Another Week Down

Monday, February 17, 2014

Dear Everyone,

This past week has been a slow one. We can't seem to get any traction in our area. We are just too spread out. The area we have to cover is more than 2 stakes at home, and to say the least that makes things hard. Also the activities in the branch and sick companions make things harder. Haha

FHE with the Nabor Family

So last Monday we managed to teach a lesson to the Nabor Family. The father is very sweet and he wants to come back to church really bad and he really is starting to make changes so he can. Things are looking good with him.

Tuesday was hard because we got punted a lot from all of our appointments and kinda lost a lot of time and didn't teach anyone. It was a very sad day. Wednesday we had exchanges though and they were tons of fun. I was in Rosario area with Elder Karch and we got punted a ton to but we managed to find some really cool people to talk to and set up some appointments for him. He’s 2 transfers behind me in the mission, and it was really fun to work with him.

Brian about Ready to Make Roast Pig

Thursday we went to Fernando again and taught Sister Forentina again (the lady who only speaks Ilocano). She was very receptive but still didn't come to church. Say Ow! But we will try again. We then went and looked at pigs, yes pigs because we wanted some to lechon (not sure how to spell that one). Any way we found 2 little ones that we liked and bought them. Yes they were expensive... ish...

Friday we went to Bail but only managed to teach Rechardo Daligdig because my companion got really sick and we had to go back to the apartment. Sad day again. Saturday was another time eater. We had a Branch Party for Valentine’s Day, but it took all day and we didn't get anything else done that day. I was a little sad about that but life goes on.

Sunday we picked things up a bit and taught 3 less actives. They were some really good lessons but it still doesn't sound like they are going to come back to church. :( There's nothing we can do but keep trying so that's what we will do.

Prepared Pig for Branch Party

So, remember those pigs I told you about. So we killed them this morning and that was interesting... today we got up at 5:30 killed, gutted them and then shoved bamboo poles though them and started cooking them over a fire.:P I would share the details but I don't know if you all want to hear them. :P lets just say that I am much more familiar with the insides of a pig now. We are going to eat them later tonight for a party for our investigators to meet the members in the ward. I hope it goes well. :) Well that's all for this week. I love you all and hope that everything goes well. Mahal Kita!!!

Elder Christensen

Questions from a Separate Email

* Will you tell us more about the Hidalgo family?
We actually haven't seen them for a while. They got really busy. But they are an older couple with 4 kids who all have degrees in college of some form or another, and that's a big deal here. They are really receptive but they don't really keep commitments very well. :( We are still trying to finish the 1st lesson but I see a lot of potential there We just have to make it work.

* Have you met with Rujelio Chan [less-active with the lumber business] again, and has he started coming to church?
No and no this week was pretty bad...

* Have you been meeting some more with Brother Juan [a less-active in Fernando]?
Yes we have and he is doing great. He is one of my favorite people in the mission so far. He is so humble and the translation is going great. I'm also starting to pick up on some of the Ilocano. It's kinda funny how close it is to Tagalog.

* What happened when you went to Bail this week? [The week before they’d picked up a lot of names.]
Well we taught on lesson and then Elder Gison got sick so we had to go home so nothing really sadly...

* What is a spiritual experience you had this week?
Nothing in particular but I have felt the refining fire of trials this past week. I just hope that it's refining me and not burning me.

~~~

More Pictures Preparing the Pigs for the Branch Party