HELLO WATERLOO!

Goodbye to the Whalen Fam

last pic with our boys

Martha & Isreal

What is up mis cuates?!

What a week it has been! A week that I never look forward to...transfer week. Sadly, I got the call from President that I would be leaving Hampton. It totally took me by surprise because I completely thought I was staying. So I had to go around and say bye to all the homies that I have come to love. They are all the most amazing people I have served around and I will miss them a lot. Good thing we’ll be heading up there soon again to see Victoria get splashed! Hampton has my heart.

But anyways, HELLO WATERLOO! I’m now in a dopeeee area with my man, Elder Schoenfeld. Schoenfeld went to Oly back in the day and we have been homies since I got out here to IA. Never had the chance to know him back home but it’s been a blast to talk to him and reminisce on good times in SLC. Turns out, we have a ton of mutual friends so it’s been pretty fun. Being with Schoenfeld is also my first ‘zebra’ companionship on the mish. ‘Zebra’ meaning a Spanish/English mix. Along with us, there are two other Elders that serve in Waterloo that are also in a zebra. They are a companionship speaking English/Marshallese. Right there just shows the melting pot of Waterloo. There are crazy amounts of African refugees from the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo...s/o the boys headed there), Liberia, Togo, with a bunch of Marshallese people and a handful of Hispanics. I’m super bummed to be out of a solid Spanish area but this area is so rich with diversity, I love it!

Elder Schoenfeld & my girl Sharon

A perfect example of this was on Saturday. We were stopping by one of our homies from Togo. When we got to his place he had three friends over, three guys from three different parts of the world. Two were from Togo, one from Thailand, and the last was from Mexico, my man Leonardo. We sat down and they all gathered around to listen. We went from teaching in English, then me translating into Spanish for Leonardo, then when needed using google translate to clarify things in French. Might sound like a mess but it wasn’t, the Spirit was so strong and just slapped everyone in the face. Was such an awesome experience. My man, Leonardo, was a stud so we're excited to track him down again and catch him at home to start talking to him and his family. 

The Lord works in many different  ways in order to progress the Kingdom of God. Just through the past couple of days I have seen His kingdom progress and His children able to hear the message of the Restoration through whatever means is needed....even google translate. Kinda funny to think that but with no doubt in my mind, I know the Lord provides the way for everyone to come back to Him.

Love you all!

Elder Christensen

teachin' them young

MC District RIP