Pictures from Jordan

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

"Cause I know to live you must give your life away."‏

¡Hola familia!

Okay, so first off, this week was a lot better than the last. Even though we still don’t have anyone with a baptismal date and didn’t have many lessons, it was better. Sorry for not writing in the morning, I was pounded with work. (Ha, that sounded funny.) But really, that’s how it always is on Mondays. So, if you don’t get an email every now and then on time, don’t worry, it just means I’m working hard!

I feel like there’s so much to talk about! Where to start… So, yesterday was Whittakers birthday!! Big 21… Crazy that that’ll be me in just 5 months. Wow! I actually hadn’t counted until now! That’s way soon. We were invited to WAY more food than we probably should have eaten, but it was all reeeeally good. We had a typical Peruvian plate called, “Bistec a lo pobre” which consists of fried meat, usually like a thin steak-type meat, a fried egg, grilled hot dog, rice, potatoes, etc. That was followed by “rocotto relleno” which are huge, meat/vegetable filled peppers with a lot of rice and something called “yucca” which is a root, put in the oven. AFTER that, we were invited to cake at a member family. After all that, at 7:30 we had a dinner appointment with yet ANOTHER family. She gave us spaghetti and meat sauce, and afterwards a “tres leches” cake. It was really good, but walking home yesterday night, I almost puked like 3 times. Oh, and Whittaker was egged. Gotta love the birthday traditions here! Be aware boys for when I get home…. Hahahah.

I got a very interesting phone call on Tuesday… I was surprised to say the least. You might have to go back to my letters sent while I was in Juliaca to remember who I am talking about, but Leonel called me. He had news that brought tears to my eyes. He was baptized on Saturday. I couldn’t contain my excitement!! I almost yelled, haha, but what made the tears flow was when he told me that he wants to be a missionary. Oh my goodness.. I hadn’t been that excited and just so filled with joy for quite a while. He said, and I quote, “Brother Elder, (yes,  and sometimes they call us: “brother missionary elder!!” hahaha) I just can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me. For introducing me to this way of life. For helping me in the darkest time of my life. I wish you could be here for my baptism, but I want you to know that I want to follow you in your service to God and be a missionary.”  He just turned 21, is done with ‘college’, and he wants to serve a mission. I can’t quite find the words to describe my excitement.

This week, I have been extra grateful for everything that we have at home, and just where we live. SO many things have happened that have just opened my eyes ever wider to the fact that a lot of people here have… Nothing. We went to Merli’s house, the sweetest little girl that we baptized a month or so ago, and we brought some soda to share. How I wish you could be here to see how they live. They live with dirt floors, paper walls, tin roof, etc. You get the point. But when they saw the soda, their eyes opened up wide and smiles spread from ear to ear. My heart just broke. We are so blessed that we don’t have to worry about what we’ll eat for our next meal.  But they do. I couldn’t imagine that. But still, they are some of the happiest little kids I’ve seen. They have absolutely nothing. What a blessing! To live with what they have, and yet be so content and happy with life. What’s worse is that their parents are inactive. Yet ALL the kids come to church on Sunday at 8am. They have a daughter that is 15 or so, and she has to be the mom, and help all the rest of them get ready for church, and be there on time. Her birthday is today, but we’re going over tomorrow. We’re going to buy her a cake to share with all the other little kids and her parents. Believe me, we’ve tried so hard to get them to church, but the dad is just impossible. The mom however says that she will try next week to come and attend with her kids. I just went over there to tell them that were coming over tomorrow, so that’s why I’m even later to write. But talk about an amazing bunch of little kids, right? Count your blessings.

Sunday we had 7 converts all in the chapel. That, is a great feeling. Some are missing, but wow, it was probably a first for me to see that many at once. In fact… get this… a couple of my converts are diggin on each other! They always come to church and leave, together. It’s cute, really. Hahaha.

Anyway, things are going a lot better. I love this gospel so much! I know that I had a bad week last week, but it got better. A lot better! Thanks for all the support you show me, I couldn’t thank you more. Theres more I would like to say, but I gotta get home! 

