A crazy but amazing week of working, training, learning and planning!

Hey Mom! Wow this week has been absolutely so completely crazy I cannot even believe it!!! It´s so crazy though! I don´t feel like the same missionary that I was the last cambio!!! So much has happened and sadly I haven´t had any time to write in my journal so it’s kind of lame, but I will try to write as much as I can now!!

 Wow, already this cambio has been more than I could have ever imagined! I have learned so much in just one week and I can´t believe how blessed I am to be with the people I am with learning the things I am learning! I learned so much, and I have seen the differences in the work as I have tried to apply the things I learned! I am more than happy! This week our companionship studies have totally changed! Instead of just doing some practicas, it´s changed into a learning opportunity of spiritual growth! 

To answer your questions:

1. Ignacio is so good! This week he came to church as is becoming friends with the other guys in young mens! I know he is going to get baptized! He is amazing! But I´m sad that I can´t teach him since I’m not longer in his sector :( 

2. My new sector is awesome! We have about 5 investigators, none are progressing because they didn´t come to church, but it doesn´t mean we aren´t seeing miracles! 

3. My companion is amazing! She is such an amazing teacher! She knows how to help the people open up! It´s incredible!! Hermana Morales is probably one of the most Christ-like people I have every met! And she is SO focused on the work! I have learned so much from her in just one week! She is always serving, loving, helping and working to improve! We are a great team! I feel totally grateful to have her as my companion! I don´t know what I did to deserve her! SHE IS A MIRACLE!!!! SHE IS TOTALLY INCREDIBLE!!!!!! I LOVE my companion! I do not know what I did to deserve a companion so focused, so Christ-like, and so full of love. I have already learned so much from her in just one week! I feel like this cambio we were put together to work. Really really work. And It´s amazing because this cambio I put a goal to completely forget myself in the work. Completely and entirely give my whole heart to the Lord.  And with Hermana Morales, it´s so easy to forget about myself, and give all my efforts to help others! I feel so blessed! 

 4. I have been doing amazing! I feel like I have really stepped up my game as a missionary!!! It´s been amazing! I love my compi! And I love Hermana Ellingson, she is also from Utah and is like... PERFECT!!! She is amazing! She is Hermana Franco’s new compi! And they love each other SO much!

Reunited with Hermana A. at the Leader training meeting

5. Okay, as coordinadoras (sister training leaders), there used to be just one in each zone.  But now we are a team and over 2 zones!  I am so grateful for that! We have had lots of trainings and it’s been incredible because my whole vision of the mission has changed, and I realized how much I can improve, and WOW I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!!  We have lots of goals to help the Hermanas this cambio! In our Leaders Meeting with Elder Mesias and Elder Porter, we learned a lot, and this cambio they invited us to focus completely on the missionaries and their conversion, and how we can help them really give their hearts to the Lord. Hermana Morales and I planned out our intercambios (exchanges with the other sisters) for this cambio and called all the Hermanas in our zones. Other goals included that we decided to think about and pray for one girl in specific every day of the week, and to really focus on them and how we can help them. Also, we made a SWOT chart with Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for each Hermana so we can recognize how we can help them reach their potential and strengthen their weaknesses. I love our Hermanas! They are amazing! But yeah! This week we will be starting intercambios and then we will really see how we can help them! I love them! And I love being a missionary!!! 

But wow, that´s about it for this week! I am really exciting for all the amazing things that are going to happen this cambio! I LOVE this gospel, and I know the only way to truly be happy is when we give the Lord our heart, because he will make so much more out of us than we can make for ourselves! Thank you mom, you are amazing! I love you so much!!! 

Changes! A new sector, a new companion and a new assignment as a Sister Training Leader (Coordinadora)

OH MY! THE MISSION IS SO CRAZY!!! So for a quick lil' sum up of everything that happened, first of all this week we put a baptismal date with an investigator, then found out that he assisted in robbery that night, and he´s moving. Wow. Ha-ha and C... she has some other complications, but every time a door closes another one opens! Remember I., our miracle? We put a fecha with him! And his sister and uncle are investigating now too! SO MANY MIRACLES I CANT BELIEVE IT!!!! 

Sadly, I am changing sectors, but I will be in the same ward- so COOL!!! My compi is staying and training a gringita!!! And I am going to be a Coordinadora with Hermana Morales!!! Which means I get to see Hermana Al Malki!!! YAAAA!!!! But I am so excited for this opportunity to learn and grow! 

