Mi Familia!‏

Hola hola hola!

So, I'll start off this letter with a question: Where did November go?
Because... Pretty sure December is this week and it feels like I just
got here! Time in the field is really flying. I totally forgot about
Thanksgiving, I don't even know what day it was on. I did remember
however.... Bridge's Birthday!!! Bro! You're flippin 16! Driving,
dating, and all that nonsense that comes with 16. I am still waiting
for a picture of this girl I hear about... You send me one this week
boy! Geez... Be careful with the girls, they only mean trouble. You
can date and kiss *gasp!* after you're married k? Jaja mentira, no
just be a good boy, listen to mom and dad, and drive safe, for
every ones sake!

So guess what? I got the priority envelope!!! It was MIS-SENT to
Belize. Of all places... Belize? But yeah, totally just got it today,
along with a letter from Eric! Man, I miss that kid. It was sure good
to hear from him. Sounds like he is doing really well in the Sahoran
Desert! But yes! He is loving it. Oh, and the manilla envelope is the
tape! I'm so glad it got to you! You need to remember to rewind it, i
forgot. But you might need to buy as well a tape recorder to listen to
it. But send more tapes!

So the events of this week are as follows: So, as you will remember
last week we went to Juliaca to get our results of our TB test....
Ready? Well, I'm safe. But Elder Ortiz... Not so much. He was
positive. So we called Hermana Calderon and she said that it only was
crucial if the size of the reaction was bigger than 10mm. His was 8!
Pretty close, but I guess its okay. I don't fully understand why its
okay. I think he needs some more verification to be sure. Anyway! We
had whats called a Tienda Movil come to Puno! Its a mobile church
store that sells garments, hymn books, movies, and other goodies! So,
we went, and I bought like 8 movies, un libro de himnos, and 3 foto
books of the Old and New Testament, and the Book of Mormon. Yes, they
are for kids, but its Español nonetheless! I love them! Okay now some
bad news... I have been SO sick all week. Ive had bad headaches,
fevers, swollen hands (huh?), CRAZY bad hives (the worst I've ever
had), and stomach aches. But today, thank heavens, I am feeling okay!
Almost the whole week though I have been pretty sick. But I'm feeling
better! Tons better! If you can, in a small small box, send some CD's.
New EFY, Ryan Shupe, soundtracks to some LDS movies as well would be
awesome! And dad, yeah! Please send the Conference edition of the
Ensign!

As for our work here in Inca Pachacutec (our ward), we have been kind
of struggling. Our baptism fell through, we couldn't find Carmen
anywhere! We haven't had a single lesson with a member present this
week, and all in all we need to work harder. But remember that I have
been sick, so its been even harder, but I know we can do better. On
the bright side, we have changed Vitaliano's baptismal date to Dec 11,
and Julisa also has the date Dec 11. However, she isn't married yet, so
it looks like it wont work out. :( I'm super bummed! We have some new
investigators! Nestor and Margarita. They are great. Nestor is
catholic but doesn't really believe much in the religion, and has been
looking at other religions. We have had some great lessons with him,
but come Dec 1st, his work starts up at the hotel he works at (4
stars), and it demands a lot of memorizing and knowing the customers.
So he says he wont have a lot of time, but I know that with the Lords
help, we will be able to continue to teach him and that he will have a
testimony through his prayers. We gave him a BOM, and he said that he
would read the chapter we assigned him, 3 Ne. 11, and after that he
would pray. It is truly awesome, to be able to promise something as a
Representative of Jesus Christ, and later to see that it has come to
pass. I have promised our other investigators Alejandro and Ruth, that
if they would follow the advice given in the intro of the BOM, and
pray with faith, that they would receive an answer through the Holy
Ghost. They have had doubts, but we visited them and Ruth said that
she had received an answer and that it was true! They aren't married
either, that seems to be a problem here, but once they do they WILL be
baptized! I have never prayed so much in my life! Every single day, I
pray, and pray, and pray, and I have seen the power of prayer work in
our investigators. We are also teaching Magda and her daughter, we had
an amazing lesson just last night in her tienda, store, of the
Restoration. It went really well, and they are loving our lessons! Her
husband passed away 3 years ago, and she has 3 kids. But, everything
we teach she agrees with and it makes sense to her. Its only time
before she is baptized as well. All in all, our work is moving
forward. We need to work with the members more though! As it says in
Preach My Gospel, if we as missionaries worked with the members more,
we would do less walking around knocking doors, and more actually

giving references to the missionaries.

The scripture of this week is found in 1 Peter 3:15. I am trying to
follow the advice of this scripture to always be ready, and willing,
in giving those who ask a reason for why I am always so happy! The
reason of course, is that I know the truth. I have a knowledge of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I try day by day to live it. I am here to
serve and love the people of Perù, and right now, the people of Puno.
I have truly felt the love of Christ while teaching those people, whom
I hardly know, the reason why I am so happy. I want to share these
WONDERFUL blessings that I have seen in my family and in my life, with
the people here! I am trying to remember who I am, a missionary of
God. Sometimes, we forget the power that we have. We are called of God
to preach the gospel to every creature. I'm talking to everyone, the
language is coming, poco a poco! I can feel the Gift of Tongues
working in me as I am meticulously obedient, as it says in my setting
apart blessing. I love all of you so much, thank you so much for the
Christmas packages that are on the way! I look so forward to them! I
also cant wait for you to get mine! Its not much, but I hope you enjoy
it! Keep me in your prayers, as I keep you in mine. Express my love to
the family in how much I miss them! I love you boys, keep on keepin
on, and please! Please write me! I miss you so much. I don't know whats
going on with you guys!

¡Secuida mucho! Los extraño a todos, y los amo mucho. ¡Hasta pronto!

Con amor,
Elder Jordan Van Christensen

The front of the house, only the second floor and the garage is theirs.