Week 57 - Latta, SC - 8/11/14

Hello Family and Friends!

It's been a great week here in Marion! I'll start out with one of our funnier stories. But before I tell you that story... I need to give you a preface. When we teach the Restoration, there's always a distraction that happens when we recite the First Vision, whether it be a cell phone or a child acting up. That's not even a joke. It probably happens 9 out of 10 times. We contacted this lady, M, just the other week and we went to appointment to teach her the Restoration on Thursday. Well we were literally about to recite the First Vision. I said "We'd like to use [Joseph's] own words to describe the experience..." Then a car pulled up and she was like "Oh that's my ride to the doctor's!" and just up and left! We didn't get to end with a prayer or get a return appointment or anything! We left the house with our jaws dropped. That was the most extreme distraction ever! But all we could do was laugh. Crazy.

Brother J is still doing fantastic! He's been to church twice and has been interviewed for baptism! He will be baptized this week! We are looking forward to it - especially because one of our recent converts, R accepted the invitation to baptized him! R and his wife, S were so excited when we asked him last night! We think that it will be a great opportunity for him. Anyway, please keep praying for Brother J! He's been amazing!

We also had a great day at church yesterday! We had 2 investigators there - M, who ran out before the First Vision, and Brother J - and R and S came with their family which was the first time that they've come as a family since I've been here! It was a total blessing! We were some happy sister missionaries!

Then after church, Sister Parker and I went over to S and R's house to clarify some things that were said in Sunday School yesterday. We had the most spiritual lesson ever with them about the Sacrament and about getting S and R to the temple! We were almost in tears because of how much the Spirit was there. We promised them a very specific blessing in order to get them to the temple by next March. They're going to make it! I just know it!

After we finished planning last night, we got a call from President Turner. He asked for me and I was scared that he was going to ask me to be emergency transferred especially since we had all these great events happening! But then he said "Your mother called me..." I knew that Grandma had passed away. It was really pretty sad but at the same time, I felt peace. I knew that Grandma was suffering and that it was time for her to go. The funny thing is on Saturday, we taught Brother J about eternal marriage. I explained to him about Grandma's situation and how I knew my family was being blessed for Grandma and Grandpa's righteous decision to be sealed in the temple. After he said "Well I know that through the temple, I won't have to worry so much about my family then." I realized the same is for us. We don't have to worry because of the knowledge we have of the Plan of Salvation. I know that we will see Grandma again and she will be perfected. I look forward to that day when we will all be reunited and see the blessings of a temple marriage.

Well that's it for this week! I love y'all! You're the best! I hope y'all have a blessed week!

- Sister Amy Christensen

Found this in the mailbox on Saturday! The best!

We love rainy Sundays! (And by rainy, I mean flash flood!)

I was basically in a jungle. No big deal, as the kids say!

Week 56 - Latta, SC - 8/4/14

My dear family and friends!

It's strange how fast weeks go when you're on a mission. It seems like I was just emailing y'all just yesterday! But I won't even complain about that!

This whole week, I feel like I've been working on a farm because the Weatherford’s (who are members in our ward and they do so much for us) went out of town and they asked us to take care of their dogs, water some of their crops and pick okra from them. It was a lot of fun but we woke up early every morning and ran to their house (which is about half a mile away) to do all of it so we wouldn't take time out of our proselyting. I realized that I still hate running... But I did it anyway because we love them and they already do so much for us! Luckily we don't have to do that again.

We've still been working with Brother Josh. We just finished teaching him lesson 4 yesterday and reviewed the baptismal interview questions with him! He's doing great! We still have lesson 5 to go over with him since the First Presidency has made that change in our missionary teaching a little over a month ago. But he's still solid and ready to be baptized on August 16th. He's definitely the fastest person I've ever taught! He's just elect! Please continue to keep him in your prayers!

So this week, our branch president called us and told us that there was a recent convert who just moved into our area. He is this Asian guy named William. The address he gave us was for the Japanese restaurant in town. We figured we'd give it a try and see if William was there. When we walked in, the guy taking orders saw our name tags and was like "Oh! I'm member!" He has a really strong accent but he's the sweetest guy! We love him already! He's been a member for about two months and hasn't received the priesthood yet. We're definitely going to be working with him on that!

