Merry Navidad!!!

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a good time, and enjoyed the cooler weather. It was way hot here, and Im scared for what january and february hold, because summer is just now starting here. 

This past week was actually a little harder than normal with all the people running around crazy for navidad. I was feeling a little bit bad about the week because our numbers weren't as good as the week before, but just now I looked at the numbers for the zone and they were all way down, so at least I don't feel like we are the only ones now. I can also report that we had 2 baptisms this week! 

The baptisms were on Wednesday, we had the wedding ceremony in the morning, in the civil office in the city center, and the morning was a little bit frustrating because the sister missionaries had borrowed our baptismal clothes because they had a baptism last weekend, and we told them we needed them back before Wednesday but they didn't return them, and when we called them in the morning to see when they could bring the clothes by, they told us they were 3 hrs away doing exchanges or something. Plus they didn't even have the baptism..so that put us in a real situation, but thankfully the zone leaders were able to lend us some baptismal clothes. So the wedding ceremony was the first one Ive actually seen in real life, it was just like the movies, the person doing to ceremony talked a ton and went on and on but finally they were married and ready to get baptized. That afternoon we had the baptism all set up for 5, and the mission president came, he had to talk with the sister who was going to get baptized about something. He got there an hour late though, the whole baptism was held up for him. Not exactly setting a good example for his missionaries eh. But it was cool to have him there. After the baptism it was about 7:30, and I didn't feel like working, because I was tired, and we had already had so much success that day I thought I could rest and be content with that...but something just keep telling me that if I got myself out there to work and visit at least one person, it would be worth it. I decided to go for it, and we found this guy named "Domingo", (that translates as sunday, I felt weird inviting him to church this Domingo) and we were able to teach him a great lesson, he had a ton of questions, he also has a ton of kids. We invited him to be baptized in the second sunday of january and he said yes! 

On thursday we had our zone meeting, they told us that we have half of the zones baptisms for the month, it feels really good to finally be having a lot of success and it just motivates me to want more and more. In the afternoon We did a practice baptismal interview for this kid Emiliano to make sure that he is ready for his interview this Wednesday, and his baptism is set up for Jan. 2. After that we had a soccer activity with the young men but I didn't play because my toe kills. 

On friday the best part of the day was a lesson that we had in the morning with Adriana, we talked all about the doctrine of Christ and she wants to get baptized but she can't yet because she's not married...if you find someone in this country that is already married when you knock on this door its basically a miracle. So we brought up that subject with her, and asked her to think and pray about whether or not she should get married. In the afternoon we walked for almost an hour to get to the house of a reference that someone gave us, but I think it was a fake address because they said nobody with that name lived there. At 8 pm we went to the church to have a fiesta for the people who got married on wednesday, it was really fun but it was supposed to start at 8 pm, and what time did it actually start? 10:15. The people here are unbelievably bad at showing up on time, you guys wouldn't believe it. So we could only stay in the party for 15 mins before we had to leave to go home. 

Saturday was Christmas Eve, I can't really remember what we did during the day because I haven't written in my journal since friday because I haven't had time, but we just bought a few gifts for the family that we were going to spend christmas eve with. The night was fun, we ate a ton of food and then at midnight everyone shot off fireworks! It was hard to see because all the streets were clouded with smoke. We had permission to stay out until 12, and it started raining while we were walking back it was great. 

On sunday we had church at 11:30, just one hour. We had told adriana and Jorge (her "husband") that we would pick them up to take them to church, no one was answering their phones the night before because it was christmas eve, so we had to go early to church to try and ask someone to help. We asked a ton of people, no one could help us then finally I asked the bishop if he could help us and he said "no elder its too late you should have told me last night. Why don't you go play some prelude music". So I just told him that Id pay for a taxi if he didn't want to help. So we went out and tried to catch a taxi, it was really difficult because the streets were abandoned as it was Christmas day, but by some miracle we got one and arrived just before the sacrament was blest, I used the last of my money for the month to do it. Im just happy that Adriana and Jorge came to church! 

