TRANSFERS!!‏ Mon, 30 Jun 2014 12:0

Hey family.

SO first things first! Transfers came. I am leaving... I know crazy. I am admittedly super bummed because of all the people here that I will be leaving. Aghhh I hate loving these people so much! But I would have it no other way. So yep I am outta here. My new area is RITZVILLE, Washington!! Boonie of DAYS!! haha Craziest part about it is that Elder Hansen just spent 6 months there right before he came to train me so I will be going up to his people. So I am excited for that though. Really stoked to see a different place but Lewiston has my heart right now. My new companion is Elder Tickonane' (spelling?) and he is from Kirabatis (some Island by Fiji). I AM SO STOKED TO HAVE AN ISLANDER AS A COMP!! haha Yeah I haven't heard to much about him but he has been out a year and has been in the area for 2 transfers already so at least I have someone that can introduce me to people rather than Sweeping in blind like me and Elder Hansen had to do here. So yeah its going to be great! I am leaving tomorrow so tonight is going to be a bunch of visiting all the people I love. TERRY is top of the list and I am going to make sure I stay in contact with that man! And Peggy told me once way back in the day that she tried friend requesting me on Facebook so idk but yeah I can get you her email if you really want it. 

This week and last few weeks have been a lot of learning. I think looking back on all of it I can see just how much my patience and testimony have been stretched and pulled but also how much stronger it is as well. I am changing... crazy to think but I am becoming a different person. I know that whatever our path is, however windy and narrow and jagged it may look and feel, will always take us somewhere better. I read some General Conference talks from a few weeks back that have really been a help to me. BY FAR they are my top favorite talks of all time. Elder Hollands - "Lord, I believe" and Elder Bednars - "Converted Unto the Lord" Such amazing talks! "In this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know. And remember, in this world, everyone is to walk by faith."    I know that there are going to be times when my faith is tested or I feel like I don't know enough about what to do or how to handle it but what I do know, what I know about God's love for me and each and everyone of us, will always trump all the fear or sorrow or frustrations that come with being a missionary. I feel so blessed to be able to serve! So.. I feel like just mentioning now that my FBI clearance in Houston is expired so now I have to reapply for one and all that business so yeah not to happy about that but oh well. Not going to go to BRAZIL soon but that doesn't stop be from cheering them on in the World Cup! haha Apparently my prayer was sufficient for the victory Saturday haha!

You guys sound awesome. I get such long emails from all of you! Mom and Dad! Are you guys ever home? haha I feel like you are traveling all the time. Have fun in Texas! Better be BIG! (Missionaries in Spokane are to treat the 4th as just another day... so since we are supposed to retire to bed around 10:30 and be in the house by 9, that pretty much eliminates any chance of seeing FIRE do its WORK!) Thanks for the green chili! It's incredible! haha Not too spicy but the flavor alone is enough! Little taste of NM. Aunt Andrea! Thank you for the letter! It was hands down the best letter I have ever read in my life. (not and exaggeration) jk your the greatest. Lambsons! Your letter cracked me up Jen. haha I know exactly how those emails were made and while I would love to give Ellese the credit to an entire paragraph I know better haha! You guys are incredible! Keep livin summer to the fullest! Conway! I literally spent ever hour in the summer at Rover Park! Historic land right there. West&Stasia! Glad to see you are getting into the swing of things there! Now you have internet and callings, your pretty much running that town. Have a fun 4th with the parents! Make fun of DAD for me. I picture flag painted crocs for some reason. Kodras! Japan seems like the best place you guys could be. Enjoy being a family again!  Make sure to send me your best Japanese tourist impression next time you send pictures!!

Alright, the end of the letter has come. I love you guys and I am sooooo STOKED for Ritzville! 

Love Much, Te Amo vocês!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN   

GO Brazil!!‏ Date: June 23, 2014 at 3:45

ALL YOU PEOPLE!! Hey!!!!

