WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME IT WAS EASTER!!!

Hey everyone. 

So this week was a great week, but also a hard week. I'll start off with the WATERFALLS that we went to! Whoa! They are so cool!!! One was called the Ducha del Diablo (Devil's Shower). The other one that is prettier, and doesn't just go straight down, is called the Vela de la Novia (Vail of the Girlfriend) haha funny names!! But they were the biggest waterfalls I have ever seen in real life. They were so stinking cool. To get into the Vela de la Novia we had to beg the lady there to let us in. Our taxi driver said to her, "they come from super far away and they won't be able to come back". So she went to her friend and asked if it was ok, and she said, "yeah 2 people can come and see but they have to be gringos"! jaja. So we all went and talked to them ourselves and then they let all of us in. They just thought they might have to work hard if they let us in to see .... those crazy ladies. 

Last Tuesday we worked hard. We invited a few people that we have been teaching to be baptized, and they accepted for the 16th of April. Yeah, Happy Birthday to me! 

Then on Wednesday we didn't really do anything, we worked, but Arpires got trunkier by the day, so it was hard to get him out of the room. You'd think he'd want to work hard and finish off strong! On Thursday we taught some people for Elder Arpires's last time. We had a last goodbye activity at the church that night. It was pretty sad, I guess, he cried, and everyone else was crying for some reason, so when it was my turn to say goodbye I had to pull a good ole goofy Luke, so I did, and everyone cheered up after that! Then when we were all leaving the church our super cool investigator Eddy, gave me 3 eggs. Here in Peru smashing eggs on someone's head is a way of celebration! yeah, crazy, I know! So we smashed those eggs on Arpires's head, haha super funny. Arpires left to go home on Friday.

The next day was pretty sad. After 2 months of teaching the coolest investigator Eddy, he left us. He had to move back to Chimbote for awhile. It really bummed me out! It was a bad week because we had a date for his baptism on Saturday, but he informed us on Tuesday that he wasn't going to be here, and that he had to go back to Chimbote. That just kinda ruined my whole week. 

I am getting some mail now. I got a a big envelope from you mom, with all my friend's emails and I 2 of Mimi's letters. My buddy, Ericckson, that is from here, Tingo Maria, got his mission call to La Paz, Bolivia. It's a mission of only Latinos. Woulda been cool if it was Elder Andrew Davises mission!

And also ... WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME IT WAS EASTER!!!! I just thought that the Catholics were doing crazy things and moving the date of Easter to an earlier day. Here in Peru, maybe all of South America, Easter is called Semana Santa, or Holy Week in English. They started out Sunday with a fake crusifiction with some guy dressed as Jesus, but really, it made me laugh because he looked nothing like I imagine Jesus to look. Then they reinact the resurrection. I guess it was pretty cool. I'm glad I got to see it. It made me think and realize how much I appreciate the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that because of Him I can be cleansed of all of my sins. What a huge blessing that he would take that upon himself, every sin, every mistake, every hurt or heartache. I also know that I can live with God the Father, Jesus Christ and also my family forever in the eternities. I am so grateful for what He did for me and for everyone else who has ever walked this earth. The power and magnitude of the Atonement is amazing. It's real. I want you all to know, that I KNOW that with all my heart and soul that this gospel is true and that we are here because of a loving Father in Heaven. 

I love you all, be safe. Nos vemos muy pronto cholitos.  

Elder Christensen

Ducha del Diablo (Devil's Shower)

Vela de la Novia (Vail of the Girlfriend)

Death Wish??? 

Member with a cake for Arpires Farewell Party

Eddy Lopez Sachez and Elder Christensen

Eddy is the "cool" investigator that left to move back to Chimbote, Peru

A Sweet Baptism and Tingo Maria is Beautiful!

Hey!! 

I dont have too much time this week to email. But, how are you all? This week has been great. My comp was in Huancayo from Monday until Thursday night for a District Leader training, so Elder Daza and I went to the Monkey Zoo. It wasn't all just monkeys, but mostly. The monkeys are so dang funny! They were trying to escape the whole time and one monkey stole Elder Daza's Power Ade haha! It was super classic. After that we went and got some ice  cream. While we were getting ice cream I saw some cockroaches roaming around (typical Peru) but I still finished my ice cream! It was pretty good. 

We had more lessons this week than I have ever had in a week since I've been in Tingo Maria. I really think it was because Elder Arpires was gone. But, he is trying hard not to just curl up into a ball and trunk out. He has been trying to work a little. Sometimes I think that I was sent here to Tingo to be tested on my patience, because I have learned a ton!!!! Or maybe I am just forced to learn patience to help me with others and because there is not a way that he is really going to change. He leaves in the morning on Friday to go home and I will be here in Tingo until the 10th of May or until the end of July!!! I am really happy about that! I really love it here in Tingo Maria!

Saturday we had the baptism of this little girl that we were teaching. Her parents are members, but they didn't have her baptized when she was 8, so she had to take the lessons from us. Her dad baptized her. Before the baptism we kept asking the dad if he knew the baptismal prayer and how to say it. He recited the baptismal ordinance and the beginning of the confirmation to us perfect. He got into the font and forgot! I went over to the font and talked to him and taught him again what the words were to do the baptism. He got back into the font started out and forgot to say "Amen". So he had to redo it all over again. He started saying the words and forgot to say one of the words. haha This just kept happening for about 10 MINUTES haha. I was laughing so hard I almost cried. He finally got it after half of the congregation got up and left and his daughter was a sleep. BUT HE GOT IT!!!! haha crazy guy! 

Well, that was my week. Today I am pretty sure that we are going to a waterfall. My comp wants his last p-day to be super cool, so hopefully we can go. It is pouring rain and it is kinda cold (I looked at the weather in Tingo to see what "cold" was to him .... it is 81 degrees and feels like 90 degrees with the humidity, I guess that means he's acclimating to the heat!) I love it here! I love serving! This gospel is true and will bring us all so much happiness! Live it always! Good bye everyone! Nos Vemos muy pronto. Nadie va a saber que estoy diciendo, pero si sabe español, tu eres chevere. 

Chau!!!

Elder Christensen

One of Luke's Pensionista's and another Elder

The Pensionista's cook all the meals for the missionaries

Lucky missionaries! Luke's says she's a great cook and he's getting fat because of her!

Beautiful Tingo Maria

A monkey drinking Powerade

At the Monkey Farm

This cute little Monkey looks like he's saying .... "get me outta here!"

The Monkey Farm in the beautiful Selva (Jungle)

Elder Christensen's plaque and his beloved Stripling Warrior ring his brother gave him.

Tingo Maria, Peru after a rain storm.

What a gorgeous rainbow.

Baptism of the "Little Girl" by her father.

The Traditional 6 Month "Burning of the Tie"!

Hey there everyone!! 

So this week I have been working as hard as I can with a trunked out companion! haha This guys just needs to go home!!! I can't hardly stand him, or his laziness! But it's ok, I only have to make it like another full week because he goes to Huancayo tomorrow and gets back on Thursday, and then the next week he goes home on Friday!!!!!! yay!! 

I'm really wishing I could hold Teigen and play with her. I love babies. She sounds like a little stinker, not sleeping at night! Can't wait until Mother's Day so I can meet her. Its only like a month and a half away. I can't wait to play with her when I get home! She's so cute! 

This week was cool! We worked hard this week. We found 7 new investigators and 5 of them are super cool. One of our new investigators is Jina. Jina was a reference that we got from some guy in Huanuco. We visited her and we found out that she had something troubling her. We found out that she had lost her baby 2 weeks before. She as really struggling she didn't think she could survive this loss. I can't imagine either how hard that would be. She was crying to me and I didn't really know what to do. I listened to the spirit and I started talking about the Plan of Salvation. We explained everything as clear as we could, and she asked me at the end, "so what you are telling me is, That I will be able to meet and be with my baby again?" The spirit was so strong that I started to tear up. It was so neat to see her get this great plan that Heavenly Father has given us, and know that she can be with her baby again! We'll see what happens next with Jina!

Then on Wednesday we went to Huanuco for a Multizone Conference. President Henderson taught us. He is such a great teacher!! I love learning from him! I learned new ways to be a better missionary, and serve more effectively. I also learned some things that I have been doing that I shouldn't have done, but, I didn't know that, so I'll change those thing!! but yeah. I am learning everyday. 

I am trying to read and finish the Book of Mormon in Spanish by the time I have 7 1/2 months or 8 month. I do love reading it in Spanish. I think it's really helping my Spanish. After the Multizone Conference we had a multizone p-day. Everyone went to this huge soccer field, with turf, and we played soccer all afternoon and into the evening. Then went got ice cream (nothing like American ice cream) and then we got pizza, (again, the pizza was good, but nothing like American pizza). Again I've realized that I am not in America, and I am in Peru, and it's so different, and things here aren't going to be the same as at home! 

Last Tuesday, March 8th I hit 6 months and so I burned the tie!! Elder Daza, and our mini missionary named Ivan burned the tie while my dumb companion was downstairs lying in bed. He's just so lazy!  But it was pretty fun! Can't believe it's been 6 months!  

All in all it was a good week. This week will be good. We are going to try to go to a cool waterfall today if the other elders aren't too lazy. They're like a bunch of sloths eating some birthday cake (that's pretty lazy if you ask me).

Everyone have a good week. Miss you all!! Write to me!!!! I don't get nearly enough emails!! Just a reminder my email is .... lucas.christensen@myldsmail.net

Bye!!

Elder Christensen

Elder Christensen, mini missionary Ivan and Elder Daza

The traditional 6 month "Burning of the Tie" 

with Elder Daza

The beautiful Jungle of Tingo Maria in the background.

Elder Christensen looks pretty good too!

A crazy traffic jam somewhere.

Probably between Huanuco and Tingo Maria

The Elders are not allowed to travel this stretch of road in the dark

(hopefully they're not breaking any rules!)

It's a very dangerous stretch, and often times the road just slides away

from the mountain during heavy rainfall. And yes, they've been having

heavy rainfall for a few weeks and several roads in the area are washed away!

After the Multizone Conference in Huanuco the Elders went to this indoor 

turf field to play a little futbol!

I'm An Uncle!!!!!!

Hey Everyone! 

This was kind of a dumb week. But I am now an UNCLE!!!!!!!! and I have 6 months away from home and in the mission!!!!! and about a year and like 5 months left haha.  

I have been teaching a lot lately. I had to leave Tingo and go to Huancayo for a few days. I got back and my comp hadn't done one thing. He was with a member and he had only 1 lesson, and that was when he taught the member. It counted as a recent rescue?? We just rescued him like 2 weeks ago, but whatever!  I got back and I was pretty mad. He won't tell me what he did the whole time I was gone. So, I'm super scared he did something super malogrado!! haha this guy is nuts! He dies (finishes his mission in 2 1/2 weeks so he is super lazy). But, I am trying to work hard with him to the end. When I can get him to actually help teach the lessons you can definitely feel the spirit. 

We are teaching the brother of Aamir. Aamir is our recent convert, and now we are teaching his brother Eddy. Eddy has one problem, and it is that he thinks that you have to read the entire Book of Mormon and a ton of other stuff to have a testimony, and be baptized. We've tried to explain to him that you can get a testimony of the Book of Mormon and feel the spirit before you've finished the book and done a list of other things! I want to show him the story of Phillip in Acts 8, and how Phillip was in a church with Simon and Simon was asking about God, and Phillip said that all you need to do to be baptized is to have faith. Then they went straight down to the waters and baptized him. I really want to show that to him but I don't know for sure if I will. I guess we all have to make those decisions in different ways. If the spirit tells me to I will.  

Well, it's baseball season back home. I've thought a lot about it lately! Do you know who all made the team? I'm really happy Blake Tempest will represent this season wearing my #7 on the field! Tell him to do that number right!! He's a great guy! I really miss the guys and the coaches from last year's team. I hope they have a great season!

That is basically it, my week wasn't the best. But, I did get to have pizza 2 TIMES. Pizza is like gold to me these days, especially one that is really good. This week we have a multizone conference in Huanuco, and p-day is going to be on Thursday. So today we are emailing and then going out and working. 

Last week for p-day the other elders and I went shopping. I bought two pair of pants that are about $279 American dollars I bought them for $8.40 each!!! what a bargan! They are super cool dress pants.

Well everyone, that was my week. I am sorry I was boring this week!! I'll do better next week. haha!! All of you have great weeks. Be safe, and say hi to my new baby niece Teigen for me!! I'll see her on Skype in 2 months from today! I can't wait! Miss you all! 

Love ya, 

ELDER CHRISTENSEN is the best

Family Home Evening at Juana's house. David on the left, my companion and me. 

The others are Juana's family members.

Look close... it's a monkey! The monkey roams the house while we are teaching lessons to 

this family!

A gorgeous bird on the side of the road as we were walking down the street one day!

These birds are everywhere!

And just to show you my nice suntan ... a selfie!

I got this picture from a member in Luke's area! He posted it on Facebook!
Thanks Ericckson Rodriguez Venancio!!