We have had a good week, last week we were feeling a bit disappointed because only 2 people had accepted a baptismal date, the goal for the mission is to have 10 people accept baptismal dates per week, obviously all of them dont end up getting baptized, maybe 1 out of 10 progress. Thats why its important to talk about baptism with everyone. me and my companion were doing weekly planning sunday night and we were feeling really motivated to meet our goals, and we made a deal to never fail to meet the mission weekly standards again...the standards have been raised recently, the goal is to find: 20 new investigators a week, teach 21 lessons, have 10 people accept a baptismal date, and have 8 investigators in church. Obviously the last one we cant really control, but the other 3 depend a lot on our dedication. I only have 3 weeks left and I really want to make sure I give everything, leave it all on the field. So we went a full this week, that means like going crazy, and I think we walked more than I ever have in my whole life. We were able to meet all the goals, except the one about 10 baptismal dates, after working as hard as we could we had 9 on saturday night...I didnt understand because we had done all we could to try and find the 10th person, but on saturday a lot of appointments fell though and we weren't able to. I was a bit sad but I felt okay because I knew we had tried out best...on sunday God gave us a miracle though, a member had brought her friend with her who wasn't a member, her name is aya. We were able to talk a lot about baptism in the gospel principals class, and she really liked it, after sacrament meeting I was able to invite her to get baptized on the 29th and she said yes...for me that was a little miracle, it was like God gave us a gift because he noticed all our hard work. I feel like Ive never been so tired, I fall into bed each night and fall asleep during my before bed prayer, not to mention that my feet are destroyed from walking 24/7 but I am super happy, I know that this is what missionary work is supposed to be and Im really happy to be able to say that Im doing all I can. I feel really happy and I feel my testimony grow everyday, I love the mission and I love the people and I love the church.
We have a lot of really great investigators right now, there is a lot to say about them but I dont have a lot of time. One of them who is really special is named Laura, and she is only 11 years old but I have really enjoyed talking with her, she is really small but talking to her is like talking to an adult, she understands the gospel principals and the scriptures better than most of the adults I talk to and she is really spiritual. She is also super fancy, shes like an adult trapped in a childs body. Talking to her has made me remember some of the scriptures in 3 nephi where Jesus blessed the children and their tongues were loosed and they said incredible things, that couldnt be written. Because she has told me a lot of her experiences, she has seen angels multiple times, and if I told people about it they probably wouldnt believe me but she says it in such a simple matter of fact way that I believe her 100%. And she applies the scriptures so well, she is seriously incredible and I want her to get baptized really bad, she said she would walk the whole earth to get baptized or to do what God asks her to do, I just hope her parents feel the same way. We dont know them very well still because they have laura talk to us in their front yard. As of now she is set up to be baptized on the 29th.
Here is a scripture that I read this morning:
4th Nephi:15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
The mission has been so great, I never want it to end, its been really really hard work, we dont do a lot of things that the world would consider "fun", but I have never been so happy, I can really feel the love of God, and I know that the promise is true, that if we keep the commandments, God will help us to complete our missions on the earth, and we will find Joy in doing so.
The secret to being happy: Keep the commandments + serving others = happiness
Love you all, Hope everybody has a good week! I have attached a few pictures from the baptism 2 weeks ago that I forgot to upload! Graciela is super happy!
Love, Elder Christensen
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