I compare myself to others. But it is such a waste of time. What is the point to compare ourselves when God made us who we are for a reason. Maybe we are not the best sports players or maybe we are; maybe we are not the smartest but maybe we are. In the end does it matter? No. I have never found the scripture that says only the Best are welcomed to have Eternal life. 

So I decided I am not spending enough time on my knees.

Truthfully I love Chile. I love the people I love the food. I love the culture. I am so blessed to be able to spend Christmas here. Sunday we went Christmas Caroling. It was so fun. We went to visit less active members but we sang to all their neighbors too. There are people who don’t have anything for Christmas, They don’t have a tree or they don’t have family. But they all said thank you for the music. I am impressed. I will be more thankful for the blessings I have. 

I love you all and See you Wednesday! 

Elder Christensen

MORE MIRACLES

This week went well.   We are working and working and working. I love the people here, they are so nice and I love talking to them and making new friends in the street. This week the Miracle was that we went to the Central Plaza to contact and invite people to a choir and I talked with a man named A and he didn’t want anything and I asked why not. He said he was tired and wanted to rest. So we kept talking for about 10 minutes and I invited him to come to an English class and he came!! That was so cool because he actually said he wants to know more about the church! So Awesome!

Another Miracle is that my dad is OLDER today!! But he is still un cabro chico as they say it here in Chile. In English it is “a little Goat”. That means he is young. Happy Birthday dad!  Thank you for the letters and all the advice that you have sent me. I am so thankful to have the parents that I have and I am so happy to be here. I know that you guys worked a ton to help through my life. And...I was a pain!  I’m still a pain! But you helped me anyway!!! You are the best dad in the world. I know that best gift I can give you is just to work my hardest and to do all I can to help the people I meet,  to play piano when it is possible, and memorize scriptures and stuff like that!

Also we had a District conference.  It is like a stake conference but for a district because we are not a stake---Yet! It was really cool and President and Hna Barreiros came and they always take out the trash. Their talks were really good and we got to eat dinner with them on Friday. That was cool! They made me and my Comp stand up in front of everyone in the adult session so I was a little embarrassed but the conferences was really good.

Tudu Ben aca

I love you all especially mom and dad and James because you will be 13 in two days!!

CHORO

This week was just Choro. I am glad to be here. We had a ton of meetings this week so I had to go to the Coast where I saw Elder Largo we didn’t talk a lot but it was cool to see him again. It is always nice to see your comps again. We had a Zone Conference that was AWESOME! We focused on using the Book of Mormon more.  We did a practice where president Barreiros had a doubt about the church like if we believe in the Virgin Mary and then we had to answer it with the Book of Mormon that was cool. My companion Elder Alfaro and I had to do a practice in front of everyone too.  That was good and fun! But I know I need to use the Book of Mormon more!!

Then we had to go to Santiago to the house of Presidente Barreiros. It is HUGE and it is so far away from here we had to ride 2 hours in a bus and the 1 1/2 hours in subway to get to his house. But it was cool. It is a part of Santiago that is completely different from where we live. When we got back we had a meeting with our new Ward Mission Leader Bro. M.  He is awesome and has a plan to help the Branch get moving on the mission work.

Last we had a couple of miracles no mas. We went to visit a recent convert named M and her two sons M and C. Who are awesome and know a ton about the Gospel. Then we got to know her sister J who is not a member and also J’s boyfriend, E. They are super cool and we talked with them for a long time!! Then we taught about the Book of Mormon. At first they didn’t want to read but then they said, “Give us a chapter and we will read it”!  They Rock! 

Then we had a Choir yesterday and J & E came to listen. It was a choir that teaches the Restoration but with Music. I felt the spirit super strong and they did too because J came to Church on Sunday for the first time ever. And to top it all off M,  her nephew gave a talk on Agency and did a really good job. And all the members went to talk to her and helped her get comfortable. It was so awesome. I am so thankful to the members for the work they do!!

I love you all especially Mom and dad

Elder Christensen

NEW WARD, NEW PEOPLE

This week was great.  We got to go on some divisions which are always fun.   Today we played soccer but on grass, which was super cool because we never get to play on grass, only on cement. But it was fun. We all ran a ton.

The thing that is good about being in a new ward is that we find a lot of new people. I still feel like I need to organize myself a little better,  but I am happy that we are working well here. We found an awesome family this week. They were missionaries too...for the Catholic Church. But they are not serious Catholics and they want us to go back. C y P. They love the family and they said they will do anything to protect it and help their family. What better way to help the family than by practicing the Gospel of Christ.

