It's Summer and It's Snowing!!!

Luke said the only thing he really wants for Christmas is candy and letters!! If you want to send him a card or letter he'd LOVE it! Thanks to those who have sent cards and letters, I know a lot of you have and he'll be thrilled to receive them!! If you want to send a card/letter it is $1.20 in postage for a regular size card/letter envelope. Here's his address....  As always, thanks for your love and support!!!

Elder Lucas Christensen

Peru Huancayo Mission

Jiron Cusco #278

Huancayo Junin Peru

Hey there everyone!! 

I have had a crazy week!! I have seen some small miracles and one made me thing about Marci (my aunt). So I really have been focusing on learning the lessons the past two weeks so I can teach and be fully effective. This week has been great here in Carhuamayo. The only thing I'm not liking is that it is always cold and i just don't want to be here for another 3 months, but it sounds like I am going to be staying here for another transfer. I feel like I'm never going to get warm! 

I really want to come home sometimes, but then I reallize that I'm not doing this for me. This week I started to get really down on myself and I didn't want to talk to anyone. So when I got home to our house, I looked for Nick's letter, Kass´s letter and Kolt's letter that they all gave me the night before I left.  I read them all, and really loved how those letters gave me a new perspective. I was really praying the night before because I needed some help. So I prayed the next morning and went and jumped in the shower and "ponderized" about how I am going to make it for two years. I came to a conclusion. If I can make it out of Carhuamayo I can make another 18 months or 19 and a half months. But, I really was trying to figure out how I can better my attitude. I was thinking for a long time, and something popped into my head, and it was something that I haven't thought about in years. I am purpously making this sentence longer to build suspense!!! ....... but I thought about when Nick was on his mission and his friend sent him and his other friends a quote about snowboarding. It was a quote by Connor Graff. It goes something like... all of the little jumps and bumps that they went off while snowboarding were just practices for the bigger kickers that lay ahead of them, and I related the little jumps to my trials in Carhuamayo and the rest of my mission, it's just building up for the bigger things in my life. 

Another little thing that happened this week that was really cool... so me and my comp were going to go teach a lesson to this family of less actives, and no one was there but the kid and the mom. Well, the mom was having really bad troubles with her neck and body and it really made me think of the thing that is happening to Marci. I got my mom's letter about how Marci is still trying to recover from her neck stuff. So, we gave her a priesthood blessing and the spirit felt so amazingly strong! The next day we went to see how she was doing, because we were on our way to an investigators house, and she was working again, and said that she felt great. THE POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD IS REEEEEAAAAALLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!

We finally got to teach the shoe guy that I talked about a few weeks ago, and he said some pretty wierd things about his life, like how he was about to kill himself many times, it really was super sad. We have another lesson with him and his family on Wednesday at like 3:00 so hopefully it goes good. Yesterday I took a million pictures because it was snowing so hard for like 4 hours, (and yes, it's supposed to be summer) and then it got to like 100 degrees and all dried up. Pretty much just like Utah haha. 

We jumped in a car and this guy was playing Pat Benatar, White Stripes and Eucalyptus, or whatever it's called. I tried not to listen because they are songs of the world, and I asked him to turn the radio off please, but he didn't understand when I spoke English to him, haha was a good ride though!! I now officialy weigh what I did in 9th grade. a solid 175 pounds and dropping. haha I am like a twig!! I feel like anyway! 

Last night we went to a missionary thing for the Cerro de Pasco Stake, and these missonaries were showing mission pics, and I saw Zane Rigby in a pic!!! Really the familiar face was awesome!!! 

One last thing ... I really want to go snowboarding!!! 

love you all,

Elder Christensen

The view from Luke's balcony.

The village of Carhuamayo

The outside of Luke's "house". It snowed hard for 4 hours on Sunday and then cleared up, was hot and it all melted! It's Summertime in the Andes Mountains!!!

He said, "well, I guess we are now dentists", we seem to be advertising that we are anyway!

Luke's room .... looks better than I had imagined! He just can't get warm!

The outside of the LDS church in Carhuamayo. 

Luke said, "This is our church, it's really kinda sad that that is the Lord's house with bars on the windows. The guy on the right is wearing a 'marijuana hat', best part is that he wore it to church yesterday!"

New Investigators!!!!

