ELDER RYAN DALE CHRISTENSEN: December 4, 2008 - Ryan After He Was Set Apart As A Full Time Missionary

Family and Friends waiting for Ryan and the Stake President Clair Earl

Ryan was set apart by Stake President Clair Earl

Here is the prayer that Ryan was given:

December 4, 2008

Ryan Dale Christensen

In the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Holy Melchezedic Priesthood that I hold and acting in my office in this Stake under the direction of the First Presidency I lay my hands upon your head and set you apart as a full time missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to serve in the Taiwan Kaohsiung Mission for twenty four months and I confer upon you the rights, powers, privileges and blessings of this respected and honored assignment in the church and confer upon you the title of Elder as you serve as a full time Missionary.

Heavenly Father is mindful of you at this time, happy in your decision, wanting to be a full time Missionary. Ryan I bless you as you go forward in this service as you dedicate your energies, your thoughts, your mind, your efforts to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to teach the truth restored to teach the wonderful people in Taiwan about our Heavenly Fathers’ love and to teach of our relationship to him that we are spirit sons and daughters of Heavenly parents that were here on this earth with a divine nature and purpose and destiny. You will teach the basic doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ to a people who's culture and religious background is so different than here in Reno and the United States but a people who are reverent who have respect for sacred things and sacred principles and who love family members and have such caring about one another in their families and you will teach and testify of truths of Priesthood restored that families can be together for time and eternity. You will teach of Jesus Christ, of his love, his atonement, his mission. You will teach these basic doctrines and I bless you that the Holy Ghost will accompany you as you teach and that the Holy Ghost will be present in the lessons as you teach and that by the power of the Holy Ghost your witness and testimony will be received as truth by many.

I bless you as you study the Mandarin language that you will be assisted and that our Heavenly Father's help will pour out upon you. That you will learn the language and the inflections in order that you can share truths, you can share pleasantries of aquaintenship which leads to lessons that you can share the doctrine of the gospel. I bless you in your preparation and I bless you as you write lessons of doctrines preparing yourself and then I bless you with recall because of your two year study of the gospel of preach my gospel of scriptures and then your preparation of study and of writing and then recall because you will be in situations where on occasions there will be very limited opportunity by way of minutes for you to share a gospel doctrine message and I bless you to do that. On other occasions you will have more time and then I bless you with fluency in the Mandarin language as you study, that you can express your testimony of truth restored of Apostles and Prophets of the Prophet of the restoration Joseph Smith and of the living Prophet today who is President of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson and that there are Apostles and Prophets on the earth as Jesus organized his church when he walked the earth and that there will be through the Holy Ghost an acceptance of this message that you teach.

I bless you with health; I bless you with protection against the adversary. As I bless you with the Holy Ghost Ryan, it will help you in preparation, it will help you in teaching, it will help you in speaking, it will help you in persuasion of truth. I bless you that in your prayers that you will be receptive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. On occasion you will receive a warning from the Holy Ghost, heed each warning, be mindful that you are being guided. Be obedient, be obedient to every mission rule and your Mission President will sense your devotion, your obedience, your willingness to serve and you will be given assignments under inspiration where you will gain the Mission Presidents trust and he will assign you on occasion a difficult assignment and you will be able through your efforts and through Heavenly Father's help and through the Holy Ghost to guide and prompt you to carry out these assignments well.

Through you I bless your family members that as a result of your faithful and devoted service as a full time Missionary and your diligence and devotion that there will be blessings flow to your family members, direction, peace, comfort, know that there will be many prayers offered in your behalf. You will feel the influence for good, the power of humble prayers offered for your well being and here family members and friends will know of your service and your prayers for family members to share the gospel, to live the gospel, to be an example here while you serve as a way of helping and sustaining and supporting you on your mission.

Continue to love the scriptures, continue to feast upon the scriptures, continue to prayerfully study the scriptures and the Holy Ghost will teach you and show you and guide you in that which you should do. We are grateful for your enthusiasm to become a Missionary. Your personality will help you as you interact with members of the church and our friends in being able to share testimony. Draw upon family experiences to teach. Draw upon the organization and strength of Ward, Ward organizations which will help you as you interact with leaders in Branches and Wards for partnering members, full time Missionaries, to share the enthusiasm and the excitement of the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation.

I bless you as you go forward in preparing, in learning the Mandarin language, in strengthening yourself spiritually, emotionally, physically for this exciting, rigorous effort as a full time Missionary. I express for many our sustaining for you, our love for you, and to this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen