Buenos dias, familia y amigos!
Wow! This week we have seen how Heavenly Father does things that we cannot to help the families we are teaching. Javier’s mom softened her heart and Javier will be baptized and confirmed this Friday, before General Conference. Also, we have seen changes in Agatha. She is so different than when we first began teaching her. At first she didn’t have much interest. However, in each visit, she tells of experiences when she prayed and saw miracles. So, she has a testimony of personal prayer and of the Book of Mormon. She is so excited for General Conference and she made a list of questions or doubts she has to bring to the Conference. We assured her that if she attends the conference with the spirit of prayer, she will receive the answers to her questions or doubts. She will be baptized and confirmed the following Friday, April 11.
Carmen and her son, Luis, went to church for the second time in a row yesterday. We did a Family Home Evening in the home of Carmen and Felix and were so happy that our investigators, the family of the stake president, and a man returning to activity after years all showed up and had a great time. Felix, who previously didn’t have interest in the gospel message, thanked us for the evening and told us that he was touched at how sincere we were and how the gospel can unite people of all economic situations.
That is the truth. People don’t just convert because of the doctrine but because they feel the Spirit and the spirit of love and belonging that the world imitates but can’t fulfill this need. The Torres family invited everyone to their house tonight to do another Family Home Evening. I love the gospel. The gospel in action is that everyone seeks the interest of their neighbor and forms these bonds of love and community.
I am going to be teaching Nancy, our investigator, the piano so she will be my replacement when I leave. (She had the idea and told me this and I think it is a great idea.)
I have seen so many blessings in my life personally from Heavenly Father and from my decision to serve as a missionary. It is incredible, because I know that Heavenly Father is giving me the ideas and the direction and the hope that I need for the next stage of my life. And, I know that He will give you these ideas too, if you ask for them.
And, don’t forget! We missionaries love General Conference, the opportunity to invite our investigators to listen to the living prophet of the living God and the Twelve Apostles. Remember that you can access the Conference live or the archives at www.lds.org or perhaps through www.byutv.org. This Saturday and Sunday (in Peru it is from 11-1pm, 3-5 pm, and the priesthood session from 7-9 pm).
Love,
Hermana Christensen
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thank You, Heavenly Father!
Hola, familia y amigos (hello, family and friends)!
This week I have seen various blessings from Heavenly Father. He is in the details of our lives and in the small and simple things. For example, we had skipped dinner (we eat lunch with the members) to cover more appointments and were hungry for real food (not just crackers) when we passed by this house. The family inside flagged us down and excitedly told us that they were members of the other ward. They were so excited to see missionaries (this isn't always the reaction we get from people so it is welcome!) and gave us tamales, which we ate later. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for answering our silent prayer!
We were able to go to my old area, Secoya, to help with the depuracion of the directory (find out who has moved, died, etc). That means I was able to see the people I love from my old area again (remember that I was in this area for 7 months of my life) and work with a special friend, Hna. Flor. She is the best. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
The Amazonas ward invited me to play the piano for a fireside they will have as YSA. I love music and was excited to play a real piano and not just a keyboard. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
We had a fireside as missionaries on Saturday and were able to feel the Spirit. I know that God lives and that He loves us. Jesus Christ is so merciful and His atonement and gospel are what we need to have happiness and peace in this life. The scriptures and the prophets are to help us have more faith in God and Jesus Christ even when times are really rough. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
I was able to sleep better when I remembered to pray and thank Heavenly Father for all the blessings He gives me every day.
Love, Hermana Christensen
This week I have seen various blessings from Heavenly Father. He is in the details of our lives and in the small and simple things. For example, we had skipped dinner (we eat lunch with the members) to cover more appointments and were hungry for real food (not just crackers) when we passed by this house. The family inside flagged us down and excitedly told us that they were members of the other ward. They were so excited to see missionaries (this isn't always the reaction we get from people so it is welcome!) and gave us tamales, which we ate later. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for answering our silent prayer!
We were able to go to my old area, Secoya, to help with the depuracion of the directory (find out who has moved, died, etc). That means I was able to see the people I love from my old area again (remember that I was in this area for 7 months of my life) and work with a special friend, Hna. Flor. She is the best. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
The Amazonas ward invited me to play the piano for a fireside they will have as YSA. I love music and was excited to play a real piano and not just a keyboard. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
We had a fireside as missionaries on Saturday and were able to feel the Spirit. I know that God lives and that He loves us. Jesus Christ is so merciful and His atonement and gospel are what we need to have happiness and peace in this life. The scriptures and the prophets are to help us have more faith in God and Jesus Christ even when times are really rough. Thank you, Heavenly Father.
I was able to sleep better when I remembered to pray and thank Heavenly Father for all the blessings He gives me every day.
