Week 52

Mommy & All,

"I choose to rise not fall, I choose to live not die!" -Ray Lewis

This week was the most tiring week of my mission, but also one of the most rewarding. Pretty much all we did was travel and get things ready for AnaMaria's baptism. From Saturday the 22nd to Saturday the 29th, we took 8 different bus rides (with the shortest one being 2 1/2 hrs) in those 7 days. So that wore me down a little haha. 

Saturday the 21st, we headed to Perito that morning. Sunday we headed to Las Heras, were there for about an hour, then headed the rest of the way to Comodoro. Tuesday afternoon we headed back to Las Heras. Wednesday morning we looked for baptismal clothes and Wednesday night we headed back to Comodoro to have Conference with President Salerno. Thursday we had conference all day with him and then came back to Las Heras Thursday night. Friday morning we headed to Perito, and then Saturday night back to Las Heras.

Friday was really good. We got to Perito and I got to go visit AnaMaria with Elder Sudweeks while Vega went with our District Leader to visit Raul. We talked with her just about a few more things and I just wanted to make sure she was still excited for her baptism. We went through the baptismal questions and that was funny. There is one question where it asks if you feel like you've repented of all your past transgressions and when I asked AnaMaria that question she looked at me and said no. I think she wanted to see how close she could get two 19 yr old kids to have heart attacks because it was close haha. But then she looked up at me and saw my face and started laughing and told us yes that she was all good. It was even funnier because she is a really quiet person. She doesn't really laugh and never makes jokes and only talks when someone talks to her. Friday afternoon, I headed with our District Leader Elder Kidd and we did the real baptismal interview and she answered all the questions and it was actually really cool to hear her testimony. She didn't receive a direct answer telling her that what we taught her was true or that the Book of Mormon was true. She told us just that every time she talked with us or every time she prayed or read the Book of Mormon, she felt peace that she'd never felt in her life. So she assumed that God really does love her and that it is true just through the feelings of true peace that she receives. I thought that was really cool. After the interview, we went and set up the little kiddy backyard swimming pool that we were going to use as the baptismal font. We set it us at the back of Nahuel's house, the guy we baptized in the lake. Saturday morning we got up and headed back over there and we ended up having to fill it up by hauling buckets of water from the sink to the pool because the hose was so slow filling it up hahaha. The baptism went great though. Elder Vega had to kneel to do it because even though the pool was almost full, there still wasn't tons of water. It was really really cool to see how far we have come with her. From knocking on her door one day and for some reason letting us in haha, to about 6 weeks later seeing her baptism even after she told us no twice. On Sunday Nahuel and Natalia brought her to Las Heras and she received the Holy Ghost. It was awesome to have another baptism in Perito, especially now that we are moving there full time. Hopefully we can start teaching her 8 kids now as well.

Much Love,

Elder Christensen

A few side notes: 

Max's new full time area has 7 baptized members.  With kids and the missionaries there are usually about 14 people at church.  The nearest missionaries to them are 2 1/2 hours by bus.  They are still trying to find a place to live and a more permanent place to hold church.  The goal is to open a branch there in the very near future.  He sounds so happy and will be hitting hump day in just 9 days.   

Yes this is the baptismal font.