Westley's Mission

Mexico City

2010-07-07T11:37:00.003-05:00

I came, I saw, I did Mexico Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 12:55 PM

2010-06-21T14:06:00.003-05:00

Hey Guys
How is everyone doing this lovely day? its a great monday... also my last. its been good so far. I washed, I played soccer with heap (we will be having an all mexico norte team at BYU by the way) and now we are thinking about the food.... i mean what we are going to eat! It's all good.

So before I tell all my adventures, answers for Mom. You will need more than 200 pesos to get from the airport to the offices. Its normally about like 300, just one way. but 200 american dollars will be good, just need to change it into smaller bills. Getting the taxi from the hotel, it will probably be late when we get back from presidentes house. We are leaving from the mission home at 3, get to Presente's house at like 4:30pm eat for two or three hours and come back. So we will back here at like 8 9? Skype sounds great, thats so cool, I'm so excited to see my little sobrino!!! It's going to be crazy this weekend, but Im thinking about calling mom later this week, like saturday to just make sure everything is cool and in order. But yeah, i think i answered all the questions. Also, i love you guys.

I cant believe its over already. But no worries, we are still doing work. We had one baptism this last week and two confirmations and we are doing 2 and 2 this week. Going out in a blaze of glory. haha I tried calling the family Aguilar and i couldn't get a hold of them, but hopefully today so that we can go to the temple. And yeah... I don't know what else to write haha

ok sorry this is short but I dont know what else to say. I love my mission, i know this is the work of God. I had the privlege, the honor and the blessing to carry my Saviors name every day. I wasn't perfect. I wasn't the greatest or the most popular, but i did my job. I love this gospel and have a testimoy of the blessings that everyone can receive by living it. I love my Savior. I am nothing without Him. I love my mission

to the moon and back...

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Its getting close‏ Sent: Mon 6/14/10 2:14 PM

2010-06-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

How are you guys doing today? Today isn't my real p day because this Wednesday we are going to go to the temple as a zone and Presidente changed our p-day for that, but he decided it would be better not to have 200 angry moms calling about why their son didn't write today. So here i am writing.
I'm going to try and answer all the questions about the trip and stuff before I start. I asked Pres mom if they needed anything and they said they were good, so yeah surpise them. I think green chile would be kind of joke though... there is alot here.
The car sounds fine and the hotel. Heap was a little sad but he can live with it. Yes mom, you can look stuff up to do as well, it's not my trip to Mexico, I have been here for 2 years but yeah we just have an idea of what we want to do, nothing set in stone.
Also, talked to Presidente and he said that I will still be a missionary until I get released.... as in, I have to wear the badge and the tag 'till I'm home... i know... so cool haha but whatever, I don't think dad has too, but he can if he wants to =) .
Also... I cant remember what else... oh yeah, yeah sounds great with all the people coming for the 4th of July. Should be a good old Christensen party haha even if its just for Conway... much love little sobrino. I saw the picture that mom sent me today... he is a hairly little man but i love him regardless. I think I answered everything. (He didn't).
Also heads up, the rainy season just started this week. Yeap, definitely walked home soaking wet like 2 times this week. It usually comes in the afternoon so we should be good.

Okay my life. Saturday, Heap, the generation and I all went to Teotihuacan, it was fun. I love my boys. So yeah, know when we go, Heap and I can be some excellent tour guides. And we are great at bargaining. That will come in handy know that mom is going to love shopping here. I am soo excited for you guys to come and see Mexico, its going to be great.
Mom, dont even worry about a thing. The best memories are when things went wrong.... haha jk jk jk i love you.

My comp and I had three baptisms this week. It was great. And we have two more for this week and two for the last week. I might be tired but im still kicking. It was funny because we had conference this last week and every time anyone mentioned about how we need to finish strong or that the mission is too short, Presidente would just look at me and say "isnt that right Elder Christensen?" haha it was funny

Sterl, you rock bro. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I know your ozzies lost to Germany but i hope you have a great day and do work son. USA and Mexico are riding the tie train haha i love world cup, its soo crazy here how everything stops for a mexico game.

All right fam and fans, I'm out. I love my misison and i love every one of you. This is the true chruch of God and his son Jesus Christ. I have no doubt of it. Be great

to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

Yeah Conway!!! and Jenny and Britton too!‏ Sent: Mon 6/07/10 5:54 PM

2010-06-10T10:42:00.000-05:00

Hey guys!!

Oh man, I'm an uncle? That's so crazy. I was telling my comp all day yesterday and was like," comp, I think I am an uncle, I think I'm an uncle. There he is the champion. Congrats guys, that is such an amazing thing, just know I'll be the fun uncle and will only play with him, I don't do the dirty work but yeah, he looks like an all american from where I am sitting.

Sorry this is going to be short. I'm burning more time then I actually have. We had alot of stuff to do in the morning and then we washed super fast and we still have to go to the Junta and do everything and I still haven't eaten today. That happens alot sometimes, but anyways.

Tuesday, I gave my last testimony in the zl conference. It was not as much fun as I thought it was going to be. It's like I know I am leaving but I don't feel I'm leaving. My mind just hasn't checked in with the body yet. We are working hard. We didn't have too much news this week but we found good ones, we had three families in church and we have three baptisms this week.
Elder Christensen is not trunky haha but I sure am tired. My next three weeks are going to be crazy. We have conference this week and then Heap and the gen are going to Teotihaucan Saturday. I think it's better if I go again so I'll know everything and be able to be a better guide. Beause last time... I didn't understand anything.
Sunday was super fun. Our services are reversed so we have priesthood first and then at the end sacrament meeting. So the funny part is that in the primary they gave out air ballons. It was probably the worst sacrament meeting of my life haha i was just waiting for a flying ballon to hit the person that was talking. I love kids..... that are my nephew, yeah its been good practice in this ward.

Ok I'm out., sorry for not writing soo much but it's not a reflection of my love ; ) ok i love you guys soooooo much and know that I am in the best place having the best timeIi could be right now. I love you.

To the moon and back

Elder Christensen

100 weeks old‏ Sent: Monday, May 31, 2010 5:53 PM

2010-06-01T09:32:00.002-05:00

Hey Fam and Fans
Elder Heap told me yesterday that we were 100 weeks old and I kind of just looked at him for a while and then freaked out! haha
So it was a fun week. The mission completed with 322 baptisms! yeah buddy, say my name!!! haha not really, other zones did really well and dominated and my zone and companionship did alright. I mean we should be happier because we baptized more then the stake has baptized in alot of time, like a year and a half, but i know we could have done more. But whatever, just need to go crazy till the end. And its getting tough. Like Saturday, it was the hardest day of my life,i was soooo tired and exhausted of walking and lack of sleep and we still had people to visit and invite to church and yeah it was rough but we did that thing. We baptized Saturday and it was good to back in the water. ;) We are planning for a couple more this week and the week that's coming but we need to keep seeing miracles. Please pray for Rosa, Gaby, Martha and for Carlos. I'm not going to rest until the family is in front of me, so no worries there.
Elder Heap and I hung out today, we went to chinese food and then played ping pong, he is really good at that and beat me handly. Also random note of fun, I went emo this week. haha! I don't know what was going on but while shaving I cut the skin that's on my adams apple and then again the next day. So yeah it looks funny. I just tell people I am an american and they leave me alone. ;)
But how are you guys doing this week? Coop, congrats on the grades, I know you could do it bro. Keep working hard and make sure you put a smile on = ) Jen, you are a trooper, you keep rocking it and keep coby safe until he is ready to come. You need to relax more, take a couple of p days and come back to life. It's fun to refer to real life in mission terms. "i am going to have 3 appointments with members and 2 others" haha it's funny when you think about dating again. Anways, Nano, keep working hard and good luck with people that have super fresa car. Keep me updated. Also Dad, good job on the pool and for the uplift, you rock man. Mom, i love you alot. Thanks for working so hard and planning the trip. The car sounds great and the hotel too. I haven't planned anything the Heap didn' show in his inventory that he sent to his mom. If you didn't get it I will send it again. We are not winging it so don't worry! =) But yeah tomorrow we have a conference with presidente and i will have to ask him alot of questions about the stay with you guys. Cause ties right now are not cool at all! I'm loosing weight from just sweating so much. But its all good.

ok my loved ones, take care and rock it. Don't fear, there are more with us then there are with them. Look that up, also my favorite scripture of the week. be still and know that I am God.
It helped me take a couple more deep breathes this week. I love you guys. I know this mission is true.
to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

Short but sweet‏ Sent: Mon 5/24/10 4:24 PM

2010-05-24T17:39:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

Well time is short and today even more than normal. We have a new elder in the zone so we tried to make it a good P-day for him. I almost won in bowling.... but then we went to lunch with Heap and Molyneux, yeah that's how you spell his name. They are pretty much my homies. Its been a good day, just woke up a little sick but life goes on. But oh wow, the mission is doing so well . We have one week left to complete 300 and we are at 245.... it's going to be a close one, but we will win. My zone is not soo hot right now but really I should be happier. We are going to end with more than the zone has had in over a year so I think that should still count as a pat on the back. Just everyone is getting super stressed with the end of the month and baptisms and everything and I think every one should just be like and just relax.... haha "good one wes"

The weather here is killing me softly. Its been like 90 ish everyday and I feel like I am going to die. Ties and pants are not made for this weather. I am constantly sweating and usually smell bad at the end of the day like I played a soccer game or something haha but we are doing well. I am tired but I am far from dead. I'm going out with a bang!

This week should be pretty normal. Just divisions, baptisms, miracles, the usual. Mom, I did see the reservations, sounds like a good time. Is it the same as the Heaps? Coop!! last week of school, work hard and represent.
Nano and Jen, you guys rock, keep working hard and keep praying for me please. Also jen,,, the 7th is the big day (Conway coming into this world) You stay strong.
Dad, I love you man. It's funny cause every time i am tired or annoyed and don't want to do it,I aim like, dang it, dad would do it without complaining.... so props dad haha you are my hero, I love you man.
Mom, you know that I love you. I don't know about reading all the books about Mexico when you have the best two guides ever, Heap and I, but whatever. It's all good.

OK, I got to run but I love you guys sooooo much. Talk to you soon. I know this church is true, I love this gospel, I love my mission.

to the moon and back...

Elder Christensen

Got the pictures open! So excited to see this boy in 6 weeks!

2010-05-21T13:40:00.002-05:00

"OK I'm sending some photos."

Us right now at the computer place.

The second of my district

My comp and elder gardner playing wall ball against the church.

Subject: Last Transfer! the beginning of the end.... Sent:Mon 5/17/10 1:43 PM

2010-05-17T16:23:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys
well it was fun to talk to you all yesterday. You all sound great. Sorry if I didn't really make sense or was weirdish, that's what two years in mexico does to ya. haha. but yeah thanks for all the love and support you guys rock hard. I still haven't talked to heap today, he is kind of busy these days, but ill be sure to do it soon. No Jenny, i didn't eat anything, I'm trying a new thing on fasting, every sunday. I'm not as extreme as Elder Nymeyer but its an attempt. Today we woke up, it was cold, like 70 degrees, and we went back to bed. no just kidding, but yeah we have washed and cleaned the house and now we are going to get some lunch and then a meeting and then another meeting. its my life, but I'll live. Yeah, I'm a little tired but super excited. These are going to be the best 6 weeks ever, my comp and I are going to rock it. Coop, don't wreck the car please, and get ready to train.
Jen the name is cob like koby. But i was thinking about it and I think we will have to pick a name that has nothing to do with him, like sparky haha just think it over and get back to me.
Nano, despite what mom thinks i might not be going to the young single adults activities, just kidding... maybe, but you know we got the double team going.

OK I'm sending some photos. The first is of my comp and elder gardner playing wall ball against the church. The second of my district and the last one of us right now at the computer place. Gardner is sicky, he is rolling with us today because he is going to be training and his kid hasn't gotten here yet. (Trying to open pictures still, post soon!)

OK well I'm off to conquer the world again so I'll be seeing you cats on the flip side. Haha, I'm cool. I love you guys and know this church is true. Live and love it.
to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

Happy Mothers Day!!!‏ Sent: Mon 5/10/10 1:02 PM

2010-05-10T15:35:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

How is everyone doing? Everyone is done with school except for Coop?... bummer, keep working hard man. Thanks so cool that everyone is back in the house now. I can't believe that summer has already started for you guys. The kids here got the day off because in Mexico, Mothers Day is today and not yesterday, so there you go. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM!! love you a whole bunch. Thanks for putting up with me and not letting me be too ridiculous. My comp and I were talking about it yesterday while we were watching kids roll on the floor screaming in church and we were like, I love my parents. If I would have done that, i would have gotten a swift one in the behind haha but it was with love so its all good. Mom, hope you had a great day and next year we will have to make you breakfast in bed.
Dad, you keep working hard. I'm interested in riding a bike to work too, but maybe not with wind but yeah you keep being my hero. Jen, stay strong, only a little bit more.
Nano... where is nano? I didn't hear from her this week.... but keep rocking it sis.

ok yeah, i was thinking about calling next Sunday because I thought that everyone was going to be home. I have all the time in the world, minus Sunday mornings and Monday from 6-8 my time. But yeah I'll call later to put us in accord. And thanks for the info about the house mom. Heap sounded really excited when he told me about it so there you go. Maybe it is a little fresa but Nano can come to my house for Sunday dinner. It's going to be fun.

My week was alright. Super stressed all the time. If its not my area it's my district and if its not my district it's the zone. If fun to be responsible haha but my zone is doing well, right now we are not number 1 but close. My area is doing better. We are going to baptize, WEEEEE but yeah other people in teaching not so much but we are working hard. I talked in church yesterday and I talked about how we need to pray to our Heavenly Father more often. I used mom as an example when I was at BYU. If i didn't call there were consequences! The ward enjoyed the metaphor.
Next week are transfers and I think the only companionship that will not be changed will be us.... so a whole new team but same attack plan, own up!
Today I was washing my clothes and while I was scrubbing the collar on my shirt, it kind of dissolved and fell apart... haha my comp just looked at my and said, "just 7 more weeks" So crazy to think that in a week I will be the oldest generation.... but its all good, Just got to do work.

Okay, I'm off to have a BBQ American style as a zone. That's leadership for you. My comp and I made a ping pong table in our house, out of chairs, a table and some toilet paper. Just so you know. OK well I'll call you guys later. I love my mission and love my family. I know this is the true church because I have a received a testimony of it. I know that Christ is my Savior. I love you guys
to the moon and back.

Con amor,

Elder Christensen

Its a good life‏ Sent: Mon 5/03/10 10:45 PM

2010-05-10T12:08:00.001-05:00

(* Sorry for the late post, finals week last week*)

Hey guys,

How is everyone? married, single, dating - so funny. Congrats Lacy, you are a rock star. Sorry I couldn't be there I was kind of doing my thing down here but at least I had a cut out there... oh wait... haha no its cool, I wouldn't have wanted to rob Sterls show. Congrats, I have a large testimony that families are eternal. There is no other way around it.

Jen!!! I have to admit I screamed a little bit when I saw your picture (the one of her and Lacey).
I love you so much, stay strong, one more month, you can do it. I want to buy him his first sweat bands, just going with the theme or a dew rag haha yeah my gangster sobrino.

Nano, keep working hard, just have to make it through finals and than you are home free. Coop, keep working hard in school and never relax. Presidete always talks about how if we want to do something great we have to avoid feeling comfortable. Don't feel comfortable son.
Dad, you rock for working in the stake. Keep pushing and just take all the meeting one at a time.
I am glad you could see all the fam again. I'm sure you guys said hi to everyone for me as well, thanks. Mom, you are wedding machine. Way to go! I'm sure it was one of your best. Thanks for trying so hard with the apartment stuff. Heap and I are kind of at a loss for words because we really are ignorant but yeah, if Memmott can't room with us than we have another guy. I would like to keep it under $350 a month and knowing that probably won't be there too long. Idk, I am totally willing to share a room with anyone. I trust you mom, thanks for all the help.