Love, Hermana Christensen
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A Week of Excitement & Spiritual Feasts
Hola, family and friends!
First of all, thank you all for your prayers in my behalf and for trying to live righteous lives. Also, I received letters from the following people: Jan Wilkes, Deanna and Michael Baysa, Richard Jamison, and Beth Isernhagen. Muchas gracias! You might be wondering if it is too late to mail something. Not at all! You can also email my mom (reply to this email) and she can forward the email to me.
This week was exciting. Our ward had a carnival on Saturday, and we invited Nancy, an investigator, to help run our booth (a variety of games, including the “human knot”). She enjoyed it a lot and told us, on Sunday, that she decided to attend our ward. (She was attending a ward that wasn’t in her area, but she received fellowshipping from our ward and decided on her own accord to attend in Barrio Clavero. So, that’s cool). She has a strong testimony of the gospel and is reading the Book of Mormon and just eating it up (feasting upon the words of Christ).
On Sunday we formed a choir at a fireside where Elder Nash, President of the Area (and member of the same stake as Aunt Cathy and Uncle Hunter, if I remember correctly), spoke to the youth about the responsibility and blessings of serving the full-time mission. We sang “Army of Helaman” and “Luz de la verdad.” He bore a powerful testimony of the reality of our Savior Jesus Christ, who is merciful and kind. Elder Nash taught that the Peruvians are the children of the prophets and have received the gospel and its blessings and have the responsibility to share them, in order to bless all the families of the earth, and to receive special blessings through that service. Powerful.
The spiritual feast continued on Monday with our mission president. He gave a training on how we can be better teachers of the gospel, reminding us of many principles. Are we focusing on the needs of the people we are teaching? Do we know what is important to them and what their worries are? On Sunday he had to speak for 35 minutes in the stake conference without any advance notice! He told us to always treasure up in our minds the words of eternal life, and then we don’t have to worry about what to say, because the Spirit will indicate what we need to say.
Javier is preparing more for his baptism, but it is postponed for a future date. (His mom feels that he needs more time to prepare for his baptism.) He also attended the fireside with Elder Nash and felt the Spirit strongly. I was inspired after listening to his mom that the gospel should indicate a change in us. If we aren’t changing as a result, what is the point? I was reminded of the importance of not just hearing the word, but of being doers of the word. (That is often the hardest part.)
We have a new ward mission leader, which is important. Hermano Miguel is motivated to work hard in the work. We have our first correlation and revision of the ward mission plan tonight. It is good to have someone who has time to dedicate to his calling.
That is all for this week!
Love, Hermana Christensen
First of all, thank you all for your prayers in my behalf and for trying to live righteous lives. Also, I received letters from the following people: Jan Wilkes, Deanna and Michael Baysa, Richard Jamison, and Beth Isernhagen. Muchas gracias! You might be wondering if it is too late to mail something. Not at all! You can also email my mom (reply to this email) and she can forward the email to me.
This week was exciting. Our ward had a carnival on Saturday, and we invited Nancy, an investigator, to help run our booth (a variety of games, including the “human knot”). She enjoyed it a lot and told us, on Sunday, that she decided to attend our ward. (She was attending a ward that wasn’t in her area, but she received fellowshipping from our ward and decided on her own accord to attend in Barrio Clavero. So, that’s cool). She has a strong testimony of the gospel and is reading the Book of Mormon and just eating it up (feasting upon the words of Christ).
On Sunday we formed a choir at a fireside where Elder Nash, President of the Area (and member of the same stake as Aunt Cathy and Uncle Hunter, if I remember correctly), spoke to the youth about the responsibility and blessings of serving the full-time mission. We sang “Army of Helaman” and “Luz de la verdad.” He bore a powerful testimony of the reality of our Savior Jesus Christ, who is merciful and kind. Elder Nash taught that the Peruvians are the children of the prophets and have received the gospel and its blessings and have the responsibility to share them, in order to bless all the families of the earth, and to receive special blessings through that service. Powerful.
The spiritual feast continued on Monday with our mission president. He gave a training on how we can be better teachers of the gospel, reminding us of many principles. Are we focusing on the needs of the people we are teaching? Do we know what is important to them and what their worries are? On Sunday he had to speak for 35 minutes in the stake conference without any advance notice! He told us to always treasure up in our minds the words of eternal life, and then we don’t have to worry about what to say, because the Spirit will indicate what we need to say.
Javier is preparing more for his baptism, but it is postponed for a future date. (His mom feels that he needs more time to prepare for his baptism.) He also attended the fireside with Elder Nash and felt the Spirit strongly. I was inspired after listening to his mom that the gospel should indicate a change in us. If we aren’t changing as a result, what is the point? I was reminded of the importance of not just hearing the word, but of being doers of the word. (That is often the hardest part.)
