Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 12:05

Minha Familia!

Opa! What it do? This week flew by. I don't even know where it went! We have been working hard everyday and giving service everywhere! Biggest news is that we now have Terry on date for May 17th! He is so excited! And he is already beginning to share the Book of Mormon with his family?! I know right! He is pretty much the best human being alive right now. So yeah we got to teach him once and unfortunately he is gone for a while visiting his brother who just found out that he has cancer... So we might see him later in the week and see how he is doing with that. We are pretty much in a standstill though trying to find new investigators and all that jazz. We tore through our Area book the other day and came up with 50 possible addresses of people have been receptive in the past so we will see if they even still live there. And Peggy is doing great. She is struggling pretty hard to find a job and pay the bills but I know that Heavenly Father has a special plan for her and that as long as we keep faith as missionaries for her, that it will pan out and Heavenly Father will bless her. We did a ton of service this week. Got to watch people stack Hay and then painted floors and put screens up. The lady at the house kept referring to my special expertise in the "screen putting together department" (literally in those words) and still haven't quite figured out how I feel about it.. haha I love being good at minuscule house chores! haha I'm gonna take pride in it! We also had a stake day of service down by the river and painted cabins and pavilions. There was also some beaver dam demolition going on down by the CRICK.. .jk I love these people) Other than that though its been pretty much same old same old.

(by the way: Peggy is a single sister and Terry has a Less Less Active Wife.. and all there kids are grown I think)

Also the picture of West, Jen, and Nano on the tree made my day! haha too funny.. thanks Stasia (aka sha-nay-nay!!)

I don't know more about my VISA but I feel like when it comes they will just keep me for the rest of the transfer anyways. So I should be here for the Mothers day call and for both Baptisms!! 

Alright, I love you all. Amo vocês muito!

Give'um HEAVEN!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Heavenly Father has a plan... Sent: Monday, April 21, 2014 1:18 PM

Opa Familìa!

What a week it has been! I always get kinda stuck here because there is no real place to start but I had some time to reflect upon the week this morning so hopefully that will create some flow to my letter this week. To start off, on Monday I got my Easter package!! Thank you so much for the candy and love and Easter Egg dying kit! I loved it all. We even carved out some time during our late night companionship study to color some eggs in the true fashion of Easter! ha! So that was on Monday, Tuesday was when the work and stress began. We met with Peggy to make sure that all was going to work for the baptism on Saturday. We kinda had to rush going through the Baptism questions until the morning of the day she was supposed to get interviewed. For anyone out there readying this. This is not a good idea. So in the end we discovered that there was still some things to work through and now the process of preparing for a May 10th baptismal is underway. When I think back upon it, there was a lot that we could have done better as missionaries and honestly we will be better because of this experience  but there was also a huge role played by the adversary so... Satan knows when someone is close to Baptism, let me tell ya. But tudo bem! All is well! So bottom line is that there was no baptism this Saturday.. She is still so stoked to get baptized and it always gives peace to mind to know that after some time she will be able to receive all the blessings God has for her with a clean conscience and better stance on things. SO that's why the subject of this letter is so simply put. Heavenly Father has a plan and there is no doubt that that plan will eventually be for our benefit whether or not it was what we were expecting. SO, after that the week became very busy trying to find and teach and move on. We had specialized training with a cluster of Zones in the area and it pretty much lasted all day. We talked a bunch about finding new investigators through ward members and also about strengthening ward families. That night we were pushed for time trying to get back for another training with all the Ward Mission Leaders in the valley. We got home and thought about finding some Dinner when we got a call from a member that wanted us to meet someone he sold hay to in the past week and who seemed very interested in the church. We go over and realize it was someone's house that we had tried once already and so we were kinda cautious about how useful it would be to meet him. Anyways we walked in and found out that he is probably one of the most prepared people we have ever taught! Seriously though, this man had read the BofM in 6 months and already talks about it and the stories in it like he knows them by heart.  We had an intense lesson with him and talked about baptism being somewhere down the road and he said "As long as it brings me closer to Jesus!" haha We love the crud out of this guy and he even came to church for Easter! He got emotional during the meeting and before he had to split after Sacrament got out, he told us that he was able to feel the spirit so strong that he pretty much knows that he wants to join the church! We have been beaming ever since! Heavenly Father has a plan! So Terry is now preparing for the same date as Peggy! We could potentially have a double dunking day! My testimony has grown so much this week. It started off so wrong. Not devastating but discouraging for sure. And then as we continue to push through and keep humble, Heavenly Father will pour unto us all that we need to make it through the week. He completely turned it around for us and of that I am 100 percent sure. 