Minha Familia, I love you very much!,

First off, my week was not too entertaining and I never really remember them fully anyways... But life has been good here in the Lewiston Valley. On Tuesday of last week, we picked up 4 new investigators in Lapwai which was really exciting and we are stoked to go there tomorrow to follow up with all these awesome people we found! Funny how we have more progressing investigators 10 miles out of town then we do in the actual town of Lewiston. So yeah we are really excited for tomorrow. Peggy is struggling... but we are trying to keep here spirits up. Life is just hard for her right now and now being able to work is defiantly an influence. She will learn from all of this though.. We also had the chance to really reach out and talk to some other less active members of the ward. Turns out a lot of them are just medically restricted and are totally faithful despite their inability to come. I never would have guessed that one of my favorite pastimes on the mission is chillin' in the backyard with some old people and complaining about the squirrels. I love it. We were able to do a bunch of service for people on Saturday and it looks like this next week is going to be massively busy. (if all goes well!) Transfer calls or next Sunday night so I will let you all know my fate next letter.

 Keep cheering on good old RED, WHITE, and AZULE! They are going to win it all this year. (reason being that missionary work will progress soooo much if they do. ALMA 32:13 is the scriptural reference here. WE WILL DRIVE THE OTHER COUNTRIES DOWN INTO DEPRESSION!) Unless brazil does.. either way that would be sick!! Are you going for Mexico or what west?

Alright well, you guys are the best! Know that I love you.

Talk to you more next week,

k tchao

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

FIFA FIESTA‏ Sent: Mon 6/16/14 2:26 PM

OPA! What it do what it do!

Minha Familia! 

I love you guys soo much! This week has been pretty sweet I guess. Not to many stories but it was a productive missionary week. Haven't been able to teach Terry that often. Peggy found a job. World Cup started. So much yet not a whole lot to talk about. I loved getting your package with all the FIFA stuff. I made my predictions and what not and stay informed on the results kinda. I know that as a missionary this probably seems odd but there is a whole bunch of down time in this kinda life style so instead I fill it with useless FIFA information. haha I am still focused on the work!, no worries. On Sunday, (FATHERS DAY) yours truly gave a talk! haha no doubt I gave a few shout outs to you POPs and I mentioned that one time we were at Olive Garden and we were locked out of the car for a while because you forgot that you put the keys in you sock. I honestly don't really remember all the details or even if this was as dramatic as I remember but don't worry I got the whole congregation laughing. Your legend in Lewiston now! I gave a talk on priesthood keys and how they were given to Joseph for the RESTORATION of the gospel. Hence the reference to dad loosing them. We picked up a new investigator in Lapwai (I believe I mentioned this in the last letter) and so we have been traveling out there pretty frequently. There are these huge wheat fields that we have to pass through and we stopped to get some great pictures. The field is not yet completely "white and already to harvest" but it's getting there. So expect those pictures here in a few weeks. I am convinced that when the fields turn white, that Terry will overcome and be ready to be baptized! I really do love that man! I feel like I talk about him a lot but here is another story that shows just why I love him so much. We were teaching him last Monday night and after the lesson we are talking about Brazil (because I never mentioned to him that I could leave whenever I get my VISA) and he said, "Dang, well i have to get over this tobacco thing soon so that your here when I get baptized!" Melt your heart out right! Idk if he will before the transfer but If I survive and stay here in Lewiston 2nd ward then I will be able to see it go down. Is it weird that I am praying to stay rather than leave? 

Family, you sound great as always. Mom, if you could send greenchili that would be much appreciated but I have no idea how you would make it happen. Thanks for Dallin's Email.  Dad. HAPPY FATHERS DAY! You're the best. I love you with all my heart and I am so honored to call you my father! Sorry I gave you a hard time in sacrament without you being there to back yourself up but I figured it was signature Davis sacrament talk story with all the exaggerated parts. Sorry the Heat didn't pull it out for us.. LEBRON IS SOOO MUCH BETTER THAN JORDAN!!

K guys I love you all. But I love my mission more. Gotta get back to teaching a preaching!