My week was tough. I was just getting over being sick, Tuesday morning so we went running, nothing too extreme and I threw out my back. I feel so old. But yeah it was like that one time mom, when I couldn't walk and I felt useless and yeah, some pain killers and went to work! But I am feeling better now, it's just my comp that is now sick with a fever. It's been a long week. But everyone remembers that one grandma that we lost because her kids were rejecting her for changing religions? Well, she is back!! It was the greatest miracle ever. Basically we are going to baptize her in two weeks with her daughter and granddaughter. Also my zone is not the best zone anymore but have faith, we are more of a fourth quarter team anyways. Satan is working hard to discourage us but we are working harder. I still can't believe we are in May.

So crazy, but yeah mom I was thinking that next Monday would be good to call, idk if you are home yet but i am flexible. Also we went grocery shopping today.... o man... i was going crazy haha still haven't grown up too much haha my comp wanted to look down every aisle haha I wasn't going to have any of that. but it was funny, I like him a lot.

Ok I am out like a scout. I got some meetings and people and fans to see so ill catch you guys on the flip side. I know this is the true church that was established by the true God. I love my mission and cant imagine it ending. I am been a representative of our Savior and Christ, I cant imagine anything more important. be great cause that's who you are

to the moon and back
con amor,

Elder Christensen

What! Pictures!

2010-04-26T17:57:00.001-05:00

Seeing his cute face makes me miss him! Can not wait to talk to him next week!

its hot here, and i dont think its just me Sent: Mon 4/26/10 4:41 PM

2010-04-26T17:54:00.000-05:00

Hey familia,

How are you guys doing today? BYU kids are done with school, NMSY kids are almost done, high school kids still have forever to go... jk coop. Just remember I don't get any vacations Presidente just started a new thing. The zone, the districto and the companionship with the most baptisms get to go to the temple. So I'll be letting you guys know whenI'ill be going to the temple again but right now our zone is still the best so we will see how may ends.

That's super cool thatLlacey got to go to the temple though!! congrats kids, you are my hero, just remember that it would be super cool if you and Jenny could both have little ones around the same time..... much love.
Nano, dont you worry about down south, you come up to provo and we will kick it. keep working hard. You too coop. Better hurry up and get a job for the summer if you want to drive.
Jen, love you. Sorry I don't answer more of your questions but "no" I still don't normally eat breakfast and usually in the mornings I have to do visits to missionaries houses or other stuff like that. Being zone Leader is basically the same as anyone else, just thatIi have to worry about 8 other companionships.....It's cool having the assistantes here. They are my homies.

Dad love you man. Thanks for being such an example. I have been sick for the last three days and all day i just keep reminding myself of how you knocked doors every day for atleast an hour and that time you were dieing and did it anyways. Yeah got me through Saturday and last but not least.... JAKE CONGRATS DUDE!!! dude that is so sicky. I wanted to pick the new mission that they are opening up here but Peru is cool too. Just as long as its spanish, you cant go wrong haha do work son.

Oh and yes, I can call home any day that would be better for you guys. Just tell me what day and i will give a phone number. Also tell Romney I will allow him to live in my house if he wants haha jk.

OK my week. Heap and I are going to plan an inventory today so we have a plan later about what we are going to do. So we will keep you posted.
We had conference with the Presidente onFfriday. I thought it went well. We had some sweet activities and then Presidente put on a video that the assistants made and its hilarious because they are trying to be serious. But I enjoyed it. Later we had a meeting with the stake presidente. That was impressive. He was talking to all the bishops and was like, after the bishop, your mision leader should be your best member you got. Ii was like, well good thingI aim not going to be ML when i get home haha but it was a sweet meeting.
Speaking of which, why didnt the mormons make it to heaven?... they were stuck in a meeting haha so true!!! keep strong Dad.
Our sweet family fell this week because the kids chose to reject her untill she stopped talking to us. 'Ill just be waiting for them at the judgement bar... but seriously... but the work continues.

OK im our like a scout. My new favorite scripture of the week is D&C 6:33-37. No temaís rebanito, y haced lo que yo os he mandado. Basically means, do work haha

I know this work is true, i love my mission,

Elder Christensen

Lets be patient with Westley, I'm a......... haha‏ Sent: Mon 4/19/10 4:46 PM

2010-04-20T15:44:00.001-05:00

Hey guys,

Alright, alright, I'm a terrible person, I cant even try to avoid it. I'M SUPER SORRY FOR NOT WRITING. I will admit a got a little too indept about my classes because Heap was with me and we were planning everything together. I AM sorry, but it wont happen again. It's the process of repentance. Recognize I was wrong, confess, and don't do it again. I love you guys sooo much, thanks for all the letter and helping me out with everything.
Mom I have been taking money out of my account because there was a problem with the money system here in the mission and yeah i was short, but now everything is good.
Coop, don't listen to anyone, you are going to keep on growing. I didn't hit my second growth spurt untill the summer before junior year so there... doctors.
Nano, sorry about the rough life. Just remember, the sun with come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar on that haha idk kid, just finish strong and do work.
Jen, I imagine you are carrying a larger baby now haha i love you. Don't be hating on the nicknames, unless you provide a better one.
Dad, thanks for helping with everything and with the job. That is kind of lame about the blood test and one week waiting but whatever. Vacations!! Are we going to visit grandpa?
MOM I LOVE YOU FOREVE cause if i put an r at the end, it would be the end of forever haha i read that on a card the other day. just know im working hard and doing work.

So my life. My area got divided. I had two wards and now I only have one. And we gave the area to the assistants along with 4 families in teaching.... as long as the zone baptizesI Iim fine.
Also welcome to TEPALCAPA aka CAMP CHRIS ( my comps name is campos) where the boys become men or at least thats what we say. Actually our zone is the best in the whole mission baptism wise, so i gave myself a little pat on the back but not really, we can do better, but yeah. My comp is working me to death. HE is also finishing soon and we are going down in a flaming glory haha we wake up and run every morning at 6:20am, yeah i know, and then just go crazy all day with contacts and visits and all that good stuff and im tired, really tired when we get back haha but I feel great.
We played soccer today andIi totally owned, just a side note ~ humility.
Last week we had a conference with Pres and basically he starts out, I hope you guys don't leave here feeling good.... I was like, dang. Basically we need to do as Presidente said put on our crap kickers and do work haha ilove him. He reminded me of dad in that moment. But yeah it got me pretty fired up. Also we have a sweet family in teaching. It's a grandma a daughter and a granddaughter. They were crying in the sacrament meeting from the messages about families. It was cool.
I also realized that I am not ready to have kids. The whole crying and fighting thing in church is more than I can handle haha.

Ok fam and fansI'im out. I love you guys and pray for you all the time. I know that God lives and has a plan for all of us. I am going to finish strong, I have no other option. So yeah for these last couple of weeks lets turn UP the home and work and school stuff. Lets do work. I love you guys.

to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

2010-04-06T13:36:00.002-05:00

Hey guys,

You may not recognize me but, I'm Elder Christensen, 21 year old version. It's kind of advanced but just try to keep up. I'm so old!!! man... I feel like the golden years are all behind me and I just have retirement left. Thanks everyone for saying "Happy Birthdays". YOU guys are great!! Really, you put up with me for 21 years, not alot of people could have done that haha but yeah it was cool, we had a cake and the sister missonaries gave me a card. They are funny sometimes. But yeah, hope all of you guys are doing great and loving life. Sorry you have to go back to school and work and stuff, but i didn't get a break either haha hope everyone also listened closely to conference cause it was pretty much the best. I got the importance of the family and that they are worried about the youth. I am too. Youngsters these days haha but yeah.

Dad, I love you man, you don't worry about a thing, any letter is a good letter, keep working hard.
Mom, thanks for helping with the classes and stuff. Just as a side note, i would like to have the majority in the morning so i could have an easier work schedule.
Jen, thanks for the love, keep working hard, and finish strong, you are my hero.
Nano, dont get too worried about boys. You can wait still haha estoy retomando mi profecia que dije la otra vez. But yeah be great.
Coop, I will own you in any sport when I get back. Put me on whatever team. I love you man, tell Brad I would love to work with you guys for the summer.

So my week was fun. My other comp went home, my new one, Elder Matson, was way cool. We just kind of got along, except that he goes for the U.... hopefully one day he will repent haha but yeah now he is gone too and Ii will receive Elder Campos. He is cool, he is from the same ward as my trainer so that is a good sign. We need to do better as a zone and he will help me alot with that. Just trying to stay up with Sterl. My week was busy with things to do, interviews and whatnot. We had interviews with Pres. Love that man. You will probably see him soon on that general conference thing and than conference was great. Ii want to be like Elder Holland. For those of you that didn't get to see the priesthood session, just know I have a renewed testimony that I should be here in Mexico.

ok I'm out like a scout. Peace and love to everyone. Be great cause that's who you are.

to the moon and back
Elder Christensen

21 isnt old, just well seasoned Sent: Mon 3/29/10 5:51 PM

2010-03-30T09:24:00.002-06:00

Buenas tardes a todos queridos
hoy me gustaria empezar con una escritura si podria... haha

whats up homies? haha i love you guys, thanks for writing and being awesome like that. I really am grateful for all of your support and love and testimonies. Coop, sorry about the loses but sometimes you win em and sometimes you lose em. Stay strong bro. Hope everyone is enjoying the break. Actually Pres. gave us a week off too!.... oh wait, nope haha but its all good, still loving it all the time. Sorry the trip to Las Vegas wasn't so hot but now you know, sin was never happiness haha hope everything goes well with the wedding and the parties and family. Send my love to everyone.

MOM!!! i got your package!! thanks haha sometimes you make me laugh with the items you send but yeah i love it all. Thanks for the birthday cake, i will be sure to make and share with my districto. Also, the girl scout cookies are already gone haha i shared them with everyone and they were like, these are pretty good, and i was like claro son americanos, sabemos de galletas haha i take pride in that haha but just kidding. Hope everyone enjoys the week and can grab a tan.

My week was alright, we had our baptism!! Javier was baptized yesterday and everything went great. Just that after we got a phone call from Pres and yeah.. elder arrieta, my comp is home now. There were just some stuff and Pres decided that it would be better if he was home, so he left today at 4 in the morning. So im chilling with an elder that is from my generation that is going to open a new area in a week so he will be with me till then. But he is not a zone leader and im going to be flying solo on that point for a week.... but its all good, totally ready for it. I got to talk to Pres in the morning about it and he has all the confidence in the world in me... haha me too.... It will be fun. we have interviews wednesday and i will be able to presidente again. other than that we are just going to work like crazy and baptize the world. I cant believe im turning 21 this week haha we went to applebees to celebrate and we totally got that free sunday! thats how we do

ok im out like a scout. Be great and be true to the faith. Trust in our God and know that he lives.

I love my family,i love my mission.

to the moon and back
Elder Christensen

Still got it Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 3:15 PM

2010-03-22T18:28:00.001-06:00

Dear Fam,

Love you guys! Mom BYU is cool again, I got in and have been looking at my classes I need to take,I'll have a list for you guys next week of classes I might need some help to get into. LIke D&C and bowling, haha no but yeah I feel much better being able to look at everything. President gave me permission to do this.

How are you guys doing?! are you guys having a great day? I just got done playing soccer for 4 hours and i feel like I did back in the day.. sore. It was fun. Our zone isnt very good so it was more laughs than goals but I sure looked like I knew what I was doing (that's a never). But sorry you guys are having snow... just so you know, i miss. Have fun out there is Las Vegas, try to put some goals in bro. Represent the New Mexico side. Take photos of the strip for me.

MOM!!!! FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!!!!! EE-EE-EEEE!!! haha that was my mexican scream... yeah its getting there haha mom, you are the best mom i have. Thanks for putting up with me and helping me with everything even though I was a punk alot. You are the best, have a great b day!!! Thanks for sending my packages, you guys rock. love you all. Yeah, the offices are super close to me so i will get it when it gets here.
Jen love you, I have been thinking on nicknames for my nephew and the best i got right now is CoB haha but I'll keep working. And no Jen, I usually don't eat breakfast unless someone gave me fruit the day before. I'm kind of poor right now... might have to take some money out... sorry. No more Wendys I promise. Today I didn't even go, so there it is.

Dad! eh Papi, love you man, keep working hard and being my example. Good luck on the trek planning, just know that i would love to be the pony express guy that rides up with the mail. I promise to avoid anything that would disrupt the trip mom haha thanks for the love. love you guys so much.

So this week was fun. We married a couple, had an interesting leadership conference and Elder Hunter and i couldnt get into the presidentes van with his keys in hand.
We will baptize this next week the guy we had for this last week, there was some mixups... that is part of the 2 weeks thing... transfers haha but its all good, just need to count to ten more often haha but yeah and we did really well in church with some sweet families we have in teaching.
The conference was alright until I had to help with an activity andIi got in front of everyone and they asked my to teach faith so I was like "yeah sure easy". so I start and like the assistants just start copying everything I do. We all know how much Wes loves to be in front of a crowd but seriously haha i was sweating like a big dog. I turned bright red and was all nervous and everything was laughing but yeah the example was that our elders will do everything they see us do, so what kind of example are we putting? A sad sweaty little man one haha but it was good. Later we were helping the hna put the stuff into her van and me and another elder were totally retarded. We spent 15 minutes easy trying to open it haha it was just more advanced then we have ever seen. back doors and open by themselves with a button and all that crazyness haha but yeah we felt cool.

Ok gang, i got to take a shower and wash clothes but I love you guys soo much. I know this is the true chruch because I see the blessings every day. I know God lives and loves you all. Be great cause that is who you are.
love you to the moon and back...
con amor

Elder Christensen
I love my mission

Snowing?‏ Sent: Mon 3/15/10 4:51 PM

2010-03-16T12:40:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

Well i love you all.

How are you all doing? Sounds like my little hill of a town got some snow haha thanks for the picture. A guy in my district and I were just talking about snowboarding before I saw the picture. I think yesterday was the third time in my mission thatIi had ice in my drink. Good old mexico. Thanks so sicky that you guys all have the flight plans and everything!!!! I was kind of hoping to get back home a little earlier but it will be fine, like a Friday. My comp also got his flight plans back to his house. 'Im kind of willing to pay for a ticket a little bit earlier than that but... jk kind of.
Nano, welcome to PROVO haha thats way cool. You will have to go eat at the Dennys right there in front of UVU and know how great it is haha good times.
Jen, congrats on the super weekend and that your cowboys won. Hopefully they can make it past the first round this year in march madness haha, stupid BYU haha sterl, you rock it bro, that is so Mexico City style.
Dad, i love you man. I didnt do so well on the work out plan this week because of the conferences but i did good this morning.
Mom, love you and thanks for helping everyone and everything. YOu are my hero. Heap and I are going to start planning week seven of our last transfer so that you guys can have an idea about whats going to go down. I have a meeting with him tomorrow so it will give me a chance.

My life, it was a fun week but it definitely made me miss you guys alot. Not like I want to end my mission but like... I am tired of some things, like comps but it's all good, I am still loving every moment. It was a week of zero citas... bueno like 4 in total. We had a lot of errands to run for the Presidente and the assistants and it just kind of destroyed a couple of days of work. Then we showed up late to everything... Presidente was not happy. Actually conference was the most upset I have seen him in a long time. He basically just told us that we weren't doing a portion of our potential and invited, like called everyone out, if you dont want to work, just go home. It was way intense but I loved it. I would not have picked a better Presidente. And than the rest of conference was good too. The best was that at the end, I was sweeping up culture hall where we ate, Christensen cleaning standards, thanks dad haha and Presidente was like "Christensen, thanks alot," I was like "yeah sure Presidente," and than he was like, "I pray for you every night. Just three more weeks if you know what I mean" haha i love him. Yeah... three weeks.
The zone is not so hot right now but yeah that's going to change. Just have to throw some auzzi at em =) like my boy sterl does haha but yeah we brought ten to church!!! it was sicky, stay tuned on furture baptisms. We actually have one this week. Javier, he is 27 married and way sicky, teaching us how to box.

