A Tough Week!

Hey this isn't going to be a super long letter. I literally have nothing to say jajajajajajajaja. This was one of the hardest weeks of my mission. We have been kicked out of houses and we have been asked so many times why we are even here! I had so many moments where i just wanted to sit down and start crying, but then I just say a prayer and God is there and comforts us, then we get back to work. We have been contacting and trying to find people a ton all week. We have had about 30 contacts everyday. I know that God has been guiding me and my words, and also my comp and his words. Oh and, my mom informed me that I didn't even tell who my comp is last week, nor tell where he's from. I guess I didn't tell anyone who he is. His name is ELDER CAMPBELL. He is super cool. He is from Richland Washington (the state) and he has 17 months in the mission. He is a super cool guy and we have been working really hard together in this really hard area. Our area is pure hills haha well, at least everyone we teach lives in the hills. 

Elder Christensen and Elder Campbell wearing their "Anti-Snake Glasses"

A Snake is a girl!

So last Monday we went and played volleyball with another zone. It was super fun and really so cool. Then after we played some soccer for like an hour. We went on a hike to the top of the mountain and had a family home evening. I got home and we played chess. Yes!! I finally learned how to play chess. It was super cool and fun to learn. Then Tuesday we had a super sweet lesson with this investigator of like 4 years. I had a though in my mind that we needed to show her the talk from the prophet called "Choices" in the last General Conference. She then asked when she could get baptized!!! So we will be having a baptism on the 23rd of July!!! I'm so stoked! It's the first in a long time! And she's been investigating a long time! It was the greatest moment. And she wants her baby to be blessed! Super cool and such a great thing. I really could feel the spirit in that lesson. Her name is Gelhin (Helen). 

Then the rest of the week we were just getting doors slammed in our face and told that we shouldn't be here, and that no one wants us. Crazy Peruvians. I really have felt like I have been following the spirit so much lately and I have had so many times when He has comforted me. 

On Friday we had a super rough day.  I'll tell you the less dramatic story. We only had one lesson, so we started off the day great. We have a blessing and all then we all do weekly planning. Then we had a lesson at 1:00 and we had the spirit with us so strong! It was so great. We go to this guy's house that we contacted on Thursday. This guy was 15 and he had a sister that didn't come out but she was in the house in her room. We start teaching this guy and his dad walks in the house and asks who we are. He goes off and starts working. Then we started talking to his son again and the dad comes in and starts raging. He said that we were like peasants and we needed to shush. This mad us super sad cause his son wanted to learn! He kept saying things that he shouldn't have ever said to another human being. But he said them then he invited us to leave. I felt great that I didn't try and fight back, or call him bad names. I was just completely calm, but it really made me so sad. I just didn't think that someone could be so bad mannered. 

I want you all to know that Jesus Christ lives and that he is our brother, and he is always here fighting with us to do right! The spirit is real, the Holy Ghost is real. I can feel it in so many ways in my life. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, this church is true, and the Book is blue, and it is true! I love you all. 

Elder Christensen

The dusty, hard area in Huanuco

Huanuco, Peru

The Mission is all About Change

Hey there my beloved people... 

To start off, I want to say that this will be a short letter, but a good letter! 

So first, for p-day this week we went to Cueva de las Lechuzas. It was the coolest cave outside Tingo Maria. It was so neat!! Elder Bartschi almost fell into the river and I almost laughed my head off!! He was hanging from a tree for his life, and I was sitting there on the side of the river thinking that it was a joke. But turns out that he really was almost to fall in, and he started screaming his head off for help!! jajajaja It was the funniest thing in the world and I couldn't even help him because I was laughing so hard! We got him before he fell in though! 

Cueva de las Lechuzas

Near Tingo Maria, Peru

River Huallaga

One of the largest rivers in Peru

After that we went to a look out above Tingo and I took my last glimpses of the beautiful city of Tingo Maria, most beautiful city I've ever seen! I will miss it. We then went down and looked at some super cool paintings. I bought one that I really loved. When I get my new camera I will send a pic of it. 