Wow. I can´t believe this cambio is over, but I am so excited to apply everything I have learned to what´s ahead! I don´t feel like the same missionary at the beginning of this cambio, because I have learned so much from this sector, my amazing companion, and most of all from the Lord.  The Lord has blessed me to see so many miracles, I feel so grateful to be a part of this great work!!

Our little Rauquen C is progressing! I am so happy! I would have never imagined everything that would happen 6 weeks ago, but wow. The mission is crazy right??! But, remember I.? He is SO prepared for the gospel, more than anyone else I have met thus far in my mission, and we put a fecha with him, but this lesson his uncle and sister were present, and he bore his testimony about how he prayed and received an answer and they can too! HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY IN THE SECOND LESSON!!!  He is sooooo good!!! I can´t believe it!! He is going to change so many people´s lives when he goes on his mission!!! But with our Menos Activos, we have about 4 who are progressing, and have plans to help then attend the temple! I am so grateful for all the amazing people in our sector, and I know Hermana Franco will continue to work hard to help them progress. This work is so amazing!

All in all, I am SO grateful for this amazing cambio, amazing sector, and amazing companion and that I had the opportunity to serve in little Rauquen C! This really is the work of the Lord, I have no doubt about it. I am so happy to be a missionary!!

Wow. I can´t believe it! This next cambio is gonna be crazy but I am SO EXCITED AND SO PUMPED!!!! I LOVE THIS WORK AND I LOVE THE MISSION!!!! And I love you all so much!!! Keep sharing Christ´s light! You never know who´s heart you might touch! :) 

All my love, 

This lil' Hermana Christensen :) 

And here is a snippet from her journal pages about her new assignment as a Sister Training Leader (Coordinadora):

"So regarding my new assignment as Coordinadora, Wow.  I only have 6 months in the field.  I am now a team with Hermana Morales and we are in charge of Alameda and Ranquen, 2 zones, so all of Curico.  I am now expected to do divisions, receive revelation and give counsel to all of the sisters in 2 zones.  I know the Lord is going to have to help me a lot!  Because that’s scary!  But it’s going to be a GREAT opportunity to learn and serve.  I know it!  But wow.  I am not ready.  I gotta step up my game!  But I’m so excited, too!  Wow.  Crazy.  5^th Cambio here I come!  One thing Hermana Al-Malki told me that always resonated with me was: “The Lord does not call those who are ready, but those who are willing to do the work.”  I’M WILLING!  LET’S DO THIS!"

Spring has sprung!

A visit to Rancagua with her CCM sisters!

Cute companions!

With Hermana B in Rancagua!

I am living the dream!

Oh my goodness THE MISSION IS THE MOST AMAZING THING IN THE WORLD! I LOVE MY LIFE SO MUCH! THE CHURCH IS SO TRUE! MIRACLES ARE SO REAL!!!

Wow this week has been the most incredible week! First of all I am learning so so SO much with my companion during our personal studies and companionship studies, I can see my knowledge and faith growing so much, and I am so so happy to be here in Rauquen C! The Lord has been blessing us so much!!! We have seen so many miracles this week!!!

The fast that we had last week to find new investigators was incredible, because it totally worked!!!!! We found 3 new investigators this week! Ad., M., and I., a joven of 17 years, and the biggest miracle of my mission thus far!!! We found I. contacting his uncle, and we went back to visit his uncle but he came out, but from the first time we talked to him, we knew he was different, anyways we had our first lesson with him yesterday and he is SO PREPARED for this gospel.  I cannot believe it! We left Leccion 1 folleto con el, and we came to teach him, he had read the whole folleto, and found a Libro de Mormon in his house, prayed about the message of the Restoration and received and answer that it is true all before the first lesson!!! He told us he wants to be part of the church, and he wants to serve a mission like us! And he accepted the baptismal invitation and is SO excited! He is so hungry for the gospel it´s incredible! I can´t believe it! He is so good! I know the Lord is putting these people in our path! I feel so blessed to be able to see the Lord progress his work here in Rauquen! We are seeing SO many miracles every day and I just am so happy I get to see it all happen!

 This gospel is so true! It changes lives, and it´s changing mine. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!! I AM LIVING THE DREAM!!!

I love you all! Keep on keeping on! :)

Hermana Cris :)

I LOVE THE MISSION!

