I had a pretty great week.
The P family was baptized this Saturday and it was a beautiful
service, complete with two beautiful musical numbers. One with a violin and the
other a very beautiful quartet made up of some Relief Society members. I am
very happy for the P family.
The first time I saw Sister P she was selling candy in front of the
bank in the main plaza here in Los Angeles. I didn´t think much of it and much
less thought I would be teaching her and her family a week or two later. She is
an incredible person. She has been blind her entire life. When she was younger
she studied in a school for the blind in Concepcion and is very well educated.
She has shared a little bit more about their life the last couple of weeks. She
is very determined as well. She has many extended family members who are
members of the church and she listened to missionaries when she was younger. She
also attended church a few times but it didn’t stick. The day we knocked on her
door I had been struggling in the morning and wasn’t feeling too great. It had
also begun to pour rain and didn’t stop all day long. Their house was one
of the last doors we knocked on that night. She told us last week that when we
had knocked on the door the family had been going through some pretty rough
times. Work had not been going great for her husband and he was still
struggling with being blind. He had become blind a year or two before. She had
been praying for some help, especially for her sons who needed a little more
guidance. They were just growing up like normal kids, but she felt like she
needed help. Then we knocked on the door and she had felt like she should
let us in. She told us her initial thought was that “These two boys aren’t much
older than mine and they are out in the rain, we should let them in to warm up
a little bit.” And that is how it all began. This week she told us that she
later recognized it as an answer to her prayers. She is fantastic. I know the
gospel will bless her and her sons and she will bless the ward. She is an
incredible example and she will teach many about humility. She is always on
time. The Relief Society president commented in the welcome that she is often
the first one to class. She actively participates and listens. I could share a
few stories but don’t have time. I have learned what President Eyring said is
true that when we give priesthood service we are the ones who often learn the
most. I believe I have learned a lot more from sister P than I have taught.
Another thing I love is her desire to share the gospel. She wants to reactivate
family and help her husband and mother be baptized. I am confident that her
husband will soon follow. He continues to read and remarked to me during the
baptism about the power he feels coming from the Book of Mormon and is amazed
by the direct communication God has with the prophets. He also stopped smoking
and drinking coffee when we began to teach them without us saying a word.
MIRACLES HAPPEN!
I am doing well. Not much more to report. Some of the top
excuses for why we couldn’t enter houses this week were: “Sorry, its cold
outside.” “Sorry, It’s raining outside.” Believe me, they don’t need to tell us
that. We know! All the more reason to let us in! I think they could put a
little more effort into their excuses. But that’s how it goes, no worries
;). Luckily it has been pretty sunny lately.
I am doing well and love you tons!
Elder Christensen
P.S. President Bluth is fantastic. We had another conference this week and it was great. We also saw President Martinez driving around yesterday, he stopped to talk to us and seems a little bit more relaxed.
P.P.S. Sorry about no pictures! I forgot my camera today and I am a little nervous because a virus wiped out my pin drive last week. Luckily there was nothing important, but it is a little sketchy plugging stuff in. I will try to find a way. I think you can buy a virus protection type deal, maybe you could look into that for me. And THANK YOU for the package I love everything in it!
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