Ok, I'm out. love you guys.
be great cause that's who you are
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

Westley wrote on Saturday!‏ Sent: Sat 3/06/10 4:39 PM

2010-03-08T13:42:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

Well I am just going to take advantage of the free time I have in the offices to write you guys. I get to stay with an elder that had a surgery on wednesday and im going to be his companion today. Should be fun. Everyone else went out to buy us food so we are just listening to music andI'im writing you guys. How are you all doing? I can't figure the question mark out on this computer.

Thanks everyone for reminding on my sobrinos (nephew) name. Conway.... really, jk, but really what am I going to call him? Con? conner? corn? air con? haha just saying, nicknames will come hard. ButIi will support any name.
Cooper you will not be the best uncle. But second was never bad either haha
Nano, allIi can say is that the Lord wants you to be happy. He has a plan for you that will lead to that happiness. We sometimes think we know better when the decision isn't so hard, just give it all over to him and let him make you the best you can be. I love you.
Coop, keep working hard bro. I didn't get to work out very well this week but I have been able to do 60 push ups in a row three sets.... just know we are going to be throwing down when I get home. Also Avery wrote me and said that you were sicky at a b ball now a days. We will have to see. Heap and I are going to be on the same team at byu. I love you bro, keep working hard.
Mom thanks for everything and all the love. I would rather have money for a new laptop then stuff here. The only thingIi would ask for are some new pairs of socks cause all of mine are suffering now haha but yeah huge thanks for finding that job for me! I love you guys. And yes, mom, there normally are tacos in the street that are cheaper but sometimes we like to have a flash back to the good old US haha
Dad keep working hard. I know you don't like to work on the weekends but like the good book says, let the things of cesar to cesar and the things of God to God.... oh wait that would be Sunday haha jk love you man, keep working hard.

My week was pretty good. We had a surpise baptism of the lady that couldn't last week on Tuesday. It was good just that my comp didn't plan it very well and yeah good times, just breathe in and out with me. Also this week, I went on divisions with my whole district. It was good to get out and work with eveyone and see how they are doing. I didn't help too much but at least I got to know my elders better.
Two funny stories of the week. The first, is that on one of the divisions we ate with an hermana that just got back from the mission three months ago and she has been married for a month and a half. So we were like, oh wow, so your husband waited for you then? uh kind of, he finished the mission before i did.... he was her zone leader haha yes! but yeah, no worries here. I thought it was funny and the second was that we ate with an hermana that had a huge plate of veggies cooked and all ready, like more than mom would make for the whole fam, and she was just like, here you go elder, I know how you guys don't get to eat many veggies... half the plate. I was like, well I am full! It was all good. I love my area, the members are great and we are going to be baptizing every week until my comp goes home.

Congrats Stan on the baptism. represent the Germans haha.

Love you guys a huge bunch
to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

I GOT YOU A JOB!‏ Sent: Mon 3/01/10 5:01 PM

2010-03-02T15:24:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

How are you all doing? Sorry I'm kind of writing with no time but you know that's how things happen sometimes. We just got back from bowling and Wendys. We do normally eat tacos and dog meat but that's only when we don't want to travel jk... or am I? It sounds like everyone had an exciting week! a new truck?! I didn't see that one coming but I guess my old truck was kind of old. Just about 21... like some other really old thing around here... haha oh thats me in one more month and I can buy beer, well in the US, here you can do it whenever. I think i might do it just to say I'm 21 haha jk mom,Ii won't.
And that's sweet about the job!!! Thanks guys that sounds sweet. I will watch paint dry for 16 dollars an hour and Fridays off!? This could be heaven, is there anyone I might know there? Either way,I am super pumped for it.
That's a bummer about all the sports. Flip, I have to run to my junta, i mean meeting, I love you guys soooo so much. Thanks for everything. I know the church is true and I love my mission.

Okay, I'm out. Love you guys, be great cause that's who you are. Sorry for the letter. Next week will be better.

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

from West‏ Sent: Mon 2/22/10 5:19 PM

2010-02-23T10:42:00.001-06:00

Hey Fam,

How are all of you guys doing today? It's a beautiful 80 degree sunny day outside with a slight breeze from the northwest, great day to write the fam. I have decided that all of our family trips from now on need to be directly to parts of Mexico or on cruises that stop here. I'ts only unpleasent like two months of the year.
I got my Subway and my Dr. Pepper on my side andI'im reading to "rock".

Nano, I would love to have you up inPprovo with me. Idk about nursing and everything and career choices but you are always welcome up there if you want. I have a lot of good buddies from the mission that are going to go to UVU afte their mission. So yeah, pray, ask, meditate and be patient.
Mom, I was going to ask you if you have done any research on the housing situation?... or maybe that's still too far ahead but Heap andIi do'nt want to screw up.
I love you guys. Mom and Dad thanks for everything you guys are doing to keep everyone on solid earth and calm. Thank you for your examples and your love. Keep working hard in the church and in the home.
Dad thanks for the sports updates too haha.
Jen, love of my life, how are you doing? Keeping my nephew safe? Good to hear, also I can't remember what his name is going to be....
Coop, I can't believe that you are going to be a sophomore. Try to keep those grades up bro and keep working hard. I only took adv chem and alg/trig my sophomore year oh and adv english haha that was terrible but really helped me for college so, suffer now and not suffer too much later? I love you bro, keep a positive attitude and working hard.

My week here in Tepa. I love this place. The stake is as large White Roc, area-wise so it makes it nice to have all the companionships close by if we need to give a thump over the head. But yeah it was a crazy week with alot of weird things going on but I'll have to tell you guys about that later. Just know that calls after 10:30 are never good things but yeah everything is fine. I had to say goodbye to E. Brown, I am going to miss that guy,Ii can't believe he is already in his house haha but yeah that makes me like the third oldest generation in the mission. It feels weird but we are working hard and trying to help my comp finish strong too. He is my lifting coach. Cooper, just know we are going to lift when we get back.

We will hopefully have another baptism this week and finish the month with 3 confirmations. We are doing well as a zone. We had transfers today and we lost every senor companion in the zone... we got to do alot of growing up real fast. I am going to have a couple of pep talks with some elders tonight so hopefully we will be on the same page. Also we had stake conference this week. One of the councilors of the stake presidency talked about how dead babies still grow after the resurrection and all this stuff that wasn't apostasy but it definitely wasn't a good topic for stake conference so just keep that in mind if you ever talk in church and the missionaries are in the back with a family of investigators. A smile and a testimony go a long way. I was sitting by one of the assistants of the mission and he was like, please kill me, haha, its fun.

Okay, I'm out like a scout but I love you guys soo much. I can't believe that it will be March the next time I write. MOM Ii still remember your birthday. Uou guys are great. I know this church is true,Ii have no doubt of that. I know that Christ not only came to this world but is my Savior also. I love my mission. 20 months son!

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Wes Christensen

Oh Just Another Week Sent: Mon 2/15/10 7:01 PM

2010-02-16T15:53:00.000-06:00

hey fam,

What a crazy week. Then to top it all off with this new system they have going for the church,Ii couldnt log into my own email, but no worries I finally remembered all the things thatIi had forgotten and got in to get all of your great letters!! Sorry about last week, and yeah I was on the move and we didn't plan things very well and had to run instead of writing but here I am.
My new area is here in Tepalcapa by theLlago Guadalupe, idk, if that's on the map but there you go. The nearest companionship to me are the assistants, its been a blast seeing them every day and doing division. I got my fill of E. Brown. I still cant believe that he is going to end this week... it's crazy. My new comp is Elder Arrieta from Chihuahua, if you don't recognize the name, that's ok, he was my dl before.... but now we got along great and we had a pretty sicky week with two baptisms and a confirmation and the zone is going crazy with baptizms so it was a good time to arriv. I don't want to take all the credit but.... I haven't done anything really. But yeah, its a larger area and we have two wards here. It's funny cause one of my bishops is a manager for Coke and the other for Pepsi haha and neither one gives us free soda... lame!
The members are all pretty nice and my zone is kind of smaller so its ok. I miss ElderFfackler but I talked to him yesterday and he sounds like he is tearing it up just like I taught him to. That was my week in a nut shell.

Coop, good job on basketball and keep working hard. Just know that in my new house, there is all of this gym stuff so im going to be pretty much ripped when I get home.. be ready. Itss a way for me to vent haha
Nano... i love the effort to get married beforeIi get home but it's not necesary haha but have fun and don't break too many hearts.
Jen thanks for the letters and good luck in school, work, baby and everything, tha'ts way cool how Henrys' mom helped out alot.
Dad, keep being a stud on the stake. That was cool you could be home for one Sunday and good luck in thoseSspanish wards. I had an interview with Presidente for some things in my zone today and he just asked about all you guys. He loves you guys so thanks for being you, he also said that he had been to Los Alamos one time to do some work stuff and really liked it. I was like, yeah that's my pueblito.
MOM!!! love you, thanks for the package, it was super sweet. I made sure to make friends and share the candy but thank you soo much. Don't be like ¨ its just the family...¨ haha i love you guys, I definitely didn''t feel like it was national SAD haha.
Coop, you would tell me if you stole a kiss already right haha jk but yeah hope everyone had a great V day.

Sterl,Ii love you bro, don't go dying with those headaches. You are my hero. Grandpa and Grandma Christensen, i love you guys, do work on the mission.

I talked to the Presidente mom about the rules andIi can leave the mission to go whereverIi want and he hasn't gotten a letter from you and he says he wouldn't have the nearest idea about hotels, so yeah, good luck.

Also very important, new email. westley.christensen@myldsmail.net, i will only get letters at this address, so please help a brother out haha

ok I am out to my junta, love you guys and I know that this church is true. I have seen it bless the lives of two more people this week. I love my mission.
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen
ps dad, that job sounds great and if not, then there is one here as a translater like 1500 a week with housing and food so yeah.... just an idea
pss i love everyone

Its raining on a sunny day‏ Sent: Mon 2/01/10 5:18 PM

2010-02-03T11:27:00.000-06:00

Hey fam
,
How are you guys doing? FEBERO!!!! Haha, I just get excited that its a new month. Its hailing and snow right now after a week of really nice weather. Hopefully, you are all surviving the weather over there.
And just before we move on to other things,Ii knew it was going to be a nephew, it's all good. That's so cool Jen, just stay healthy and don't try to do too much. I keep asking all the pregnant peopleIi meet how much time they have. They all look at me kind of strange but atleast i know what you look like more or less haha i love you guys.

Coop, keep working hard in everything, especially school. And keep helping mom and dad out.
Nano, good luck with that RM thing haha crazy girl. I would definitely pray about it. The Lord has a plan, just need to figure it out.
Mom and Dad, thanks a bunch on the school stuff,Ii will definitely ask the Presidente about that letter. Also I love you guys, Dad, the Presidente gave me a book that was pretty sweet. Counciling with our councils, by Elder Ballard,Ii would buy it.
Mom, Heap and I decided that it's perfectly safe here. I love you.

My week was a little crazy. We did super awesome. We found alot of good people and than had some sweet lessons whereIi was like, "man, I totally dont even know where that came from", and just awesome experiences in general and then we got to Sunday and everything fell on its face... we had one in church... not too bad because he is getting baptized this week but it was a little rough. We can only repent and do better. We also did interchanges with our zone leaders and that was pretty sweet. I love them, sometimes they just get angry that my district drops goals... but yeah. We also had conference this last Tuesday and it was pretty good. The Presidente pulled me out and told me that I was leaving next week, the 7th, to Tepalcalpa as a zone leader. I know my comp and he is pretty good. I'm going to take the new assistants old spot so hopefully I'll just keep going with the flow. It is crazy. Only 7 weeks here in Santa Teresa and 4 with elder Fackler. I am going to miss alot of things, but its all good. I will go and do. It's also crazy to think that unless something terriblely wrong goes down this will be my last area... crazy.

Today we went to Tula and saw the GIANTES, it was sweet. They are just some ancient statues that are way sweet. It wil have to be on our list of things to do. We took some great pictures but ill have to send them next week.

Ok I am out. Love you and I know that this is true, it changes lives and blesses families.
to the moon and back...
con amor

Elder Christensen

Sorry Im late‏ Sent: Mon 1/25/10 7:20 PM

2010-01-26T16:37:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone,

Sorry I'm writing so late but we had our meetings in the morning and we just barely got back to the house. But no worries, it was definitely a day of adventure. We got there, Atotonilco, and we were just walking up to the church and the county mayor rolls up in his car and gives us 1500 pesos to go buy breakfast for the elders. YES! He is member but that's a little ridiculous so we ate a good breakfast and 12 pizzas for lunch. My stomach regrets it but I'm happy regardless, we played soccer for like 5 hours today. We finally got the privalege back and we used it to the extreme. But it was enjoyable eventhough I wont be able to walk for like a week.

How are you guys doing? Getting tired of winter and snow? I think today hit the high 70 low 80, it was beautiful but thats just because we had to suffer last week. Sounds like I'm going to hear if I am going to have a nephew next week!! Try your bestJjen to make it a boy haha jk but I love you and wish you and Britton the best and hope you guys can juggle real life.
Coop, sorry about the game bro, good job with the grades and yeah... be careful with that permit. It can disappear very quickly. Your a stud man, keep it up.
Nano! glad you loved my academic experience. Really if you want to transfer to BYU, go for it, we can chill up there, and you can meet Heap. Keep working hard, I konw you do.
Dad, thanks for being a stud and traveling everywhere. You keep working hard and keep working out cause I brag about you to my comp so you cant let me down. You rock.
Mom, I love you, thanks for doing everything for me. You can go ahead and use the number Romneys mom gave you, just don't mentionIi had anything to do it and blame Romney haha no its fine. Actually I'm going to see the Presidente tomorrow so I'll give him a little heads up. I honestly have never felt unsecure here but idk. I hope you guys find the solution. Also you might want to ask when my visa runs out here... but yeah mom, love you and thanks for everything.

My comp is pretty much sicky(awesome) haha sorry for being a little informal but he pretty much is my best friend. He is giving me all these tips about how to lift and wants me to walk on at Dixi. I told him I would have to think about it but yeah we are working soo well. We had two families come to church and two more that kind of didn't but 'ok because we are going to bring them this Sunday. We are having soo many awesome experieces and miracles that every night we honestly just come home exhausted but feeling pretty sweet. idk it's just cause my comp is so humble andI aim working on it. Hopefully I stay here for the rest of the transfer because I could be leaving next week.... 6 weeks in one area... yeah. It's just causeIi went the zone leader council this last Tuesday and I know that I'm going up but it just depends on when. I would enjoy staying but you know how it is, I will "go and do."

A miracle I saw this week was... all the sweet people we found. Seriously, it was soo awesome. We had one guy that was like, you guys are pretty serious about this heaven stuff haha I was like yeah, we try. But really, if it wasn't for the district not doing so hot it would have been one of the best weeks in my mission. I feel like im progressing and getting alot better in alot of things. I know that I'm not being specific but some day i will explain the santa teresa days haha oh yeah mom, its like between Cuautitlan and Atotonilco right along the high way. Idk if that helps at all but i tried.

Ok I am out like a scout but konw thatIi love you all. You are my testimony and my love. I have a knowledge of the true church of Christ. He lives and blesses us beyond what we can understand. I love my mission and the opportunity they gave given me to represent them.

I cant wait till its over
I hope it never ends
con amor
to the moon and back....

