The Book of Mormon Helps us Interpret the Bible

This week started with a big day on Wednesday, The zone leaders came to my district meeting, partly to evaluate it and also they made the trip to do baptismal interviews for a couple of our investigators. However after the district meeting it all went down hill pretty fast, because neither Analía nor Mauricios parents will let them get baptized, or even get the interview. Mauricio is 14 so its somewhat understandable but Analía is 22 and its ridiculous. She is old enough to make her own decisions, but whatever we won't give up. I was just frustrated because basically the zone leaders came for nothing, its an expensive and long trip. One good thing about that day was in the night we had dinner with family palomeque, and they celebrated my birthday (3 weeks late, better late than never) with a cake and everything, it was really nice!

Thursday was a good day for the other elders lepe and larsen, because I got to do a baptismal interview for a 9 year old girl they had been teaching named Irene. Her grandma was a member but inactive and they lived together....talk about a gold mine. Later that night we taught the first english class with the youth here, they all thought the word potato was hilarious, we still have no idea why. 

On friday we woke up to an earthquake...it was the first one I can ever remember feeling, it was crazy it opened the window and it made a really loud noise. I hope wherever the center of it was is okay, but I haven't heard any news so I feel like it was probably just a small one. That day we also found a gold mine of our own, another 9 year old kid who isn't baptized but his mom is a member. We have been teaching him and he will probably be baptized in a few weeks!

Saturday we were in a trio, because Elder Lepe had to go to cordoba for his final interview. We had a fun day working as a trio, and we had a lot of things to do to prepare for the baptism of Irene. We started filling the font, then went outside to wait for elder Lepe, and when we saw him he was walking down the street drinking a coke, he is funny and goofy, we will miss him. Once he arrived me and elder Mooneyham left to go teach a lesson while they finished setting up the baptism, during the middle of the lesson they called us saying we had to go there urgently because there was nobody there and they needed us to go as witnesses. So that was interesting having a baptism with almost no one there, not quite sure what happened with that. 

On sunday we brought mauricio to church again, we gifted him a white shirt and blue tie because he didn't have any. He was feeling super happy during and after church, and its a real shame his mom wouldn't let him get baptized. Maybe in the future he will be able to, but he really loves the church already. Our investigator liliana was also there, going on her crazy kissing sprees like always. She kissed all the young men on the cheek and also all little kids. I escaped somehow, it was a stroke of luck, but she had a good time at church.  she isn't baptized yet because she is waiting on her marriage paperwork still. That night we carried lepes bags to the bus station (they were huge and heavy with no wheels) and sent him off. He should be back in Santiago Chile by now with his fam. 

Yesterday was elder Larsens last day in Cosquín. So we where in a trio again, and we hung out a bit while he finished his packing. We contacted a little, I met a lady who lives in Arroyito! I got super excited and I told her that I used to live there too, and we talked a bit and I got her address and today I sent it to the elders who are there right now and they will visit her this week. (The elder there now is my MTC comp, elder Jackson!) In the afternoon the faucet in our kitchen exploded, and water was shooting everywhere. I have a video but its taking too long to upload. But I had to call a "plomero" (plumber) named Jesús to come fix it and I had to pay 300 pesos it was bogus. But he fixed it good. Then we bought a huge pizza for elder larsens last dinner, and this morning we took him to the bus station at 5:30 and he is in cordoba now. 

They have closed half of Cosauín, so its just me and Elder Mooneyham now but its alright. I will be here for 6 more weeks at least! 

I've been continuing my reading in 1 nephi, and here are some interesting scriptures in chapter 13. 

26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.

 27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.

 28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.

Here Its talking about the Bible, how it was a very important book written by the apostles of the Lord in jerusalem, but how the devil has caused many important parts of it to be lost, and overall it has been made very confusing. This was something that I never really could understand clearly before the mission. Why is our church the only one that has the Book of Mormon? But after talking to so many people here and seeing how every one all translates the same passages in so many crazy ways, I can see why the Book of Mormon is necessary. Does confusion come from God, or from the devil? Obviously the Devil, but thankfully God has provided us with the Book of Mormon to help us to understand what the bible says! I recently asked an investigator what the Book of Mormon means to her, and she said its a way to interpret the bible. Its not 100% what it is, but its a good way to think about it! Using the references on the bottom of the pages you can always study both at the same time...I have been doing that a lot lately and its really interesting! 

Thats all the time I have today! I love you all!

Elder Christensen

Here are a few pictures: a cat chillin on the counter in the internet cafe! The other ones are my last p-day and our district with the zone leaders in the district meeting. ​