Cant really believe this is my second to last p-day, this last transfer has gone by really fast. Only 2 weeks left...Hopefully I can take advantage of it and enjoy every moment!
Its crazy that even after being here for so long, and for being a missionary this long, that you dont ever become a perfect missionary, I keep learning new things every week, and becoming a better person, especially thanks to studying the scriptures and the spiritual experiences that we have in lessons and in district meetings. Its also interesting that the mission never becomes something easy, even after experiencing so many things it can still get hard, people are still rude to us when we knock on their door, etc. but even with all that I wouldn't trade the mission for anything. I feel like I have learned so much, and still have a lot to learn, so I hope I can continue on an upward trajectory when I get home.
We went to the temple today, It was such a beautiful morning, it was nice and cool and the sun was out, and the gardens of the temple in Cordoba are so nice. I love walking up to the temples. After coming off the busy streets, the gardens where the temple is seem so quiet and peaceful, and the temple is so pretty, when I look at it there is no doubt in my mind that the church is true. I think the same goes for all temples, you can feel something really special there.
While there, I read a scripture in D and C 132:50 Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as I accepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.
This scripture was Jesus talking to Joseph Smith, but I always try to apply them to myself. I was just in there thinking about my mission, and how it was possibly the last time I will enter the temple as a set apart missionary (it will be closed when I finish the mission), and I was just praying and thinking about a lot of stuff. I was thinking sure, it was a sacrifice for me to come on the mission. I gave some stuff up, and sacrificed 2 years of my life. It hasn't always been easy, but Im sure it wasn't easy for Abraham to have to sacrifice his son (almost). Its not always easy what we are asked to do, but I know that when we make the sacrifices obediently, it is always worth it...and many times it doesn't turn out to be as bad as we thought. Abraham didnt have to sacrifice his son in the end, God just wanted to see if he would be obedient. In the beginning I thought the mission would be super hard and I expected the worst honestly, but it has been a lot of fun and a super great experience for my life, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I dont have a lot of time, Ill just say a couple of the best things from this week. One was that Clara came to church, she is one of our best investigators, she is about 50 years old and has wanted to come to church for a while. We picked her up in a car (she doesn't walk too well because she has broken both of her legs in the past), it was her first time but she really liked it! She is set up for a baptism on the 29th of this month, I really hope everything goes well! We also have had a lot of lessons with our investigator named aya, the one who is from algeria. She is cool, we are lucky that her best friend and neighbor is a member, who always reminds her to read and pray and stuff. We had a really good lesson with her yesterday, we talked a lot about the commandments (word of wisdom, chastity, etc) she doesn't have a problem with anything except coffee...she says she doesn't understand why its bad in small amounts, but she accepted to try not drinking it for a week to see how she feels!
We are also teaching a lady named Maria de los angeles (me and my comp call her maria from L.A.), she has a lot of health problems, I think it might have something to do with her chugging straight from 2 liter soda bottles 24/7. She and her family remind me a lot of the "mighty vikings", we are trying to help them, I was able to make her a lot of promises about her health if she follows the word of wisdom.
Im out of time, I never get to say all that I have to say, But I hope you guys are doing well! Love you all, here are a few pictures of our zone at the temple!
Love, Elder Christensen
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