Week 23

After 6 weeks in Oberá, I will be going to Montecarlo. Geroge Costanza will be going to Paraguay, and our area will be closed. My new companion will be Elder Piriz. Hes from Cordoba Argentina.

That is all.

Well I will tell you a story about Elder Cross and Elder Thorpe, the other Elders in Oberá... Before i ever came to this city, they were sitting on a bus. And Elder Cross went up to a girl, and sat next to her, and ended up giving her a book of mormon. And was never seen again. Or was she?

Turns out, as they were contacting a couple days ago, some 20ish year old girl came out and shook their hands. Elder Cross asked her if she had talked with missionaries before. She said ´´yes! about 3 months ago I talked with you!´´

Turns out. She actually READ the Book of Mormon, and LIKED it. Her grandma is a member in Buenos Aires, and when she went to visit her last month, her grandma took her to the temple to show her around. And then she asked where the church was. NUTS.

I just got done reading the sermon on the mount a couple days ago. it is outstanding. I would recommend it to anyone. its in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. One of my favorite scriptures is Consider the Lilies. They grow. They dont toil. They dont spin. They just do what theyre supposed to. And God provides.

If anyone can tell me who gives the priesthood to Jethro (he gives the preisthood to Moses) I will email you a smiley face.

That is all

Edler Christesnen

If I could send yoou pictures, I totally would.

Week 22

So... what´s up?

Not a whole ton happened this week. George Costanza is dying. Not really. BUT, something exciting happened. We were going to talk with one of our unpromising investigators, and we were very suprised to see a woman answer our claps, because he is supposedly a single man that lives alone. She popped her head out the door and yelled "the Elders!" We went up and started talking to her. Turns out, in the DAYS that we hadnt met with this guy, he had moved, and she moved in. Her aunt is a member, and about 15 years ago, when she was 10, she lived with her aunt and went to church with her a ton. Met with the missionaries, and loves thme, but never got baptized. We just barely found her, so well see what happens. it seemed like something promising.

A couple days ago, we got a call from the elders in San Vicente. One of them is the Branch president, and called at 11 pm. He told us that one of his members´s brother lives in Oberá and is at the hospital and is in grave need of a blessing. So me and my district leader, Elder Cross suited up, and walked to the hospital, where we met the sister, and went to the room of the man. It was pretty shocking the condition this guy was in. He was just wide eyed, skin and bones, lying on his side, and it seemed like he was on a respirator. He had no control of his body, and was drenched in sweat. They told us he had been like that for a day, but had been sick for a couple weeks. So we gave him a blessing. The blessing pretty much said that "your family will understand." and he died that night. We didnt get home until like 1 in the morning. It was a very spiritual, and shocking experience. His sister is the only member in their family, and It was obvious that she was the most confident about Gods plan for us, and knew that she would be able to see him again. His whole family was in mourning pretty heavy, but she handled it very well. Im happy I have the knowledge of the gospel.

Last story. We have some pretty promising investigators. A mom and her son and daughter. Theyre coming to church, and even though their family heckles them for talking with us, they say they dont care, and they like us. So thats good. As Elder Venegas was using their bathroom, the 16 year old daughter who is LEGIT (reading the book of mormon, and understands what we actually teach) asked us what the church´s most strict rule is. I said chastity. As i explained it to them, she was very suprised and said ´´thats bad?!!´´    ... wow. That explains a lot

Have a nice day

Elder Christensen

Iron Chef Argentina (because I have found that eating Bell Peppers plain is not that bad.)

Cant stand ya!

Week 20

4 Elders live in the house that we live in. Me, Elder Venegas (George), Elder Cross, and Elder Thorpe. 3 Americans and a Chilean. Every day, Elder Cross asks me ´´hows George treatin ya?´´ This transfer is seriously centered around Elder Venegas being extremely similar to Geroge Costanza. In all aspects.

As we were walking to an appointment we had, we crossed a road, and i looked down the road, and i saw a guy standing out side of his gate, staring at us. So i waved to him. And he waved back, then waved us over. So we went. He shook our hands, then told us to come into his yard. I thought he was going to kill us, but it turns out that he was baptized in Brazil about 6 years ago, and is currently inactive. He said that he was Young Men´s president in his ward, and him and his wife and 2 kids were WAY active. He said him and his wife were planing on going to the temple to be sealed, then something happened, and she broke up with him, and moved to Buenos Aires, then he moved to Oberá about 2 years ago with his brother´s family. He now lives with his girlfriend, and said that he went to the church here for the first couple months, then stopped. He said that every time he visits his kids in Buenos Aires, he goes to the temple property and just stares at the temple. Since he was Young Mens president, i could just picture Brett Finklea in that same situation, and it was the saddest thing i have ever heard. As he prayed before we left, he just started bawling. He was still crying as we left. It was so sad. Then he didnt come to church.

So that happened..the first investigators that weve had here that have started to show some promise just came to church!! During testimony meeting! But there was a powerout, and the AC shut off. We talked to them after the church, and the only things they had to say was that they were way tired and almost fell asleep, and they asked us what ´´mormon´´ meant. After we taught them the Book of Mormon, they (mother and 16 year old daughter) accepted baptismal dates. They rock.

