Happy New Year!
Hello my dear family:) I
hope you enjoyed the pics I sent:)
I love you all so much!!
can you believe that I have been out for 3 months now? Haha I definitely can
but I am learning to love what I am doing more and more each day:) Transfers is
this week so that has us all on the edge of our seats as we wait patiently to
find out what will happen to us for the next 6 weeks of our lives:) A
mission is teaching me how to accept and handle change better:) that hasn't
always been one of my strong points but I am grateful that a mission is
teaching me this:) I hope that you all had a Happy New Year this week:) I know
that I surely did.
We didn't have any plans
initially for new years eve besides a dinner apt and a list of members to go
and try to see that night. Right before our dinner was supposed to start we got
a call saying that they had to cancel because someone in their family came down
with an illness right before. We were a little discouraged because we made
a few calls and either no one answered or they weren't able to have us over. So
we were stumped on what to do. We went home to make ourselves some food and
just as we were getting home, the Fredericks were heading out to go to their
daughters house. They invited us to come along with them so we accepted the
invitation with a lot of excitement and went over there to spend new years eve
with them. We had a pretty good dinner with an array of choices of appetizers
and had a chocolate fondant (is that how you spell it?) party!! It was
yummilicious!! haha:) we also had played apples to apples with them (don't worry
we got permission:) ) and it was so much fun! It was nice to play a game like
old times:) but I wouldn't trade being a missionary for having my old life
back:) this is much better:) anyways, about the game, I got 2nd place! I was
going to win but someone came out of the blue to beat me by one point.. Oh
well.. I guess playing games with Bishop and Dad and having them
"win all of the time" prepared me for that loss:) haha our curfew for
the night was still between 9-9:30 and I was in bed by 10:30. It was a pretty
quiet New Years Eve for me:) but still really great:)
Guess what?!?! it will be
a miracle if I come home in a form other than a frozen popsicle by the end of
this:) It is freezing here!! I mean freezing!! take today for example:) the
high is -2 degrees and the low is like -11 degrees:) the wind chill is -40
degrees!!! that means any exposed skin outside within 5 minutes will be
frostbitten.. yikes:/ !!! but all is well:) the spirit keeps me nice and toasty
inside:D
So I also wanted to give
you an update with what I found out at the drs this past week. Yes I do still have
TMJ. He gave me a couple of exercises to try to do each
day for the next couple of months to see if that will help. Don't worry about me though. I promise I am doing just fine and Heavenly Father continues to
bless and strengthen me each day:) I know that He is very aware of me and is
blessing me in so many ways:)
OOh last Preparation day
I bought a single serving blender to make smoothies in the morning:) I was
pretty excited about that and it has been really nice to have one:) haha Merry
Christmas to me:)
I had some pretty cool
experiences this week with being able to feel of a small portion of the love
that Heavenly Father has for His children. There were several points this week
where I just felt an overwhelming feeling of love for the people that I am able
to serve. It was incredible!! S is an active ward member that we are working
with very extensively right now. She has been smoking for over 53 years now and
is really working at trying to stop so that she can make it to the temple. She
has tried and unsuccessfully stopped many times now but we have not given up on
her and Heavenly Father is never giving up on her either:) I am confident that
she can do it and change as she relies on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is
such a blessing to witness the power of the Atonement in others lives each
day:) I LOVE HER!!
We have also been working
with Mari, a young woman that is getting ready to go on a mission in March. She
was having a very difficult time because the stress, worry, doubts, and fears
came crashing down on her (as they always do at some point to
pre-missionaries) as reality hit her with what she was deciding to do. It
was very interesting being on the other side and being the one to offer support
and encouragement. It has been such a blessing!!! I could see myself in
her is so many ways so I was able to connect with her very well and she is on
track again and excited for a mission. Yes it is difficult. Yes it is the
hardest thing I have ever done. Yes it has stretched me past my breaking point.
BUT... It is the most incredible experience and I would do it all over again
in a heartbeat knowing what I know now:) I have been blessed and
strengthened more than I thought possible and the Savior has always
stood by me:) I am truly grateful that because I chose to serve a
mission, I have come to know my Savior.
 |
| Mari, her mom and her brother. |
Have a great week!! keep
your heads up!!
Love you!!!
Sister Christensen:)
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