So great to be here in the Philippines!

                                                                                                          

Magandang umaga mga kapatid!

Oh it is so great to be here in the Philippines! I can honestly say that I love my mission! I just do!

 I had a realization. Before I would think that since I’m on a mission I SHOULDN’T worry about myself or COULDN’T worry about myself or else I wouldn’t be a good missionary. While that’s still true to an extent, it was this week I realized I DON’T HAVE TO worry about myself! I can just worry about serving others and serving my Savior. I don’t think I could have been able to do that back home! This week was the first week I didn’t miss home, I mean not enough to take my head out of the work. And it went by SO fast. It’s a surreal feeling.

 Anyway! This week was action packed!  I had a trainer trainee, where I got to see a good portion of my batch mates, be taught by the Assistants about the dangers of the “Pwede Na” (good enough) current, be spiritually uplifted by a great lecture from my Mission President about Enoch and his ministry, and eat McDonalds! Seriously, McDonalds has never tasted so fantastic in my whole life! It was incredible.

Elder Christensen and many other elders gathered for the trainer/trainee meeting

There was also one day where we got caught in the middle of some rice fields in a rainstorm without an umbrella.  That was crazy! 

The best part of this week was when we taught this family, a referral from a recent convert, about the restoration. We planned to extend a baptismal invitation if the spirit so directed. It was a fantastic lesson and the spirit was strong. I asked how they felt. The Brother said he couldn’t explain it, but he felt like what we said was true, and he just felt happy. We then were overjoyed to explain to him that this feeling was the Holy Ghost. On that note we challenged him and his wife to pray to know, and if it’s true they’ll feel this ways again. After that, it was my privilege to extend a baptismal invitation to them. I couldn’t stop smiling for the next two days, it was just so amazing! It’s just so real! Tunay ito talaga!

Anyways, on Friday I went on exchanges with Elder Iligan, my zone leader, which was scary because I had to lead the area. It worked out alright though, and I learned a lot from him! I need to work on really learning my area better, and not settling for what I know I know how to say in Tagalog. He pushed me, and that’s when I could teach more effectively! And then yesterday we went on splits where I was with ward missionaries, no other Elders, and I got to lead the lessons and the area! And it went alright! I’m learning! Which is a very good sign! Anyways, that’s about all for what happened this week.

 For some random things now! The Philippines has the most unpredictable and bi-polar weather imaginable. We’ll head out from the apartment and it will be just sweltering hot, we start teaching our first appointment, then we look outside and it’s a complete downpour. And when it rains in the Philippines, IT RAINS. Also, the most beautiful sunsets and clouds I’ve ever seen are here. It seriously is just so beautiful. 

This country is amazing! I love my life! I love my mission. I love you all! All you need is love! Until next week!

--Elder Christensen

And here are some more pictures from the trainer/trainee meeting:

So fun to see Elder Armatage! 

With Sister Foukimoana (from MTC) and others

More missionaries at the meeting!

Loving my mission!

                                                                                                           

Hello from the Blessed Islands of The Philippines!

I first-off would like to apologize for not sending out a large general update last week. I had Dengue, which has been described as “a week of hell” by other missionaries. Mine lasted only four days, so I count myself lucky! It was really hard, but it ended up being for my good. It humbled me enough to reevaluate why I’m here on a mission. I will be honest, I wanted to be back home during the middle of it, but I got over it, and now I feel much much better! In fact, the past two days have been my best days in the field yet!

I’m starting to love my mission. Like I’ve loved parts, but I’m starting to seriously love it now! When you can lose yourself in the work, all the sudden time flies and you’re loving every moment! It’s not easy to forget yourself, but when you do, It’s the best feeling ever. “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.” I know that’s true now! I wasn’t totally sure before because I hadn’t really experienced it. But I’ve tasted it now, and it’s truly fantastic! Thank you all for your kind words and prayers, they really mean a lot to me!