LOVE
ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Livin' the Lewstonian Dream!‏ Sent: Mon 6/09/14 3:56 PM

Oi Minha Familia,

So I was halfway down my letter when it just all the sudden closed on me and I lost what I had previously typed so that's awesome.

Anyways, haha Yeah this week hasn't been a whole lot different so here we go. Started off on Monday night when Terry calls us and tells us that his brother that has cancer is doing worse, so in turn he would be gone all week... So we decided to not let that get us down and so in an effort to keep things rolling we are trying really hard to find new investigators. We headed down to this small Indian town called Lapwai and hit up some names that we saw in the area book. We get there and start talking to these people and its kind of a rough neighborhood but we found a brand new investigator and retouched with a Less Active that we going to involve more with teaching when he head down. So all in all, Lapwai is sweet. The people just need one or two solid baptisms we think and then the work might take off. Lapwai Lamennites are coming around. So that's probably one of the more interesting things that we have been doing as far as work around here. Oh also about Terry again. And this is a sweet story but the way the paragraph is already worded it's not worth going back and trying to fit it in. So yeah Terry is the man. He makes it to church yesterday and normally all he has time for is one hour and then he has to go take care of he farm. So as soon as sacrament is over we plead and ask if he can stay for another hour to which he tells us he can't. So we think nothing of it and go and try to talk to some new faces we didn't recognize.. THEN we get to the Gospel Essentials class and there sitting in the classroom is TERRY! my man. So anyways we play it all cool like, "oh hey Terry nice to see you here" (while inside I want to bear hug him) and then the lesson starts. The teacher is a sub and she starts off kinda awkward about it but as we move on it keeps getting better and better, we talk about Repentance and how we can use it to overcome trials and improve ourselves and low and behold it is the greatest, most powerful lesson that we have had at Sunday yet. Terry was super impressed and started to get really into it. (he has been struggling with some w.o.w stuff) So yeah afterwords Terry was so stoked he stayed and he said, "Yep, I just knew I should stay this week." ! I love that man. I hope this will give him some more inspiration to overcome this last hill on his path to Baptism! Should be seeing him tonight and I keep telling him that I want to help him with cows but I don't know what his plan is. 

So yeah this next week should be sweet. I have been playing the Ukulele like a mad man. I pretty much walk in the door and start playing around with it. I borrowed it from Elder Folu (from New Zealand) and just haven't really given it back. I jokingly mentioned to a member the other day that he should buy me one when he goes to Cancun this week and he just might actually hook me up. I figured it is small enough that if I ever had to pack it and take it to Brazil I could...

Alright I love you guys! Good to hear all the news from back home. (p.s. do you have dallin parkers email?) 

Te amo voces!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

attached are some pictures of Johnson before he left. In one picture he is wearing a sick dope "Hot Dog Salsa" shirt. I wanted it so bad but no dice on the trade. I guess I will just have to hit a few more yard sales when street contacting 

Tri-Force is done!‏ Tue, 27 May 2014 12:02

Oi Familia! Tudo bem..

First things first, life has been pretty hectic this week but one thing to keep in mind is that no matter what happens to me on my mission, however frustrating or depressing, I love being a missionary. No doubt about it, I will serve wherever the Lord wants be and with whomever he wants me to. It is all for my profit and learning. 

Alright, so we picked up Elder Johnson on Tuesday and he is the man. I love him to death. One of the funniest people I have ever known. We laughed the entire way back to lewiston and I got to know him a little better. He knew Elder Hansen a little bit from another area but regardless we have had some great times this week teaching and living together in the BARN! Elder Johnson had to sleep on a few mattresses we snagged for him on the floor if the kitchen. Seriously though, Elder Johnson and I really clicked and it was just fun to be with him. On Wednesday we drove up to Coeur d'alene have a special training from Elder Aidukius of the 70 and it was a long drive but totally worth it. Great man, and beautiful place!! So then on thursday we actually began to teach together and meet some newer people. Friday we had NAIA volunteering to do and it was a blast. We scanned peoples tickets for 3 hours but it was pretty hilarious. Me and Elder Johnson would dance a little bit when it would get slow and people would walk up to us and talk with us asking why we were so happy. It was fun to have them recognize the badges we were wearing and associate us with the church even when we weren't really teaching anything. Street contacts with Elder Johnson is a ball. So the weekend starts rolling around and me and Elder Hansen are fighting off sicknesses and allergies and trying to get out and see some people as well. Not the most fun but yeah allergies here in Lewiston kick you in the face. Must be the grasses and things that don't exist in New Mexico, land of dirt and rock. But no need to worry Mom, Peggy self appointed herself to taking care of me and chastises me every time I cough or sneeze  haha. 

