Prescott Valley and Zone Conference

Hola Familia!

The address I am currently living at is 

7584 E Bravo Lane Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

 

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.

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

Transfer to Prescott Valley

November 6, 2013

Hello family,

I have been transferred to Prescott Valley! I will be serving with Elder Cardwell, and he will be finishing my training for the next 6 weeks! We serve in the Stoneridge English ward and the Estrella Spanish Branch. We live with a family, but they will be moving in a couple weeks. So I will keep you updated and let you know when we get an apartment and a solid address. For now, if you need to send anything, just send it to the mission office in Glendale! Please spread the word or something. :) Thank you!

-Elder Christensen

 

November 11, 2013

Hola Familia!

Well, Prescott Valley is sweet! I will send some pictures next week, but I love this place! And the leaves are actually falling here, so now it actually feels like November. It is pretty cold too in the mornings. I guess I will have to be getting a sweater today so I can be obedient when it gets under 65, which is like everyday. Elder Cardwell is awesome! He is from Riverton, Utah.

 

Well, the Stoneridge ward is so great! The members here are so nice and open to missionary work. Our ward mission leader is 80 years old and from England! He is the best, and really keeps us on our feet. It is hard being in an English ward and a Spanish Branch. There are 6 missionaries in the Spanish Estrella branch but there are about 30 people who show up to church each Sunday, if that. So we have like 95% English work we are responsible for, and very little time for Spanish work. So, my Spanish is suffering a little bit. I am loving it here though!

So before I even got home on Wednesday night, we stopped by a less active member.. He is a disabled veteran, and he is probably the most humble person I have ever met. He called us, asking if we could give him some scriptures to read to help him feel better. Neither of us had ever met him before, so we told him we would come by his house that night. We talked to him for a solid 40 minutes, and he kept telling us how good it felt to have missionaries in his home again! He is an alcoholic, and trying very hard to recover through the Church's Addiction Recovery Program. But he has very little self confidence and struggles a lot. We read with him Alma 31:31, 38 Here, Alma asks not for the afflictions he is suffering to be removed, but rather for the strength and ability to overcome them. Because  "he prayed in faith" the Lord blessed he and his brethren that they should not hunger nor thirst, and every affliction they had was "swallowed up in the joy of Christ." We showed him a mormonmessage from President Uchtdorf about patience (on my nifty iPad!). The Spirit was so strong! I bore my testimony to him about the reality of the Atonement, and Christ who will "succor" us in our afflictions if we have the faith to ask him for patience and strength. We talk to him everyday on the phone now, and he tells us how he is doing. He is the man! 

 

I really love missionary work, because everyone, myself included, is on their own pathway to complete conversion to the Savior. I thought I would be more excited about baptisms on my mission, but here I am. And I can honestly say that there is no better feeling than helping someone in need by bearing simple testimony. It doesn't matter who they are! We are all children of God, and we are all Spiritually ill. I am strengthened by other members all the time. It is real proof that we are ALL missionaries, ALL called to the work by a Prophet of God! I love this work, I love my Savior!

God bless you all, you are in my prayers!

 

Love,

 

Elder Christensen

October 29-After Exchanges

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a great week. I have probably reached both my low and high points so far. It is hard being humbled by the Lord, but never before have I realized how important humility is, and I am still working on it. Moroni 7 teaches us that we cannot have faith nor hope nor charity if we are not meek and lowly of heart. And if we don't have Charity, we don't have anything! That is so true and real. The Spirit I feel when I teach someone I truly love and have a desire to help is much different from my ability to teach someone who I am choosing to be annoyed with.

 

 "1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not ^acharity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of ^aprophecy, and understand all^bmysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the ^apoor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

 

I love this scripture. We can do almost everything we think we can, even have faith enough to move mountains, and still be nothing if we don't have Christ like love.

 

Yesterday my district had exchanges. I went into biking area with Elder Smith, who came into the mission with me. So 2 brand new missionaries biking around alone, trying to preach the Gospel! Yes, I can imagine your worried face, Mom. :) I will say that it was one of the most rewarding experiences so far on my mission. I appreciate and respect my trainer, Elder Hicks, but I have used his experience as my "crutch" in the field so far. Yesterday, I had no choice but to trust in what I had learned so far, and even more so in the Holy Ghost. We biked for probably 2 or 3 hours before we got to talk to anyone. People don't like to answer their doors... especially when they see 2 white shirts and ties standing outside! Well, it didn't phase us at all. We both have a very strong conviction and desire. So we kept biking, then we saw a guy sitting on the side of the road smoking. Perfect! Oh wait...both of us can barely speak Spanish. We gave him a card and told him to have a good day. Well, the more we biked around and talked to people, the more confident we got. At first we felt like babies thrown into a swimming pool. But then we realized...we can do it now! We are missionaries! We were called of God, and are entitled to His help! We started understanding people better, and spoke Spanish without fear or hesitation. Well, It had gotten dark, and we had to leave in 15 minutes. Elder Smith turned to me and said "Hey, for the next 15 minutes, lets be the BEST missionaries who listen to the Spirit" So we prayed, an started walking. I walked past a particular house, stopped, and walked up to the door. We told them we were there to pray with them and help them. The lady told us she was very sick, and was struggling with work. So I prayed right there on their doorstep with them, asking Heavenly Father to bless her with health and support. The Spirit was so strong! I testified to them of the reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and that the message we share is His message. That he has provided a way for us to overcome all of life's difficulties and ultimately have happiness forever. They told us to come back and share more! It was the coolest thing ever! The Lord will use you to do simple things if you will trust in the Spirit with a desire to do His will. And although we didn't teach a single lesson yesterday, I learned from Elder Smith that when we Go with God, we will not have failed. 