On monday we spent almost the whole day waiting around in the hospital, I was trying to get my toe looked at. They finally looked at it, and I have to come back next monday and they are going to decide if they want to operate on it or not, but they gave me some antibiotics.  I hope they work because I do not want them ripping my toenail off...Ive seen that operation live here in argentina when my trainer had an ingrown toenail. It looks like the most painful thing ever, so Im just hoping that doesn't happen to me.  (feel free to pray for Ethan :) 

John 3:

16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Remember the True meaning of christmas! We aren't celebrating the gifts that the wise men gave baby Jesus, we are celebrating his birth and all that means to us! Because he came to the world, we can all be saved, if we believe and have faith in him. Remember that Faith = Action. By grace we are saved, after all we can do. We have to try our absolute best...then christ and his sacrifice do the rest. Remember that faith without works is dead! 

I love you all..and I hope that you had a good Christmas! 

Enjoy the last few days of 2016...

Love, Elder Christensen

PS: the pictures are: Christmas dinner, and then our baptism. The guy with the suit is our mission president, President Correa from chile. And then the hymnbook is the song called to serve, it has exactly 24 measures so its a good way to keep time in the mission. 

Love this!!

Some Painful Distraction!

Another great week! We are working hard, we had the best numbers in the zone by a long shot and I am really content about that. Obviously the numbers aren't what is important, but we are helping a lot of people come to Christ and they can tell that we are messengers from God because they are happy with us, and they feel the spirit. We also had a baptism this weekend!  It was a good way to celebrate the good week, and like I said the numbers don't matter, but the scriptures also say "by their fruits shall ye know them"...

So today we went to Carlos Paz again for p-day...its a 30 min bus ride into the mountains.  We like going there because it is super pretty and there is more to see and do. We brought lunch to eat there and we also brought a ton of hot water in a thermos to make "mate" with, everyone here loves it and I've really gotten into it. When I bring it back to america you guys are all gonna think I'm drugging myself or something because it looks really weird. Its hard to explain over email, haha ask my dad. But anyway I made the water WAY too hot apparently, because when I put the thermos in my backpack the vapor from the water inside made it explode and it soaked everything in my backpack, including my camera, wallet, and journal. Thankfully my camera was in its case and I only had 50 pesos in my wallet, but I was most upset about my journal because I have written in it every single day of my whole mission so far, and it got all wet.  I was sooo mad!  I can still read most of it thankfully but some parts of it are hard to make out. Its just annoying that all the pages are smeared now. I was seriously so mad. But whatever, now I know not to store my journal and my money in the same bag as a boiling water bottle. 

There are just a bunch of little things like that in the mission that are constantly happening just to try and distract me from the mission...for example I have had a messed up toenail for about a month now, and it kills, but I don't trust the doctors here so I haven't gone yet.  On Wednesday also I ate something bad I think, I don't know what, but I had to get up early because my stomach was killing and trust me I would never normally get up earlier than 6:30. That day was decent, the main thing I remember about Wednesday was the dinner we had at 8. The guy and his wife gave us a ton of food, and we got super full and stopped eating, and when the wife left the room for a second the husband whispered to us "my wife gets very offended when people don't eat a lot of her food, you need to keep eating" so we ate more and the guy just keeps giving us food before we even finished our plates. I got so full I wanted to die and finally my companion just said look, I cant eat anymore. I hope you are not offended! It was a real situation. We felt super sick but it was alright because they gave us an awesome reference to visit a girl who is 12 years old and wants to get baptized before christmas! We are visiting her for the second time tonight, and she came to church on sunday. 

On thursday we had to go to the civil office to do some paper work for the people who are getting married/baptized this next Wednesday. It was an hour walk away, but it is worth it if they get baptized on Wednesday. Later that evening we had a super good lesson with a guy named Daniel, we taught the restoration and gifted a Book of Mormon, and we were very excited after. Then later that night we passed in front of his house and he called us over and gave us back the book because he said he didn't want to confuse himself. I know that he started reading it and felt it was true but was scared to have to change, so he threw it out. I was sad afterwards but its part of the mission. 

Friday was actually kind of frustrating because we didn't get a lot done, the main things I remember was our lunch appointment with an old lady named hermana torres, she told us a funny story of her visit to america, she went to Utah and she couldn't figure out how to buy a ticket to the trax train because she doesn't speak english at all. So she just went on without a ticket and was freaking out and super nervous thinking she was gonna get caught and go to jail. That night all the missionaries in the zone went to Walmart to sing christmas hymns, I also bought a 500 peso pull up bar to use but it is broken, so I have to return it. 

On Saturday we did some service in the morning, and found a bunch of new people to teach! Okay I totally just ran out of time, I wasn't paying attention. Just know that on Sunday we had a baptism of a kid named mattias! It was perfect to celebrate my 13 month mark! I have to go, no scripture this week because I am out of time, but Ill put a few pictures.  Obviously I left out a ton of details, but the week overall was great and we found 14 new people to teach, and 5 of them came to church!

Love you all! Have a Great Christmas and enjoy the cool weather...I get burned here everyday and its about 100 degrees, I know I need to start using sun screen but im too lazy. Mom I'll be calling around 3 or 4 your time I think!

Talk to you all soon! Love Elder Christensen 

These pictures are of both halves of our mission.....I'm in both!
See if you can find me....
Good Luck!

Never Be Afraid to do What's Right

This was my first full week as senior companion.  I was a little bit nervous before because I wasn't sure if I was ready to lead all the lessons, or if I would be able to speak well enough, or if I knew the area well enough.  I shouldn't have worried! God prepares those that he calls, and he helped me to do everything that I needed to do. This has been one of the best weeks of my mission! Im super tired because we worked really hard, I haven't been this tired in a long time, but Im happy because we are trying to be obedient to the rules. 

Its funny that my first companion in the mission was from paraguay, and now a year later my first time being senior companion is with a paraguayan also. Well, the first day with my new companion was good we went and taught some people we met on monday in the morning, named maria and daniel. Maria has never been baptized in her whole life, and she was very interested in coming to our church. Daniel has a church already, but he has been to ours before and he is interested in learning more! After lunch I had prayed for inspiration to know where to go to knock doors...because we didn't have a ton of investigators and we needed to find more. I felt we should go to this street called "roque Arias", so we went and found a few people but nothing super exciting. I was kind of disappointed at first because I thought something amazing was going to happen, and we had to walk super far to get there. But on the way back, we took a route I had never been on before, and sure enough something incredible happened. We asked a family who were sitting out on their porch for directions, and they said "we know who you are." and they turned out to be the parents of a guy I knew in La Rioja who is a member of the church! I couldn't believe it. What are the chances I would randomly run into this guys family, who live in the ghetto of a huge city in a different state? These people aren't members, but their grandson is! He was a friend of mine in La Rioja, and they told me that he just left on his mission this monday to Bolivia! I know that him leaving on his mission has prepared his grandma (julia) to receive us and to learn more about the gospel, and what her grandson will be doing for the next two years. I know God led us to her house. 

On thursday we had a zone meeting in the morning, I like our district. We didn't have lunch scheduled with anyone so we had to eat in the pension, however it wasn't all that bad because it enabled us to sleep a little bit longer during the siesta. The afternoon was great because the district leader came to give the baptismal interview for matias! And he passed, so he is all ready to be baptized now. 

On Friday we had a great lesson with a person named alejandra that we met this week. It was kinda funny how we met her too, because we knocked on her door 3 times and she never opened it, so we went to the house next door. She thought we were gone so she came outside to water her plants or something and we saw her so we went back to give her a second chance to reject us and the first thing she said was "I have a church, I go to the universal church". Thats the one that started in brazil where they do a ton of "miracles". Anyway, we started talking to her and she opened up to us, and agreed to meet with us again on friday. The lesson was really good. We had planned to teach about the Book of Mormon and the restoration, but I felt that we should teach about the plan of salvation instead. I know that was inspiration because it had a huge affect on her, and she was excited to come to church on sunday. In the afternoon we taught a lady named Elizabeth, she is actually a member already but I am not happy with the missionaries who taught her before us because she doesn't understand anything still, she has "santos" all over her house. However I kind of understand the problem of the missionaries who taught her, she is extremely difficult to teach because she NEVER stops talking, and I really mean never. If you ask her a question, or try to start talking she goes off into a different subject automatically it is really frustrating. She really needs help though so we aren't going to give up. 

