Shout outs and happy birthday to my sister, Jennifer! Also, I hope that my family is feeling better. Make sure you take time to sleep and to wash your hands!
The adventure of the week:
On Saturday I stopped a man on the street who was walking his dog and asked about his puppy. He proudly told me “His name is Funky.” I told him, “Well, you are invited to our church services on Sunday, but unfortunately, Funky is not.” You will appreciate this vignette as you read the next story.
On Sunday we went to accompany our friends, the Zabaleta family and our investigators Lupe and Angie to church (there was a gaggle of 10 of us). Apparently, their pet dog wanted to come to church too, as it (not to my knowledge) climbed into the bus, too. Imagine that you are sitting in the chapel in sacrament meeting, and 35 minutes into the meeting, groups of 3-5 kids come in, looking for a place to sit. And, the dog comes running into the chapel, too. Fortunately, there wasn´t enough space in the chapel for Hna. Flores and I to sit, so we stayed outside the rest of the meeting. We didn´t have to claim affiliation or responsibility for the dog by showing our faces. I was as red in the face as the shirt I was wearing!
We met an amazing couple, Sara and Juan. Usually missionaries stop people on the street to talk with them, but this time, the couple stopped us to talk with us. They asked us if we were espanola (from Spain) and struck up a conversation. Apparently, Juan is from Spain and his wife is from Lima. She teaches flamenco dancing (yes, I have to learn one Preparation day). Now, we are teaching them the gospel and they are attending church. They have so many questions and really want to learn. Juan always pounds his fist and says things like, “Soy rebelde!” or “Soy cabezon” (translated: “I’m a rebel!” “I’m a thinker”). The funny thing is that he is not a rebel, but I don’t have the heart to tell him that as that would dampen his spirit. I just want to tell him, “You rebel, you!”
Something I stress is to be a cabezon, or a thinker. You cannot just accept everything that is told to you. You have to ask questions and study things out in your mind, study the scriptures and pray and meditate. However, being a thinker isn´t the same as being a doubter. Doubters ask questions but don’t seek out the answers because they don´t know how to find them or think that there are no answers to the questions they have. That is not faith. There are answers to the questions we have. I remember something my dad always said, “Too many people say that they know the gospel is true, but they don´t know the gospel.” (And, I would add, the real challenge is to live more of what we know to be true). The scriptures have the answers to the questions that we all have. Let´s read them!
Love, Hna. Christensen
Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Teaching, Learning, Loving the People--& Breaking Fashion Rules!
We are teaching an amazing family, the Zabaleta family. There are 11 kids in their family, and they are so humble, hard-working, and sincere. I can’t even describe how radiant and pure they are. They make me want to be a better person because I know them. They love the palabra, or the Word of God and want to learn more. I´ve had to really step up my scripture study in order to keep up with all of their questions. I have an even greater appreciation of the scriptures. There are so many answers to the questions we have that we think are unanswerable. Often times, we just haven´t done our homework and really studied and searched to find the answers we seek. But, the promise is “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find.” That is true.
I´ve really come to appreciate the nature of God, and how He is kind and forgiving of His children. Often, I feel like we are the ones who are not willing to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we have made. The whole purpose of the Atonement of Christ is so that we can learn and progress in spite of (or because of) our mistakes. Many people seem to have this idea that God is angry and unforgiving, but that mistaken idea is corrected with the Restoration of the Gospel.
I´ve been trying to translate some of my favorite English phrases into Spanish, with some luck. Sometimes people try to take advantage of me because I am a gringa, by not giving me correct change on the bus, for example. I say quietly to my companion, Mi mama no me crio tonta, or, my momma didn´t raise no fool (Rachel, hope you appreciate that one). Hna. Flores will use words like {awesome}, {awkward}, and {cute} in her sentences, which makes me happy. We made a goal to learn 10 new words a day in Spanish (for me) and English (for her).