Well I have run out of time. But I love you all so much! I can't say more than what I have already said, but I do know that my Savior lives and loves us! May we always remember His life and His love.

-Elder Christensen

October 21, 2013

Hola familia!

Well, this week I was able to go to the Mesa AZ temple! We got up at 3:30AM Saturday morning to leave, and there was a full session of people at the 6:30AM session! It was great, I finally saw the new video, and on top of that, it was actually in English! I really got a lot out of it. The Mesa Temple is gorgeous. I learned quite a bit about Law of Consecration and what it means to me as a missionary. I have heard missionaries here say that we should be "consecrated missionaries" but I haven't really understood what that means. When we live the Lord's law of Consecration, we help others in whatever way we can with whatever means we have been given for their well being and benefit (Doctrine and Covenants 42). I was always under the impression that to consecrate was similar to the word to sanctify, or make holy. Well, after some study, and time in the temple, I realized that in order to be a consecrated missionary, I have to GIVE myself up to the Lord. When we do this and sacrifice our old habits or natural desires, we realize that the Savior is walking right beside us, and carrying us through our struggles. We may think the road we walk is hard. Well, he already walked it, and so much more. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven, and when we do, I believe that we do become "sanctified" because we have turned our will over to the Lord, and we are allowing ourselves to be instruments in his hands. A Brother at church this week said "It is what we do AFTER we think we have done enough that brings forth the blessings heaven." It is so true, and I am trying to learn it more and more everyday. 

A cool story that actually happened a couple weeks ago. We went to pick up a young man to come to a lesson with us. He wasn't there, but Elder Hicks felt like we came to his house for a reason. We waited outside the house, and a few minutes later his older sister came out to talk to us. After talking a while, Elder Hicks mentioned his brother just got his mission call to Federal Way, Washington. She got super emotional all the sudden, and told us she had a dream the night before that she got a mission call to the same mission. Apparently she had thought about serving a mission but didn't want to leave home, so she ignored it. She had been praying to know if she should go that day, and then she said we came by. When we were there, she told us the Lord had answered her prayers and she knew she needed to go on a mission. We left her there crying, and the next day we saw her at the church as she walked out of the Bishops office. She started her mission papers, and she had  the biggest smile on her face! She said "Elders! I am going on a mission!" The power of the Spirit is real. The Lord truly uses others to answer prayers. If Elder Hicks hadn't followed that prompting, she may not have received the answer she was so desperately searching for. We are the Lords instruments, as members of his church, and he needs us to be ready and willing to serve and go where he needs us to, so that we can be the medium through which he "succors his people". If we are consecrated and humble, the Lord will guide us and we will witness miracles. 

Well, yesterday was the baptism of LG! She was taught by the Sisters in our ward, and last week she asked me to baptize her! I still hardly know her, but I know she has a very strong spirit. She started the missionary discussions about 6 or 7 weeks ago. She was so prepared to hear the gospel. She embraced it, she loved it, and immediately began living it. I felt an immediate love of the Lord for Laura. The desire of her heart was to follow her Savior, and she knew that she was entering the path that leads to eternal life. It is my testimony that the path the Lord has prepared for us to return to Him is real. It is achieved through living the teachings of His Restored Gospel. His purpose is our happiness, and I know that as we take the simple steps in our life to follow him more fully, we begin to feel that happiness more and more. 

I know that this church is true. I love it, and I know it is for everyone. They may not know it, but they need it. Alma 13:24 says "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory." 

There are people waiting to hear the good news! 

I love you all! You are in my prayers! Stay strong, press on.

Love,

Elder Christensen

This is one of the pictures that he said in his PS that we could "hopefully" use to PHOTOSHOP him into the wedding pictures!  LOL!  This is the only one that wasn't blurry, or just too silly! I'm pretty sure he was pulling our leg!  He IS wearing the wedding tie though!

October 14th Update

 Editor/Mom's note: You can visit Collin on Facebook with your missionary related questions or comments by searching Elder Collin Christensen.

Mi Familia!

So it has been getting down to 75 degrees at night! Woo! There is a mission rule that if it is 65 degrees or less, we HAVE to wear sweaters or our suit jackets....!! Just when it gets bearable for me again, I now get to put on a sweater that will yet again send me into a sweating ball of fun. So exciting. 

Well this has been quite the week. Probably the most trying, yet most rewarding so far. My companion keeps telling me I will get used to being tired all the time, so that is comforting I guess...Especially when I throw stuff at him during personal study when he falls asleep every day. Haha It is hard to get used to how slow things are. We spend half the day in the apartment studying (because I'm being trained) and the other half proselyting. Our area is huge, but it has so many English and Spanish people mixed together that almost every street or door contact we make gets referred to the English Elders. We really need help from our ward in finding people to teach. We have been visiting members in our area and leaving them with the commitment to find 1 person who their family can fellowship and invite to be taught by the missionaries. They have all committed to do it, but people here tend to forget their commitments. That's probably people everywhere, but we are blessed to have phones and Facebook to help us follow up and such.

 

Speaking of Facebook, I guess I should let you know that I am back on! So mom, thanks for maintaining it for a while. I can't actually use it for anything yet because I have to "gut it out" essentially to be missionary appropriate, and that is taking forever. Once it gets approved by my zone leaders I can start using it for proselyting, which pretty much we still don't really know what that means. All the Elders have kinda just been shooting in the dark with it so far, but this last week we received some training from Sister Taylor, Mission President's wife, at zone interviews on the limitations and uses of Facebook for missionaries. I pretty much explained it in my status, but it is to be use ONLY for things that will help me fulfill  my purpose as a missionary. So I can keep you as my friends, but I will not be communicating with anyone unless it is for missionary work. But we can teach anyone, world-wide! I am a bit hesitant about the whole thing right now, but I am hoping it will become a great tool for the church. So feel free to send me any referrals you have! Also, my mormon.org profile has been "in progress" since I left home. I don't know why it hasn't been approved yet, but it has my old email address linked to it so it might need to be confirmed via that address. Could you check that for me mom? This is the only account I am permitted to access. 