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Loving it‏ Sent: Mon 1/18/10 1:56 PM

2010-01-19T14:01:00.000-06:00

Hey fam,

How are you guys doing? I hoped you could survive all of the storms that were coming, both in the weather and in life. That was deep haha anyways i hope everyone is doing great and rocking it like the all stars that you all are. It was just weird to have almost everyone write last week and this week was just mom and grandpa. But its all good. I know you are all working hard in school and work.
Jen and Brit, good luck in school and keep care of my twin nephews haha. I still dont know if its a boy or not.
Nano, hope you enjoyed visiting my school, please say hi for me haha hope you had fun with Amanda.
Coop! dude good luck driving, hopefully you wont tear it up too bad haha jk, you rock man, congrats on the win and keep working hard. I'm always bragging about you.
Dad you rock, that you for your service and visiting all over the place and planning meetings. thats rough but I know you are a stud and keep working hard, love you.
Mom, love you alot. Thanks for helping with my byu stuff and let me talk to Brown about what email I can give you...for the mission office.
Grandpa C, i say... i would be way sad if i couldn't see you guys when I got home but it would be awesome to serve again. I love all you guys. You rock!

My week was pretty much the best. My comp is a stud. Like he cant speak spanish very well but man does that guy have the biggest heart... no seriously, its like double mine haha but he is just so humble and wants to do everything right and rock it in his mission. his official stats are 6`8 350 pounds and everyone just stares at him haha like we walk into members houses and people are like, wow elder you are really big, and i respond first and say, well thanks hna i have been doing some extra push ups. They usually just look at me and shake their head haha but its all good. he reminds me alot of big B, just a chill guy that gets along with everyone. anyways we had a sweet week and found some awesome people. we had one guy talk to us in the street and it ended up being some old investigators that had moved and wanted to go to church again and it was just beautiful haha so yeah it was a cool week.
Today im with the zls and im going to a meeting tomorrow with Presidente and I might be leaving my area here pretty soon but its nothing bad so dont worry haha just going to be loosing alot of good elders soon.

This is the true church of Christ. He is our living Savoir and Redeemer. I wear HIS name on my chest every day and give thanks every night for the opportunityIi had to do it. I love my missoin and am trying to become and servant that He will recongize when he comes again.

love you guys
con amor
to the moon and back.....

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

So Cold‏ Sent: Mon 1/11/10 2:17 PM

2010-01-12T09:03:00.000-06:00

Hey family,

How are all you wonderful people doing today? I hope everyone is doing well with school and work, going back and stuff. Stay healthy and warm. I didn't think it was so hard here in Mexico but i seemed to be wrong. I finally had to call the hna Nancollas and buy some medicine. But since I have been taking it, I have been good. I'm just tired of the rain and the cold and the mud hole that is my area. I just don't bother cleaning my pants now because the next day they are just as dirty haha
But yeah, Nano, good luck at school and work, stay focused and remember you only have a transfer to meet your future husband, much love.
Coop, thanks for writing me bro! that was the longest letter I have ever seen from you! haha love you, work hard, study hard and play hard.
Jen, Brit, keep smiling and taking care of my twin nephews, I am with Britton on this one haha glad to hear you guys had a fun time skiing and sorry about Chandler. That couldn't have been fun.
Dad thank you for being a great dad and loving the family. I have just seen a lot of families this week that had bad dads and it just made me think about how great you are.
Mom, love you haha thanks for sending me the heap letter. Heap is in Guaretaro now so we are planning how we are going to be companions.
Also I think a central hotel in el df would be better then always moving around.

We had transfers! my comp went to Ecatepec, to my old district, and my new comp is a lineman! He is bigger than Heap haha he is going to play at Dixi State when he gets back. He is about 6, 7 250, i felt like a little kid whenIi hugged him haha but yeah he has 10 months in the mission and wants to work.
Mom, he is from Safford.... yeah haha well born there but from shala (ShowLow, perhaps) or something AZ by New Mexico. All i know is that we are not going to knock doors anymore, just kick them over and walk in haha but yeah its going to be great!
Last week we brought two people to church! i was going for 5 but yeah.... we need to bring more and baptize soon cause im kind of tired of not rocking it. But yeah its going to get better.

Ok I'm out to go scare little kids with my new comp, so know that I love you all and hope the best. Stay great!!

to the moon and back.....
con amor

Elder Christensen

Its cold‏ Sent: Mon 1/04/10 3:22 PM

2010-01-04T16:36:00.001-06:00

hey guys
so I haven't gotten better. I have been running around with what I thought was a head cold but now its more like a sinus infection. I say that like i know what it means but i really don't, its just what everyone else tells me. But idk, I just know that my head hurts alot but im tough, so ill stick it through.. Also its been raining here! its like the first time in history and it is so cold. Its like freezing rain/lots of mud on the ground = pretty good looking missionaries, but yeah hopefully the rain will stop soon and the sun will come back out. but that was all of my bad news for the day.

how are you guys? trip to AZ! that sounds way sweet, glad to hear you guys had a blast. Grandma and Grandpa, congrats, you guys are my heros, way to go. Lace and Chandler, have fun with my family and be patient with snow boarding, its actually kind of fun. jen, i love you, you keep my nephew safe haha i love you guys. is it a nephew now? im with britton on twins hahaha. Coop, dont worry, you dont look like me much. You are not that handsome, jk bro, keep working hard and good luck trying. remember to have just as much patience with mom and dad as they will have with you. nano, thanks for all the photos and shout outs. Good luck back at school, you will do well, just stay positive.

My week was long, i had a couple interviews to do and a lot of sitting at waiting but the results were good. The other elders in my branch baptized 4 this week and they have one more for the coming sunday. We are trying to keep up... we brought someone to church!! that is a definite improvement. i just need to work harder and just be a rockstar and stop putting up all of my excuses. i know that i can because i know thats what God wants me to do. Just got to keep my comp focused for one more week before transfers next week and we are all good. Presidente said in my last interview that my next comp was already selected and its an american! havent had one of those in a while but it should be fun! ill let you know when i have him, other than that it was a pretty slow week. Also i learned the rubix cube... yes I am a nerd. The things i do for my district haha jk

Im out like a scout, but dont pout cause ill shout... haha yeah i love you guys and i love my mission. This is the true chruch and I am a representative of it. Be great!!

to the moon and back
elder christensen

Feliz Navidad y año nuevo‏ Sent: Mon 12/28/09 4:33 PM

2010-01-04T16:31:00.002-06:00

Hey you guys!
well it wasn't the best week of my mission but i got over that realy fast. But enough about me, lets talk about you guys. It was great to talk to everyone and share a couple of laughs. Coopers voice hasnt changed and everyone still acts the same, but yeah it was great to be able to talk to you guys and i hope that you all know that i love you all. Im not so sure about the whole being maturer thing but yeah i sure do try and pretend. I love mom hi westley scream over everyone haha i dont think i would enjoy a phone call without it. One of my buddies called me later that day and was like hey... one phone call left haha but i dont even feel it. I still get just as lost like any other cool kid from new mexico. Also mom, heaps parents and brother are coming down too and we need to be friends forever. I gave them your email wrong but hopefully you can talk to romneys mom and get in contact with them. Just an idea. Also, i cant believe its going to be 2010... whats everyones new year resolution? im going to be more humble by doing more service and be at 165lbs. before i go home.... haha we dont walk very much and its like utah here, there are sooo many members and they always want to feed you something. It was cool the first week... but we will see. also im going to have a nephew and if i dont, it will be the most sport rocking chick ever!

but other then that we didnt have the hottest week. I had a lot of meetings and other stuff so we werent too hot in church nor do we have families that are progressing... but really we can only improve, thats the positive way to look at it. we have interviews tomorrow and hopefully the presidente can help me out. I would be cool if he told me i was going to stay here for a while. but yeah my district is pretty sweet. I have candiani, my second to last comp, garrett, that one kid from valle dorado that i loved, some other awesome missionaries and hermanas... love them jk no they are the best in the mission. But yeah basically we need to tear it up and consecrate ourselves to the Lord. That is really the only solution. also i have been sick since friday... but its cool, it will be gone by tomorrow

ok im out to go make some cookies for my district meeting. Stay great cause thats who you are and remember that i know without a doubt that this is the true and only church of Christ.
to the moon and back
Elder Christensen

Hello fam‏ Sent: Mon 12/21/09 3:20 PM

2009-12-21T17:13:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

So I have had my change and I'm where i thought I would go. I am in Santa Teresa Mexico but its like five minutes from Hidalgo.
There is a part of my area named Rabbits... yeah i am out in the middle of nowhere but its all good cause this area is famous in the mission because they baptized like 28 in NOV between four companionships... yeah impressive.
My new companion is Elder Sanchez from Yucatan. He is big but very nice and speaks english. I got all of my buddies in this zone like farmer and a couple of other guys so i feel right at home. I dont think this will be my last area but it is crazy to think that it could be. Also my last area... Heap cried that I left but we decided that his parents are going to come down too and we are going to party together.
We baptized Balvina! yeah baby! Oh man, was that a trip but she is doing so good now haha she is not a smiley person and she is always smiling now. Funny how that works. Also we have a district leader meeting Wednesday and I'm going to see elder brown and elder heap again. But other than that looks like a lot of work for me ahead. Right now we have like two families that we are teaching... but I'm excited, we are going to tear it up. Glad to hear that everyone had a sweet week. Girls doing the girl things and boys doing what we do haha mom told me all of your gifts and I'm jealous of everyone.
Dad I fully support you snow boarding, just dont break yourself.
Coop, love you bro, just keep staying positive and work hard.
Nano, sorry about the scholarship but just keep focused and do better, you cant worry about yesterday.
Jen, love you and thanks for the shout out. Keep healthy and try to relax every once in a while.
The PHONE CALL

So I thought I was joking when I said I hoped my new area had a phone but..... it doesn’t. We are thinking about calling from the church but I'll be sure to call you guys before and let you know. I'll call 24th to tell you the number and 25th in the morning we can chat. Everyone write down the questions, love you mom. But yeah 40 minutes, it will be cool.

Also we had the Christmas program at the temple, it was probably the best thing. I didn't sing but nontheless is was still good. We also gifted all of my little toys that I got in my packages to all my kids... cause I have kids. they were like OMG are you serious!!! it was pretty cool.

Alright, I'm going to go..... do something cause there ain't al ot to do but it will be great whatever there is. You all stay great and remember why we celebrate this month. I am a representative of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ that died for us. I know the chruch is true and is the only way that families will be together forever.
be great!!

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

one more week of the Joya‏ Sent: Mon 12/14/09 3:22 PM

2009-12-14T17:26:00.002-06:00

Hello Family,
How is everyone doing? Already done with school, last week of school, or going to work till the 23rd? Love you Papi, you just keep working hard. And the rest of you are my heros too. Nano, thanks for helping out for mom, mom thanks for being great and keeping the holiday spirit. I tell everyone that when i get home I'm going to break that clock, jk but really.... Jen love you, keep me posted on my nephew. Have fun with the Lambsons for Christmas. Coop! dude, bro, how are you man? Still working hard and doing well in school and staying positive right? Cause if you aren't better then me when I get back we are going to have a throw down. I love you, keep working hard. Also grandpa, thanks for the pics of the b ball game, B looks so small yet I know that he is actually really big haha anyways, thanks in general for my G&G on both sides, for your support and love, you guys are my heros. Mom, love you alot, I'm not sure if we can do skycam or whatever but hope there is a phone in my next area haha just kidding Sterl, love you man. You just keep working hard and being great. I try to pattern my district after yours. You rock man, don't let a single day of your next year go by. Also I laughed a little, we should probably except Chandler even though he didn't ask you haha jk you guys all rock.Anyways my week really fast. We had the two confirmations for Arturo and Adrian, love them and their family went to church! It was great and we were going to have another family there too but the members kind of dropped the ball... but its all good cause they are coming next week! Also it was fast and testimony this last week and everyone got up there and bore their testimony about how great missionaries are. I tried not to let it go to my head but I have been here a while and will miss it. It was funny because every time it happened, the Hermana that we brought would lean over and tell us, yeah you guys are great but yeah one more week and I'm off to another area. I hope to be able to write next week but we will see. For sure, just a few lines of where I am and the call. I will have to talk to my future comp about a telephone number to give you guys. But yeah I'm excited to call you guys, I can't believe it will be my third call. Also this week we have the Christmas devotional. My district was going to sing but we will have to check that tonight. Also, my distict rocks socks! As three companionships we had 7 confirmations this week! My elders are getting the job done and I am enjoying it. Also we might be having another this week. Balvina or another Hermana that Sunday realized after going to church for three months, that she needed to be baptized to have an eternal family. I blame myself for the bad communication but we will have to see.Ok I'm out to my zone meeting but you guys keeping rocking it zztop still and ill catch you on the back side.This is the true church and everyone that gives it a chance has the opportunity to live as an eternal family.
I love you guys
to the moon and back
con amor
Elder Christensen

It was good!‏ Sent: Mon 12/07/09 6:28 PM

2009-12-08T15:59:00.000-06:00

Hello familia,
Well, it was a good week for everyone. And by that, I mean my companion and I, and my district. How are you guys doing?
Mom I had the question-- when do I start reading the little notes you gave me in my box.... I figured that the 13 days of Christmas start 13 days before so that's when I am going to start. Maybe I'm uncultured.
Coop, sorry about the losses bro but keep that chin up and work hard. Our true success in life is when we make everyone around us better then we are, just remember that. That's a direct quote from my Presidente. So stay positive and work hard.
Nano, congrats on being done with school, it's weird that you are now ahead of me in school now and it wasn't because they held me back. Stay happy and work hard and don't worry about the crazy people, that happens to me too. Just give them the bird... Christensen style of course.
Jen, thanks for writing me and hope things are going well. I didn't eat breakfast today, I was fasting, I'm usually good about staying on task but sometimes knocking doors gets old... after 5 months in a small area. It's all good and I do and don't miss green chili.
That can mom sent me I was all stoked and when I tried it, .... it doesn't have any favor. I think my taste buds are fried.
Dad, that's cool about the elk hunt, next year you will have to take me... maybe but also you're my hero, stay healthy and work hard. Mom glad the trip was fun and you had a chance to do bride talk. Keep working hard and don't get stressed because all you need to remember is that there is a Mexican that loves you down here. "soy yo" ( im me) but yeah you guys are great and I love you. Mom, I am going to buy myself a little christmas present and replace my suit pants cause there is a hole is the groan area that is awkward sometimes. I just noticed it the other day and don't know how it got there.
We had two baptisms Saturday. Adrian and Arturo, father and son. I love them man, they are the coolest family ever, we just need to work on the rest of the family. They are making us scarfs! Obviously I picked white and blue as my colors but yeah we are hoping for another one this week, Balvina, just need to get her married and we are good to go.
I have thought alot recently about the importance of baptisms. I think sometimes as missionaries we forget that we are helping our brothers find salvation... idk, its helped me alot to think of it that way. Also, we had stake conference this last week and it was way cool. We had a seventy here and he called my comp and I to go up to do some examples and I felt all professional. The Presidente was there too and his talk was way bomb and then the Hna gets up and says, when I saw my elders walk in today, I was just filled with joy haha a little love from the Hna. Other than that we didnt do much. We got to see the Christmas devotional but didn't hear the talks very well so I'll have to wait on that. But yeah, my district is rocking and I love it. Kind of makes it worth the extra weeks that I'll be here.
Elder Brown called me today. Oh man, I love that kid and I'll get to see him next week for the Christmas program too!
Ok fam and fans I got to run to go shopping. You are all great and my examples. I know this church is true because I have seen and felt the diffence in the lives of the people that accept it into there lives. I have two more witnesses to prove it. I know that iIlove my family and that I can be with them forever. Be great!
to the moon and backcon amorElder Westley Gene Christensen

No Transfers Sent: Mon 11/30/09 12:18 PM

2009-11-30T16:15:00.000-06:00

Hello Family,

Well the President kind of threw me a curve ball this week. We had interviews this last Tuesday and everything went well. He told me I was doing great and that he was going to move me to another district, one that was struggling and make me work for my last couple of transfers. I was like, yes, exactly what I wanted... No, but I was cool with it. Then, Thursday he calls me up and is like Elder, remember all of those things we talked about in your interview? and I'm like ya, he was like, it is the opposite. So I'm not going to leave from my area for another 3 weeks and then I'll be going to a "easier district where I will baptize a lot". The reason it's in three weeks is because all of the January elders are going home early for Christmas, so Presidente has to do transfers anyways.
I am kind of glad to be here for a couple more weeks because we have some bomb families that we will be baptizing very soon but sad that I'll be in another area for three days before Christmas, but its all good.
Mom, talked to Presidente about you guys coming to pick me up and he said that he highly encourages that parents go for their kids, and that he has done it with everyone of his kids. So yeah, come on down. I just thought that you were going to drive but maybe I was confused, I was just thinking about all of the stuff that you wanted to buy but whatever, I'm good for whatever. I can't believe that December is tomorrow.... I am old haha but it's fun to see the younger elders start to get antsy about their first Christmas. Kids haha jk

Coop, way to be a stud in basketball bro, you guys will only get better. Just stay positive and work hard. You are huge man and I haven't grown at all... but I did get a new heel on my shoes! So I grew like two inches with my ECOS. Tay you have all the permission to put on heels now haha jk but seriously. So yeah, mom, no worries, I'm going to wear my hush puppies out till there is nothing and only bring my ecos home. I normally do keep care of my shoes, just that some streets are less paved then others.

