Dear Everyone,
This past week has been very eventful. We had transfers and I already knew that me and my companion would be moved to a new area in Agoo. We were sad to leave our old area but now it looks like it was for the best.
So on Monday we went to have a FHE with the Jaravada Family again and it turned into something not so good. We were going to wait for the father to come back so we could share a lesson. But he never came so we just took some pictures and left because we wouldn't be able to come back before transfers. At the end of that the girls gave us some notes. We thought they were just "BR's" (book of remembrance or just a note about getting to know people. It's really popular here.) But they weren't just BR's... They were actually love notes. Which surprised me and my companion because all we did was teach. We didn't do anything that should bring that kind of thing on... It was really awkward. We called president Balledos, and he told us to give them back and tell them what our purpose was as missionaries. We did that the next day.
Tuesday we had district meeting and transfer awareness which were cool. It was fun to see the zone one last time before it all changed. It was nice. We played "Are you my friend" where if you say no you say something about who your friends are and then everyone who fits that category needs to change chairs. It was fun. But after all that we went back to our area and gave the letters back. We just told them we are disciples of Jesus Christ and we need to focus on our missions and nothing else. They understood but I really just hope they don't stop investigating the church. I think this will be better for them anyway because this ensures that they won’t be converted to the missionaries but to the gospel.
Anyway, on Wednesday we visited some of our less actives for the last time and said goodbye to the area. It was sad to leave but it was time. It was funny though because we ate 2 dinners because they kept insisting that we eat everywhere we went. It was super funny.
Thursday we got up, packed up what we had left, and went to our new area. [For more information about the new area, read below.] We met some of the branch members and they showed us around a little bit and we taught a lesson to our investigator who is going to be baptized in May. Her name is Christi. She is super cool.
Friday we just worked again but we also had a baptism that Elder Arzadon did for the sisters in our branch. It was supper cool because he did it in the ocean. But the waves were really big so it took him like 20 min just to get her to calm down enough to get it done right. It was super nice though. :) Definitely the best part of the week.
Saturday we had conference and I loved all of it. I really loved the talks in priesthood. I also really liked the one by President Uchtdorf all about gratitude and how when we are grateful our grief will wash away. The antidote for grief is gratitude. I can't agree more. I mean when I have had to deal with grief in the past it really was the best when I was just thankful for what I already had. I have never been happier on or off my mission than when I was just grateful for what I had. It’s a choice and it's a state of being not just "things" to be grateful for. I feel that in my life, and I know that's true. I am so much more happy when I'm just grateful for what I have. I hope we can apply that to our lives each day.
Sunday was just conference as well. But I loved it all. We also met some more of the branch and I look forward to working hard for this new area. :) I love you all and hope that you will all continue to be happy in all you do. I know this is the true church and that we are building the kingdom of God and we all need to work together for that cause. :) mahal kita palagi.
Elder Christensen
Questions from a Separate Email
* Last letter you said you were being moved to a different area. Can you tell us some more?
I literally changed apartments with the zone leaders but I'm still in Agoo zone. I'm now serving in the Agoo 1st branch in Santa Rita. It's part of Agoo I think. But that's all that happened. The zone leaders are now in my area. :) My area is Santa Rita and Santa Ana and Macalva. But I don't know if you can find all that. Yes it does go to the ocean we are teaching some people on the beach. It's kinda cool.
* Are you still going to be district leader?
Yes I'm still training Elder Arzadon, and I'm still a district leader.
* Why do you need a bike?
Well our house is super far away from our area. We can't spend the money it takes to get there and back every day so we have bikes to get us around instead. I'll be riding the bike just about every day. It takes about 15 min to get to our area on the bikes. Without them it would cost us 40 pesos and it would take about the same amount of time... but that's what the bikes are for.
* You said you would be opening a new area. I'm not sure I understand.
So when we say opening an area it just means that both the missionaries are new to that area. It’s not like if we were to be the first missionary's there. So we are "reopening the area" it was "white washed" so to speak.
* Do you ever use your MP3 player/voice recorder? If send you a talk "tape" on a micro SD card would you be able to listen to it?
Yes I use it all the time I actually bought a boat thing that is actually just a speaker with a usb slot and a micro sd slot with an aux jack and it's rechargeable. :P it's pretty cool but the point is I can listen to it. :)
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