Christensen Missionaries: 3/8/2011 Hermana Christensen

me and kim johnson at the temple
that was SUCH a tm to see her there!!!

I'm not entirely sure what it was about this week in particular, but I had a million and a half things that made me think of home and my family. I sure love you guys!!!!

yesterday i remembered a funny childhood memory--remember the cigarette lighter? well, this week sister mendoza and i are studying the commandments, and it was so neat to see all the parallels there. "okay, tawny, don't touch this thing because it will burn you. i'm just going to leave you for ONE second while i run up to this door..." it's like Heavenly father--He leaves us for one little baby second on earth, tells us EXACTLY what to do (and what not to do!), but gives us our agency. and what do we do with it? well, sometimes, we put the cigarette lighter to our lips, and it freakin hurts, and it's sorta a funny memory, but why? I don't know, the parallels to that story and the commandements etc were beautiful. we can still laugh about it though!
all's well.

we had a 3 1/2 hour lesson with hermano chavez last week.. he bore his testimony in church on sunday. he's not even a member yet! he's pretty legit. we have to be patient with him, but he's amazing. i'm excited for him; i know he's going to rise up and be a really inspiring priesthood leader someday.

we had a really neat experience here at the battalion the other day. a couple came in--they'd found a flyer somewhere and decided to come up. she told me she'd been diagnosed with cancer and that it was real hard for her. she and her husband said that they felt something really special and different here... i told them that it wasn't casualidad or chance that they were here, and she started crying. she went on the tour and afterwards referred herself saying that they wanted the missionaries to come over. unbelievable. heavenly father leads people here that are SO prepared and so ready. it's unreal. then as if that wasn't tm enough, sister park came in, and i got to take her and her invesitgators on a tour. what? so neat. love her!

also, i was checking the status of the referrals i've sent off and guess what? one man... got BAPTIZED. i'm telling you. it happens! this place is unreal! i really love serving here. there are five new sisters here, and i was talking to three of them the other day and i had a really... i don't know, it was a neat moment where i was able to see that i've made a little bit of progress. they were talking about how they didn't really love their call and how it was going to take some getting used to "sitting indoors in a pioneer dress all day not helping anyone," and i THREW DOWN. i didn't know i loved the battalion nor my call as much as i did until i was basically crying, testifying to them of the sacred nature of their call and the blessing, opportunity, and PRIVILEGE that is ours to serve here in this mission--and especially at the battalion. it was a tm. i really am contenta and so grateful for this singular opportunity and privilege to be here. i love it SO much! every night in my prayers i'm so thankful that i am a missionary and that i stilll have time here!

i am grateful. i love you. i thank you for your support and love and emails and PACKAGE. you are out of control! please have a great week and know that i love you. DEARLY!!!!

hermana christensen

how neat about the gilbert's! i LOVE them; they will do such a neat job over there in korea! wow. thanks for telling me!

if any of my 8 are reading this--how are you all doing? no mail from you in my pile today--what's up with that?! get on the ball! jk. but i love you dearly!!! thinking of and praying for you like you wouldn't believe!

dearest joan. thanks for the email! can't wait to read it. you're wonderful. i love you very much! keep warm sweet thing!