Week 62: Hermana Teresa

 Hello Lovely people!!! 

On Saturday, Hermana Teresa got baptized. She is just the sweetest thing ever. I am so so so happy for her. I am grateful for the worthy priesthood holders that were able to give her the gift of the Holy Ghost. The biggest blessing for me is to see the joy and peace that fills up recent converts. Right up into their warm brown eyes. We were talking to her after the baptism and she was like "It was divine. It was so beautiful. The water didnt even feel cold to me. It was like the Savior Himself was baptizing me" Can I just put on repeat an eternal shout-out for the love I feel for this work, these people and this gospel!?!?! Amen. I read an infinite number of golden conference talks and verses in the Book of Mormon this week that have been LIFE-CHANGING but sadly, my chubby little fingers cant type everything fast enough!! basically, I have been thinking a lot about kindness. Being Kind to others, to ourselves and just trying to be good and loving to all those around us. There is so much light and happiness in the world and there is also so much darkness and confusion. We just need to love everyone because we never really know what they are going through. " Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christ like person  treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions. At work, at school, at church, and especially in our home" - Thomas S. Monson

I love you all and I am sorry for all the times I wasnt kind to any one of you. I hope that this week we can all feel the love that the Savior has for all of us. Peace!!! 

ps. we also met up with my ward mission leader from my first area and his bride-to-be. we went out to lunch with them and it was so so so fun to see them after almost a year!! 

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Week 61: Naaman, dont be dumb.

Hey family and friends!

Dad, thanks for the pictures. Bea is so big!!

 I am so so sad to hear about Bishop Loyd. But I know the Plan of Salvation is true. I miss Georgia so much sometimes. 

In other news, this week was a great one in Congata. I feel like I am in paradise. The views are breathtaking, the members are so warm and helpful. Hermana Torres and I are trying hard to work the members as much as we can. Really, they are the key to everything. This week I am loving my scripture study. I wish we had personal study for 4 hours. But ya know, gotta make do with 1 hour. so this week I was reading in 1 Nephi and also in 2 Kings. There is an awesome story in chapter 5 of 2 Kings about a guy called Naaman. He was "wroth" (great word) because the prohphet told him to wash himself 7 times in the river if he wanted to heal his leprosy. He was all indignant and then his servants were like "dude...chill" and gave him some wise advice found in verse 13. 

"And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some greatthing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?"

and Naaman realized they were right and washed himself. This story is cool because it relates to Nephis gold nugget of wisdom 1 Nephi 16:29

" And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things." I think that sometimes we expect God to do something super huge to teach us, to heal us or to answer our prayers. We think that in order to be a disciple of Jesus Christ we have to be the best of the best or outshine the rest. Humility. Simplicity and diligence is the example that we have from the Savior. Instead of trying to be the most shiny, we should be constant and faithful. Small things really do bring about great things. But we have to do the small things with a lot of sincerity. Read your scriptures but really read them!! Say your prayers, but really talk to your Heavenly Father! go to church, but pay attention! soak it all in. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the sweetest fruit we will ever taste and the most priceless treasure we will ever have. I love you all so so so much and I pray for you. Keep it real, fam!

Hermana Christensen

Week 59: lots of little miracles

This week was filled with lots of little miracles. Being in the right place at the right time and taking that opportunity to invite others to come unto Christ. This week we`ve been contacting a lot and we knocked on one door in particular. An older man with a snappy sweater and thick glasses politely but firmly told us that he has always worked in the mines and for him the only things that he believes in are the things that he can see and touch. He told us that we are really young and that its nice and good that we are eager and preaching about God. But then he looked at us and said " But we live, we die. the end." He didnt give us too much of a chance to talk but my testimony was strengthened. The Spirit (which testifies of the truth of ALL things 

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. moroni 10:5 told me that what Eduardo was saying was simply not true. And I felt sad that such a nice and intelligent man cant feel the love of his Heavenly Father and of the Savior. I know that God exists. I feel His love when I sing "I am a child of God" with a bunch of little kids. I feel His love when I talk about or see pictures of my family. I feel His love when I think about how hard it must have been to send His son Jesus Christ to the earth. 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son" john 3:16 he sent Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. I feel His love when I read the Book of Mormon. God loves us so much. Take like 10 seconds and you`ll come up with a million reasons why. Reasons that you can and see and feel. I love you all and I pray for you every day. GO TEAM!!!

