We're Working Hard and It Feels So Good!!

Hey there you GRINGOS!!!

     

So that Gringo thing was kinda like a joke that everyone here knows!! haha  I was just walking down the street and a guy saw us and yelled GRINGO!!! with all of his might. haha. Then he ran 2 blocks to come and give me a hand shake!!! It was the best!! THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY, but I really do love them. Recently I have just been loving everyone. 

So this week was a great week full of working hard and having a little fun too. We also talked to President (we are super big homies now) and, No I was not sucking up to him (well not that much anyway! jaja) But to start off this week, we were playing soccer with all of the zones in Huanuco and it was super fun. I realized that Tingo killed me. I was getting better at soccer and I was really pretty dece but now... no! I Suck. I don't even know how to play, haha! But we had a great time still. We played for about 3 hours then played a little of Extreme Signs. Yeah, I am sorry the p-days here in Huanuco just aren`t as cool as they were in Tingo. And, also this week I think I'm finally over Tingo! It was super hard to leave there, but I'm ok now, I don't really miss it that much anymore. I do think about the people there a lot! 

Tuesday we had a really great lesson with Hermana Gelhin (Helen) she is getting very excited for her baptism. She is reading everyday and praying and everything. It's so great! She has a baby that is the cutest baby. He loves me and Elder Campbell. Gelhin is going to be the first baptism in the ward here since last August. I am so very glad that I got to be a part of her conversion and help her out. She is so great!

I feel like Elder Campbell and I are basically opening up this area. When we came here there was no one to teach! Other than Gelhin we didn't have anyone! We did have a few less actives. So E. Campbell and I have been working hard. This week we set the record of my mission!!!! with 106 contacts, and these contacts are like great contacts, I'm excited about a lot of them! We also have 9 new investigators and have had some super cool lessons!  We taught 26 lessons last week!! It is actually really fun to have a comp that likes to work. The last comp I had that actually wanted to work was Elder Bullock (my trainer). This week was really just super great!!! 

On Wednesday Elder Crosland and Elder Compton came to Huanuco and we had a party then on Friday we had interviews. I got there and President walks up to Elder Campbell, Crosland, Bautista, Daza, and me, and asked us if we wanted to try TOCUSH jaja I tried tocush!!! I am only the second person in the mission to try it! It smells SO BAD, I wanted to cry. But you know my competitive spirit came out, and I do love a good challenge! The taste wasn't too bad, it was mixed with apple, I'm sure that helped!

Then I recieved my package, and THANKS MOMMY for the package I finally have a camera now and I am pumped about it. I got some great videos. and pics.... but I forgot my converter to download them today. Sorry! 

This week we have just been working super hard! We have this family that we found, and they were ready to be taught! Their name is the Moris Family. They are way cool. We taught them like 2 lessons and we asked the whole familly to get baptised. The dad and daughter accepted, but then we asked the mom and she said, "Can I get baptised a second time?" I said, "OF COURSE" (thinking that she was saying that she had been baptised in like the Catholic church or something. But then the spirit told me to ask if she was talking about our church! And she said that she was baptised into the LDS church when she was 8 and went inactive immediately. Then after some more talking we figured out that they aren't married. They said that they didn't feel like they knew each other good enough. But I then asked her, "How do you not know each other enough? You have a 13 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER; A 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND A 7 MONTH OLD SON?" I would hope that you know each other!! I chuckled then I asked when we could get them married. They accepted, and said they would get married, but in a few months. So we'll just keep teaching them, and they will get baptized after they get married!

So that was my crazy week! This church is true and this is the greatest work ever! 

Love you all,

Elder Christensen

Zone Conference in Huanuco 

Elder Campbell and Elder Christensen both far right

Tocosh (also known as Togosh) is a traditional Quechua food prepared from fermented potato pulp (corn is less common). It is often prepared for celebration events and has a strong odor and flavor. Tocosh can be used as a natural antibiotic because penicillin is produced during the fermentation process. Medicinally it is used for the common cold, gastric ulcers, pneumonia, and altitude sickness among others. The Incas believed it was a gift from Inti for preservation of the body.

Elder Christensen tried Tocosh for the first time.

It does not look good!

We're Gonna Change Pedro Puelles!

Hey there people!! 

I am so sorry I don't have much time to write today. I have a little less time for internet this week, but I will try and make this a great letter. 

This week was a week full of contacting. We only had 18 lessons, but like over 100 contacts!! Now I just want to go and sleep all day long. So the thing about being here in Pedro Puelles is that we don't receive any references. As much as we ask people and ward members they won't give us any leads or help us out. I feel like they do not like the missionary work here. Well, actually, the members here do not like the missionaries at all. Mostly because some dumb missionaries ruined it for the rest of us! So, we have to do all of the work. I don't want anyone to think that I'm whining in my letter, I am just saying that this is a hard area, and I will show them that we can change this area!!

 

I have heard some great quotes this week, and some great sayings. I really like something that Elder Crosland told me and my comp when he came to Huanuco and stayed with us. He said, "God sends missionaries to areas that the people are progressing so that they can help the area, and He sends missionaries to hard areas so that they, themselves, can also progress." So that is what I am going to do here. I am going to make them both happen.

 

So how is everyone? I am doing great. I am always tired. But Campbell and I work hard and we are teaching with the spirit. We are doing great at finding the people that are ready to be taught. We have found a few cool people that could progress and that we think could be getting baptised in the next few weeks to months. We are teaching a lady named Gelhin (I talked about her last week). And we also have a family that we found that are like golden investigators! They are so cool. We still haven`t returned to the house that we were kicked out of, haha. 

Elder Campbell and I are doing so great together and we are having a super good time. About 2 to 3 times a week we are able to have Pizza Hut! haha It is so awesome and just makes the day so much better. Yeah, in America, not that great... but in Peru, it's a treat!!!

 

P-day last Monday was not really anything that cool. All we did was tried to play Capture the Flag, but it just turned into a giant soccer game. jaja! So basically we will just be playing a ton of soccer here in pretty sure. And that's ok! Also, we were going to a lesson last week and I saw a kitten get thrown out of a window and land on the ground, and flip down some stairs. I'm pretty sure it broke it's back, I couldn't pick it up, but I sat next to it until it died while I was petting it. It really made me super sad.

 

On Friday the Elders from Tingo came to Huanuco and stayed with us. Elder Crosland (my old comp) and Elder Compton stayed in our room and we had a great talk until like 3:00 in the morning. Then we woke up and talked to President. We had a super cool multi-zone meeting. We were all super scared to talk to him because of what we'd heard, but it turns out he is super cool and is just a kid like we all are. He really is pretty young to be a mission president! haha Then on Sunday we had church and President was in our Sacrament Meeting. It was great to have him there. Well, that was my week. I promise to write more next week, but I have to go. Love you all, and be safe.

Elder Christensen

His camera was stolen and so he didn't send any pictures this week. A new camera is waiting for him at the mission office. I hope they get it to him soon!

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.