Elder Owen, ZL & housemate from Alpine, UT

Now to the update! After being stuck in my bed/apartment for a few days, I had interesting feelings about missionary work. I struggled to have a desire to serve, I don’t know…I knew I had to forget myself, but it was just hard! I wanted to be selfish, just straight up! Anyway, I prayed really hard about it, and I talked to my kabahay/zone leader Elder Owen about it.

Elder Owen, by the way, is from Alpine Utah, and has three months left. I learn so much from him because he has gone through pretty much exactly what I feel and go through as a kid from Utah Valley. Anyway, he suggested that desire to serve comes from repentance. He talked about how kids are (usually) so fired up to serve when they get to the MTC because they’ve been preparing and repenting of everything so they can go on a mission. However, when you get to the field, you may not be severely disobedient but little things can bring you down and make you more self-centered. I did some scripture study, and its true! Look at Enos and the Sons of Mosiah. They didn’t have a desire for the welfare of others until they had received a remission of their own sins through the repentance process. It’s so cool! So I’ve been applying daily repentance and praying for desire and for my investigators more seriously than ever before. And it’s working! I’m loving this!

Anyways…this week...we had some great lessons, new referrals, and a couple of cool miracles! For example, our appointments had fallen through so instead of going back to town in a trike (see picture and description at the end of his letter) like we usually do, we decided to walk and talk to people! Some members from the other ward pulled over on their bike and gave us two referrals, and then we talked to an older couple who said we could come by their house next week! So cool! And it wouldn’t have happened if our appointments hadn’t have fallen through! God seriously has been helping our work so much!

Elder Christensen and Elder Lugay, walking and talking to people!

Another small miracle, we sort of have this investigator named Michael. I say sort of, because since I’ve been in the field, we’ve tried to visit him twice a week and haven’t taught him once! Sometimes he’s home and says he’s busy, sometimes his family says he’s not around, sometimes there’s no one around. It sort of became like a joke that Brother Michael might not exist! Anyways, with that background, he just showed up to church on Sunday! Never been before, and only had one lesson way back before I got here. Last time we stopped by he wasn’t home so we didn’t even invite him to come to church or anything! He just came! And he was into it too! It was fast Sunday, so testimony meeting right? It was a super spiritual testimony meeting, which was great, and Brother Michael started clapping after one of the testimonies! It was so awesome! He just approved so much of what was being said that he didn’t control himself! It was too perfect! Anyway, I know that God granted us with that miracle because of our diligent efforts to invite, even if we never actually taught. It was just a small miracle, but I’ll take it for a miracle regardless.

We have investigators with various problems, of course. One has a word of wisdom problem still so we had to push his baptism back another week, and another isn’t old enough to come to church on her own and she needs to have a guardian come with her to church but her dad is a less active who just won’t come to church…it makes me sad. I pray that he’ll soften his heart and come to church for his daughter’s sake. But on the other hand we have new investigators coming out of the cracks! One when we taught him about the restored gospel just had a twinkle in his eye when I talked about Joseph Smith. He was so engaged in the lesson, despite my pangit Tagalog. That’s another thing, my Tagalog is improving! I’ve decided to not stress so much about it. I still work hard to learn it, but I don’t try to say things that I don’t know how to say and just let the spirit guide. The spirit doesn’t tell me to say things that I don’t know how to say! So that’s a good thing. Also, people in the ward are starting to say things like, “Wow, Nagtututo Ka! (Wow, You’re learning)!”, which has never happened before, so I guess I am actually learning! This week we (my comp. and I) are going to try a day of straight Tagalog, to push my abilities! That will be interesting for sure.

Anyways, so September has come, which apparently means Christmas music? A member explained to me that when the “Bers” come (i.e. septemBER, octoBER…) that’s when you should start celebrating Christmas!  Look mate, I don’t start listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, so this is just insanity! I love Christmas music, but in September? Weird, but it’s now playing in our apartment thanks to my Filipino Elders! I might not like Christmas music anymore by the time December rolls around! Anyways, that’s what’s new with me!

