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OCTOBER 21, 2014

Wow, I'm home after two years!! It is so exciting to be here, I was so happy to see the family again and to talk with them. I feel like just staying home forever. But I had to sadly leave behind the people I have come to love over these two years. I don't know when I will be able to see them again. I love Chile and I will miss it. I feel a little lost here like I have no purpose or structure but it will get better. I'm sure I just have to get used to it. I am thankful for the two years I had to serve the Lord. I know God lives, and Christ lives and loves us, he died for us so we can return to God's presence.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true and is the church of Christ. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God. I love you all and Thanks for all the support I have had during my mission.

Love Formerly Elder Christensen, now just Andrew Christensen

Can't believe ill be home tomorrow morning!!! See you there .

Saying good bye to home ward friend, Elder Keddington

That Awkward Moment…

Well this is uncomfortable, I guess this is my last P-day.  Weird.

I wish I could have baptized here in San Antonio, but I am happy. I know I could help people here, even if it was only playing piano in church or help the missionaries. I am happy.

I know God exists, he is our Father, Christ is our Savior. The church of Christ has been restored today, The Book of Mormon is true and it’s a beautiful day. There is nothing that has brought me more happiness than sharing the gospel. I plan on serving him my whole life.

 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Mat 13:45-46

The search is up.

I love you mom thanks for always writing me supporting me, Your the best mom I could ask for. I am so happy God gave me parents who taught me the Gospel.

I love you dad

Elder Christensen

My Certificate Expired

Number 5

General Conference was really good. I really enjoyed the talks. I liked Elder Bednar, Elder Christofferson, Elder Robbins, Elder Godoy, Elder Scott, Elder Eyring, Elder Uchtdorf in Priesthood was so good!!, Elder Jorg was good too. They were all good. I had a list of questions and they were all answered! I cant wait to study them more. 

Sleeping Elder during Conference:(

I noticed they talked a lot about trust in our leaders, Stay on the Ship, and also to make good decision because this life is a test and we need to stay focused. This week was good and passed way fast because I was looking forward to the conference for so long!! 

We talked with a lot of people and we literally found an old man with 70 years who was starving in his house. He lives alone and his family abandoned him, he can’t walk because his foot is bad and he has no one to help him. When we passed by he asked us to buy him bread  and we went to a store and they had none, so we went to another one and we bought ham and bread for him. He thought we ran off because he watched us go another way to find a new store. But when we came back he was really grateful. 3 days without food! He told us the last time he asked someone to buy for him, they took 5 mil pesos which is about 10 dollars and they never came back. It was really sad. But we talked with him, he doesn’t understand anything. 

I am grateful that God put us in his way so he could feel God´s love and help. There is always someone who needs help. 

Thanks for everything I love you all

Elder Christensen

Beautiful Chile

Divisions

I was sent on two divisions this week with some missionaries who really needed help. I was really worried about them too. I didn’t know what I was going to say or do to help them. Some missionaries have been saying I just give everyone palos, corrections. But I didn’t want them to feel angry or discouraged. I wanted them to change. The divisions were good I got to know two good missionaries who were just confused or lost in a sense. It is so easy to get distracted here, maybe with a comp who is disobedient or just not focusing 100 percent in the work. But I felt good after. I know that God helped me and I hope these missionaries felt something and change, so they can have success.

I feel like I still have to learn so much and improve so much but there is no time. I need to teach better, I need to talk with everyone and etc. But I feel like a deadline is coming up and I’m not ready. Truly I don’t know if I’m ready for the mission to end but It isn’t my choice anyway. I’m nervous. I don’t know what I still need to do I just know I have to keep working and working and being a good missionary. 

We had a baptism that fell through because he has cancer and had to go to the hospital hopefully this week he will be baptized!

Love you mom and dad

Elder Christensen

The sign says "cheerful"

FREEDOM

                                           

This week was Chile independence week!! It’s really just the 18^th, but people celebrate Sunday to Sunday. There were a lot of BBQ’s and empanadas and drunk people. We ate Lamb toasted on a stick! That was sweet. We also ate a ton of meat and stuff. We still had a good week. We thought the attendance would go down at church because of the parties but it went up so that was awesome!

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

We had a miracle, too, because we have a baptism this week of a man named Javier.  He wants to be baptized and everything but his health is a problem because he is fighting with cancer so he hasn’t come to church. But he told us he was going Sunday.  He needed to or his baptism date would fail.  We waited and waited. But the meeting started and he didn’t get there. I played the piano, looking for him the whole time and I didn’t see him. Then we took the sacrament and I stopped looking, but right after I looked behind me and he was there with his wife!! It was awesome! So he will be baptized Sunday after church.

