9/27/2011 Hermana Christensen "Atalaya"

baskin robbins one dollar tuestday night scoops.
thoughtof you parents! but i didn't get bubble gum...

Hello hello hellllllllooooooooooooo!

What! End of the transfer?! We've been hearing about everyones changes all day today... so sad! I hate change. so maybe it's a good thing that we don't find out until we're at our battalion transfer meeting verdad? ha. I am really happy. really truly. this past week i've been thinking a lot about that. heavenly father and i have been coming to our own little understanding together of what happiness really is. and happiness is a choice. I know this isn't anything new to anyone out there, but freak. sometimes it's hard to choose. this week i've discovered that i have a talent. i think it's a new one. but dealing with change on the mission has helped ME change. hermana ortez pointed out this week that i have been extra hilarious haha and that we seem to be laughing pretty much always. hm. so heavenly father has helped me learn how to deal with change by laughing and by having an eternal perspective. i'm SO grateful that he's helped me in that way. i feel blessed. and i feel GENUINELY HAPPY with all the changes going. change is hard, but we alllllllllllllll know that we always end up learning a ton and counting the many blessings we have.

i'm hopping right into it because there's zero time.

haha that is sis smith cutting my bags with scizzors..
and i'm holding a trash can.. oh an i'm in a pioneer dress..
 HAHAHAHA my life! so funny!

i went on exchanges with sister lee and we had the sweetest experience. i think that exchanges are actually just time set apart for sick milagros. so we went to teach a way funny guy the restoration (after we were fed a horrendous meal of mexican soggy pasta, watery lettuce, and PURPLE JELLO.. WITH NUTS IN IT!!!!!!!!! who does that?!!!).. .but he wasnt' home! ay. but guess who was? the inactive lady he lives with.. and her non member sobrina..? oh, her neice. ha. se me fue. but they were just chillin there talking about God and about jesus christ right when we show up. i'm sure that was jsut coincidence. haha. so we had this beautiful chat with them.. really it was so gorgeous.. and as if that wasn't enough, in the middle of it this guy comes over to sell the neice gold (yeah right). haha. so she goes in the back to get her dinero and this guy looks over at us and asked if we were mormons. we gave the affirmative and asked if he knew any mormons. he then said that he'd met with the missionaries over two years ago and TWO DAYS BEFORE HIS BAPTISM he lost everything... his car his house his phone his family.. i don't know what happneed.. but he said that he hasnt'r eally known where to go ever since then. he asked if we could send missionaries to his house. um? we were like... uhhhh YES! he gave us all his info, down to the zip. when we ran to the car we just laughed about how beautiful it is to be the Lord's instruments to bless the lives of His children. it's seriously the best thing ever.

something i've realized this transfer is how when i'm sad or feeling sick or feeling tired or ______, i know it's time to teach ten minutes ago. that's because i ALWAYS, 100% iof the time feel better after we teach. always. always always ALWAYS. and this morning as i studied i realized that the SPIRIT of light and truth quickeneth all things. WOW! so blessed to be a missionary! so when i feel devastated that so and so flaked out again--it's probably just because i'm being selfish! haha. no i really do value their soul and their salvation. but i also want to feel that drive, that high, that rush, that SPIRIT that only comes from teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ! it's the best thing EVER!

the other day as we were driving in the area i saw a utah license plate. i honked and rolled down the windy and we talked. haha the people were like, "oh you're from utah?" yeah blah blah they were going to a wedding or something and they said, where are you going? I said, "we're just off to preach the restored gospel of jesus christ!" so happily and they looked way confused... hahah it took them a second to see the tag. but they drove away and we all jsut felt so happy to be part of the Lord's one and only true church on the face of the planet. i feel like the luckiest happiest person ever! and the best part is... ANYONE CAN JOIN! in fact, ALL SHOULD JOIN! haha. that's the goal.



this stop sign is legit crochetted around
 the bottom to look like a flower. cute!



funny story? okay. freaking. our branch mission leader totally just does what he wants. he's a straight up baller, but he does what he wants. well so, the branch had a baptism. wait. THE BRANCH HAD A BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was awesome. first one in a looooooooong time. the lady hasn't been to church for a few weeks and she's never stayed for all three hours (she didn't even know what relief society was... ay)..... so it's not necessarily the ideal situation, but the elders did a good job and the lady will come a long way. ANYWAY. the elders had the tv ALLLLLLL set up for the halftime presentation and all, but our mission leader stands up and announces that the sisters have a special musical number prepared and sat down. hahah i guess that spirit quickened me rightthen because i just stood up and looked to hna ortez *(who HATES SINGING! HAHA) and we walked up to the front... yeah.... so we sang sunshine in my soul... and, no offense to her, or me, or the person who volunteered to play the TOP HAND on the piano HORRIBLY, but it was downright AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaha i felt so badly for everyone there. we were probably the reason why the lady didn't get confirmed... haha sad. but no seriously. shoot we'll get her confirmed. but the song was just awful. but wej ust laughed. so funny. and the elders never did end up using the tv.... (did he not realize it was just standing there?!! hello!

we taught a less active the other day and she needed a blessnig.w e called the elders over right then and they came in and gave her a blessing. the spirit totally just descended upon us and i felt SO thankful for the priesthood and for righteous priesthood holders who exercise and cherish their priesthood. i've loved reading all the priesthood talks in preparation for conference. i lvoe the priesthood and am so thankful to our Father in Heaven for giving it to worthy priesthood holders to benefit all of us.


district meeting! minus sis park you goose!


will everyone PLEASE go and read doctrina y convenions section 101? i loooooooooove the little story about the senor de la vina who tells the guys to build a torre but they don't listen... 100% applies to us today. and i love what he says to them and how he says !como! i told you guys what to do! we've been given EVERYTHING we need to prepare. especially with conf coming up... oh! they are just here to help us prepare! they are our atalayas! let us listen to them!

i love you all!

hermana christensen