Christensen Missionaries: 5/14/2011 Elder Christensen

Me while talking to you guys on the phone!! Dad I know you love
the scarf haha. Mom I know you love the tie.

Hey everyone! Wow let me just start up by saying that it was way fun to call and talk to you guys this last week. Mom you are right, the time FLIES. All the missionaries know that though. It´s almost a joke how fast it goes while talking to your family. You have enough time to figure out how everyone is and a tiny sliver of whats going on and WHAM! Time to go. It was superrrrrrrr weird to hear my sisters baby screaming in the background though! Wow so tight! I still forget that I´m an uncle sometimes. Definitely need to meet my niece!

Its been another great week here in the office. Tons of garb to do. My week comprised of making visa packets for missionaries, going to the hospital, various meetings, and a stubbed toe! Also we had tons of sweet lessons out in the sector. Last night we got to read 3 Nefi 11 with Ximena and her aunt gladys. Towards the end Ximena was flipping through her BoM and we saw that she had a scripture in Jacob highlighted. Its one about how the Lord delights in the chastity of women. Get this! Its so cool! So... Ximena is easily one of the strongest converts Ive been able to see. She loves the gospel and always is craving more light. One problem though is her job. She works at a Discoteque which is just like a night club... They are superrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr dirty status though. So at the end of our appointment last night she said... I dont want to go to work today! And I said... ya we know... Those places are gross! She then responded by saying... Ya I know thats why I don´t want to go. Anyways, she wants to share the scripture that she marked to her BOSS and let him know more about our religion. We were blown away by that. She just wants to talk about chastity with her co-workers! Maybe kinda an awkward environment to do so but hey! She´s preaching!

Man by reading Elder Lowe´s emails I can see how much he has changed! Way to go buddy! I could not believe that they went golfing on Pday! Thats amazing! I had forgotten that golf even existed. Its so fun to see the growth of all your friends during the two year period of being a missionary. Everyone finds the gospel... Its weird.. Growing up in the middle of Orem Utah we ALL have had the gopel our whole lives.. We´ve all lived it... But out here we find it. It´s like the roots and seeds that our parents planted in us begin to sprout or something. Like I´ve explained previously I just LOVE it now. Before I would want to cut out after sacrament to watch the Broncos game but now the 3 hours end and I´m like.... Thats it? GIVE ME MOREEEEE!! Thats what Tivo is for right? ;) The trick is applying what we KNOW we must do to our every day lives. We know the prophet asks us to read the Book of mormon.. or go to institute... or whatever it may be! The problem comes when we are juggling so many things at once. Thats when we must take the council from Pres Uchtdorf and just Slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwn. The daily spiritual things are necessary. SO necessary. Here in the office sometimes we just.... RUN RUN RUN RUN. If theres something more important to do we just lose our studies... Its like the only down side that I can see here. I definitely notice the difference in me when I haven´t read the scriptures.. I just don´t have the spirit. I had a hard day last week I don´t really even know why... I felt like we may have had contention and that killed me.. So I couldn´t sleep... What do you do when you can´t sleep as a missionary???? Just lay there?? We have to be obedient to the schedule! We MUST sleep or at least lay there until the sun comes up. But I felt that I should read a little bit from the Book of Mormon. I got up, and just read the first chapter in Mosiah... Thats when I received a PALO as well as a little bit of personal revelation just for me. ;) A palo is like... a repremanding. A lashing. Something that arrives to my heart that I have been bad at. Anyways, I read Mosiah 1:6 and 7... It talks about how we must search the scriptures diligently so that we may profit from them... Hit me SO hard. So I´m trying to read more and more even though I have less and less time! It´s just a little example that we can all receive revelation from the scriptures if we are ready for it. I know that they really are for our well being and instruction as Nefi explained. One more quick thing I liked... In Mosiah 3:13 it says that God has sent prophets to help every kindred, nation, and tongue... It´s WAY cool in spanish though because it substitutes the word kindred for family. The prophet helps THE FAMILY. His council is scripture and we must apply it in our homes.

I just wanted to stop and thank everyone for all that you´ve done for me. I know that ALL of my friends, neighbors, and family have really made me who I am. Everyone has done something.... Sent me a letter.... Taught me some lesson a long time ago that I still remember..... Says or does something nice for my parents.... I just wanted to thank EVERYONE for being so wonderful. You have no idea the difference you are making in not only my life but the lives of many others. In the Joseph Smith movie this old lady says something to the effect of... "Mr Smith I do not believe in your religion but I do appreciate your kindness" The prophet responds simply by saying... " Well ma´am you might say that that is our religion". I LOVE that. Thats what we need to do. Give service. Help those in need. I love you all a ton and I hope that you keep on doing what what the Savior would do. Find time for the small things. I wish you all a great week!