Hello All!
Oh man this mission is
just getting crazier and crazier! Well, I don’t know if it’s getting crazier or
just a different kind of crazy each week!
So a quick shoutout to
my fam who sent the greatest Christmas package ever! I now enjoy Cinnamon Toast
Crunch and Stephen’s hot chocolate for breakfast each morning here! Thanks so
much! Opening that package felt like a little Christmas morning!
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| Posing with the little Christmas tree we mailed him! |
Anyways, this week was
a bit stressful as me and Elder Soberano’s housemates were arguing almost
nonstop, but we’re doing fine! We have one for sure baptism coming up on the 28th,
and hopefully one more!
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| Brandon & his companion, Elder Soberano |
The highlight of the
week was Friday for sure, when I went on exchanges with one of my
batch mates (meaning we came from the MTC at the same time) and he is
housemates with one of my other batch mates, so that was super fun. It was also
the first time I left my area for an exchange, and the first time I slept
somewhere not in San Jose since my first week in the field! I really enjoyed
their area, as they had grass and some tall mountains, and it reminded me a
little bit of home! I had to conduct some baptismal interviews there, and it
was my first time! There were three candidates, two thirteen year old girls and
the little brother of one of them. The two siblings passed just fine, but the
13 year old friend had a concern that couldn't be overlooked and meant that the
baptism had to be pushed back. After the interviews, I talked with Elder
Ofiana, who I was on exchanges with. He said the friends really wanted to get
baptized together. I was quiet for a bit, as I tried to figure out what to do.
I felt a very strong spiritual impression that the 28th was her date, and that
in the grand scheme of salvation and eternity, pushing a baptism back one week
to make sure she was ready to make a binding covenant with God was much more
important than two friends having a joint baptism. It was hard to break the
news to them, but they took it alright. I am so grateful that the spirit helped
me out in a moment of stress. That was definitely the spiritual highlight of my
week!
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| Brandon on exchanges in Lupao with Elder Ofiana & his housemates, Elder Gerrat & Elder Rebelde |
When I came back the
next morning, the zone was freaking out! One companionship got in a huge fight
apparently and one of the elders ended up calling it quits and going home,
which meant one of the zone leaders had to go to that area for a few days…Man,
the zone just has a really uneasy feeling right now…
On Sunday morning
it hit me for the first time that I really wasn’t going to be with my family
this Christmas. That was not very fun, but I had a great day at church and we
were able to attend a broadcast of the Christmas Devotional, which helped me
refocus on what’s really important at Christmas time. And that brings us to
now!
I love you all, and
just remember that true Christmas JOY comes from prioritizing the service of
Jesus, Others, and Yourself in that order!
Maligayang Pasko!
--Elder Christensen
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| Eating with zone mates at Jollibees |
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