December 8, 2014 - Rex was Baptized

Dear Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,

I hope that you are all enjoying this wonderful Christmas season! 

I am so thankful that I was blessed to be able to spend 2 transfers with Sister Hirro. She is a very good missionary! I don't think that I was really training her.. she was training me:) She got the news this morning that she will be a Zone Leader when she gets back to Salt Lake City! She has helped me grow a lot:) It will be sad to see her go, but I know that she will touch many people and have a good experience back at Temple Square. 

We also found out this morning that I get an extra day with her. Initially, she was going to be leaving tomorrow morning, but it will now be early Wednesday morning. Starting tomorrow though, we will be with Sister Dumont and I will stay with her until Friday morning. I am not sure if I will be staying in Fairview this week or heading up to Sister Dumont's area (Plattsmouth). We have transfers this week, and I am anxious to hear who my next companion will be and what area I will be in. haha It will be a long week of waiting:) But it's always great being a missionary!  

  

Our investigator, Rex, was baptized and confirmed on Saturday! He had his interview on Wednesday afternoon. It was the cutest experience! He was really nervous and he walked into the church, saw Sister Hirro and I, and told us really proudly, "I made a cheat sheet!" We looked at his cheat sheet to see what things he wanted to remind himself of, and he had just a couple words written down. It said faith, blessings, holy ghost, and family. Elder Fuller, the missionary that did the interview, asked him to try and do the interview without his paper. He passed:) At the end of the interview, he had Rex rip up his cheat sheet into shreds as a sign that he didn't need those things. He was ready and knew everything that he needed to. He knew enough:)  

His Baptism was the most amazing experience! There were many non members, family, and ward members that came out to support him. As he was given the gift of the Holy Ghost, I could feel the Spirit so strong. Sister Souder shared a really touching experience with us about Rex. When he was two, he aspirated lamp oil. He was in the hospital for several days and all of the doctors told them that he wasn't going to make it. He got a priesthood blessing though which told him that his work wasn't done yet. He was saved for a reason. I know that Rex has an important work to do here on the Earth. I am so thankful that I was able to learn so much from him these past two transfers:) 

We finally found an Asian Market last Preparation Day so that Sister Hirro could make some food that she was used to before the mission. She loved it! So she has been letting me try all sorts of food from the Philippines:) I bought her a few things from the market as well that she told me she really loved so that she could have some snacks and stuff over the next few days:) She doesn't know yet:) 

I hope that you all have a wonderful week! The 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional was amazing! If you didn't get a chance to watch it, go to LDS.org and you will see the link there:) It was so great! I love you! 

Sister Christensen