Elders Christensen's excellent adventure for the Lord

Elders Christensen's excellent adventure for the Lord
And they're off!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Ben 6-14-10
Hello again,
I'm glad that things have slowed down for you and that you have got the yard looking good! I miss doing all that yard work now that I think about it working in the yard can be kind of relaxing as long as you don’t have to worry about sprinklers right dad?
It is too bad that summer has not hit yet but that is good for the snow pack and water levels so we won’t be in a drought in august but I can see why it would put a damper on things.
Congrats to Paul on his eagle it is about time haha he has had the same three merit badges for like a year... we went to and eagle court on Saturday and it was really interesting a lot of people from the war were their but there was only 7 of us in the eagles nest and we got there late so the guy in charge invited all those who came in late to come up and it was just me and one other guy from the ward it was crazy, thanks for pushing me to get mine. I know that the scout motto and code apply so much with the gospel it is crazy, like a scout is honest loyal helpful friendly courteous kind obedient cheerful thrifty brave clean and reverent and these things to me are all things we should strive to be as missionaries and it is sad to see how many missionaries who did not receive their eagle don’t have these qualities. So Paul good job I'm proud of you man!
I’m glad that Abbie and Dan had a good time in San Fran and arrived home safely I got the emails from Adam and Amy sounds like they are having a blast!
Dad thanks for the awesome email I am glad that things are going good for you in the elder’s quorum and that you are helping allot of people move I know how much fun that is we have helped allot of people move lately too. How was the hike up Bells canyon? Did you make it to the waterfall or was there still snow? Did you take your rod with you and try to catch some cuts up there?
Well things are just a rolling along here we had a "safe sacrament" meeting so we planned the program in advance and knew who was speaking and what hymns were going to be played so we wouldn’t have any surprises and people could bring their friends and not be worried about what was going to be said. it was a real success we had 5 non members there besides the ones that usually come so it was good the talks were amazing our relief society president and her husband spoke an the Rasmussen’s and she spoke on the atonement and it was a really good talk then her husband spoke on the restoration and I felt the spirit so strong in that meeting it was awesome his talk was amazing by far my favorite talk I have heard on the mission like it was conference worthy no joke. it was also elder Simmons’ birthday yesterday so we had dinner at the bishops and then played catan well he played I hate the game so I taught a bunch of the youth how to play death of aces it was a blast I lost like five times but they didn’t play hard so my hand is fine... any sorry for the random fact there... but we also got a bunch of referrals that we have to follow up on this week an hopefully we can start teaching them soon. One lady is a single mother and lives out in hitch which is a really rural and we met her at the eagle court and her son is in scouts and helped with the color guard and her youngest son is 7 and she said that as soon as he is 8 she is going to put him I scouts and she talked to one of our members about us and our religion and wants to know more so I am excited to start teaching her.
We are having another lesson with Sean Segal tonight at eight and things are really going well with him and I can’t wait for the lesson.
I love and miss you all and thank you for the prayers they truly are working I can see it every day

Love Elder Christensen


Matt 6-14-10
Haha, Wow it really sounds like you could use some sunny weather! If it keeps raining dad won’t have to fix any sprinklers this summer haha. That’s surprising that you are still getting rain and crappy weather because it is beautiful and like 80-90 all week now. But last summer was cold at first as well remember the month of rain in June last year... at least that’s what it felt like to me.

Yay!! For Paul he is going to get his eagle that is so exciting!! And it’s his birthday this week HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! He is going to love high adventure it’s always a fun thing.
Haha I’m glad that you loved the pictures! I thought you would enjoy the snake ones :) yes I got the post card and I love the picture on it, it just looks exactly like the ranch and how everything is so beautiful down there.

So, my story for this week is that we got to go to the temple on Tuesday with a recent convert that elder Williams and Watson baptized. We did baptisms for the dead and it was awesome! I love the temple and all the wonderful things that we can do there. And the wonderful spirit, it’s just so strong!

Well this week will be interesting because I’m going to have a temporary companion. He is a kid from San Francisco... he is serving a mini mission so I get him today and he will be here for the next week. This way I can do the work in my own area and have a companion. It should be good but I will tell you about it next week.

Love you all have a safe week!

Love Elder Matt Christensen

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Matt 6-7-10

Matt 6-7-10
Wow yes this week has been a blur for me as well!

To start out last week we had a bbq with the Hillcrest 2nd ward and it was super fun. There were hamburgers and hot dogs and just lots of fun with the ward. Then we found a member who is related to someone that owns a cherry orchard and got to go and pick 20 pounds of cherries!! It was awesome I think I ate like 5 pounds of them or more over the past week. Then we taught some families in the Marsh Creek ward.

Tuesday was zone conference! It was good we are focusing on asking inspired questions and following the spirit in our lessons more. President Wade gave a really good talk, and I feel like I learned a ton!