 It’s all true, it’s all real, and God loves you as he does everyone else, so we should love everyone else too! Till next week!

--Elder Christensen

Picture of a trike:

Motorized tricycles are a common means of passenger transport everywhere in the Philippines, except on busy major highways and very busy city streets. "The tricycle is the most popular means of transport in small towns and cities, especially in the rural areas."

Dengue Fever

Hey All-  I don't have an update from Brandon to share. He did say in email, "Just tell everyone that I'm sick, and that John 15 is the most beautiful thing I have ever read. Tell everyone to study it, not just read it, and you will feel Christ's love."

He woke up in the night Friday night with a horrible fever, searing headache, body aches and chills and he's been in bed for three days straight now with these same symptoms.  It seems to be dengue fever.  He is really feeling awful and his spirits are low, too.  He did have a wonderful spiritual experience the night he woke up sick that brought him some peace. I am hoping this will pass soon.

Please pray for him!  He really needs your prayers at this time.

Thank you.

Dengue Fever

Dengue (pronounced DENgee) fever is a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses. These viruses are related to the viruses that cause West Nile infection and yellow fever.

Each year, an estimated 100 million cases of dengue fever occur worldwide. Most of these are in tropical areas of the world, with the greatest risk occurring in:

• The Indian subcontinent
• Southeast Asia
• Southern China
• Taiwan
• The Pacific Islands
• The Caribbean (except Cuba and the Cayman Islands)
• Mexico
• Africa
• Central and South America (except Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina)

Most cases in the United States occur in people who contracted the infection while traveling abroad. But the risk is increasing for people living along the Texas-Mexico border and in other parts of the southern United States. In 2009, an outbreak of dengue fever was identified in Key West, Fla.

Dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with a dengue virus. The mosquito becomes infected when it bites a person with dengue virus in their blood. It can’t be spread directly from one person to another person.

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

Symptoms, which usually begin four to six days after infection and last for up to 10 days, may include

• Sudden, high fever
• Severe headaches
• Pain behind the eyes
• Severe joint and muscle pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Skin rash, which appears three to four days after the onset of fever
• Mild bleeding (such a nose bleed, bleeding gums, or easy bruising)

"Golden" Investigator

Dear Everyone!

So my big update is going to be a little shorter this week, sorry about that! Just some highlights! First of all scripture study is fantastic! Everyone needs to take their questions to the scriptures, because more often than not there's an answer just waiting there and promises you didn't know existed! I have had so many scriptures speak to me this week, a lot in the book of Mosiah actually...

Anyway! We have this "golden" (as my mom would put it) investigator who is on track to be baptized. He's so awesome! He quit smoking and drinking coffee after the first time he came to church...no one even told him to! So when we taught the word of wisdom he was already 3 weeks clean! So awesome! I know that the Lord prepared him for us to teach him.

We have a couple other investigators with baptismal dates, but one has a W.O.W. problem we're trying to work with, and the other doesn't have means of transportation to get to church! We pray for them always. Remember that same family that I talked about last week, where I got to bear my testimony in English? Yeah, we taught them like an hour and a half lesson this week. It’s so nice to be able to teach in English, even if it is once a week. The spirit was strong, and I hope they accept our invitation to pray to know the truth.

Um what else...On Friday we got to help some elders’ move, which was fun! We got to take a road trip of sorts because their area is far away.

 Anyway, it’s great to be in the service of the Lord! It's great to have his spirit! All we need to do is pray to have it, and do the best we can! I'm so blessed to be a missionary!

Lots of love from the Philippines!

Brandon studying Tagalog!

--Elder Christensen

Typhoon Utor hits Brandon's mission

Early on August 12th (Philippines time) Super Typhoon Utor, the biggest typhoon of 2013 so far, made landfall on the eastern coast of Brandon's mission.  We were a bit worried, but  gratefully where he was, all they experienced was heavy rainfall.  Unfortunately, there was a lot of damage done in other places on the island of Luzon.  Here is a short news clip about it:

(Click here for more information on Typhoon Utor)

Mahal ko ang Tagapagligtas ko...and that's why I'm here.

