September 28, 2009 - Transfer to Tai pao city

Branch President and his wife

My new companion, Elder Shane Eric Gallager, from Joplin Missouri!

Summer and KlaraElder Cleaver

Hello My Beautiful Family!Thats right i am in my new area right now! I am out of Heng chun and now I am up north in another rural place haha I still havn't served in the city lol! No by the way my new companion is so cool! We are going to do great things! His name is Elder Shane Eric Gallagher! He is from Joplin Missouri! Kind of by Laura right? He is 21 and on his last move! haha I get to kill him as us missionaries like to say! My new companion was just talking to the Mission President and asked him how I was doing, and told him that I have alot of fire! That's why I am here in Taibao so I can do great things like get 20 investigators at church! haha sorry I forgot to tell you that! We didnt get 20 down in heng chun but I want to see it happen down here! Anyways last night I went to bed at 12 packing dont worry I was allowed to do that. I woke up at 6:30 rode a shuttle 2 hours to gao xiong then a train another 2 to jia yi and met my companion went shopping at the care 4. I got some new pants! Then a taxi ride 40 minutes to my new area! Wow right now I am tired so bear with me please! ALYEA you passed i am so proud of you! ya prayer truly does work, dad is awesome I wish I could have a blessing from him! Wow Tanner comes home on Tuesday! Time flies like an arrow! haha chinese idiom! cool huh? Hey can you please tape his homecoming talk and send it to me? That would mean alot to me to hear all about his mission. Yes i got the advil gels thank you so much those work great! It's funny I had a bad headache one morning then that package came that afternoon and it stopped my headache in 10 minutes! good stuff. So when I got my move call on Saturday night I was really excited to move up north by the way still in gaoxiung area not taizhong but I am sure my next area will be up there! For now I am excited for a new start! But I loved heng chun all of the members there were sad I had to leave expecillaly the branch pres. and his wife I have a pic of that. Also klara!!!!! she ended up not getting baptized but before I left I testified one last time last night that she needs to join this church she is looking for happiness in life but does'nt quite understand she can't find it unless she is baptized and receives the holy ghost! Also some stuff I told her didn't make sense because she didn't have the spirit! Someday she will get it! This is the one that has great english and went to play with us on most every p-day! We pushed really hard to get her baptized last Sat. but she is too hard hearted she knows this church is true already passed her baptismal interview! I don't know maybe needs some more time! Anways that's the past I am so excited for the future! I heard we have some great investigators here hopefull I can help this area out and get these people into the waters of baptism! SO ya mom I remember that zone conference! President Hoer is a stud he climbed that mountain to see the volcano when other people told him NO WAY! ya and the marathon race in 24 hours lol! haha what's this sisters name? maybe i know her! So ya I got my camera back it is good I will treat it better! So everyone in hengchun wants me to come back and visit! On sunday I had to give a talk cuz I was leaving I talked about godliness! That was a fun talk to prepare! I will tell you a funny story! Summer was going to talk before me! She was assigned 15 minutes and me 20! So at fhe I was joking with her saying I will give her money to do the longer talk because my chinese is bad! she said no!!! so when it was my turn Summer did her 15 min. and I accidently stayed up there for 30 minutes!!!! She yelled at me after jokingly saying you did 30 min and you were complaining about 20! haha good experience cuz we all know I love giving talks I just didn't know I could talk for 30 minutes in chinese! haha that was cool! So heng chun by far might be my favorite area I was there for 4 months and i definitely want to take you all back there with me! So I told everyone not to be sad cuz I want to come back and visit them in june of 2011! wow thats a long ways away! but that will be great to see all my new members and investigators again! So like I said earlier my new comp is way sweet! I just found out he is deaf in his right ear 8 % hearing born with it! so i guess he will ride on my left side! I was talking to him and he said what sorry I am deaf in one ear! so this guy defenitly is humble and I hope to learn alot from him this move!

I love you all Love, Elder Christensen

p.s tell tanner i love him and he should shoot me a letter when he readjusts to Babylon (world)

September 23, 2009 - Letter

Hello my beautiful family!

