Alma 26:16

“Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord, yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever.  Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord?  Yea, who can say too much in the Lord?  Yea, who can say too much of his great power and of his mercy and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.”

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been an interesting one. We had wonderful Zone Conference in Worcester. We talked about the three venues of conversion (Missionary lessons, personal study, and church attendance). We were uplifted and edified by all of the members in the mission presidency. It was such a treat to hear from them all. They are such wonderful leaders, I always feel so much love from them, and they are such a powerful group. It was really funny, while President Christensen was teaching us about the personal study venue; he got a call from the mayor in New York. He asked, "do you mind of I take this? It's the Mayor of New York. He calls me sometimes...” We all were dying! I just love President Christensen; he is so sweet and humble. He shared his powerful conversion story over lunch with us. He is incredible!

We had a wonderful session about the church attendance venue with President and Sister Haight. I just love them so much. They are so spiritually powerful and just simply wonderful! I always feel very special when I see president Haight because he always makes a point to come and talk to me. I love how they teach and how they present themselves, they are very bold and loving. I feel so grateful to know each of the members of our mission presidency pretty well. It amazes me how dedicated they are and how personally involved they are with each missionary. I love them!

We had exchanges this week with the Sister's in Amherst, and I went to Amherst with Sister Wheeler. I had such a fun time! It seemed like such a long day but it was so wonderful. It didn't work out the way Sister Wheeler had hoped but we had a good time learning together. I met so many wonderful people in that area. We had a great conversation about commitment because we were trying to commit these two people to invite someone to the fireside that we had on Friday, but they weaseled out of it. We learned a lot about commitment, how to help someone make a commitment, how important it is, and ho we need to be committed and always have something to work on.

                               

Our fireside on "What the World Knows Because of Joseph Smith" went so well!! We didn't get as many people there as we hoped but we still filled the chapel and there were many non members there. We had our investigators there, less actives, former investigators, potential investigators, and low lying fruit and so on! It was awesome. President Packard did such a wonderful job. As he always does. He really touched the whole audience. I loved how he made a point to talk to so many of the people in attendance, especially some of our former and potential investigators and less actives. It was amazing. Everyone loved the event and it was so good to have the wonderful portable visitors center there! Everyone loved that, too. It was a successful night.

The past few days it has been hitting me so hard that I am leaving in less than a week. I can't believe it! It seriously has gone by way too fast. I really feel like I just made it to the mission from the MTC like a week ago. I seriously never knew I would actually get to this point. It really breaks my heart. This has been the most incredible experience of my life and I don't want it to end! I have seen people change because they have decided to follow Jesus Christ. I have seen my own testimony strengthen so much more than I thought possible. I know this gospel is true. I know our Father in Heaven has created a perfect plan to help us return to Him and that His only Begotten Son came to complete the Atonement and make that plan perfectly effective. I don't know everything the Lord has in store for us, I don't know every in and out of the gospel but I do know that it is true. I do know that this is the only way we can return to our Father. It breaks my heart when people reject this message we have, or just can't seem to understand it, yet. I hope and pray that everyone that I have come in contact with while on my mission will one day understand the gospel and accept it. Of course it is still is their choice, they have their agency, which is so frustrating sometimes! But I do love that gift that God has given us, and I know it is essential for us to grow and learn and someday reach our potential.

I love my mission. I cannot bear to leave it, but I know it is time. I only hope that I have done all the Lord has asked me to do and that He is pleased with my work. I am forever changed because of the decision I made to serve a mission.

I love you all and will be seeing you soon.

Love,

 Sister Christensen

Zone P-day

Quabin Reservoir

Last District Meeting

PROGRESS and TEMPLE

This week has been so crazy. I feel like I say that every time. But it has been especially crazy this week! We finally got our investigator, T and her boyfriend to have dinner with some members. And it went so well! I didn't know if those four were a good combination.  They talked and talked and talked. But now they are friends! Wahoo! :) :) It was perfect.

We have been able to get into more homes than we have previously been able to! It has been so awesome. I just love it. I love seeing the progress that is happening here. There are so many miracles that are occurring. All our investigators are progressing pretty well, although they are all in different places. We also were able to visit with a less active that is having so many medical issues on top of other things that are really sad in her life. We met her at a cemetery and walked around talking with her. We taught her about the plan of Salvation while we were there. It was just what she needed. Though it was quite the experience teaching the plan of Salvation in a cemetery.. She is a sweet lady. I really hope she comes to the fireside on Friday! It would be so good for her!

This past weekend I had the amazing chance to go to the temple to witness a family from one of my past areas being sealed. It was incredible. This is what it is all about. This is where all the work we do goes to. It was such a special experience I will never forget. It has been so amazing to see this family progress so quickly! I had the opportunity to witness their baptism just over a year ago. And now they are sealed together for time and all eternity! I just love it.

