Feb 27, 2012

Hey Guys!

 So just chillin here in Turrialba. Its really hot today! So yesterday was awesome!!!! I got to go to the baptism of the amazing family that I taught there in Paraiso at 7:30 in the morning right before church.. It was soo cool!! They are the coolest family ever! That's the family that I told you guys about like 4 weeks ago.. He's the one that use to hate stuff that had to do with religion. But the first time we taught him he felt a HUGE desire to read the book of Mormon when we showed him it.. and hes been reading it ever since. I got to baptise Alba, the wife, and confirm the daughter, Stacey, the holy ghost. They are so cool. They got baptised on the 26th of Feb.. and can enter in the temple in one year from now.. but I complete my mission on on the 23rd of Feb... But usually you go home 3 or 4 days after so i will be able to go to their sealing in the temple!! :) or.. I told them they can wait a week after the year mark and I will be here again with you guys... I told them that my family can be there to see the sealing with them... how cool would that be?!! I also got to go to all the church meeting there in Paraiso yesterday.. so I got to see all the members and everyone from my last area... it was soo fun the see everyone again!!! The pictures of the baptism of the family are on the website in the Album of Paraiso.. and I uploaded some more to the Turrialba album. Oh and that iguana we caught and killed it and ate it.. it wasn't a pet. it tasted good tho with the coconut milk that we cooked it with.
  Today we aren't doing anything too fun, just chilin at home watching some church movies and stuff and were gonna order pizza too. haha That's awesome the T and Matt and Sam came over.. I love those guys..  What did you guys all do.. just talk or what?
  I cant believe how hard it is for the contacts.. jeez.. So what do I do about the brand... cuz the brands are probably different there in the states??!! what a hastle.. see if you can call them from there in the states.
 That's crazy Joe and Lisa are leaving... we have to visit them a ton when i get back.. i had a dream about them the other day and i cant remember all the details perfectly but I remember me and joey were talking about the BOM.. and then when I woke up I just felt the desire to teach Lisa about it.. She would be such a good member of the Church.. we gotta teach her the missionary lessons.
 Now we have a bunch of investigators.. like 8 families. But we´ll see what happens with some of them.. There are 3 really amazing families that are practically member.. they are just waiting on their divorce papers from their last marriages.. The one family is suppose to get their papers this next Saturday and then they can get baptised.. they are soo awesome. The other one we are waiting to see if she shows up Single or Married on the legal system.. the lawyer will tell us this Wednesday. The other families just have to get progressing a little more.. but I bet one or 2 of them will get baptised. I restarted to BOM in Spanish again a little bit ago.. I'm in Alma now. Ive read the BOM once in English and once in Spanish.. this will be my second time in Spanish. The other day we found this paper that was just talking bad about the church and how the BOM wasn't true.. i started to read it without knowing.. and I had the worst feeling in my stomach right after it sucked!! it just talked about how Joseph smith was a false prophet and stuff.. and just had stupid little things about the book of Mormon. Not gonna lie.. I felt horrible cuz it really filled my heads with doubts. and I didn't want to work all day.. I just kinda went through the motions of working. But I decided to pray and stuff and its not that I lost my testimony cuz I know the bom is true.. its just some of the stuff it said filled my head with some doubts.. then I started reading the liahona of October 2011 that talks about the Book. I have been studying that ever since. I prayed and felt the spirit so that took the doubts out of my head.. but sometimes they still appear every once in a while.. I KNOW THE BOM IS TRUE... but I wish I had a strong enough testimony that stupid things like that wouldn't bother me.. But I'm working on it. Its obviously true.. just sometimes Satan plays tricks we me ya know?
  Well I love you guys a ton.. talk to you next week.
Elder Christensen

Feb 20th 2012

What up family!! 

  

 How is everyone? I'm doing great here in Turriabla. I forgot to tell you guys last time but here in Turriabla there is a huge volcano that is active. Everyday there's tons of smoke trailing out from the top, its pretty cool. I'll have to take some pics. Also here it's pretty jungly, some parts of the area. I've seen a lot more wildlife and stuff. We were in the bus the other day to a part of our area that is like 40 minutes away in bus and its through mountains and stuff, I saw a bunch of parrots and tucans and stuff it was awesome. Also here there is a ton of tourism... there's sooo many gringos here its funny. In fact there are two gringo families in our ward!! they are awesome, one of them is from Mississippi and the other from California. The one from Missi has a ton of land there in the states and he is trying to sale it. He has 12 acres and hes saling it for only 55,000... he said the hunting there is amazing and every year him and his wife would tag out with like 5 deer... I told him that WE are going to buy the ranch from him... He said he'd give us a deal and that hes going to send the info to you dad... We have to buy it.. you know how that is my dream!! Oh and by the way... hurry up with the hunting points Please!!! Also the other gringo family is here studying, the guy is a bird specialist so he tracts tucans and parrots and all that kind of stuff. Also there are a lot of tourist gift shops souvenirs things. So today I went to buy a bunch of cool stuff for you guys to celebrate my year mark... I'm gonna have my last comp, Elder Burgener bring the stuff home to Utah with him and then you guys can go pick it up... ok? ;) He comes home in March next month. Mom you want a new car finally? just buy a Chevy also... so when I get back you me and dad will all have Chevy trucks...!? But i thought you wanted that FJ cruzer? Ford explorers suck mom... come on.. get something cooler!!

