Jesus 2020

 

Hello everyone!!! 

I can't believe it is already November!! 

Time is flying. I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!! 

My halloween was celebrated with receiving transfer calls...haha nothing spookier for a missionary than getting these calls on Halloween! And on that note, I did receive a somewhat frightening but exciting call! I have been called to be a trainer and will be picking up a brand new missionary tomorrow! I'm staying here in mighty Kirkland with my companion Hermana Zacarias and we will be joined by our cute new greenie, Hermana Bringhurst! I am so excited. I sure am sad to see my companion Hermana Mason leave me so soon but I know I have made a life long best friend with her! She will do great in her new area. I'm pretty nervous for tomorrow but ready for this next challenge!! I'm hoping I can lovingly welcome this new Hermana into the mission field and help her develop the same love I have for this area, these people and our Savior Jesus Christ. It's going to be an awesome transfer!! 

The past 6 weeks have flown by! I have grown a lot and have come to rely on the Holy Ghost even more as a missionary and as a companion. I have also come to better realize the love that my Heavenly Father has for me and for each of His children this transfer. I am so grateful for the things I have learned the last month and a half and am looking forward to even more experiences with all of our investigators! 

Our last week of the transfer went well! But it definitely a humbling week for us and we saw a lot of lessons fall through and lots of people bail. Nevertheless, we worked hard and stayed busy to try and end the transfer on a high note...and we did! This past Sunday we had 4 of our sweet investigators sitting with us at church! The Flores family was there right on time in their new Sunday best and our friend Herman joined us as well! We were so happy that all of them could attend and enjoy the strong spirit that came with our fast and testimony meeting. Every single testimony given was about missionary work!!! It was perfect. I'll admit that at times I can be skeptical about inviting a lot of investigators to a fast and testimony meeting (because let's be honest...you never know what could happen haha) but it was great! It was such an amazing way to end the week and the transfer. Keep the Flores family and Herman in your prayers!!

To end, I would like to share just a quick thought that has been running through my head today! With so many of my good friends enduring the first weeks of their missions right now and finding out that I would be training a new missionary, the past few days I have been thinking about what my personal desires and motivations were to serve a mission in those early stages. Looking back, I think one of the strongest pulls for me to serve a mission was the sense of purpose. I knew that as a missionary I would be dedicating 18 months of my life to serving others, focusing on the Savior and forgetting myself. My testimony has grown so much since then but that same desire and purpose has stuck with me! I know my purpose as a missionary is to make the world a better place by small and loving actions of faith. These thoughts led me to the scripture I chose for my missionary plaque that hangs in the Princeton ward building back home. I feel that this verse is so fitting for the times we are living and serving in!

Ether 12:4

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

I love this verse so much! This verse truly helped me pinpoint my desire and intention to find a bigger purpose before and during my mission. I know it truly testified to me that through my faith, good works and steadfast service I would be creating a strong "hope for a better world". I hope all of you can find the same reassurance that I did, whether or not you are or have been a missionary! We all can find a better world "even a place at the right hand of God" when we choose to exercise our faith and abound in good works. With the chaos, hate, confusion and division in our country lately, I want all of you to remember this verse of scripture and choose a better world through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Choose Jesus 2020!! 

I love you all so much!! I hope this email finds you happy, healthy and safe!! Thank you for all the emails and support. Hearing from any of you makes my day!! 

Sending love from sunny Seattle!!

Difícil es bueno. 

Xoxoxoxo Hermana Christensen 

Happy Halloweiner

trailer park finds

Kirkland Sisters