Happy late 4th of July!

Dear Family and Friends!

Happy late 4th of July! I hope you all made the most of it! We were
asked to stay in all night to avoid drunk drivers and such. So we
watched church movies in Spanish! Haha it was fun I guess.
This week we had a hard time keeping appointments with people since it
was family/vacation week. But we still managed 20 lessons and found
some cool people! One is Keith, who manages a motel and to whom we
taught the Restoration while he replaced a toilet. Haha weirdest
lesson ever. He's got some interesting ideas, but wants to learn!
Another was a guy named Tory. His wife's parents are members and had
referred them to us through church Headquarters. This area is bouncing
with opportunities. Last night we totaled the lessons we have set up
for this week and it was well over 30. A good number of them are new
people too! I'm not too sure how we will manage that many lessons, but
we are ready to do what we can to make it work and let the Lord work
miracles!

Both Steve and Kevin were at church yesterday. They are probably the
most solid people we are teaching right now. Steve is already looking
forward to going to the temple with family names once he is baptized!
His baptism will be August 23rd now. He has to leave town next week so
he can't do it then anymore. We were worried for a while he had gotten
cold feet and didn't want to be baptized anymore, but our prayers were
answered and he's still solid!

Yesterday I was struggling with what to do with the Spanish Group
here, because people have just stopped coming, even though we are
teaching more and more Spanish lessons. Among that were some other
things that were bothering me which I chose to pray and fast about. In
Fast and Testimony meeting, my testimony of fasting was truly
strengthened. What the speakers said was good, but what the Spirit
spoke to me was better. I had to start writing things down because so
many thoughts were coming to my mind. Later, there was an awkward
situation in Elder's Quorum because apparently no one had been asked
to prepare a lesson. Of course their solution was "Ask the
missionaries, they can help you!" Well we sure love to help! Haha the
Spirit prompted me to teach a lesson about Testimony and Conversion,
something I have been thinking about a lot lately. I don't know where
the lesson came from, because I can say it wasn't me teaching it! The
Spirit gave me words, questions and ideas to share and it was one of
the coolest experiences. I was grateful the Spirit had prepared me
during Sacrament meeting, even though I didn't know why at the time.
Afterwards a brother came up to us to say that he hadn't had a
spiritual experience at church for a quite while until that
discussion. If God could put words in a clumsy 19 year old boy's mouth
to help just one person, that is evidence to me that he loves his
children, and that his purposes were achieved. I am grateful for the
Holy Ghost, which testifies of truth, and which shapes us and molds us
into more Christlike people. If we allow it to touch our hearts,
change our hearts, and then TURN our hearts outwards, God will work
miracles through you and I, His imperfect children.
I know God speaks. His top priority is the happiness and Salvation of
every one of us. If you don't feel you have a testimony of that, make
the changes necessary to find it out by going to church, reading the
Book of Mormon and praying sincerely each day. Doing so will change
your life! If you have received a testimony through the Holy Ghost,
don't let it sit there and burn out! Keep it fueled by doing the same
things you had to do to receive it. True conversion is illustrated in
the Book of Mormon by the Lamanites: "as many of the Lamanites as
believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never
did fall away" (Alma 23:6). Nurture it, strengthen it, act on the
knowledge you have received, and then SHARE IT! :) And never
underestimate the power of a simple heartfelt testimony.

I love being a missionary! I don't know of anything better than
watching hearts and lives change for the better. I apologize if I ever
sound preachy, I just want everyone to know these things! :)
I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Collin Christensen