Sounds like you guys had a good day of Thanksgiving. I didn't get a hold of any turkey but I'm sure you guys helped me out with your portions haha hope that everyone enjoyed their time off and are doing well in their work and school again today.
Also, G&G C thanks for visiting my fam and for the photos. I felt like I was almost there. You guys are great, stay healthy and working hard.
Jen, hope everything is going great with the nephew... yes.. nephew haha im calling it now, but yeah i love you guys stay great.

Nano, keep working hard and having fun. You have that wonderful smile, don't break too many hearts with it.
Mom and Dad love you guys. Got two packages on the day of the interviews. My comp and I have eaten almost all of the candy, I shared too haha and we put up the Christmas tree and are ready to start our sercret Santa plot.

One highlight of this week was an extra meeting with the Presidente and the stake Presidente, the zone leaders were sick and so we went. I felt office'ish haha jk but it was cool.
Highlight of next week, two baptisms, send `photos later.
Go BYU!
Stay great fam and i love you all. I am a missionary of the one and only true church of Christ.

To the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

It's Hot Again Sent: Mon 11/16/09 6:54 PM

2009-11-20T13:39:00.000-06:00

Hey family,

How are you guys doing? I have had the best P-day ever. We played some basketball in the morning with Heaper, love that kid, but sadly our deadly combination didn't gain a victory. After we figured out the gas for the house we had hot water again!! You don't know how sweet a hot shower is after a week of cold ones but after we went to Chilis for Francis´s birthday, used my card, sorry, and after we went to "chill" with Farmer and play some more basketball. I did some washing of my clothes and planning my meeting tonight. That takes skill, but even better, Farmer went to the offices today and picked up a letter from Tayluray and a package from my beautiful family!! I love you guys, still haven't gotten it yet but its bound to spring up soon or later.

That was a lot about me, sorry its just that I have been having the worst luck with computers lately, like how when I went to print my letters, the printer broke, so I have little idea about how everyone is doing.... you would think I would learn.

But yeah, jen and brit, all the Elders wish you guys all the happiness in the world, Heap said he would love to be the God Father.

I think we have been in Mexico too long. It's all good cause I'm going to be his to his next nephew.

Nano, excited to hear what happened with the job, just stay in there kid, just remember that when we would go to the doctors office for shots, you were the one that didn't cry... and there were only two of us... just pray and I know you will get an answer.

Dad, it was nice to see like 5 letters from you. I love you man, you are my hero, just keep being awesome so we can play b ball when I get home.

Coop!!! I love you bro, I hope you know that, you're so much stronger then me man. Just keep being a stud and work hard, but smile every once in a while.

Mom, I hope everything went well with grandpa and that you enjoyed your stay in Tucson. The pictures were great. I love you mom and i am so grateful for all the patience and love you have for me. All the Hermanas (sisters) are putting up their Christmas decorations and are like, oh i have like another box to go still, and I'm like, hahaha you need to meet my mom. Its funny.

So my week was pretty good. We started out with a new sweet family that is way bomb. After we explained the first vision she was just crying and said that the day we contacted her, she had been praying to God for help and when we walked up, she just felt that she had bumped into two old friends that she had met before but didn't know where.... we call that, the pre-existence. It was sweet, and her husband was like, "I just feel like there is light inside of me", I just feel good, I love my mission. I love my comp, I know we are having all of these sweet experiences cause he is a bomb.

We baptized yesterday, the kids of Balbina, the lady that saw the church, felt different and later my comp contacted her. Anyways, also cool. After the second baptism, the older brother that was watching from the steps just leeped into the font and started swimming and screaming. I couldn't get too angry cause they were so happy but yeah it was funny, also when we were changing into dry clothes, they just kept chanting "nos bautisamos, nos bautisamos" They are good, we just need to marry the mom and dad.

Okay familia, I got to run and do some sweet things but you all stay great and remember that there is an Elder in Mexico that loves each and every one of you, and that our Heavenly Father loves you guys too. He listens and answers prayers. I have a whole bunch of people to testify of that. BE great cause that is who you are!

to the moon and back
con amor,

Elder Westley Christensen

Well, im relaxed haha Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 4:54 PM

2009-11-10T08:53:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone
Can we just take like two deep breathes real fast haha i feel like everyone just went and did a 180 when i wasnt looking. jen!!!!! freak are you kidding me? haha i can´t believe it. i am so happy for you guys i just kind of screamed at my comp haha no but really when i saw the, read this one first, title i was like, freak jenny is pregnant, but then I was right and was like no way!!!! I'm so happy for you guys. And he would be in June just to steal my thunder haha jk. I'm so excited, I'm going to be the best uncle. That's right coop haha no but you guys rock.
Also mom, i love you and everyone else, but yeah i am eating well. Its gotten a little colder but at least it is not raining anymore. and even if i get transfered in 3 weeks like i think will happen, unless Heap calls out a huge favor from presidente, the offices will find me, so no worries about packages. Also the next holiday is christmas and i cant believe it. The mission is already getting ready for the Christmas program and i am kind of in shock that it will be 18 months. Got to live it up.
Nano, you stay tough in that ER, you are my hero, you know i couldnt do it.
Grandpa B, you take care of yourself, i love you guys. I need to give you a big hug when i get back.
Dad, idk whats happening in your life but i assume much of the same studness. Keep care of mom and coop, and congrats on being a grandfather. We are old dad haha jk you are a stud. COOP! I love you bro but i don't want to give you a swift one in the rear, and i say that with all the love in my heart. But really bro, stop stressing so much. you got skills bro, just trust in yourself and work hard. Just the last week i was playing b ball with heap and he is really good and im not and i was like, man, i could have played if i didnt have a bad attitude. So be better than me bro. Its the same as you and me playing in front of the house. Find the joy. But i love you bro, remember that. I dont know how many times I brag about my little brother every day, you are my hero.
SO my week. Also heap just called and said congrats to jen and brit. also that Tay shouldn't die haha anyways my week was good. We definitely found people and brought them to church and it was great. We have a possible 5 baptism weekend but it will probably we two kids. Other then that i have been out of my area alot. I left my comp to do alot of the work and like a stud, he did it. We have my new favorite fam. the fam cortes, its a complete family but the father and son are listening to us right now and everyone else later. But yeah its like a dream investigator. He prayed and dreamed about teh first vision. Is that not bomb. and yeah we are doing really well as a district too. But anyways, the news is that Elder Brown in the new assistant , yeah im pumped, im waiting to call him and tell him he is a jerk for not waiting to be my comp first.

ok i got to run and be late still. so i love you and pray for you guys every day. Be wonderful and have faith that God loves you too. I got a letter from T money!!! he is in Florida!

to the moon and back...

Elder Christensen

Woo hoo i learned to delete!!! Sent: Mon 11/02/09 4:05 PM

2009-11-02T22:18:00.000-06:00

Hello Family,

Man, I love you guys. Uust wanted to get that out there real fast. How have you guys been? I cannot express my love for technology because I finally learned that deleting letters doesn't delete letters.. you have to purge them... I'm going to have to look up the word purge haha but yeah the mail box should be good for a while now so we can go abck to myldsmail.net, please. Thanks for all the patience.

I know how mom has been doing but little else.

Coop, don't even worry about it bro. You will only get better with time and experience. Don't stress, just keep rocking it.

Jen, Happy Birthday again, I am kind of slow like that but I heard my lovely sister Nano made some dinner for you. you guys are great, take care of each other.

Dad, nice job representing with all the talks, you're my hero, just keep it up.

Mom, I do have the box, thanks so so much. It was so great in fact that it only lasted like 4 days. I still have my cookies to make... it's just that they don't use ovens here very much... but I'll make it work... in a skillet haha but yeah thanks so much.

I hoped everyone had a great dia de los muertos and ate way too much candy. We had a lot of pumpkin and... gave contact cards out to the kids that knocked our door haha no, but we should have.

Today is a national holiday, it's a two day holiday, yesterday was for the children that had passed away, and today are the adults. Oh man, there are so many traditions that I need to tell you guys about but any ways it was a good holiday except that today the post office is closed for that and I cant mail Tays memory chips... but Thursday si, we have a conference over there so I'll just stop by.

My week~
It flooded again. Oh man I love rain. It started when we were climbing a dirt road to go give a blessing and when it started we just ducked inside of a store and thought, we will just wait it out, and hour later we decided we had to leave but it just never stopped and when we looked down the road that we had come up on, it was gone haha what had replaced it was a river a about the size of the Rio Grande. It was fun and me trying to be super elder was like, hey we are going to go to our appointments/ Bad idea, but it was funny at the beginning and I did get to run in the rain! We were drenched when we got home and slightly miserable cause no one was home haha so yeah there were house flooded and people swept away in the current. But yeah, hopefully it is the end of the rain.

Also, the worst week of work in a long long long time. I love my comp, we get along great, we work hard, we are obedient, and we got owned this week. No one wanted to listen to us. The only family we found was a family of 5 Saturday at 8. talk about the last hour but they are great but no one went to church except two kids and our baptism!!! Even that wasn't easy but we did and he will be a great member, he is already talking about getting married in the temple! just that he is single... haha on the prowl haha oh RMs, anyways yeah it was a rough week but we will turn it around. We have a couple good families that we are hoping to baptize in the next two weeks but we will have to work and pray a lot. I'm pumped. Also I really like my comp. We have never fought. If he was in the US he would be a legal miget haha and then he has this laugh that cracks me up. We are doing good. Also got to see and get owned by elder heap today in basketball... but I love that he is here... it's great.

ok fans and fam, stay great, i am going to go chill with Farmer before the meeting so you all stay great, keep your heads up and work hard, I love you all and know without a doubt that our Heavenly Father does too. I love my mission
to the moon and back,

con amor,

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

(So busy, no title to this e-mail)‏ Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 5:53 PM

2009-10-26T19:47:00.001-06:00

Hello,

Hey huge sorry to everyone. Last week were transfers and I didn't get moved but I had to accompany an elder to go get other elders and basically we visited every zone in the mission and I didn't have time to write..

So, I am sorry, you guys know that I love you, don't doubt that. Also I have two weeks to cover and 15 minutes to do it.

Long story for why I don't have time but I'll get to that.

First, my mailbox is full. So um.... I got a lot of letters from mom and no one else haha so if you happened to send a letter to me for the last two weeks, a re-send would be great. Or if you didn't write me, you got luck this week and can make up for the next.

But yeah, so that was kind of a shocker when I got to the computer today. If you all could send it to my hotmail or my msn address for next week until I figure things out that would help a lot.

Two weeks ago, the last week of Elder Candiani. We didn't do much... haha it was kind of frustrating but he was ready to go and had a lot of families to say good bye to. He went to Hidalgo with all of the cows and chickens and I am sure he will have a great time. My interview with Presidente went really well, we just had some good laughs and then the usual go get em. I liked it, it helped.

My new companion is elder Hernandez. Yes I have completed a year with a Mexican companion. No, my spanish has not improved because of it, haha no but he is why cool. He is from Oaxaca and has little time in the mission. What I mean to say that he is from Oaxaca is that they are like Samoans... just big happy people and I love him. We had to drop a lot of families this week because they didn't go to church last week so we were basically started from new and we needed some miracles. We worked our butts off the first three days trying to find new families. And by the end of three days... we had two new... they weren't that hot.

So Thursday night I was a little like, freak, I'm tired, but I asked the Lord for a little help for one more day and wow... he helped. We found some bomb families that at the end of the lessons called us heaven sent and then went to church... I felt pretty good. It was just such a great blessing I can't even explain it. We are going to do great things here. I love my mission.

Speaking of which we climbed the mountain again. No, I will never climb it again but this time we went up as a zone and yeah... one of us five got lost thus the lack of time to write. It is all good now. Also Elder Heap is my new ZL!!! That kid is such a stud.

Everyone, I love you all so much. I can't believe this is all starting to end but know that I am here and loving it. I still haven't talked to Pres about the summer arrangments but it would be easier for you guys to visit Mexico to come pick me up. But yeah. I'll write more next week, sorry again, love you!!!!

to the moon and back
con amor

elder christensen

Not sick anymore‏ Sent: Mon 10/12/09 3:23 PM

2009-10-12T23:13:00.000-05:00

Hello Familia,

How are you guys doing? I keep hearing that the the Broncos are doing well so I just assume that everyone is doing great. Thanks for the sports pop. Also, I am in the area of Elder Farmer so I left all of my letters in my house and I am going to try and remember how well everyone is doing.

Mom, keep it up with the business. I was going to tell you that my two journals that I have are exactly the same brand and color haha so maybe like a Vol 1 and vol 2 thing or idk.

Still haven't seen the package yet but we have interviews tomorrow so I am hoping for a gift.

Dad, you are stud. I hope the paper is finished and that you are tearing it up in all aspects. I loved the photo of all you guys at NMSU.... it would have been better in blue.... BYU! No not really but I have to have some pride.

Sisters, hope work and school and life are all staying up with you two. You guys are my heroes. It will all pay off in the end. Brit, you keep care of them bro.

Coop, congrats on the goals, sometimes that's all you need to get back into the habit. Have confidence in yourself but never be prideful. You can always work harder haha if you learn that now you wont take so long to learn it here in the mission like me. Yes, I have undertaken the task of ridding all pride from me... some may ask, what will be left? That's a good question, we will have to see, idk but I love you guys. I can't believe everyone is having birthdays and growing and moving on with life haha we don't have birthdays here. We are elders.

I thought I was getting a little of a belly so I went and weighed myself with my mission leader and I am actually a little under normal haha like 163... I need to do something with that. We will have to see what I look like when Christmas comes around.

Transfers next week, I am probably staying cause my comp and I now have 6 months here, but yeah, I love the kid. He is such a stud also if I have another Mexican comp next transfer I will have had one for an entire year.... yes, i do know their culture very well.

Also, funny story of the week. We were knocking doors and we got to this door that had two cables coming out of the hole for the doorbell and so my comp is like, I'll just put them together and the doorbell will sound. And it made perfect sense to me so I was like go for it. So he put them together and Boom haha all I saw was a pillar of light, more brillant then the sun.... directly behind my comps head hahahaha oh man, we booked it out of that building pretty quick after we realized we had knocked out the light for the entire building but we had a good laugh and my comp didn't die haha and then we went and found two awesome families.

We might be having a baptism this week, the grandson of my Mexican grandma, but we have to see some papers first.

Also Elder Francis and I are now best friends. It's just people from the north west.

I do use the word flip haha things change in the mission. Just know that Halloween is pretty soon and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Hope its not too cold there... the sun is quiet nice here.