I think the coolest person I have met is Oscar. He is an old Fire fighter and he is the funniest person I have met…seriously. His wife recently got baptized and she wants us to teach her husband. We invited him to be baptized and he said yes!! Then said “in the Adventist church”. hahahah. But he knows the book of Mormon is true and he loves it. His wife is really cool too. She rents out rooms in her house and she invites all the people who rent in her house to read the book of Mormon with her and all the people have a book of Mormon and they read it!!! She is an awesome missionary. I know we can follow her example and be better missionaries everyday. I love you guys

I know the Book of Mormon is true and it is the tool we have to help others know the truth!

Love

Elder Christensen

MELIPILLA 

Wow this week was awesome!  I was a little lost all week with my companion Elder Alfaro. He is really funny and awesome and is helping me a ton here in the mission. He is from Salta Argentina and he has  22 months in the mission so that is cool. He has a lot of experience. But it has been a blast to work with him. The Branch here is really cool. We have a ton of youth that want to split with us and help us. I am super excited to work here. 

We had a baptism Sunday after there was a lot of Craziness.  A member fell and was bleeding from his head, but all good we took care of him and then he came to the baptism of his daughter and his grandson. That was really cool. There are a ton of awesome people here in Melipilla we are finding a lot of investigators. There are a lot of families that are not all members so we have a ton of work too. We also have 6 missionaries for this one branch. The work is working!

First Baptisms since coming to Melipilla

Yesterday we went to visit Sister C, who recently got baptized. She is super cool!!! She rents rooms to college students who study here in Melipilla, she gave a Book of Mormon to  every one that lives in her house. They read it together and it is so cool. She always is sharing the Gospel with her neighbors and inviting people to read the Book of Mormon and her Husband O does the same and he hasn’t even been baptized. He is awesome!!!! We invited him to be baptized and he said Bueno for the 22 of December. And then I said I loved him and he said good lets get married!! So that was funny he is a Jokester.  All in all we are all good.  I love the mission. I just feel so good right now. I fell relaxed and happy. I know the Book of Mormon is true. There is no other book in the world that is better.

Love Elder Christensen

 

Baptism before I left the last area

send off party

Good bye Elder C and Elder L

Saying good bye to first Companion Elder C from Spain

Melipilla

WHITE WASH

Two words that are very special for me now. I think I am starting to feel like Eliza must have felt when she started the mission. I just got moved to a new ward in Melipilla which is more of the country. We live in a little town and on one side of the street there are houses and a mall and on the other side, there is a cow farm. It is fun to see and to get to know Chile outside of Santiago. I am about 1 hour outside of Santiago. I am almost to the Beach but it is about 30 minutes more by bus. I am super excited. My companion is Elder Alfaro from Argentina.  He is really cool. We are both new to the ward.  We don’t know anyone. We don’t know where we are or who our investigators are. But we are both super excited to work and I am happy to be here.

                                          

                                                                            Melipilla Chile

They called us Saturday and said the Elder Largo and I are leaving so we started to say goodbye to everyone.  Elder Camus, my first companion, finished his mission today.  It is so crazy how time pass so fast. I am all over the place right now.  I can’t even focus really well because we have so much to do!!  I love the mission.  I know that the most important part is that we can enjoy our time that we have to serve the Lord with our whole hearts.

It was hard to say goodbye to all the families I got to know in El Mirador for the past 7 months. But I am also super excited to get to work here in Melipilla. We have an investigator in El Mirador named Doris who was super mad that we left and also some of the members were sad, but I know it is for something. They need to know other missionaries. I am happy for Elder Largo too. I know he will be able to keep learning more with a different companion. I have a ton of pictures to send but I can’t. I don’t know what I can do about that but I hope I will be able to fix the problem. 

Thanks for all the love and support I hope you all know I love this work and I love you but more than anything I love my Father in heaven and his son Jesus Christ.

Love, 

Elder Christensen

 

LDS Meeting house in Melipilla

Esta semana

This week we got a lot of help from the members and we had some funny experiences. First we invited a member to teach with us and he is a little deaf. So we started to teach the plan of salvation and out of no where he started testifying about The Book of Mormon. So it went kind of like this, ´Ok so where did we come from and how did we get to earth?  El Hermano then said I know the book of Mormon will bless your life and will help you overcome your trials. What? So we just taught The Book of Mormon because he couldn’t hear. 

