This last week.‏

Wow, this week sure has been interesting. It has gotten better! Don't
worry. I'm hanging in there but it just seems like right now in my
mission has been tough. But, I'm tough!...or at least I like to think
so. And I know that with the Lord on my side, I can really do all
things.

So to start off, we don't have much time today. Some elders got to our
Zone meeting late, so we all have to pay for it by less time to write.
But, I can tell you that we will have a baptism today! I'm so excited
for her. Her name is Marjhorie.. I know a weird way to spell it, but
that's how it is when you speak Spanish. She truly wants to change her
life, and she will start it today. I always love to see our
investigators change their life around in order to follow our Savior.
We also have been teaching Leonel. I don't know if I have said anything
about him yet, but we have an interesting story with him. So one day
my comp and I were out contacting, and I stopped in my tracks and said
that we should go up this mountain to look for another contact that we
had about 3 weeks before. I looked up, and saw some people looking at
us from their roof, and found his house exactly behind that house. I
don't know how I remembered him, or his direction, but we hiked up, and
knocked his door. Nothing. Sweet. So, looking around, I saw a guy
cleaning his roof with some of his siblings, and realized that they
were the people that I saw when we were down below. I walked over to
him and started talking to him, asking if he knew who lived in that
house, or if he knew what time they would be back. He said he didn't
know, but then started asking about us. I told him that we are
missionaries, and shared a short message about the plan of salvation
with him. He was surprised, because at first, he thought that my comp
was my translator, and that I was a scientist studying the mountain.
Jajaja, I had to laugh. But after that, he invited us into his home.
Wow! I was so stoked! That was how we found Leonel. I know that I
wasn't supposed to look for our other contact, but that God knew, and
led us to him. He told us that we came into his life right when he had
been going through some really hard times, and that when we would
talk, he described it as a "refuge" from his problems. Satan has never
worked so hard on any of my investigators, as he is with him. The
first time we talked, I almost chocked to death on watermelon, we are
always interrupted my someone or something every time we talk, and
even the dogs attack us! We were encircled by 5 huge dogs on our way
to his house, and they were about to attack. Thinking quickly, I
grabbed a rock, chucked it at one of their faces, and dodged the jaws
of the other dogs as we ran past them. I was truly scared! These dogs
honestly looked rabid, and CRAZY! So I was grateful when we had gotten
past them. But that isn't all. Satan does NOT want him to get an
answer. The worst was during a prayer. He started the prayer, and said
something that I will never forget, "Father, please help me find the
way." He is so confused, and truly wants to leave this confusion.
After that he said a few other sentences, and paused, then abruptly
finished his prayer. He told us that he had become "enveloped" in a
darkness that exceeded that of when we simply close our eyes. Things
started to spin, and he was about to lose consciousness. Just then, he
said he saw a faint light... After that he just couldn't continue, but
had to close the prayer. Wow. I was left with my jaw open. After the
prayer, I myself felt dizzy! It was so strange. But I shared the
experience of Joseph Smith with him, and he himself read it. After
reading, wide eyed, he said, "That is almost the same as what happened
to me..." I felt impressed to tell him that Satan truly knows that he
can and will get an answer through his prayers, to the point where he
attacked him during one of them. I told him that he needs to continue
praying, and that by praying he will very soon leave the confusion
that he is in.

Pretty interesting experience. I know that he will soon receive an
answer, and we are preparing to baptize him this Saturday. If he gets
the answer before then, he will be baptized. I am praying with all
that I have, every day and night, that our investigators will
progress, and receive answers to their prayers. I am so grateful for
the opportunity that we have to be teaching him, and that I was
listening to the Spirit. Who knows, if I would have just blown off
that impression, maybe we never would have found him. I know that the
Lord will guide us to those people who are ready and waiting, and
Leonel is a testament of that. He was ready, is progressing, and will
enter the waters of baptism really soon. He will soon leave the
confusion that the world and all of the other religions bring, and I
am so blessed to be apart of that. I am so grateful for these
experiences that I am experiencing, and I know that I will remember
these for my whole life.

Anyway, mom, yes please send me my long johns. I desperately need
them. I have had a constant cold for as long as I can remember. I want
to go somewhere warm! But I know I'm here for a reason, and that's
because people need me here. I will go wherever the Lord sends me, and
I'll do it faithfully. Don't forget to send the bubble Manila
envelopes, 2 or 3. Also, if you can, send my Canon film camera. I
would enjoy using that. Today we have a soccer tournament with 2 other
zones from Puno. I'll get to see my buddies that I left in Puno way
back when. But, I don't know how much I'll play. My ankle has been
bugging me, and when I was in Cusco I talked with the Presidents wife
about it. (All the missionaries go to her for their health problems.)
She set me up an appointment that day, and they put me on some pills
that are supposed to reduce swelling in my ankle. If nothing happens
in about 5 or 4 more days, I need to travel to cusco again to have a
more extensive check up. Pray for me, please. But more than me, pray
for my investigators. Send my congrats to Porter for me! Tell him I
love him. I love you all, thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I
will write those of you who have written me! Don't worry! :) Keep the
faith, and keep reading the Scriptures. Mom, include in the package
the 2 books, "The Missionaries Little Book of Quotes" & "The
Missionaries Little Book of Teaching Tools". I would LOVE to have
them. Also, the usual candies, oh, and some Take 5 candy bars. Send
some really cool plaid, and striped ties! With lots of colors. :) And
something for my best buddy Elder Whitton for his birthday! :) Its on
the 18th. I love you all, I cant express enough how much I love you.
Have a great week,

Elder Jordan Van Christensen