Hermana Christensen

Week 56: The Book of Mormon is True

Well, not much happened this week except that it was kind of raining yesterday (first time in my whole entire mission) and a guy charged us way too much for a taxi. And, I love the stray dogs here. 

This week I was reading in... you guessed it! The Book of Mormon. I am reading in Spanish so sorry if my thought translation is a little off. In Helaman chapter 8, there is a great story about Nephi (son of Helaman, the captain of the 2000 stripling warriors) In this story, Nephi was praying in a garden. He was so so sad because the people in his town were super bad. Some nosy neighbors overheard and by the end of his prayer, there was a good sized group of people outside. They were super annoyed because he was blatantly calling them to repentance. But he was firm in his teachings. I love verse 9. 9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not have testified concerning those things.

The prophets have so much power. Also, why is it that sometimes we pay more attention to what the prophets of the Bible say than to what the living prohpet says? I know for a fact that if Moses showed up at church one day we would all be taking notes and be super obedient. But yet when we hear General conference sometimes we dont take things as seriously.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet. And I know that the Book of Mormon has power. God loves us and wants us to become like him. I love you all and dont forget to pray like you mean it. 

Hermana Christensen

Week 55: Diligence

Hey cuties!! I hope you guys all had a really patriotic fourth of July. I didn`t know I loved America so much, ya know? I celebrated by drawing a flag in my journal and by wearing red, white and blue and in English class for district meeting, we practiced the Star-Spangled Banner. Who really knows how to translate that word for word in Spanish? not me. But it brought a proud tear to my eye and even though I am definitely not qualified to sing the star-spangled banner in the super bowl, I was happy to at least squeak it out on Tuesday to represent and honor the USA. 

Anyways. This week was....a tad bit discouraging but overall beautiful. Favorite moment of the week. We went to talk to Hermana Elva who has been investigating for years but maybe doesnt fully understand how amazing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is and takes it for granted. We left her house feeling down in the dumps and arrived at Angelica y Jorge`s house. Hermana Angelica started talking about Nephi (a prophet in the Book of Mormon) and we must have looked surprised because she was like "ah-ha! You didnt know I was reading in 2 Nephi, did you?" It made me heart sooo happy to know that she loves the Book of Mormon and is searching out her answers the right way! This week my testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown faster than Jacks beanstalk! 

This week I have been studying diligence. diligently. SO GOOD. If you ever need a little motivation, just read the war chapters in Alma. Those guys never give up! The Book of Mormon really is written for our day and time. The stories have come alive to me as I have been reading and I am so grateful for that. I love telling people about Ammon and his arm-chopping skills (my hero :´)) and the stripling warriors and their wise mothers (mother knows best!) One investigator Raul (age 20) was like "they should make a movie!" and he forbid us to use scriptures past 1 nephi chapter 1 because he doesnt want any spoilers hahaha. I love you all so much and I love being a missionary. Keep it fresh even though I think its hot over there. 

Hermana Christensen

Week 54: Commitment to strengthen our spiritual foundations

Well. It is official. The companionship of Hermana Ahumada and Hermana Christensen is officially over. Hermana Ahumada got transfered to Cesar Vallejo (my first area!) today. She is going to be companions with Hermana Vallejos (her first latina companion!!) I am here with Hermana Casahuaman. She is cute as a button and a convert of 2 years!! I am happy to stay here in Camanà for a little season longer because there are amazing things coming, let me tell ya!! 

this week in my studies I am reading in Alma in the Book of Mormon. In the chapters in the 50s or so, there is a lot of talk about wars. I love these chapters because the battle strategies are genius and they relate so well to our testimonies. I love how Moroni is always strengthening his forts and cities. It reminded me of a quote from a conference talk "lest thou forget" (ronald. a. rasband)

"Recall..when you felt the spirit and your testimony was strong; remember the spiritual foundations you have built; avoiding things that do not build and strengthen your testimony"

Let us all start the month of July with the commitment to strengthen our spiritual foundations! I love you all lots and I love America lots. Happy fourth of july tomorrow!! 🎆🎆🎆❤

Hermana Christensen

Week 53: Jesus the Christ

Hey foxy friends! 