The rest of the week we just went about our business and tried to work evenly through out the three wards. Yes we have dinner with members almost every night in at least one of the wards. Sometimes we have two dinners on the same night and usually have to cancel one. We also go on splits every week in all the wards and we get so much work done that way its great!! Yes I really like the two companions that I have now! We all get along really well. Elder Williams and I work out every morning and elder Watson is really good at studying the scriptures so if I ever have a question I just ask he and he can answer it.

Wow! I can't believe that Paul already graduated!! Congrats man! I hope you have a super fun summer! Your week was crazy! Two funerals! That’s crazy! I’m sorry to hear that they both passed away but it’s good to know about the plan of salvation and that they are both in a better place.

Well I think that my birthday scripture is awesome its James 1:25 and it totally applies to me
and the part about looking on the law and not forgetting but working hard is awesome. It kinda applies to my talk on obedience that I gave before I left.
Thanks for all the love and support. I just printed some pictures last week so I’m going to send them home this week. :) keep having fun I love you all.

p.s. Did you hear about Chase Maughn, he got his call to Atlanta Georgia. That’s so cool, he is going to love it. I’m so excited for him!! (I heard from Bonnie)
Ben 6-7-10

Well how should I start off? Sounds like you have been really busy and I have been about the same. This week started out a little rough but it got better as the week went on and went by super fast by the end of it.
I'm really glad that Paul and Taylor graduated that is awesome and that he had fun at grad night as I talk to people here I realize that I am truly blessed to have grown up in Utah. Most of the youth didn’t go to grad night or prom because they are not in a good environment and have lots of not so good things going on. That is funny that Mrs. Hilton gave the same crappy talk was it as long as last time?
I’m sorry to hear that Uncle John died but I think it was his time to go he sure has a long full life. And the other guy that died as well the only front end loader I remember riding in was up at the cabin but I’m sure that I thoroughly enjoyed it when it happened.
So, what day do Adam and Amy leave again? Friday? Well any way tell them to have fun for me and that I love them and to be careful as for Dan and Abbie that is exciting that they are in Cali I’m sure Palo Alto has some great weather right now.

Things here are moving forward we are still teaching the Almwicks and we are also teaching a part member family named the Segals and we are teaching brother Segal and had a very great lesson with him yesterday and found some of his hang ups with the church so hopefully we can help him understand some of the doctrine better and he will finally get a answer to his prayers on whether the church is true or not. we are having brother Lutz and brother Conant come over to the lessons with us and I think that this has really helped him open up and talk about the questions that he has so we can try and answer them. Last night we left him with Alma 32 to read and to write down the questions that he comes across as he reads so we can talk about them in our next visit. He just needs to realize that he has already gotten an answer that it is true I just don’t think that he has realized it because he has a bunch of things to overcome. I kind of like to think he has blinders on that are keeping him from seeing the whole picture if that makes sense.
Other than that we don’t have a whole lot of work but we are always trying to find new people to teach. The other day we got an mtc referral that we are trying to contact and some other referrals from the ward that we are working on contacting as well so things are not too bad. Elder Simmons and I are also doing a lot of work with less active people and one family in particular are the Razo's. They are two teenagers who’s mom is a junkie and trying to stay out of jail so they are living with their grandparents and Cody is 16 and is actually doing really well at coming to church and living the gospel so our main focus is on Brandon and he is 18 and has had a really tough time but I have faith in him it seams that I am the only one because he does a lot of stupid things that take him farther and farther away but I still think that their is good in him. Actually, I know it is just a matter of how to get him to change his ways and realize that what he is doing is stupid because he knows it is wrong which is probably what bothers me the most. Because if you know it is wrong why keep doing it? I think a lot is for attention but oh well I am going to keep trying.
Well that’s all that is going on in my neck of the woods... more like rolling hills with bushes but you get the point...


Love you all and hope that things are going great!

Elder Ben Christensen

Friday, June 4, 2010

Ben 6-1-10
I'm glad that the ranch went well and that you had a good time and no one was hurt.
No I did not get transferred so I am in Moorpark for another three weeks because this transfer is already almost half over.
Tell Paul I’m proud of him for lettering and graduating from high school both major steps for him
I got your letter the other day and was glad to hear that things are going good up at the cabin and that stake conference was great. President Hicken is awesome and I could see that being and awesome talk.
Thanks for sending me a piece of my mountain I really needed that reminder of how to be a hard worker and not just watch cuz if I remember correctly dad always hated when I watched him do something and their was still something else to be done and that lesson applies to every aspect of missionary work. There is always something that I could be doing while elder Simmons is doing another thing and not to just sit idle and watch.
Things are going good we had a good lesson with the Almick’s last week and are having a lesson on the plan of salvation on Thursday I believe which is going to be really good because we are doing it in the Ewing’s home and are going to have them their to testify of the things that we are teaching and to help teach as well.
Sorry this letter is kind of short and dumb but you will get a better one next week I promise.

Love you all and tell dad happy father’s day for me it is on the 6th right? Well any way I am sending him a card this week.

Love
Elder Christensen