Conference Was Incredible!

Hola familia y amigos!

It's been a great week! I will just say that General Conference was
incredible! I don't think I have ever been as excited for it
beforehand, neither have I been so sad when it was over. But I love
and will never forget what Elder Hales said in October:  "The greatest
blessings of general conference come to us after the conference is
over. Remember the pattern recorded frequently in scripture: we gather
to hear the words of the Lord, and we return to our homes to live
them" (General Conference October 2013, Strengthening Faith and
Testimony). Sometimes we get on this spiritual high when Conference
rolls around, and we bask in the Spirit we feel. But then we get to
face the daunting task of application and continued study of the
talks, and if we forget then that Spiritual high fades rather quickly.
That's what I have noticed in myself, at least! But this conference I
came with a few questions in mind, and tried harder to listen more to
what the Spirit was telling me, rather than just to what the speaker
was telling me. It was hard at first, but I think most of us can
recall a time in a General Conference when we felt the speaker was
speaking directly to us and for us. My testimony grew a lot after I
prayed specifically about my questions and then received very specific
answers to them through those who spoke. I know we have a living
Prophet. I know our leaders are inspired, and that our Heavenly Father
is very aware of our individual lives. I loved the story of the boy
who prayed on the side of the road for help. With everything else
going on in the world, God is aware of us in our individual
circumstances and lives. At conference, I felt very much like a lost
boy on the side of the road who's prayers were answered. I am so
grateful for prayer, for living prophets, and for a loving Heavenly
Father! I look forward to studying all the talks in the coming weeks
and months. :)  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2014/04?lang=eng&cid=HPFR041114678

As far as the work this past week, we taught a LOT of new members,
members, and less actives. We are struggling finding and retaining new
people to teach. But so far we as a ward have been retaining the
recent converts well! Juan began his search for family names to take
to the temple. The Johnsons moved on Saturday, and as
sad as we are to see them go, we know the Sister missionaries who
cover their new ward and they are great! After our last lesson with
them this week, the 11 year old was standing all alone so I
went up to talk to him. He's a shy kid, but he told me he was thinking
he wanted to be baptized...! He probably wouldn't have said that
during the lesson, but it was cool to be able to talk to him about it.
We are so excited for that family and this new life they are
beginning.

Oh yea! The lady we did service for, and her daughter and two
granddaughters all came to watch conference and they loved it! Of
course they decided to come to the Saturday afternoon session, when we
do all the sustaining! Luckily it didn't scare them away though!

So a couple weeks ago we got to give a blessing to a member's neighbor
who has pancreatic cancer. She was very weak, and said they had kinda
run out of options for her treatment. Well, my testimony of Priesthood
power sure grew as we laid our hands on her head, and the specific
impression came to me to bless is woman that she would be healed. I
was surprised at first, but the spirit was so strong in that home.
Later, I definitely had thoughts of doubt and worry that I had spoken
out of place. But I couldn't deny that the blessing had come from
heaven. Just a couple days ago, the member called us and told us his
neighbor had WALKED over to his house to tell him she had been getting
better and stronger everyday since the blessing, and that she was
eating again. I was so grateful for the reaffirmation that God's
Priesthood is real. It was a humbling and faith building experience
for me!

Well, that's about it for this week! I love ya all and hope you had
great experiences with General Conference! I'd love to hear how things
have been. :))

Until next week,

Elder Collin Christensen