May 18, 2015

Hey Family and everyone else!

So I know I may have sounded a little negative the last week or so regarding our area and whether or not we would be able to keep working here in Flagstaff. But my attitude has been changing and we have truly seen miracles happen this week. We had a good discussion with our Stake president about how the work has been going and the needs of the people. We concluded that we ought to change our plans and create a critical mass of Spanish speakers, particularly natives, who meet together on Sundays. This will be so much better for both our less active members and Investigators to come and feel the spirit and learn the gospel in their own language! What we were doing before just wasn't working. 

We began this week, and prayed super hard that we would be able to get people to church. I think we may have even started to bother Heavenly Father with how much we prayed for that! Probably not though. We decided to begin finding through members, and this week we ended up find three new solid and very prepared Investigators, Eduardo, José, and Anastacia. We set goals for how many members and investigators we would have come each week for the next two months. With the Lord's help we had 4 native Spanish speaking members show up to church yesterday (usually there are none) and 2 investigators. They stayed for our Sunday school class in Spanish, and we had 12 people total participate in the class. We even had an Elders Quorum class in Spanish of about 15 people that Elder Thiel and I taught (including native Spanish speakers and Spanish speaking returned missionaries)! We haven't had a priesthood meeting in Spanish here for over a year, and even a year ago when I first got here there was only one man we had the meeting for. The support from the ward is incredible and we are really seeing things start to change right off the bat. There are still so many members that aren't coming yet, but the goal is set, we have an action plan with the Stake, and we are all committed to achieve it. This area is still a tough one, but Elder Thiel and I are working together well to make the changes that need to happen and find the elect who are prepared to receive gospel. Now we are just striving for consistency to show we can actually make things happen and this isn't just a once and done thing. We have the faith to do it and the Lord seems to be making it all happen, and guiding us every step of the way. 

So anyways, enough of that. I really am starting to think about the biggest ways I have changed and the most important lessons I have learned during these months. One of them is Honesty with self, and with God. Another is working smart and doing the most effective things, rather than simply working hard. Most importantly, I feel I've gained a great appreciation for the Savior, and a firmer conviction that he loves me and can literally give me strength when I need it. I've tried doing things by my own strength and I've failed. I still try sometimes, but I think I'm learning quicker and quicker that I need the Lord and his help. I'm grateful for these and several other lessons I'm learning, and will continue to learn throughout the rest of my life.

I love you all! You ought to all know how awesome it is to be a part of the Hastening of the Work of Salvation. If you're waiting to be a part of it because you don't now where to start, get on your knees today and ask Heavenly Father to give you a chance to help him build his kingdom. If you're waiting because you're scared, or nervous, or don't think you know anyone you could share the gospel with, get on your knees and follow the above process! He absolutely hears and answers your prayers, so don't wait.

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work" (D&C 4:3).

Have a wonderful week!

Elder Collin Christensen

May 11, 2015

Dear Family and Friends!

It was great to talk with some of you family members yesterday,
especially you mom! I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day. I have
felt and appreciated your support throughout my whole life and
especially my mission.
Well last night after we got off the phone every appointment fell
through and no one was home or available as we knocked for a solid 2
hours. But at least they were probably making their own mothers day
calls so that's ok! It was kinda disappointing though, so finally
around 8pm we said a prayer and decided to go back to one house we had
tried earlier. They were home and let us right in! It was a blessing
and a reminder that we absolutely need the Lord in this work. If we
ever feel we can do it on our own we are wrong.
As I mentioned yesterday we are focusing on building up the testimony
and conversion of the Spanish speaking members here in Flagstaff right
now. It's a different approach, but it needs to happen if the Group is
ever going to grow. So that's been interesting. It's made me think
more about what love is. At first I have felt hesitant about inviting
these less active members to repent and come to church because I have
grown to love them after working with them for so long. But I've
realized that I can't be hesitant about the truth. Jesus Christ was
the perfect example of how to love, but He didn't mince words when He
reprimanded the Pharisees or cleansed the temple. He couldn't! Boldly
speaking the truth is a true expression of love, and I've definitely
felt that for these people this last week. It reminds me of the
example of Peter and the Apostles going fishing again after Jesus
Christ had performed the Atonement and been resurrected. When Jesus
finds that they'd gone back to their old lives and forgotten their
commission, he first helps them by telling them where to cast their
nets. They bring in a huge catch, and then later on the shore they eat
together with Jesus. He then asks the very bold question to Peter, "Do
you love me?" Our love for the Savior is determined by how we show it
through our obedience to his commandments and our willingness to serve
him and feed his sheep.
This week I have definitely grown in my testimony of how the
scriptures can be applied to our lives, and especially how the Book of
Mormon can answer personal questions we have.
Thanks for all your support! I love you all!