WOW i was not expecting something like that today! Brycson i am so glad you are ok! wow a ruptured appendix! sounds like that hurts. i am really lucky because i don't remember pain or anything at all! can my bro still play baseball? i hope so cuz you are going to make it to the Bigs one day buddy! no ruptured appendix is going to stop you!!! man i wish i could be there! Max thank you so much for standing in for me! you truly are a blessing to my family! i miss you all so much i wish i could talk to you all! please keep praying for him to get better and maybe you should all do a family fast for brycson! fasting brings so many blessings! Hey is tanner home? i thought that was him in the picture!maybe not? ya and i saw nick! tell him thanks for watching out and supporting my little bro! haha also when you say the hearns i am thinking of mr. hearn my drama teacher! hopefully you can clear that up for me! This week not much happened! i dont know what to write i am so shocked! this saturday we get move calls so i am very nervous. i think i might be moving but i hope not! you had a baptism last friday it was really awesome! i gave my first talk in chinese since i have been in taiwan! it was awesome! i prepared what i wanted to say and i didnt want to be up there for a long time! i ended up staying up there for 10 minutes instead of 5. i felt the spirit leading me! to answer your question mom sorry i havnt worn contacts for 2 months. my next area i plan to wear my glassess every day. the wind and pollution is crazy down here. it started to hurt wearing them so i took them out! plus everyone even missionaries think that i look better in glassess lol.! thanks for a letter every week! i really love that you answer all my questions every time! haha ya i know ilove the explanation marks!!!! your funny mommy! How are all the rest of the kids doing? ya brinae is a trooper that was really sweet of her to stay with him all night! how bout alyea did you get your license yet? Drayson everything will be ok! keep praying that brycson will recover fast! so you two can play ball with eachother! see how important it is to not fight with your brother you never know when he could be gone! love him and please take care of him ok? He was probably as scared as you were! I am glad that you are there to keep him company. Is everybody excited about general conference coming up? i know i am! general conference i want to invite everyone together to watch ! wow my english is so bad! that actually makes sense in chinese! that is cool you chose a chinese doctor i also beleive that was a sign too! plus chinese doctors are very smart and their technology in medicine is far better than ours at this time! sorry this is short today i am running out of time and i dont have much more to say but i want you all to know that you are in my prayers! i promise if you watch conference together brycson will be better and you all can learn to build better relationships with eachother and focus on what things matter most in life and that is FAMILY! I love you all!
Love elder christensen

p.s Brycson you are strong buddy! Remember that heavenly father is there when you are feeling sad and sick right now! please thank him in a sincere personal prayer for saving your life! if it wasnt for the priesthood blessing you had you might not be here! that was a miracle! heavenly father healed you through dad and max! never forget that! one day you will be able to use your priesthood to bless and heal others! but for now learn what the priesthood is and strive to obtain the melchezedic priesthood! i bet he still wants you to be alive so when you turn 19 you can serve a mission for him! also remember you cant get to heavenly father unless you focus on jesus christ! everything is made possible through christ! he is the way, the truth and the light! when you remember to keep his commandments you will be blessed! Butwhen you don't you are damned! damned means can not progress! you are also lucky to have taken the sacrament at the hospital that must of been very special! brycson tonight i want you to read 2 nephi chapter 31 verse 20 and 21 it is about enduring to the end! through your trials you can overcome them because of jesus christ! this is my favorite scripture in the book of mormon! i hope it can be yours too!
I love you buddy!

P.S.S Brycson is #1!!!! Go lakers!

September 19, 2009 - Picture

September 16, 2009 - Letter

Hello My Beautiful Family!

We just got back from playing! Today we went to another National Park! Over looking the pacific ocean! P-day is over right at 6 so we both went home and showered really quick so we can still have 1 hour to e-mail! The park was really beautiful, Elder Cleaver is going to print some pics out for me because my camera is in Taibei getting fixed. Last week the lens would'nt stay out, I think Alyea had the same problem? Well I could of prevented it, we went to the beach a lot down here and some sand got stuck in the lens. That was because my case got sand in it and I didn't notice it till last week cuz I could take no pictures! So I am sorry! It's going to be 4150 Taiwan. So american I think it is 136. So if you could make sure there is enough money in my account I don't want to bounce you! I think it will be done in 2 more days! So that should be enough time to add money right? Stink im sorry I hate asking to use my card, but i have to fix it! Thanks for understanding.....So yesterday was sweet we went to Gao xiong for sorry i accidently hit something to make me type chinese characters so I sent that last one to make sure it didn't delete...

