I Love Tingo Maria!!

Well, what's up everyone in the greatest nation ever! haha. I only say that because I just hear so much funny stuff about the United States here. Everyone wants to go there, but they all talk trash about it too! I love it! And I love that I'm from the USA!  I really am learning to love the people here in Peru though. They all make me laugh! Literally half of the people remind me of a new born baby just lost and confused about what everything is haha! These people are hilarious to talk to and to just watch them walk around. 

To get down to it, this week was a great week. We had another baptism. It was JIN. I'm still not sure if it is Jin or Jim because everyone says it different. But, to start off I am sorry I didn't do anything too exciting last week to report on. My comp is super lazy and doesn't ever want to do anything. I think it's because he is going home in 3 weeks, so in 3 week I will start to do exciting things for p-day. But, we are having a good time and loving it in Tingo. The other missionary, Elder Espinosa got transfered to Tarma and a mini missionary came in for his place. It was me, Elder Arpires and Elder Daza, the Three Amigos for 3 days preaching. Then on Friday the mini missionary came. A mini missionary is a member that lives in the zone of our mission and is helping us out because we don't have enough missionaries in our mission. He is here for 1 change only. He is from Oroya. This kid is 22 years old and is the most awkward person  that I have ever met!  He walks into my room at night while I'm solving my rubics cube (I got 26 SECONDS!!!!!!) and of course, other things, and he just stares at be for like 2 minutes, but it feels like an eternity. Then he just walks back out of the room and leaves. It's like he is just always sleep walking. haha!!  

This week we found 7 new investigators and I really think that 3 or 4 of them should be baptised this next month. That is our goal at least, of course, I'll try hard to help all of them understand and love the gospel so they all want to be baptized. 

I did get the package and I'm getting fat again because of all the good stuff that was in it! Mom, your homemade cookies made it! And even after the trip to Peru and sitting at the bus station for a week they were still amazing! I really enjoyed them! The food here in the jungle is good. I eat a lot of papaya, mango, banana, and watermelon. for dinner with yogurt, and sometimes it's rice with egg. For lunch we have fried bananas and fried chicken! Paul Mayer will be the perfect Bishop! He's the best guy ever, he's so good with people and everyone loves him! I'm excited for the ward!

So back to the baptism on Saturday, we had the baptism for Jin and it was really neat. We started an hour and a half late becuase that is just how Peru is. When we were about to start the power went out! So, I grabed my flashlight and we grabbed 3 candles and started. We did everything, I shared the spiritual thought and it was Mark 10:38-39. "But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:" We baptized him with just candles and a flashlight and about 5 seconds after the baptism ended the lights came on, stinking Satanas! That guy is always trying to ruin the beautiful things, but not this time. It was very spiritual in the dark. It was the highlight of my week. 

I really have learned to listen to the spirit in our lessons. My comp has told me that I have been saying inspiring things and asking inspiring questions. I feel so good about that. I feel great, and I haven't thought about home since last Monday. I really do love what I'm doing, and I love the gospel. I love you all. Have a good week. 

ELDER CHRISTENSEN

My Blue Eyed Boy turned Brown Eyed (with the help of some contacts)

I really love his blue eyes!

A beautiful Chapel in the Jungle where the baptism of Jin took place

on Saturday, February 27, 2016

Baptism of Jin by Elder Arpires (Luke's companion)

Luke and his companion Elder Arpires

The King of Tingo!!

Hey!! 

So this week has been a pretty crazy week. How are ya'll in the best place on earth? The good old United States!!!! haha I am really starting to like this place. The only downfall is there is no Mountain Dew or any good candy!! Nothing is sweet here! This week is transfers and I'm pretty sure I'll be staying in Tingo with Elder Arpires for another 4-1/2 weeks. He goes home at the end of this transfer and it's a short transfer of only 5 weeks. I guess I'll be killing him off!

To start off, last Monday we didn't really go anywhere super cool because we don't have any pesaje, so we walked everywhere. We just went into the forest and messed around, it was super fun! And, this week I will just walk a lot! We had a ton of lessons this week. On Wednesday my comp and I went to some lady's house who is in the Relief Society presidency. She is super cool. She gave us 2 whole Panetones for free, they are like 20 Soles each for a decent one and this was a pretty good one!! I am starting to like Panetone! (Panetone is like a fruit cake but it is not sweet).  We had the interview of Edmunda that day also. She passed the interview and I hung out with Elder Evans!  That is probably the last time that I will see another kid from Alta in my mission. I'm a lone wolf now.  

I have had a great week. I have really learned to love the Latinos. haha It was so hard to love them at first, but now that I can speak better they respect me and don't try to make fun of me. So yeah, I guess basically I'm the King of Tingo!!! haha Really, I'm just kidding!! On Saturday we went to do service, and after, the lady we did service for gave us some really good soup! I attached a picture of everyone eating the soup. This is the Elders Quorum and us, the Elders in the house. The guy on the left in the green shirt is a goon! He's the son on my Penchion and I love hanging out with him. On Saturday, we basically just did service, and then on Saturday I baptized Edmunda!!!! She asked if I could baptize her. She said, "you were the one that gave me the scripture to read that made me know the gospel is true! I want you to baptize me." It was so great!!  Before the baptism there was a funny thing that happened to her. The clothes we had for her from the church were too small. so the bishop ran and got a white shirt and a white gown, it was a very hectic time, but she looked great dressed in white, she was glowing! 

On Sunday I spoke in Sacrament Meeting and I gave  a talk about how the people should be reverent in Sacrament Meeting. After I talked the whole congregation was silent!! haha I loved it!!  Now everyone is makeing jokes with me about how I changed it all in just a minute!  Jhordy, my Penchion's son, says that it was revelation that is spoke about reverence. 

It really was a good week. I just want you all to know that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are real, Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration, and I love all of you. I miss you all, but I love it here. Be safe and love you all and have a good week. 

Elder Christensen

Elder Christensen's plaque, and a favorite, his Stripling Warrior Ring.

Luke's brother Nick also wore this ring when he served in Peru. 

Nick gave it to Luke to wear the day he left.

Exploring the Jungle

Tingo Maria on a rainy day and a beautiful rainbow.

Lunch with the Elder's Quorum and the other full time Elder's.

Erick (the red and white in the back) Renzo (the black shirt in the back)

Jhordy on the left (in the green) He is Luke's Pensionista's son

He didn't remember the names of the others.

Elder Christensen and Edmunda

Luke said Edmunda "was glowing"!

Yes, she is!

Tender Mercies and a Baptism

So how is everyone in Utah? Freezing their butts off jajajajajajaja! I am getting super used to the great 100 degree weather here, it feels good in the day, pray for rain still!! Mom, you asked where I’m living. I live in a 3 story building with my companion and 2 other Elders. I like my pensionista, she is a great cook and makes the best food! I am starting to get fat from all the yummy fried stuff! jaja

Last week we went to Huanuco on Sunday. I stayed with Rocky Evans, he’s my zone leader. Then on Monday we went to La Corona del Inca. It was super cool. It is as high as Cerro de Pasco (almost 15,000 feet). I got some super cool pics! The pics that I sent on top of it look like I just smoked a ton of marijuana (haha). But, I didn’t!! It was super bright that day, and it’s so high, like right next to the sun! haha It was so hard to breath walking up there, funny how fast my body lost it’s acclimation from that high, high altitude and went right down to jungle elevation! The weird Peruanos were singing some weird creepy satanic song to us as we walked up there!  Going up I didn’t really notice how narrow the road was, but when we were going down the mountain, I realized just how skinny the road really was! We were literally driving 40 mph on a road that is one lane with a cliff with a huge drop, a foot away from the road, and it has a million turns. It was super sketchy, and so scary, but fun, and was it ever beautiful!!! 

This week was crazy. We did divisions, I went with a member and my comp went with another member. Remember the lady I talked about last week with the dying mother …. Well, when I showed up at her house again this last week with the member I was talking to her and she was said, " I have been investigating your church for five years Elder Christensen, the Church of the Mormons, but it wasn’t until last week when you showed up at my house with your companion that I really knew it was true. You Elder Christopher (yeah, no one can remember my name or pronounce it for some reason, I guess it’s way too long?? haha ) you gave me a chapter to read to my dying mother (this is Edmunda, the lady with the mom that is paralyzed) and I read it to my mom and I really feel like I want and need to get baptized, and in time, I want to go to the temple."  I sat there and almost burst into tears!! It was amazing to me, the spirit was so strong, and because I listened to the spirit that day I made a difference in someone’s life. I love seeing the Spirit in action! She has a baptism date for either this Saturday or next Saturday. We’re thinking it’s probably the next because her mom (the paralyzed lady that I was able to give the blessing to) died on Friday morning. We visited her on Saturday and she was super chill, and she wasn’t crying at the funeral because she said she knows the Plan of Salvation now, and knows that she’ll see her mom again. That was a super big tender mercy in my life, to see what the gospel did for her, hearing her testimony, and hearing about the life of her mom. 

On Friday we went to Huanuco again for a Multi Zone Conference. Elder Godoy came to teach us. It taught me a lot about how I can better myself. I really loved it every minute of it.  That night I got to see my “dad” in the mission (Elder Bullock), it was super cool, I’ve really missed that guy. After, every zone leader and district leader went to Lookcos (it’s a burger place like Astroburger, but it is really more like McDonalds) haha . I was the only “non leader”! But so fun to see and be with all those guys! 

I can honestly say that I know that this church is true. If not, why in the world would Joseph Smith do and go through all of the things he did in his life. It was all for us, those who were coming after him, he witnessed and saw God the Father and His Son. He knew! Why would he have died for the gospel if he didn’t know for a fact that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father live! This church is true. I love Joseph Smith and I know he was a prophet. I know Jesus Christ died for us and God is our Father. It’s so great to have that knowledge. I’m happy and I love what I’m doing, serving my Heavenly Father!

Happy birthday to KAITLIN, DEMI, GRANDMA LINDA, AND GRANDPA VERN!! All of you have a great birthday this week, and for the other people reading this…. you have good week also!!!  love ya all!              

¡nos vemos pronto!

Elder Christensen

At La Corona del Inca near Huanuco, Peru

He said it was so bright and so high that it felt like it was next to the sun!

He couldn't open his eyes!!

Hope he could open them to see how BEAUTIFUL it is!

Peru is amazing!!

Elder Christensen and Elder Rocky Evans (Zone Leader)

Rocky and Luke went to Alta High together!

Luke with an Incan Indian Chief pointing to the "temple" on the hill

Elder Christensen back with all of his Alta boys ...

Elder Rocky Evans, Elder Luke, and Elder Landon Albrecht on the end

Elder Bullock (Luke's "dad" in the mission or his trainer) and Elder Luke

Not sure what this is unless it's where Luke lives?

Beautiful Tingo Maria, Peru

Luke's home for now.

Jungle Life ... A Boa on My Back!

Hey everyone!

So this has been a great week. I have started to love the language more and more. These past few weeks I have been the happiest ever on my mission. I have learned to feel good about myself, and I actually am starting to just love the mission! 

I want to start off with last Monday, but to start that off I need to tell you that my comp is a  huge Malogrado. He just wants to sleep these days. So on Monday the other malogrado missionary that is in Tingo and he both went together and slept while Elder Daza and I went to the Serpentario. It was super cool and I got a pic with a boa on my back!! I liked it a lot!! haha   That was a super cool day.  That same day after we got back we had a little nap untill like 5:30, again my comp didn't want to wake up so I got water and I threw it on he and the other Elder haha! It was super funny. They were so mad I thought that I was going to die. 

The other days this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, they were just normal days. Friday we went to Huanuco to have a zone conference and I got to hang out with Elder Evans again until Saturday. We got back to Tingo at about 5:00 on Saturday, and went straight to the baptism of Aamir. My comp performed the baptism and I thought I might be a little sad that I didn't get to do it, but I wasn't sad at all. I think the reason I didn't really care to baptise him was he said that he wanted someone to baptize him that his skin is not always red! haha Then he asked Elder Evans why every Gringo's skin is red all the time. I was just thinking about how racist these stinking Peruvians are!! haha But, whatever, I love these people anyway!! 