                                        

                                      

Also we found a new investigator who told us that we gave him hope 5 years ago because a missionary passed by and gave him a picture of Jesus and he kept it and he was very thankful for the Jehovah’s witnesses...awkward. Then he asked us our names and said oh you’re the Helmers!!! hahaha That was a good time.

Thanks for everything I love you guys

Elder Christensen

PS Got my travel plans today...so sad

Good times and Bad times, but really all Good!

Funny story: we lost an investigator this week because I called her to set up and appointment with her. I knew that she was living with a man and they were not married, but a member told me that they were really living in two different houses. So I called her and said," hey how are you and how is your...FRIEND." She got mad and said she doesn’t want to listen to us anymore because I said friend and not husband. It was funny.

Also this week with our new comp elder Candia we finally brought an investigator to church named Natividad. She is an ex Jehovah’s witness and wants to get to know the church. She came but had to leave early so she left right after the sacrament. But, as is Chilean custom she kissed elder Candia on the cheek to say goodbye. But... missionaries can’t do that. We actually told her but she forgot. Well that happens every once in a while… we get kissed...weird. But the funny part of the story is Elder Candia was sitting on the front row and the Bishopric, the Stake president and the second counselor were there and they all saw it. It was right after he presented himself to the ward! It was awesome hahaha.

Juan Luis and me
Getting Baptized 9 months after I met him in the streets of Melipilla

                                             

Highlight of the week: I went back to Melipilla on Saturday to baptized Jose Luis. I thought he would never get baptized. We taught him for three months about 2 times a week and he came to church every week but never got baptized. He had a lot of challenges. But he talked to President Barreiros and asked if I could baptized him, so I got permission. I am so happy for him. His family came, not all, but a lot of them. He thanked me for stopping in the street that summer day in December to talk with him about the church and soccer. We just invited him to play soccer at the church and go to church on Sunday and he came. He’s 54 or something but a life long friend too. That was a miracle.

                                            

I really do believe in miracles. We never know who is watching or who needs our help. The spirit will guide us, we just need to have faith and act when we feel like we should. I thought what would have happened if I never stopped with Elder Alfaro that day to talked to Jose Luis in the street. He would still be looking for purpose and answers to unanswerable questions. This is Gods work. It cant be stopped because He is at the head of it. It will move on with or without us. But a lot better with our help. I know God loves us and trusts us to guide our brothers and sisters back to him! The book of Mormon is true too I know it!!

Love you mom and dad!

Elder Christensen

       

FOCUS ON OTHERS

This week we had changes. Obviously I didn’t get changed nor my comp Elder Stephens, but we added a new companion.  We are in a trio.  I’m so excited I’ve never worked in a trio before so were going to see how it works out. Our new comp is named Elder Candia. He’s from Peru and is awesome. We were together in Melipilla. He was one of the District leaders so I’m pretty happy.

                                    

Also another miracle happened.  I found a man in Melipilla named Jose Luis who became an investigator but never got baptized for some personal problems that he had. Now he’s getting baptized-- 9 months after I found him with Elder Alfaro in the streets of Melipilla contacting. And I get to baptize him. So Saturday, I’m going over to Melipilla to baptize him!! That is such a miracle!!

No effort is lost.

                                     

We have a lot to do here still

I was reading today in the General Conference about ministering. That is to help Gods children feel and understand the love he has for them. We are all tools in Gods hands and he needs us to minister to his children. There are so many people who need help in the world, physically and spiritually. And God uses us. What a blessing he trusts us. All we have to do is pray for opportunities to minister and look for them. And God will put people in our lives that need our help. And then we just need to help them feel loved. I know Ministering to Gods children, our brothers and sisters, is such a blessing. I think that is why sharing the Gospel strengthens us and helps us progress so much. We are always trying to focus on others.

I love the Gospel. I know Christ lives, I know He loves us. And if we look at all people like our own brothers and sisters we will come to love them and we will be able to help them to feel God’s love. I learned that this week. Now when I teach I try to imagine that I’m teaching James or Ben or Amelia Sarah Jacob or even Mom or dad. And it helps me love the people I teach.

I know this church is true, it is the restored church of Christ, I don’t doubt it. But like Alma, I know.

