Lessons, exchanges, and following the spirit

December 9, 2013

 

Hola Familia!

Thank you for the "Christmas Tree"! It made me pretty happy,the Ameros haven't put up a Christmas tree since they're moving soon, so I'm still looking for a place to put it! Its great to hear Christmas Tree Farm has been doing so well this last week. We ate dinner with a family last night who had a real tree! But we will definitely be moving out next week at the transfer because they found a brand new duplex for us. That is, assuming we don't get transferred anyway. I only have another week till I'm done being trained! And we both think we might be getting transferred, because they announced last week that the stake is "dissolving" the Estrella branch for members who live in Prescott Valley and Chino Valley/Paulden starting January 1, 2014. So all those Spanish members will be going to English wards in those areas instead of making the long drive to Prescott every week for church. So we are thinking they will bring some real English missionaries to Stoneridge, and transfer one or both of us to the Glassford Hill ward in Prescott Valley, where the Spanish members will be going. I hope that all made sense! So I guess we will see if we are right next week. Also since transfers are next week, I will be emailing on Tuesday! And I have no idea what my address will be, so I would say to just send the package to the Mission Office. I only got the Christmas tree one. And we have zone meeting once a month, not once a week, which we had last week. As far as requests, I really would like some warm wool socks, maybe my warm gloves, a warm cup of hot cocoa and a warm tie! I don't know Mom, get creative with it. :) Its pretty chilly here, we went running in 15 degrees this morning. And yesterday it snowed like an inch. I think I am going to buy a wind/waterproof coat this week though, so don't worry about that one. I will eventually need some more journal pages, I just started the second pack you sent me with. I dont know when we will be able to do Skype, they haven't really told us anything more. 

Well this week has been very successful! Last Monday night we had a lesson with J.S. and T. I. at a members home. We taught about Jesus Christ and how he set the example for us to be baptized (2 Nephi 31:4-12, Matthew 3:13-17) and they both committed to be baptized! They originally committed to December 21, but later that week texted us and said they didn't feel ready that soon. But they are solid, and we are teaching them tonight again! T. I. is 14 and couldn't stop smiling when I asked her if she wanted to be baptized. It is amazing how The Lord prepares people.

On Tuesday we found this lady named K. who is a single mom with 3 young kids and has a pretty rough past. Her ex-boyfriend was a member of the church, but recently got into some crazy stuff and she kicked him out. She is struggling both mentally, physically and spiritually right now, and just the fact that we wanted to talk with her seemed to brighten her day. She told us she had been to many churches in her life, and always felt like she was led to each one at that point in her life for a reason. Well, we testified to her that she was led to this church at this point in her life for a reason too. She has literally hit rock bottom, and there is no greater message to hear than that the Savior Jesus Christ knows each of us and our individual struggles, and can help pull us through them. She began reading the Book of Mormon, and was our first new investigator last week! Again, the Lord prepares people!
I went on 2 exchanges this last week, the first was with Elder Lundquist from the Glassford Hill Ward Wednesday because Elder Cardwell had a leadership meeting. It snowed that morning and, yes, of course we were on bikes! Luckily it didn't stick, but I definitely now have a greater appreciation for having a car, even if it is a mini-van. :) And we had to cover both of our wards for the day. It was freezing, but I loved that exchange! So many miracles happened that day! I will share one, we were biking around in the afternoon in my area, and I had prayed that the Spirit would guide us in our work that day, especially since I am still getting familiar with the area. Well, the Spirit definitely guided us, and we found several people home who, if we had arrived just a few seconds before or after, we would have missed them. One was a man named D. E. L. doesn't speak any Spanish at all, so just right outside D.E. L.'s trailer I taught him about Joseph Smith, the Restoration, and the Book of Mormon, and set up a time to come back and teach his family - and then I realized I had done it all in Spanish! I hadn't even been scared, even though it was one of the first times I couldn't rely on my companion to help me! I think I kept giggling to myself for the rest of the night because I conversed with a Mexican in real Spanish. Well, Elder Cardwell had set another baptismal date for one of our Spanish investigators named M.J. during the exchange, and his companion for the day didn't speak a lick of spanish either! It was such a great day of growth for all of us.

The second exchange was with a Zone Leader, Elder O'Neal on Saturday. I took over the area again, and had some odd flashbacks from Sophmore year while driving the mini-van (Karen). One of the coolest experiences we had was when we were trying to find an inactive members house. The address was totally wrong, so I went to get back in the car, but Elder O'Neal said we should just try the closest address to what we had. Well, we did, and it definitely wasn't the member we were looking for. But a lady came to the door, and had clearly been crying, and told us she wasn't interested because she wasn't feeling good at all. (In a missionaries mind that translates to "teach me! I have been prepared by the Lord and need something new in my life!"). So I asked if we could just say a quick prayer with her, and she agreed, annoyed. I prayed for her well-being and that the Lord would comfort her. It was a simple prayer and I didn't think much of it. But when I finished she came out onto the porch and gave me huge hug...yea, possibly the most awkward experience of my mission so far. I realized I couldn't freak out and tell this woman I couldn't hug her after she had just been touched by the Spirit, and obviously comforted. We are teaching her tonight as well!

 I can't reiterate enough how important the Spirit is in this work! It guides us, it comforts us, it strengthens our testimonies, and most importantly, it teaches us truth and is the power through which conversion to Jesus Christ's true church takes place. I love it! I rely on it, and the scripture is true that says "And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach" (D&C 42:14).

 I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true Church again restored to the earth. I know it blesses lives more than anything else, and because of that, the Lord guides and directs His servants to those who are in need and are prepared to accept the love Christ offers them. I hope each of you who read this know that I know this without a doubt! And I hope you can each learn to feel the joy of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as I surely have. You are in my prayers! 

-Elder Christensen