In the words of the good band Relient K, "Cause I know to live you must give your life away." That sums up this email.

 Have a great week everyone. ¡Los amo a todos!

--
ELDER CHRISTENSEN
Secretario Financiero

Misión Perú Cuzco

(51) 984-503-861

(51) 084-242-521

RPM #623574

La Conferencia General‏

Yo familia, 

How is everyone doing? I hope the weekend was great! I thoroughly enjoyed conference. I always look forward to it. Its crazy that its already over! Done with my 3rd in the mission. One more left. We were able to watch it here in the office online, seeing that we unfortunately didn’t have anyone that was able to attend. I loved it though. I especially enjoyed this conference and felt like I needed to hear a good chunk of the talks. A few that stook out to me: President Uchtdorf’s Saturday AM talk, “God is aware of us”. Carl B. Cook´s Saturday PM Session, “It’s better to look up!”. Jeffrey R. Holland’s Priesthood Session talk was amazing. Robert D. Hales’ Sunday AM Session talk, “Wait upon the Lord”. Tad R. Callister’s Sunday AM Session talk, “The Book of Mormon”. Also, I enjoyed Elaine S. Dalton’s talk about how to raise a girl! Hahaha, I know it sounds funny. But hey, I’ll probably have a little girl in the VERY distant future, so I might as well take advantage of the knowledge now! :) But, all in all, I found a lot of comfort, inspiration, and personal revelation during this session of conference. Definitely loved it. I love this gospel so much. This church is true, I can’t deny it. Boys, I hope you listened up in Priesthood Session, that the Lord needs TENS of thousands more missionaries that are worthy, willing, and ready to serve Him in the future. Prepare yourselves now! Kazuhiko Yamashita said that every young man should bring 3 things with him on the mission: 

1. A desire to preach the restored gospel. 

2. Have a strong testimony. (i.e., Book of Mormon) 

3. Love others. 

Bridger, you’re next up to bat big guy! Prepare now, so that when your call to serve comes, you will be ready and willing to leave on the mission. Ethan, you too can prepare now by gaining a testimony for the Book of Mormon, and going to seminary. You both will learn so much in seminary. I loved my teacher, Brother Woodbury. He was always so happy and had an amazing testimony of this gospel. He was one of the motivations for me to serve a mission. Make the decision now, if you haven’t already, to serve a full time mission. I love you boys and will behind you every step of the way. 

We are continuing the work here in Cusco! We had two baptisms this last Friday, and they were confirmed that same day. They are Wendy and Alexandra, the two little sisters of Lisett. We have been trying to really work with their family, and help them. The dad is still a little far away, but he is coming along. The bishop is really helping us with him, and gave him a hard cover triple at his daughters’ baptism. Little by little, he will come to recognize the truth. 

We have some good news here in the office!!!! The new assistant is….. Drum roll please…. ELDER ROGERS! That’s right, haha, we are all so stoked for him and he is pretty stoked as well. He is such a great missionary and friend. We are gonna have a lot of fun. 

We all in the office finished with 9 baptisms for the month of September. We completed our goal, and 9 has never been done in the office district before, so we went out to eat. We went to a rodizio grill called, Señor Carbón. It. Was. Awesome. All you can eat meat. We literally ate more than 100 soles worth of meat. And that’s A LOT. You pay 40 for the all you can eat, and are you ready for this…? I gained 3.5 kilos after just that lunch. That’s right. I prepared, and I conquered. Now its gone though, I paid for it that night and the next day. Got kinda sick, pero vale la pena!!! 

Anyway, yes I met Egglestons parents, but their luggage was lost on the way from the US to Perú. Ha. Go figure. The guy at Delta told them that they would have the luggage today, in the morning, but I haven’t heard from them yet. I did get the huge hug from his mom, from you!! Thank you for that! His parents are such a riot, hahaha. They took us out to dinner last night, and we found a small Mexican restaurant. It was pretty decent, but nothing like Costa Vida. Hopefully I’ll get the camera and the salsa soon!!! 