After were done proselyting, we just talk about the gospel in the house. Me and Elder Cross were talking about why people ask President doctrinalquestions during the interviews, since its WAY funner to figure it out on your own. then we asked ourselves how Jethro got the preisthood, since he gave it to Moses.and since it was the most obscure doctrinal question we could think of to ask president. The next day, I was reading DYC 84, and it gave the lineage of how Moses got the preisthood. It was pretty hilarious. 

So study your scriptures. Its fun. Doctrine and Covenants rocks.

Have a nice day

Elder Christensen

Week 21

Yup. Felicitaciones. It has been 5 months, tomorrow in my mission. woohoo

So sorry, but this email will be lame. We really didnt have much sucess this week, and none of our investigators or less actives progressed, as none of them came to chruch... Even Brett Finklea, as i will code-name him. That guy is great. Turns out, he was pretty much aboujt to get sealed in the temple to his wife and kids, and then his wife left him without saying anything. he then lived in brazil for 2 more years, alone with his kids, and then moved to  obera with his brother, after his wife took his kids to Buenos Aires. So sad. But once he starts keeping the law of chastity and comes to church, im sure his life will be happy again.

George Costanza (Elder Venegas) is still alive and well. We went on divisions with our zone leaders this week, and Elder Prince was with me. The 6´6´´ Minesotan. Great. Someone taller than me. We were definitely a sight to see for all of these Argentines. Anyway, it was good to finally see a different teaching style, and i learned a lot.

We started reading the book of mormon all over again with one of our less actives. And i completely forgot, that 10 verses in, Lehi sees God. Thats pretty intense. And 5 verses before that, Nefi tells us that he kknows that what he writes in the book is true. Thats what im talking about. I totally agree. >I know my Father lives.

The lady sitting 6 inches away from me has started to breastfeed her baby and its really freaking me out..... huh. And now I cant remember anything else. Thanks.

Have a nice day

Elder Christensen

Week 19

The more time i spend with Elder Venegas, the more and more i realize that he IS George Costanza. It really is eerie.

But thats besides the point, he acutally has a really cool story. He is from a very catholic family. When he was 14, he said he HATED going to church, and started looking for a new one, because he ddisagreeed with the doctrine. He was baptized inot the Evangelica church, then disagreed with the docrine again, then met the Jehovas witnesses. And was baptized again. He was attending their church, when his mom accepted the missionaries into his home. He said they came a few times before he cared enough to listen. And he said the first lesson he listened to, he knew it was the right church. ´´id been searching for the true church for a couple years, and i found it.´´ His family didnt get baptized, and he went to church alone for 6 years, and now hes on a mission.

So we found this guy. He was acutally a reference from the hermanas. We talked to him, and he pretty much was an alcoholic and heavy smoker, then 4 years ago, he found the evangelical church, and stopped drinking and smoking, and got a job, and a wife and now has a kid. He knows the bible better than anyone down here, excluding the mormons. Anyway, our 3rd visit, he said ´hey! i started reading your book yesterday!´´ We hadnt even talked about the book of mormon yet... We asked him what part he read. He said ´´moroni... and Ether..´´ then he started talking aobut how he agreed with the brother of jared in cualquier cosa, and started comparing one of moronis epistles with one of pauls from the bible.... what in the world hahaha we then talked aobut the resotration of the gospel. a day or two later, we went back, and he told us that he read alma... haha yeah all of it. He told us that he still has problems with pornography and that his wife and kids are separated a little bit. its really sad. its SO sad. Because he has every intention to follow Christ, hes way nice, and knows a lot about the gospel. but in the end, only one huge thing is tripping him up. He has prayed aobut the book of mormon, and believes its true, but doesnt understand the authority of the preisthood, and has told us that he wont come to church or be baptized. Which is really not that great.

We have started using a list of menos activos. Visit them. Try to reactivate them. Edify the church. But a vast majority of the old missionaries wrote down these peoples adresses as ´´next to a big mango tree.´´ gee, thanks, elder. You really helped us out on that one. But we did find one guy. he was a baptized 45 years ago. He said he was one of the first converts. He went when they held sacrament meeting in the missionaries apartment. He continued to go solo for 25 years, but stopped going, because his enormously catholic wife and children were giving hims such a hard time. He has a TON of stories about helping the missionaries, and is still in touch with most of them. But hes just not active. Hes a great guy, but Im 400 percent sure that something is missing in his life, just because of the way his eyes look when he looks at a missionary.

Well thats pretty much all thats happened. Its still weird for me to go from an area, where we could have 50 lessons in a week and not even think about it, to where our goal here is 15.

Oberá is known for having a tiny branch with a HUGE chapel, and also for the catholic chapel that is gorgeous and looks like a temple. Theres a ton of white people here, its so strange.

Yeah.. read the book of mormon. it'll do ya good.

Elder Christensen loves you!

no pictures because i forgot my camera

Week 18

Vostros, ¿Cómo estáis?

