Transfers coming

Dec. 17, 2013

 

Hola Familia!

Well I was right! Elder Cardwell and I are both getting transferred. We don't know where exactly yet, but we are pretty sure we are just trading places with the Glassford ward Elders because they told us we don't need to pack...So I will let you know tomorrow for sure! We have to drive all the way down to Phoenix tomorrow anyways though, just to go to the meeting and come back up. :p 

The following is from Sis Taylor:

Please tell your parents about our MISSION BLOG. IF they go to azphxmission.blogspot.com they can enter their email address int he little box on the right side of the blog for automatic emails when I post. They will then receive an email from "FEEDBURNER" that they will need to open and click on a link to VERIFY their subscription to the blog. This is the easiest way for them to know when I post. All the photos that I take of any event are either in a post or attached through Picasa Web albums so they can see all photos. Your photo with Santa and with us outside the temple are all on these web albums, and they can send them to you as they see you in photos. 

So for Christmas I will email that Monday we are pretty sure, and then we will be able to skype call for Christmas. If you don't want to have to get a skype, we can just do a regular call, or we also have FaceTime. I will check to make sure that is ok. The last package I received was the Grandma's Cookie Crew one! ;) Thanks to all!

Well, speaking of Skype, I mentioned a couple weeks ago that we have been teaching a girl who lives in Brazil over Facebook. She has also been being taught by the missionaries there, and yesterday she messaged me and told me she finally decided to be baptized on January 11, 2014! We had been trying to address her concerns for a while, and she was really searching  for a testimony. Finally we just asked her if she was reading her Book of Mormon. She said she wasn't, and so we committed her to read a page everyday, and continue praying, and see if her answer didn't come! Well, who knows if that was why she made the decision to be baptized, but we were pumped. SO, yesterday we SKYPED her and practiced part of the Baptismal interview with her! I still cant believe the how much work is progressing and how many things are now possible!

Well, the only other really progressing investigator from this past week is K. W.. She has been on fire, I can't believe how Spiritual she is. We have met with her 3 times since last week, and everytime we teach her she ends up crying. I will admit I did once too (Shhh). She keeps telling us she doesn't know yet if the Book of Mormon is true or not because she isn't receiving any answers when she prays. We want her to see that The Lord IS answering her prayers, every time we meet! With her rough background and situation, she tells us every time that after we leave, she just feels peace and comfort, and only sees the positive in her life. Does she recognize it as the Holy Ghost testifying of truth? I dont know, but I do know that she is a seeker of truth. I can say that through teaching K., I have honestly come to realize the truth of what my mission call said, that as a missionary "More happiness awaits you than you have ever before known" (or something like that...). I can't explain the happiness that comes from seeing someones testimony grow from the beginning. 

Yesterday we taught S. (the older German lady who nearly destroyed me at ping-pong) and we taught how prayer can help her overcome her addiction to cigarettes. She explained that because of her background she never has been one to ask for help, and she feels bad if she is the reason for anyone to give service. She even has issues with asking God for help. :/ Basically we told her straight up that she cant do anything without God and his mercy and his help. After reading Ether 12:27 and explaining that weaknesses teach us to trust the Lord, I think she began to understand.

We had a very odd lesson with M., the lady we said a prayer with last week on her doorstep, who also gave us hugs...:p Well we went back to teach the restoration, and when we got there she was a mess. She recently relapsed on Alcohol after being sober 10 years. She had been beating her self up all day about it, and we showed her a Mormon Message Mountains to Climb, and talked about the Atonement. Well, up until then the Spirit was strong. She was crying, but we soon realized she might have been partially under the influence still, although she was understanding all we were saying. she wanted to pray with us before we left, and she clasped my hand so hard during the prayer I honestly thought she was going to break my finger! We tried to get out of there, and then she hugged us again. Hahah Well, needless to say, we decided for our safety not to go back until some Sister missionaries come into this area, as much as we would like to help her right now. It was a bit freaky, but we laughed about it later and said a prayer to bring the Spirit back. 

We are still working with A.A. as he is trying to get out of his alcoholism. He is so humble and kind!

M.J. didn't end up getting baptized this week. :/ She drinks coffee and so we decided to wait another two weeks so she can quit before her baptism.

The Stoneridge ward has been finding us people to teach right and left! I am so amazed at the missionary focus here. Bishop Yamamoto is the bomb! I will truly miss this ward and the people here. I have sent some pictures of a few of them

Ward mission leaders Bro. Amero and Bro. Trever

So we went to the Mesa Temple on Tuesday! We had a program all morning and then we all did an Endowment session in the Afternoon! We all did work for the Jaeger family in the Stoneridge ward because they had like 2000+ names ready for temple work! It was the biggest session I have ever been in. I love the Temple! There is so much peace, and being there with all these missionaries I have grown to love so much was amazing! We then saw the Christmas lights, which I think I sent a picture of as well, and we didn't get home till like 10:30pm.

How is the missionary work coming in the Sherwood Ward? Who are the Elders there? Whats the family's plan for Christmas, or I guess, what I am gonna miss out on? ;) Has it snowed yet? how are the Benitez family doing? That is so cool to hear about the kid who was baptized last week!  

Sorry this is jumbled! I love you all so much and appreciate your letters/emails! Merry Christmas! Remember, Christmas = Christ - m`as!

-Elder Christensen