Funny story from the week: There is this less active that we teach, who we are pretty sure is a trailer home nudest because every time we knock he asks for a few minuets to prepare the house. haha I love him to death though. That man is so funny. He probably has 200+ sword collection and he dumps so much food on us from his pantry every time we are inside! He has a "female dog" and so since he is pretty old fashioned and blunt he pretty much drops the B word all the time in reference to her! haha I don't know if its the best thing to laugh at but my comp was VERY taking back by it the first time we heard him use it so I guess that's why I think its funny. haha but we love teaching him and helping him out with service. Remember those times I used to complain about how working with Dad was hard because of how little direction he gave me?.. well I now see the other end of the spectrum when ever we go over to do service for him!! haha Cracks me up! Also he keeps trying to give us an abundance of free pocket knifes! I keep telling him that I will eventually have to get rid of them if I plan on flying to Brazil and he told me that I could smuggle them in and use them to fight off attackers.  Haha I don't know what would be worse, getting stabed by an inch blade or getting sprayed with pepper spray! Help me out here West!

Amo vocês muito!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Also.. My top button is always done! I make sure of it. Its the one in every 5 shirts that I have that I literally cannot button even if I want to! haha thank you for noticing though.. (Mom gave him a hard time about not buttoning his top button in the photos from a couple weeks ago. :) )

Late today....‏Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 3:21 PM

Minha Familia! Tudo Bem?

Haha I don't know why I always start in Portuguese but for some reason it makes me feel like I am serving in another country. About that though...I got some CRAZY news! I GOT MY VISAaaa!!!!?!?!~~ jk ... I am still in Idaho! But HEY I love the heck out of this place! Literally. WE be changing the world either way!  So, my week in reality has been pretty awesome. Lot of service again but also  a ton of lessons! We probably had 30 mins of down time, collectively through out the week! Crazy. But yeah things are still moving around here in the Lewiston Valley. One of the other Elders got transferred out and now we have Elder Stirling from Nevada. He has been out about the same amount time as I have so.. yeah its sweet. We have been teaching our investigator Peggy a lot. She is moving along so easily! She had the opportunity to attend a Baptism this weekend with us and she got to see first hand what it was going to be like for her when she gets baptized! Its going to be so legit! I am excited and I might have to chance to baptize her which I would be over the wall for but we will see. But other than that it has been pretty basic for us. The ward up here is pretty amazing and they wont let us have a night where we don't get fed. So we have someone feeding us pretty much every day! I know I feel so spoiled and I can clearly remember how I used to feel when the Elders / Sisters would come over so I am pretty good and picking it out in the kids when I see it haha! Food is great though. We pretty much eat everything. Lots of tomatoes and Mexican food attempts. Not the same without green chili.  I haven't seen  much asparagus yet but when I have I just beardown  (#AIRzona) and enjoy it.  So yeah we don't have to cook much and when I do I pretty much just heat up something in the microwave or make a quesodilla. Good old college actually taught me something!! But I have one pretty funny story to share this week: We were on splits and so I was with this guy from the ward who we had previously deemed Brother Crazy (no joke, happiest man on the face of the planet! So much so it's insane!). So we are sitting in the car and I get the idea that we go check out this less active member whom we had not been able to see on our last 10 attempts! We walk up and Brother Crazy, for whatever reason, just starts banging on the guys doorbell, literally.. like a gorilla on the bongo drums!  Usually frowned upon by society right? So I'm like "Bro (crazy), they're ignoring us. It's cool. Let's bounce." and then as we are walking away the LessActive bolts out the door with his Pit bull! haha talk about terrifying! haha so naturally Brother Crazy takes this as a warm approach and goes up and shakes the guys hand and introduces himself with the biggest smile and warmest voice! haha (for those keeping track at home, there is a raging Pit-bull in one hand, and an over excited  member fellowshipgiving fist bumps and hand jives in the other!) I loved it. We got to teach him a lesson at the door and as we kept talking he opened up to us more and more! I have such a testimony in a cheerful attitude! Seriously though. Be of good cheer and everything will pan out and work for you in the end.