My beautiful and beloved Tingo Maria from the lookout

Then that night I got notice that I was leaving Tingo, just as I suspected. I literally almost cried. But it made it better that I got to pull one last prank on Elder Bartschi. We filled up 3 buckets of water and soaked Bartschi from head to toe. 

I left Tingo on Wednesday and went off to Huànuco. Huanuco is about 2 hours south of Tingo Maria on a super sketchy road. The elevation is about 6300 feet and the climate is amazing. The days are in the high 70's and the nights in the mid 50's year round. So I froze to death in Carhuamayo, couldn't quit sweating in Tingo Maria and now I'm in the middle of both in Huanuco. I am in the Pedro Puelles Ward. It is an area almost as hard as Carhuamayo. This area hasn't had a baptism in about 8 months. I just keep getting these hard areas. I guess the Lord really wants me to work! So I got here and we literally have had about 90 contacts since I got here. We just contacted all day, everyday. 

The City of Huanuco, Peru

Population 173,000

It really was a super long week and a super sad week, and I am still a little depressed that I had to leave Tingo. But, I know that the Lord has called me here to Huanuco for a reason. We found like 3 people that were actually really cool. They all seemed like they actually wanted to learn and hear what we had to say. They were answering all the questions perfectly and they actually asked if we would go back to their house. I was so happy! It seemed like the Lord was just leading us right to their houses. We contacted some random guy on the street during the week, and he gave us his address, but then that address didn't actually exist. So we just started contacting and we found him and his wife. Their names are Cesar and Margarita. That happened yesterday (Sunday) right before we were about to go home for the night. It was so cool and such a tender mercy to be able to find him again. Once again, I know that the Lord led us to him and helped us to be able to find them. 

During this past week I just keep thinking what an awful week it was, but now that I think back on it, it was actually an amazing week. Every time we have to rely on the Lord we are strengthened. I also found ways that will help me study better, and I'm pretty excited about that. 

That was my week. I know that this is a short letter, hopefully next week I'll have more, but I just want to finish by saying that I know that God answers prayers, that he guides us and he directs us if he ask for his help, and I know that He lives. Over the past few weeks I have been working on being fully converted myself. I want to always know, without a doubt, that this Church is true, and that Jesus is our brother and He is there for us and loves us. I know it to be true and I have a testimony of it. I challenge all of you to try and do this, it's amazing. I feel so much better with myself and I know that I am happier with my life because of it. I love you all and I'll write next week!!!! 

Elder Christensen

From left to right

Elder Rodrigues, Leisdy, Elder Crosland (Luke's comp in Tingo Maria)

Isaac, Luke, Alexandra and Elder Bartschi

Leisdy and her family lived across the street from the 4 Elders in Tingo Maria

Luke really loved this family and 

these other 3 Elders that he served with in Tingo Maria

It was hard to say goodbye to them and to Tingo Maria.

I'm Learning Patience!

Hey there people of the United States of America, and some from other places in the world!

Sorry this will be a really short letter this week. I feel like I really didn't do much this week. But, this was a fast week and a week of patience. Well, I guess really I need to learn patience! I wanted to rip everyone's heads off a few times! Not the other missionaries, but some of the people here. Seems like this week we have just had so many people talking smack on us gringos and saying how the gringos aren't good at anything! What are they thinking? Another thing that drives me crazy is a thing that the people here call the Hora Peruana. So, the Hora Perúana is showing up 1 to 2 hours late to everything, yes, everything and it drives me crazy! The even show up to church way late! I'm learning patience every day here! 

So let's start off with the last Monday (p-day), we went fishing. That is all of last Monday! haha I caught 3 fish!! that is all we did! It was fun though!

So, onto the next day which was Tuesday. We worked super hard all day and we only were able to have like 3 lessons. It was a slow day, I really don't like days like this, but we have them every now and then. We had the interview for Veronica's daughter Arely, and she passed! The zone leaders said that she was over prepared.  It's a good thing that she had me to teach her. jaja ..... I'm just kidding, I'm not the reason she was so prepared, the Spirit is the reason and the one that talks and teaches. And she was so ready and so prepared for this in her life. 

