Living Next to the Border

The hot weather continues, another baptism, major progress speaking Spanish, and Ethan feeling so grateful for letters and emails from family and friends, including a favorite teacher -- thank you to everyone who's sent him a word of hello! We appreciate your support of Ethan and his mission experience! And if he's feeling like it's an oven in April -- I can't imagine what he's going to feel like in August! :) Good thing he loves it!

April 28, 2014

Buenas, Buenas!

Man another great week down here in Laredo!!!! We had another baptism yesterday!! Brian got baptized and I was so pumped for him! He is so cool and it was a super powerful service, he was crying during it and everything. He is 19 and we've been talking to him a lot about going on a mission and he really wants to be like us! He is awesome, and he's doing great. Jorge is also doing great as well – I love these people! Also today I'm going to send home lots of pictures so get ready!

The work is going great down here though we are finding lots of people to teach and they are progressing so well! Transfers are next week and I hope I don't leave! Elder Brian and I are still doing great, too!

Also, it was SO HOT this last week like, seriously? Holy cow! So on Saturday we played basketball with Jorge at the church outside from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and honestly, I don't think I have ever been hotter. I was really thinking back through summer workouts and then summer baseball and catching doubleheaders and it's not even close – I thought I was in an oven! I love it though I wouldn't want it any other way!

Also I got a lot of emails from people this week so please tell everyone thank you and I'm so glad they emailed me and that I loved hearing from them!! I just don't have too much time this week but I'll try getting back to everyone! Oh, I also gave a talk in the Spanish branch yesterday so that was pretty cool, too. The language was wayyy better than my first talk in Spanish back in Donna 6 months ago.

The church is true – I love it! I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and all that He did for us and all that He still does for us because He truly is living right now. I love you family!! Andrew: Ms. Hubert says to stop playing games and study for your AP tests!!! haha

Cuidense, (“take care of yourselves”)

Elder Christiansen 

"The international bridges to Mexico are five minutes
from our apartment."

"And the Mexican flag in the background is ginormous --
it's seriously the biggest flag I've ever seen!"

"This is Elder Brian and me at the baptism of Brian. He's so happy!" (Note from me: Since we don't know Brian personally or have his permission to put him on Ethan's blog, we're just showing Elder Brian, above, and Elder Christiansen, below (or any of Ethan's other companions), and not the photos of the people they are baptizing. Just trust me on this -- young man Brian does look so happy and it looks like it was a great day!) And check out the pen behind Elder Christiansen's ear -- that is so him. :)