 

So on Friday we had a couple in our ward married at the church! They have been waiting 13 years to be able to get married! I don't know the specifics, but they are an older couple and began investigating the church 13 years ago. The were finally able to get married, and on Saturday they were both baptized by their son! It was so cool. They have such strong testimonies and faith. They were taught by the Sisters in our ward. It was such an example to me of enduring and perseverance for something you know is right. I sometimes find myself getting frustrated because people won't commit to baptism after 3 weeks, I can't imagine waiting 13 years! I have really gained a new perspective on baptism. I won't bore you all with my thoughts, but I do know that baptism is essential in fulfilling God's plan for us. It is necessary to show him we love him and are willing to follow him. 

 

My testimony of temple ordinances has also been strengthened. We visited a young less active family, super nice, and the mother had been through the temple a few months back. We felt inspired to talk to them about eternal families. They told us they struggled feeling happy and the spirit in their home. We asked them when the last time they had attended the temple together. They then began realizing that they weren't reading scriptures, praying alone and as a family, or going to the temple. I had my photo album with all our recent family pictures, and I showed it to them and told them I knew my family would be together forever. That I knew that it was possible through the ordinances of the temple, and I knew it would be possible for their family. The last picture in the photo album is of the Phoenix, AZ Temple. The spirit was so strong! We could tell they wanted their family to be eternal, and they committed right there to begin working with the bishop to be sealed as a family in the Temple for time and all eternity. They committed to start praying together and reading again. I love that family so much! It is these amazing experiences that make getting rejected and ignored and doors slammed in your face ALL worth it. I love helping people realize their potential, and the opportunities the Lord as provided everyone of His children. 

 

Another experience I had was in a very contentious home. There were 8 children, and the parents were a little less than patient. They are both less active members, and the mother requested a Priesthood blessing for her health. Afterwards, the 14 year old son asked for a blessing of comfort. I was asked to give the blessing. I didn't know these people at all, but as I gave that blessing I felt some very real things about this boy. He was a leader, and he was going to be a great example and support for his family as he strengthened his faith and listened to the message the Sisters were teaching the family. As I said these things, the I literally felt the Spirit flood the home. I closed, and there was an odd and unusual silence, and the boy, Jose, was close to tears. I testified to that family of the power of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. We left, and one more of the children committed to be baptized with the Sisters. 

 

The Spirit is real. It is the Comforter. It helps us know right from wrong, true from false, and peace from despair. As missionaries, we are not teachers, but merely messengers of the Spirit. If we do our job, the Spirit of God testifies to those who will listen to it. 2 Nephi 33: 1-2 The Holy Ghost will carry our message unto the hearts of the children of men. Then it is their choice whether or not to let it carry the message INTO their hearts. 

 

I love being a missionary. I love bringing other people the happiness and peace found in the gospel. It is true! We all need it, each and every one. So share it, because this is the Salvation of souls.

I love each of you, and so does our Heavenly Father! Stay strong, and build your foundation on His Rock.

Until next week,

-Elder Christensen

Feeling Like a Missionary

Hola!

Well I am starting to feel like a missionary finally. I think it started about the first time someone told us to get off their porch. I am getting pretty good at nodding and smiling as well. The language isn't progressing very quickly, I guess if I was in a place where everyone spoke only Spanish it might be a little easier. But Elder Hicks and I are planning on speaking 100% Spanish for week 5 , which is in a couple weeks! 

 

Well, we didn't get too far with any investigators this week. The only thing that is harder about a mission that I thought, so far, is feeling and seeing the Spirit testify to people and then watching them do nothing about it. Faith is a principle of action! I love these people so much, but it is hard to tell them that what they are doing (nothing) isn't going to help them. I am learning more and more everyday though. Elder Hicks is very social and good friends with pretty much everyone in the ward, so I have gotten to know the ward pretty quickly. They are awesome people, but they are scared, like many members, of opening their mouths to share the Gospel. At zone meeting this week, we got a bit chastised as a zone of how we are spending our time. We have so much work to be doing, and there is no time for hanging out in members homes, attending ward parties and socials and sporting activities. I guess I always thought it was cool missionaries would come and play basketball with us, but in reality there are good, better, and best things to be doing with the Lords time. The time we spend with members should be concise, and focused on helping them learn to become member missionaries. I have noticed sometimes in members homes we just sit there, and talk. It bothered me, because I often cant interject because I don't know the language very well yet, and also I am the Junior companion. But I realized there are more important things to be doing.  Elder Hicks is very sensitive and willing to listen about my concerns, so I told him what I thought. Since then, we have been making companionship goals pretty much everyday of how we can better consecrate ourselves in the Lord's service. We are learning a lot together.

So, General Conference! Yea. I love it. I cannot say I have ever felt that way about it, but it was probably a couple of my favorite days so far in the mission. First of all, the stress on member missionary work was so awesome! I loved Elder Edward Dube's talk about never looking back, and how we must all participate in hastening of the work of salvation. ALL. I don't think everyone realizes that. This is a team effort. We are all needed, everyone in their own situation. If we stand close in our purpose and lift where we stand, wherever it may be, we can help! "In the sight of the Lord, it is not so important what we have done or where we have been, but rather WHERE we will GO." We can be his instruments in bringing others unto happiness if we will go where he needs us to go. And "how great will be [our] joy!" 