Older people have always been my favorites, and here in Peru is no exception. We talked with this abuelita, an older woman, who was serving food on the street. We invited her to church and she gave us Jello (which we didn’t eat because we didn´t know how it was prepared if it was safe, etc). Hna. Flores and I have taught a couple of abuelitos, little old men, who are so cute (but no one can compare with MY grandpa!). One was all wrapped up in his scarf and sitting on the porch, another one fixes shoes all day, another is a carpenter, etc. They are so cute, you just want to hug them, but you can´t. They agree with everything you say, but probably because they are harder of hearing. Then, suddenly they realize that they are Catholic and they politely shoo you out the door.
Karen warned me before I left about the missionary fashion sense (or often, lack of sense). Well, she´s right. Much to my utter dismay, I´ve started combining colors and outfits that should never go together. Maybe I can get away with it and maybe people will start imitating it because I´m from the USA. Or, maybe not. I know Karen and other family members are shaking their heads and shouting at their computer monitors, {Don´t do it, Susan! It´s not worth it! You can be better than that!}
Choose the right!
Love, Hna. Christensen
I´ve really come to appreciate the nature of God, and how He is kind and forgiving of His children. Often, I feel like we are the ones who are not willing to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we have made. The whole purpose of the Atonement of Christ is so that we can learn and progress in spite of (or because of) our mistakes. Many people seem to have this idea that God is angry and unforgiving, but that mistaken idea is corrected with the Restoration of the Gospel.
I´ve been trying to translate some of my favorite English phrases into Spanish, with some luck. Sometimes people try to take advantage of me because I am a gringa, by not giving me correct change on the bus, for example. I say quietly to my companion, Mi mama no me crio tonta, or, my momma didn´t raise no fool (Rachel, hope you appreciate that one). Hna. Flores will use words like {awesome}, {awkward}, and {cute} in her sentences, which makes me happy. We made a goal to learn 10 new words a day in Spanish (for me) and English (for her).
Older people have always been my favorites, and here in Peru is no exception. We talked with this abuelita, an older woman, who was serving food on the street. We invited her to church and she gave us Jello (which we didn’t eat because we didn´t know how it was prepared if it was safe, etc). Hna. Flores and I have taught a couple of abuelitos, little old men, who are so cute (but no one can compare with MY grandpa!). One was all wrapped up in his scarf and sitting on the porch, another one fixes shoes all day, another is a carpenter, etc. They are so cute, you just want to hug them, but you can´t. They agree with everything you say, but probably because they are harder of hearing. Then, suddenly they realize that they are Catholic and they politely shoo you out the door.
Karen warned me before I left about the missionary fashion sense (or often, lack of sense). Well, she´s right. Much to my utter dismay, I´ve started combining colors and outfits that should never go together. Maybe I can get away with it and maybe people will start imitating it because I´m from the USA. Or, maybe not. I know Karen and other family members are shaking their heads and shouting at their computer monitors, {Don´t do it, Susan! It´s not worth it! You can be better than that!}
Choose the right!
Love, Hna. Christensen
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
News and Thoughts from Peru--November 2, 2009
This is short. My computer lost the first email I wrote and now there is little time. :(
They celebrate Halloween here. My companion, Hna. Flores, and I dressed up as.......missionaries. The kids dress up and go to the stores chanting, "Halloween." and the store owners give them candy. We decided to go proselyting and give out pass-along cards. Those weren´t as popular as candy. Maybe if we had a chocolate cupcake to give them too....did any of the Christensens catch that reference?
Problems with the lengua. I called Pedro, "perro" (that means dog. A good way to make a good first impression, no?) and complimented the pensionista on her jabon sandwich (soap sandwich, instead of ham sandwich). I´ve got to work on that. :)
Ironic. We were teaching Eyleen about the Word of Wisdom, and how important it is to take care of bodies so they are healthy and strong. Right in the midde of it, her mom comes and serves us homemade doughnuts and unpasteurized milk (I shouldn´t consume either for safety and health reasons but ate both. Don´t want to be offensive). I laughed inwardly at the irony of it all and then read later in the scriptures about how Jesus Christ chastised hypocrites.