Elder Collin Christensen

May 5, 2015

Dear Family and Friends!

I totally forgot about Mother's Day this Sunday until this week, so
I'm excited to be able to talk with some of you! I am not sure if 5
will work on Sunday because I am getting transferred to another area!
In fact I will be in the same area I was for the last two calls home,
which is the Spanish area in Flagstaff! Anyways, I can probably call
between 5 and 7, and I will just have 40 minutes as usual.
We don't have transfers till tomorrow so no one really knows yet, but
it looks like I will be finishing up here in Flagstaff. It's been a
pretty fun 12.5 months so far! Anyways, we pretty much have to go in
and figure out if we are going to try to make a Spanish Branch or not.
The work has been struggling apparently and there isn't much member
support, and our mission is dealing with a shortage of Spanish
speaking missionaries, and missionaries in general. I was kinda bummed
at first just because I wanted that area to have some fresh eyes of
another missionary. But having been in the stake this long I might as
well finish here and use what I know to benefit the stake.
Ashley got confirmed and she was super happy all week! She bore her
testimony on Sunday  after her confirmation about how simple the
gospel is and how she made the decision to be baptized harder than it
needed to be. We are glad she made it though!
This last week we had a few training/council meetings on how to use
Facebook and online resources with members to do missionary work.
The Montoyas were out of town this week so we weren't able to meet
with them unfortunately. Hopefully the Elders can keep teaching them,
they're awesome. We also found a new Investigator last week named
Herman. He is blind and just randomly called us up to have a visit. He
has had lots of experiences leading up to us meeting him that have
been preparing him to receive the restored Gospel.
Anyways, I did like your Mousectomy mom and dad, it was impressive!
And no I haven't contacted anyone in ASL ever, they just tell us to
write back and forth with them and get their contact info. Dad asked a
couple questions...

-Could you tells us more about your day to day activities? What does
you typical day consist of?
Our typical day includes studying preach my gospel and role playing
the lessons, making lesson plans, teaching Investigators at the
welcome center on south campus, trying to find potential Investigators
home, serving at the food bank or a members house, having
district/zone meetings, testing out new ways to use Facebook, eating
with members, visiting members to get referrals, having coordination
meetings, teaching more Investigators, showing up to activities to
meet non members and show them we are real people, and calling people
throughout the whole day to confirm, follow up, report or
reschedule.....yea I'd say we stay busy!
-Do you ever have to cook for yourselves?  What do you cook?
We usually get fed dinner but we usually cook for ourselves for any
other meal. I usually make breakfast Burritos, eggs, oatmeal, salads,
stuff like that. But we usually get junk food from members so that's a
weakness...it seems like it's every members goal to make us more
chubby.
-Do you ever ride a bike or are do you stick with cars/trucks?
We are always in our truck because the area is so big. I haven't had
to buy a bike still and it doesn't look like I will need to.
-What is the goofiest thing your companion has done to you or you to him?
My companion and I don't really tease each other as much as we do the
elders we live with, besides emitting unspeakable fumes during
prayers, studies, planning and locking the windows, doors etc. Are
roommates are two redhead elders...and I don't know if I'd be
comfortable admitting to some of the things we have done to them.
Don't worry we aren't cruel.. Hah

I hope you have a great week! Thanks for all your support!

Elder Collin Christensen