Week 50: Are you a pig?

Well this week flew by faster than a John Denver Jetplane! Last night our ward mission leader went with us to visit some investigatores. He got baptized in December and is going through some really trying situations right now. My companion and I were laughing and talking with him and he was like "Hermanas, why are you so happy? tell me your secret." This week has been a great one. I think I feel a little /lot like Alma in Alma 29:9-10 when he says "9. I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.10. And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord hasdone for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea,then do I remember his merciful arm which he extendedtowards me."

This week three moms that are investigating came to church. I know how busy they are, I know how crazy their little kids are and I know that they took a step of faith to spend their Sunday morning at church. It is so exhilarating to see these friends of mine progress spiritually. Noelia, who always argued with us, finally told us that she believes Jospeh Smith is a prophet of God. Wilbert, who has to get divorced before he can marry his current wife, fasted to find a solution to his problem. Angelica, who is struggling finacially, didnt go to work so that she could come to church with her two sons. SO EXCITING. Plus, there were some other great highlights this week.

A visit from Craig C. Christensen *President of the Quorum of the Seventy...!!!!

He and his wife speak spanish so it was cool to hear from them. A couple of pounts that I liked from him. 

• the mission is a mini/life. We start out as kids and we dont know anything but we know that we dont know anything and so we always ask questions to try and learn a lot. Then we become teenagers; we still dont know anything but we think that we know everything (classic). Finally, towards the end of the mission, we become adults. People who know a little bit but more importantly, they know where to look for the answers. Our Father in Heaven, He has all the answers. I thought it was a cool and super true analogy

He also mentioned a million other super important and spiritual things but I will just have to tell yall about it another day!. 

The most adventerous part of my week was when we were teaching wilbert on his bus that he drives back and forth from Pucchún to Camaná and we started up a conversation with this lady and she was like "get off the bus and come to my house!" So we did and it was glorious. She has pigs, turkeys, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats and guinea pigs (they eat them). I finally got a picture up close with a pig and now I only need one with a cow. We taught her about Prayer and she is just the cutest thing. Overall, it was a magnificent week and I am walking on clouds!! (of dust haha) I love you all. Peace. 

Hermana Christensen

Week 49: A Rap

ok...my sisters are sassing me and my parents are hassling me. My letters are few and its something I knew but the time is so short, so what can I do? This week was real crazy and the details are hazy but Ill give it a try and not be so lazy. To Arequipa, we went; Wednesday and Thursday we spent in leadership training, so much knowledge was lent. 

Ok, enough rhyming because my brain keeps trying to use spanish words and that is just silly. This week was fun but really short because we did some traveling. On friday we went to Mollendo (sooo pretty) for another meeting with the zone leaders there. This week I learned that when we do what Heavenly Fathers wants, we are blessed. When we are obedient, we are blessed. When we are humble, we are blessed. "And thou shalt do it with all humility, trusting in me, reviling not against revilersç" Doctrine and Covenants 19:30. Sometimes, we just have to DO IT. We have so many goals to complete in this life and goals that will help us and that are necessary for our life after this. If we give it our all (even though we are tired) we will see so many miracles and blessings. I am grateful for how much I have learned here. I feel like silly-putty in the hands of Heavenly Father. Sometimes I am stubborn and I dont listen but when I do, the art is so much more beautiful. I love you all dearly and I am sorry for the short letter and lack of pictures....I will do better next week!

Hermana Christensen

Week 48: Pleasant greetings

A pleasant greeting to my fellow citizens. 

HOly cow! Where dId the time go? May is already a blast from the past and June is approaching faster than a cockroach on a summer night.

 First off, CONGRATULATIONS to Eloise, my sister. Graduating highschool is a breath of fresh air from the scent of cooped up young adults in a room full of textbooks and lost homework assigments. You have been given the anecdote to Senioritis. 

This week was a little crazy because we did divisions twice and somehow we now have 6 mattresses in our match box bedroom. I dont know.

This week we got a new branch president and I know that he will be great. He always accompanies the missionaries and he is one of the most humble men that I have met. Also, his wife and daughter are darling. 

As far as the missionary work. this week was a little discouraging and my companion was really sick one day. We have been trying to get the papers for a marriage for some investigatores for a looooong time and we got a message that they truck that had their papers had broken down and my companion said " whew, satan must be super tired. Hes working really hard" haha so true! It seems like there is opposition in 99% of the things we do some days. But then I think about how many miracles we see. 

Like when we are out knocking doors and a young mom lets us in and we help her do laundry and she invites us over for lunch and she has three adorable kids and a nice husband and she listens to us. Or when a member in the ward stops by the house of an investigator and brings fruit. Or when the stars are extra sparkly in the crispy night time. Or when there are so many people at Stake conference that it is standing room only. I love being a missionary. I still have a lot to learn. But I love these people. Every day I understand them more and more.

Sunday in the night time we knocked on a door and a lady comes out. We start talking and we have the opportunity to share our testimonies with her. I know that we have a prophet who talks with God and who recieves revelation for us. I know that the church that Jesus Christ established is here on the earth today. I know that God loves us. 

Hermana Christensen

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8GZhGQuiaztcGttN3dlTC04SVU

Week 46: Mother's Day

This one is to Flori Christensen, Ruth Ann LeBaron, Cecile Christensen, Gloria Baker, all the lovely ladies from the Athens 2nd ward and everyone else in my life that is a woman. Happy Mothers day!!! You are all examples to me in your beauty, light, character and testimony. Thank you for all that you do. 

"motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels"

-First Presidency

"I know what it is to love a daughter of Father in Heaven who with grace and devotion lived the full feminine splendor of her righteous womanhood"

-Richard G.Scott.

I hope you all feel special and loved this week and every week of the year ❤

Week 45

Hey hey cute people!

This week was a blur. All I remember is that I ate a weird soy burger for dinner last night (thank you pensionista) and we forced our investigator, Fernanado, to speedwalk like 2 miles to an appointment with us. It was hilarious. 

About the companion. Hermana Ahumada is super cool. Probably the coolest person I know. She is a convert of 2 years and before the mission, taught physical education and liked to hitch hike/backpack the south of Chile in her spare time. She is the only member in her family but her mom and older sister are currently taking lessons from two sister missionaries (!!!!) She is pretty serious sometimes and so I think she is mad at me but really thats just how her face is and she likes to think a lot. We get along well and she is suuuper obedient which helps me be obedient. We have plans to visit Alaska together some day. 

About the area: Our area is the whole city of Camaná and also a village called La Pampa and a town called San José. But we havent ever gone there because it is super far and super tiny. I think we will go soon though. It is a mix of small town and rice fields. It is really flat because it is close to the beach. Everyone rides these really old bikes around and its cute. We changed rooms this past week and it has a water heater thing. You turn the shower on and a fire starts in a small box and it heats the water to a thousand degrees. Once the heater is on, there is no adjusting.  I cant decide which one I like more. Iceberg juice or scalding steam of volcano. Both are fun. 

About the branch: I love them!! I am kind of salty because everyone always talks about the sisters that were here before me but I have been trying to be extra friendly and ask everyone their names (which I usually dont understand but I smile and nod anyways) and this morning we went to help paint the chapel so that was fun. 

I eat sooo much rice here and I love it. I love walking. I love getting sunburned ( I have so many new freckles, hope they arent cancerous haha!) and I love preaching the gospel. I love my family and I love all of my friends!! Hugs!!!

Hermana  Christensen

-----  An answer to one of my (Rob's questions). Hermana Christensen, could you each share a brief experience that confirmed in your mind/heart your call to the work and assigned place of labor?

For me, I knew I was supposed to be in Peru, Arequipa because 1. I have always had a fascination with Spanish. I have always liked it and it has always come easily to me. I pretty much knew I was going to go spanish speaking. 2. Piper, my catholic roommate. I think that Perú is one of the most catholic countries in the world and especially the south of Perú. It was for something that I was roomies with Piper. 3. I just felt like I was supposed to go there. Its like this place vibes the essence of my soul!! I love my mission and I love these people