Christensen Missionaries: 11/7/2011 Elder Christensen "Happy November!"

Delicious Halloween cookies! Man America has never tasted so good!

Hey there everyone. Wow I just figured I`d point out once again that time DOES NOT EXIST. Honestly...Tawny...or... Hermana Christensen would have finished her mission TOMORROW had she not extended it..... Okay... Moving on! Insane thoughts!

Elder Cummings and I with our sick ties haha.
Maybe tawny will recognize that black and gold gucci one.

This week... Let me think... we had a 70 come to our mission! His name is Steven E. Snow and he honestly did an amazing job. Kent F. Richards is a 70 as well I think.... maybe not... but he spoke as well. One REALLY cool thing... the missionaries from the Chilean MTC went as well to the devotional and I ran into an ELDER from my second sector! He had entered into the MTC 2 days before. I`ll attach a picture. I was DEFINATELY emotional about that one! Anyways, Elder Snow`s talk was so fuerte. Super strong. He talked about the Holy Ghost... seems like a basic theme right... He told a story about a friend of his who is a FANATIC of Christmas... He is to the point of like... saving his gifts and opening them in february. Now.. he compared it to having this beautifully wrapped gift... the gift ofthe holy ghost... and choosing to place it on the shelf.... Some of us, being missionaries, are just barely taking the gift off the shelf for the first time and realizing how beautiful it is.. (ME..) I didn`t want anything to do with lots of things you guys all liked to do before the mission... Obviously I read the scriptures and prayed and went to church... but it wasn`t something I LOVED like it has become for me now. I will NEVER put that gift back on the shelf. How can we obtain the spirit? What things has it taught us personally? Have any of you ever learned something from your own mouth? Super cool... When you say something and you suddenly realize how amazing it was... That is NO accident... In order to obtain that spirit, we must ACT. We have to take the gift off the shelf and decide to open it! As missionaries we`re FORCED to act... if you work, you are acting.. Things like doing contacts, knocking doors, giving classes, and teaching lessons are all different forms of acting that help us obtain the holy ghost and keep it with us... It`s a simple principle really.. ACT. Kneel down to say a prayer... or getting up earlier than usual to leave yourself time to study the scriptures... Fasting..... Going to church to take the sacrament. It`s ALL up to us! It requires this action... The ball is on our court. We`ve all had to work at some point to feel the spirit, but it sometimes gets away from us.. Some of you have had this gift... have seen how wonderful it really is... then put it back up on the shelf.... Who knows why.. for laziness, lack of worthiness, a lost testimony... Whatever it may be it is NOT correct. You have stopped acting.. That is where we as members are lost. Check Mosiah 2:9... How can we treat THIS THING lightly?? I invite you ALL, like King Benjamin did, to open up your hearts and minds to once again be able to enjoy this beautiful gift we have. (DyC 8:2-3) ACT. LOVE your LIVES! You are a blessed people and I KNOW with all my heart that if we do these things... these simple things... we can maintain this beautiful gift..

Elder Speakman and I at the devo! You can definately
tell he is going home in two weeks HAHA!
(Don`t get mad when you read this Preston.)

Well... It`s lookin like we`re out of time once again. The mission is the greatest experience anybody can ever have. The greatest learning opportunity of a lifetime. The university and studies one needs to be able to achieve success in this life. I`m grateful for all of the blessings that I have received as well as each and every one of you who are my friends and family. Have an EXCELLENT week! Much love, Elder Christensen..