Alright! I love you family! Keep up the hard work! 

Amo vocês muito!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Transfer Calls and General Conference! Date: April 7, 2014 at 2:24:57 PM MST

Oi Minha Familia!

So I guess to start of this weeks letter I would just like to wish my BRO a Happy day of Birth!! I didn't forget about you one bit. I will attach a picture to prove just how much I didn't forget! haha Alright, my week has been pretty awesome. We had the chance to get involved in a bunch of service and we also got to teach our prime Investigator Peggy a bunch. With General Conference this weekend we were inviting everyone like crazy. Pretty much every day was booked and also a lot of the same. Service all over the place now that the sun is coming out and the weather is getting beautiful, we rarely have time to study! I got the remaining packages delivered finnaly! Thanks so much for the candy and other stuff! I loved all of it and I am still trying to work through it. SO conference was sooo dope! Seriously though. Every single talk was on point! I loved Uchtdorf's talks in Priesthood and in General Conference. "Don't Sleep through the Restoration!" I have that next to my alarm clock so that when I wake up It is the first thing I see. Now that I think about it, That was probably a quote from the Priesthood session. But his attitude of gratitude was super sweet too! "How often do we find ourselves offering thanks for the rainbow with out first thanking the rain that caused it!" super good. Also Bednar is the man hands down.. I think that's all I need to say on that! So after watching my first every session as a Missionary, I though I had payed attention more than humanly possible. But then I learned what it's like to watch with an investigator in the room. YOU LISTEN TO LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE SOUND! haha Peggy watched with us on Saturday Afternoon at a members home. She enjoyed it and it is becoming more and more clear that as we continue to teach her the more we realize that she is so prepared that we literally couldn't mess up if we tried. She is so awesome. April 19th. Gonna be a great day.

Along with that. We received our transfer calls last night! Looks like both me and my trainer are staying and only a few other missionaries from the zone are leaving. Which basically means that if my VISA can just hold off for 2 weeks then I will be here for Peggy's Baptism!! Yep! I am amped to say the least.

Well to answer some questions. Yes, I do have a bike.  The mission office provided me with one since I didn't ever plan on buying one myself. But we also split cars with the sister missionaries in Lewiston 3rd ward. So we have the car from Mon-Wed and then the rest of the week is biking (walking since my bike usually has a flat and we don't want to waist our money on a new tire or goo since I could potentially leave any day). But now that I am here for more than one transfer I am beginning to think It may be a while guys.. haha that's ok though. I only begin to doubt a little because I found out that another Elder from my district got his VISA. Elder Travino! haha but yeah maybe doubt isn't a good word because I honestly believe that once it comes I will be ready for it but I don't NEED it. 

I don't think I have that many good stories from the week. A lot of funny people here in the valley so pretty much everyday is a story but one of the best from the week may have been the overwhelming amount of animals I have hugged this week. haha I am beginning to make a bucket list of things I need to do in Lewiston before I leave and slapping a bull is on top haha! I will keep you updated on that and at the rate I am going with this animal love, It could happen any day! haha

Keep it up guys. Watch Basketball! Sounds kinda lame without AZ in it so that's fine by me that I have to miss it.

Amo Vocês!

Tchao!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 12:08

Minha Familia!!

Alright, my week. I actually took some time last night to write down the highlights from the week to share with you guys. SO last Tuesday we helped his guy move who may be one of the most intense baseball fans I have ever seen in my life. NO joke though. He had stadium seats, 50 signed baseballs, signed bases and patches of turf! This guy was legit! Biggest Dodger Fan on the PLANET! So we were moving a lot of stuff to his new apartment and a lot of it was considered precious so we were all very nervous when we had to carry the glass display case. So heavy but yeah we somehow managed it. He also had and autographed Yoda shrine with an autographed yam-aka on..? haha yeah we got a picture with it. no worries. 