Hey there what's happening! 

So last week we were in Huanuco and that place is so freaking awesome! I want to serve there so bad. So I have had a lot of things happen this week but not too crazy. We got to stay with Elder Horsely from Pleasant Grove and Elder Harron from Nevada and my comp from the CCM and his comp, and then the last night Elder Albrect and his comp stayed with us too, and that was so freaking fun. Man, it is so nice to be able to talk about something or people that another person knows about!! 

So yeah, this week was the best week in Carhuarmayo ever!  We found 3 NEW INVESTIGATORS! haha That sounds like garbage, but we haven't really even had a new investigator since I got here. We are teaching people who have potential to be baptized! It is so cool to see something happen for once. I can't wait to keep working with them and see what we can teach them!

Also, this week I have been really humbled. I had a really bad attitude before, and I was reading in the Missionary Pocket Reference book that you got me from Deseret Book or somewhere? and I literally read a section on pride, probably because I really needed it! And I read some scriptures on pride and some about being humble, and I have been humbled more than ever after reading and studying about it. I really know and I now have the strongest testimony of Prophets, especially Joseph Smith. My testimony is so much stronger of Jesus Christ our Savior too. I almost started to cry in a lesson we were teaching because I felt the spirit testify so strong, it was crazy, and amazing. I know it's true! Every bit of this gospel.

My Spanish is coming along I think, haha. I have been working hard and the same with my comp. I don't know for sure if Elder Bullock with be here in Carhuamayo next transfer, but he seriously has taught me so much about how to become a better missionary. Before I only wanted to learn by myself and we didn't have a good relationship. But now I think I am learning a lot about the language and also the gospel lessons. I really do need some prayers though from everyone. This is the hardest thing that I have ever done, and I go to my knees in prayer probably 10 times before lunch, and through the day I'm sure I probably pray 20 + times. It really is so awesome to be able to talk to Heavenly Father and ask for help and guidance. 

My pensionista is crazy though haha!!! I love her! She and her husband have a little baby cat and a little dog probably about 3 or 4 months old, and one day the dog was beating up on the brand new baby cat and my pench's husband grabbed the dog and threw him haha it was kinda funny. I don't have any pics of my pench sorry, but next week I will send some. We are super close to getting a few reactivations it's super cool. Pray for us! Well I'll write next week. Chau!

Elder Christensen

The Church in Carhuamayo

The backyard and the back view of Luke's house and the bathroom, which is not connected to the house, but it does have hot water which none of the other missionaries in this area have!

Luke's house with a moto taxi in the background

Moto taxi's are a main form of transportation in Peru.

It is a motorcycle with a "buggy" attached to the back of it. It can fit 2-3 people.

A street in Carhuamayo, Peru

District Halloween Party

They played soccer in their costumes!

Luke said it was a fun activity!

A cemetery in Carhuamayo

Hanging with Elder Albrecht at Multi Zone Conference!

Luke says the only thing he wants is MORE LETTERS! He would love to hear from all of you! You can email him, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of time to read and write emails. His email is lucas.christensen@myldsmail.net. 

His mailing address is: 

Elder Lucas Christensen

Peru Huancayo Mission

Jiron Cusco #278

Huancayo, Junin, Peru

A regular letter costs $1.20 to mail and takes about 10-14 days to get to him.

Thanks for all of your love and support!

Hey ma!! 

Yeah I'm in Huanuco for a multi zone conference. It's pretty cool! I bought a dope sweatshirt, so you don't need to send me one, and a bag that is for like traveling for 20 dollars total haha! Everything here is so freaking cheap! I got a steak and a butt load of fries yesterday for like $4.50! And, yes I got my sleeping bag, blanket and the candy. It was awesome to get it and could you send me some sour bright gummy worms! Those really make life better!! Now I think I'm good the only places that are really cold are Carhuamayo, Cerro de Pasco and one other area. So apparently, I've heard my mission should only go up hill from here, warmer and easier!! hopefully! 

I want more letters, that is really the only thing I want!! and just send a ton of candy! That is the best just having some American candy! Just open the bag of sour bright gummy worms and get the air out and then seal it with like tape so it doesnt take up space. I really don't even care if they aren't soft, they are still amazing! 