We have a new ward mission leader, which is important. Hermano Miguel is motivated to work hard in the work. We have our first correlation and revision of the ward mission plan tonight. It is good to have someone who has time to dedicate to his calling.
That is all for this week!
Love, Hermana Christensen
Monday, March 7, 2011
Hard Times & Happy Times in the Jungle
Hello, family and friends,
This past week has been really hard for me, but I feel rejuvenated and ready to begin a new transfer. Hna. Rodriguez and I stay together for my last transfer here in Punchana (Iquitos) and we are happy to be together and to work hard. I found out that my former companion, Hna. Avalos, will also be in the jungle (but in another part) so I will not be able to see her as I had hoped. However, there is hope in the future that we will be at the sealing of Rosa and Amador in about a year, and I will be able to see her then.
I was happy to find out that Jonathan and Wilbur, both from my first area in Iquitos, received mission calls and report in April. I was also happy to get a letter from my trainer, Hna. Flores, who lives in Bolivia. The young man we are teaching, Javier, is animated to serve a mission, too. He has a baptismal date of March 12. He is excited about the gospel and told his friends that he is going to be baptized and won’t drink anymore (this was before we taught him about the Word of Wisdom). His friends thought he was crazy, but he invited them to his baptism. Who knows what other miracles will result of him joining the Church?
The Primary is doing a recycling drive in order to raise money for each kid to have their own Liahona subscription. We are helping them, too, as it is a great way to do missionary work (and a great way for the families to get to know their neighbors). People are so willing to help, and I was happy, as recycling is second-nature to my family. We are helping the ward with a “gynkana” or field day on Saturday and are helping with the publicity (just put “free food” on the flier and everyone shows up in droves). We have learned to put “free!” on every event we do for the public. We are planning a movie night in various locations in public parks, using the projector. (It helps having the stake president in our ward.)
We celebrated Hna. Rodriguez’ cumpleaños (birthday) on Monday and the ward threw her a party (complete with piñata, and they cracked an egg on her head). Seminary and school started this past week. Yesterday was Carnaval (a huge water fight with people dancing in the streets and enjoying alcoholic beverages while the missionaries dodged water balloons and paint. Needless to say, yesterday wasn’t the most productive proselytizing day).
I know that Heavenly Father lives and that He answers our prayers. I also know that we can be forgiven of our sins and that we can feel the peace and love that come from Him and the Savior. I don’t know exactly how it all works, but I know that it does.
Love,
Hermana Christensen
This past week has been really hard for me, but I feel rejuvenated and ready to begin a new transfer. Hna. Rodriguez and I stay together for my last transfer here in Punchana (Iquitos) and we are happy to be together and to work hard. I found out that my former companion, Hna. Avalos, will also be in the jungle (but in another part) so I will not be able to see her as I had hoped. However, there is hope in the future that we will be at the sealing of Rosa and Amador in about a year, and I will be able to see her then.
I was happy to find out that Jonathan and Wilbur, both from my first area in Iquitos, received mission calls and report in April. I was also happy to get a letter from my trainer, Hna. Flores, who lives in Bolivia. The young man we are teaching, Javier, is animated to serve a mission, too. He has a baptismal date of March 12. He is excited about the gospel and told his friends that he is going to be baptized and won’t drink anymore (this was before we taught him about the Word of Wisdom). His friends thought he was crazy, but he invited them to his baptism. Who knows what other miracles will result of him joining the Church?
The Primary is doing a recycling drive in order to raise money for each kid to have their own Liahona subscription. We are helping them, too, as it is a great way to do missionary work (and a great way for the families to get to know their neighbors). People are so willing to help, and I was happy, as recycling is second-nature to my family. We are helping the ward with a “gynkana” or field day on Saturday and are helping with the publicity (just put “free food” on the flier and everyone shows up in droves). We have learned to put “free!” on every event we do for the public. We are planning a movie night in various locations in public parks, using the projector. (It helps having the stake president in our ward.)
We celebrated Hna. Rodriguez’ cumpleaños (birthday) on Monday and the ward threw her a party (complete with piñata, and they cracked an egg on her head). Seminary and school started this past week. Yesterday was Carnaval (a huge water fight with people dancing in the streets and enjoying alcoholic beverages while the missionaries dodged water balloons and paint. Needless to say, yesterday wasn’t the most productive proselytizing day).
I know that Heavenly Father lives and that He answers our prayers. I also know that we can be forgiven of our sins and that we can feel the peace and love that come from Him and the Savior. I don’t know exactly how it all works, but I know that it does.
Love,
Hermana Christensen
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