Love 

Elder Christensen

BACK TO THE FUTURE

                                     

Well, the zone here is pretty hard. That makes me really excited because we can only get better and I know that God is getting ready just to bless us and help us have success here. I met some members this week and I am really excited to get to know them more and work with them.

                                    

W got two references this week and they are pretty great people I know they will get baptized. But we have a lot to do. I am so happy to be back in the field. There is nothing better.

I missed the walking all day, looking for new people to teach, and just falling in bed from being so tired and just waking up a second later...but its 6 30.

It rained really hard the other day and everyone told us about it but we didn’t hear anything because.,...zzzzzzzzzzz. Sweet!!

I’ve been reading a lot of the conference talks.  I know that God puts us where he needs us and where we can work the best. I know that there are people here who need my help and I need theirs. My comp is sweet!  He’s from Star Valley Wyoming-- Elder Stephens. I sent a foto home. We have a lot of work to do.

                                         

I feel like the missionaries in this zone don’t understand how vital they are to this work. I read the story of the 2000 stripling warriors today and I really love this story. Antipus and his men were tired and were ready to die defending their cities. When the Strippling warriors got there, they received great hope and joy. And theeir example was even greater.  They were valiant, obedient, no fear, thanks to the moms. This is how we are as missionaries. The wards here are fighting and they are tired. They need the help of the young blood--the missionaries, for this work to progress. I know we will have success here if all the missionaries understand their own importance in this work. They will work as hard as they can. I love the Book of Mormon!! 

Also preached with an Evangelic yesterday- it was weird, but he asked us to preach in the street. We just said Christ lives and then we left.

Love you all 

Elder Christensen

My Sector La Costa

                                      

Scripture covers

                                                  

Pedid y Recibiréi s, llamad y se os abrirá (Ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened)

Well I got changed. I asked president a week ago and I told him I would love to get into the field to end my mission. So I got sent to the Coast for my last sector. He told me Sunday afternoon. I’m really excited to work and just give everything I can to the Lord!! I love you all

Elder Christensen

Sister that I served with in Melipilla

CRAVING THE FIELD

I’m having some serious cravings right now!!! I really want to get back into the field!! I love doing divisions with the other missionaries because we are working all day doing visits and finding people. In the office it’s good, but I feel like I was always meant to be out in the field!!!

I went out to Melipilla again this week and I saw E and C my converts!!  But...they are less active...sad. So I went in there and we taught a really good lesson about the Baptismal covenants and we gave some serious testimony. It was really spiritual and E told me that si they were going to church on Sunday...tomorrow. I will be verifying that with the Zone Leaders there. 

                                    

Then I went out with Elder Graham again after living with him for 6 months. IT was good--we taught a ton of lessons and the day flew by then I got to sleep on a couch which is way better than the floor. Good times. But I am having a hard time in the office. I keep finding myself wishing I was back in Melipilla again just working way hard and worrying about the zone and how many lessons we were having all week and the new investigators we need to find. 

I just want to work as much as I can all day everyday. I feel like in the office I can’t really do that because we have meetings and other things to do, which I get are important, but there is nothing better than to just be walking in the street and finding a new family to teach the gospel to. Or inviting someone to be baptized and they just say yes!! Those moments are really great.

I have been reading the General Conference lately. I read Richard G Scotts talk and he talks about the example he had that helped him want to live the Gospel more fully. I’m trying to be like that. We need to be a friend of the people we teach and love them enough to invite them to live the gospel or help them understand the necessity of following Christ.

Also in PMG there is a section in Chapter 10 called teaching people who don’t have a Christian background. I have never really met people who don’t believe in God or Christ here. Well not very many. But we face a similar problem. This section teaches that a lot of people join the church because they feel the spirit when we teach. But they never come to understand the Doctrine, so they don’t change. Because when the Doctrine is understood it changes people. That is why people go inactive... they don’t understand the doctrine. What can we do?

Bear our testimonies, Talk about how we made our decision to follow Christ, Pray with people, Talk about how we feel when we read the scriptures. People need to know. We need to share these feelings.

I KNOW God lives I know he loves us. I know Jesus Christ in my and our Savior. This is his work. No one can enter into Gods kingdom with out Baptism with the true authority. This is Gods restored church and was restored by him through Joseph Smith who is a Prophet of God. Thomas S Monson is a prophet today. The Book of Mormon is true and I know it I have felt it and I feel the spirit EVERY Time I read it. 

I love you mom and dad

Elder Christensen 

FUNNY