Anyways we went to Gao Xiong yesterday for a combined district training meeting. (CDTM) we learned how to manage our time and to talk with everyone! It really helped me out that's hard to do sometimes talk to everyone you see! But last night we saw success because of it! I had my interview with the President! It was awesome he taught me a lot of good things from Preach my Gospel on how to set a good goal and accomplish it because of my desire! As a companionship the last two weeks we set a goal to get 20 people to church! Last week we had only 6 but the President said dont get discouraged or lose faith! As we are being obedient we will hit this goal because it is the desire of our heart! Then he asked how my obedience has been to the new rules! I told him no problems and I am honestly 100 percent obedient! He thought that was great too hear and he is really pleased with our Zone and this time we have 26 baptisms and Elder Cleaver and I might get one on Friday! We don't know yet cuz our investigator has to go to school and come to church for 2 years! So if he got baptized on Friday and can't get the Holy Ghost on Sunday there is no way we can do it! So please pray for Li Zhong xian! haha he is trully amazing, he finally has given up his 2 girlfriends and will marry one when he goes back toTai Dong! The law of chastity has been a problem for him for a long time but last night he passed his interview! So we want a baptism so bad!

Wow Drayson hit a home run! I am so proud of him what a stud you are buddy! haha when I read that I said so whats the big deal but I forgot you are in Babe Ruth now Dray!!! Ya I never did that congrats! Thats also way cool you are the Giants! Sport their colors with pride! So bryscon should get one soon I assume! Brinae all of your friends are going on missions what's going on? lol...Max wrote me last week, and he said since Rick Duin left he wants to post a advertisment and accept applications for a new friend until I come home! haha Brin you should do the same! He also said that you were jealous everyone got a keychain! Don't worry I bought one today because last time there was no green to match the exursion! So I will send that as soon as I can for you Mommy! You know I love you and would'nt forget you! The one I found is actually better quality then everyones else! haha

Alright I have time for one miracle today! Dad thank you for that insight! Ya now I know the Holy Ghost prompted you many times to protect us or wake you up from a dead sleep! It is so amazing to feel the Holy Ghost every day and see the miracles God hands to us! So last Friday at 4 we were riding to the church an out of the alley way was a girl and her brothers scooter that almost t-boned me! I am going to cry right now cuz Ican't beleive how protected I am! Before they came around the corner I heard a voice say BRAKE! I ignored it then again it said Watch Out! As I looked to the right this scooter came inches away from me as I was braking! The girl said sorry and I said its ok! As I was riding away if the 2 voices were'nt enough the Holy Ghost prompted me to stop and wave them back over to the side of the road! When they came over again another prompting I didn't even introduce who I was all I said was hey would you two like a tour of our church...the girl said right now? I said ya can you follow me they said ya ok!!!!! to make a long story short as we were sitting down with them after a short tour, we were talking about god and prayer and the girl says out of no where how do I join your church? We smiled and invited them both to be baptized!!! they said yes and last Sunday came to church for the first time for 2 hours! this morning we sacraficed e-mail so we could go over there and spend 20 minutes building a good friendly relationship...that's not it! Last night we went tracting into a random area the first house was a guy that was really nice and said to come back saturday at 830! This morning the brother called and said last night why did you come to our house you know we didn't want you to know where we lived! We said that was your dad! That is destiny and defenitly in gods hands! We hope to baptize their whole family!!! Because of our obedience right now we continue to see miracles every day what a blessing it is to be a missionary for the lord!!!!

love you

love Elder Christensen!!!!

September 8, 2009 - Letter

Hello my Beautiful Family!

