Leaving Laredo ... and Photos!!

Big news from Texas today -- Ethan is getting transferred! This will be the fourth area where he's worked. We don't actually know where he's going yet as that detail will come to him on Tuesday, I think, so we'll hear next week. Prayers for a smooth and successful transfer! Oh, and lots of fun pictures today! :))

Familia, Familia!

Man, so a bunch of crazy things happened this week! So we got the voicemail on Sunday morning and I'm getting transferred! It was like a 50-50 chance between Elder Brian and me, and the message said my name first but then right after they said Elder Brian was getting transferred, too! They are closing down an area next to ours and changing the borders and such so we’re both gone to new places! Also, Presidente Maluenda called me on Saturday night and asked me to be a district leader, so that is pretty nuts, too, but it should be fun. (Ask Benjin what a DL is and he can explain it.)

I am super sad that I am leaving Laredo, though, this has probably been one of my favorite areas. Elder Brian and I got so close with all the members and so they were all sad to see us go as well. There were lots of tears. I love these people a lot like words

"Elder Brian and I having lunch at Whataburger."

just can't describe it. To see someone change so much and grow so much closer to their Savior is just the best feeling ever. Seeing this change take place just opens up a part of your heart that you didn’t even know was there. Also I’ll send a lot of pictures. Oh, and I still don't know where I'm going so that'll probably be in next week’s email (fingers crossed for Brownsville!!! haha – I don’t really care where I go, I’ll be fine wherever).

"This is a picture of our Zone doing a 'stomp' -- we
all went to one area in Zapata and worked there for a day.
It was super fun!!! We're making
(or trying to make) a 'Z' sign with our hands for Zapata."
Ethan is on the back row, orange tie. :) 

"This is our Zone."
Ethan is on the back row, second from left.

"Behind me is Mexico!"

"The temperature reading on our car when we came
out of an appointment one day!"

"This is the planning agenda that I keep in my shirt pocket.
And, yes, it's wet from sweat." 

"We eat at this sister's house every Sunday after church."

"This is Mike (in the middle), a cool member in Laredo we hung out with a lot."

"We are with the Morales family in their humble casita."

Man, that sounds like y’all are having a lot of fun in Utah. Tell everyone I say hi and that I love them a lot!!! No there is nothing I really need – I am fine. That family that we were teaching totally dropped us but that's ok, it happens. Nothing else too big happened this week though it's just crazy to think I'm starting another transfer and that it’s almost August, holy cow what is happening!!!!!

One thing in our sacrament meeting yesterday that hit me was the speaker said, "If you are not seeing miracles in your life, start asking for them." And it just hit me when he said that because miracles are a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lord wants us to have those in our lives, sometimes all we need to do is just ask for them. All is well down here in Texas though. I love this place!!!

Con Amor (with love),

Elder Christiansen

Working in Zapata ... and a "Super Powerful Lesson"

Familia, familia!

So this week was good as well! It was pretty crazy and hectic but it was good nonetheless. So I got all the Vandy newspapers on Monday... AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! The dogpile picture!!!!! That's so cool the pictures were sick, oh my gosh!!! It totally made me want to play baseball again – haha!

Another cool thing that happened was that we had interviews with Presidente Maluenda. Man, I love that man he is amazing! It was a really good interview. I learned a lot of cool things especially about planning and goals and how prayer relates to all of them. On Saturday we worked down in Zapata, Texas so that was fun as well. It's about an hour outside of Laredo. It was hotter that hot, though. I was drenched because we had a lesson outside for like an hour-and-a-half and it was nuts, I was just sweating everywhere. I loved it though like there is nothing to complain about here!

"With Elder Dominguez, another missionary from our zone."

We had a super powerful lesson last night. I went on an exchange with another elder and we just threw fire for like two hours. We met someone who is from Salt Lake City and is down here working with a company selling security systems. He went to Seminary for a year and knows everything about the Gospel, so we just wanted to know why he wasn’t baptized. It got to the point and he told us that his dad said if he got baptized, he would disown him and not call him his son...so we had him call his dad right then and there and I mean, it was SO intense it was like watching a game 7 in extra innings, I LOVED IT!!!! And on the phone, literally his dad said these words: “Mihijo, no te preocupes, estamos bien aqui!!!" That means like: “My son, don’t worry about us, we are fine here.” It was so amazing! And so he hangs up the phone and we look at him and we were just like…so, what's it gonna be? Then he just said that no, it wasn’t his time and stuff; he was super chill about it. So, we'll see what happens. But it was a very powerful lesson. I love being a missionary and I love moments when miracles happen, because we were both praying that the Lord would soften the dad's heart, and then the dad said all would be ok. It was super cool.

