March 31, 2014 - A Week of Miracles

Hello my dear family!

I hope that everything is going well for you! You are all amazing and I am very fortunate to be a part of this great family! I hope that you enjoyed the General Women's mtg! I thought it was absolutely amazing!!! The spirit was so powerful and it was really cool knowing that even though we were in different places, we were all experiencing the same things:) Thank you for the package that you sent this week! It was wonderful!! Thank you for the letters:) Oh and I got a priesthood blessing last night:) So I am doing much better with everything.:)

So this week was a week of pretty amazing miracles! Let me tell you of a few of them:)

First of all.. Guess what?!?! REBECCA CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY!!!! Sister Fulbright and I almost fell out of our seats as we were standing in the church hallway, and here walks in Rebecca!!! over 30 minutes early!! I am so amazed with her desire to do what's right even though it is really hard for her. She has so much faith! She came to church yesterday, knowing that she was going to get really sick as a result. Whenever we go to teach her, she gets sick because of the scents on us. She is really sensitive and allergic to any scents including chemicals in carpets, deodorant, perfumes, cleaners, etc. So that is a really hard challenge for her. But she is doing amazing and I am so blessed to work with her!

Next, a miracle at the hospital! So we had just finished dinner on Thursday night when we were driving out in our area, going to try some less actives. We were driving by the hospital and I got a strong prompting that we needed to go and visit Sister Jones there, even though we had just been the day prior. So, we went. We went up to her room number and the door was shut. A voice from the other side said "come in!" as we knocked on the door. We opened the door and to our suprise, Sister Jones wasn't the person in the bed.. You can probably imagine our shock:) (Apparently Sister Jones had been released Wednesday night) When we walked into the room, the lady said "Oh sisters! I am so glad that you came!" We talked to her and found out that she was a sister in a different ward, and that she had just had a stroke that day, so she was taken to the hospital. She didn't tell anyone in the ward that she was there, but she was praying all day that someone from the church would come and see her. Kind of ironic right? Praying for someone to come and see you even though no one knew you were there. Well. The Lord works in mysterious ways! She was crying for most of the time because she felt so touched that we came. She said that we were an answer to her prayers and that she could feel that Heavenly Father was aware of her. It was a very humbling experience. It was very neat being led by the Spirit without even realizing that we were. Heavenly Father is aware of us! I know, because He sent 2 strangers across town, to visit His beloved daughter, Sue Quinette.

We went to the zoo today with Sister Cooper!! She is so good to us! It was such an enjoyable experience! The Omaha Zoo is really great! Apparently it is ranked like 2nd in the Nation!

Wish me luck with transfers this week. I am pretty nervous to hear what will happen. But I know that regardless of what happens, I will be where Heavenly Father needs me to be at this time. Thank you for your letters, love, prayers, and support:) They mean so much to me and gives me strength to press forward:) I love you all so much!! Have a wonderful week and enjoy General Conference:) Hopefully you can have your conference ensigns done in time:)   

With love,

Sister (Erica) Christensen 

March 24, 2014

Howdy Family and Friends:)

Sorry I am later than normal again today:) Hopefully I don't form a habit of coming late to the library:) We have had some crazy days these past couple of weeks:) This morning, the house that the Millard Sisters are staying in flooded! And the members were out of town. So they woke up this morning around 5:55 with the whole basement flooding. At that point there was about 3 inches covering the whole thing. So that's not good! But luckily, none of their things got ruined! So that put things for our preparation day behind schedule:) Everything is fine though and the water is mostly gone now:) In about an hour we are going to help someone move as well. So if you don't get any letters this week.. I am really sorry! I will do my best but my schedule is a little tight! I hope that everything is going well with you back at home:) I feel privileged to be a part of my family and I am so thankful for each of you:) You lift my spirits whenever I hear from you:) thank you for all that you do! You are in my prayers each day:)