Alright so the reason for the Subject of the email. On Sunday night while we were contacting some house we get a call from the Assistants and Elder Hansen looks at me like its going to be about my VISA. We answer and they ask to talk to Elder Johnson. Apparently he is replacing some Elder companionship that got Emergency Transferred and since we were a tri-panionship he was top on the list of ready to be moved. SO, Elder Johnson is headed up to Spokane tonight to go join his new area and companion. I am sad to see him go but I know it's for a greater cause so it's all good. I think he was kinda bummed as well but its hard to dwell on it when you know that its all the Lords call anyways. He will do great and work for me and Elder Hansen is still moving here in Lewiston 2nd Ward so tudo bem. All is well. 

To answer your questions Mom, Terry did not get baptized yet. He is struggling with giving up the chew. He is one of the most genuine people I have ever met though and he is going to get baptized as soon as he can, I will just be some time. We gave him a priesthood blessing the other night and he seems like he will do better this next week. We wants us to go out there next Mon. and castrate/brand/give shots to some of his cattle and I am soooo stoked!! haha it will be a party! Can't say that Elder Hansen is looking forward to it as much as I am though.. Also no dice on the Dry Cleaning yet. I don't have the most time in the world to go do that and its out of our area so we only have a few moments to really get that done. There are a few seamstress in the ward so I will for sure get them to go it… 

Familia! Mom and Dad, you sound great. Mom your the best. Your calling sounds like a blast. Teach them kids right. Also shout-out to Grandpa! 85! Thats so sweet! 

Alright, I love you guys! I am doing great and I know why I am serving a mission so no need to worry about me! 

Love Life! Love You!  Love the Gospel!

Amo Voces!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Notha Day Notha Dollar ‏ 5/19/14

Alright Minha Familia! 

We have a lot of crazy stuff going down up here and its been a roller coaster of a week so le-go!

First things first, no VISA! yep kinda a bummer... worst part is that I pretty much through in the towel and admitted to myself that I wasn't going to get my VISA in time to make it down to Brazil in time for the world cup on Saturday evening considering transfer calls were Sunday night and usually they let people that have to travel a few days earlier so that they can be ready to get on the plan on Monday. So yeah I was admittedly bummed a little bit to sit there at the desk Saturday night and stair at the phone on the desk waiting for my false hopes. Sunday rolls around and we go to church and for whatever reason we have the most stress filled Sunday ever. We have like 4 investigators there that we were not expecting and like 5 less actives that just randomly showed up! Then we taught three lessons that day and caped off our 30 lesson week in a flaming glory! I have no idea how we were able to teach as often as we did but we did. 30 lessons.. i am sooo tired! haha Also last night we had transfer calls. Me and Elder Hansen are still companions and still in the same area. On top of this we are receiving another Elder into our companionship meaning that we are not entering into the realms of a Tri-panionship! Crazy stuff is going down. His name is Elder Johnson and I guess he has been out for a while because Elder Hansen knows who he is and has served around him. So.. yeah there are now going to be 3 Elders in the BARN, for 6 weeks.. haha I don't even know what to say really. Plus my mind is all messed up know because here I was a broken man a few days ago about not going to Brazil anytime soon and now that we are in a Tri-panionship, which only happens under dyer circumstances, It naturally leads me to believe that I will be leaving sometime soon. Which I guess makes sense if I get my VISA in the next three weeks but if that is so, they would have to know something more about my VISA, and if that's so then WHY HAVE THE NEGLECTED TO TELL ME?!?! I have no idea what's going on anymore.. haha as you can see from this letter thus far. This weekend has kinda been REDonkuLOUS!!

