November 10, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow! What a week:) It is always good to hear from you! Thank you for your love and support. It really makes a difference. I just wanted to give you all an update on some of the people that we are working with this week.

Angela, one of our investigators is doing so well! We had our weekly family home evening with them last Monday night, and we had a lesson on Faith in Jesus Christ. We each went around the room and shared a simple testimony or experience that has strengthened our faith. She shared her experience of waiting to get consent from her husband to be able to be baptized. She shared a powerful testimony of prayer and how she has seen Heavenly Father answer some of her past prayers. She says that she has had some prayers (wanting her husband to let her get baptized) that she feels have gone unanswered, but she knows that in the Lord's timing, everything will work out as it needs to! She had tears in her eyes as she was sharing her experiences. She could feel the spirit very strongly! I am so proud of her and the growth that I have seen in her since I first met her. She is very strong! Although her husband hasn't given her consent, I know that everything will work out as she continues to act in faith. :)

Rex is the 10 year old boy that we are teaching! He is the strongest 10 year old I have ever met! He is feeling much better now. He has opened up a lot as well and isn't as shy around us anymore:) Turns out we aren't that scary after all when people get to know us:) haha:) We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ last week and he accepted everything very well! He told us that since we have been meeting with him and he has started saying more prayers and reading the scriptures, he has had happy dreams instead of his recurring nightmares! A simple blessing, but a big deal for him! No consent from the father for him to get baptized yet either, but it will happen!

We also met with the Fowlers again this past week. They were so happy to see us! With Sister Hirro sick, we hadn't made it over to their home in a little while, so they thought we had gotten transferred last week. They were so happy that we are both still here! They all rushed to the door and gave us big hugs:) It was nice to feel so welcome and that they like us so much:) Although, they still aren't liking the message we bring each week as much. They believe the things we read from the Book of Mormon and they feel the Spirit as we teach, but they don't understand the reason why we need it all yet.. Hopefully that comes with time. They still aren't open to reading it on their own. Their hearts seem to close more and more each time that we meet with them. They feel the Spirit but are scared and close their hearts off. We aren't sure what to do to help them and make the change, but we are seeking for it. The answer will come, I just think I need to learn to listen better:)        

We eat dinner with the Riffle family every Thursday night:) You may have gotten the pictures already, but we provided some odd service this week:) We gave a haircut! haha it was the first haircut I have ever given in my life! I think it ended up turning out ok though:) haha. They were very trusting to give us the scissors! haha:) I love giving random service though:) I never thought that I would give someone a haircut on my mission:)

I had a very strong spiritual experience yesterday. We had been asked to teach the Gospel Principles class and Relief Society yesterday. Because of a couple of things, I was struggling on Saturday and Sunday. More so, than I have in a very long time. To be honest, this has actually been building now for a while but it all kind of just peaked Saturday night. I didn't know how I was going to be able to teach. After our ward coordination meeting on Sunday morning, I asked our ward mission leader, Brother Burke, to give me a Priesthood blessing. I think that it was one of the most powerful times I have ever felt the Spirit. It was a very good blessing. I was given some very good counsel and received a lot of comfort and strength. I was told that I was stronger than I think I am and stronger than what others think I am, and that I was stronger than my challenges. I don't say this to boast in myself by any means! Just so that you can better appreciate and understand the situation. I prayed harder than I have in a long time and asked for strength to be able to teach this lesson and say what He wanted me to say. I received that strength and much much more. The lessons ended up going very well and many people thanked us, saying that we said exactly what they needed to hear at that time. It was a very humbling experience overall, but it strengthened my testimony on the power of the Priesthood and the power of prayer:) Our Father in Heaven loves us. We are His Spirit children. I know that my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, lives! Through His strength we can do all things!

I love you and I hope that you have a wonderful week!

Sister Christensen