Ok I got to go eat some tacos and chill with Elder Farmer before my junta. You all take care and know that our Heavenly Father loves you and that he has so much planned for each one of you. Be great cause that is who you are.
Con amor
to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

Almost not sick...‏ Sent: Mon 10/05/09 12:11 PM

2009-10-05T19:28:00.000-05:00

Hey Fam,

How is everyone doing today? I feel like I ask that question a lot but people respond to it so I guess I'll just continue with it. But really I hope everyone had a great week and an even better conference. Flip, that was the best conference I have ever been to. I dont know if I just haven't payed attention before or if it was in another language... possible. I just went with the right spirit and a lot of questions but I left a new man... boy haha no with 20 and a half years under my belt I think I qualify for man. I loved it. I loved the apostles and the first presidency. I wish I had a testimony like Elder Holland or could call everyone to repentance like Elder Bednar. They are my heros. I think they should put conference on dvd. I'ld watch it haha and that's what a year in mexico does to you.

Nano, congrats on the job, work hard and be humble. Learn everything you can.

Jen and brit, thanks for writing me. I know you guys are busy so thanks for taking the time to show some love. Also Jen, we take taxis if it is over 30 mintues walking and we don't have time. There are about 5 families that have cars but a ride is a very rare occasion. And it always happens right as we are about to arrive at our destination.. ironic haha you guys keep tearing it up and work hard. That Lacey fireside sounded bomb.

Also I think it was funny that today everyone decided to send pictures to me and I wasn't able to open them... sad days. next week. Dad, you are a stud man, you keep working hard and stay positive. Good luck on the document.

Coop, idk if you are dead or alive, but you keep it up man, I hope you recover soon. Also, no worries, i have a whole book of advice that I am writing down for your mission haha.

Mom, love you. Thanks for all of your sacrifices and work. You are great. Thanks for the shoes, but i think we should just keep them there in the US and then I just get these fixed up for 20 pesos.. also still havent gotten the box but ill be looking.

The reason I have been taking other money out is because when I went to the temple E Farmer asked me to buy him the new bible in leather... Yes, new bible in spanish. It's sweet. Idk if anyone else saw Presidente Monson explain it on the Saturday morning session. I loved his spanish haha also I listened to conference in english, and yeah I understood everything in spanish but it is better in english. for example, when everyone is making jokes and laughing, the translator is in his monotone voice for the punch line and it ruins everything haha no all of it was great.

On Wednesday, we had a leadership meeting and I saw Elder Brown, love him. Also it was basically a, "we need to do better pep talk." Also that some dls are going to be let go to give other kids a shot. Well its been fun haha no I wouldn't be sad, I could handle less stress.
This week we found some bomb families. The only thing was that only one went to church... but this next week. Also i need prayers and fasting.... not me but just we have alot of people that can get baptized this month but everyone is having something come up. So a little help if we could.

Mom I was wondering if you could help me out with one of those containers for consecrated oil and rechargable batteries.. idk, i actually love the idea of just putting money in the bank for when i get back haha cause ill need it... but yeah if i only had two christmas gifts, it would be those two. Other than that life is normal.

I got to jet and do some paper work haha really official right haha no but you guys have great week and of course happy b day bro!!!!! i cant believe life moves on without me but your a man now. Keep being a stud bro, you can do anything. YOu are my hero. Everyone take care and see ya in a week.

to the moon and back...

Elder Christensen

Sorry im a little slow‏ Sent: Tue 9/29/09 9:57 PM

2009-09-30T13:29:00.000-05:00

Hello family,
So I'm writing late and from MSN for a reason. We were sitting down to write and everything and it started to rain and I actually wrote that it had begun to rain in my letter to you guys and was about to write, "and I think the power is going to get knocked.... " and then it went out. Really, it was revelation. That's my excuse, there was not any power. and then later yesterday we tried again and the same thing happened. I think it was a sign that we were not supposed to write yesterday. Candiani doesn't agree but whatever and I'm writing from msn just because I don't want any confusion as to why I'm on the computer so late haha.
How are you guys doing? I hope everyone is rocking it school wise and not stressing too much. Also, yeah, Mom sorry, its just end of the month and I have been paying for a lot of things because Elders don't have money and I have to help them and yeah... but thanks. Also Jen and Brit thanks for giving me a shout out, means a lot to me, you guys are great. I hope you found your answer Jen and that school and work are all going well.
Nano, I swear, girl you are always going somewhere haha no it's all good, I would too if the fam was so close. Live it up and work hard, good luck with the interview.
Coop! haha kidney punched. Congrats bro, no I haven't been kidney punched before but I know you can tough it out. You are my hero bro, just keep tearing it up and be patient. Mom and dad, love you guys and i hope you know it. Its ridiculous how often I do something during the day and just pause and say to myself... gah I am such my parents child haha but its a good thing. I hope you guys are doing well in your work and with the kids, you guys are too awesome.
Also my kid wrote me!! Valdez! eh, cuidate mi chavo. Tu sabes que te amo y que espero lo mejor para ti. Hazlo que tienes que hacer y te espero muy pronto. Tambien la familia Aguilar.(Sorry about that, just a little sidetrack).
I have been good. Its been raining off and on and I have tried to stay a little more covered and warm cause my lung virus that I always get came back this week... its been fun. I am going to talk with the hna tomorrow to see what she can do. But yeah I'm not too worried.
Ok, need to go through my week super fast real quick.
Wednesday we had a multi-zone conference and at the end we took a mission picture. Was it a mess trying to get everyone together and quiet, yes but we took it and it's done. I learned a lot from the conference and I always feel like its the little revelations that make the difference. But anyways we get back and I don't know if it was because I was sick and tired or because the lunch appointment wasn't showing up but I had little patience and I got super angry super fast when out of frustration Elder Candiani started to tell me off that I was a lazy, unexcited elder. I just about freaked out haha really I haven't gotten that angry in a long time. I seriously felt tinglings haha zero sickness and I just started yelling in Spanish... but then I took some Westley time and walked away and he and I had some great talks and now we are "best friends forever" haha remember the Lord works in mysterious ways but yeah its been great. We went out and found some bomb families! Like a family that the mom is member but that no one else is and they want to be a eternal family and we are like, yes, we can help with that. We couldn't take them to church cause they had a death in the family but this week for sure. Yeah, everything went great for us. We are hoping to have three baptisms either this week or the next but really, miracles are happening every day and I love to be part of it.
Yesterday wasn't so fun cause we had emergency transfers but my new elders are bomb and we are going to tear it up. Really, we just need to tear it up as a mission, and we will, soon. Also changed houses and I love it! I will send pictures later. Just know I love my mission and I'm excited for every day.

Also Elder Heap is good. He says thanks for worrying about him, also he wants us to room with his little brother. who will be a freshman... with freshman friends... more Heap, more love is what I say haha.
Okay, fam and fans, you are be great. Know that I love you, love my work and love the Lord. Also, the presidente had a son that was inactive, and then he came here and started doing splits with missionaries. Yeah he is waiting on his mission call.... Elder Holland called personally to ask what his reaction was... yeah my Pres has friends like that, I love it. You all be great. love you, I know this is true.
con amorto the moon and back, Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Still Sick‏ Sent: Mon 9/21/09 1:23 PM

2009-09-22T21:28:00.002-05:00

My countrymen,

How are we doing so far? I hope everyone is staying warm and dry cause that seems to be my problem. I am sick again but this time it is that lung thing I always get. I will suffer and live I guess. It's all good. Haven't heard from Jenny in about forever so yeah... I hope everything is alright sis and that you are not going crazy with life. Take care of her Brit.
Nano, keep working hard in school. Try and stay in Las Cruces for more than one weekend. You tear it up.
Dad, don't even worry about not writing last week, I'll just read two of your letters this week to make up for it. Hope the shoulder and work are all going good.
Mom, love you. I like how you refer to people going crazy with their lives as my senior year haha, it's all good, if you guys could do it with me, you can do it with anyone.
Have fun at the Blink 182 concert. Try to listen to their music before and be ready for a lot of pot.... haha I'm excited to hear how it goes.
Coop!!! bro, whats happening man? Why are you getting in fights (on the soccer field) and whatnot. Tough it out man and just stay calm, take deep breathes and realize that at the end of everything, you are going to be a beast. Don't get stressed over the details, find the solutions. you're a stud man, keep it up.

So my week. I am sick again.. but that probably because I can't seem to get dry... too many baptisms... haha a little missionary humor. I'm cool. Anyways, it was awesome to have two more baptisms this Saturday. Arturo and Cuquita are two of the newest members of the church and they rock hard. I had the pleasure to do the ordination and it was the first double baptism I have had since my trainer.... yes. but Elder Candiani also became my most sucessfull companion with those two baptisms. We get along great, just when he thinks I make rules and I'm stubborn and too old haha yes old. I'm going to be turning 21 in six months.
But other than the two baptisms we kind of dropped the ball this week... like bad. We brought only three people to church and only 7 new investigators in total. You can be sure it will not happen again. Other than that it was a pretty normal week. Other than the fact that Elder Heap almost died. He walked into the house of an investigator and fainted... and they don't know what's wrong with him... so yeah I'm sure he will tough it out but praying helps too. Oh and we are going to change houses... cause I am tired of leaks.
Wednesday we are going to meet the new presidente de area, Elder Johnson. We will see if he has some new ideas.

Okay fam, fans and all you other people I got to run to chill with Elder Farmer but you all stay great and happy cause you are all loved. Your prayers and testimonies are wonderful and I know that this church is true. I love my mission and the opportunity I have to serve. I love you all and see ya next week.

to the moon and back
con amor,

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Getting Wet in a lot of ways Sent:Mon 9/14/09 12:24 PM

2009-09-14T17:15:00.000-05:00

Hey Loved Ones

How is everyone doing this fine looking monday? I hope everyone is doing well going back to school and work and doing well in their individual activities. SOO pumped to hear that byu dominated haha thanks for the info dad, we will have to see how the broncos do as well.

Coop, you make me laugh with your ridiculousness but i still love you. Hope you tore it up against st mikes. Also pay attention in seminary, you could use a couple of those scriptures out here. speaking from someone that doesnt remember much..... haha expect when dad taught! love you haha

Mom love you so much. the shoes are hush puppies and that would be a lame side note but its all good, my other pair should hold out.... and mom, good luck in sunday school, i know the lord will bless you with the help you need. I had to freak out of some diacons yesterday cause they were wrestling with my future convert in the lawn... oh my gosh i love kids haha

dad i loved your curveball analogy, it made my laugh a little. For a second i thought it was one of moms made up metaphors but no... haha i love you guys. hope the shoulder feels great and also... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! your a stud, keep it up. hope it was a good one.

Bingham family, i love you guys but we need to stay healthy. everyone look after themselves and take care. i love you guys, trust in the Lord.

Nano and jen, hope everything is going great and everyone is enjoying themselves and trying hard in school... not getting distracted by parties... haha take care you two, i love you guys

ok my week, we had a baptism! whee! bianca alvarez, 23, boyfirend, jehovahs witness. Amazing faith to tell him to respect her decisions, yes. She is great and we will continue to work with her mom and sister. Other then that we were not the hottest things in mexico haha we had trouble finding and teaching people but we had a lot in church. It also did not help that all that rain that we were missing finally showed up this week... all at once haha its rained every afternoon for the last week or so and we have had some minor flooding issues in the city. By my last area they had like 200 houses damaged from flooding. but no worries, i live on the second story haha but yeah getting wet is a custom again. Also my companion and I get in the dumbest fights. I just need him to not beat box in the street while we are walking haha

also got sick two days ago. Threw up and everything, it was awesome. Probably something that i ate at mexican night at the stake activity. Im sending photos of that. we took mustaches haha it was fun

ok im out like a scout. Love you all and know that our heavenly father does too.
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

Pictures! Sent: Sep. 14, 2009

2009-09-14T17:11:00.002-05:00

Explanations of pictures in letter above.

Feliz Cumpliaños PAPI!! Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 11:16 AM

2009-09-09T15:56:00.002-05:00

Dear Family
How are you all rocking it? It was way good to hear from all of you last week, minus coop... haha jk i saw the new letter. But yeah sounds like everyone is now getting into the groove of school and whatnot and i hope that everyone continues to work hard and pray for that extra help. Also all the pictures were way cool. Thats too cool that Elder Nelson was there in the stake! Elder Oaks came here like two weeks ago to speak to the young single adults so we didnt get to listen to him.
Jen, congrats on letting the kids out early for recess, im sure they all love you haha and really jen, do what you feel is right, but know i love you and konw that Heavenly Father loves you too.

nano, thanks for feeding my brotheren haha i am sure they cleaned you girls out haha i think im actually loosing weight here just because there are not as many cool members haha all for the better, need to make friends.

Coop, you make me laugh bro. Good job on the tournament, you just keep tearing it up and please give a shout out to sam for me. Call him best buddy haha

Mom and Dad, love you guys, know that us kids can control being held too tight, but you guys are great, thanks for your prayers and love

ok my week.
We dont have transfers today. Well, my district at least. Everyone is going to stay the same!!!! weee!! haha really when the presidente told me that my mouth kind of just dropped.... haha but im way excited for it. We had some issues last transfers, some conflicting attitudes but Im just excited to see how we are going to rock it. So yeah elder candiani is still my companion and i love that kid. He thinks i make some rules sometimes but its ok haha also we only speak english in the house haha i have enjoyed it. So tuesday were our interviews and mine wasnt as cool as i wanted it to be but ill live. I just need to dominate basically. Also we have seen soo many miracles this week. We did a fast for some people that we are planning to baptize next week and the 20th and everything work itself out, it was beautiful haha so yeah another one this week and three in the one after. Also it was funny cause last night i was talking to Elder Heap, love that kid, and he was like, Christensen, do you realize in that one year we will be living together at BYU? haha that would be a party. Um.... yeah i think that was all of the cool things that happened. Oh and that my zls are staying too... whoo! love my mission haha

ok fam and fans, im going to go head off and do something great and i hope all of you will to. Going to eat hamburgers with Elder Farmer later on too haha love you guys and know that Heavenly Father loves you too. I have zero doubt in that He lives and watches over all of you. Have faith in that.
i love you guys!
con amor
to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

Sorry sorry‏ Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 8:33 PM

2009-09-01T20:30:00.002-05:00

Hey fam,

Sorry for being late..... again but we know me, I'm a little slow at times but just know that it's not a matter of love. Just bad planning haha but how are we doing? Everyone doing well with the first week of school under their belt? And if not, its ok, you have a lot more to go. Resolve problems quickly, otherwise they just drag on and on and on. That's what I learned this week.

Also Father I hope that recovery is coming well and that you aren't getting too crazy.

Coop, work hard on school and soccer, look for opportunities to be a leader always.

Jenny and Brit, good luck being poor. Total love I'm just kidding. Really I know that Lord blesses his servants and you guys are great. Just put your faith in him, work hard and you will see miracles every day.

Mom, love you. Hope work is going well and everything, Recent news, my backpack broke haha like the strap unsewed itself. idk, I'm going to get it fixed.

Also Nano!! hope you had a great b-day, lots of love sis.

Ok, my week super duper fast. We baptized again!! I'm loving it! A little girl of an inactive family, but the nicest most pleasant little girl you have ever met and always screams "hello" from across the street haha love her.

I have been sick with the sore throat this week but idk, I will just man it up I guess.

Interviews tomorrow so that will be an uplifting experience, I hope. I don't know what's going to happen in a week with transfers but I assume I'm going to stay and receive another younger missionary. I'm starting to open my eyes now a days and by that I mean that I am just realizing so many things that I wasn't doing right and that there is an easy solution that was right there. So yeah, I feel like I have been growing up really quickly these last two weeks. Kind of makes me wonder what I have been doing these last 12 months....

We had an awesome experience in that Esther, my grandma here, is inviting all of her family to listen to us and the magority are and it's great and I love how the Lord has a plan and that I get to be part of it. I love my mission! I feel good, we had a good district meeting, I only yelled once and the rest I felt the spirit so it turned out great.

Went bowling with Elder Francis, from Portland, again today. We are pretty much best buds, can't figure out why haha no but he is really a great elder.

Ok, my comp is angry - got to run. Love you and and know the Lord has a plan, our job is not to tell him the plan but to figure it out for ourselves. I love you and know the Savior loves you too.

to the moon and back

con amor,

Elder Christensen

No Letter Today

2009-08-31T19:21:00.000-05:00

Sorry ='(

Jenny

Pictures!

