Week 4

HOLA EVERYONE!,

This week has been great! The teaching is going really good. I'm getting to the point where I dont even have to write down notes. I can just speak from my heart and mind. Oh, and a little Pamphlet about each lesson haha. Just yesterday, we were teaching a new investigator for the first time. Hermano Padilla, a really good guy. He was a less active member, had been a member all his life. His dad is a stake president back home in Puerto Rico. Him and his wife had lost faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ because they couldn't have kids. He told us Got had commanded to "multiply and replenish the earth" yet they were unable. Whoa, I can relate to that!! So we started talking to him about adoption and he asked me what is was like from my point of view and a bunch of other questions ALL IN SPANISH!!  So that was really cool. We honestly go in with a lesson plan but 3/4ths of the time the lesson we teach has nothing to do with what we prepared! But the spirit tells us what to teach!  Last Friday, our main investigator Ivette, told us she'd come to church with us and she really liked it! Elder Harris was visibly PUMPED. LITERALLY (and i mean literally) he almost jumped through the roof of the room we were in he was so excited hahaha, love that guy. 

Last Tuesday, Elder Bennett of the 70 came and spoke to us. He talked about repentance and all the aspects of it and it was sooo cool. Then this last Sunday, Sister Sheri Dew, the CEO of Deseret Industries came and talked to us. She's probably the best speaker we've had at the MTC since we've been here in my opinion. She talked about how questions make us "SEEKERS not DOUBTERS." Thats how we mature in this Gospel! She also talked about engaging in the Spiritual Wrestle. We wrestle with the natural man every day. But if we use the leverage of the spirit, we can always end up  on top!! 

We got a new District on Wednesday. They're pretty cool haha not much to comment about them. We get 700 new missionaries tomorrow so the MTC will pretty much be filled to capacity is what we were told. That will be sooo fun (especially in the lunch room OH WAIT just kidding haha) 

Well thank you all so much for all your prayers and support from the Homestead!!! I really pray for all of you every night! I need all the prayers I can get too haha. It'll be 1 month here in the MTC tomorrow lol.

Much Love,

Elder Christensen

Max C. lll #88 #GOPACK

Week 3

Hola from the CCM (MTC in spanish lol),

This week was probably the best, most challenging week yet! The spanish is increasing but the spirit is as well! We are teaching 3 new investigators in Carlos, Myrium, and Ivette. Carlos and Myrium are actually our TEACHERS so its pretty weird trying to teach them too haha. All of them have totally different personalities and stories, yet we're trying to get them all to the same goal: COME UNTO CHRIST.

Elder Dale G. Renlund ( one of the 3 new apostles ) came and talked to us this Tuesday. I've never been in the same room with someone that high up in the church. What an AMAZING spiritual experience. We sat as a District after and talked about it. Being District leader, I talked last and yeah I cried haha that's how touched I was. He talked on developing faith. He said there's 2 phases. Phase 1: the Kindle stage- encourage, stimulate, spark, ignite. Phase 2: Obedience. He said " the ONLY way to GROW your faith is to ACT in faith." That was really simple yet really powerful for me. The only way to get ready for "Game Time" (teaching with faith and through the spirit) is by practicing it during the times you aren't playing. "The door of history turns on small Hinges." - Thomas S. Monson. Then he broke out arguably the best quote I've ever heard and we've all heard it, " May we choose the HARDER right, than the EASIER wrong." -Thomas S. Monson. What a great speaker!

On Sunday we had the chance to watch the "Characters of Christ" talk by Elder Bednar. He gave it Christmas Day at the MTC in 2011. Easily the best talk I've heard ever. I PLEAD with all of you guys to just take some time out of your day and watch it. It can change you're whole life. We also talked about Enduring to the End. And I taught in Priesthood for the first time on Obedience. Enduring to the end and Obedience is real my friends. Great blessings come from that!! Ben Franklin said, " Work like you'll live FOREVER, Pray like you'll die TOMORROW." 

