This Is Peru!

This Is Peru!

December 5, 2011

Charity.‏

Hey gang!!

How is everyone doing? Hope everything is going well. Thanks for the few emails I had! They always lift the spirit. It has most definitely been a fast week. Pretty crazy how time flies. I am doing much better, except for one thing… I cannot sleep. I don’t know why, but I wake up during the night maybe 3-5 times. It’s taking a toll on me too. It’s been going on for maybe a month, but I haven’t said anything. I’ve talked to President Carrasco, but he doesn’t really know why. Yeah, I might be stressed a little bit with the office and just getting everything done on time, or it might be because we haven’t had many people to teach, I don’t know. But it can be pretty hard to wake up at 6:30 on the dot sometimes. I do it, even though every fiber in my body commands me to rest more. Any suggestions? I don’t want to get addicted to sleeping pills either though.  And it’s a lot easier for Bridger because he actually has a GYM he can go to! AND he can take protein and other supplements. Am I not right Bridger?? Haha. I’m still working out every day, but its just not the same as the gym. Oh well, I guess we’ll just see when I get home. I would appreciate however, a pre-workout supplement… Maybe something like NO Explode, or… heck, I don’t even know what they have now. Just a thought!

So, Leonel should be coming up to visit this week! I am so happy that he is baptized. He expressed to me some struggles that he had been passing through these last few months, of the which I won’t mention, and its been really tough for him. But I know that he will be such a faithful member for the trials that he has passed through leading up to his membership in the church.

We received a record number of references yesterday! 6! I know it might sound like a low number, but I nor Elder Whittaker have received that many in one day. A bishop from Lima was visiting in Cusco, and he found us and gave us the reference of his cousins family that lives here in Cusco. One of them was with him at church, and they are interested! Another was from my recent convert, Anthoni. He has a co-worker that he says is very interested as well. And so on and so forth. To say the least, we had a very very good day yesterday.  :)

One thing I want to include in this email, is a lesson I learned this week. I have talked a few times about the Santa Cruz family, the family in our ward that is super poor. We have continued to visit them, and to strengthen their family. Just the other day, their grandpa Fidel, passed us as we were sitting on a curb waiting for an appointment. (SUCH a faithful member. At church every week 10 minutes before it starts.) He stopped and we talked for a little while and said how much he appreciated us visiting him and his family. I want this to be clear. This man does not have a job. He works at his humble home, fixing things here and there. He never asks anything in return. We sat back down on the curb as he walked up the hill towards his home. Not 30 seconds after he had turned the corner, he yelled, “Elders!”, with something in his hand up in the air. We got up and started to walk towards him. With his arm outstretched, he gave us 2 little chocolate bars that he bought from the street corner store. “Here ya go!” he said with a big smile on his face. “See you next Sunday!” This family struggles from meal to meal, and he went out of his way to buy those two little chocolate bars. My eyes watered up as took the bar and mustered, “Gracias.” I was just speechless. Whittaker and I just sat there for a couple minutes, both knowing that that money just as easily could have gone to buying a few eggs for dinner, but no. Instead, he’d rather give what he has to us. I ate that little chocolate bar that probably costs 30 cents in the states with so much gratitude. I will send a photo of him next week if I remember. But this man is a Quechua native, and doesn’t speak much Spanish. He is probably something like 70 ish years old, and is so nice. He always hugs us and speaks a real fast sentence in Quechua before speaking in Spanish. I love the man. So charitable. SO. Whittaker and I got brainstorming and he thought of an idea… We want to help this family out with Christmas this year. Kind of a Secret Santa type deal. But, we can’t do it alone obviously. I don’t want anything for Christmas. No packages, no candy, nothing. I just want to help this family have a wonderful Christmas. So, I really don’t know how we could work this out, but I know that Elder Whittakers mom would be 100% in. So, mom, give her a call, and maybe get the ward involved? I don’t know. I’m just thinking out loud here. Let me know what you think! I can get you a list of everyone’s names, age, whatever you need, let me know.

Dear Elder still gets to us here in the mission, just so you know. You can send those for FREE! Just pick the Perú Cusco Mission. Dad, I haven’t gotten any emails from Grandma Christensen as of now. I don’t know if maybe she has the wrong address, or what. But I don’t get them. And congrats to Grandma Carlton!!! That’s so exciting for her! She is leaving SO soon! That’s great though. I’m so proud of her.

Well, that’s all that’s going on as of now. Today for P-Day, a few of us are going to hike this HUGE mountain in Cusco. We’re stoked. Sweet pictures are coming next week.

Thank you for all your support and prayers. It means so much. Take care, and be safe! 

--
ELDER CHRISTENSEN
Secretario Financiero

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










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