All is well in Zion

Dear everyone,

Hello there and greetings from chilly Albany! It's a beautiful sunny day today and temperatures in the mid-30's. Spring can come any time; everyone talks about how this has been the worst winter in 20+ years, crazy! It's been alright. Sorry about the email technical problems last week. That's not cool, but good thing you could get in and check it out. That's great that the contacts got there. I'll let you know when I need them but that is a year supply (each box lasts 3 months/90days). So, if you could send one of each in the next package that'd be great! And because we are moving on the 15th of April, don't send anything until the week of the 18th. Thanks! And again, please send everything to the mission office address (only exception being Mom's letter; thanks). That's a bummmmer about the memory card; yeah, they have clear plastic cases we can put them in. I've been thinking about that but never did anything about it. Dang. Oh well, all is well in Zion. You'll all just have to come here sometime after I'm back to see everything. I'm so excited for Conference! My goodness! I'm pretty jealous you get to go and the VIP hookups aren't bad either. It will be such an awesome experience!

So this week of work has been well. There isn't really too much to report, unfortunately, because I was sick two days with a stomach bug. Last Monday I didn't feel good and tried going out to our appointments anyway. I made it through dinner but didn't feel so hot. We then had two more teaching appointments after that, and they ended up both cancelling and falling through so it was just simply meant to be for me to go in. So we headed in for the night. I took a bath, chilled for a little then went to bed early. I woke up feeling a bit better Tuesday and went about the normal morning routine. After our District Meeting we taught Xiamin Hou with a member. It went alright but we think her uncle may have anti-'d her a bit when she was back in China for a month (before we met her but after meeting with the missionaries a little). She's doing good though and have been praying and fasting for her so we know it'll all continue going great. After, the Assistants came and blitzed us (E. Johnson who I was in the 3-some with in Albany first, and his companion who served in Albany right before E. Boyakin). Not much happened that night, and I still didn't feel great. That night I threw up a few times and was up basically from 3 on. I learned my lesson from Monday to just take it easy and we stayed in all day (other than going to the gas station on the corner to get a ginger ale in the middle of the day, ha). So Wednesday was a wash. Thursday we taught Bro. Kerius (Dennis) at U of Albany. We had a good lesson talking about the difference in spiritual things and academic things; and how the things of God are discerned spiritually, etc. It was good. Friday I went on exchange with the elders in Schenectady and I worked there with an E. Duffin. He's a great missionary, E. Stratton's MTC companion. We had a great time working together and teaching. It is a walk area so it was fun to be back in that kind of realm. Saturday we taught Bro. Pascher (they taught him Friday, too, when I was away; we had to reschedule from Wednesday when I was sick). It was a really good lesson on the 2nd half of the Plan of Salvation. He said he was going through a rough spot in the morning and was tempted to call and cancel on us...but he decided not to and he talked about after the lesson how he really felt lifted and better. So cool! He's doing incredibly! I forgot if I mentioned last week, he just stopped smoking on his own because he knows he'll have to. We're going to teach him the Word of Wisdom tomorrow, but he's so great! Yesterday was a good Sunday. Workwise, though it was kind of a pain we had to get numbers for the month of March from everyone and it ended up being more involved and difficult than it has in the past. It's all good though, we were able to schedule some really great things this week! It's already packed! We're going on 2 exchanges this week too; I'll stay here for the first Tuesday to Wednesday, and I'll go work in downtown Albany for the other Friday to Saturday morning. I had a really neat experience this week I'll mention real quick. In the MTC I started reading (but really studying) the Book of Mormon. I finally finished on Saturday morning, March 26. That day marked the 181th Anniversary of the Book of Mormon (publication) to the day! It was awesome; and, sadly, I realized it was really the first time I can recall really reading and studying it cover to cover out of my own desires and interest driving the action. I know it is true.

I hope you all have a great week and have a wonderful time enjoying Conference. I feel so connected to you all through Conference; so know, as we bask in the words of our inspired leaders, I'll be thinking of you greatly! I love you all so much and appreciate so much all that you do! Thank you Thank you.

Love always,

Elder Christensen