This week we had the biggest blessing yet on my mission! We met this lady named Peggy on Wednesday and have met with her everyday since until yesterday when she came to CHURCH! She is the definition of GOLDEN! So elect! Seriously love her to death. She has had some many trials in her life that have pretty much humbled her to this point now and she is so ready to hear how to improve her life! Yep she is incredible. We will probably see her tomorrow and teach her the Commandments. Hopefully all goes well. Also on Saturday we did exchanges with the Zone Leader in the area. HE went with my comp Elder Hansen so I was with the ZLs comp Elder Folu from New Zealand! He is my bro and we had so much fun. I had to drive there car since I am the designated driver for my companionship and so we had like 5 other elders in this mini-van (the other elders are also from the area) and I was driving all of them around  and I am the youngest on the mission.  We were bumping some serious church music and jammin out, with the windows down because it was 60 degrees, and this car was next to us and he was laughing at us and we turned the music down and did a restoration lesson between the windows on a red light. It was so legit. Church is true. But yeah it was hilarious. Love being on my mission.

Ok ok my address is also important to give out to people when I make fun of them for sending mail to Bonners Ferry...

 3532 15th Street E

Lewiston ID,

83501

There you go. I am still waiting to get my other packages and mail from the ZLs in the Bonners Ferry area tomorrow but that's alright. It just continues to be something to look forward to. As far as any VISA information.. I don't have it. ha I had to go into the post office last Tuesday and retake my Passport photos because the first photos were "too dark" haha yeah idk these people are crazy but I don't think that I have to re apply for my passport I just have to send these in separate I guess. That's ok though. We all know how bad my last passport photos were.. So it's probably better. I will make sure to send you a picture of what my new one looks like. ok also Yeah I forgot to write this in my last weeks letter but I am SO STOKED FOR DALLIN's CALL!! That's awesome. Tell him or Sister Parker that I know he will be a dope missionary! Says those words exactly! 

I love all of you very much! I hope I was able to answer some questions. But if not there is always next week! Time is flying by when your on the Lords errand!

Amo Vocês Muito!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the GREATEST MOTHER ON PLANET EARTH‏ Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 12:05

Sorry for the late post. Sick kids this week. The big news is that Bonner's Ferry, ID is not the same place as Lewiston, ID. Working on getting his correct address.

Minha Familia! 

First and foremost I would like to take this time to wish my mother a very Happy Birthday! She is without a doubt one of the greatest people I have ever had in my life. Seriously though I don't think that I would have been able to accomplish anything without her loving guidance and just her warm personality! Mom I love you like crazy. I cannot count the amount of times that I think about you here out in the foreign lands of north Idaho. And being honest its nowhere near enough because your one of the soul reasons I am out here on my Mission. Thank you for your testimony and your example. You make me laugh all the time. I think world of you. Ok I love you! I admit it! Time to write about myself now.

So this week has been pretty fun. We have had a pretty routine schedule going, week by week.  We went all the way up to Spokane on Tuesday for a trainer and trainie meeting. We made it over to the mission office after and I was able to pick up the past few letters you guys have been trying to send. I don't live in Bonner's Ferry. I was so confused haha. But regardless thank you so much for the shirt and other gifts! I got that and Sarah's blog letter. Which I couldn't see any of the pictures from but it was still good to imagine them haha. I have to painting from Conway and Ellese posted up on my wall as well so thanks Jen! Maggie your pictures are adorable! I loved the video. Some serious eyes there kiddo!

 Ok so really quick before the kick me off. My week was pretty smooth. Met tons of new investigators. Went to a funeral for the Dahlberg family if you remember them (he jams hard on the guitar and wears flannels) . It was good for us to be there for their family. WE ALMOST got Brother Lincoln inspired to say he wanted to be baptized but he wasn't going for it.  And now I have been given car control due to the fact that my companion doesn't feel comfortable driving. haha Yeah idk guys I really cant muster up any great stories this week.. OH WAIT! I remember we killed like 20 mice this week! Divided by 10. We got two of them. Secret combination of peanut butter and cheese. haha but yeah I have some sweet pictures I will send you guys next week. I really would articulate this better for you all if I had the time right now but I don't. I love you all and promise to get out some sweet stories for this next week!