That's crazy that Kenzie is getting married. I think that is so cool. Hopefully this guy is worthy of her. Also, could you send me a tape recorder so we can like basically talk, and make it one that I can just plug into the computer and send you recordings and download recordings onto my USB. 

So, yeah back to the story about Huanuco, where I am for the Zone Conference, it is so hot and humid here I am freakin dying, especially after freezing in Carhuamayo. We are staying in the zone leaders house in Huanuco till Wednesday. Their names are Elder Horsley and Elder Harron and they are so freaking dope! It's too bad that Elder Horsley dies this transfer because I have gone on splits with him for three days. It makes it a lot more fun to be out here in Huanuco, and we are apparently in the hardest part of Huanuco and it is still so fun compared to Carhurmayo where I am. In my area we have been focusing a lot on less actives lately. We don't really have investigators because no one in the place can comprehend what we are saying! haha Everyone in the city is either 90 years old or like 1 to 20 with nothing in between. That's probably because anyone that is actually smart moves to Huancayo or Lima or Huanuco! So it turns out that the cool investigator guy that was supposed to be interested, well, we couldnt find him this week. Super sad, and our other investigators are all women, so we never get to visit them because we can't visit women without a man from the ward present, so we don't really get to teach to many investigators. But we'll keep working hard and I do think that I might actually have a chance for a baptism there.

So while I'm here in Huanaco I get to stay with Elder Albrecht!!! It's gonna be so great! I did see Rocky Evans too and talked to them for a fat minute! It's so great to see someone from home! They're the greatest! There's a picture of me, Elder Albrecht and my companion E. Bullock.  

So this is funny... one of the dudes that we were teaching it took us an hour to get it through his head that the difference between our church and other churches is the authority of God to have 3 things, and that they were Prophets, Apostles, and the Priesthood. We didn't even teach him about the differences though, we drew on a board just the names of those 3 things and he couldn't get it! And yeah, that kid that we've been working with to go on a mission, doesn't turn 18 until next September so hopefully we can inspire him enough to stay strong and in church. 

We really don't do anything on p days other than play soccer and you get tired so fast here in the high altitude. But last week we dressed up for Halloween and I was Superman and we played soccer in our costumes and also made a Harlem Shake video haha! It was super fun. There really is nothing cool to go and see in Cerro. It's just a barren gold mining town. There aren't like tourist attractions, well, other than it is the dirtiest water in the world haha! Like literally it is so dirty they told us that we can't even boil our water to drink it. Our water has to be brought in! But enough negative things about Cerro! It really has been super great and I seriously can't believe that I am in my third month and it is November! In a month and 2 days is Dad's birthday haha!!! and in less than 2 months I will be talking to you all on skype probably and hopefully in Spanish to Nick. 

I got Mimi`s letter last Tuesday while we were in Cerro for a zone meeting, we do go over there a lot. I have been there for like half the time I have been in the field. But I was reading Mimi`s letter about Uncle Lal and all the things that have happened and how he got baptised and confirmed, then gave an amazing testimony. That was one of the happiest moments in my whole mission so far. I started tearing up I was so happy. It sounds kind of wierd because we aren't like super close, but I was just so happy that he is back in the church. And like Mimi said, that he is back to what he loves!! 

Well that was my week sorry it wasn't that interesting, but I want everyone to tell Mimi's brother and my uncle congrats!! and that I am so happy for him! This next week I will be doing a lot of things so I'll let you know next week how it was. I love you all and hasta luego!!

Love,

Elder Christensen

Elder Christensen, Elder Albrecht and Elder Bullock (Luke's Companion)

Elder Albrecht was in our ward when he and Luke were younger.

They both went to Alta High School.

We have always loved the Albrechts! They are a great family!

So great for the boys to see a familiar face so far from home!

I LOVE that they are together for a few days!

A Tiny Town of "Hill Billies"!!

Hey mama and everyone!

What's up! So I am going to tell you this story, imagine a town about half the size of Panguitch and it probably started with 2 people. Now I want you to think of a hillbilly family! and now I want you to imagine a town full of hillbillies, and then you'll have the little town of Carhuamayo! haha This is the worst town in history! I am pretty sure this is a make you or break you kind of town. I seriously do not have a clue why this is an area. It's really hard! Yesterday we had church and there were 8 people there other than us, and they all wanted to leave after Sacrament Meeting. The Bishop was late to Sacrament Meeting, and sometimes he doesn't show up because he just doesn't feel like going to church that day. haha!! Yeah I have no clue why he is still the bishop. He is technichally an inactive member!! We had to force him to stay for the whole block time basically! It's crazy! 