We had a Family Home Evening where we watched "Finding Faith in Christ." I´ve seen that before, but this time I felt different. Even though it´s easy to dismiss things we don´t understand (physics is an example for me) or can´t see, it´s difficult to dismiss the feelings we feel; assurances of peace and love, or the tender mercies (milagritos, or little miracles) that we experience every day but may not recognize. For this reason, I think that gratitude is the most important attribute I can develop, as it leads to humility, faith, and love. Let´s count our blessings!
Love,
Hna. Christensen
They celebrate Halloween here. My companion, Hna. Flores, and I dressed up as.......missionaries. The kids dress up and go to the stores chanting, "Halloween." and the store owners give them candy. We decided to go proselyting and give out pass-along cards. Those weren´t as popular as candy. Maybe if we had a chocolate cupcake to give them too....did any of the Christensens catch that reference?
Problems with the lengua. I called Pedro, "perro" (that means dog. A good way to make a good first impression, no?) and complimented the pensionista on her jabon sandwich (soap sandwich, instead of ham sandwich). I´ve got to work on that. :)
Ironic. We were teaching Eyleen about the Word of Wisdom, and how important it is to take care of bodies so they are healthy and strong. Right in the midde of it, her mom comes and serves us homemade doughnuts and unpasteurized milk (I shouldn´t consume either for safety and health reasons but ate both. Don´t want to be offensive). I laughed inwardly at the irony of it all and then read later in the scriptures about how Jesus Christ chastised hypocrites.
We had a Family Home Evening where we watched "Finding Faith in Christ." I´ve seen that before, but this time I felt different. Even though it´s easy to dismiss things we don´t understand (physics is an example for me) or can´t see, it´s difficult to dismiss the feelings we feel; assurances of peace and love, or the tender mercies (milagritos, or little miracles) that we experience every day but may not recognize. For this reason, I think that gratitude is the most important attribute I can develop, as it leads to humility, faith, and love. Let´s count our blessings!
Love,
Hna. Christensen
Monday, October 26, 2009
My First Week as a "Real Missionary"!
I have had quite a few humbling moments this week, my first week as a real missionary.
I never thought I was very tall, until I came to Peru. Even in my flattest shoes, I am a whole head taller than my cute companion, Hna. Flores, who is from Bolivia. I was in the shower and my head kept on hitting the spigot. This ordinarily would not be a problem, except I got an electric shock every time I did. It took me 3 electric shocks before I realized what was going on! I think I must have burned quite a few brain cells from the shocks.
I understand pretty much of what's going on with the language, and was pretty confident in my language abilities....until I was talking with a member at church. He told me that his girlfriend had talked with me and said that I did not speak very well! He then offered to help with my Spanish. I was grateful someone said something, because it's too easy to get complacent and lazy and not actively work to improve my language skillz. Yes, the z in skillz was intentional.
I have discovered that Post its, not diamonds, are a missionary's best friend. It's amazing how people's eyes light up when I pull out a Post it. I give them one to write down questions they have as they read the Book of Mormon, or to leave little thank you notes. It is pretty cute to see.
I love the weather. It is about 60 to 65 degrees, but my poor companion is used to hotter weather. She says that the cold penetrates her bones. I am walking around without a jacket and am just terrified of what summer will bring. This weather is perfect.
The members of the church here rock. They are so supportive. We felt awkward (I was trying to teach my companion important English words, including awkward, but there are no real equivalents) because the Relief Society president passed around the calendar for meal sign ups (to feed the missionaries) and then announced (of her own initiative) a huge list of things that we could not eat, because it would make us fat, things like soda pop and mayonnaise! Now, all of the members ask us what we WOULD like to eat. I don't know how to say, I'm not picky, so I just try to explain that I can't eat raw vegetables, lettuce, or strawberries, or unpasteurized milk, because my body is not used to it.
Until next week!
Love, Hna. Christensen
I never thought I was very tall, until I came to Peru. Even in my flattest shoes, I am a whole head taller than my cute companion, Hna. Flores, who is from Bolivia. I was in the shower and my head kept on hitting the spigot. This ordinarily would not be a problem, except I got an electric shock every time I did. It took me 3 electric shocks before I realized what was going on! I think I must have burned quite a few brain cells from the shocks.
I understand pretty much of what's going on with the language, and was pretty confident in my language abilities....until I was talking with a member at church. He told me that his girlfriend had talked with me and said that I did not speak very well! He then offered to help with my Spanish. I was grateful someone said something, because it's too easy to get complacent and lazy and not actively work to improve my language skillz. Yes, the z in skillz was intentional.
I have discovered that Post its, not diamonds, are a missionary's best friend. It's amazing how people's eyes light up when I pull out a Post it. I give them one to write down questions they have as they read the Book of Mormon, or to leave little thank you notes. It is pretty cute to see.
I love the weather. It is about 60 to 65 degrees, but my poor companion is used to hotter weather. She says that the cold penetrates her bones. I am walking around without a jacket and am just terrified of what summer will bring. This weather is perfect.
The members of the church here rock. They are so supportive. We felt awkward (I was trying to teach my companion important English words, including awkward, but there are no real equivalents) because the Relief Society president passed around the calendar for meal sign ups (to feed the missionaries) and then announced (of her own initiative) a huge list of things that we could not eat, because it would make us fat, things like soda pop and mayonnaise! Now, all of the members ask us what we WOULD like to eat. I don't know how to say, I'm not picky, so I just try to explain that I can't eat raw vegetables, lettuce, or strawberries, or unpasteurized milk, because my body is not used to it.
Until next week!
Love, Hna. Christensen
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Ready, set, go (to Peru)!
I have officially 4 minutes to type this, so please excuse any sentence fragments:
* I'm having companion withdrawal. My good friend, Hna. Karina Hernandez left this morning for Arizona. We've shared many a good time together, including cleaning the showers (Imagine goofy goggles and powerhoses...it's as fun as it sounds! :), keeping the elders in our district in line, and making and keeping goals together.
*I learned that it's important to be obedient. Selective obedience is not obedience. Obedience brings the Spirit.
*I beatboxed with my companion...the album will come forth shortly (will send audio clips when in Peru).
*I leave tomorrow (long plane ride) for Peru! No MTC, just straight to the campo.
Ok, love you, BYE!
Hna. C
* I'm having companion withdrawal. My good friend, Hna. Karina Hernandez left this morning for Arizona. We've shared many a good time together, including cleaning the showers (Imagine goofy goggles and powerhoses...it's as fun as it sounds! :), keeping the elders in our district in line, and making and keeping goals together.
*I learned that it's important to be obedient. Selective obedience is not obedience. Obedience brings the Spirit.
*I beatboxed with my companion...the album will come forth shortly (will send audio clips when in Peru).
*I leave tomorrow (long plane ride) for Peru! No MTC, just straight to the campo.
Ok, love you, BYE!
Hna. C
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
More from the MTC--October 13, 2009
Funny Story: My companion, Hna. Hernandez, has a sensitive nose and can smell odors a mile away. She asked me, "What smells so bad?" And then she went around the room with a big bottle of air freshener, spraying everything in the room, including me! I immediately added to my big "to do list" (so she could see) the following items:
1. Forgive Hna. H for her disparaging attitude towards me
2. Pray for Hna. H to have more patience with me
We have so many good times together. She cracks me up, but keeps me in line. Love her.
Highlights: I saw Laura Christensen (from the Lawrence ward) 30 minutes before she was going to hop on a plane and go to Armenia. My comp and I were able to help her clean up her room a little and say goodbye to her before she left. What a tender mercy from God! We just happened to be vaccuuming on the 3rd floor that day (we live on the 4th).
Spiritual Thought: I did Spanish outbound calls at the MTC and talked with a man from Puerto Rico, Adalberto. I ended up talking with him about 47 minutes and shared with him about how faith is a choice. You have to choose to have faith. I told him about my process I've gone through (I think we are all going through this for the rest of our lives) about learning to develop faith. I encouraged him to pray every day, even if it's a prayer like, "I don't know if anyone's out there, but if there is, please let me know." I told him he can know God loves him by looking back at his life and seeing the times he has had mini-miracles in his life. Those don't just happen by accident.
Song: I like to write songs when I have spare moments. Those interested in more contemporary music will appreciate these lyrics I adapted (to the tune of Beyonce's "To the Left"):
"Choose the Right"
Choose the right, choose the right
(Repeat)
When you have a choice trust your inner light,
We all know that life can be so hard,
So seek some guidance from the living God..
Chorus:
The Lord must know 'bout me,
I know He must know me.
When I have a problem He will always bear it,
My heavy load with Him I'll share it.
Amen.......
"Read the Book" (Same tune as the last one, referring to the Book of Mormon)
Read the book, read the book (repeat)
We want to invite you to take a look.
It sounds so crazy, but it is for real,
We invite you to read it,
Then ask God as you kneel....
Chorus:
You must find out if it's true,
We are not bluffing you.
It will surely change your life if you do it,
Open your heart and let the Spirit through it.
Amen.............
I love you all! Choose the right!
1. Forgive Hna. H for her disparaging attitude towards me
2. Pray for Hna. H to have more patience with me
We have so many good times together. She cracks me up, but keeps me in line. Love her.
Highlights: I saw Laura Christensen (from the Lawrence ward) 30 minutes before she was going to hop on a plane and go to Armenia. My comp and I were able to help her clean up her room a little and say goodbye to her before she left. What a tender mercy from God! We just happened to be vaccuuming on the 3rd floor that day (we live on the 4th).
Spiritual Thought: I did Spanish outbound calls at the MTC and talked with a man from Puerto Rico, Adalberto. I ended up talking with him about 47 minutes and shared with him about how faith is a choice. You have to choose to have faith. I told him about my process I've gone through (I think we are all going through this for the rest of our lives) about learning to develop faith. I encouraged him to pray every day, even if it's a prayer like, "I don't know if anyone's out there, but if there is, please let me know." I told him he can know God loves him by looking back at his life and seeing the times he has had mini-miracles in his life. Those don't just happen by accident.
Song: I like to write songs when I have spare moments. Those interested in more contemporary music will appreciate these lyrics I adapted (to the tune of Beyonce's "To the Left"):
"Choose the Right"
Choose the right, choose the right
(Repeat)
When you have a choice trust your inner light,
We all know that life can be so hard,
So seek some guidance from the living God..
Chorus:
The Lord must know 'bout me,
I know He must know me.
When I have a problem He will always bear it,
My heavy load with Him I'll share it.
Amen.......
"Read the Book" (Same tune as the last one, referring to the Book of Mormon)
Read the book, read the book (repeat)
We want to invite you to take a look.
It sounds so crazy, but it is for real,
We invite you to read it,
Then ask God as you kneel....
Chorus:
You must find out if it's true,
We are not bluffing you.
It will surely change your life if you do it,
Open your heart and let the Spirit through it.
Amen.............
I love you all! Choose the right!
Bienvenidos! (October 6, 2009)
I am sitting in the laundry room of the MTC, hurriedly typing this email, before I run out of time (a countdown clock is on the corner of my screen).
Brief update:
I love my companion. Her name is Karina Hernandez and she is from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I knew we would be instant friends after a couple of instances; one, when I confessed that I loved cottage cheese, two, that I often get Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC songs stuck in my head, and three, after I wrote my own Gospel song based off of Alma 26 (just to clarify, when I say Gospel, I mean that Gladys Knight's choir could sing my song). I even made up a brief song to her to the tune of Copacabana (The chorus goes like this: "Es mi compa, mi companera, tambien se llama hermana, es mi compa, mi companera, es muy bonita y yo la Susita, es mi compa.........nera.) Please forgive my lack of correct accent marks in this email.
I'm not going to lie. This first week was hard. It was hard to get used to so many rules and to so much structure. For example, no music in the dorms (it's distracting to the neighbors), no flip flops outside of the dorms,etc. I felt like I was Maria, from The Sound of Music, who would rather run around and sing in the mountains (the line, "She's always late for everything, except for every meal" comes to mind) than sit in meetings all day. But, I'm adjusting. And, I know that while in Peru I will probably long for the days when I was at the MTC.......
My companion and I were super optimistic about getting up at 5:30 every day to go exercise and read our scriptures. That lasted one day, before we came to our senses and realized that we needed to get as much sleep as we could while we can!
I was surprised at how quickly I am learning Spanish！It is coming along pretty quickly, now, and my mind feels like a sponge, quickly picking up different words and phrases. Mi companera and I help keep each other in line with different goals that we've set, including on arriving early to class, exercise, language learning, lesson preparation, etc. I honestly couldn't ask for a better companion. She and I have helped our district (a class of 8 elders and she and I) to make district goals. We even made a chart to keep track of the progress we are making of things we need to memorize and we declared a "Spanish only" policy in the classroom, which everyone agreed to. We recognize that the MTC isn't just about helping ourselves to become more prepared missionaries, but about helping the young men become better prepared, as well.
General Conference was amazing and we have a devotional every Sunday and Tuesday. I am planning on joining the MTC choir. We'll see if that lasts longer than the 5:30 am exercise plan. :) I am studying the Book of Mormon and the New Testament and rejoicing in them (escudrinandoles), as they help me increase my faith in Jesus Christ and teach me how to become more like Him.
Brief update:
I love my companion. Her name is Karina Hernandez and she is from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I knew we would be instant friends after a couple of instances; one, when I confessed that I loved cottage cheese, two, that I often get Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC songs stuck in my head, and three, after I wrote my own Gospel song based off of Alma 26 (just to clarify, when I say Gospel, I mean that Gladys Knight's choir could sing my song). I even made up a brief song to her to the tune of Copacabana (The chorus goes like this: "Es mi compa, mi companera, tambien se llama hermana, es mi compa, mi companera, es muy bonita y yo la Susita, es mi compa.........nera.) Please forgive my lack of correct accent marks in this email.
I'm not going to lie. This first week was hard. It was hard to get used to so many rules and to so much structure. For example, no music in the dorms (it's distracting to the neighbors), no flip flops outside of the dorms,etc. I felt like I was Maria, from The Sound of Music, who would rather run around and sing in the mountains (the line, "She's always late for everything, except for every meal" comes to mind) than sit in meetings all day. But, I'm adjusting. And, I know that while in Peru I will probably long for the days when I was at the MTC.......
My companion and I were super optimistic about getting up at 5:30 every day to go exercise and read our scriptures. That lasted one day, before we came to our senses and realized that we needed to get as much sleep as we could while we can!
I was surprised at how quickly I am learning Spanish！It is coming along pretty quickly, now, and my mind feels like a sponge, quickly picking up different words and phrases. Mi companera and I help keep each other in line with different goals that we've set, including on arriving early to class, exercise, language learning, lesson preparation, etc. I honestly couldn't ask for a better companion. She and I have helped our district (a class of 8 elders and she and I) to make district goals. We even made a chart to keep track of the progress we are making of things we need to memorize and we declared a "Spanish only" policy in the classroom, which everyone agreed to. We recognize that the MTC isn't just about helping ourselves to become more prepared missionaries, but about helping the young men become better prepared, as well.
General Conference was amazing and we have a devotional every Sunday and Tuesday. I am planning on joining the MTC choir. We'll see if that lasts longer than the 5:30 am exercise plan. :) I am studying the Book of Mormon and the New Testament and rejoicing in them (escudrinandoles), as they help me increase my faith in Jesus Christ and teach me how to become more like Him.
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