Knocking Doors

We knocked a lot of doors this week again, but we have two potential investigators that I really hope will progress. One is a 15 year old boy that is looking to understand religion a little better. He has completed the two commitments that we left him with and it is the first time anyone has done that for me, so I am really hoping it works out.

 We also have a young family. The mother was a less active member as a child but has real desires to return to the church.  She came to church on Sunday and she was stoked. They are really good people and the father wants to learn more about the church. We have a family night lesson with them tonight. Along with this young family, we have reactivated another less active couple that has come the last two Sundays. I am really grateful for these people and really hope they will accept the message.

It rained all day here on Tuesday and Wednesday. The temperature dropped drastically with the rain and was freezing cold. I was so grateful for my awesome coat. We knocked doors all day in the rain. It is amazing to me that people still shut the door on us even when we are soaking wet in the freezing rain. I hear this is nothing compared to winter, so I need to find a good umbrella.  Those were the big events of the week.

Just a side note, I have had many people tell me I look like the russian boxer in Rocky IV.

Loncoche

The wonderful branch in Santa Juana

Hey Family,

Loncoche is really great! It is a pretty small town. I like it a lot. You can see the Villarian Volcano in the distance, which is pretty cool. There is also grass here! I really miss good landscaping. The people here are very nice. I really like the branch. I am grateful for faithful members around the world. My companion is great. He is a 6 year convert from Peru. His parents and two older brothers aren’t members, but his younger brother is. I like him because you can tell he has a good heart. He is district leader as well.

Funny experience of the week: We were contacting and this short guy with a blue construction helmet, massive blue binoculars around his neck, and a big blue ax came up to us. He was also dressed in a lot of blue clothing. He had to be drunk, because he didn’t make much sense. The next day we saw him in the same get-up pushing an empty cart around town.

Yesterday, I was missing home in the morning. But I felt a lot better when we were able to go to Church. It always feels so good to remember it is the same Church wherever you go and it always feels like home. The Gospel Principles teacher also taught a great lesson that helped me think about Christ and how He can help me in my life.

We talked to about 140 people last week and knocked on over 300 doors. Since we are re-opening a sector there is a lot of knocking doors. The new house is great. It has an awesome shower! (A great change from no hot water and a bucket.) We share with two other Elders. Another Elder from Peru and one from Santiago, Chile. I am the only Gringo, but I am glad because I think I will have Spanish pretty well down by the end of the Cambio.

Lots of leg room on the 6 hour bus ride to Loncoche

I hope everything is going well for you guys. I love you all tons, you mean the world to me. The 6 hour bus ride here was really great. It was cool to see volcanoes in the distance and look out over acres of beautiful fields ready to harvest. The fields gave me motivation.

Chilean Fields

Love you all tons,

Elder Christensen

A lot of amazing missionaries in my last Zone.

Headed South! Antartica Here We Come!

Hey Family!

We had campios today and tomorrow I am leaving for Loncoche. It is the sector farthest south in the mission. I am really excited because it is supposed to be really beautiful! I am also getting a great new companion. He is from Peru and is supposed to be one of the hardest working, best missionaries. I am really excited!

They are pulling Elders out of Santa Juana and replacing them with two companionships of Hermanas. I think this will be a great thing for Santa Juana. I am really excited for the people. I know the sisters will work miracles there. As I look back at my experience in Santa Juana I am realizing that I needed to learn the things that I did. It will set me up for my mission and for life. I hope that I had a good impact there. It was a very difficult time for me, but I learned a lot. Things were beginning to pick up and we had some great potential investigators. The members there are amazing.

I am doing well. I listened to the “Give Us Our Daily Bread” talk again and it always helps me. I love that talk. I have realized that it is important to focus on the day. We should focus on finding faith to make it through each day. I really think that is the most important thing each day, to trust in Christ and remember Him always. When we remember Him we don’t need to worry about everything else, because it will take care of itself.

Sorry this is all over the place. I feel like I have been pretty bad about writing. I want you to know how much I love you!

Love,

Elder Christensen

Perspective

Hey Fam,

So happy to have the opportunity to write to you guys. This week has had some highs and lows. I really felt like I have seen some miracles. I have also been looking back at the last 3 months here to see what I have learned. Though these months have been the most difficult of my entire life, I have learned some very important lessons that will help set the tone for my mission and my life. I have gained a lot of perspective. Every day I feel like I am learning more and more what really matters. I have also found some things that I want to change. I always want to be a doer. Someone who makes it happen. I think of Dad as one of the best doers I know. There are hundreds of examples of Dad making it happen. This is something that I really want to develop rather than letting the circumstances get the better of me, I want to change circumstances. I also want to be a better listener. I think mom is the best listener I have ever met. She always listens to everyone’s problems and is so good at comforting us and building us up. She is amazing! Thank you for always listening. These are just a few things that I want to improve in.