Hey Everybody!

"I can smile!"

So this week…crazy stuff! Tuesday was a pretty normal day, though I started to become frustrated with the language then. I realized something though. Even though I can’t really speak this language, I can smile! And I have a goofy smile, so when I smile at people they always smile back, I suspect because they’re laughing inside at this American who is happy for no apparent reason! So until I can speak this language, I’ll stick to smiling! 

Wednesday we had our district meeting, which went great! After our district meeting we went out to this barangay, which is just like a neighborhood or borough, which was a bunch of rice fields with a house every kilometer or so. AND IT WAS SO HOT. I cannot remember a time when I was sweatier than that. It was crazy. We were teaching this one less active where we were sitting in the shade, and when we finished the lesson after about 25 minutes of not moving I was still SO HOT. Oh my gosh, but it was all good! We were proclaiming the word after all! Later it finally cooled off, but we kept getting punted so we walked most of that day. 

Thursday was the complete opposite, where it rained like nothing I have ever experienced before. We only taught one lesson that whole day, and we had to take shelter for a while under the roof of a less active member. We eventually went out, but got turned away. I was drenched, despite using an umbrella…we left that barangay a little bit earlier because we ran out of people to teach there. 

That night we went to a less active’s house that is close to us.  They are middle class so they speak some English. The mom felt like attacking our doctrine a little bit and kept saying that the gospel was that Jesus is the Christ. She was right in a sense, but would not budge from that. I felt inspired to say something, but I didn’t know how to say part of it in Tagalog.  I started bearing testimony, then looking at the mom I said, “Mahal ko ang Tagapagligtas ko,” which means “I love my Savior,” then, in English I said, “And that’s why I’m here.”

The spirit was strong there, and I knew that it had touched her. My companion finished the lesson with conviction, and we left. It was the first time I felt like a real asset out here in the mission field.

 Friday zone leaders went on exchanges, so I got to know Elder Roberts, native of Rexburg, a bit. He told me all sorts of crazy Angeles mission stories, which got me excited and a bit worried. We straight up had a hard day on Friday, without much success. We got turned away a lot, and the lessons we did teach to less actives they didn’t really feel it. 

Saturday we got some new investigators! One is a girl my age, going to college, and studying marketing of all things! That was a great way to strike up a conversation (Thanks Dad!) After a nice conversation, we had a great discussion about the restoration and prophets. She has a great knowledge of the Bible, and she was very engaged in the lesson. I am very excited to continue teaching her. Sunday was good, and we got another new investigator! He has been to church a couple of times with a friend, and I got to commit him to baptism! YEEE-AAAHHHH! I was so psyched! The rest of the day was good with the lessons we taught, but that was definitely the highlight! And that takes us to now!

And now for some things that don’t really have a place:

I am too big for this country! I constantly have to duck and squeeze through things, and my shirts get fairly dirty because of it.

The phrase “ants in your pants” is a bit too literal here, and I’ll leave it at that!

People here have a different conception of decency. For example, one of our new investigators just started nursing her baby during the lesson. Yup, right in front of us. Yeah…Another time, when we were helping a member move, there was about a nine year old boy just standing outside his house stark naked, just watching. Alright! Something I’ll have to get used to! But it’s all good!

I’m growing a lot and learning a lot, and trying to be the best missionary I can. And at the end of the day if you can say you tried your best to invite others to come unto Christ and you tried your very best to be a good missionary, you can go to bed with a smile on your face. My goal is just to do what I can, and try to figure out how to do more every day, and that keeps me busy and happy! 

I love you all, I miss you all, but I don’t want to come home anytime soon!

--Elder Christensen

Out to the field!

 Here's my big update:

Hey Everybody!