  So this week I'm suppose to have 3 families get baptised.... But 2 of the families are from Nicaragua and might have some problems getting their citizen papers from there, so we might have to wate a little bit longer, but the other family, from Paraiso my last area,  is getting baptized for sure. And President gave me permission to go even tho its not my area still, He told me it still counts as my family cuz i was the one that taught and found them and planned the baptism and everything. So that made me really happy cuz this family is amazing and sooo cool. He also said that i get to go to the temple with them in a year when they can. They re getting baptised on the 26th so a year from that day they can enter in the temple.. so hopefully ill still be here for February 26th of 2013!! 

   My comp is pretty cool.. he just kinda gets annoying sometimes but oh well. I miss having a gringo comp... its a lot funner haha especially one that you are really alike. Were gonna go paintballin again next month for the zone activity... I'm excited!! Tomorrow Elder Martino from the 70s is coming... so that will be cool to go and hear him. 

 What else has Majerle and Maddi been up to besides skipping school? That's cool you guys spend so much time with Nana and Papa... i miss them sooo much!!!

Alright well i love you guys tons and talk to you next week.

Elder Christensen 

2/13/2012

Hey fam.

So I'm kind of mad... you guys went to Disneyland without me... wow!!! haha jk that's way sick.. so did you guys hit up long beach? That sounds so fun. That's so awesome that Brennan took state!!! He must be way bomb!!
 So last Saturday we had our baptisms there in Paraìso. It was good, I got to baptise them. It made me sad tho cuz I still wish i was there in that area, but whatever. President pulled me aside last week and told me that he knows I didn't wanna leave Paraìso but he needs me there in Turriabla cuz its struggling. Then he said I have permission to go to all the baptisms that we have this month in Paraîso. So i get to go to the baptism of my family on the 25th! I'm excited!!
  My new comps name is Elder Garcia, hes from Honduras and way cool. He has about 14 months in the mish, pretty much the same as me. Its so weird being right next to your old area. That usually never happens.
   So my eyes are horrible, I just don't have time ever to go check them and get the prescription for the contacts, I need to go tomorrow. So I'll probably send you the prescription this week. But try to get the contacts ASAP when you get the info.
 Paintball was a blast!! Me and my comp, elder Burgener, dominated... we never died once and destroyed everyone. He wants to put a team up when we get back and enter in some tournaments, id love to get back into paintball.! The place here was pretty cool, it had 3 different fields, all outdoors. They only had Tippmann 98s, not my favorite but it was alright for Costa Rica. haha It was kinda expensive, 14 bucks to play and it came with 200 balls.
  So did you get my bonus points put in dad?? If not get that done please.!!! How is your work dad? how many employees do you have now?
 Well love you guys a ton and talk to you next week
 Elder Christensen

Feb 6 2012

Hola familia,

 how is everyone?? im doing great, yesterday was an awesome sunday... we had 3 family investigators in church and 12 people total... it was bomb. Our investigators are sooo bomb, they all have such strong testimonies, 4 of them are getting babtized on the 11 this saturday, the other two families are getting babtized on the 25th of this month also... but theres only one problem.... i have changes AGAIN!! they called us last night and told us,,, i was so mad and upset!! but then they told me that Turrialba, the area right next to my area is where im going, ive been there like 3 times already and its way close... so that is the only upside about it. President gave me permission to go to all the babtisms that we have this month. so that'll be way cool. But im still mad im leaving this area, this is my favorite area so far!
   But anyways... today is gonna be fun, guess what were doing... the whole zone is going paintballing... sick huh? were going at 2 o clock today. haha The sister missionaries and some members are also going! So maddi like the dance but marjerle didnt.. why? haha What did it say in the girls blessings? are they gonna have husbands or kids? I wanna go to disneyland too, theyre lucky! And kenzie is soo blonde... haha classic, that would be sick to room with her after the mish, cuz i wanna go to UVU also. Im glad the super bowl was a good game. and you guys got to have a good time with Joe and Lisa before they head to the big T.
  I uploaded some more pictures so you can check it out. I gotta apply for my bonus points today, im excited... did you see the new Hoyts?? they are soooo sick!!!!!! I want a 2012 durramax dad.. duh! haha Have you jacked yours up yet so you dont look like a grandpa...? Thats crazy taylor and samee are getting married,,, are they really serious? That would be so awesome if Papa and Nana could go to the temple with us here. i hope so!!
  Well i love you guys a ton and will talk to you soon.
Elder Christensen

January 30, 2012

What up family! 

