Conferences...and I'm not talking PAC12
Hola mi familia y amigos!
Things are still going strong here in Des Moines! Usual week
with its usual ups and downs. Bummer news of the week was that Chiqui kinda
backed off; she was a little freaked out about her baptismal date on the 23rd.
She’s now telling us, “I’m Catholic and not sure yet.” We are bummed at her
sudden hesitancy but know that she felt the spirit and had its confirmation.
She still wants us to come, wants to make us dinner (score!) and still wants us
to teach them. But we are giving them some space for the spirit to work its
magic. I still feel confident about her and her family and that they will be
ready soon.
Highlight of the week was after a lot of thought and prayer
and since Luis is still going to need more time, we are going to baptize his
daughter, Amelia, this next Saturday, Dec. 2nd. She’s been waiting
very patiently for this and she couldn’t be more excited. We are hoping and
confident that when Luis and the rest of the family see Amelia baptized, they
will get that push they need and start making the necessary changes. The whole
family will receive blessings through her baptism. Amelia is the funniest and
sweetest little girl. When we asked her who she wanted to baptize and confirm
her, she immediately said, “ Elder Black, Elder Matthews, and Elder
Christensen.” Black and Matthews were the first two Elders to teach them, so
she loves them and now I guess I’m up there too. When we explained to her that
only two of us could perform the ordinances, she asked me if I could ‘say the
magic words for the Holy Ghost’! Super stoked and excited! You know how I said
last Sunday was the most stressful Sabbath? Well yeah, pretty sure this next
Sunday will one up that Sabbath because I’ll be so nervous! Lol, it’s going to
be awesome though.
This week has been the week of conferences. We had zone
conference this past Tuesday and Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday.
Besides forgetting to get someone to make lunch for us, it was a really solid
zone conference. It was nice to meet a lot more people that I hadn’t met
before. Sister Badger said something really awesome that stuck with from Mark
Twain – “Comparison is the death of joy”. Something so simple that we can all
work on and try to stop doing. The Stake here is great. Obviously not as awesome
as the Monument ParkJ…
But the Iowa Des Moines Stake will definitely do for now and anyway, who’s
comparing?! haha Our Stake President is Pres. Call and he is dope. He’s so
cool. The stake started the church’s new self-reliance program this year and
the whole conference was talking about it and hearing testimonies from members
who had finished the different courses. Sounds boring but actually was super
cool! One thing really stood out to me – it was from a lady who was in charge
of the self-reliance classes and her message was ‘for us to get through the
hard times, we need to be spiritually self reliant’.
At this time of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for this
opportunity to be an instrument in the Lord’s work. I am grateful to be here in
Iowa, inviting those who are ready to come unto our Savior. No better time to
do it than now and this upcoming Christmas season. I am grateful for all of you
– for your constant support, love, and emails from home. They keep me going all
through the week.
Love from the 515!!! But no love to the Utes.
Deficil es bueno!
Elder Christensen
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| Companionship Inventory |
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| Luis and his girls |
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| Cookin' up some Missionary Mess |
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