This week was smashing. We traveled to Arequipa on Wednesday and returned Thursday in the night (3rd time this month) for leadership council and it was divine to take a hot shower in the mission home and be with a bunch of great missionaries and President and Sister Johnson for a whole day of learning and brainstorming on how we can improve as a mission.

This week I also finished "Jesus the Christ" It is a looooong book and I started it in the MTC and just this Saturday, I finished it. I am so happy that I took the challenge from a friend to read it. It has helped me deepen my knowledge and tesimony of our Savior. That He lives, that He wants us to become like Him and that He has so so so much love for every single soul that has ever lived and will ever live. Conclusion. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. Very powerful. One quote that I liked was "Love shall be the dominant power of control"( talking about the millenium) Both my mom and dad wrote me this week about love and I thought it was cool that I just studied about it. I am working on having more love for those around me because I know that Jesus Christ is the supreme example of love and I am here representing Him.

This week in district meeting, we read a scripture in D&C 19:37 

"37 And speak freely to all; yea, preach, exhort, declare the truth, even with a loud voice, with a sound of rejoicing, crying—Hosanna, hosanna, blessed be the name of the Lord God!"

It was a good reminder for me to preach the good word. Maybe it sounds silly because that is what I am doing here in Peru for 18 months. But it was nice to read this little pep talk. To not be ashamed of what I am doing. To not be embarrassed to open up my mouth and invite everyone I see to come unto Christ. In my mind, I was thinking "Its like if there were a Michael Jackson concert for free and I didnt tell my best friends about" But, the gospel of Jesus Christ is waaaaaaay better than a michael jackson concert. 

I completed one year in the mission this past week and holy cow the time goes by so fast. I feel so blessed to be here. I have learned so many big and small lessons that I know are vital for my personal growth and conversion. I love you all so much and shout out to grandma and grandpa Idaho for finishing their mission!! What a great example :) 

Love,

Hermana Christensen

pic: A misterious picture of me eating a RAW onion. For lunch I ate fried octopus. today I have diarrhea hahaha. 

[photos from the conference??]

Week 52: Time

Fellow Civilians. 

This past week was...and now this week is!! and isnt that the great thing about time? that it always keeps moving. Sometimes its like a lazy river on a hot summer day but sometimes the time is like white water rapids and everything careens by in the blink of an eye. Hot dog. 

My companion, Hermana Ahumada, is 24 and let me tell you how much of a difference 4 years and a totally different culture can make in the maturity of a person. She is a nice calming rock for me. We have been going through some frustrating things and both of us have the weakness of being quick to anger. We have been working on this as a companionship. She said something along the lines of " Part of maturing is learning to take in the ugly situations and emit something beautiful" I thought it was poetic and so true. One of my greatest triumphs of the week was when a fellow sister missionary was annoyed with us and I held my tongue in responding to her and tried to do so with more love than I was maybe feeling at the moment. 

Some of my favorite moments from the week were when I was sitting on the curb in the shade without a jacket and it was mildly chilly outside. A cute little old lady walked past, then turned around and said " You arent cold?" I said " no" and she patted my arm and my companions cheek and said "Oh" You ARE cold" and then laughed and walked away. It was such a sweet and strange moment. I also took a picture with Gregoria (investigator)  and her bunny. She informed us that she is going to eat the bunny when it is bigger. I am convinced that we played bingo together in the life before this one. She is a hoot and a holler. More favorite moments included a hostile son of an investigator that ended up giving us a huge bag of bananas and a drunk man that yelled "gringa!" with wonder and awe at me. SO funny. I love you all and I miss you all. Keep it upppp!!!!

Hermana Christensen