Tuesday, November 16, 2010

11/16/10 Hermana Christensen

Well helloooooooooo!!
I've been told my emails are long.. haha, well good thing I'm fresh out of time this week huh?

HI everyone! I hope things are going well! Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I hope everyone is reeeeeeeeal stoked. I sure am. Dia de gracias. and i have sooo much to be thankful for! namely you--my sweetest familia who i love so dearly. i hope that everyone is well and happy. :)

so henry received the espiritu santo yesterday. unreal. so neat. and he's suddenly speaking in church in a few weeks. that guy really was a dry mormon! but now he's wet. ha. so legit. what a pleasure and joy and blessing it has been working with him and his sweet fam. they've taught us more that we've taught them, surely!

Henry & Petersons before Henry's baptism!
the work rolls on. people are coming along poco a poco. our investigadores sure have a lot of struggles. it's unbelievable the things that they're facing. and really--HONESTly--it stems from part member families. kids can't be baptized, wives can't go to church bc their hub won't let them... honestly, i am learning SO much about family relations out here. the gospel needs to be our EVERYTHING in order to have families exist and survive and be happy. ah. i am just so grateful to have what i have.

i've been thinkin a lot about all this lately--i've seen a lot about how the environment here really shapes people. and you know what i thought about? my sweet parents. i was telling hma story about how we used to take those sunday bike rides and walk through houses and stuff, and dad, sooo many times you said, "kristen and i almost bought this house but..." and 99% of the time the problem was something about the neighborhood. and you know what? I am SO grateful to have grown up wherei did. I didn't really see how it made a difference then, but, looking back, WOW do i ever. where we grow up and who we do so with makes such a difference--especially in our younger lives. and, so, as i've thought about kay and colb buyin a house, i imagine them being just as careful and prayerful as you guys were--knowing that pita needs a good neighborhood with good good neighbors to help raise that sweet sweet little girl. when kris, kc, and laura came in, i got a little emotional telling them about how much love is in my heart for rr1 and all the studs there who really helped me in my progression; i am who i am today because of the good influences i was brought up around. So, mom and dad, i thank you for always having our best interest at heart, for being sooo careful and so thoughtful as you made decisions that have and will continue to always bless my life.

i sure love you all! i wish you a BEAUTIFUL, happy, healthy week from sunny sunny san diego. :) ha!

love!  hermana christensen

ps happy bday leelee!

pss KELSSSSSSSSSSSS ;ALSDFJ;ASLDKJF;OASKDJF;AOISEFJ;AFA;LSKDFJA;SLDFJASL;DKFJ i am absolutely BURSTING!!!!!! i'm praying for you sweetness!! BELIEVE IT! go forth and conquer! i'm here for you! always!

"With even your straongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it will y ield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow." -Richard G Scott

"To me was a trying time after being driven from my home and leaving all both land and house in the hands of enemies and now to leave my wife and children with nothing but a blanket over them to keep them from the hot sun, but leaving them in the hands of the Lord." -Jeremiah Willey

"I am full of pleasure and delight when i look upon so many with whom I had the honor of walking with knapsack and muskit." -David Wilkins

i should explain--

the last two quotes on my email are quotes from the kiosk of the roster list here at the mobat. i'm trying to incorporate that into my emails more because it really is sooo incredible. the story and the spirit here is incredible! and it really is so sweet because people are just lured into here unknowingly, and then they feel the spirit and then refer themselves and WABAM! jk. but seriously. just yesterday a guy came in and told us that his son is now teaching a guy in the CZECH REPUBLIC becase he referred himself here at the mobat. it's so incredible. it's a powerful story.

so the quotes are from the men who were on the march. :) what faith and sacrifice.

love you!

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