Wednesday and Thursday we had a Multizone Conference. We had to say goodbye to President and Hermana Henderson. They will be leaving in about a week. They will really be missed. So glad I got to serve under them and learn from them. Then another great part of my week was that we were able to have pizza. In the mission you really come to appreciate the little things, like pizza and good food! I really enjoyed it and had like 4 pieces, and I was fealing like I was in heaven. It was so dang good! 

Friday we just worked all day and Saturday was THE day. Saturday was the day that Arely was to be baptized. She asked me to baptize her and I was so excited! This was a super special baptism. Not only because there were 2 baptisms and I got to baptize someone with my buddy Elder Bartschi, but, it is the last baptismal ordinance that I will be able to do while I am here in the Huancayo mission. It is now a rule that the missionaries don't baptize the people. The Church wants the members to do it and be more involved. It also creates a bond between the member and the one being baptized. So we had the baptism for Arely and for Dana. During this baptism the spirit was super strong and powerful. It was a true testimony building experience to be a part of someone taking steps to return to Christ. It was so special and so spiritual. But.... this is where the patience comes in, we planned for the baptism to be at 5 o'clock. but the people don't start showing up until 6 o'clock. So, we just continue to get ready for the baptism and then Veronica (the mother) shows up another half an hour late. I was so frustrated! They have no sense of time, but I swallowed my pride and didn't let my frustrations show, and we had the pictures taken and went in for the baptism, and it was a beautiful baptism. I still can feel the spirit from that night. This is the greatest part of the work, to see someone so sweet take on the covenant of baptism. I know it will bring them happiness.

So that is my week. All of you tune in next week, haha (silly phrases) but yes, this church is true and brings so much happiness! Have a great week! Love you all and be safe.

Elder Christensen

Pictures from last week are now posted on last week's blog post.

Luke would love to hear from everyone. You can email him at lucas.christensen@myldsmail.net

An early morning hike to the cross above Huanuco.

And the beautiful city of Huanuco from up on the hill.

Last Zone Conference with President and Hermana Henderson.

They will be greatly missed by these Elders and Hermanas.

Elder Schriener (Zone Leader) and Elder Christensen

Elder Bartschi and Elder Christensen with Dana and Arely before their baptism.

Elder Crosland, Arely and Elder Christensen before Arely's baptism

Making hamburgers at the Bishop's house after church on Sunday (Father's Day)!

Luke in the streets of Tingo Maria with two cute little girls.
Not sure where his glasses came from?? haha

Veronica and her family, Elder Christensen, Elder Crosland and

Erikson Rodriguez

Veronica will be baptized in about a month

Veronica's little girls handcuffing Elder Christensen

outside Veronica's house.
Little kids always love Luke!

A Fast and Wonderful Week!

Hey everyone! Well, or just mom if you are the only one that actually reads my letters....

This week was great, it passed by so fast that I didn't even realize that it was Monday today. So, I want to start out with Monday, not only because it is a crazy day that I have every week, but because we went to this super cool waterfall. This waterfall is called the Catarata Otorongo. A Cataract Otorongo is some sort of big mountain cat, like a leopard. On our way there, we went past Aucayacu and bought some super cool mini machetes that are like 12 inches long (you know how I love knives!). And then we went to the waterfall. When we got there we opened up some coconuts and drank the coconut milk and then ate the meat inside of them. It was super good. It made me feel like I was just right back at home, except at home I don't have coconuts and we also don't have big waterfalls haha!! So basically I guess I really felt like I was in Tingo María, Peru, my new home. After we got home we went to Veronica's house and talked to her and her daughter, and we got the greatest news ever....they both accepted the invitation to get baptized this Saturday. It has been so cool to see the progress that she and her family have made. I am super glad that I will be able to see them get baptized the last Saturday before I leave Tingo. We found Veronica about 3 months ago and maybe you'll remember, but she is the lady with the 8 kids. She is also the lady that had the super cool dream that I talked about a few months back in an email. 