Something else that I realized this week is that if we really believe in the Book of Mormon, we should have absolutely no reason to fear, so long as we are trying to apply the principles taught inside. I know that I am trying. I make mistakes everyday, but I am trying so I know it will be okay. It is so important to never give up. The only way we fail is if we give up.

Missionary work is so tough, but it’s good for you. There have been moments where I have felt completely alone and lost and others where I have truly realized how much I am loved. I realize how much I am loved in every letter I receive, when I think about how many people are specifically praying for me, when I find the everyday miracle, when I think of you. Thank you for always letting me know you love me. It means the world and more.

I love each and every one of you!

Elder William Clayton Christensen

Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas from Chile

Hey Fam!

It was so great to talk to you this week. I really wish I could have a 10 min. phone call each day to report in! 

The rest of the week was okay. Friday we were knocking doors all day. Saturday was a great Branch Activity where we went to a member’s house in the country. It was really great to be up in the mountains. It was good to be with the members. One of the hermanas made this awesome bread in her clay oven. Sunday was the best day of the week. We were knocking doors in the morning trying to find people to take to Church a 10:00 and we were not having much success. Then the last door we knocked on at 10:00, someone answered. It was a 10 year old boy. His mother was out of town and the rest of the family was asleep. He got up all by himself to get ready and come to Church. He was all set, white shirt and tie, ready to go. I was so touched by his willingness to come to Church. For me, it was a tender mercy where the Lord showed me His hand in the work, even after a difficult week. As I thought of what could have prompted this boy to come to Church, I thought of the Hermana that works in the Primary. I am sure her effort to magnify her calling each week had some part. I love this boy and hope that he remains faithful throughout his life. The teenage years here are very difficult without a strong family base. As missionaries, we need to establish that base for the children. This was the focus of Elder Holland a few weeks ago when he was here, to protect the children. I know the gospel blesses families so much!!

Thank you for praying for me!

Love you all tons,

Will

We had Christmas dinner with the Branch President and his family.

They are so good to us and went to so much trouble to make it special for us.

The food was amazing!

This is the building where we meet for Church on Sundays.

You Know that Christmas is Different when Santa is Handing out Popsicles Instead of Candy Canes at the Primary Christmas Party

P-Day Barbecue with the Zone

Hey Fam.,

Sorry I didn't have much time to write today so this may be a little short. It has been a crazy week. We had our Confrencia de Navidad on Wednesday. It was really great. President Martinez gave a really powerful message that had a good impact on me and really motivated me. I was really happy because I could understand almost all of it. Spanish is good some days and bad others, but overall I feel like I am improving. His message was about giving yourself to Christ, just like you have been telling me to do. Thank you so much for your letters. They are perfect for me each week. I find exactly what I need. After President's message we had a zone talent show type deal. Our zone sang 12 Days of Christmas with different lyrics that fit the missionary theme a little better. Everybody loved it.

Part of our Zone today at our Barbecue

Friday I had a great inter-cambio with Elder Y from Argentina. He has been in the mission for about 2 weeks. He is a really great guy and speaks English pretty well because he has taken it for the last 12 years or so. We were in his sector which is on the coast so it was nice because it is about 20 degrees cooler. I also got to see the ocean, which was great. It is always nice to have a real shower as well!

Saturday we had a great service project where I got to use a grub hoe. It felt so good. Today we had a barbecue with the zone that was a lot of fun. My soccer team was me, an Argentinian, a Mexican, and a Chilean. I am not very good at soccer.

Love,

Elder Christensen

P.S. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! Say "hi" to Meisha for me and tell her how much I appreciate her example. (Will's cousin Meisha is finishing her mission in the Philippines this week.)  You are amazing!

 A Street in Santa Juana

"The Good News"

Elder Christensen and Elder Cy Holt

Dear Family,

My heart is so full. I have had a very difficult and discouraging week. I have been frustrated because I haven’t felt like we have accomplished very much in the last 7 weeks I’ve been here. This morning we went into the office to get my long-term visa taken care of. When we got there, I found out that there were five packages waiting for me. I was really surprised and felt a little embarrassed (especially after the new office missionary made a comment about only receiving 3 packages in the year and a half he had served). I didn’t know what to think. An hour or so later we got back to the house and I opened them up. There were the 3 from you and the one from the ward and the one from Gram. I have never been so touched and blessed in my entire life.  Mom and Dad, you are truly amazing. I am so blessed to have parents like you who give so freely and bless so many. Today you have taught me a lesson that I will never forget. The kids here will love all of these toys. Thank you so much for teaching me to give. I can do so much good and you have helped me realize that. Thank you for blessing me with so much and giving so freely to me and many others. You two are incredible. I am determined to do better and be better.

I am so grateful for our incredible ward and their generosity and love. I have been so blessed to grow up with so many great people around me.  They are incredible and I love every one of them. Please express my gratitude for their remarkable love and kindness.

I guess I am so touched because you and the ward reminded me why I am out here: to love and bless the lives of others, to share “the good news”. Thank you for everything! I hope I can make you proud.

With much gratitude,

Elder Christensen