This Saturday we have a baptism!  It will be super fun and she is named T. Just to start off the story, we did not do anything!!! It was all the spirit. About 4 months ago, we got to church and there was a couple there and the man named J said this is my girlfriend T and she wants to get baptized. So we started teaching her and she completed with everything. Then she went to the south for vacations and she read the Book of Mormon Every DAY!!!!!!!!  She is in Mosiah. And now she will get baptized this Saturday she got back from the south two Saturdays ago and came to church the next day. MIRACLES!

I testify that God is a God of miracles and if he wants something to happen it will happen we just have to trust him.  If we trust in him and have faith all things are possible.

Love,  Elder Christensen

I love you mom

Hola Familia

This week was good.  We had a fireside yesterday with President and Sister Barreiros.  They are so cool!! I am so glad they are here to lead the mission. They are really helping the members to get more involved in the work of salvation. How are your efforts for the Work of salvation? I hope we are looking and praying and also acting on opportunities to share the Gospel.  I know that God will guide us, he just needs a willing mind.

This week we had a miracle. We were teaching someone named T about three months ago but she left to go south to take care of her mom. She got back this week and came to church alone on Sunday. She talked to me and said that she wants to be baptized and she is ready.  We are going to have a baptism for the 16 of November.  It will be so Cool!!!  I love Miracles. I thought I would be long gone from this ward when she got back but I know that God has his own plan. That is so comforting.

Here in Chile they are already preparing for Christmas. So that is fun and it is getting hot here!! Like 80 degrees, but that is what Christmas is all about right?  the Heat!! Thanks for all your support.  I love you all. I know that Jesus Christ already paid for all so we just have to work as hard as we can to follow him. He is easily pleased but hard to satisfy because God and Christ know our potential. Do we? I know that we are Children of God and we can one day become like Him. I love my Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. I love you all! 

Elder Christensen

There is Always a Miracle

This week was ward conference and we went nuts with activities. We first had a ward family home evening, and then we had a talent show, a ping pong tournament and an activity for the youth. It was so fun!! For the Talent show I did juggling and it went well. It was really fun anyway.  The week went by really fast because we had a ton of things to do. 

Thank you for all your support and love. Also we found out this week that Elder Holland is coming to our mission in two weeks. We are really excited to see him! I am so excited to see him in person for the second time. He came to the MTC when I was there. 

The miracle this week was that we had a tour of the church but in another ward. We didn’t bring anyone but when we were waiting outside for other missionaries a kid named D came up to us and shook our hands.  He is 13 years old and we invited him and his family to come to tour the church and his mom said no but he said yes.  He said to his Mom, ”lets go, mom, lets go, come on! It was awesome! And they came.

I am thankful for everything you all have done for me!! I love you all Especially you mom!!!

Elder Christensen

Birthday Celebration!  Andrew is now 20!

GOOD TIMES

This week was also full of miracles. I can’t ever think of a week when something super cool does not happen. It always seems like something out of the ordinary has to happen in the week of a missionary. 

First, M came to church this week and she liked it a lot and she said she will come back for sure  because she likes that the church is really organized and the people are really nice.

Then we talked with a woman named B.  she was sitting in a park alone and we walked by and started to talk with her. She first wanted to speak English and we invited her to our English class we have on Saturdays. Then we started talking to her about the Church and we explained about the Book of Mormon and she said,” Wow, where can I buy one of those books, do you sell them in your church”?  We said “no”, but you can have one and we gave her one right there and she started reading it right away. She thought the Mormons and the Latter day saints were two different churches. So we explained that and then she said that she didn’t know why she came to the park but she felt sad because her daughter is sick. So she went to think and then we came by. She said that we really were sent from God and we were completing our mission because she had seen a ton of missionaries but none ever stopped to talk to her. That was cool!!

Last, yesterday we were walking around at 9 30 at night and we found a contact we made about two months ago. He said, “Hey do you want to  meet with me and my family right now?” we said yes!!  And we went and taught his family. They said they are catholic but the church never called them. They never wanted to go. They want a church that they believe that is real!   They are coming to church this Sunday. 

So Miracles are real and I love them.  Thanks for all you guys do to help me.  Remember to pray everyday for an opportunity to share the Gospel and you will find chances to share the Gospel.

When you give Vegetables away to the neighbors, you can just invite the person to our house for a family home evening… so easy!! I know you can do it

I love you all

Elder Christensen

                                                      On Splits with a brand new Elder

Beautiful skies over Chile

Milagros=Miracles

This week was pretty awesome! We focused a lot with talking with everyone who crossed our path. Elder Ballard said and I quote, `Missionaries, if you want more people to teach you have to talk with more people.' Close quote. Ok that wasn’t really a direct quote but I always wanted to say that. Seriously, that is what we have to do. 