 

 Elder Edward Dube (this is a link to the talk Collin references)

 

 Elder S. Gifford Neilson said that "the work will not move forward in the Lord's intended way without US." And by US, he means US! Not just the missionaries, but everyone! As members of the Church, we have been given the blessing of knowing the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel in these Latter Days and of its absolute importance for the whole world. So share it! If you don't know it is true, I personally invite you to get on your knees and find out. When you come to a knowledge that it is true and that we all need the healing power of Christ's Atonement, you will feel a desire to share its happiness with those you love. It is my testimony that we can pray for the strength we need to overcome whatever personal worries or inadequacies we may have. The Lord will surely bless us with the ability to open our mouths and be his instrument. He has done so for me, and I feel his love for me stronger everyday, because I am in constant need of his help. 

 

Elder Gifford Nielsen 

 

I loved Elder Uchtdorf's story in Priesthood Session of his grandson reaching out his hand. I feel that sometimes the Savior is reaching out his hand to me and I am not paying attention. I think I can get back on my feet alone. The truth is, I cant. His hand is always outstretched, and he tells us "You can do it now". And we can. The Savior's mercy can carry us through any trial or sorrow or sin, if we take hold of His hand, his gospel, and his love. "Our success isn't determined by how many times we stumble and fall, but rather how many times we rise up." Keep going! Whatever it may be, it is meant to teach us something! 

 

Elder Uchtdorf 

 

When I gave my farewell talk before I left, I was completely scared. In preparing for it, I could not focus or seem to get anything done. It seemed the adversary was working very hard on me at that time. Again and again I gave up and decided to write it later, but again and again I returned to it, trying my best to get something done. The simple principle I finally realized was that I could not do it alone. I wish I could say public speaking was my forte, but that would be a lie. But even if I was, I would still need the help from the Lord in order to deliver his message. So finally, I humbled myself, prayed, and asked for help. In doing so, I took hold of the Saviors hand, and let him help me. "You can do it now." And I did. Because I stopped relying on myself and began to trust the Lord, he helped me overcome a personal weakness and struggle. I know he can and will do the same for everyone who recognizes theirs weaknesses and allows the Lord to turn them into strengths (Ether 12:27). 

 

I hope this doesn't bore you all. While it may seem like a lot of responsibility we have, it is so important! My testimony is so important to me. It pulls me through both sunshine and storm. I love this work! As Elder Richard G. Scott said, let us "fill our lives with service to others, and the power of the adversary over us will be diminished."

 

Elder Richard G. Scott

 

I love you all! I hope all is well! I promise I am still me, but the mission is truly changing me for the better. :)

Hasta semana proxima!

Elder Christensen

Pictures!

These came from the Mission President and His Wife today.

Elder Christensen Sister and President Taylor

Elder Collin is in Peoria Arizona

We received a phone call on Tuesday Sept 24 from our missionary.  We spoke for 7 whole minutes!  He said that he was pretty tired, but the flight from Mexico to Phoenix went well.  He traveled with his companion and other missionaries.  Some were going to serve in AZ, while others were waiting for Visas.  He was going to relax at the mission home for the rest of the day, and leave for his new area on Wednesday.  He sounded soooo GOOD!  We weren't expecting a call, and were so glad we answered, and we-both parents were available to talk!

We got an email today saying he was in his first area now and that his new companion is Elder Hicks.  His new p-day will be on Mondays.  Here is his new address:

14300 N 83rd Ave. Apt # 3070 Peoria, AZ 85381

¡Hola Familia y Amigos!

I leave the CCM at 3AM tomorrow, so in about 7 hours! My flight is at 7:10AM  and I believe it is about a 3 hour flight, so I will arive at 8:30ish Phoenix time. I am not sure how things will work out, they haven´t really told us anything yet, but I am sure they will let you know I have made it safely!

 

As for this week so far, it has been quite good. I had a pretty annoying virus the last week, but I am much better now. The doctor gave me some antibiotics, and after some tests he found out it wasn´t a parasite. That was comforting. :P His name is Dr. Christensen! Haha I have met about 15 other Elder Christensens here, no joke. Anyways, don´t worry I am well taken care of!

Richard and Dad, I was pretty bummed when I heard BYU lost to Utah. :( I actually met this Tongan Elder here who grey shirted for Utah last year. Haha, he was sure to make sure I knew the score.

 

I have had some really great experiences in the past few days. My district has become such a brotherhood, I didn´t realize it would be this hard to say goodbye to them all. I really love them all, they have helped me learn a lot here. And yes, I love my companion. It has been one of the hardest things for me so far. But a series of humbling events has helped me to realize that I can and must love my companion. For anyone not familiar with missions, loving your companion may sound odd at first, but I will say it is absolutely essential as representatives of Jesus Christ to be united. If we do not love others as Christ loves them, we cannot help them feel his love for them.

Last night we had a devotional by Elder Richard G. Scott. He talked about prayer and personal revelation, and it was exactly the message I needed to hear. One thing he said that caught my attention was ¨Prayer  is a sacred priviledge...Think of it, the most Supreme being in the universe wants YOU to talk to him, at anytime, at any place.¨ I love that. Just as any parent is concerned and wants to hear from their children, even so does our Father in Heaven wait for us to ask for his help, as a friend at anytime. We are pretty lucky to have such a privilege. The Bible Dictionary under Prayer says something to the affect that God is waiting to offer us multitudes of blessings, but he can only do so when we ask him.

Well my time is short. I love you all! I am so excited to enter the field tomorrow! I am learning so much, and am truly grateful to my parents and family and Heavenly Father for allowing me this opportunity to serve Him.

 

Hope all is well! I will soon be in Phoenix, Arizona!