This week was really sweet! Full of tons of miracles! Before I get to those I will answer your questions! Yes, I got your letters, I was expecting that package for Zone Conference but they send all packages right away so when I got home my Laker stuff was all there, I was so excited! Shout out to Max I love you Bro! Thank you so much, that shirt meant so much to me! Which one was way harder to buy kobes MVP or this one? Haha you better answer that question! Drayson thank you for the hat! I love it! Especially the years we won! Haha I didn't know we won in 88 way cool! Also 15 time champs is pretty awesome as well maybe one day we will catch the Celtics! Last shout out to my other brother from another Mother!! Nick!!!! Happy 21st b-day!! I meant to say that last week but I forgot! I hope you know I was thinking about you at Zone Conference . I hope you had a good one without me! So Mom, the dog whistle does not work it makes the dogs bark louder! What can we do about that? Can you please do some research on maybe how to use it if I am using it wrong! I think it's to train your dog only! Oh well let me know about that. lol.

I can't wait till Winter, I hate sweating everyday! haha I heard it gets cold here though! Might need to buy a coat I heard! I'm not sick anymore but ya Advil would be nice for the future I don't like Tylenol, Advil works the best! Thanks for your help! Wow I am glad the boys are ok if it gets worse please give them a blessing! I have hand sanitizer! Really good stuff I always use it's better than Purell. By the way Mommy don't cry but I know you have waited for this day I don't know if it's the Swine Flu scare or me finally growing up but I am happy to say I have stopped biting my nails!!!! I will send you a picture when they grow out more! Ya I have changed a lot I know! Kinda scares me sometimes! But it's for the better! Brinae I love you, you busy xin ku worker! Write me a hand written letter soon! Dad did you ever talk to Brandon Block? I would like his address please! That's sweet we have a AAA team now I hope I can umpire on that field some day! Darn Dodgers! I hope the Giants will make it too!

Ok story time and I have time for one good one! 2 nights ago we were tracting by the church and the area was all really Buddhist! We got rejected 3 times in a row and the family we found that afternoon set up for 8:30 that night but wasn't home! Not to mention the whole day a lot of investigators died! (sorry uh we will stop meeting with them!) Missionary slang haha so anyways the people we were meeting with were really pridefull telling us why Buddhism and Taoism is the best and not even willing to open their hearts and listen to us many times they talked the whole time cuz they are too hard hearted! When they don't understand we are the ones that have the truth and they should be listening to us! My companion was really bold that day, he said toone of them in chinese your ideas are like a spider web they are all tangled up in your mind and you have no clear path or point! haha I love Elder Cleaver! We were both pretty frustrated that day! I mentioned a couple times saying if we are right and you are wrong then what? Like Dad said to Josh a long time ago and our investigator Luke form Cali also really not humble! I told him yesterday I wish we can flash forward to the after life and tell you I told you so!!!! We are very passionate about the gospel and hurts to be rejected but we deal with it and move on to find those that are prepared! Anyways back to the story we were tracting and this guy and his wife were sitting outside, Elder Cleaver said ni hao and the old man said zou kai! Which means beat it and it's very rude usually you say this to dogs! Then he stood up and said you beat it! So I quickly ran away from him when he stood up! I'm telling you the spirit yelled get away from him...Elder Cleaver oblivious to all this stood there all bold looking thinking bring it man! And the guy reached for a small pole and started waving it at us! Then Elder Cleaver realized this guy was not messing around! Ya so I don't know if he was drunk or just hates Christians but pretty crazy experience for both of us! I love you all and I am still safe, the Lord protects his Missionaries!

Love Elder Christensen p.s. will send the pic next week! sorry

September 2, 2009 - Letter

Hello Everybody!

Hey Mommy sorry it was so late last week....Summer had to work at 4 so everyone thought it would be better to play in the morning so we would have more time...that's good you don't wait up for me because I never know when we are going to e-mail until the day of. Today we were going to go in the morning again but they called this morning and changed it to 11: 45! Yes I was excited cuz I hate to wait too! So today we are going on a hike...don't know where yet..we will talk about it at lunch at my favorite shui jiao restraunt! pot stickers lol...haha my english is so bad!