On Thursday night something really crazy and sad happened. So, we went over to the house of one of our investigators. She didn't want us to teach her, she just wanted to show us something. She took us over to her house with all of her family there, they were all sitting in a room and we were confused, like what is going to happen to us?? Then she took us to her mom's room. I could only hear an oxygen tank going when I first walked in. I saw a lady, her whole body was paralyzed. She could understand what we were saying, but she couldn't eat, move, move her mouth, she couldn't even move her eyes. So Edmuda (our investigator) asked us to give her mom a blessing. She asked me to say it. While I was saying it I felt like my Spanish was perfect. I actually felt like I didn't do anything. The spirit just guided me in everything that I needed to say. I felt so sad! yet so happy for her! because the spirit witnessed to me that one day she will be able to use her whole body again in it's perfect form. 

That was my week other than I came to Huanuco yesterday (Sunday). And I have just been hanging out with Elder Evans for the past few days. We will go back to Tingo and then come back on Friday for the multizone conference. I cant wait. This change has gone by so fast! Changes are on February 24th and the next change is only 5 weeks to make up for the new MTC time for native missionaries.  Should be a good time the next few changes! I can't believe that today I have 5 months in the mission! It's going fast!

love you all chau!!!!!!

Elder Christensen

108 Degrees isn't so bad when it's RAINING!!!!

Well everyone.... It has been a good week!! We are supposed to have a baptism this Saturday!! His name is Aamir. He is a kid that we found my first day in Tingo and he is definitely ready to get baptized. I'm so excited for him! It should be a good week. I really have felt your prayers here, because it has not stopped raining all week! The days it rains are super good and it really cools it down. It's been about 108 degrees with the humidity. So when it rains it actually makes me want to work, instead of forcing myself to work and to walk in the hot hot heat. 

This week has been pretty funny. So for all of you who have watched the Lord of the Rings movie.... I saw SAM WISE AND FRODO BAGGINS!! I'm just kidding!! They were just some midgets walking together down the street, but I walked past them and I felt like Gandalf. It was a good day. haha!!!  I have been walking about  5-10 miles everyday this week. I went home every night and just went straight to bed after planning because I was so tired, and the heat really wears you out. We had to walk everywhere because we didn't have any pesaje, which is money, for moto taxis or for any transportation. So yesterday we walked a mile and a half to church in the rain. It was aweful, we were drenched!!

I forgot to tell you last week that I went with Elder Evans (Rocky Evans from home!!) on divisions last week. That was such a cool night! We just talked about girls and video games and all sorts of stuff from home all day, then that night we went to the best burger place in Huanuco. It is not better than Mcdonalds, haha but I liked it because I feel like I'm  just eating like a peasant everyday! But it was fun, we just talked about girls all day, and how he is going to get home and find a wife! So, needless to say, I was super trunky after that but I got over it! It was worth it cause it was a super good time. 

I really have started to learn more and more and more about how I need to better myself. I am working on the things I need to improve on. First, I am working on the language. I feel like a little Asian kid that has never seen a television before. I just stare blankly when I don't know what they've said. haha!! I'm really just kidding! I'm not too bad! I feel like my Spanish is coming along pretty good for being out only 5 months. I can understand everything that everyone says now, I just need to work on the vocabulary, and I need to learn to not zone off in the middle of lessons because everything isn't super clear. There are a lot of other things I'm working on too, but I'll save those for another day. Also, because we didn't have dinero at all this week we didn't go to a waterfall or anything else cool, and I don't think we will today either because it is pouring rain so hard! Really, I have never seen it rain harder than it is right now!! It's almost like when you drink a huge glass of water before bed and wake up and you're about to die because you are so hydrated. yeah that has been it everyday!!!  I'm keeping my head up and working hard! I love this gospel, I love the Lord and I love you all. 

hasta luego!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Christensen

In the Jungle of Tingo Maria, Peru

"The Illuminati made it to Tingo Maria" .... Luke Christensen