Well we got transfer calls on Saturday night and *drum roll please* neither of us are being transferred! Wahoo! We'll be in Marion together for the next 6 weeks! Crazy how fast those 6 weeks went by! It might have been the fastest transfer of my mission! Well four more transfers to go!

Before I go, I wanted to share with y'all something that I learned in my personal study yesterday. I was reading in Alma 62 and I loved verse 4. It was talking about Moroni and how he "did raise the standard of liberty in whatsoever place he did enter." I know that applies to us today. While we are out in the world, we can live our lives in a way where our "standard of liberty" is raised anywhere we go! I know that as we live the way our Heavenly Father wants us to, people will want to know Him through the way we live!

Anyway, I've got to get going! I love y'all! Have a blessed week!

- Sister Amy Christensen

Nothing finer than celebrating Harry Potter's birthday with some ice cream!

Me with Sister Jackson. She's a 96 year old lady in our branch and still kicking!

Week 55 - Latta, SC - 7/28/14

Good Morning from Latta, South Carolina! It's been quite the eventful week so let's get down to the nitty gritty!

Well I went exchanges this week with one of our Sister Training Leaders, Sister Wood! We stayed in Marion and it was a really... odd exchange. Because the Sister Training Leaders have bed bugs in their apartment, we weren't allowed to do a 24 hour exchange - we did a 6 hour exchange instead! It was extremely short! But it was a good one nonetheless.

Speaking of bed bugs, I definitely didn't even know they actually existed until I was in the South. They bite a lot and they aren't pretty bites! Pray that I don't get eaten alive by them! :) Hahah.

This past week was Pioneer Day! I'm so grateful for the pioneers that made the trek from Illinois to the great Salt Lake! I read a talk by President Uchtdorf called "All Is Well" on Pioneer Day! It made me realized how blessed I am because of their sacrifice! Also I realized a year ago on Pioneer Day, I was opening up the Boiling Springs area for sisters. I'm kind of a modern day pioneer. No big deal ;)

Ok. I need to tell you about Brother J. He is the most elect person, probably in the history! Since I last talked to y'all about him, we've taught him the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word of Wisdom, the Ten Commandments, and Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. And he came to church yesterday! He loves everything! He's still really set on his baptismal date for August 16th! Please pray for him though because he's living with his mom who is kind of anti. He needs all the prayers he can get!

So I have a funny story for you! I've found that I sleep talk a lot on the mission. A few nights ago, Sister Parker said that I was talking in my sleep and I said "Please turn to page 529 of Preach My Gospel!" On page 529 of the Book of Mormon is Moroni's promise so I guess I was mixing that up in my dream or something. Whenever we read Moroni's promise with an investigator now, we just both look at each other and start laughing! It's a good time!

Now I'll leave you with a cool thought. President Spencer W. Kimball said "Make no small plans, they have no magic to stir mans’ souls. This is the vision I have for the South. I believe one day the South will baptize more people into the church than all other English speaking missions in the world together. There are hosts of marvelous Baptists, members of the Church of Christ, Methodists, and Catholics, who are honorable people and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love him. As they see their church veering off to the right or the left of those basic teachings, they will begin to search for truth. And as pivotal teachers come into the church and have influence, we will see the time when we will baptize hundreds, and thousands, tens-of-thousands, in your day you will see a million members of the church in the South. There will be Temples plural in the South State. What a great call you have to serve with these marvelous people." Pretty neat, huh? You can definitely expect good things to come from the South!

Anyway, I've got to get going! I love y'all! Write me! Have a blessed week :)

- Sister Amy Christensen

Selfie of Sister Parker and I at the Little Pee Dee State Park for our Branch's Pioneer Day activity.

Definitely had to pump the car tire up! Thanks Dad for teaching me how to do it!

Sister Parker and I finally had some boiled peanuts since the Weatherford's gave them to us! They're actually not too bad!