Babies Taking on Kirkland

Hello everyone!!! 

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the warm fall weather in Utah. It's getting cold here and fast!!! But wow- what a crazy week! Seriously an emotional rollercoaster. 

This past week I reached 4 months of being a missionary and officially finished my training. It's all so exciting! I'm grateful for everything I've learned and experiencing the past few months and am looking forward to what the next few months have in store.

I'll quickly update you all on the transfer news I received on Saturday! My companions and I celebrated my month mark by spending our lunch break down at the beach with some Jimmy John's! I even had a little surprise party thrown for me by the english sisters in my zone! It was awesome. That high quickly faded when we received a call from the AP's! We knew Hermana Fredrickson was finishing her mission this transfer but we found out that Hermana Mather is being transferred to Federal Way and I am staying here in Kirkland area and becoming a trainer...not what I thought would be happening. I'll be second transfer training another Hermana (which means she has 6 weeks in the mission field already but needs to finish being trained) and becoming a trio with another Hermana that came to Seattle the same day I did. Crazy news! This is a lot of change but change is always good! I think Heavenly Father knows I was getting a little too comfortable and so He really pulled the rug out from under me hahaha! Hard is good. I am so excited (and so nervous) to start this next chapter of my mission where I know I'll see a lot of growth and progress! Please send prayers my way! Especially for the gift of tongues! 

I will miss my trainers dearly and will always cherish the memories I had with them the past 2 transfers. I learned so much from each of them and am so grateful to have had these two Hermanas start off my mission on such a high note. My two new companions are awesome!!! Hermana Zacarias and Hermana Mason. They are both Utah girls like me and are so much fun to be around. We are all so young and all have so much to learn. We are a little intimidated to take on Kirkland by ourselves but I know that both President Beardall and Heavenly Father have our back and that if we trust Him, we'll find success! I can't wait for these next 6 weeks. Babies taking on Kirkland!! 

Other than transfers happening, we had a solid week of finding and teaching! All of our investigators are doing great and we are trying to find more people to begin teaching as well. Our latest finding hot spot has been in front of local mexican stores offering free english classes! This gives us the opportunity to visit people in their homes, teach english and leave them with gospel messages and commitments. We are finding good success and I am excited! It always pays off to be creative and positive in everything we attempt to do! 

I really saw Heavenly Father's hand in my missionary service these past few days. Earlier the past week, I was feeling pretty discouraged and found myself thinking about home. I had a few long days and struggled to be super motivated and excited about the work. I was feeling a little inadequate and found it hard to keep a positive attitude. Multiple times I found myself on my knees praying to my Heavenly Father for strength and courage, to not just get through the day, but to become a more involved and dedicated missionary. At first I didn't feel immediate relief and didn't have all of my worries wiped away. But as I continued to pray in my heart, put a smile on my face and just bury myself in missionary work, I saw many tender mercies that answered my prayers! Whether it was something small like finding personal confidence in all the contacting and teaching I did, to the big things like receiving a phone call that I would soon be needing to take on my area without my trainers, I knew He was there. Heavenly Father knew exactly what I needed to do to be in a better mindset and do my best in every part of the work. He knew how I was feeling and what I needed to do to achieve my potential that day. I have such a grateful heart knowing that my Heavenly Father knows and loves me perfectly. I know that when each of us kneel down to ask for help, we might not receive the answer we expected or wanted in that moment but that He will always answer our prayers in small and natural ways. I love being a missionary and truly being able to observe the hand of the Lord in everything we do! It's the most rewarding job ever. 

I will leave you all with a quote that I was sent by my sweet family members, Deb and Steve Whipple! I love this so much and wanted to share it with you all.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to manifest God's glory within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." 

-Marianne Williamson 

Let your light shine this week! The glory of God is in all of us, we just need to let it show.

I love you all so much! Have the best week. You are all in my thoughts and prayers daily.

Sending love from sunny Seattle!!!

Difícil es bueno.

Xoxooxo Hermana Christensen

4 months as a missionary!

Finished training!

Last pic of the Kirkland Sisters

Babies taking on Kirkland...Hermana Mason, Hermana Zacarias & ME!