 So I'm just chillin here freezing to death. it is so cold here right now. if i finish my mish in an area like this and come home to snow.. its not gonna be that different. haha it feels like Utah on a fall day here... just without snow. I can see my breath. Its crazy. But i love this area.. i thinks it probably my favorite area of them all. Me and my comp are working really hard and have some great families. We are teaching about 6 families right now that are awesome. we were expecting about 4 out of them to come to church yesterday, but only 3 of them could come.. but we still had a way good show up yesterday for church. We were way happy!! 
 The best family that we are teaching is just having some challenges right now.. with their relatives. They would have already been baptized by now but their families are really Catholic. And the parents of the people that we are teaching told them that if they change religions they will never come over to visit them again, and wont talk to them. The thing is that Roger and Elisabeth, the investigators, are sooo awesome... they have a strong testimony and know the church is true but they are just scared cuz they don't want to lose they family and stuff. So last Saturday we went to their house to do a "make it or break it" lesson with them. We explained to them that the only way to live as an eternal family is through the authority of God through the Church of Jesus Christ. They understood completely and shared their testimonies of the Church with us. but then explained what their relatives had told them. So we told them they had to choose between living with their daughters forever or not getting baptized and not being rejected by their family. They came to church on Sunday and we told them they have to kind of make a decision now cuz we cant just come over and visit them as often if they don't want to progress. So were going to see what they decide the next appointment on Wednesday. The other families we have are way cool too. One of them are Ronald and Alba, they are awesome and came to church yesterday. The first time we taught them was awesome. We contacted them in the street and talked about an eternal family and then i felt the impression that we needed to teach them right in that moment. So i asked them if we could go to their house and teach them right then. Walking to the house my comp told me he felt the same impression that we need to teach them right then, and was actually going to ask them himself but i asked them first. So we knew that was the spirit telling us they were a chosen family. We start teaching them the Restoration and about Joseph Smith and stuff. they understood everything and loved it cuz they were confused which church they needed to join also, we then pulled the BOM out and explained it to them. He then told us that he use to hate reading and usually doesn't really like the things that have to do with God and stuff, then he told us that the moment that we contacted him in the street that he felt the need to listen to us. And as soon as he saw the BOM he got an urge to read it. It was really cool. Then the next lesson we had with them he had read the whole chapter that we left with him, the wife  and the 11 year old daughter read all of it also. and we asked them what they felt and they said they knew it was true. So we are really excited we are teaching them right now. We actually have an appointment with them tonight so I'm way excited. They are also coming to church next Sunday and tonight were going to put a baptismal date for the 18th with them!
   Today for Pday were just gonna chill with some of the other missionaries and play Risk the game, it should be fun. Yes we have hot water in our house.. if we didn't i would die of coldness. So what about my contacts? I'm dying here cuz now i actually notice that i cant see good from far. Is there a specific prescription for contacts that i have to get? What else is new there? I'm glad the business is doing well, how many employees do you have now? when are you gonna quit your job mom? or do you like it? I think ill be able to put myself in for the bonus points, I'm gonna try it today and see. so don't touch it dad, but what are you and buck gonna put in for? tell Buck I love him and I miss him, I feel bad cuz I haven't written him in a while but I really have like no time to write after writing the letter to you guys. Tell everyone I love and miss them :)
 Well i'll talk to you next week, love you guys a ton!!!
Elder Christensen

January 23, 2012 11 month aniversary!!!