2009-08-24T18:01:00.003-05:00

P-day at the bowling alley
Sweet Sister Westley loves

Jail Bird Jake got nothing on me haha‏ Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 10:21 AM

2009-08-24T18:01:00.001-05:00

Hey guys,

So, yeah, it was a pretty exciting week I must say. A little bit of everything and at the end a confirmation of my favorite little old lady haha but how are you guys doing? Everyone is now back in school, including here, it's the first day, and I have my p day... hmm it feels good. It's crazy to think that I am going to complete one year here in Mexico. Time is not on my side. I have too many things to do still.
Mom, I am hoping to go to the dentist today, its with a member in another ward but he is still going to charge me. I don't think he will charge normal but still something so I'm going to use my home money.... if you could help me, but we will see. Also, took the picture of my shoe.
CLARK, how you doing buddy!?!? I cant believe it's over man, you are such a stud, write me a line or two man. You are my hero. You too Jeff haha you guys rock, thank you for your service and for giving all. I love you guys. And really I am sure Clark and David sounded just fine without me singing in church. I was ususally a burden haha love you guys, see you in one year.
Nano, back in Cruces, live it up sis. Make friends and more important grades haha love you.
Coop!! you are stud man, congrats on JV, you are going to tear it up this year. Just listen to the coach, give 100%, and stretch, cause you dont want to end up like me. You go ahead and make #15 a great number.
Dad, hope surgery went well, remember to relax and be patient. Basically take a break haha love you.
Jen love the soccer chear. I would have loved to play in green and gold but yeah I'm doing my thing here. Good luck in school and being the mom of everyone. We all need you, so stay strong. Brit, thanks for the shout out.

Okay, so my week really quickly. Bueno, well Monday night in the junta, Elder Romney came with the secs and yeah sat in on my junta. Which was fine cause we were only going to watch videos of preach my gospel. Elder Romney is a stud, I love that guy. He reminds me alot of Clark now that I think about it. But yeah we had a chat for about half an hour outside and he helped me alot to think about the needs of my district. So Wednesday I decided to go on splits with one companionship for 24 hours and everything was going great untill we got put in jail.... haha not even kidding haha good times.
So I am going to explain myself before mom freaks out. We were wrapping up the day and we happened to pass by an atm and I still had money in my mission account that I wanted to take out. So while I was taking out my 300 pesos, Elder Rivera was outside passing the time playing with his keys, and at one point decided that he was just going to try his key in the sercurity lock on the gate outside, just for grins and giggles. Bad idea! An old man saw him and thought that he was tampering with the security gate and told the police and they picked us up two blocks later haha. I got to ride in the back of a police truck!! Yeah, it was just nonsense so we were laughing the whole time and everything so when we got to the police HQ we just were really nice to everyone, saying hi, doing contacts, the norm haha and when the police asked me for my name they just kind of looked at me strangely and asked is I was Mexican, which I said "no", if I had my license, "nope". So they left me alone but the fine for my comp was going to be 2000 pesos but yeah they are kindof corrupt like that so Elder Rivera called an hna that works in the state goverment and five minutes later, they let us go free and then the zls came by to give us ride and we jsut laughed a lot. Yeah, now I am the joke of the mission in that everyone has to say something about jail but it's all good. I felt like Troy in Russia, but not as cool haha but the thing was that the rest of the week we tore it up! Only five in church but three of our inactive families came too. And then the confirmation. We have a baptism this week too. It's of a 9 year old girl of an inactive family so yeah its alright.

fam, love you
pray often
work hard
be examples
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

PS no i didnt forget nano, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! eat a piece of cake for me haha stay great sis

Lets get wet!‏ Sent: Mon 8/17/09 4:18 PM

2009-08-17T17:25:00.001-05:00

Hey fam and fans

so what a week right? I am sure you guys were running around just as i was if not more. I hope that everything went well with the moving into the other house for nano and that tryouts went well for coop. Britton saw that you wrote me bro, love you, sorry about that sunburn, i saw the photo in the package haha at first i didnt know what it was haha. also mom, love you, loved the package, already gave away all the candy and laughed at all the photos haha the one with jenny in the tube... oh man... great haha also cooper! why are you wearing my soccer jacket! gosh dang it haha your school photo was all my clothes haha keep it real man. Nano, saw the new hair cut, very hot, good luck keeping the boys off. Jenny, last two semester, keep it strong, everyone needs you down there. Dad, sorry i forgot to mention it but the drawings were way sick that you sent me. I have a much better idea what to expect when i get back haha, i liked the little dock idea haha i say we put in some live trout or something to go fishing every once in a while haha and were those turtles or just plants i saw in the pond haha hope everything goes great.
So yeah sorry this is kind of fast but we didn't plan to well today. But really i love you all.
Sam and Ave! How you guys doing? haha clowns, still look the same. (Mom Sent hima picture) Ave also got your letter man, ill be writing you back soon.
Also got one from tay and t money. so yeah i have some letters to write.

so my week super fast....
we had a baptism sunday for my favorite person ever haha she is super nice and treats us like her grandchildren. So yeah we will definitely be in line for some miracles this week with her family accepting haha but yeah other than that it was a little rough going. there have been a lot of rumors going around in a couple parts of our area that we are entering into the houses of women to do other things and yeah nonsense so basically everyone is afraid of us and we lost alot of good investigators. I'm not too frustrated, The Lord has a plan, we will just work around it. So yeah that was exciting news haha also that there is no water in mexico. It has not been raining like normal and the reserve levels are really down so the gov is turning the water off every other day haha its fun. It doesnt affect us too much cause we arent ever in our house but the members yes.
today we had a fun p day and went to a fun center with bowling and ice skating and mini golf. yes, i won haha no only in bowling once.
my miracle this week was an investigator dropped her boyfriend when he started yelling at her for talking to us. Power in faith. miracles happen

ok i got to get to my meeting but i love you guys and pray for you all constantly. Have confidence in the Lord
to the moon and back

Elder Christensen

Hello People that have to go back to school... Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 4:36 PM

2009-08-11T08:56:00.000-05:00

Hey fam,

So I just wanted to give a quick shout out to everyone that has to go back to school this week. Good luck.. really it's all worth it. You don't know how important an education is until you see that some people make for a living. So yeah, its rough, but worth it, like all great things. Any ways, how is everyone doing? Fully rested and everything after a vacation and a week of normal life? Disney sounded fun, I'm glad you all thought of me and everything, and yes Coop, MR Toads Wild Ride is my favorite. I saw the pics and we will have to take some more when we go in a year or something.
Cooper, hope that tryouts are going well and that you are feeling calm. It's good to be nervous because it keeps you sharp but really, just rock it bro, you're my hero.
Nano good luck moving back, make friends, make memories, enjoy life.
Jen hope you had fun decorating Chances wedding night room.... cool haha oh man anyways, I would totally answer some questions but I forgot and I'm in a rush to go to my zone meeting and get yelled at because my district is not the hottest on the block but it's all good, we can only improve, and I sincerly mean that,
Mom I would have loved to gone on the whale boat ride but its all good, we have conference tomorrow and I imagine that the package will be there. I love you mom, thanks for all the support.
Papi, hope everything is going well with the shoulder and work. Your'e my hero.
So my week really fast......
Today we climbed the mountain as a district to get some more unity. Yeah, kind of back fired in that we lost an Elder but it's all good cause we found him again. Good old Eagle Scout training haha but really I'm having some issues with my district. It's definitely not the perfect one I had last transfer but it's like Elder Arnett told me, if i couldn't do it, I wouldn't be there. So yeah, we are going to have a heart to heart. Basically I just want to be an amazing missionary like Elder Heap or Farmer. They rock!
Yesterday was not so hot in that we had few in church.... and we didn't have the baptism of my favorite old lady.. her son got sick and was in the hospital for surgery... so this week we will do it!!! Please pray but yeah it just seemed this week was a little bit tougher but really I think it was just my mentalidad. I can do better and I am going to do it.
Also I think I have a cavity.. going to see what the hna says tomorrow... but just so that you know.
Oh yeah, for lunch today we ate the craziest fruit ever. I actually thought it was a joke. It was bright pink with a white inside with a lot of black seeds. We asked the members but they just said it was from another part of Mexico. When you guys come, get ready for some weird stuff.
oh yeah a miracle this week! We are teaching this punk kid that is the son of a convert that just got baptized. so basically everyone is great in the family and he is the black sheep. I mean black clothes, death metal, always what's to fight. No really, I love him. I get along really well with him and we made him a promise that if he would say a pray asking for an answer to a serious question he had, open the Book of Mormon and read a couple of versus, he would find the answer. Mostly cause he doesn't believe in God. So he did it and he received it..... yes.... haha I was just like, how was it? and he was like... good, well, I only have one question? How did you do it? I was like what? and he was like, answer my question? I just started to laugh and was like, no son, that's how God does it. So I commit every single one of you to do the same.
Tay,
I know school doesn't start till sep but the school advice goes to you too haha no, i am grateful for the paragraph shout out. It was worth it for todos haha but yeah that little chicken guy knows what's up. Hope you enjoy every day and are being amazing like i know you are.
everyone take care. I got to run but know that i love you all and wish the best and pray every day for you guys. Keep true to the faith.
to the moon and back.

con amor

Elder Christensen

Dont let your feet be the weak link‏ Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 20:37:28 +0000

2009-08-03T16:29:00.002-05:00

Hello Familia

Whew, yeah i am going to write ya'll haha. It's like i sit down to write and everything starts to happen. People calll me, i need to print stuff and who knows what happens but its all good. I loved the pics from disneylandia. No worries not bitter at all... haha. No i am glad you guys had a blast even without your favorite person, we can all go when i get back if we don't go to Powell or something. I couldn't believe how tall cooper was! and is he wearing my favorite pair of shorts? watch out coop... haha. Thats cool though, i hope it didn't take too much work to retrun to the normal life again.

Coop, good luck with soccer tryouts next week, thanks for writing.

Dad, please dont die falling off a ladder, and thanks for Bishops Betts talk, it was sweet. Excited to hear what the doc had to say.

David!!! how you doing man, thanks for the letter. Don't even fret good buddy, any advice you wish to bless me with is welcomed with open arms. Your like an veteran haha how you are enjoying the after life, remember where you came from, i love you man.

MOM love you, haha sorry you almost got the worst score possible in your first round golfing, life is like that sometimes. Dont let it get you down. I say you should just stick with it. NO i havent gotten the envelope yet but im hoping this week yes. and mom, i konw you want pictures, and i have been taking a couple and i know i need to send more. Really i even tried today but this computer is lame and doesnt want to help me. I need to find a better way to do it I think... idk ill think on it but know im trying.

Also, thank you Jen for reminding me. my hush puppies are suffering i need to take a pic and get the new pair. so we will think on that one later. also yes i took out money twice... not happy about it but i had nothing so yeah its all good. sorry i didnt tell you in advance. Jen! love you questions and here are your answers, no i'm not sick, i have been good for a while and im starting to loose weight in this area again cause there are not as many cool members haha all for the better. actually this area has a title in the mission as being one of the worst for members. Alot of gossip and drama and nonsense. So obviously im pumped for the challenge haha but really, i want to make a real difference here and help a little bit.

We confirmed two on Sunday! felt good even though we weren't there... long story haha. My companion is good but young in mission terms. sometimes his priorities are mixed up but that will just come with experience. I just tell myself that i was way worse haha other than that we get along great. We worked hard, found people, and brought a sweet family to church. My district needs a little help but its all good, just a good kick in the butt and kind word goes a long way haha oh dear i think im funny. Um i basically call all my buddies every day cause they are all dls and its funny to hear them stress about their problems with their districts, they will get better. and yeah that was my week, not really any miracles but we will see this week, we have a baptism planned for a grandma that is 80. if i could adopt her, i would haha i love her, so pray everything goes well.

ok fam i got to run but i love you all and all of your faith. Please know and find out for yourselves that this is the Lords church. We are his children and He wants the best for us. I love you all with all my heart.

from the man in black
to the moon and back

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Love Mom, yes i do haha‏ Sent: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 12:35 PM

2009-07-28T15:17:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

So, yeah, sorry about the wait and everything but you know that it is sometimes with these transfers. But I called my new zls and asked for permission and Elder Arnett, yes, the same one from a year ago, was like, you better show some love to your mom, so here I am thanks to you mom. And yes, I had a transfer. I am now on the other side of the city in Ecatepec and Coacalco. It should be really close to my fist pin. Actually when we passed my first area in the car I just started screaming and pointing and everyone was like... white guys, but yeah so I'm back and I love it.

My area is tiny... or maybe that's just because I have had large for a long time now haha, but one ward! First time in my mission. I won't know what to do with all of my extra time. My comp. Elder Candiani, his last name is Italian but he is from the Nuevo Leon Monterray. He only has three transfers but seems like a pretty solid kid, maybe a little quiet at times but yeah so was I. So yeah, I just feel good here. We have two confirmations and two other baptisms this week... love that and I just think that I'm going to do really well here. My zone rocks! I got Arnett as a ZL, Francis who is also very cool, likes to be a little forward at times but it's ok. And than Elder Farmer! yeah baby, he is the other dl so we call each other frequently. The house is a triangle but still larger than my other house so I love it. Took a cold shower this morning... not pleasant haha.

My other area..... yeah I'm going to forget it. Elder Leon and I got along better than ever this last week which was weird because normally companionships loose it the last week. I realized I never took a picture just me and him.... and I'm ok with that I'll see him later.
That's my life right now. I can't believe how fast the time is going by. I have to treasure up every moment. But yeah, that's all I got.
Love you mom, Dad hope everything is going well with the shoulder, sisters getting ready to go back to school, Jen I ate a bowl or Raisen Bran today... and last night.
Bro, thanks for writing me finally haha its all good.
Sterl, tear it up bro, go get your own baptisms.
Tay sorry no letter, no he tenido tiempo. Cuidate y espero que estes disfrutando tu tiempo. and still getting one liners from 12 year olds.

Alright everyone, the field is white and I need to go reap. I love you all and you are all the reason why I am smiling right now.
Remember that the BofM answers any all and every question you have. READ IT!
To the moon and back,

con amor,

Elder Christensen

NO Letter =(

2009-07-28T11:06:00.001-05:00

We did not receive a letter from Elder Christensen yesterday. We are hopping it is just due to transfers maybe??? Just FYI

Thanks,
Jenny

Here comes the BOOM Sent: Mon 7/20/09 1:55 PM

2009-07-21T13:39:00.000-05:00

Hello Familia,

How are we doing this week? It was nice to hear from everyone... except cooper, this week haha I understand Bro, soccer camp. you don't have an excuse now. Hope you learned a lot and had fun. Be strong and remember who you are.
Jen, you are a trooper. Props on the hike. You make me laugh with being afraid of the outside. You make me laugh with all of your questions as well but it's all good.
We did have some people in church this week and one of them was a person that we are going to baptize this Sunday!! It's all set up and everything and it's not going to drop which seems to be the cool thing to do with baptisms in the zone. I get to go to a meeting tomorrow with the Presidente to be told that we need to improve. Brown and I are trying to sweeten it up by calling it a pep talk haha oh man, i love Brown, its sad that this is my last week with him, unless we go to the same zone! Miracles happen every day. But yeah transfer next Sunday and... I'm ready for them. I'll go wherever the Presidente wants or stay and suck it up but yeah.... next Sunday.

Dad, glad to hear the patio is going well, maybe it would be an opportunity to call in your home teachers to help with the barn raising. Or call the missionaries!! But hopefully you're back in the big LA.
Nano, keep working hard, summer is not almost over.... or maybe it is, im just out of the loop haha and Mom, love you and am grateful that you are always aware of my worries. Really you are great and I love you.

It's not raining here anymore, everyone is kind of worried... I'm fine with it.