We got the new District in on Wednesday and we get another one in tomorrow. They are pretty chill. One detail about them is that Elder Stephens and Hermana Jeppson dated up until a week before the mission. They broke up because of it but were gonna write each other and get back together when they got back home. They had no clue they'd be in the same District!  They didn't know till they walked into class and saw each other the on the first day. It's pretty funny to watch them. Elder Iongi ( the Tongan guy in all my pics ) and his District left this morning. Elder Iongi who's from Portland Oregon, has to live with his Aunt in Salt Lake for at least 2 months because he got a bad ear infection in both ears. Sad part is he has to wait till he heads to Costa Rica. Really good part is he gets to watch the NBA Finals haha. Someone better write me and tell me who wins.

Thanks for all your prayers and the love and support from home!! I pray for you guys everyday.

Much Love,

Elder Christensen

Max C. lll #88 #GOPACK

  

  

Week 2

HELLO EVERYONE,

I'm gonna be honest, this week was kinda hard! The homesickness really caught up to me this week. It was great to hear from a lot of you today and last week! I honestly need all the support I can get from home but I know I'll make it through. 

Well in my last letter I totally forgot to mention my companion and I just finished teaching our first investigator, Palma! We've already taught her Five 30+ minute lessons in SPANISH ONLY. Its amazing what God can do for you and how he can make up the difference for you and "make your weak things become strong." Through this time, I've never been more sure that Heavenly Father knows me personally and that my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ died for me. He died for all of us, so that we have the chance to love with Them again. Elder Holland says, "The first convert on your mission must be YOURSELF." And that has definitely happened to me. This is the Truest thing on earth.

Well I got called to be District Leader on Sunday. It's been different here because I never thought I'd be in a leadership position, at least not here. But it truly is a privilege to do so. We get a new district in tomorrow. 4 new elders and 4 new hermanas. President Hyde (our Branch President) said that by the time we leave, we'll have 64 new missionaries in our Zone. Right now we only have 16 total right now because our oldest district just left haha. I also had to give a talk all in Spanish in church on Sunday & taught a lesson on the Book of Mormon in District Meeting. 'Twas a busy Sabbath lol. 

Mom asked where everyone is going so I will tell you: Elder White & Elder Toro are going to the Argentina, Resistencia Mission. Elder Hansen & Elder Cranney are going to the Panama, Panama City Mission.

Hermana Gould & Hermana Zuniga are going to Nicaragua on the Mission. And of course Elder Harris and I are going to the Argentina, Comodoro Rivadavia Mission. I'm also the 2nd youngest in the whole Zone right now only to Elder White. He graduated early as well in January and turned 18 in March so I'm only older by 4 months. The funny thing is that He's the new Zone Leader & I'm the new District Leader. So everyone we're in charge of is AT LEAST a year older than us. Or in Elder Harris' case, 4 years.

Also want to give a Shout Out to the class of 2016. I heard seminary graduation went well. And I'm looking forward to hearing how School graduation goes also. Congrats to all of you. we made it my homies, we made it. Although I'm really really happy I won't be there for graduation. Not because I'm here learning, maturing, and growing spiritually, but also because I know I'd hate it but have to suffer through it anyway.  But really, Its an honor to be associated with such amazing individuals like you guys. The class of 2016 has already, and will continue to do amazing things. Good Luck to all of you.

This is easily the hardest thing I've ever done. Yet it is the greatest thing I've ever done. A lot more important to the maturity of my life and in the eyes of my Heavenly Father than Football even. Which hard for me to even say haha. But it is a great work. It's a privilege to do so. We aren't here to raise the number of members around the world, we are here to save Eternal souls. We had a Devotional on Sunday by Brother Littlefield. He looks at all the missionary recommendations before they get send to the First Presidency. He gave a few quotes I really liked: "WE SHOULD'T TEACH THE GOSPEL SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND. WE MUST TEACH SO THEY CAN'T MISUNDERSTAND." -Brother Littlefield

He also shared this quote: 2 PEOPLE CAN DO ANYTHING, AS LONG AS ONE OF THEM IS GOD!" -Anonymus

Thank you so much for all your support.

Much Love To You All,

Elder Christensen

Max C. lll #88 #GOPACK