My spanish is coming along a lot better than I thought it would be by now. I have been reading the scriptures a lot, it is really hard because some days it takes me like an hour to get through a chapter in Spanish, but I am starting to be able to read a lot better in Spanish. It's coming!! I really wish that the Tower of Babel had never happened!!! That would make things a lot more fun haha. 

So it has rained about every night in the past week and it is super miserable. I have worn my boots, the Ecco ones, the whole time I have been here. I love them. Last p-day we went to the gym and worked out for like 2 hours, it felt so good, and guess how much I weigh... well I have lost 15 pounds since I've been in Peru, which is only 2 months, and that was a week ago! I am pretty sure I'm in the 170s now! 

My Pensionista is the worst at cooking rice haha! She seems to burn the rice about every time and it tastes horrible! Her name is Mama Betty and really she is the nicest lady. I really like her! She and her family are the richest people in Carhuamayo and the nicest. (A Pensionista is a woman who cooks for the Elders and does their laundry. They do not go to members homes for meals. I'm guessing because people are poor and can't afford to feed the missionaries, and it may be because of cleanliness issues too. Pensionistas are trained to cook for the Elders and Sisters. The missionaries give her money each week for food and she cooks for them. She also does their laundry for them. They are wonderful women who "take care" of the missionaries! They love them like their own sons and daughters, we still keep in touch with one of Nick's Pensionistas).

We were walking down this street last week and it was getting late and I felt a real urge to go and talk to this guy that was in the shoe shop, but I didn't speak up because we were late for an appointment. For some reason here if you make an appointment with someone they will leave before you get there and try to not let you come in. So our appointment failed so we went back to the shoe shop and this guy was just crying and telling us on how he has tried every church but ours and how he didn't believe any of them. So he could be a golden investigator!! 

There is a dope kid here and his name is Kevin and he is 17.  We are trying to persuade him to serve a mission and I think that it is kinda working! We have had like 3 lessons with him this week. It would be the best if he decided to go!

So on Thursday I was so sick, like a food poisoning type of thing and I literally thought I was going to die. Everyone thinks that it would be cool to be sick in the mission and get a day off! haha no! It was the longest day I have had in my life haha. Like seriously that day felt like a whole week!  

My comp he is pretty dope! He apologizes for everything for some reason, even things that are good things he says sorry! I kind of want to punch him, but I won't because he is in the Marines and he could kill me haha! He's from Pleasant Grove and his name is Elder Bullock (did I tell you that last week ). He says he lives in Pleasant Grove, but for some reason he doesn't know where Sandy and Draper are, or Riverton or even like Orem!!! So that's kind of funny, he's got to be joking! but he's great and a nice guy. We're doing good together! 

Last p-day, me, Elder Bullock and the zone leaders made pancakes and lamb burgers or Alpaca burgers they were good!! We played soccer at 15,000 feet above sea level at the highest church in the world!! And .... that was my week!! 

love you all and be safe!

Love, Elder Christensen

No pictures this week.... Luke said they couldn't email from their usual place and the internet was very slow wherever they were emailing from so he couldn't get his pictures to download .... hopefully next week!

I'm at the Top of the World!!!

So Luke made it to his first area. Hopefully, he'll adjust to the people, the cold and the altitude! We heard from another missionary who served in Carhuamayo that it is a very difficult area and the people are very hardened. Keep him in your prayers. 

Hey Mama and everyone else! whats up! 

This has been the hardest week of my life. I am in Cerro de Pasco, Peru for my first transfer and I hated it so bad at first. Well, actually I am in this little town just outside of Cerro called Carhumayo. It seems like everyone here is a jerk! They think that they know what a revelation is and isn't, it makes me so mad because they just think that they know more than we do and they won't listen.  It is a pretty cool little town, every road is dirt, and it is like 40 degrees in the day and at night it gets down to like 20 degrees or less, at least it feels like it haha. But, don't worry about me, it is getting better every day. I have prayed a lot lately!  And the Spanish is coming along quite well. 