Saturday was the only day of the week that I didn't really enjoy, because it was frustrating and hard to get things done. In the morning we had our meeting with the ward mission leader to plan the baptism of matias, that was good. Then we had lunch with family Acosta, it was for 12:30 but we got there and they didn't even start cooking until 2:30 and we didn't get out of there until about 4, then at 5 we had to go to an appointment with some less active members but they didn't pay us a lot of attention, they left us all alone for a while because they were really busy around the house it seemed. I made them banana bread because they asked for it, but I don't think they even liked it. The one good thing was that the dad of that family promised to help us by picking up alejandra to come to church the next morning. When we got to his house the next day at 9 am to go pick up alejandra, he was fast asleep. We had to knock forever to get him to come answer the door. That is the reason he doesn't go to church, he is always sleeping. We reminded him he had promised to pick up alejandra, and thankfully he agreed to do it.   She was ready and waiting outside her house, and she had invited her husband jorge to come to! It was the first time we met him, it was really great that she invited him! She loved church, the class was great, we spoke about the judgement and how we will be judged for our works, it really made an impact on her. She said she wants to come every week now! 

Monday was the last day of the week for us, we were extremely tired but we kept trying to work hard. I don't think I have ever walked so much in my life. We taught two really good lessons on monday, one with Julia (the lady who is the mom of my friend in La Rioja) and with a friend of a member here, his named is miguel. We gifted both of them a Book of Mormon, and explained the importance of it and how they can know if its true or not. Both of them are going to read and pray to find out if its true. The lesson with Miguel was in the house of a member named Maria Romero, she helps us a lot. In our mission we call lessons with both members and investigators an "ideal situation", but this lesson with maria wasn't exactly ideal because when we were explaining that Jesus was the only perfect person to ever live, she started talking about how she thinks Jesus sinned because "he had kids out side of marriage" we were like what the heck are you talking about??? It was weird but it all turned out good in the end and Miguel learned a lot. 

The scripture I want to share this week is one we read in companionship study this week...by the way my new companion is great, he is willing to work hard and he has only been a member for 1 year, and he is 25 years old already. I respect him a lot for going on a mission at that age, and for only being a member for such a short time. 

The scripture is Moses 6:33 Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you. 34 Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.

I like this scripture because it gives us clear instruction on what we have to do here! We are living in the last days and Jesus is going to come again soon...we have to help the people decide now, who they are going to decide to follow. We have to prepare ourselves now, because if we don't do it now, in the next life it will be too late. Yes, its true that people who never heard the gospel in this life will be able to hear it in the next. But for those of us who have that chance now, we need to take the chance while we have it. It won't be possible for us to just change who we are in the next life, we have to do it now. Never be afraid to do what's right, because God is with us when we do. 

Love you all!

Elder Christensen

Cool Airplane

My comp Elder Gwilliam.......one of the only people here who is taller than me!

New Companionship....following the Spirit.

This week was my companion, Elder Jimenez`s, last in the mission. If I said he was super motivated to work his last week in the mission that would be a lie, but we still managed to get another baptism! Back to back weeks with a baptism, and hopefully we will get another this sunday. 

So on thursday my companion took his backpack into the city center to get it repaired, apparently it was urgent that it was repaired before he got home! He got mad after because he didn't like the color of the string that they used to repair it. Then we missed the bus going back to our area by seconds, and had to wait a whole hour there for the next one. It made us super late for lunch, but thankfully the family we ate lunch with was running late too and they hadn't even started cooking by the time we got there. Lunch with them was interesting...they have this huge rat possum thing as a pet, somebody gave it to them and it just roams around the house and it climbs on people. They taught it a cool trick where they hang it upside down from its tail and it uses its hands to climb back up. That night, the district leader came to give a baptismal interview for our investigator named benjamin. He is 9 years old and his parents are both members recently reactivating, and he was super excited to get baptized! He passed the interview of course. 

On friday it rained a ton. The water draining system in our area isn't just bad, it doesn't exist. All the water just stays in the streets, it becomes a huge river thats impossible to cross Ill try to take a picture next time because you have to see it to believe it. In the evening the main thing was a big farewell party in the church for Martin sayas, a kid who goes on his mission to Peru this week, for my companion who finished the mission, and for a girl named Micaela who is Martins girlfriend and she's going on a mission to brazil in 3 weeks. 

