The highest highs and lowest lows

Elder Farrens and Elder Christensen try a different look

Dear everyone,

Hey there I hope everyone is doing well! It seems that way from the emails that I received. Yeah, it is pretty crazy that 9/11/01 was ten years ago. I can vividly remember sitting in Mrs. Moore's 5th grade class watching the news and having a very abnormal day. Time really does fly. Ste is now older than I was when that happened, holy smokes. That's so cool about Patrick Benjamin's baptism! He's 14? Would he go to church alone, with his Mom, or someone else? That's a pretty impressive age to be baptized and especially with his upbringing and background. That's good that Papa is involved in his tutoring again; I know that those kids love him. The situation with Lindsey and her baby is intense. I'll keep her in my prayers. I like the DBacks picture from the TV! Haha, nice - that's fun you guys have been going to so many games and such. That's a bummer BYU lost. Fun that the Lewis' were able to go to Texas though for the event. Would I know the Curtis guy who was reactivated? Today's Elder Farrens' birthday, we're going to celebrate in style with some golf or bowling or something of that sort. The letter that Mom sent this week was pretty intense with all of the things inside. I was surprised to see the program from Sister Bentley's funeral - I'm really happy that Mom decided to go.

This week has been a very good one, certainly a roller coaster. It's so true that you experience the highest highs and lowest lows in mission-life. The work in Rome is continuing to progress although that certainly doesn't mean that everything is peachy all the time. Definitely the high water mark of the week was a lesson that we had with a 81 year old investigator names Lois. She is so sharp and sweet. She was tracted into right before I got here. She has a nephew who is a member in Mesa and because of him she has a very good perception of the church. The lesson this week was so incredible because it was entirely guided by the Spirit. What I mean is this. Earlier in the day we, E. Farrens and I both, felt strongly that we should invite her to be baptized on November 5. This was pretty interesting as she had expressed in the past not wanting to feel pushed and not sure if she wants to 'be a part' of this yet. We thought a lot about it throughout the day and prayed about it and we were sure that that's what we should shoot for. The lesson content was to teach the second half of the plan of salvation, where we left off last time, but when we got there we understood what she really needed. She asked a bunch of different questions that all, eventually, led to questions specifically about baptism and her expressing her desire to be baptized once she understood the need for her to be baptized 'again'. It was very powerful and I have no doubt that we were doing exactly what the Lord wanted us to be doing at that time. What a great feeling that is. So Lois has a baptismal date set of November 5 that she is striving for. I'm confident she will be ready (and feel ready) by then with the good chance of it happening sooner. There have been other good things happening with the people we are teaching, too. I went on exchange with the Assistants this past week which was a good time. I worked in Utica with E. Kunzler. We already have a lot of things set up for this upcoming week that I'm excited about. I've learned, or was reminded again, this week that I can do everything in my own power to make things happen but others still have their ability to turn away. That can be the hardest thing, at times. I know, though, that as I do do everything that is in my power that I am literally on the Lord's errand and will be exactly where He wants and needs me to be. I'm grateful for this reassurance and the comfort I feel to know.

I hope you all have a great week and continue to do what's right. I love you so much and thank you for the love I feel.

Love,
Elder Christensen

PS- I was sitting by the Emily girl again in the Library today. What are the 'odds?'