As a kid, I watched Veggie Tales. During the one about Dave and the Giant Pickle, Larry the cucumber asks Bob the tomato, “Bob, what are the Philippines?” I ask myself that question every day.

I am a real missionary now! Out in the field and everything! I’m so psyched! I’ll start from the beginning: Leaving the MTC was super hard. I miss my MTC family like crazy! It was like leaving my family all over again. The night before during the farewell meeting was sad to say the least. Me and my kasama had a cry-like-a-man moment. Anyway, saying goodbye was super hard.

 We were trained at the mission office and had a delicious dinner at the mission home. I love my mission prez! And his wife is unbelievably nice! I wish I could see them more!  We slept at the AP’s apartment, and I decided I want to be like Elder Palmer, as HE IS THE MAN! He is a great example.  We met our new companions the next day, and then got on the road.

Brandon with President and Sister Martino

 My companion is Elder Lungay, who might be the most loving kid I’ve ever met. He loves everyone, and is never ashamed of himself or the gospel.  We get along great! We have a lot in common as well, and he has really been helping me in Tagalog! 

Brandon and his trainer, Elder Lungay

I also got to see Elder Weitzel, which was amazing! So great to see a face from home!!! I met Elder Jacobs, my cousin Brian’s friend, who now has a Filipino accent when he speaks English! It gave me hope for this language! Notwithstanding all this, I was very sad whilet traveling to my area, San Jose Ward 2 in the San Jose Zone.

Brandon's 1st are:  San Jose in the Nueva Ecija province

When we got to our apartment we had a short comp study then went out to work. I was super sad still. However, we taught one lesson and the spirit was so strong and I loved it! Best part of that day for sure. The next day was the LONGEST DAY OF MY LIFE. My kasama is the district leader, and he had this meeting in some other zone that he had to go to, so me and this elder from my batch were put together for the day. I didn’t know the area; I didn’t know the language, so my kasama said it was ok to just sit in the apartment and study. Which is what I mostly did. IT LASTED FOREVER. I was super sad most of that time too. It’s hard to forget yourself and go to work when I don’t know how to work! If you know what I mean. We then had companionship study where we studied our purpose as missionaries. That’s when a fundamental truth I needed that day hit me: It is all worth it. No matter what I go through, or how tough it is, IT IS ALL WORTH IT. No matter how much I miss the MTC or my family IT IS ALL WORTH IT! That gave me great hope. We then went out to try some OYMs, which didn’t go terribly! My Real Kasama came back, and we taught more lessons.

 Saturday wasn’t standard either, as we had a zone conference. I like my zone! A lot of cool people in there! And Sister Foukimoana, from my class at the MTC, is in my district! So I’ve seen her a few times. It’s great to see a face from my time at the MTC. We taught more that day…one lesson we accidentally ran into a funeral service! But it was ok, because we got to share a brief message with everyone there! One guy kept calling us out for paid ministry and we tried to explain what we do, but he just wanted to argue, so we dropped it!

 It amazes me how much I have. Even my apartment here, which is not what I’m used to to say the least, is incredible compared to some of these homes. My first Sunday was good! I met the bishop, who is the man, as well as the other members of the ward. They are all great; I just wish more would come to church. Apparently there are 1000 less actives in our area alone…we got work to do! We went around with the ward mission leader Brother Arthur and taught lessons to people not living in San Jose City, but out by the rice fields.

Nueva Ecija is called the Rice Granary of the Philippines

 The kids there treat me like an all-star! It’s fun! Well that’s about all I’ve been doing. I love teaching! Which is good, because that’s all I will be doing every day for the next 22 ½ months! I love being a missionary!

Mahal ko kayo!

--Elder Christensen

More Pictures!

Brandon's batch of missionaries entering the mission on 7/31/13

Elder Christensen and Elder Armatage say goodbye to their suitcoats for 2 years!  They leave them in the mission home until after their mission!

Brandon and fellow missionaries at his 1st transfer meeting