Amo vocês!

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 12:56

Minha Familia! Tudo Bem!?

Life here in Lewiston has been pretty great and it was awesome to open my LDS mail account and see all the love and pictures. Seriously you guys are the best! Alright to start off the week,.. So we have been continuing our sweep of the Lewiston area and trying hard to meet more people everyday and build up our Teaching records. We didn't have much of a chance to connect with anyone we had met in previous weeks so yeah we really did kinda have to start over and meet some new people. We met the one less active member whose name is Brent Cooper. Its kinda weird calling him brother Cooper because I feel so dis-attached  to my first name out here. He is a really cool guy. He was in the Marines  and was shot out of a Helicopter with and RPG missile which broke it back and neck and both knees.... crazy right!? He has a disability check from the military that pays for his living now but because he can't do much physical labor his house in kind of a mess.. So we went over and did some service and he has some kids that are in Highschool that could probably use some gospel messages!! Yep it's gonna be pretty awesome getting to teach them these next few weeks! They are some really nice people. Our first time there they made us some bacon. Ha It's the young ones GO-to snack haha. We also had the chance to meet some of Bro. Christensen's friends and Potential Investigators. We met the Cavanaugh family last night and they are pretty awesome! The wife is probably one of the funniest people ever. She is a winner and the family has a ton of promise in possibly converting over so it will be fun to teach them more. Doug Linoln, if you remember from last letter, WAS at Stake Conference yesterday and I was sitting right next to him. It was such a sweet conference and all centered around people's conversion stories and it was basically everything the he needed to hear so tomorrow night we are going over to see if we can get him to put himself on date!! Yeah pray for us, I have a sweet feeling about it and I know he felt the spirit, I sitting right next to him and he brought it up after that he kept getting chills because of the temperature of the room and I was like "or its the SPIRIT talking to ya!" ha and his wife came over (the member) and said "I think the spirit feels a little warmer than that!" (wrench thrown..) haha its all good though, he is basically Elect to get baptized at some point.

So I will try to include more about my life here in Lewiston really quick. We live in a super small garage "attachment" -if you will- and yeah, 2 rooms. Literally 2... (bedroom-study- kitchen all one room, and then the bathroom) but I love it! 

We rent from a non-member family the LittleJohn's. Missionaries have lived here forever and so he is pretty much not open to being taught. But yeah still super nice people. The town is pretty much country living! It really is good sized town though closer to the river. They have a Panda Express so yeah I don't consider them that RED neck. haha There is the Lewis and Clark college just off the hill we live on and yeah pretty much its kinda random here. Some houses are really rundown and hurting (mostly older people with disability) and then there can be some really nice houses that younger families or doctors and dentists, live in and yeah its pretty much ever other house that's nice or bad. I think I mentioned this in my last letter but everyone here has horses or sheep or goats or something. Also dogs. Whenever we are talking to people they talk about some ranch work or something like that and ask if I have ever done this or that and I almost always say "nope! but I am sure my dad probably has!" Seriously though this is modernized farm land. Side note story of the week. We were eating dinner at the members house and the 9 year old girl was so stoked to show me here baby goat that was born a few days earlier. She eventually couldn't contain herself and just brought him in. Ha I held the little guy pretty much for the duration of the meal and then throughout the lesson haha my companion didn't want to hold him and the little girl wouldn't let me put him down so there you go.. haha I have a picture I will try to send haha.

 But yeah that's how we do dinner out here in Idaho! On Friday we traveled out to the other outlying areas in our boundary. We went with our Bishop and gave some sweet lessons to some less actives. Always a good experience to teach well in front of Bishop.  And yeah that's all I have about me.

Alright well I love you all soo much!!

Amo vocês muito! 

ELDER CHRISTENSEN