But in the mist of all this confusion and stress there gleams a shimmer of hope and happiness. PEGGY GOT BAPTIZED!!! She was baptized Saturday afternoon after having made a emergency, split second, poorly timed, Satan inspired , trip up to Spokane and back in the morning! (Spokane = 2 hours away = 4 hours round trip = usually not the most choice activity before a Baptism that was originally planned for 2 o'clock!! and was not made aware to the missionaries until Friday night!!) haha so yeah it was all good though because she was with her Son for a while which was actually really good for her but at the same time she was dropping  him off for JAPAN and will not see him again for 3 years. ANYWAYS!! She was Baptized! I was honored with the opportunity to baptize her and the spirit was so strong during the service! One of the best moments of my mission thus far and seriously such a fun moment. I love Peggy and I was so happy when she asked me to baptize her!  She is without a doubt one of the funniest crazy person I have ever met and I can see just how much the Gospel has changed, did change, and will continue to change her life and her outlook.  I firmly believe that she was someone I had to meet before going to Brazil and the fact that I will be here a while longer just means that I may be able to see Terry get baptized and who knows who else I have to still meet. Heavenly Father has  a plan for all of us. He has a plan for Peggy. He has a plan for Me. I just need to be patient and discover just exactly what that is. Peggy has so many new friends in the Ward! The fellowship started way back when we first met her and it has been so much fun introducing her into her now brand new ward family. I have no doubt that she will be watched over if I had to leave tomorrow. 

 (a family friend from Safford has a Daughter serving in the same mission as Coop. Sis, Johnson)

Alright guys! You guys are all incredible! This week has been a trying one for me personally but as we all know from wise words of Kelly Clarkston "WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER!" haha not missionary approved haha Stay strong. Hope this letter made sense! 

Amo vocês!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Sent 5/12/14

You have 2 more days in Hawaii! Live it up!

It was so good to see you guys yesterday! Glad to hear you are all doing so
great in life and everything! I don't really know how long you guys will be
on the Road to Hana but it sounds sick! Enjoy it.
This P-day is jam packed with all the missionaries in the valley gathering
to send Elder Wong back home on Saturday. SO I don't know how much effort
may be contributed to this email.. But yeah things this week have been
pretty great. Had a really busy week with meetings and with going to the
temple so we didn't get to teach as much as we wanted to. We had such a
sweet zone-conference on Thursday! In the middle of the meeting, our
mission president called on some sister missionaries to go out into the
streets and pick some random person to come in and practice teach in front
of everyone. The sisters went out and found someone in the parking-lot of
Wal-Mart!! And she accepted a baptismal invitation! She was so prepared!
Just proves that you have to talk to literally everyone because you never
know when or where someone will be looking for the true and restored
gospel!
This upcoming week: Baptism on SAT! going to be so sick! hopefully all
works out and it should be alright! After that I should find out if my VISA
is coming. Then Depending on if I stay, I get to help out at the NAIA
Baseball World Series here in Lewis&Clark State Collage! Going to be so
much fun! I really just want to stay for the soul purpose of keeping my
free shirt. Because if I leave I would have to leave it for the Elder that
would replace me!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Don't worry or feel bad about me at all when you
guys go on vacations or do anything like that. I know that things will be
hard once everyone parts their ways after Hawaii but I know that it is all
apart of Gods plan for our family. West and Stasia! Your going to be
TEXANS! You can start practicing your Y'ALLs asap. Nano and Anton!  JAPAN
wont know know what hits them!
EVERYONE ELSE!! I love you all! Mom I hope you had a great Mothers Day!
Your the best mother that a person could ask for.

Have fun in HAWAII! I will write a better letter next week!
Amo vocês muito!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN