The address I am currently living at is
7584 E Bravo Lane Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
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but
the [family] will be moving soon and we will be moved to an apartment we think,
so that address is pretty temporary! Like I said earlier, it would be
safer until I get a solid address to send everything to the mission
office in Glendale. :) Thanks!
So I actually don't have any idea what we are doing for Thanksgiving. We weren't allowed to Proselyte after 6 PM
on Halloween and we had to be in by 6. But we still aren't sure what it
will be like. Elder Cardwell transferred from the Farmington mission
last July because he was in Flagstaff, so he is pretty new to the AZ
Phoenix Mission as well. But what I do know is that the Missionary
Handbook says Holidays are the best times to do proselyting because
people are home and with their families. That may or may not have
changed, but I am sure we will still be working that day. And hopefully
get a few dinners in with some members. ;D
Prescott Valley is awesome! I love it here! It sort of reminds me
of home, just because we aren't really in the city and there are a lot
of mountains around us. Most mornings we run to the top of the road and
we can see the sun rise and the moon is still up on the other side! I
haven't gotten any good pictures of that yet.
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So this last week on Friday we went up to
Sedona, AZ for a Zone Conference! This time it was the Mission Tour with
Elder Teh from the Quorum of the Seventy, and we were there with 3
other zones. There will probably be something about it on Sister
Taylor's mission blog, but Elder Teh is awesome! He is from the
Phillipines. As he spoke to us, I realized how comfortable I have been
getting - and not in a good way. President Taylor has said in the past
"If you get comfortable, check yourself...You need to get comfortable
being uncomfortable" And it is so true. There is not growth in a comfort
zone and no comfort in a growth zone, and we need to be growing
everyday! So Elder Teh really vividly brought back to life for me all
the experiences I had since I opened my mission call to serve in AZ,
down to Mexico, and now here. He made an illustration I wish I could
share, but pretty much he drew us at the top of a diagram when we left
the MTC, walking down a road, ready to go and be "Preach My Gospel"
missionaries. We had a determination to do the work because at that
point in time, nothing meant more to us than serving the Lord. Then
below that, he drew a current representing the current missionaries tend
to fall into. He compared it to the Turtles in Finding Nemo, who caught
the current and were just "chillin" and taking the ride. Missionaries
all too often get into the "chillin" mode as they start to get more
comfortable and less focused on their real purpose. I think it is really
easy to get caught in this current, and not just for missionaries! When
we have a standard set, we try really hard to follow and fulfill it at
first, but then we begin to rationalize and fall down into the current
that will still carry us down the road. But are we doing the Lords work
when we are kicked back and "chillin"? At first I told myself I wasn't
just "chillin", but then I realized how "laid back" I had gotten,
compared to when I first got here.
"For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things;
for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a
wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men
should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their
own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness" (Doctrine and
Covenants 58:26-27).
It all just comes down to the principle of either ACTING or being
ACTED UPON. We are compelled along a current everyday of what the world
tells us is "OK". When we fall into that current, we can get out! Get
down on your knees and ask for the help to live up to the Lord's
standard. There is way too much work to do, way too many people waiting
to accept the Gospel, and way too little time, for us to be kicked back
and "Chillin" in the world! I need to pray for that strength everyday,
and I really needed to hear this analogy. Let us all commit to live to
our potential, and also to the responsibilities we have as disciples of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
An update on those who we are working with. A. is
still struggling very much with his addictions and self confidence.
Although he appears to be humble, he is trying to overcome everything on
his own. I guess in a way its prideful to not seek and obtain the help
the Savior offers us. Today I was reading Elder Soares talk from General
Conference Be Meek and Lowly of Heart, and I learned that the Lord
won't help us overcome our weaknesses if we are not meek. "Being meek
does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and
kindness, showing strength, serenity, healthy self-worth, and
self-control" and in order to achieve this "Christ asks us to 'take up
our cross daily,' meaning that it must be a constant focus and desire."
Being meek, humble, and submissive to God's will in our lives is
something we all need to work on.
S.A. came to church this last week! Her children
participated in the Primary Program too! They are still struggling with
having the faith to get married and lose the disability money, but she
has a sincere desire to follow the Savior. I think they know living the
Law of Chastity will bless their family, they just can't see that the
Lord provides a way for everyone to obey his commandments if we so
desire (1 Nephi 3:7). We had a good lesson with them about faith and
shared Nephi's story of getting the brass plates.
We got a new investigator this week through a less active lady! We
had dinner with her and her boyfriend/fiancee and then shared our
testimonies of the Book of Mormon. We challenged them to read it
together, and P. the boyfriend, said he wanted to know if it was true!
I asked him to kneel with us, we taught him how to pray, and he asked
for help to know if the Book of Mormon was true. The spirit in that home
was so strong. He got emotional, and we testified of the Spirit,
invited them to church and left. It was one of the shortest, yet best
lessons I have had.
Well, that is about all I have time for this week! I
hope I answered all your questions, and I hope you are all doing well! I
am excited to hear the Tree Farm is getting started! I hope people won't
decide not to come just because they wont have a strapping young man to
throw it on their car....oh wait, Dad will be there. ;) haha
I love you all!
-Elder Christensen
