This Is Peru!

This Is Peru!

July 5, 2011

Diá.de.Independencia‏

Hello everyone!! HAPPY AMERICA DAY!!!!! I love the 4th of July. We just need to find fireworks now....

So, this week was awesome. I really enjoyed it, well, most of it!

Lets see, so, the conference with Elder Nash was so great. I loved to be able to listen to him for the last time in probably a while. He has been reassigned to Salt Lake, to work in what I believe he told me was family history..? Don’t quote me on that, I don’t remember. But I know that he will be moving to Salt Lake indefinitely. I had the chance to talk to him for a little bit personally and it was awesome. He is a powerful speaker. He speaks Spanish perfectly! I remember when he came to the CCM to give a fireside, and I couldn’t understand like half of what he said. Now, I can understand every word! Its SWEET! Anyway, he is from Seattle, and has 5 kids I think? He has a stare that penetrates to your very soul! But he told me, “Elder, I love your spirit. We need you. How much time do you have in the mission?” I told him I have ten months, he smiled and nodded his head, then he told me to keep working hard and continue to serve faithfully. I told him to have a safe flight, and he got in the car and left with the Pres. He absolutely loves Cusco. He said it’s his favorite city in Perú, and that he hopes to be able to come back someday.  Anyway, he taught us about the Atonement. It really made me think. Do we really understand Christ’s sacrifice? Do we really know that it’s real? For me as a missionary, I’m barely scraping the surface as to what the Saviors atonement really is, and what it means for me. I try my best to help my investigators to understand it, and in the simplest manner possible. But even then, I find it hard to actually explain the infinite power, and the real importance it is for each and every one of us. I watched a video that one of the missionaries had, its called, “The Most / El Puente”. El puente means the bridge in English.  It’s a really good short video that puts Christ’s sacrifice in perspective. Have the fam watch it sometime!

On Saturday, we had an awesome half p-day. We hiked up to a place called the Devils Balcony at around 6:30am. It’s a giant cave, with a river flowing through it. We scaled our way down into the cave, which required dropping something like 9 feet to flat, and jumping from rock to rock avoiding the water. I just thought it was a cave, but it turned out to be a tunnel type thing. Afterwards, we followed the river for over an hour, when we realized that we really didn’t know where we were.. Whoops… So, we hiked up the canyon and eventually found a pathway, followed it, talked to some natives that for some reason live way up in the country, and asked them how to get to the city. We finally made our way back at around 11am. My ankle was hurting pretty bad when we got back, but its feeling better now. I woke up on Sunday and my legs were completely dead… We really hiked soo much. But the cool thing, is that a KFC opened here!!! We were all way stoked, and we went there to eat. My goodness… It’s incredible. The only thing they are missing is Root Beer!! :/ But it was amazing nonetheless. After that, we went to a baptism, and then continued our day as normal. Now today, Independence Day, we are going to be playing soccer, going to a free museum, and eating as a zone at KFC! So stoked. Its been a good week! Except, last night, I had a weird stomach ache. I felt like I was going to throw up so I stayed home with another elder. I didn’t though, and when I woke up today, I felt better. Pretty weird, but hey! I’m good.

Anyway, the work continues to move forward here in our Chasqui Ward, as we continue to teach Anthony’s family, visit our other recent converts, and continue to find new investigators. We are hoping that we can baptize Anthony’s sister within the next couple weeks, so we will see how it goes. Oh, and a girl from Spain is writing me! How cool is that? Her name is Lola, and she is writing my comp, but she saw me in one of his pictures and she found out who I am and got my address. Haha, sweet, right?

I was able to call Johnny and talk for a little bit, get his address, and catch up. He apparently  forgot his Book of Mormon in Juliaca. Fantastic. He says that he actually misses Perú, as much as he wanted to get out of here. I told him that I would be sending missionaries his way, I just needed his address. So, he was okay with that, so I called the Texas Ft. Worth Mission, and passed the reference along. They were quite surprised to get a call from Perú! I believe it is mostly senior missionaries that work in the offices, and the sister that answered the phone was like, “You’re calling from where?!” Hahaha, I laughed pretty hard, but she told me that they have really great missionaries that are working in his area, so I sure hope they can find and teach him!... Hopefully better than I did.

I love this gospel and I know that the Atonement is real. It has gotten me to where I am today. I know with all my heart that this is the true church, and that we are doing His work.  I love the mission more and more every day! I can’t believe in almost a year I will be home. Insane. I continue to work hard and strive to do His will. I have learned that we as missionaries are here to be molded into the men that the Lord would have us be. But, WE have to let him. I have given myself to the Lord, and I can feel His hands working in me. I love everything about this gospel, and can’t wait to keep sharing it day in and day out!

Keep the faith, I love you all. Hasta la proxima semana. Los amoooo!!!

--
ELDER CHRISTENSEN
Secretario Financiero
Misión Perú Cuzco
(51) 984-503-861
(51) 084-242-521
RPM #623574









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