Also, this week we have been challenging people to baptism like no other. We have not had one day in the past month that we haven't challenged someone to baptism. That has actually been one of my goals to do though. We have had some super cool lessons this week that have changed my life, and my thoughts about the future. They truly were some testimony building moments. 

On Wednesday we came out of this cool lesson with a very old investigator. And they told us that they wanted to get baptized so they will get baptised in the neer future. As we were leaving it started to rain. We got to the pension's house at like 8:05 p.m. and ate and then it just started to pour rain. It poured so hard that I was walking in puddles just to get home. We were getting drenched and so we finally got home and the street in front of our house started to fill up, and it filled up to be like 2 feet deep, and in some spots like 3 feet deep. So we went outside while it was pouring rain and did some service. We started to push motos (small taxis) that were stuck and we helped people keep their houses from flooding. We helped a guy that changed my life forever, more about him in a minute....

So the next day the flood had gone down and there was just garbage everywhere, like literally, everywhere! So we fixed this ladies garage door and that night I see that dude that we helped. The guy was pushing his same cart as the night before and he wore the same clothes and same everything. I was watching him out of the window. He walked by and he stopped and started looking through the garbage to see what he could find to use that would help him in some way in his life. He looked, and looked, and looked, yet found nothing. He scratched his neck and started walking again. He stopped again and picked up a destroyed bottle, then scratches his neck and starts on his way again. I watched him in shock for the whole time, and in that little moment I started to tear up and think of how blessed I truly am. I have taken everything that I've ever had in my whole life for granted. I have so much! And today I am so grateful for everything that I have, my family, this opportunity to serve and the gospel in my life. 

That is my week. I so grateful to be here, and I'm grateful that we have a ton of people that are progressing towards baptism. It's so great to see it all in action. We are now working with Ceasar, Veronica, Arely, Daisy, Milena, Elias, and so many more, keep them in your prayers. This Saturday Veronica and Arely will be baptized. Greatest day ever! I love you all and I want everyone to know, that I KNOW, with all of my heart, that God is our Father, Jesus is our brother, and Joseph Smith restored the gospel back to the Earth, these things along with many others, I know are true.

Love,

Elder Christensen

Luke at the Cataract Otorongo Waterfall

Tingo Maria, Peru

Using a Banana Leaf as an umbrella during the downpour!

Going out to do service during the rainstorm and flood in Tingo Maria, Peru

Swinging Through the Jungle Like a Monkey

Well... family and friends,

  

Well this week passed by so fast I don't even know what to say! So, I will only tell three stories. So, I'll start off with last P-DAY!  We went to Lagoona de los Milagros to fish. But, we didn't do much fishing at all. We decided that we wanted to go and find this other lake that was near the lagoon. So, in our attempt to find this lake we decided to take a trek across this field of like little thorn bushes. Then we arrived at a little trail that led us to a bunch of plants that were like little razors growing from them. We eventually arrived at a swamp. We walked through the swamp, with the fear of an Anaconda or a Crocodile snatching our legs, and the plants with the razors growing from them were the big worry too!! We got through the swamp and looked at our bodies and our arms and they were so cut up and itchy that we basically just wanted to jump in the water and go swimming. But it's not advised to swim as a missionary, so we had three wierd dudes throw water on us with buckets. We kept going in hopes of making it to the lake and we can't even fish haha!!!! But we did find some vines and we went swinging across the lagoon like monkeys! I got bit by a few red ants, but everyone else got eaten alive. I'm sure there are no mosquitos carring Zika virus in the jungle... right?

On Wednesday we went to Aucayacu, a little town about an hour out side of Tingo. When we got there and we ate, and then went to teach some people. Then we decided to go visit this old black blind man, there's not a lot of old, black, blind men in Peru. We get to his house and he is just so happy! He is just super pumped to see us! We started with a prayer and he started telling us about how he was in a motorcycle accident about 6 years ago, and he went into a coma for a few months, When he woke up he couldn't see. So for 6 years he hasn't been able to see at all. But he is the happiest guy ever! Then he said, "well, in 24 days I AM GETTING MY VISION BACK", and he started bawling. I have never seen a man cry so hard. But I felt the spirit as we sat with him and listened to him. I wanted to cry with him. It really was the best part of my week!!

