Week 23 - Inman/Boiling Springs, SC - 12/16/13

Spoiler alert: It's a White December here in Boiling Springs!

Greetings family! This week has been kind of a crazy week. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of eventful stuff happened because Sister Gardner and I decided that this week would be a good week to get sick. That was a joke. It is never a good week to be sick especially as a missionary. But get this! Even with us being sick, we still taught a lesson every day! *High five* We just didn't get to go out tracting or anything.

Some cool stuff that happened this week though: Sister Gardner and I did our first FHE and it was on what happened in the Americas and in Jerusalem when Christ was born. All inspired by (my brother) Aaron's FHE that he gave last Christmas! It went pretty well if I may say so myself! We also had some great service opportunities by helping out ward members in their homes and setting up for the Relief Society dinner on Thursday. That was actually super awesome because we usually can't get any service anywhere! I also got two packages this week - one from the Crescent Park 6th Young Women and one from the Crescent Park 6th Relief Society! It was basically the best! Especially since the Young Women gave me a tree. Yup. Our house is decorated now! It actually feels like Christmas! Woo hoo!

Anyway, on to the big news! Yes. The Boiling Springs ward had not one, not two, not three, but four baptisms on Saturday! The Elders had one and we had three! It was the best feeling ever! It was also super chaotic because this was mine and Sister Gardner's first baptismal service so we were kind of running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But it happened! And K, S and P are some happy kids! We're super excited for them to continue on this path back to our Heavenly Father!

I love y'all! Have a blessed week!

- Sister Amy Christensen

My 12 Days of Christmas package from the Crescent Park 6th Young Women!

The Baptism! Me, S, K, P, S and Sister Gardner! #BoilingSprings #Baptism

Week 22 - Inman/Boiling Springs, SC - 12/9/13

What's up family? It's been a crazy long week and I'm excited to have a new week in front of me!

Lots of great things are happening! We are going to have not one, not two but three baptisms this week! Hallelujah! We're so pumped! Let me tell you what went down this week because as Sister Gardner describes it, we had "emotional whiplash" big time! This week has been way crazy on my emotions.

We went to see C and her kids on Tuesday in which we taught them about the Word of Wisdom. Unfortunately that was a problem for C. We talked to her about doing the 15 Step program that the church has put out for missionaries to use. It helps people stop smoking within a week... She was ready to quit but I guess something came up and she decided not to do it. It was a sad day for us missionaries.

A few days later, we returned for another appointment where we taught them about the Law of Chastity and Tithing. First of all, I want to tell you that at the end of the lesson, P prayed and his prayer was the funniest and cutest thing ever. The whole prayer was just "I'm grateful that Sister Christensen and Sister Gardner came over to teach us about tithing and chastity." Hahaha. I think that's going to be the only time anyone gives thanks for Sister Gardner and I teaching them about chastity. I loved it!

Anyway I guess after the lesson, C talked to her sister-in-law about tithing and there was a lot of misunderstandings of what tithing actually is. From that conversation, C thought that she had to donate every week and that she had to pay for her kids to be baptized. We're not quite sure how that happened... So we went back the next day to clear up any confusion she had and her kids said to us "We think we're going to wait to get baptized." It was heart breaking. Luckily the Lord loves His Sisters in Boiling Springs. After our conversation, the kids decided to be baptized even though before the lesson they were determined not to do it. Oh man. That was a tender mercy of the Lord for sure.

As for the other family on date for baptism, the M's... The grandma has been sick this whole week. She's been in and out of the hospital so her grand kids have been at her daughter's house. We haven't seen them at all in the past week so hopefully they're all still on track! We're going to try to see them this week!

Other then that, Sister Gardner and I went to the lighting up of Inman. It was decent. It was like 70 degrees which was odd for it being December and all. The thing that cracked me up the most was that they had a bubble machine that was blowing out clumps of bubbles to look like snow. It was hilarious. Hahah. Then on Saturday, we had our Ward Christmas party which was pretty great! We had a good turn out of actives, less-actives and nonmembers so I definitely consider it to be successful.

To close this email, I'll discuss the Christmas Devotional. I loved it! President Monson said something along the lines of the Spirit of Christmas is really the Spirit of Christ which is so true! It was a great reminded of what Christmas is all about! And that little boy who winked at that little girl. Oh my goodness. I died laughing because it was so cute! Hahah. Anyway, I love y'all! Have a blessed week!

-Sister Amy Christensen

Sister Gardner, C and me.

 

Me, Sister Gardner, S, S, K and P (who's on the floor)! K, S and P are all going to be baptized this week!

  

The "snow" at the lighting up of Inman.

 

Sister Gardner and I were clearly going crazy because of the first snow fall...

REAL SNOW! It melted half an hour later.

Week 21 - Inman/Boiling Springs, SC - 12/2/13

Ok. Is it seriously December? It does not feel like it AT ALL! It's 66 degrees outside right now and it's throwing me off big time! This is not the December that I'm used to! It did snow on Wednesday though for like 3 hours though! It snowed enough to cover the grass and then it melted within the next hour. So that was exciting for like 2 seconds.

This week has been pretty good as well! Sister Gardner and I have been working very hard with our new investigators we got last week! We've seen them both three times this past week and guess what? Seven of the nine investigators are on baptismal date. Oh yeah! That's right! C and her family are going to be baptized on December 14th and three of the M grand kids will be baptized on December 21st! This is pretty exciting! I mean I've put people on date before but those people didn't have the same fire that these people have. They're all so excited to be baptized! Heck I'm excited for them! It's going to be a "White December!" We're going to have a bunch of baptisms this month. It'll be a good month for the Boiling Springs ward!

Thanksgiving was a pretty good day! I mean nothing can beat Mom's cooking... But I certainly can't complain! We went over to four members' houses and it was a ton of fun! Southern Thanksgivings aren't as weird as I thought they'd be. I mean one place we had stuffing that was more like corn bread with celery and onions in it and rice instead of mashed potatoes. But that was basically it. Nothing too exciting to report on when it comes to food. We went over to the K's house and hung out there for a little while. C and her family where there as well so it was fun to be with them for Thanksgiving! Also get this. I totally played Mexican Train with the K! It's been so long since I've played that game. It was awesome and I, of course, dominated!

The only reason it sort of feels like December to me is because we helped a less-active put up Christmas decorations and wrap presents for her family this week. That's really it. It was a great opportunity to help serve her though! Hooray for service!

Other than that we haven't had too many eventful things happen. It's been a busy week but not a lot to report on. Well later today, we're going to go make a music video at a member's house with our district for our big Christmas Zone Conference. I guess that each district gets to put on a skit for the Zones attending. It should be pretty fun! But that's really all that's going on... I know that this month is going to be a good one! I can just feel it! I love y'all! Have a blessed week!

- Sister Amy Christensen

Our goodbye picture with Elder Tonga and the A family.

Off to do service and representing Snow College!