Yes I got your typed letter that is way smart have everyone do that because it's easier to read and I can read a lot about whats going on...I was super excited to see it was 3 pages long! Yes I also got Brinae's letter and dads! Brinae you sound like you are doing good, I am happy you found a mormon boy! Don't get to attached though cuz he still has to serve the lord with all of his heart mind might and strength!

Haha you are learning Chinese because I can't type in English anymore! WA SAI! WOW! Ya I am so happy you got your present Alyea I hope you liked it! Are you ready to get your licence? A little tip that might help whenever you turn put your blinker on don't forget that they will mark you down and if you don't look behind your shoulder..don't be lazy and use the mirrors like I used to do! Really dangerous! Speaking of that, yesterday a recent missionary that I knew, Elder Ryan his mission has been over since June but he came back to Taiwan because he met a girl in one of the areas he served in. He came to church on Sunday so it was cool seeing him again a little weird because he didn't look like a missionary anymore! Anyways yesterday he calls us up and he said he needed a blessing, long story short he went down to the beach with his girl but drove a friends scooter instead of renting a car. He wanted to pass a big semi but ran out of time because an on going car was coming. He swerved back into his lane and hit a car so they both went skidding! When we showed up at Klara's house he was pretty banged up with road rash but no broken bones, his girlfriend was worse but still nothing too severe! Moral of the story, he used his mirrors instead of looking back because the car was in his blind spot! I will tell ya what I love priesthood blessings. They both asked for one and as I was annointing Daniel Ryan and Elder Cleaver gave him a blessing. The spirit was there and I felt it through the annointing and the blessing. Afterwards I wondered if that happens every time because I havn't done many priesthood blessings before. So we did another one for his girl and again the spirit was there but stronger. I didn't want to take my hands off her head because I knew when I did I couldn't feel the spirit anymore! I am pretty sure they will be fine but I am just so happy I am worthy to hold Gods priesthood to help others that are in need! I wished I could feel the spirit 24/7. I have never felt it this strong in my entire life. I can finally decipher whether it is the spirit or not because I am at that spiritual mature phase in my life.

Dad I remember asking you what does the spirit feel like? I did not understand what that meant at that time. But NOW I DO! I have truly learned how to use the spirit to lead and guide me to those that are prepared to receive the gospel and be baptized. Yesterday even though I have been really sick since saturday I set four baptismal dates on the street! I was just standing there outside of 7-11 looking for people to contact when one of them contacted me! That is what I'm talking about when you have the spirit god will lead people to you and he will lead you to people! I know thats true! I love feeling the Holy Ghost every day. So one last experience then I have to go! Sunday was hard I had a bad cough and a spliting headache and no energy but I still went to church but afterwards I couldnt go outside and preach I called the assisstants they said I could sleep from 2-3 but then I had to get outside to preach the rest of the night! I was feeling really bad and upset because originally he said I can have till 5 but changed his mind. As I was outside that afternoon we were getting rejected a lot. I wasn't sure why and didnt pay much attention cuz I was moving slow trying to do what I could do to tract and open my mouth. After dinner I told my companion hey we didn't set one date let's pray for the spirit and to have a strong desire to find new people! As we did that that night I felt better my energy came back and the headache was gone! We ended up setting up 7 dates that night in only 3 hours! Then as we got home as soon as we walked in the front door I felt my energy leave me and my headache come back! I just laughed cuz i knew god gave me strength to finish up that night! Elder Cleaver got sick on Thursday and I got it from him on Saturday. Today I still have a cough but it is slowly going away! The best part was sister Hoer thought I was at home while we were tracting at 4 but when she called and I answered and told her we are tracting and I set one date with a family! He was really pleased to hear that and said I would be blessed for still working while I was sick! It hasnt been fun the last 4 days but we have been seeing miracles and our numbers every night show that we found a lot of new people and still keeping busy despite this sickness that we both have! I am excited to see them tomorrow at Zone Conference! It should be a good one! I hope you enjoyed my stories, I love you all!

Love, Elder Christensen=20

This is Graham, our investigator from Canada!