On Wednesday night we also basically saved this kid from ruining his life. His grandpa was kicking him out of the house and he was going to go live in Lima. So, we went to the house and talked to his grandma. We were prayerful and talked to her with the spirit, and she decided to let him stay in the house. The spirit is a powerful thing and something that we should all pray to have in our lives daily. It can help us, and guide and direct us through good times and hard times. Well, that is all! I'm headed to a sick waterfall today... pictures next week!! 

love ya and chau,

Elder Christensen

The jungle, with the plants that grown razors. 

Pretty sure there were Anacondas and Crocodiles in here too!

 

Swinging like a monkey over the lagoon in the jungle!

Luke's Pensionista and her cute little niece.

Crazy Peruvian Chickens!! And .... I have a New Comp!

Mamamamamamamammammamamamaamamamamammammamammammaamamamammama

mamamamamamaamamamamamamamamaamamamamaammamamamamamamammammammama!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA I LOVE YOU SO DANG MUCH. 

Well, I FINALLY HAVE A REAL COMPANION. Jaja!! Well, so President decided to send me a real comp. He's one of my buddies from Cerro. I'll tell you who it actually is but later. I want you to have to suffer. Jaja!! But, finally I have a comp. Well, this week was super cool and super fast and yeah, it was just a great week!!

First, I am going to start off with the beginning of the week to keep you all sane and not confused with my letter, because some things relate to other days. Well on Monday we went to the Pencion of the other Elders and we made the legendary enchiladas. I don't know if they were just amazing because I haven't had anything that good in like 9 months haha, but that was the greatest pday just because of that! We made those and then we had some Vanilla Coke with them and some 

Grape Crush. ahahaahah I was in heaven! After went over and bought some sling shots so that we could shoot at the chickens in the streets. We also bought some trumpos (they are a top sort of thing that you throw and they get super intense playing with them). They are super cool! Then we just played with those and then watched the Emma Smith story. I love that movie, it is an amazing movie and I highly recommend it. Maybe I love it so much because Joseph is my hero! 

Then on Tuesday me and Rider (the convert) went out to start teaching at like 10:00 in the morning and we didn't finish until like 9:00 that night. We got to teach 12 lessons that day!!!!  That's how many lessons I would have in Carhuamayo almost the whole week. On Tuesday we also went out to Aucayacu to teach the less actives out there and they are all just whiney babies (haha). But we helped quite a few people, but it is just so miserably hot there. 

On Wednesday night my comp arrived. It is Elder CROSLAND!!!! They closed the area he was in and they sent his companion to Satipo and sent him to Tingo Maria! So this week we have been having fun and working hard. We have this cool investigator that is a golden investigator but I probably won't be able to baptize her because she won't have the 3 church attendances that she needs to get baptized before I leave. But we have an investigator that will be baptized in 2 weeks and maybe another in 3 weeks but we aren't for sure yet. 

On Thursday we went to this investigators house and we were teaching her and she broke the news to us that she doesn't want to get baptized until she is 17 years old, and she is only 14 now. So we asked her why and she said that while she was reading the Book of Mormon she received revelation that she should get baptized but in a few years. We were telling her that the answer was not from God. We told her that God would not tell her to wait to be baptized into His church. She just didn't want to change her mind. Crazy girl jaja!! So we dropped her and we aren't visiting her anymore right now. 

That was the week basically. I love having so many investigators and so many people that we can teach. It's fun to see them catch the vision of the gospel! So, other than shooting chickens with my sling shot which is the funniest thing ever, we had a super great week! Just a little glimpse into my chicken story ... we had a chicken literally go bizerk, just like Eminem in his song, haha! This chicken started like screaming, it wasn't just clucking, he ran down the hill and started fighting with another chicken, and it was a chicken, it wasn't even a rooster. haha!! Crazy chickens in Peru make me laugh so hard. Well that is all that I have for today. Tune in next Monday for some more good old stories of my week. 