 

Sincerely,

-Elder Christensen

Last Wednesday Pday in Mexico

(Collin was originally scheduled to leave the MTC on September 24 for Phoenix AZ. He comments on my comment that this may be his last email from the MTC, and wondering when we will be able to hear from him next. Also FYI Anna just got her permit--Cindy-MOM)

 

¡Hola!

 

I hope all is well with everyone! Mom, I have heard that I will get to e-mail again this Sunday, but I am not sure. We haven´t been informed of what exactly will happen, but I am sure that we will be able to let you know that we have arrived safely. The Itinerary for the flight may have changed but I will know by Sunday hopefully!

It sounds like you are all pretty busy! Glad to hear from you guys. Anna, I hope you aren´t making the rest of dad´s hairs turn grey by your reckless driving. :) Just remember, those octogonal red signs mean ¨slow down¨ or something. Also, don´t hit squirrels. They ruin the bottom of your car.

So a lot has happened this week! I will try to give a few highlights. The whole weekend was Mexican Independence celebration, particularly Saturday and Sunday. The entire CCM met in the gym Saturday night for a presentation of ¨Noche Mexicano!¨ We learned a little about the history, sung the national anthem, watched a bunch of Mexican Dances including the Mexican ballet...? Haha I honestly have no idea what was going on, but there was a lot of screaming and shouting ¨¡Viva Mexico!¨ The dancing crew were all native members and sang that Armies of Heleman and As Sisters in Zion medeley at the end, it was awesome. The people here are SO proud of their country, its pretty cool. Also, Sunday night we got to stay up late and watch the live feed of the Mexican President do some short ceremony, and the whole nation repeats what he says saying ¨¡Viva!¨and such. I wish I knew more about Mexican history and culture, but It was awesome anyway. The whole weekend there was constant booming and explosions and fireworks throughout the city. It was very loud, but we all got used to it. They told us not to stay outside Sunday night because the people shoot off pistols into the air all night as a tradition, and they didn´t want anyone to get hit! Kinda sketchy. Hahaha

Oh yea, our district sang ¨¨Come. Come Ye Saints¨ before the CCM devotional on Sunday night! We are pretty bad!! Half the district is tone deaf, the other half sings quietly. Haha So I played the piano and we endured it. Everyone stepped out of their comfort zones, it was sweet. And it didn´t turn out as bad as we had thought either.

 

A couple scriptures I came across this week that I really love. The first is in 3 Nephi 18:32 in the Book of Mormon. The Savior explains that those who disobey will not be numbered among his people, but that ¨ye shall not cast him out...for unto such ye shall continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.¨  We cannot give up on people! In the words of Elder Holland, ¨Any [situation] can and should be a missionary [situation], if we have EYES to see and EARS to hear.¨ We must always remember that the gospel is for every individual human being. It is the power of salvation and happiness in this life, and in eternal life to come. We cannot judge someone just because they have chosen to take a different path. Rather, we should love them sincerely, and pray for them, and continue to minister unto them. We can truly be ¨the means of bringing salvation unto them¨ if we will listen, both to them and the Spirit. Don´t lose hope! Show those you love that you love them! Show them that Christ can and will heal them, whatever their need is. 

2nd Scripture. At a certain time this week I was not feeling the Spirit. In fact, I was feeling anger, irritation, fatigue, boredom, pride, fear...everything that is NOT of the Spirit. I was struggling with my companionship, and it was affecting my teaching and learning.  All I could think about was MYself, and how hard this was for ME. I opened the scriptures to Alma 34:19 ¨Humble yourselves and continue in prayer unto him¨. I realized that this is the only way we can get through our struggles. Be humble, accept and believe that the Lord will and can help you if you continue praying to Him. This is the exact lesson I needed to learn. We , humble ourselves, we open our hearts to God, and then we forget ourselves and let Him take care of us. Verse 28 tells us that our prayer will be in vain if we have not charity for others.

There is SO much to be learned from the scriptures. There is literally something in them for EVERYONE and for EVERYTIME. If you have not discovered the joy found in the word of God, and the peace found in His mercy for us, I encourage you to do so prayerfully. I promise that the Lord will comfort you, He will run to your aid, if we but humble ourselves and come unto Him. He is waiting to help us, for he loves us more than we can know.

I know that this Church, the restored Gospel, and the Book of Mormon are true. I love it.

I love you all!

Have a great week!

 

-Elder Christensen

September 11, 2013 Letter home

¡Hola Familia!

 

I cant believe how much is going on at home! I guess I sort of expected you all to just hang out for two years without talking or having fun. :D It is super great to hear from you all though! Thank you for taking time to write me individually via e-mail. Also, I got all your letters from August 25th yesterday! Haha The envelope was pretty messed up, I was super excited when I got it though! Also, I got your second DearElder.com letter last week I´m pretty sure, but not the one from Sept 8 i dont think. I think I got some mail today though, so its possible.

Since I will be leaving in a couple weeks and it is crazy trying to get mail out of Mexico into the states, I will respond to all your letters right now. But keep sending me real mail! I will reply with real letters when I get to Phoenix :)

 

Hermano Rogers

It sounds like you are having some awesome scripture study Mom and Anna! It is so weird, I´m kinda addicted to studying now that I´m here. At least when we are in the classroom. Hermano Rogers, our evening teacher, showed us all his study journal from his mission. The first section is called ¨Doctrine¨ and he puts a page in for all the Preach My Gospel topics and then for any other topics he comes across. He puts them in alphabetical order, and just keeps a record of scriptures and teachings for each topic. Then he has Insights, Testimony, Question and Answers, and Quotes sections. Every section is cross referenced with dates and such. At first it seemed like way too much work. But my whole district started using it and now everyone is pumped about studying! It is so much more efficient. I have my own little personal ¨Topical Guide¨ that I can refer to anytime. Anyways, I´m glad Im learning how to effectively study now, because I know it will be such a useful tool for me throughout my mission.

 

Dad, that's awesome you and the Priests went water skiing! I hope you got to show off your slolem skills and thunder thighs. Send all those guys my love, they are the best! I was sad to hear you sold the Jetta, and that that girls dad was disrespecting Velma. Glad you got rid of it though, it needed a new home. Haha Oh, also, I hope you took that mannequin head out of the back of the trunk before they drove it off...if not, no worries. I´m sure they will enjoy it.

Richard and Marissa! I cant believe Lacey is trying to walk around and stuff! I can believe the weird noises though, she gets that from her parents. I got super pumped when I heard that our dear friend Kyle the Interviewer will now be on SNL. I hope that was not a joke, because I seriously got super excited. Happy Anniversary! We are gonna have to do some bike rides when I get home, I dont know if I will get enough time on the bike over the next 2 years. Marissa, thats so cool you are doing the triathalon thing! My district has been waking up at 6:00 every morning to run. Its pretty sweet, it reminds me of our fun times running!

 

Cara, thank you for your advice. It is very important for missionaries to be in tune with the spirit, and your testimony strengthened mine. It reminded me of a David A. Bednar talk we watched this week. He spoke of when he was a missionary in Germany, and he gave Elder Boyd K. Packer a ride to the train station so he could fulfill an assignment on the other side of Germany. Before he left, Elder Bednar gave Elder Packer and his wife 20 Marks in case they needed it for their Journey. Years later, Elder Packer reminded Elder Bednar of this experience. What Elder Bednar had not know was that Elder Packer and his wife would not have been able to cross the border that night because of strict border control, without the 20 marks they had been given. Their passports were not accepted, but they were allowed in with the 20 marks. Moral of the story - Elder Bednar was prompted by the power of the Holy Ghost to give the Packers those 20 marks. However, at the time he did not feel that it was a prompting. His message was that if we are continually living in obedience and worthiness, we will not have to worry whether or not the Spirit is prompting us. Most of the time, we are prompted by thoughts that we thought were our own, and only later do we realize that they were promptings. The Spirit prompts and teaches us in our own mind and personal language. That is so comforting to me.

Jeff, thank you for your lovely toilet paper note! My whole district wanted to take turns holding it - we haven't felt toilet paper that soft in 4 weeks! I really love ya man, and I appreciate all the encouragement. Soon I will write you in Spanish!

 

Everyone else, I love ya too! It is inspiring to hear from you every week! I am short on time, but I want you all to know you are always in my prayers. The Savior´s Atonement is real. His love is real. His plan is real. I am reminded everyday of how true our message is, and how important it is to share with the world.

Adelante con la obra! (the work goes ahead- Hasten the work!)

 

With Love,

Elder Christensen

Cockroach in our room I killed

We patch our screens holes with bandaids and stamps so mosquitos dont get in

Elder Goehring (companion)

Third Week

Here's Collin's letter home for this week.

Hola Familia!

Este Semana pasado ha sido muy rapido! (This past week has been very fast!)

 I will answer Mom´s questions first.

We get to go to the temple every other P-day, so I went again for the second time today, and will go one more time!

And they are still playing the old movie here, but it is still pretty cool because I´m busy trying to understand everything. Today I understood most of it too! We do not get to leave the campus besides for the temple, and if we get super sick. And it makes sense why, when we drive out through Mexico City to go to the temple, it is just insane.

I thought I had seen some crazy intersections in the US, but here they just slap down a road wherever they feel like it! The drivers are equally nuts, but there are hardly ever accidents apparently because the people are so good at driving defensively. They are used to people driving in the oncoming lane to pass in heavy traffic, so they just move to the side. At every intersection where you stop, people will run to every car and try to sell bananas or chips or whatever, and some guy will go in the cross walk and juggle fruit or bowling pins or fire or something just for the heck of it. I don't know if they actually make any money doing that. 

I have not seen my blog, I have an hour each week to email, and I don't think I´m allowed to go to any other sites anyways. I´ve heard that it seems like I am the one updating it though, which obviously I´m not. So you could make that a little more clear, but other than that I don't really care too much. Yes, I am healthy. We get to go outside all the time between classes. We walk quite a ways every day just getting around. The weather is very much like Oregon-Sunny or cloudy and like 75 all day. Although we have had like 2 tiny earthquakes that I couldn't feel, and we have a pretty crazy thunderstorm about every other night. :)) I love it.

Well the weeks are all starting to blur together now, so I will try to remember what I have and haven´t already said. A funny story, a few days ago a worker was cleaning out our room and bathroom (yea I know, spoiled) and I started talking to him in Spanish, or at least trying to. He told me about his family and how he loved working at the CCM, among other things. He asked if we liked the food here. My buddy Elder Gerhart, who is in our room, really doesnt like the food here, except he usually likes the meat they serve. He said ¨Si! Me gusta el carne!¨ Yes, I like the meat! The worker, Francisco, replied, ¨Oh si! El carne de caballo!¨ (Oh Yes! It's Horse meat!)  Hahaha Elder Gerhart didn´t figure out what caballo was till later. :D

So I think I mentioned the Elder Holland talk we watched part of in Church last week, well we watched it again This last Sunday. And then, our teacher Hermana Rodriguez, came in Monday morning, and showed it to us again. I don´t think she knew that was the 3rd time we had seen it, but we knew we were watching it again for a reason. To spare you of all the details, Elder Holland mentioned that missionaries needed to remember the story of Peter after the Crucifixion of the Savior. The apostols all wondered what they were to do after Christ died, so they just went fishing again. They then experienced the miraculous catch, after casting on the right side of the boat. The resurrected Lord sat on the shore and asked Peter, do you love me more than these? Peter, after being asked and responding 3 times that he did indeed love the Savior, finally realized what his calling as an Apostol meant. Christ said, if you love me ¨then feed my sheep¨. Peter then became the rock of the church that he was meant to be. The message of this story was that we as missionaries, just as Peter, have been called of God to serve and ¨feed His Sheep¨. We, too, are to leave our nets, and our boats, and our fishes, and all of our old ways, and follow Him. When He asked ME to leave behind MY nets, and my fishes, and my worldy desires, to come and serve Him, He meant it to be forever. Elder Holland explains that we as missionaries are on the same mission as the Apostols today, we are on the Lord´s mission. It is not our mission. He said that we are ¨apostols with little "a´s¨, and we should remember that our call came from God. I love that comparison. I never likened that amazing story to myself.