On saturday in the morning we went to the church so my companion could work on his final letter to president...when a missionary finishes his mission he always has to write a final letter to the president talking about his experiences. While he was working on that, the young men came to play soccer at the church.  I was in my church clothes, but I decided to play with them. This was a big mistake because it was super hot and I got really sweaty. That night we were visiting some members, they asked me to make banana bread on the spot! They had all the stuff so I made it and it turned out great! Everyone here loves it...I would recommend to everyone on the mission that they learn how to cook it because it will make all the members love you. 

Sunday was my companions final day in the mission and in the ward of La Madrid, it was also fast and testimony meeting. A ton of people were sharing their testimonies, mostly to say goodbye to martin and to talk about the importance of missionary work. That evening we had the baptism of Benjamin! His parents were super happy, as was everyone else because the spirit was there. The spirit makes people happy! Maybe one of the best things about the baptism was that the girl who was baptized just last week, victoria, offered to give a spiritual thought in front of everyone. She used to be super shy and nervous in the church, so I was really surprised and also happy that she is doing so well in church already! That night Martin was set apart as a missionary..about a hundred people came to wish him off, because he left early monday morning. While I was there sitting on the piano bench a random guy that I had never seen before came up to me and told me my first and middle name, where I was from and he knew tons of stuff about me.  I had no idea who he was I was freaking out but then he revealed himself to be Brian Herman, the guy who made my leather scripture case. So that was how he knew all about me. 

On monday in the morning I took elder Jimenez to the mission home and dropped him off with all the other 27 people who are going home. Both of my trainers were there, Elder Packer and Elder Gonzalez. Its crazy how fast the time went, it feels like just yesterday I was there with them and they had a whole year left in the mission, now im here and they are gone and I have a year left in the mission. Looking back it goes by really fast. That afternoon I went back with a gringo (brand new elder) named Elder Gwilliam, he is still working a lot with his spanish but I took him back to our area and we went to work. I knew that almost the entire mission would be doing absolutely nothing that day...on the last day of the transfer everyone is either traveling or just wasting time. I had the option to stay in the mission home for the day and do nothing, but I really wanted to get a head start on the next transfer. Gwilliam is super new, so I knew I was going to have to do most of it but I felt good, and I felt inspired.  We went and set goals to knock a certain number of doors, and we found a couple really really great people. We were both super guided by the spirit, I can't really explain how it feels but for example we would both stop walking at the exact same time in front of the exact same house without saying anything, because we felt we should knock on it, and we didn't just go door to door we only knocked on doors we felt we should knock on. And by knocking doors, I mean clapping, cause thats what they do here. But the people we found, and the lessons we taught were super good, I talked more than I have in my whole mission because I was the only one who knew how, but it was incredible how well everything went. I just kept opening my mouth.  I didn't even know what I was going to say most of the time, it just came out.  My companion and I where both very happy afterwards. He said it was the best day of his whole mission, it was one of my best too.  I know its because we were working hard and following the spirit. 

Yesterday while we were teaching, several people asked us about the plane crash of that Brazilian futbol team...like why did God let that happen, were they bad people? stuff like that. Elder Gwilliam shared a scripture that is really simple but that I hadn't noticed before.

2 Nephi 2:24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Its really simple but true. We don't have to worry about the "why" of stuff that happens, we just have to trust that God knows why. God knows everything, and everything that he does is for the benefit of us all. Maybe that accident had to happen to teach some people something, or to prepare a lot of people for the gospel. I know that it for sure made a lot of people think about whether or not there is a life after death...so now when the missionaries knock on their door with the plan of salvation, they will be ready to understand. So what looks like something bad now, maybe can turn out to be something good if it helps many come to the knowledge of the truth. Thats just how I feel about it. 

Love you all,

Elder Christensen

Look at the top picture closely....how many animals do you see?

Hermana arias from buenos aires who finished her mission today

MTC Squad.

Benjamin's sister.

 The baptism of Benjamin, and everyone that went! 

The Family Luchini, they aren't members but they are friends of the missionaries in the area called parque capital. The two other missionaries in this picture are the assistants to the president in the mission.