The weather here is fine. It’s not super hot during the day, and gets down into the 40’s at night. So, it’s not too bad here. Tomorrow all the noobs will be entering, and we will be training them. Its always fun to train. Without fail, everyone asks, “How much time do you have in the mission?” It feels good to say more than a year. It’s crazy to think that I’m becoming one of the “old guys” in the mish. I love it though. I know how the mission runs, and how everything works. Its SO different than from when I entered in Puno and didn’t know anything. Oh, the last change, a missionary from Argentina gave me a letter from Bryson! Bryson is ALSO the financial secretary for his mission in Resistencia! Funny right? Man alive.. El tiempo está volando…. Demasiado rapido! 

Anyway fam. I love you guys a lot! Thanks for all you do for me. I appreciate all the support. Heed to the words of our prophet and his apostles. I know they are men called of God. Their mission is to help the rest of us gain our salvation in the kingdom of God. I am so privileged to be an instrument in His hands here in Perú. I love this country, this work, and being a missionary. Keep in touch!

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

Happy Halloween!!‏

Hey family!

How is everyone doing this week? Hopefully well! Right now I am with some members from California that live here in Cuscotopia! I'm even writing on a MacBook! It feel really nice to be using a mac after 14 months! (Tomorrow!) He invited us to lunch, so I don't know how long I'll be able to write before we leave.

Anyway, we have had a lot of good things happen this week, I'll try to touch on the highlights. 

Well, to start off, my really nice/favorite Tommy Hilfiger tie that you sent like 3 weeks ago, was stolen! Cool. Someone literally went into my room, then the closet, and just snagged it. That really made me upset. I dont know who has it, but if you could send another one... I would appreciate it? 

A couple weeks ago, I got bit on the bee-hind by a German Shepard, and it ripped a big hole in my grey pants. So... Maybe you could send another pair of pants? But if you can, find some slim pants, because all the ones I have feel really big around my legs, and they get caught on fences, doors, or mud. So, I think if you go to like Old Navy, or maybe another place, you could find some! And, it'll be cheaper.

So, probably the highlight of the week would be that Leonel, my investigator (now member) from Juliaca, came to Cusco to visit! My son, the missionary I trained, who is also here in Cusco, was able to go on splits with me and we went to meet him in our chapel. It was so great to talk to him again and to just talk about the experiences that he had after we had left. He expressed to us just how much he was grateful for what we had taught him, and to introduce him to this gospel. He told us that he as well wants to serve a mission and that he is about to start preparing for it!!!! ALSO, that another one of my converts in Juliaca is preparing for the mission as well!! Holy smokes!!!! I cannot tell you how happy I felt in that moment. I felt probably the best that I had in my mission up until now. I can't tell you how great it feels, to know that my time in Juliaca wasn't wasted. Just knowing that there are people that I have helped and that they even are wanting to serve a mission... makes me feel like my mission itself, is a success. BEST FEELING EVER!!!!

So, this week has been really fun. My comp and I have been thinking about going to Machu Picchu on the 19th of December. What do you guys think? Oh, and its 100% sure that I will be here until the 27th of December. This change ends on the 15th, and the next ends on the 27th of Dec. So, I will have to start thinking of who to recommend to president for my replacement. I will give him 4-5 names, and he will choose from those. Pretty weird to think that I almost have just one more change in the office!  Time really just flies here. I wonder where I'll go afterward!?...

Okay, well I don't have much more time, and I don't have anyway to get pictures attached to this email, so I will be sending some a little bit later. (If I can.) I love all of you so much, thanks for everything! I hope you have a great week, and tell the boys that if they say they write me every week, its a lie! Haha, well, see ya later!

-- ELDER CHRISTENSEN
Secretario Financiero

Misión Perú Cuzco

(51) 984-503-861

(51) 084-242-521

RPM #623574

Oh, ps. Funniest story this week. We got into a taxi, and told him where we were going and stuff, but he answered in kind of a choked up voice... So, we didn't say anything just got in, and sat down. It didn't take us long to figure out that it was the soap opera he was listening to on the radio is what was making him cry. Hahahaha, it was so great. Wiping tears from his face and trying to not let us see. Best taxi ride ever.