Just a couple of updates from this week:) Michaela had her baby boy! They named him Aiden! He was born on Friday, March 21st at 7:07 pm! He is 7 lbs. 1 oz. He has dark hair and is so stinkin cute! Seriously, I wish I could hold him so bad! haha:) but its ok:) I am learning self control:) haha:)

So we did a lot of walking this past week. Luckily the weather was pretty decent here:) We felt like we needed to stop by at the Ks house (even though we had just taught them the night before). Their cousins from Mississippi came into town that day unexpected and we had no idea! But we were able to randomly walk in and teach them! It was pretty funny when we walked in because Sister King kept saying "I promise! I didn't call them or plan this!" (talking to her cousins) She was really happy that we decided to stop by though because they haven't let missionaries teach them in the past when they have knocked on their doors. So this is about the only way it would have worked:) The Lord works in mysterious ways:)

I had an interesting experience last week.. I was in a lesson where the less active almost died in front of us. It was bad! Sharon had been in the hospital about a month ago and they thought she was getting a little better. Apparently not. We went to see her on Thursday night and she was in an awful condition! It took her about 10 minutes to form one sentence, she was shaking, not coherent at all!, etc.. So we called a couple of people to see what to do and they ended up taking her to the hospital. I was really nervous though because watching someone die on my mission was definitely not on my bucket list.. :) All is well though!

Funny Story. So I have been seriously cravings onions for a while! I know, I'm pretty weird:) So I bought some at the store last week.. and I am not experienced with cutting onions. I don't know any tricks to avoid this.. but I was making myself a salad for lunch one day and thought to include the onion in it:) haha bad choice:) By the time I was done, my makeup had all smeared down my face! I looked like the lady off of Mulan! I will send a picture.. but just know:) It was much worse than the picture shows:) I wiped off most of it before my companion stopped me and took a picture:) and this pic doesn't go on the blog:) haha:) #missionaryproblems! at least it gave us a good laugh:) haha

This past week we did a lot of service! It’s always good for me to remember that I am CALLED to SERVE! I am very lucky to be able to do so much service for people. Christ set the perfect example on how to love others and serve them. I think we try and over complicate things sometimes, but it is really just through small and simple things that make the biggest difference. (Alma 37:6-7) “The Lord answers our prayers, but it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.” (President Kimball)

Short story to go along with that thought. So I was talking with my companion this past week and I was thinking. I really need to get a journal so that I can have one just to write about the people that I meet so that when I am home from my mission, I will be able to remember them. A few days later, this ward member, Sister Broyles comes up to us and shows us this journal that she felt like she needed to make for Mari so that she could write about the people that she comes in contact with. She then proceeded by asking us if she gave us the supplies if we would like to make one on one of our Preparation days!! can you believe that? It was such a small thing but it really showed me that our Heavenly Father is aware of us and concerned with even the details of our lives, because we matter to Him. "If it matters to you, it matters to Him." It was such a tender mercy:)

 It is so cool that we are the Lord's hands. As we follow the quiet promptings from the Holy Ghost, we can give service to, and uplift those that are in need. How cool right? I am so thankful that Heavenly Father trusts me with some of his children here. One other thing that I noticed this week. You are all pretty familiar with this scripture I am sure..

"36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt^alove the Lord thy God with all thy ^bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy^cmind. 38 This is the first and great ^acommandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt ^alove thy neighbour as thyself." Matthew 22:36-39.

If we are to do this work, we have to love ourselves. You love yourself by forgetting yourself!

I hope that you are all doing well with your conference ensigns and finishing them up:) I am really excited for General Conference!! It will be amazing! Hey, and just in over a month from that, I will see you again:) haha long time, no see:) Until then, keep calm and serve on:) I love you all! sorry if my mind was scatterbrained for this email and that it isn't too packed with adventures..:) haha its been one of those tiring days:D haha

P.S. I forgot to share with you a cool story from exchanges! I almost died! Sister Page was driving and we were at a light and it turned green for us to turn. We started going but then got a strong sudden prompting to stop immediately! We both got it and stopped within like a second and right then, a car zoomed through the light and missed the passenger side by about a foot. (where I was sitting) If we had gone and not followed the prompting, the truck would have smashed right into the Passenger side of the car from the side, right where I was. Pretty cool! I am so thankful that I am being protected and that as we live our lives in a way that allows us to have the Holy Ghost with us, it can be a protector for us and warn us of danger! So don't worry about me, I am following the promptings that I get and I am being watched over and protected! The church is true! The book is blue:) have a good week my friends!

