FINDING AT BUS STOPS

This week was so good! It was sunny and we did lots of walking! Well, most weeks are like that.. But we did lots of finding! There are two miracles I would like to share with you. Both took place at a bus stop.

Nice Tan line for all our walking

First, we were catching the bus home from a tea appointment and were waiting at the bus stop when T, from Ghana, came up to us and we started talking to her. She was so surprised that two young, Caucasian girls were talking to her about Jesus. We had a lesson on the spot with her and I could feel the spirit and I knew she could too. She works at a yogurt shop and gave us a bag full of yogurt that she was carrying! I was so grateful because I was so scared we didn't buy enough food for the week and didn't want to have to go to the shop to buy more food later in the week.

We were in Stirchley and walked to a bus stop where G, from Nigeria, was already waiting. We asked him when the next bus would come and he noticed the Book of Mormon we were both carrying and asked about it. It was his first time hearing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so he was a little skeptical. But he took a Book of Mormon and said we could tell him more. He was still dubious about the whole thing so I just bore my testimony to him and invited him to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true, so he can know for himself. 

I love talking to everyone! You never know who you can share the message of the gospel with. I hope you all have a great week and look for missionary opportunities everywhere!

Love, Sister Christensen 

Good Things are happening in Wrekin

Sister Church & Sister Christensen

 This week has been very good! I have learned so much! I am now serving with Sister Church! She is from Idaho and has only about three transfers left. She is such a good missionary and I learn so much from her everyday. Her family is huge! She has 10 brothers and sisters and has 30 nieces and nephews! Families are great. I love big families; they don't really have them over here.

Last pic with Sister Hansen, my wonderful trainer

                                     

I have had to up the ante in the last couple of days. It has been stressful but I'm learning to really rely on the spirit more instead of just going through the motions. I involve myself more in preparing the lessons and the plans. It is more responsibility but it is good. Apparently companions are supposed to have equal responsibilities, who knew? 

We had a really good meeting yesterday. Our investigator, A, came to church! Well, he always comes to church but he just got back from New York the night before and still came to church even though he was really tired. He is so good! He is really dedicated to coming to church and believes that it is true, I think he just needs to understand faith a little bit better because he wants to know everything before he gets baptized. 

We were able to contact D! We haven't been able to set up an appointment with her for a while because she doesn't have credit on her phone but she texted us on her friends phone so we were able to talk to her! Miracles!

So many good things are happening in this area, Sister Church and I are going to baptize all the people! Well, probably not but at least 1 or 2 of them this transfer, hopefully.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love, Sister Christensen

    NEW COMPANION                                    
                                      

So we had transfer calls on Saturday. Sister Hansen is moving to Liverpool Zone and I am staying in Wrekin and serving with Sister Church. I think she was foreordained to be a missionary. 

This week was really good. We didn't have a ton of lessons but I still learned so much. I am sad that Sister Hansen is leaving. I have learned the most from her. She never gets mad at me or rebukes me. She is patient and loving and diligently works toward being the most obedient missionary she can be. I don't know how I'm going to serve without her but she is going to be so good in her new area! She has made such a difference here.

We have one new investigator that we met this week. His mom is a member and his dad is an investigator that the Elders teach. His mom is completely deaf, so it is difficult to communicate with her because she won't learn sign language. We were visiting her and he came in and was very upset. He was also drunk. About a half an hour later, he came back in the room and told us all about his situation "so that we didn't get the wrong impression of him." He has had a hard life but he still believes in God. He recognized that we were there to help him and wants to overcome smoking and drinking. It was such a miracle! I am so excited to teach him because I know how the gospel will bless him and his family.

I hope you all have a great week! I love you so much!

Love, Sister Christensen

Royal Air Force Museum with new convert

Chemistry 

Our dated investigator, Derek, came to church yesterday! It was such a miracle! We had someone go pick him up, but he was not ready, so they left because they were going to be late. Then someone we texted the day before, who never replied to us, picked him up. It was so important that he came to church because if he didn't, we would have had to move his date back again. I'm so excited for his baptism! He is so excited to receive the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood. It has been so great to watch how much he has changed over the past few months and the ward has been so supportive of him. I can't wait until Friday!

Sister Hansen and I went to the District Leaders Council Meeting last Saturday and we were talking about what we should do for Zone Meeting tomorrow. The theme is humility and how to overcome pride. A few weeks ago we were walking back to our flat and Sister Hansen was talking about the Natural Man and how we need to overcome that in order to follow Christ. I then took that and applied to chemistry, because that is how I roll. Then Sister Hansen told the zone leaders about it and now we have to give a training about how to overcome the natural man. 

We are trying to get some ultraviolet beads, the ones that are white and then change color in the sun. When they are white, that is the natural man. When they are in the sunshine and change color, that is when we overcome our natural state, turn to "the Son" and develop into whatever colour we were preordained to. It takes energy and effort to follow the commandments and change. 

I hope everyone has a blast at Lake Powell! Love you!

Love, Sister Christensen

Multi Zone Conference with Pres. & Sister Preston

                                            

This week was great! I went on exchange and had lead my area for 48 hours. It was really stressful but I learned so much! I'm starting to know how to navigate, lead out in lessons, make the best of awkward situations and find when there is nothing else to do. We did about 5 hours of finding on Friday because we didn't have any appointments. So we walked about 20 miles throughout the day, I think. But we found 4 new investigators this week, about 6 potential investigators, had over 10 lessons on the spot, and handed out a bunch of pass along cards! It just shows that when you stop everyone the Lord puts in your path, you can find plenty of people who are prepared to hear the gospel. Which can be kind of hard in a small town with not lots of people walking around but it is possible! Finding is the best. I just love being a missionary! 

We taught a referral named N last week and we taught her the restoration and about the Book of Mormon. She was so perceptive! She's been to church before and wants to learn more about it. She accepted to be baptized as well! I am so blessed to be serving here in Wrekin. There are so many kind people here who are earnestly searching for the truth.

We've been working with the members a lot and we are getting more people to fellowship with us. It is so special to see the members get more involved and excited about missionary work. We need the members more than anything. When they come to lessons and really connect with the investigators, the conversion process runs so much smoother. They feel cared about and feel that when they come to church that the people there are there to help them. The members of this ward are great, I've loved getting to know them while I've been here. They are so strong in their testimonies, since there are not that many. They have built their foundation on the sure rock of Christ. Helaman 5:12

I love you and hope you have a good week! Happy Birthday Jacob!

Love, Sister Christensen

We made a proper Tea yesterday.  So excited, we are glowing!