Also I’m sending a package home today for Andrew and a letter for him as well. I love y’all!! The Church is true!!!!!

Con Amor,

Elder Christiansen

"Nothing better than getting an answer from God!"

Familia, familia,

This past week has been good. It has been hard but good. We found a family of four on Saturday and we had a really powerful lesson with them, and they felt the Spirit and recognized that we are representatives of Jesus Christ. After the father prayed about Joseph Smith and we asked the family how they felt, the mom said, "I feel this peace and I don’t know what it is...I don’t know why but I also feel like there are going to be some big changes coming." OH MAN!!!!! Are you serious?!?!?!?! It was such a cool moment I was just at a loss for words!! There is nothing better than when people realize that they are getting an answer from God and know that they need to change!!!! It was a great little moment!

It's been super hot still, like always. Thanks for telling those people thanks for the things they did for me for my birthday! Also Dad...Mom...Andrew...please, please, please can you send me some more Vandy CWS pics?! Oh and if you already sent them then great, that’s fine too – nothing to stress about, just when you get the chance. Yes Trot at the MTC!!!!! Can you guys get his email address so I can email him? Oh yea, the border is nuts right now. We see it and talk to people everyday and, yea its super sad what's going on. There are a lot of people coming up from Central America right now seeking safety, I feel so bad for them, and it’s a lot of kids. But yea, I’ll tell y’all all about that stuff when I get home.

Life is good though, I love the mission and I love the Savior. I just finished reading The Infinite Atonement by Tad R Callister and it was really, really good. I’m so grateful for the atonement and that Christ died for each one of us. All I hope is that all I do can somehow repay him just a tiny bit for the huge thing He did for me. I am grateful to represent Him daily. Oh, also there is a food that I have come to LOVE on my mission: corn-on-the-cob. Oh man I love it whenever we are fed that (which in reality isn’t that much), but I eat so much of it, haha. I love y’all and I hope y’all have a good week!!! 

Con Amor,

Elder Christiansen

"This is a picture of me leaving the apartment to go out to work!
Haha, jk, but it's a funny one -- and yes, that's sunscreen!"

Thanks to Family and Friends ... and I Love Teaching the Gospel

Buenas,

Ok, first off please say thank you from me to Gar-Gar for her cookies (our whole apartment LOVES them, oh my goodness they are so good!!!), and Sis. Overmyer for the package and the Young Women in the ward for all the stuff they sent. They were all so great and I also loved the letters I got from Gar-Gar and from Grandpa Clair and Grandma Joyce!! I also got a letter from the Crosby’s a while back and it was awesome!! And the birthday emails from the Bien’s and Ellis’ were awesome, too!!

This week was good! It's hot here...and it's getting hotter. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!! Nothing really too big happened here, like when we asked people what they were doing for the holiday, they were just like “umm…nothing” so it wasn't super crazy. But Presidente still wanted us in at 6:30 p.m. so we just played the board game “Sorry” in our apartment. This week was good though, even when things don't go our way, it is still a good week because I am a missionary and there's nothing better than that!!

"This is me on the 4th of July."
OK, love the hat! And, check out the tan line on Ethan's wrist!

The work is going well down here, we have quite a few people we are teaching right now but no one has really come out of the woodwork yet, but that's not a bad thing, though. One cool thing that happened this week was we were on our way to a member's house to just stop by and say hi. And on the way over there I got this clear impression to go to a different members house and do the same thing (say hi see if they need help with anything--nothing super major). And so we get there and he is moving some stuff into his garage. And so we jump on in and help them move their stuff. During that time we met this guy’s girlfriend and we just introduced ourselves and that was about it. Then she went inside to do something and the guy starts telling us how he's been having a hard day and just wanted God to give him some peace. He then told us how happy he was that we came to help him and that he wants us to teach his girlfriend! And so we've had two lessons with her already and she is loving it! I know that God knows and cares about each one of us. I have a million stories like this one -- this happens almost on a daily basis because that's how much God cares about us. He is always wanting to cheer us up and help us carry our burdens.

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I love teaching it to people!!!

Con Amor,

Elder Christiansen 

Happy Birthday Ethan ... and a "Mordita"!!