Just kidding. But not really.

MY companion is George Costanza. No joke. He is balder than Quinten L Cook. He wears glasses. He´s short and a bit chubby. He has the same attitude as Geroge. He kinda freaks out about little things. Like George. He is Geroge Costanza. But he´s Chilean. I like him.

Oberá is a bit different than Carlos Antonio Lopez. Its pretty much San Francisco. It is way hilly. There are so many hills. Thats all it is is hills. Its not a huge city. But compared to lopez... haha thats like going from Peoa, UT to Murray. Oh my, what a difference.

There are three pairs of missionaries here. The branch has about 100 people attend every week. Our area has 3 members living in it. And 2 are inactive. We have an area that is whiter than white. Its strange to actually go out and contact and be rejected. Barely anyone rejected us in Lopez, but here, about one in every twenty lets us in. Its definitley different.

Well not a whole lot has happened. We seriously just talk to people at the bus stop and then they get way interested, and we ask for their address and it turns out they live in the Hermana´s area. Then the hermanas visit them, and they accept a baptismal date and come to church the next day. haha seriously, though..

I really enjoy reading the Book of Mormon. Nefi, the prophet in most of the book of Helaman cited Abraham, and i re looked up his story. And it was Abraham almost sacrificing his son, Isaac, to fulfill a commandment of God. In the end, an angel came and the Lord provided a sheep to sacrifice, and Isaac was a prophet later in life. Anyway, i really want to have the faith of Abraham. To be willing to do anything for the Lord. It would be impossible to sacrifice my son, since i dont have one, but I am asked to reach out and talk to people everywhere i go, which is dificult for me. But i perservere.

I hope you have a nice day.

Elder Christensen

 Merry Christmas from the Elderes from District Natalio10!!!

La familia Benitez!

My study desk. My knees didn't quite fit underneath, so I had to sit about a mile away!

This is my bed and dresser. There were moths in the wardrobe that got on my suit, and the bed frame was broken, so I slept on a slant the whole time I was in this area! You'll also notice that there was no air conditioning and there was a ceiling fan that wouldn't work about once a week because of a power outage. It was very hot.

Our kitchen. You can't see the fridge, or the gaping 4 square foot hole in the wall that let our neighbor talk to us as we were eating dinner.

We lived in the middle third of a house. For a couple weeks in the transfer, our landlord rented out the room I am standing in, and we would walk in to a man sleeping on his bed every night.

This is where we waited for the bus. you can see the white sign outside of our house just up the street. Also, my body is blocking the view of the chapel. Everything was very close in Carlos Antonio Lopez.

There was a huge jungled area across the road from where we waited for the bus. It would come 4 times a day. At 2 am, 8 am, 2 pm, and 8 pm.

Outside the pension in Natalio 10. My Peruvian companion, Elder Silva.

Our landlord was quite the party animal!

The sign outside the pension.

Our house!

Another view of our house

We ate my first asado at the birthday party of a member.

One time, as I was studying, a frog jumped across my feet!

Divisions with Elder Ortiz, my first district leader, in Natalio 10. He was from El Salvador, and was a pretty cool guy. I don't think I have any pictures of him.

Coolest picture ever. The bus ride ranged anywhere from 4 to 9 hours from Encarnacion to Carlos Antonio Lopez depending on traffic, weather, and the route we took.

Isabelino killed and skinned a little bird.

Ramona Benitez!

Popsicles with the Benitez Family!

Me and Silvino at his baptism.

This was a great experience for a young elder in his first transfer. 

Silvino Benitez Acosta

An investigator bought two little coatis. Evil little creatures.

There were tarantulas in the apartment all the time.

Transfers! Boy was I happy to be getting a new companion!

Me and Elder Acevedo saw a dead snake.

Family night with the family Benitez! Armando is dressed in the armor of God.

My first zone leader, Elder Farnsworth from Enterprise, Utah. We would talk about the Utah Jazz all the time. One of the happiest moments of my mission was when we learned together that the Jazz had beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Probably not. But he was a great friend and probably the best spanish speaker in the mission (including natives).

Me cooking up some french toast. Mmm. Barely visible is the hole in the wall.

My first Christmas in Paraguay! At Natalio 10 with Elder Acevedo, and my district leader, Elder Cullimore, from San Francisco, and his son, Elder Herd, from Texas.

Christmas day hike!

New Year's day hike to el Rio Parana!

The road out of Lopez

My other first zone leader, Elder Reid, from Las Vegas.

Great baseball player. He played against Bryce Harper.

My last day in Lopez with Elder Acevedo. This is one of the biggest streets in the center of town!

Familia Ramirez! Claudia is the only member, but her two sons are both over 8, and wanted to be baptized, but their, father, Carlos, wanted them to wait... He'll come around eventually!

Who doesn't love the family Benitez?

Me and Elder Acevedo coming to the house of the family Benitez.

Betty's two terrors of kids. Matias and Josue.

A look outside the pension window

A map of the area

Another of the biggest streets in Lopez.

Great family. Jose and Sara, and their two sons