So did we listen to the Apostolic counsel? Yes. Now you ask did we see miracles?...YES!

The biggest only I will share. The other day we were walking in the street talking with people and a woman with her son in a stroller passed by and we said Hola and she said Hola and nothing.  We just kept walking. We went to a lesson and we taught a family and left. We crossed the street and the same woman passed by. Wow a little weird that about 40 minutes later we crossed paths again. So I thought we have to talk with her so I went to talk and...She crossed the street. So We just kept going on our way. We turned on a street and yep, you guessed it,  the same woman passed again. This time I said ok WE HAVE TO TALK TO HER!!!  We went and talked with her. She is named Milagros which just happens to be Miracles in English. So we talked with her and she said yea come over tomorrow and we can talk more. So we went and she let us in and said, `Ok what are the Mormons all about and she just asked questions. It was so cool and we taught her and invited her to be baptized and she said If this book (The Book of Mormon) is true then of course I will be baptized!!

Wow what a miracle!

Thanks for everything I love you mom and dad and everyone else

Elder Christensen

Big boy!

General Conference

One Year Down!!I  This year has gone by so fast.  When your nose is in the grindstone time really flies!

Wow the Conference was so GOOD!!! I can’t even decide which is my favorite. I am going to say Elder Ballard and Elder Maynes and Elder Bednar and President Uchtdorf and President Eyring in the Priesthood session. Just too many good talks to decide. There was so much Power! Oh, and also Elder Dube-- that was SICK!!

We had a small miracle happen.  We were inviting people to come to the Conference and we had no one there so we went to a house of one of our friends who we talk with but have not started to teach yet. His name is Juan and we passed by and said do you want to come to listen to a prophet and he said Yes!  so he came and watched half of the conference with us. That was so cool!  I hope we can start teaching him because he is really nice.  He is a handy man and he fixes up peoples houses almost for free. He only charges so he can eat that day but he fixes a sink and charges like 3 dollars. But his wife died a while ago and he lives alone. He is really cool so we are going to work really hard to teach him

I was almost sure we would have changes this week because I have been in the same ward for six months I was not transferred.   I was a little upset at first but I realized I was just being selfish so I changed my mind and I am happy.   I can stay with the friends I have made and I can continue helping my ward and helping others love the Gospel. I know how to do this. I just have to love all and be their friend. I was not called to Chile to find Investigators but to find my friends!

I love the mission and my life!!

I love you mom
I love you dad

Elder Christensen

Happy Birthday to me One Month Early!

This week was great.  I got all my birthday stuff one month early.  I had to make a decision....Wait for a month to open it or open all of it at once the same day. So, I opened it all in one day!! Thanks for all the things especially the beef jerky!! I love you all.

We went on divisions yesterday and it was really fun.  We had a lot of success.  We went out with two members. The best part is Elder Largo had a really good time.  He loved leading a little more in the ward.  I try to let him lead all the time with me but he never really wants to when I am around. He is getting more used to contacting now and talking with people so that is nice.

Also President Barreiros came to inspect our pension and said it is too old for missionaries to live there.  He told us to find a new house to live in so I am excited for that but it is really hard to look for new houses and I would rather just work in the street talking with people.  That is the best thing we do and the most fun too!!

Goal for the week: I am going to be a better listener!!!

I love you all especially my mommy and dad

Elder Christensen

I am so happy that my cousin Will is now serving his mission in Chile.  His blog is now connected so check it out with my sister and other cousins!

FIESTAS!

Wow we had a ton of parties this week!! Well not really. This week was the week of Independence for Chile.  The 18th was the day. On the 20th we had an activity at the ward and we enjoyed it a ton. We ate pure meat and chicken for three days and empanadas. There was so much food,  we ate and ate and ate and ate and ate some more. 

Before to lunch 

                                      
                                                                        After Lunch

tt was really fun because we brought 3 investigators to the party and were able to spend time with them there and they also were able get to know the members better.  We had a blast. We played soccer, flew kites, had sack races and we ate and danced, well the missionaries didn't dance.  We had three legged races and played dodge ball. It was crazy with so much fun going on.

                                                                  

                                    

We also had a little Milagros. we found a member less active in the street on Wednesday and invited him to come to the activity on Friday. His name is Pedro Pablo and he came to the activity, We invited him to church and he came on Sunday and said he is going to come every week from now on!! So that was really fun and awesome. Pedro Pablo is really funny too.

                                  

Thanks for all the support and Love.  I hope you know that you guys are the best and keep me moving forward. God wants us to be happy!

Love Elder Christensen