9/20/2011 Elder Christensen "Independence Day"

Me holding a plate of anticuchos! Superrrrr

dank I can´t lie! Great P day activity!

Wow it seems like its been an eternity since the last time I wrote you guys hahaha. Thats the opposite of normal. Normally I take two breaths, a nap, and I back here at the computer writing again.. Sorry our internet time was changed to tuesday this week because everything was closed up. These chileans LOVE their holidays more than anything else in the world hahaha. Super funny to be honest.. Lets see here. Let me start with a little random thing that you might find funny.. Mom I love beats now! Superrrr good. It´s kinda amazing how your tastebuds change on the mission. Every return missionary knows what I´m talking about haha! Dad will LOVE that one seeing as how he hates beats.

Okay we had zone conference this week... As a mission we are now going to be teaching our Lesson one a lot deeper than we were before especially when it comes to Joseph Smith. Usually we just go into very little detail about who he actually is and jump right into his religious story and the first vision. But now, we are going to LIGHT EVERYONE UP with his background story.. Once they get to know his story, then the whole miracle of the first vision will actually have more meaning in their hearts. I learned something new that I loved... I had NO idea that the Smith family had previously had farms and that they had failed them, causing them to change locations several times. Why in the world is that important? Because God had to put them in the right location so that they could be close to the sacred grove. BOOM! That one hit me like a ton of bricks! You can actually see the hand of God in Josephs life. Of course the other farms would fail... because they had to get to THAT one so that Joseph could have his experience. Super cool right? I know that that´s how it is in our lives as well... We try to do what we want, and our father says... NOPE! Wrongooo!! Think again! That´s when we get our curveballs. The Lord always knows though.. He always does.

Brother Candia, his sons and I making shish
kebabs...  Here they´re called... Anticuchos.

Second thing I wanted to share.... In our sector we have been knocking a ton of doors. It seems like we are finding more less active members of the church than we are new investigators hahah. We have recently met 3 families who have different stories... Two of these families are sealed in the temple for time and all eternity... So my question is... How does that happen to the faithful latter day saints in our days??? HOW!?!? How does one get to the TEMPLE and accomplish a HUGE goal in the role of progression, then fall all the way down to rock bottom... To the point of not even using garments and negating the testimony that they once had of this marvalous gospel... HOW... Heres the sadder part. It seems to be the same excuse for many people.. These people lost their testimonies and threw away all the good that they had found because of the doings of some other person in the church.. So and so did THIS to me so I NEVER want to go back to church.... Wait wait wait..... WHAT!??? You´re going to DENY all that you have learned because of some person´s poor use of agency??? NOT LOGICAL. One of the stories has to do with a bishop.... The family had asked the bishop to help them find a job so that they could support their family... Simple enough right? The bishop, being a busy man, failed to search and in the end, didn´t help them find a job. So what did they do? They went inactive and fell away from the truth... How in the world is that even possible.... This IS the church of Jesus Christ here on the earth.. It HAS been restored. Let us all remember that one okay? Don´t doubt for ONE SECOND that this church may not be true because your neighbor did something idiotic. Forget them and think about you. Remember all the blessings that you have in your life because of the gospel and it will all be clear again. That is my main focus for this letter.. I think it was President Hinckley who said we should omit the word offended from our vocabulary. I agree very much with what he said. Once we get offended and blame the church for our problems, we´re on satans doorstep. Bottom line. Your testimony is YOURS.. Nobody can take it away from you but YOU. Remember that in your daily dramatic lives as members of the church!

This cat totally climbed this tree to escape a dog haha.

 Okay well thats about all I have today. Our independence day was insane. Everything was closed, everyone is drunky and partying in babylon, and here we are. Trying to share the Plentitud of the gospel with everyone. As always I wish you all a wonderful week. Do all that you can do nourish your testimonies like the tree in Alma 32. Constant nutrition is necessary for it to be maintained. Love you all so much. Take care, Elder Christensen.