With love,

Sister (Erica) Christensen

March 17, 2014 - HaPpY St. PaTrIcK's DaY

Hey family and friends!

Happy St. Patrick's day! Haha the highlight of my morning was when the alarm went off this morning and I chased my companion around the basement trying to pinch her because she forgot to wear green to bed! haha! I made sure I didn't remind her last night:) I'm such a nice companion huh? haha:) So yes, I made sure that I wore lots of green today:)

You will notice that I am emailing later than normal again..:) It's been a busy morning:) We went and had 2 visiting teaching appointments this am. (they couldn't do it any other day) So we sacrificed some of our preparation day:) I was a little bummed but it will all work out ok:) We went to Jason's Deli for lunch today which was really good! I got a chicken salad wrap which was really yummy and lots of fruit:) Haha I am trying to eat healthier overall:)

Thank you for the package that you sent me this week:) It was great:) I actually just picked it up from the post office about an hour ago because i wasn't home when they delivered it on Saturday.:) But i am so thrilled about the banana bread!! It smells so good and reminds me of home:) haha except i am much luckier now because i have the whole loaf to myself:) and my companion of course:) but.. i won't have to fight for it between 10 people now! haha oh the joys of serving a mission:) thank you for sending my crimper, a cd!, and many other great things!! I loved all of it so much!! I really do think I have the best family ever:) I'm not biased or anything:) haha

So some things from my week:) It has been kind of a crazy week:) Here are a few updates from some of the people that i am working with. First off, Rebecca!!! (one of my investigators) She is doing very well! She is going through some very extreme trials right now. It has been a very messy divorce. On Thursday, we called her up and apparently, we called at the exact moment that she needed it. She was crying and really struggling when we called. We talked to her for a little bit and asked if she would like a priesthood blessing. She obviously hadn't ever heard of this before so we explained what it was and what would happen and magically, she agreed to have one!! I was so happy:) So, we began making calls to set up a time that someone from the ward could come and do that:) Let me tell you.. Satan did NOT want that happening. This never happens, but we spent 4 hours making calls trying to get someone that was available that night to give her one. We were almost all the way through the ward list (we only had 3 names left!) and finally a kind brother in the ward said yes! Let me tell you, it was a very spiritual experience seeing someone get a priesthood blessing for the first time! The spirit was very strong there and she even said that her neck stopped hurting during the blessing and after for a while:) I think that the spirit really touched her and that things are heading in the right direction:) We bought her some Book of Mormon CDs and stuff to help her with her reading. She really wants to come to church but is struggling because she gets really sick being around any type of scents. We have to wash off all of our deodorant, perfume, etc before we go and visit her because of that...and she still gets sick most of the time because of the laundry detergent in our clothes.. so we are trying to figure out how to get past that one.. So it is a really interesting situation. Pray for a miracle that Dr's will find something to help her so that she can come to church:)

On Friday, I had exchanges with Sister Page:) It was great!! They did exchanges a little differently than normal which was nice:) Instead of both of them coming and staying at our place for the night and staying in our area, one comp went with one of theirs to their area. So I stayed in Papillion over night and through the next day:) It was really interesting being the new companion again that didn't know any of the people. It made me really appreciate how long I have been in Lakeview because I know the people so well:) But we talked to everyone that we saw and even committed someone to baptism!! We saw so many miracles that day so it just goes to show that the Lord is preparing people all over, we just need the courage and faith to open our mouths!!

I want to share a short miracle that happened this week as well. My wrists have been very painful. Don't worry tho! I am just fine! Anyways, we got a call on Saturday from the McM’s to come and do some service for them. They were doing a big spring cleaning for their house. So we went over and started working. I was in a lot of pain and so I went to a different room by myself and knelt and prayed to my Heavenly Father, asking Him if it was His will, if He could take away the pain for a few hours. Just long enough for me to work hard and serve this family and then I was ok for it to come back after again. It was a miracle. The pain went away from my wrists and it didn't hurt me one more time while I was over there. Haha it came back after but for those couple of hours, it was like there hadn't ever been a problem with them. It was a miracle! God is truly aware of us and answers our prayers as we have faith in Him.

We had an amazing Stake Conference this weekend! The Adult Session was my favorite!! They had all of the youth come, ages 12 and up, which was really cool for a change:) President and Sister Weston were both there as well as the temple president and his wife. It was so good to see them again:) At the end during President Bartlett's talk (the Stake President) he had President Weston get up and call up all of the missionary leadership that were in attendance. (Assistants to the President, Zone Leaders, District Leaders, Sister Training Leaders) He had them all standing up there on the stand with him. He then called up all of the Bishops and Ward Mission Leaders and had them all stand up there as well. He then called up all of the full time missionaries (Sisters, Elders, and couples) and had us all standing in front of the stands. So needless to say. between all of those people, there was a ton of people up on the stand and in front of it! (when you figure that there are between 4-8 full time missionaries in each ward) He then shared the account in 2nd Kings chapter 6 vs 15-17. Paraphrasing it says.."Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." President Bartlett said, "Look! This is your army! In numbers larger than we have ever had before! But these missionaries are not the only ones in this room. There are powerful missionaries and angels all around us on the other side of the veil that are standing with us tonight. Fear not: for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them!" It was so powerful! He then had all of us missionaries and ward members up there to link arms so that we would show that we are one! He then had everyone in the Stake center stand and link arms as well. Demonstrating that we are one, called to the work! He had them sit down after and he had all of the missionaries remain standing. He had us sing the first verse of called to serve (which is always so powerful singing as a missionary!!) and then he had everyone else join in for the 2nd verse! By the end of the 2nd verse, everyone in the Stake Center was standing up with us again with tears in most of our eyes:) It was such a powerful thing that i don't think i will ever forget. When things get tough, just remember, there are many angels on the other side of the veil that are here to strengthen and protect us. I feel their presence and strength. I am so thankful! In the Sunday morning stake conference session, when he spoke he had the whole audience stand again and link arms. (This time the missionaries and members were all intermixed) and had us link arms again. Signifying that the members and missionaries need to work together and that we are one. It was so powerful!! I hope that all made sense:)

I want to extend the same commitment I gave you last week. Continue reading the conference ensign and try to get all of the talks read by the next general conference!! You can do it!! If you haven't started yet, start today! You have enough time to do it:) I love you!! I know that by reading and studying the talks from the living prophet and apostles, and then following their teachings, our lives will be greatly blessed! I know that this church is true! I can say that because I have read the Book of Mormon. I have prayed about it to know if it is true. I have also prayed about many other things. And I have received confirmation from the Holy Ghost time and time again, that this church is true. And that knowledge has blessed my life in more ways than I could ever explain. I am so blessed!

I love you all so much!! Enjoy the rest of your day!

With love,

Sister (Erica) Christensen:)

March 10, 2014

Hello my dear family:)

I hope that all is going well back in Utah for you guys:) No big deal.. but it is 65 degrees warmer here today compared to last Monday!! I love you lots and miss you. But, I am being strengthened to handle things so don't worry about me. I am so thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ! Through it we receive forgiveness, strength, comfort, healing, etc. I cannot convey my gratitude for my Savior for all that He has done for me. I would not be anywhere without Him. I am truly so thankful for a loving Savior that sacrificed and gave everything for us. It doesn't matter what challenge you are experiencing.. Everything can be overcome through the Atonement. What a wonderful blessing we have been given and how fortunate we are to have the knowledge!!