Wow, this week has been so crazy, but so good! It´s the mission, what can you expect? Okay, I am doing really good.  My companion is SO amazing! She has a gift with recognizing the spirit! En serio!!! I am learning so much from her every single day, I feel so incredibly blessed! And my coordinadora, Hermana Morales too, she has changed my life so much! I am so blessed! I LOVE THE MISSION!!!!!!!! 

Okay so this week! Adventures with brownies, alarm malfunctions, almost got bit by a dog, we found an investigator made of GOLD, my first Pday trip to 7 Tazas, and the mountains here in Chile, laughing our heads off, experiencing the first fruits of spring, and basically having the time of my life! I LOVE THE MISSION!!! 

Okay but seriously, this week we were incredibly blessed in church attendance! We had 3 menos activos and a family of four menos activos in sacrament meeting, so that´s SEVEN MENOS ACTIVOS!!! But not only that, we have 4 investigators in sacrament meeting too!! I couldn´t believe it! I felt like the sons of Mosiah in sacrament meeting, because my heart was so full of joy! There is nothing better than seeing the lives of the people change when they come to know, or come back to the gospel, it’s INCREDIBLE!!!  Gloria, a Menos activa with cancer came for the first time in over a year, and she bore her testimony, and wants to come back to church!  

Okay but miracle!!! A girl we contacted in the street last week said she was member, but it turns out she was an antigua investigator, and we taught her, and put a fecha for 3 Septiembre!!! OUR FIRST FECHA HERE IN RAUQUEN!!! Her name is Constanza, and she’s 16. She is SO AMAZING!! She told us it is her dream to get baptized, and she wants to serve a mission someday, and get sealed in the temple is her ultimate goal. She accepted the baptismal invitation with tears in her eyes, and I JUST HAVE SO MUCH LOVE FOR HER!!!!  She has problems with smoking, and in the past with other things, so we know the road isn´t going to be easy with her, but she is amazing, and for some reason, we found her in this tiempo, so we are going to work as hard as we can to help her! The work is progressing in Rauquen C! I am so blessed to be here and to be part of this great work! I LOVE THE MISSION!!!! 

If there´s one thing I know, it´s that this gospel changes people’s lives, and heals them. Totally and completely. Our Savior is the only one who can heal us, and he always will if we let him in. I love Psalms 147:3, go share it with someone who needs a little healing! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! Have the BEST week EVER!!!!! :) :) :) :) 

All the love in this little Chilean’s heart, 

Hermana Cris (haha the new nickname... ;) )

Amazing week working with menos activos!

Hola Everyone!!! 

Wow!! What a week! This cambio has been a cambio of growth!! Me and my companion both!! We both feel like we have started the mission all over again, but it´s good because we are learning how to deal with the challenges, stress, and how to enjoy every moment with all the ups and downs and in betweens! 

I am so grateful for Hermana F. She is so inspired and is has an amazing ability to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost! She truly is so inspired!!! I love her so much! 

So our sector! We had a lesson with Fr.,, our investigator who is progressing, and we found out that he is totally ready for baptism except he doesn´t really understand the word of wisdom or law of chastity perfectly, so we have a lesson and will work with him, but either way, whether it´s soon or not, he will get baptized because he has felt the truth and has a testimony! 

This week was amazing with our work with menos activos! We had 7 lessons with menos activos and 4 of them came to church this Sunday! Including K, una joven who hasn´t gone to church for over three years, but she is excited and ready to come back now! My heart was so full of love this Sunday during church, I feel so blessed to see these people changing their lives!! 

We had the most powerful lesson of my whole mission this week with Familia C.  The dad was the bishop before the bishop we have now, but he’s not active now.  His wife is inactive, too.  But my companion found a great scripture during her personal study and we shared it: Hebrews 6:10-20.  And it talks about how God will remember all the good service you’ve done, but you still need to endure to the end.  And the dad got so emotional and his kids did, too, and the Spirit was SO strong!  It was only a ½ hour lesson, but it hit the heart.  Wow.  I love being a missionary.  I love it.

We are working hard to find people who will progress! We have some recent investigators with lots of potential, but we will keep working diligently!

 And just know that I am SO happy! And I am healthy! And good news! The worst of winter is over here it’s actually been really nice these last couple days!!! And I’m speaking Spanish like a PRO!!! Ha-ha! I kinda need to now because I live with only Latinas!  Ha-ha! I love my life :) 

 Thank you everyone for your love and support!!! 

Hermana Christensen