Family!!!
 What up guys? I'm doing well here in Paraíso. Me and my comp are doing very well also. Last week we had 45 contacts of families, which normally in a week you have like 7. ha ha. But we are teaching some awesome families and hoping to see the fruits this next month of February. The family that is progressing the most is the family that was going to get baptised the 28th but now cant cuz they've only been to church once and need at least two times in the chapel to get baptised. So we just gotta move it a little further into Feb. But they are still awesome and progressing and everything. We've been teaching a lot of new families also though. Yesterday we came across a family of Jehovah Witnesses... There are actually a lot of them here. We contacted them and started talking about eternal families... they told me that there is no way that a family can live together forever and that only 144,000 people are going to live in Heaven with God. I chopped their head in this moment because I have been studying a little about what Scriptures they use to think that in the bible, I opened to that verse where it says that and you just gotta read a little further down and it say a group a people that is uncountable will live with God also.. and they were like... OH wow... we didn't read that part... ha ha it was so funny, and their beliefs are ridiculous. But also sad that they don't even think they will be able to live with God one day.
  For my birthday there in Guacimo i just worked like normal, we actually did divisions so i was in a place called Siqierres with another elder. It was good tho, but the next day back in my area, some members made we some really good food called Chicarones, which is like pig fat and skin fried.. its really good. my new shoes are good, i just got a bunch of blisters tho cuz i had to brake them in and everything. That's crazy Joe and Lisa are moving to Texas, that's awesome and sad at the same time.
 So im almost bout to complete a year.. i guess that means its time for you to start getting my stuff ready... saving some money to buy me my new Duramax and my new Hoyt baby :)
Alright ill go back to the doctors to get the prescription for my contacts, but glasses and contacts here are really really expensive.. we aren't gonna buy them here. Also dad you need to send me my information that i need to open the account on Utah wildlife to put in for my tags and everything... send it for the next email. How much did you buy my ipod touch for, i think i might sell it to my comp when he leaves. How are we doing with the trip back here, have you planned everything or what??
Well i love you guys a ton. Talk to you next week, ill probably send some pics next week :)
Elder Christensen

January 16 2012

Hey family.

 How is everyone there? i miss you guys. I'm doing really well, working hard here in Paraìso. This area is way cool, i love it, its probably my favorite area I've had so far.
So yesterday was awesome, the golden family that we are teaching came to church and they loved it. They are SOOO coool and chosen haha The only problem is is they have to get married and stop drinking coffee. But they are willing to do it so it should work out fine. They have a baptism date for the 28th of January, and they are gonna get married the 27th also. They are sooo awesome, I'm in love with this family. They have two little girls, one 4 and the other 2 years old, they are so cute, the 4 year old LOVED primary class and cant wait to go back. The husbands name is Roger and the wife is Elisabet and they are soo funny. They want us to come over like everyday and teach them. Roger already has a strong testimony of the church just after like the first 2 lessons that we taught them, and he said he knows the book of Mormon is true. They have received soo many answers that the church is true, They told us that one day they were talking and fighting with each other and that they decided that they need some type of religion in their lives to help them, the next day we showed up and started teaching them. Then after like the 4th lesson they told us that they have completely stopped fighting and they've never been happier now that they starting reading the BOM and listening to us. Saturday night Roger woke up and 2:30 in the morning and couldn't sleep, and then started reading the book of Mormon and read about 80 verses, 2 chapters of 40 verses, and then after prayed and said he felt this burning feeling and never felt happier, then went to sleep and sleep like a baby. The next morning woke up at 7:00 to get ready for church and said hes never felt more rested even tho he had lost like 2 hours of sleep. He is awesome, i just hope everything works out well for the 28th.
 This area is sooo cold, we have to wear like sweatshirts here and stuff, its freezing. But hopefully it starts heating up. Also we contact about 15 families each day, which is like a crazy amount, and its awesome cuz there are just so many, but a lot of them don't progress at all. My comp leaves in march, but were pretty sure that hes gonna finish here and end with me, one of the assistants told us that its most likely gonna happen. I have been thinking a lot about what i wanna do for work when i get home, i still wanna be a dentist, i know I'm smart enough, i just don't know if i would be able to put my mind to study for that long. I also really wanna be a hunting guide so bad, i would love that, but if i do that, that would be hard to be married cuz I'd be gone so often. I don't know, we will see. 
  I think the trip back with everyone should be like 2 weeks after i get back, it would be awesome! And with everyone too!! So be looking for resorts and tell me some of the ones that you are thinking about and stuff. I cant wait!!!
 Also when do we gotta put in for our bonus points for the tags for hunting and stuff? February right? Do you remember my log in for that dad? if so you can look up my account there and see how many points of have and for which i have points, then you can put in for bonus points for the same locations for the next year... that would be awesome!!!! DR. Later didn't know what any of that meant? cant he look it up online or something? OD means right eye, and OI means left eye, also where it says ¨lejos¨ that means far sight. Do what you can to figure it out, cuz now that i realize my vision is a little of, its bugging me more.
 So in Costa Rica the church had a youth conference thing in the whole country, It was called ¨SOY¨. Like 5 of the youth in the ward that I'm in right now went and said it was awesome, there was about 500 kids and it was the first big thing like that ever in Costa Rica for the youth. Also Wednesday, Elder Nelson of the 12 apostles is coming and all the missionaries and members of Costa Rica are invited so were going.
Well i love you guys a ton and I'll talk to you next week.
Elder Christensen