You may have noticed that we got here to the library later today than normal:) Let me explain why:) So right after our studies this morning, we got a text letting us know that all of the computers at the libraries in Omaha were down today and they didn't know when they would be up and working again. We were pretty nervous that we wouldn't be able to email today but all of the missionaries prayed a lot!! We went to the grocery store instead of the library first and within the hour, we got another text that said that some miracle happened and they were able to get them all up and running again!! Heavenly Father answers our prayers as we act in faith! Well anyways, there is more to the story:) haha:) So after we were done at Walmart we passed a homeless guy and decided that we would give him a Book of Mormon with a dollar bill in it. haha:) We drove by a couple of minutes later, and he was outside holding the Book of Mormon for all of the people to see, instead of his sign!! haha good missionary opportunity for him right?!:) the Lord works in mysterious ways!! Hopefully that Book of Mormon ends up in someone's hands that needs it:) I guess I'll never know the result of that, but it was a pretty cool story:)

Some exciting news this week.. We got a new investigator!!!  She has a less active husband that works out of the country most of the time, but he was back in town last week for a couple of weeks so he said we could come by. She is Buddist and she is from Thailand. There is a little bit of a language barrier but for the most part, she is pretty fluent in English. We taught her about God is our loving Heavenlty Father and prayer, and she accepted the commitment to pray with her husband each night! She is great! and they came to Sacrament Meeting yesterday!! I was so excited to see them there!

Also, something that i forgot to tell you about in my email last week..:) At Mari's farewell party, she had a couple of non members there. We tried to talk and mingle with all of them to see if any of them were interested. One couple was very interested! Their names are C and A. When we met them, they were actually sitting at the kitchen table, talking to the same member that introduced Mari Simpson's family to the chruch!! We went through the Restoration with them (as her farewell party was going on around us! haha) and gave our number to them to call with questions. :) Pretty sweet! there are missionary opportunities everywhere if we pray for them, look around, and have the faith and courage to open our mouths! Apparently the next day, A contacted Sister Simpson and they had another long talk about the church and our beliefs:) there are people prepared everywhere!

At a dinner appointment this past week with a single sister in the ward, Sister Druery, she invited one of her non member friends, L, to come. So we got to know her and taught her the Restoration! When we extended the invitation to read the Book of Mormon, she automatically said that she wasn't interested, but we were persistent, and got her to accept a copy of it. We didn't think that much would come from that.. but.. on Sunday sister Druery came up to us and told us that her friend L has been reading the Book of Mormon ever since the day we gave it to her! She said that L was really impressed by our persistence and love so she started reading it! Pretty cool!!

So Mari left today to fly out to Utah and the MTC! craziness! I can still remember when she first decided to serve a mission. So we were helping her get ready to go on Saturday and we decided that we would have a lesson at Yo-Yo berry (one of my new favorite places to go!). It is a self serve frozen yogurt place that is amazing! I will have to take you guys there next year when we come back:) it is delicious! So i was struggling a little.. and Heavenly Father made sure that I knew that He was aware of me. As we walked into the store to get ready to buy our yogurts, a random member from the Millard ward walked in and paid for all of it for us! He left right after that. that was such a tender mercy that showed me that Heaveny Father is aware of us!

For your commitment, I want to extend the same one that mom and dad seem to be giving..
:) Try and read all of the talks from the previous general conference by the time of the next one!! I know that you can do it!! I am so thankful for Living prophets and the guidance we receive as we follow them! You are amazing! Keep up the great work! I love you all so much!!

With Love,

Sister Erica Christensen

March 3, 2014

Dear Christensen family:)

I LOVE YOU!! Can you believe that it has now been over 5 months since I have been gone? They were right, once you get past the first couple of months, time doesn't seem to slow down:) It progressively gets faster and faster. I'm looking forward to seeing you again in just 2 fast sundays:) And.. I am extremely excited for General Conference in just a little over a month!! It's like Christmas in April:) haha yes, I am a slight nerd:) Thank you for the care package! I loved it and it was a wonderful surprise! I got it on Saturday:) You can be assured that I won't be hungry:) Thank you! All of the food looks delicious!