We also had some great devotionals from Elder Christofferson and Elder Villalobos. I am out of time though!

I Love you all and hope all is well! I love being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that the Gospel is true, and that it is literally for EVERY single person on earth, whether they know it or not. I love my Savior, and the way he provided, through His Gospel, for us to return to Him and live forever in happiness with our families.

Hasta proxima miercoles! (Until next Wednesday!)

Sincerely,

Elder Christensen

Two Weeks

Hola Familia y Amigos!

 

Well I´ll be honest, my district and I sort of feel like the big kids on campus. Two weeks under our belts! Haha It has gone by slowly and yet so fast at the same time. I´m still trying to just take everything in. But I have been learning so much! The language is coming pretty well, I stopped myself the other day and realized how much I was actually understanding (our classes are now 100% in Spanish)! I still have so much to learn...anytime I get over confident and try to strike up a conversation with a native here in the CCM, they get so excited and then once they´re through talking at a million miles an hour, I start to wonder if I have really been learning Spanish here. It´s pretty fun, they just laugh cause I say ¨si, si! Hasta luego!¨ Anyways, the people here are so nice, and the campus is beautiful. This week I ate some crazy good jalepeño hot dogs, chicken wings, tilapia, beans...I still like the food if you were wondering. We play basketball just about everyday and a couple times we played some Mexicans...we then understood why they play soccer instead. But then the guys who played basketball for Benemerito High School before it became the CCM showed up, and we got destroyed. Haha fun times!

So turns out, the ¨investigator¨ we were teaching became our Teacher after we finished teaching him the lessons in Spanish. His name is Hermano Rogers, he is the bomb! He brought learning Spanish to a whole new level for me and the district. One of my buds told me it was an answer to his prayers, because he had been especially struggling with learning Spanish from a native teacher (our morning teacher is Hermana Rodriguez) who is awesome but speaks super fast. Since Hermano Rogers became our teacher, the learning has become more fun, easy, and enjoyable. We love Hermana Rodriguez too, she has an amazing spirit.

 

So I got to hear a few different missionary broadcasts this last week. Two were from Elder Holland, and as always, my perspective on missionary work and the gospel shifted greatly. I wish I could just transmit all my notes onto this email, but I know you will all get bored. Pretty much the main point of his talks is summed up in the quote ¨Grab you socks, pull them up to your armpits, and get to work! We have high expectations for missionaries, and we do not apologize for that!¨ Classic Elder Holland. I love it, and it really makes me want to change. He also said, like many others, that we must be our first converts, or else we WILL NOT teach with power and we WILL NOT have success. Pretty strong statement, yet so encouraging. Last night we had Elder Andersen speak from Provo, he spoke about love and sacrifice. I had been praying for an experience that would teach me to be more humble, and this talk pretty much hit the nail on the head. he said ¨we sacrifice for what we love, and we love what we sacrifice for¨. I´m still learning from that, and the challenge to ¨forget yourself and go to work¨.

 

Well I am running short on time, Sorry if all my emails are just full of church stuff. I guess there isn't really much else to report on though. :) I´m loving my time here, I´m loving being a missionary, and I am continually growing stronger and stronger in my love for the Savior. I know that his Gospel has been restored. I know that God has a plan for all of us, and that he will never leave us on our own. He only asks us to come unto Him.

 

I love you all, you are always in my prayers.

 

Sincerely,

Elder Christensen

First Preparation Day at the MTC=First Email

 

Hello Family and Friends!

Today marks a week and a day at el CCM! Well to try and answer most of your questions in one, it has been great! The food is pretty awesome...mostly because you can eat as much as you want. I think I´m starting to grow into these missionary pants though! To be honest, I don´t think I have known what half the stuff I have eaten is...I know a lot of it has been spam and eggs though. I think I´d rather not know what the other food is or where it came from.It has been crazy to see the transition still taking place in the CCM from the Benemerito Church High School it used to be. But when Jefferey R Holland Dedicated the CCM as the Mexico MTC, he said that this property served its purpose as a High School for the Church, but that from the beginning, it was meant to be an MTC. Pretty cool words coming from a prophet. And you can definitely feel the spirit that is in this place. My district included 10 elders, all 18 year olds, all serving in the states, all learning Spanish. We stay in a house in the very corner of the campus.

 

There is seriously no spare time here, and I love it. We are ALWAYS busy, and every hour of the day is full of studying, eating, studying, gym time, studying, eating, studying, studying, studying. Oh and a devotional once or twice a week! But I have truly learned so much already, both in Spanish and the Gospel. Anna, yes, I definitely feel like as a missionary it is easier for me to study; the learning curve has greatly steepened. To be honest, I never really ACTUALLY studied before my mission started. I read. And reading is good, its great! Do it everyday! But studying truly opens the windows of heaven, and when you begin your study with sincere prayer, you show Heavenly Father that you have a desire to know. He will always dump knowledge into your mind if you do this diligently, because this has been the case for me this past week. There are so many things I wish I could share!