A perfect day

Sorry this week is short... I don't have much time. But I love you all and I hope you have had a wonderful week and that this coming week will be wonderful as well! :)

Love,

 Sister Christensen

Investigators!

                                               

This week has been nuts! We met with all three of our awesome investigators this week! Tara is doing well, but we all know she will take a while to accept the gospel if ever.. She is really intellectual. But we have dinner tonight with her at a members home so I think that will be really good for her.

Our faces when we found out Branch Council was not happening

Dan is doing so well! I am so so excited about him. He totally gets everything we teach him and he has such a deep and genuine desire to change. It amazes me! He came to church yesterday, and I felt kind of bad because it seemed pretty overwhelming to him. But our branch mission leader wrapped him in and he said he enjoyed himself. He really is so awesome! One of our members called us later and said she was so impressed and touched by him and she wants to come teach him with us! He is doing really well.

Jordan is doing good still waiting on the parent’s approval but his good friend who introduced him to the church is coming home soon from school, and he thinks having him around more will help. He just needs to come to church more often now.

A few days ago the sisters in our district called us in desperation. They had an appointment with an investigator that they have been trying to meet forever but could never get a chaperon or it just didn't work out. So on this day the member that they had to go with them backed out and they needed a chaperon, so we went with them! It was so much fun. This investigator has been learning from the Sisters in Worcester but lives in Oxford's area so they have been trying to switch him over. He really wants to be baptized but can't quite yet, for certain reasons. But it was fun teaching him because it really felt like we were teaching a little kid, but he is definitely in his late 20's or early 30's. He is kind of forgetful but a really great guy. I am so happy we were able to help them out. Afterwards we were talking about it and one of the sisters said she finally realized what members meant when they say that missionaries bring an extra spirit with them. She felt it with all four of us sister missionaries teaching together. That was pretty neat. I think it was supposed to happen that way for some reason. It was neat.

There are so many miracles that are happening right now! There are families, active and less active that we haven't been able to get in for who knows how long, and now we are seeing them this week! We are also finding so many more people to teach! It is so amazing. I know that the Lord is preparing this area for something special. And I know that the fireside that we are having on the 25th about the prophet Joseph Smith will help a ton too! I am so excited for that!
Many wonderful things to look forward to! I love you all and I hope you know how much I love the gospel and how much I love learning more about it and applying it to my life and to other's lives! It is such a tremendous blessing.

Love,

 Sister Eliza

Desperate times, call for desperate measures! 

Picking Blueberries...YUM!!

Happy 4^th of July!

Me and Sister Bentley getting ready to watch the fireworks

                                        

Huge Bonn Fire

This week has been crazy! We found two new investigators and are so excited about them! One of them, D, is friends with a family that is mostly inactive except for one member. I think I might've mentioned them last week.. But we taught him for the first time this week and he seems so sincere and genuine in his quest to strengthen his relationship with God. He really needs God in his life! We actually stopped by today because we needed to update them on our status for our lesson tomorrow, and ran into him there. He said that he had read Moroni chapters 7-10 and said he really liked it. He even talked about specific parts in those chapters! It was so awesome! He said he will be continuing reading it!!

                                       
Our other new investigator is a boyfriend of a young woman in the branch. He has been going to church on and off for the past 5 or so years and wants to be baptized so badly!  Sadly his family is very traditionally catholic and is not supportive. So we are hoping and praying that he will find a way to involve them and help them feel more comfortable with the idea of him getting baptized. It was a really neat experience teaching him because when we talked about Joseph Smith he bore a very simple and sweet testimony of Joseph Smith! He is awesome. 

We had a wonderful Sunday yesterday. Both Sister Bentley and I bore our testimonies in sacrament meeting, even though it scares me every time it felt so good! It was a very sweet meeting. I was so happy that our investigator T came! She did enjoy the meeting too! She did think it was different.. but she said it was nice. I am so happy! :) It was a great day.

I have been having some pretty awesome studies lately, mostly for our investigators. But I learn so much while I am looking up their questions and the things we are preparing to teach them. It is so amazing how the Lord works. I love reading the Book of Mormon; especially where our investigators are reading because it seems like an extra boost of the spirit comes into that study. We are both learning about the same things, but in different ways, and we get different things out of it, but then it is also easier to answer their questions and help them understand. Doing this has become such a huge blessing to me. The more I study where they are and try to understand where they are coming, the more my testimony is strengthened in the gospel. What a wonderful gift we have. It really shows how deep the love our Father in Heaven has for us. He truly loves us all individually and personally, and He truly has a perfect plan for each of us. The gospel is so perfect, even when the world is so different and it changes all the time, the gospel stays the same. The members of this church are not perfect but as we all strive to live this perfect gospel we become better and better, and closer to becoming perfect like our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. I love it!

                                         
I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July!! I love you!!

Love,

Sister Eliza