And I just want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAST WEDNESDAY TO KASS KING MY COUZIN, AND TODAY TO MY MOMMMMMMMMMYYYY!!!! LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH AND HOPE YOUR DAYS WERE GREAT. 

Elder Christensen

Chicken Enchilada at the Pencion's House.

It's the best thing I've eaten in 9 months!

A Parrot from the Jungle at my Pencion's House

About to eat Enchilada's at the Pencion's house!!!

Without A Companion!!

Well this week I've been #Ponderizing and meditating a ton. I've had a lot of time to do that .... So Elder Perez, my newest comp, was a good guy, he would work hard and he was a guy that was very humble. Well, that's what he thought anyway!! He would say that he was the most humble of all the missionaries, and he said there were other gringos that would give him a ton of candy so he liked the gringos. Really, I think he was "acting" humble to get candy!! haha So that is the story that I got from Elder Perez anyway. I was with him for a week and a half, and I liked him, but it was a hard week and a half! haha So about a month ago he was in Tarma (a city about 2 hours away from Huancayo.) He was playing soccer and rolled his ankle. He pulled a bunch of muscles in his leg. Then President sent him to Tingo to be with me. He was with me for a week and he walked decently fine. Then one day he decide he had to go to the hospital. So we sent him to Huanuco and when he got back he told us that he needed to rest for a week. So on Tuesday all I could do was sit in the house all day while he was sitting there in pain trying to get better. I was kind of like his maid and slave. Then on Thursday we sent him to Huanuco to go to the doctor again, and then later that day Elder Bartsch and I went to Huanuco too. Then Friday came around and no one was telling me anything about Elder Perez. Not even he would tell me!! I was wondering all day and the finally President came to me and he broke the news that my comp was headed home and will never come back to the mission. Elder Perez is 27 years old, so they won't let him come back after he heals. The bad news about that is that I am now without a comp again! I have to find a member to go out with me everyday, and I have to teach everything. I have been going out with Rider (a new convert) all weekend because we are like best buds. He is trying to learn English so we speak English sometimes, but most of the time we speak in Spanish. So my comp is gone, and I am without a comp for anytime between now and the next transfer. So it is a possibility that I will be here another transfer!! So that would mean I would be here for 7-1/2 months!! 

So after kind of a downer week, on Friday we had a Multi-Zone Conference and I learned a toooooooooooooon!!!!!! I learned how I need to better myself to be a Preach my Gospel missionary. I also learned how to be super humble and patient. So those are the things that I am working on. There are also some other things I need an want to work on so I've been praying super hard to obtain some different gifts from God.

Last Monday we didn't do anything really, we just chilled and made some super good steak, jaja! It was amazing, It reminded me of home. We ate it with a Vanilla Coke and also some Pork and Beans!

My area is coming along. I really have noticed that the harder you work the happier you are. I have like 10 people that's I've been working with that should be baptised in the next 3 months. 

Also, I had a super cool experience last night. Elder Bartschi doesn't have great health these days. It started out like over a year ago and he was like literally dying from what it sounds like, so he went home for a few months and came back out. He is here in Tingo and has been for the past two transfers, but his heath is getting worse. So he asked me if I could give him a blessing of strength so that he would be able to finish his mission. While I was giving him this blessing I felt like I was having an out of body experience, and that the spirit had completely taken over my body. I felt like I was literally not inside of my body. The spirit was talking through my lips, and when I finished I was so physically tired that I had to go straight to sleep. It really was the craziest thing that has ever happened to me, I felt so in tune, and it made me realize how much God loves us, and that He wants the best for us. I know He is our Father and Jesus is our brother, and through the Atonement of Christ, Elder Bartschi will recover and be healed. I love you all and I want you to all know that I know that His church is true. 

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Christensen

Beautiful Tingo Maria, Peru

Cooking Steak and Pork and Beans