After the conferences, we had the choir performances. The first performance on Wednesday was kind of rough because there were a ton of audio problems. The speakers kept making a really loud screeching noises, it was really uncomfortable, Im sure my companion was not pleased. On friday it turned out a lot better! There were no audio problems at all, and all the songs turned out really good! The spirit was there, and a lot of investigators that were invited had a good experience. My companion was happy, he has been editing the video a lot and he posted it to youtube and stuff. With all his all his choir work done he can finally "die" in peace. His mission will be over in exactly one week. It hasn't been the worst transfer ever but to be the last companion of a missionary going home is never a fun experience in general! On top of having my companion finishing his mission, I had to hear 27 elders and sisters who are going home share their final testimonies. Some of them didn't even take it seriously, but the ones who did were really spiritual. Its not good to think to much about all the people going home, a lot of them are my friends and 2 of them were my trainers. Its crazy to think about how the time has passed...one year ago I was in Ituzaingó with elder Gonzalez from paraguay, and he was talking about how he had a whole year left...now he is going home and im the one with a year left. Im really feeling like ill be a trainer soon because 22 new people arrive next tuesday. Ill be in the place of elder Gonzalez at this time last year. A year still sounds like a long time but that time can go quick. Also I think I will be doing a lot of things differently then my trainer did with me...I haven't had a lot of good examples for me in my mission but Im going to be one for my "hijo".
Unfortunately, with the 2 conferences and all the crazy stuff going on, we didn't get a whole lot of teaching done during the week. But I can report something really good! We had a baptism! With all the stuff thats been going on it kinda got lost amid the other stuff, and I can't remember if Ive kept you guys updated on it. But her name is Victoria, shes is 13. Her cousins are recent converts that are super strong in the church already, her mom and brother came to her baptism and they liked it a lot! The spirit was super strong and everyone at the baptism was happy! 30 people came, me and my companion played a special musical number with the piano and flute, "cuando me bautice" its from the primary hymnbook. Playing that song made me think a lot about my time in the primary. It left a really good spirit in the baptism and everyone was very happy afterwards.
Oh, on sunday we had the Primary Program! Normally I wouldn't be involved of course but me and my companion were playing the instruments for all their songs, and it was seriously the best experience ever! Not for playing the piano, that was actually hard because the piano is way out of tune and is very old! But I loved being with all the little kids, its the first area in my mission that has had a big primary but they are seriously the best. They would always just run up to me and give me hugs all the time for no reason and they were always happy. Kids are for sure the best people in the world...now I know why the saviour said "And again I say unto you, ye must . . . become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 11:38)
That doesn't mean be like a little child in the sense of not having responsibility, or breaking stuff and running around crazy! What I've learned from spending the past 3 Saturdays with the primary kids, is that when Jesus tells us to be like little children, he is saying that we should be happy! We should enjoy our life, explore have fun like a little kid. And he is saying be humble! The little kids are more humble then you might expect. While we were practicing one of the songs, they were singing one of them wrong because it was what they knew. They thought they were singing it correctly. The primary president asked me to teach them the correct way to sing the song, and I did. It made me think because the kids did exactly what I said without asking why, or trying to keep going with their own way of singing the song. They accepted that I knew what was best for them. Thats how we should be when we listen to the teaching of Jesus, and the prophets, and our church leaders. Sometimes we think we know whats best for us, but the truth is that God is the one who knows whats best for us and he has a plan for us. We need to be humble and meek and happy like little children, in order to have the faith to accept Gods will for us and to accept that when he gives us commandments, he knows whats best for us. I know that God knows what he is doing! We just have to trust him.
So anyway, back to Victoria and her family. Her mom is widowed...Victorias dad died when she was 6. Its really sad and im sure its had a big impact on them, I just want to help. I know that the gospel can help them, the mom and little brother (8 yrs old) haven't come to church yet but they came to Victorias baptism and they liked it a lot. Im sure they will come to church next week and eventually get baptized! Also, Victorias aunt and uncle are getting married and baptized on the 21st of december, and her other uncle and aunt are going to get married and baptized in January! Her whole family will be members soon hopefully. Victoria is already working on her personal progress because she wants to get the medallion, and she told me she wants to go on a mission! Its really good. We also have potential to have other baptisms next weekend, we will see what happens.
I think I get my new comp on wednesday, and my companion finishes his mission on tuesday. I don't really know if ill be able to email next tuesday or when, but maybe the next time Ill have my new companion! Just pray that he is a worker..
The pictures are of the whole group at the baptism, of Victoria, Elder Jimenéz and I, and me and my companion playing the piano and flute, I didn't even know they took this picture.
I love you all, I hope you all had a good thanksgiving. Next Thanksgiving Ill be home!
Love, Elder Christensen
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