Anyways.. onto my week:) So you may have heard, but Omaha hit a record low yesterday in temperature! haha how exciting right?;) So the record for March 2nd in Omaha was -4 and it was set in 1913. Yesterday it was -5! So we broke a record and it was the coldest March 2nd that Omaha has ever seen:) It seems like we have broken a lot of records this year with the temperature:)

This week, we got a new investigator!!!:) Let me tell you a little bit about her:) She went to the trail center around Christmas time with one of her friends from another ward. She really liked the things that she learned there so she filled out her information on a card and requested visits from missionaries. We contacted her several months ago right when we got her information, but because of a really messy divorce, she said that she needed some time before she could accept missionary lessons and learn more. So, we have been contacting her off and on for the past couple of months, waiting for the day that she was ready to learn. We contacted her last Saturday, not really expecting a different response, and we weren't too surprised to hear that she said it was still too crazy and it wasn't time yet. We waited and didn't respond for a little bit and about 10 minutes later, she responded saying that for the last 10 minutes, she hasn't been able to think, because something kept telling her over and over that she needs to meet with us. We about fell off of our seats with excitement!! So we set up a time with her and went to teach her on Thursday, with the same friend that took her to the trail center. It went really well! We taught her the Restoration and she had a lot of good questions. I haven't ever worked with someone who is dealing with the concerns she has, but, we were able to help her recognize what source those thoughts were coming from, and how she can overcome it.  We are supposed to invite everyone that we meet to be baptized on our first contact:) it can be really scary to do that sometimes! So at the end of the lesson with her, I pushed aside my selfish fears and invited her to be baptized:) I think the neighbors could feel my heart rate from several homes down! haha JK! She was pretty stunned that I asked her, but she didn't say no! She said that she would have to study it some more and pray about it before she could give me an answer!! and that is the perfect answer! I am so happy! There are people that are being prepared for this message:)

The Lakeview ward had an adult party on Saturday that was a Mexican fiesta theme! It was really fun! They even had a mariachi (sp?) band! 

Mari had her farewell party last night that we helped serve at which was really fun as well!! She leaves next Monday! crazy!!

I have some pretty cool numbers to tell you! These were taken from last month, and last year at the same time. It shows how much this work is hastening!! And it gets me really pumped:) haha:) So less active/recent convert lessons last year was at 1,242 in one month. Last month, it was 3,146 lessons to larcs in a month!! Last year, there was 292 returning larcs in one month. This last month, it was 1,368!!! 

The Lord has said, "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:73) and.. it's time! In Moses 1:39, we learn what His work is. "For behold this is my work and my glory-- to bring to pass the immortality and Eternal Life of man." This Lord is hastening His work. It is His work and cannot fail. It is the greatest work to be a part of and I am so blessed to be a missionary at this time, to help those individuals that are prepared, come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel!  "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God!" (D&C 18:10,14-16) and how great shall be your joy, as you participate in this great work and bring other souls unto Christ! I will leave you with a question to think about.. What are you doing to help the Lord in the Hastening of His work? As you pray to know who you can help and how you can, He will reveal that to you through the Holy Ghost. He knows us perfectly, and the people around us perfectly, so let us rely on His perfect knowledge so that we can help them as He would! You are all amazing and I love you so much! Keep your heads up!  

With Love,

Sister Christensen

February 24, 2014

My dear family:)

I love you guys bunches and bunches:) I'm sure that you are wanting to know the results from transfers this past week:) I am staying in Lakeview again with Sister Fulbright. We were both pretty relieved that nothing got switched on us:) partly because neither of us were feeling much motivation to pack:) haha:) jk:) we are working well with each other and working together through the tough times:) That is something that a mission is teaching me:) (about marriage or any other relationship) as long as both individuals are willing to work together towards a righteous goal, you can make any situation work:) it doesn't mean there won't be challenges, but you are able to work through them together:)