Happy Birthday to Ethan!!! He's no longer a teenager -- 20 years ago today he came into the world!! And how thankful and blessed we are to have him in our family!! We have a birthday tradition of doing a "wake-up cake" where the birthday person has to stay in bed until the rest of the family comes in to wake him/her up with a cake, candles, and singing happy birthday! Both Ethan and Andrew have summer birthdays so we've done the wake-up cake in many locations over the years, and with improvised "cakes" as needed (muffins, granola bars, etc.). And, if we've been separated for some reason on their birthdays -- they've been traveling, or we have -- kind friends have kept the tradition going for us! This year, thanks to an email exchange, we were able to let Elder Brian know and he was so nice to surprise Ethan on our behalf! :)) And we are so grateful for many kind church members who took their time and were so thoughtful and generous to celebrate Ethan's birthday with him while he's in Laredo. And we simply love the last line of Ethan's letter today -- that says it all. I'm sure it's a birthday he'll never forget!

June 30, 2014

Hi Familia!

Oh my goodness I can't believe Vandy won that is so sick!!!! PLEASE send me some pics!! Oh, and I got the packages and they are AWESOME!!! The Vandy shirts are super cool and all the snacks were perfect! Thanks so much!! 

"This is our apartment in the Vandy shirts--thanks!"
I love their "game faces" and seeing the orange "E" shorts!

This was another good week, too! It was super hot like always but I love it I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. This morning we got up at 5:20 and played soccer, so when we got home Elder Brian made me get back in bed and then they did wake-up cake (with a brownie), and it was awesome. I've had a few cakes given to me this week and I have another "birthday party" tonight and tomorrow night so I'm pumped about that, too! Mexico lost in the mundial so that's too bad, but it sounds like the USA is playing really well!

So there is this tradition in the Mexican culture that when it's your birthday they sing happy birthday to you and you do a "Mordita" which means like “little bite.” So you bend down and bite a off a little piece of cake and then someone pushes your head into the cake and you get cake and frosting and everything all over your face. So I knew about this and last night we were at a member’s house and I was expecting that to happen. So after we sing happy birthday everyone starts chanting “Mordita! Mordita! Mordita" And so I was about to go down and take a bite, but then this other member who was behind me had filled his whole hand up with icing and then just blindsided me and smeared it all over my face, haha! It was awesome!! It was super fun and I have some pictures, too!

"This is the cake."

"This is the before." 

"This is the after!" :) 

The mission is still going amazing. Last Sunday we had two people come to church and it was a total miracle because we weren't teaching them. I know it came because Elder Brian and I are working very hard, and as we work hard, the Lord helps us out with miracles, big and small. I love the Lord and I'm so happy I am an official representative of Him on my birthday!! 

Con Amor,

Elder Christiansen

P.S. Please send some pictures from the Vandy games!!!! And the dogpile!!!! 

Obedience, Faith, and Patience ... and Go 'Dores!!

Wonderful technology and kind strangers! I received a random text from a church member in Laredo -- she and her family had Ethan and his companions over for a birthday dinner, her oldest son baked a Lego cake for the celebration, and she wanted to share the fun with us! :) So sweet -- not only that this wonderful family had the missionaries over, and are caring for them, but also that the mom sent us the text and pictures. Such a fun and thoughtful surprise -- we loved this real-time glimpse into Ethan's life, and are so grateful for the kindness of the people around him and his companions. In Ethan's letter today, he's so excited Vanderbilt made it to the College World Series finals! 

Buenas,

NO WAY!!!!!!!!! Holy cow, I can’t believe that about Vandy – ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take a bunch of pictures of the TV and send them to me! And especially the dog pile if they win!!!!!! That's so sick!!!! A lady at church yesterday showed me the article on her phone and I was going nuts!! I hope they win!!!!!

Everyone loves the World Cup here – it's crazy. Yesterday we knocked on a door and nobody answered. Then we knocked again and this time we just heard a bunch of screaming on the other side of the door, seriously it was a group of people going nuts. Then we hear them chanting, "U-S-A! U-S-A!!" So Elder Brian and I were like, "Well, looks like we just scored!" It was nuts. And, everyone went crazy here when Mexico tied Brazil.

Yea I know, I'm excited for my birthday! Different church members are having Elder Brian and me over for a birthday party almost every day this upcoming week! Ummmm…I don't really want or need anything for my birthday. Maybe a big package of food and snacks for the apartment would be good, but I can't think of anything else. Oh my goodness I can't believe Clay is almost done with his mission, it seems like he just started last week – that just blows my mind!!! Sorry I don't have lots of photos from this week but I'll hopefully have some next week.

This past week was good. It was a hard week though – we talked to so many people and just nobody really panned out/nobody was really interested. It’s ok, though, I am grateful for trials and growing moments like these because the good times always follow the bad ones, I have seen it time and time again. As long as we keep being obedient and faithful to the Gospel, then we will receive the blessings – it’s impossible for us to not to. The only hard part is that sometimes we want them now, now, now instead of in the Lord's time. That's ok though, because then we learn patience, which is a very important Christ-like attribute.

I heard this next week is supposed to be a hot one again so I'm excited! Oh and Dad, I was wondering if you could get four gold or black mechanical engineering shirts for the guys in my apartment? They all think it's sick that you work at Vandy and they would love engineering shirts! Kinda random but that would be cool if you sent those if you can. Oh man Trotter it's almost his time! He'll do great in Vancouver! That sounds super fun that he, Richard and Andrew went camping, too. And Andrew, gosh dangit, email me some cool pics or something, homie!!!

The church is true and God lives and loves us. Have a good week y’all and go ‘Dores!!!!

Con Amor,
Elder Christiansen

Staying in Laredo for Six More Weeks!

In today's letter, we learned that Elder Christiansen will be staying in Laredo for at least another six weeks (the length of a transfer cycle). He's excited about continuing to work in Laredo and with Elder Brian. Lots of sports chatter in today's letter, we had to update Ethan on the latest news. And, a story about the generous cooks / moms who feed the missionaries. Oh my!

June 16, 2014

Buenas,

Yes I got your letter and that's good you got the package. Haha -- yea that's a funny shirt, Lindsay sent it to me in the MTC, I think. (Note: t-shirt says “Don’t mess with Texas girls!” sent by college friend, Linsday, who’s from Texas.) I just had way too many shirts so I sent some home. Yea I got some pictures from Dad in China, too, that’s crazy awesome!! And Vandy is in the College Word Series!!!!!!!!! Man, now that la copa mundial (“the World Cup”) has started its like nuts here when Mexico plays, every single person is watching the game. Ty (note: college friend serving mission in Fortaleza, Brazil) emailed me today and I guess Brazil is playing Mexico tonight or tomorrow,? so hope Mexico pulls it out – haha. That's also super cool about Trot and Evan, good for them. (note: other missionary friends) Yea, everyone here is excited about the Spurs as well. Also, I hope the Texas Rangers do well in baseball this year, that's my new team!!

Yep, Silvia and Janet's letter was super nice, I’m going to write them back. Let's see…so we got the transfer news and I am staying! And I'm staying with Elder Brain! (I'm excited about both of those things!). I’m going to be in the hottest part of the mission for the hottest part of the year, too, haha, so that's exciting. I don’t have any new pictures from this week but I’ll send more next week.

We are getting fed so much, and last week I think I hit my limit. We had two food appointments last Friday, and that's nothing new, we get fed a lot. But the first one was at 3 p.m. and it was just rice and meat and like the usual. And I had two plates. Then we had a dinner appointment at 7 p.m., and I was going into it super, super full. So we get there and this is what we ate: I had two strawberry milkshakes, two plates of lasagna, a couple pieces of bread and then a giant piece of cheesecake and two scoops of ice cream. The house where we were eating – the mom is one who, literally, right when you finish something she is already there giving you more, no questions asked if we wanted more, just eat! And this happens a lot and I normally shoulder the load because I’m a little bit more...*cough cough* …husky and Elder Brian is more thin-boned. But this time, I was just too full and my stomach was making weird noises and about to revolt. So, we just wrap up the visit with prayer, leave and get to the bikes (it was a bike day, of course) and we start riding home. And I was flying, like I don’t even think Lance Armstrong would have kept up with me and then I hear Elder Brian yell at me: "Elder!!!!" so I come to a screaming halt (almost flipped at this point, and had I done that it would have just been game over), but thankfully I didn’t and I look back and he is running towards me and he just goes, "I’m so sorry but my tire just popped." And I look down and his tire was just wrecked. He hit a glass piece and there was no air in it at all. So we then walk 20 minutes home – probably good for us after such a big meal! We eventually made it home and all was well. But it was so funny, and stressful, at the time.

We also had Zone Conference this week, too, and it was super good. Presidente Maluenda talked a lot about 5 major things: Love, Obedience, Hard Work, a Good Attitude, and Animo (“Cheer?” not sure if that’s correct – Google Translate) (I don't know how to say that in English). It was awesome though, it was just the best. He then talked about Peter and about the Savior and their conversation: "do you love me?" The Savior taught that if we love Him, we will feed His sheep and become disciples. It was so good. It reminded me of Elder Holland’s talk in General Conference about discipleship (note: you can read the talk here). 

All is well – I love the mission and I love this Gospel.

Con Amor (“with love”),

Elder Christiansen