Sometimes it is so hard not to think about everyone at home, but I know I have to tough it up. You know what they say, the harder your area is, the hotter your wife is going to be, and so that has kept me going lately!! 

The trip up to Huancayo was awesome. We sat on a double decker bus and me and Elder Ramirez chilled and watched all the scenery, it was pretty dope.  Everyone from my group went to Huanuco which is one of the best places to go to, and then there is me, the only kid that is getting trained in Cerro, haha! It kinda sucks, but I did get an investegator for the zone leaders by speaking freaking Spanish haha! It was so great!! Apparently no one that has ever been to Cerro has gotten an investigator in their first week. God has to be real if that happened!! 

And the dogs here are freaking crazy haha! I have already been chased by a dog and he was freaking phsyco! I thought I was going to die! I don't have any friends here other than the ZL's and my comp. My comp is a cool dude. He's from Pleasant Grove and his name is Elder Bullock. His Spanish is ok definitely better than mine!! but I guess Heavenly Father will help us out. And, you should see my bathroom. It is apparently the best in the zone, and it really is! The zone leader's bathroom is like 4 feet by 3 feet, and the shower is right over their toilet, haha! And we have hot water so that is a plus, and a lot of room in there! It is pretty nice! 

Well, it will be an interesting 22 and a half months. Missing you all and I cant wait to see you all again. hasta luego! 

Love, Elder Christensen

Elder Christensen, Elder Ramirez, Elder Crisp and Elder Matthews

On the way to Huancayo, Peru

Luke with his new companion Elder Bullock

Huancayo, Peru

Carhuamayo, Peru

The little village Luke will be serving in! 

Cerro de Pasco sits at 15,000 ft. and is not far from Carhuamayo. 

They are both gold mining towns. 

Elder Christensen with President & Sister Henderson

This just arrived!!! He looks so good! We've heard AMAZING things about President and Sister Henderson!

 Can't wait for him to serve with these amazing people!

He is serving in Carhuamayo which is high in the Andes (13,600 ft). It looks beautiful there!

Dear Christensen Family

     We want to let you know that Elder Christensen  arrived safe and sound here in the Perú Huancayo Mission.  We are grateful to have him here!   He and the other 22 new missionaries arrived on Tuesday afternoon, and we oriented them that evening and for much of the day on Wednesday with their new companions.  Elder Christensen and his training companion then headed to their proselyting area in Carhuamayo.

     Thanks for letting Elder Christensen come to our Mission.  We look forward to two good years together with your good son.

President David Y. Henderson

Peru Huancayo Mission

I Made it to Huancayo!

Huancayo, Peru is a beautiful little city that sits in the Andes Mountains at about 11,000 feet above sea level. Luke's mission consists of some jungle area (8 hours north of Huancayo and 8 hours east of Huancayo) that is at about 2,200 feet above sea level to the barren gold mining city of Cerro de Pasco, which has an elevation of almost 15,000 feet. It's one of the highest inhabited cities in the world. Elder Christensen will be having quite the adventure as he serves. We are so excited for him and can't wait to watch him grow as he serves our Heavenly Father in a beautiful and humble part of the vineyard.

Elder Christensen arrived in Huancayo tonight after a 6 hour bus ride from Lima. We heard that it was a crazy switch back road that peaks at 16,000 feet and then drops down into Huancayo at 11,000 feet. Quite the elevation difference from Lima which is at sea level. We received this short email from him. We'll look forward to next week to see who his companion is and which area he will be serving in. Keep him in your prayers as he begins this new chapter of his journey! Thank you for all of your love and support!

Hey mama!!! 

How are you doing? I just made it to Huancayo. We made it safely, but it was a crazy ride! and wow I do feel it, the altitude is so high up! I don't have a lot of time to write only a few seconds, I just wanted to let you know I'm here safe. But I have been working on my Spanish Book of Mormon study. I've also found some really good stuff in the D&C and Pearl of Great Price! It's pretty sweet. I love it!

This week has been an amazing week! I am about to find out who my new comp is. And, now I am going to be speaking a language that I hardly know! Say a prayer for me!

Well, signing off! Love you and be safe. Love you, love you and tell Nick I made it and Cory and Kass and Kolt.

Love you, Elder C.