Elder Nielson, one of the zone leaders, got transferred, but we still have Elder Demke as one of them! The new Zone leader is Elder Card. It seems like it will be another good transfer! Elder Johnson from Lakeview got transferred as well.. so Elder Martinez is training Elder Adams! It is nice not being the newest missionary serving in the ward:) haha:)

The stake put on a big Family History Fair this past Saturday, where there was lots of speakers and classes to take, teaching how to do family history work. It was really great and there was a huge turnout!! There was around 100 non-members show up!! I am so thankful that I was able to do some family history work prior to my mission, because now I am able to help other people here with theirs. That is such a huge blessing! So I have been helping several members, less actives, and non-members with their family history work and preparing names for baptisms. It was cool because I was able to learn a bunch on Ancestory.com which I hadn't learned much about before. So I am soaking in as much knowledge as I can so that I can continue to do that work once I am home:) Sister Pincock, a member in our ward, brought her friend Denise and her mother. (they are both non members) It was very cool helping them find some of their family members and history. They were both very excited because they apparently have been looking for the information that we gave them for over 20 years! They just sobbed as we found their information. The spirit was very strong there. They don't live within our ward boundaries so I won't be able to teach or see them again, but it was a very neat experience. Oh and p.s. I had a few minutes on Saturday so I was able to do a little work for my own family online. I found a few more names for baptism on up! sorry I have a major addiction! I will try to control myself:) haha

Family History Work is a very good teaching opportunity for anyone! We have been implementing it more in our tracting. We were able to teach a man named Jeff about family history work, temples, and that families can be together forever, on Saturday as we were out tracting. He was doing some yard work so we went over and talked with him and it was a neat experience. He has had some contact with some LDS people in the past and they helped him with some family history work in the past! So he was excited to learn more! He isn't interested in us coming over and teaching him, but he took a family history card and is going to call us with questions that come up about it! So that's cool! We are planting a lot of seeds for future missionaries to work with here:)

In the talk by Elder Bednar titled "the hearts of the children shall turn" he says, "As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives." I know that those promises are true! I have seen them in my own life as I have engaged in Hastening the Work of Salvation on both sides of the Veil:) It is incredible!!

J McM has now gone 29 days sober! He is starting to cut out coffee and smoking soon as well! He has a very strong desire to change his life and become a new person and  he is doing that! He is a completely different person from the man that I met 4 months ago. It is remarkable! I thank Heavenly Father every night for the great privilege that I have had to work with him:) His wife moved back in again on Saturday so we will see how things work out with that. Keep their family in your prayers if you can!

Mari is leaving in about 2 weeks now! I can still remember when she put in her mission papers and was waiting for her call:) It is very exciting to see a missionary go out:) Especially knowing the great blessings and experiences that will come her way:) She is going through the temple this Friday and directly after she receives her Endowments, their family is getting sealed together!!!!! I am so excited for them!! I'm a little bummed I can't go there but it will be such a great experience!! Their family are converts of about 4 years:) So it is so exciting!!!

M's baby shower turned out really well! We ended up going a little early to serve her and set everything up! I learned how to make a really good fruit salad without making the fruit mushy:) haha and she had 6 non member friends there!! woo hoo!! She is very excited to have her baby!! the due date is April 1st but it could come any time now before then:)

Sister Jones, the kindest less active lady, was in the hospital last week. She had some complications with medication and it caused some brain damage.. but she is doing ok now:) We went and visited her and she is getting back to normal:)

It was pretty fun having the Millard sisters staying with us! Sister Rasmussen did my eye brows last night:) I don't have any pictures to put on of them but I was pretty excited:) haha it was quite painful sometimes because she would accidentally pull my skin but It was nice once it was over:) they look good:) haha:) I looked almost as wimpy as Bishop putting eye drops into his eyes though:) at least I didn't cry:) haha:)

Well I hope you have a great week!! Its fast sunday again this sunday so for your commitment, think about what you should fast for this week and make it meaningful!! I will do the same:)

Love,

Erica (Sister Christensen)