 

A major part of our study has been preparing for lessons. The second or third day here we taught our first lesson - in Spanish! It was a role play, but the people we teach are trained to act just as investigators would, and I was suprised at how real it felt! I was also suprised when our investigator, ¨´Manuel´¨, did not laugh hysterically at me when I began to slaughter the message of the Restoration in Spanish. :P However, I´ve learned that the gift of tongues kicks in  when one applies faith and diligent study. I have not been given a sudden ability to speak fluent Spanish while in a lesson, but rather, the Spirit helps you to remember what you DO know, and I can tell you that I have felt the Spirit testify of the truth in every single one of our lessons, despite the fact that we most likely sound like 5 year olds. Anyways, it has been a super eye opening thing for me to teach these lessons.

My companion is Elder Goehring from South Jordan Utah. He is a very sincere, spiritually minded, generous, and kind missionary. I have already learned a lot from him, although we have quite a few differences. I was pretty prideful and annoyed at first about this, I´ll be honest. But I´m learning that it just doesnt matter, because God loves all of his children, and I´m here to learn to love them all too.

 

Last night the Area President of our area, a member of the 1st Quorum of the 70, President Daniel Johnson have a devotional to the CCM. It was one of the most powerful talks I have ever heard, and it left me feeling like I had a lot to work on. But it was crazy inspiring! A few of the things he said were that we are not here just to get baptism, but we are literally here to save souls. It isn´t our mission, it is the Lord´s mission that we are on. He said that we cannot expect the people we teach to pray to know the truth, to know that God exists, hears our prayers, and loves each of us, if we do not already know this ourselves. We will not teach with the power of the Holy Ghost if we dont have a personal testimony. Our conversion includes ¨¨continually holding fast to the rod´¨ of the Word of God as we are using the Christ´s Atonement every day to improve ourselves. A testimony alone, in the long run, will not be enough. If we are not becoming Converted to the Lord, Changing our will into his as we servce him, we cannot be effective missionaries.

Sorry, That is a lot of things he said, meshed with a few major things I have learned this week. But I know that these things are true through the power of the Holy Ghost. Today I was able to go with my district to the Mexico City Temple, and the entire ceremony was in Spanish, but I could still feel the power of the sacred covenants we make in the House of the Lord. I felt so much peace there. Everytime I question why I am here, I remember that the Lord´s work is ¨to bring to pass the immortality and Eternal Life¨ of all of us. I know that I am on the Lord´s mission, and there is no place I would rather be!

I love all of you! Your support and prayers really do inspire me, and I am so blessed to have each of you in my life. I´m glad to hear all is going well at home! I didn´t realize our house would be turning into a wedding workshop so soon...but I´m so happy for you Cara and Jeff! ;) You are all in my prayers, and I look forward to hearing from you next Wednesday!

 

Sincerely,

Elder Christensen

 

P.S. I hope these pictures attached!

The elders in my room are, from the left, Elder Yankura, Elder Gerhart, and Elder Goehring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yes, that is a random dog contemplating jumping of a roof in Mexico City.

He Made it to Mexico!

Here is the first letter from Collin which he sent when he arrived at the Mexico MTC August 13, 2013.

Hello Mom and Dad! I have just arrived at the Mexico City MTC! I smell horrible and I think I need to eat some food. Other than that, I feel great. Everything went smoothly and everyone arrived safely.

So Mexico is crazy...I dont know if there are traffic laws here because people just seemed to ignore each other. Good thing the bus driver was a pro. The city from the plane was enormous and so cool looking! I got some pretty bad pictures, sorry. :P

The MTC is pretty sweet looking. I haven´t checked into my home yet, but there are tons of buildings and the sidewalks are lined with palm trees. Its about 70 degrees and breezy. :)

 

On the flight from Houston to Mexico City I was seated by an older hispanic man who was flying home. He actually couldnt speak any English at all, but somehow I told him I was a Missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He saw the Book of Mormon in my hand you gave me this morning, Mom, and I told him with my impeccable Spanish skills that the Book of Mormon shares a message about God and Jesus Christ. He told me he loved God, so I scribbled www.mormon.org on a piece of paper for him and he was excited, although he seemed kind of sad I only had a copy of the BOM in English. So he wrote his contact information down on a paper for me....yea!! Not at all what I was expecting from the first person I talked to, and I was completely slaughtering his language. He was super nice though. I asked him if he had family in Mexico, and he showed me pictures and pointed out all his children. I could tell he really loved them. I dont know if the spirit guided my or if I just spurted it out, but I told him ¨´la iglesia es todo sobre familia¨´ : the church is all about family, or something to that extent, I hope. :P Anyways, he was super kind and wished me luck in Mexico or something...Maybe he said the opposite. haha I hope I can get him hooked up with the missionaries in his area somehow. Way cool!

 

Ok I have to go to dinner and move all my junk in. I love you all, Thank you so much for your prayers. I have truly felt your love and support for me these past couple days, and it has gotten me through. Have a wonderfuly week, I don´t know when I can write again!

 

Love,

Elder Christensen

August 11, Sunday events

It was a happy Sunday for the Christensen family.  All of our 6 children spouses and finance, and grand kids, aunts, uncles and cousins were with us at church and throughout the day.  Our hearts were full of gratitude for our wonderful family bond, and the occasion for which we were gathered.

Collin was the last speaker in our sacrament meeting.  He had spent much time preparing and he commented how he had loved studying the scriptures and talks in preparations, but there was just too much to use.  He was a little nervous about narrowing it down, and knowing just what to share.  As it turned out, he did select his material well, and it was very apparent that the spirit was resting on him as he shared his testimony.  It was wonderful.

Here is an audio link to his talk.  Collin's farewell talk

We enjoyed having our family and friends join us in the evening.  Here are just a few pictures.