Chace! yeah I understood 90 percent of your spanish, thanks man. Always love getting a shout out in spanish, I hope you and Amy are doing well. I saw a hat from Utah State the other day and thought of you guys haha.

So this week was a lot of bus rides, frustrating phone calls and miracles. Are you smiling cause I am. I love my mission! So one of the companionships in my district esta hasta la goma... really far would be another way to say that, and they had 4 planned baptisms. I did the 1 and a half bus ride three times there and three times back this week. And we didn't complete with any..... so yeah, but it is a nice little village to visit. We broke my new investigators record this week. After 24 I just stopped counting cause only a couple were really interested. We found an awesome family of four that already excepted to get baptized and everything... just didn't go to church.... yeah we are going to work on that.
Also, let me tell you how many thought I looked Mexican this week... like four... until I opened my mouth haha it was the most balloon popping experience of my mission. They would ask me what part of Mexico I was from and I would smile and say I wasn't Mexican and they would laugh and be like oh sorry hadn't heard you talk yet haha. Oh man, I want to be perfect! That's my new goal this month, perfect accent. It's going to happen.
I don't think I have mentioned it but Elder Farmer is a dl now too and Elder Memmott is in his district so they call me all the time to say what's up. It's funny to hear their stories and about their companions.
Elder Leon and I actually got along really week this week... probably cause we didn't play soccer... probably cause its banned now.. haha yeah new rule. The mission is going to be changing here pretty quick... hopefully for the better. The Presidente is tired to so so results. Time to grow up!

The last miracle I saw this week was that after we were all disappointed about having only a couple of people to church because those 24 news all gave us the facial, two families showed up to church and wanted to know more. So yeah, the Lord has a plan and sometimes just wants to see that we are trying.

Okay family, fans and loved ones, I got to go eat tacos and stuff so know that I love you, I love my mission and I love the Lord and his blessings.
We are all children of God and have the opportunity to be like him. And just like our parents here at home, he loves to hear from us every day. Be great because that's what you are.

to the moon and back
con amor,

Elder Christensen

Sometimes Grandpa knows just what to say‏ Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 3:49 PM

2009-07-13T17:23:00.000-05:00

Hey Americans

So the reason for my title was and is because Grandpa Christensen is great. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself a week ago and Grandpa just told me to suck it up and I realized he was right! So thanks grandpa, your great haha I love you guys.
I love all my family, yes extented too but how is everyone doing?
Jen, don't be mad, you know I love you a whole bunch. Just that sometimes I forget to answer all of your questions and I love that you are still hung up on that fact that the fireworks have shapes haha. Glad 4th of July was good even though you didn't blow up anything and that the nephews are good.
Coop, hit the gym man, just start the habit now.
Nano, idk, the last I heard work was better and you were going to go down to Las Cruces, how did that go?
Dad, love you, good work on the patio. Its ok if you can only lift one bag of cement, you will always be a champ in my eyes haha jk but really, the weekend I get back, we are going to put in that fish pond. If I don't have other plans. I'm there for you.
Mom, it was almost funny cause I didn't see your letter and was like... wow... mom didn't write me for the first time in my mission.... I'm going to have to rag on her. JK (I did write!) Mom I love you. Thanks again for the package. In the envelope, if you could send some more stamps, I have been sharing with the other American in my district. Also the postcards from LA still make me laugh, that was a good idea. Now it will be easier to explain to people that I live in a desert but my house is in a forest...

My week. Well, Monday Elder Leon freaked out and was crying and stuff saying that we needed to be best friends and everything and I was like, this is... dumb haha but then I remember grandpa and yeah we have been good this week. Minus one thing. Our baptisms... yeah it didn't happen. They got scared because the Bishop said a couple of things to them and yeah... its going to take a little of time. and then Sunday I had to be with the zls for almost all of the day and I left Elder Leon in my area to control everything and yeah.... well it could have been better in my ward on Sunday but its ok, we are going to dominate this week. Also Elder Diaz, my zl, came to work with me Friday after everything went wrong and I thought he was going to yell at me and make me feel like trash and everything but he didn't. I consider that as a miracle because the mission is changing a little bit, as in less patient but no he came and was way chill with me and made me feel like everything was going to be ok. But the coolest thing ever this week was a guy that well... found us haha he is the boyfriend of a member here and he wanted to meet us and yeah has already received his answer... twice so that's cool, we already put a baptismal date with him. I hope that will be my last Sunday here as well... but either way I'm good. And the only other exciting thing that happened was that we changed houses. And I say exciting very loosely because we didn't have a car to help haha but yeah we got it done. I feel a lot stronger now, it was amazing to see all the junk we had packed into our little apartment.
Ok fam, I forgot to do something and it's kid of important so I am going to end my compu time early and run and do it... haha asi soy yo haha any ways, love you all and pray for you frequently. Remember that there are three types of people in the world. The ones that see the wall and just laugh and walk away, the other that looks for an easy way around and give up and the last ones that just plow through it. Its what Presidente taught us and it made me think a lot about which I was. I love you all and know this work is true. The Lord loves you.

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

I... am grateful for a companion‏ Sent:Mon 7/06/09 7:11 PM

2009-07-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

What's happening in all your lives? Well I sort of know but like I am week behind. I hope everyone is well and that they are dominating at what they are doing. I almost forgot that is was the 4th of July until I had to call Elder Brown about something and he said it, haha, I have been here too long. It's crazy to think that one year ago I was sitting in the MTC parking lot watching the fireworks over the BYU stadium... the only fireworks here were ones to celebrate the new elections, Any ways, I hope everyone was home and that the back yard patio looks awesome. I would have loved to help but yeah.... next time. It sounds cool. I hope dad doesn't miss his starry nights too much.
Jenny, thanks for that quote. It was way awesome and I need to improve my prayers, thanks. Visiting teaching is just missionary work to members, remember that but work hard you two.
Dad, hope Aiken is treating you well. Keep up the hard work.
Mom. love you, I got the package on Friday and it was a box of delights. The only thing that is completely gone are the sour air heads The mini preach my gospels were the hottest item in the district. I thought you sent me a letter saying I couldnt have them? oh well. And that photo of Grandma and Grandpa Bingham. I didn't read at first and just looked at it and was like... that looks alot like grandpa B haha that was cool.
I'm looking forward to your talk dad. I need to hook you up with some spanish line. like a testimony or something.
Coop! I know I said it before but your a stud. Keep working hard, drink more water and stretch. It doesn't help to be big and not be able to do anything.
Nano, love you. I prayed for you really hard Friday night. idk, i felt like you needed a little love. You're great kid.
Also got David's letter on Monday last week. Your a stud man. Hope you enjoy being home. You did a great work. also I'm currently listening to a CD that Elder Brown lent me. It's called angel, or the artist is Angel, but either way, love it haha look for it. Also i need it to be more relaxed. I am having serious issues with my comp. I realize I need to be a better person and yeah be a leader and show love but man... its hard. We almost got in a fist fight today at soccer. He laid me out from behind and really I didn't care about that so much just that I kind of let all of my tension out that I built up during the week and yeah, had my spanish rant and let it go. Three more weeks.
Also we had an adventure. First an assitant came Tuesday to work with me and that was actually pretty sweet, I learned a whole bunch. and than later on Tuesday, an elder that a family in my area was taking care of, took off. like went home solo. He had been sick and instead of putting him the offices the Presidente put him in my area with a family to take care of him. We came after some interviews and he was gone.... so that was the first time in my mission. Hope it doesn't happen again.
More than that, nothing too exciting. We pretty much blanked Sunday, that was depressing after finding a lot of people that were really interested. We are hoping for two baptisms this week for a couple. They are really cool and said that they already had a dream getting baptized and everything but they weren't in the church Sunday. please pray for familia Vega Martinez. I will pray too.

Got a letter from Tay!!!
and she wrote me a paragraph!
but i got to go love, know that i think you are great and hope you are having a great time with the boys haha
be great everyone, I love you all.

this is the true church
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Westley Christensen

Sometimes we have challenges in life... Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 1:53 PM

2009-06-29T15:37:00.000-05:00

Hola familia,

How is everyone doing today? The weather there I assume is one of those beautiful summer afternoons where it would be a good day to go to the pool.... haha almost the same here. A little sun in the morning and that's about it. It has officially began as the rainy season. It's great that everything is now green but not that we are constantly wet, it's not that bad, I am learning to adapt and really, it's the last rainy season I will have!! one year baby! Did I do anything special? No, it was a normal day of work and I ran out of time at the end to buy tacos. But yeah its weird to think that I am one of the old guys now. I cant use the excuse that I don't know what's going on because well, I do. I will see how this last year goes, I have a lot of goals to accomplish and at the end I hope to have accomplished something. Any ways there's my rant!
But Coop!! I took some time to read moms letter right now and wow haha I was going to say, one inch shorter but only four pounds left. I'm sure its all muscle bro haha much love, keep working hard and be nice to mom while dad is away. Dad!! heck man, that's a bummer. I thought I was going to be the only one out of state for the next six months. Well, look for the bright side in everything.
It's what i say to myself every morning when I see my comp.... haha jk.... kind of. If week six of this transfer rolls around and my comp is dead.... I did it with the best intentions (jk), really we will be fine.

Other news! US WON!! we know that the real team is doing pretty good but today we got the job done. 5-4!!! haha its really the thing i look forward to every Monday besides you guys. and last week they destroyed us 2 -10 so I feel pretty good right now.

yeah mom, i know Elder Romney. that kid is a stud. He has a little more time than I do in the mission but yeah way chill. I saw him the day of transfers actually, gave him a little high five.
Also shout outs. Sam, best buddy, how you doing man. Finally working, that's good news, take care man. NADAR!!!! you stud!! Brasil! its not Mexico but hey still pretty good just have patience with the language man, that's all I can say. Just be awesome like you are man and you will dominate.
David! speaking of Brasil, you are my hero man. Enjoy Alaska and see you in a year. Remember that time right before you left when we were sitting on my driveway and my mom was like this wont happen again in at least 3 more years? haha yeah... two down man haha see you soon. and.... that's it.
This week we didn't do much. Failed on a baptism cause the dad is lame but hoping we will find the solution to touch his heart. Look for great things to come in this month. I totally forgot about 4 of July......

and Tay!
not there... did I do a little sigh when I didn't see a letter? yes, its all good. Conference Friday, hopefully i will get packages and letters and man I want to be great. I'm tired of good. I want to be the leader that the Presidente wants and that the lord wants. Time to grow.
hey, i love you, I give thanks every night for the family and friends I got back there. You are all great. The Lord Loves you. Don't forget it.

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

Really I don't know why everyone is so upset.....‏ Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 4:25 PM

2009-06-23T08:47:00.000-05:00

Hola Fam,

So really I was going to write Tuesday because Monday was ridiculous with transfers but then I realized that you guys weren't even going to be there. I figured I would just go work instead, sorry, I will do better next time.
My new comp is Elder Leon from Tabasco. He is a good old chap and we are trying to find the cemistry between us. I might end up killing someone but that is still chemistry. No, he is great, I just let the little things get to me. I need to be the mature one and overlook it all. Anyways, he has five months in the mission and this is his second area.
Speaking of which, one year, I really don't even feel that different. I asked how another guy in the generation felt today about Thursday and he just gave me a blank stare for a while and asked what Thursday was, so he is better than me haha. But really I can't believe it's gone by that fast, I hope to grow so much in the year that comes. Also, I would like to baptized like the Sons of Mosiah with thousands but we will have to see about that one,
So I have to wrap up two weeks really fast. First, last week were interviews and I feel like a new. I love President and he expects great things from me. I just have to follow through than, but really, I love that man.
Since I didnt have a comp, I just talked to him double haha also last week, I had a sweet time with elder Brown. His comp left Thursday so we just chilled for a couple of days> I learned alot. He is just one of those genuinly nice guys that gets along with everyone. But anyways, we found a sweet family. They went to chuch and everything and then when we put the baptismal date the dad was like yeah I already had a dream about this. I have already accepted it. I was like... oh, that's nice haha fist time in my mission. The Lord works in many ways.
This week we did alright working wise we just didn't see it in the numbers but we will improve. Sorry again about the letter Mom, know that i love you and hope you guys had an awesome time.

Tay,why do you insist on breaking yourself, much love but really? I am glad to hear your hand is not broken and hopefully the rest of the tournament went well. Glad to know you had a good trip to salem and that you finally got all the letters.

Sterl!!! happy birthday man, love you, stay strong.
Also I got to run but know that I love all of you with all my heart and so does the Lord. BE GREAT!!!

to the moon and back
con amor,

Elder CHristensen

I cant believe the transfer is over‏ Sent: Mon 6/08/09 3:46 PM

2009-06-09T08:51:00.000-05:00

Hello family,

So from the little that I read from mom's letter, I lacked details in my last letter. I will try to improve. But how are all of you doing this Monday? Getting back to work and for those that work? Dad is back in Carolina? That's lame haha but I hope you doing well dad, just be patient, just remember that it is only a little bit more... until the next time you have to do it.
Coop is going to soccer camp in UNM? Sounds good, tear it up bro. I can't remember much about the camp but I imagine that it's better than most.
My sisters are working and loving life, always good to hear. Stradling came back with what? pmd? Elder Nay is going home on Thursday and I dont think he will have pmd. I imagine that my mastery of english has declined in the last months but we will just see how much in one year.
Mom i love you and I hope you are enjoying the vacation time. Thanks for sending the package, obviously I remembered every thing i was going to ask a day later but it happens like that some times, but thanks mom, I'll be on the look out for it.
Ok so my week...
We didnt really have any exciting stories this week, and by that I mean that we didnt get attacked by gangs but we did get attacked by a gang of dogs. Brian took it like a man and threw me in front of them haha the good thing was that the one dog that bit me didnt have many teeth so it didn't do anything. Brian is doing good. He is feeling a little trunky with me yelling at him to get up and everything but he never ceases to amaze me. I told him he had to bear his testimony because otherwise the members were going to think bad of the missionaries and he was like heck no, so I left it at that and bore mine and right before the bishop got up to end it Brian being the champ he is got up there and bore his testimony, it was good for his first time. Also we are teaching this grandma that doesn't understand my spanish at all... so Brian has to teach. He just looks at me every other sentence to repeats what I say but it went well. ALSOO!!!! talked to the family Aguilar!!!! hno Juan and Luis got baptized on Sunday!!!! The hna was funny in that she just screamed but yeah start the clock, one year, going to the temple. That was really the most exciting thing that happened all week. We have lost a lot of investigators and I feel like we are starting from scratch and yeah no one is going to church.... but we will find the way to do it, just have to practice some faith.

ok fam and fans, I got to run and meet some more with some investigators that didn't go Sunday. No worries, we are going to have a talk haha jk but remember that I love you all and that your prayers make miracles. Know that it's a little rough right now but that I love this work. I find that I just smile in lessons when I hear testimonies. I never would have imagined that in my life, I love you all!!!

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder W Christensen

Man i love my comp...ish thing haha‏ Sent: Mon 6/01/09 3:01 PM

2009-06-01T17:21:00.000-05:00

Hola familia,

So yeah, I have had a pretty exciting week. So exciting in fact, that I didn't get to read anyones letter because I had to teach a lesson and stuff... so if it looks like I'm kind of spacey and say things that don't make sense, no worries, just being me, sorry about that but I get two letters from everyone this week so I'm content.

How crazy is it that we are now in the same month in that I'm going to complete one year! Ridiculously so fast. But I'm enjoying it so it's all good.

So my week cause I have no idea what's going on in your lives haha sorry again.
Monday after the zone meeting, I just stayed with the zls because I had to go to a meeting the next morning with Elder Brown. I love my zls. Elder Nay the other one, goes home in two weeks and I'm sad that i didn't get to know him before. He is like the kid in class that always says what's on his mind.. even if it has nothing to do with anything haha so that was fun sleeping on the couch. And then I got to put his suit on to go to the Junta because we didn't go to get mine. Everyone asked me if I had lost a lot of weight. The Junta was good and everything, only got to see Elder Farmer but that's still a pleasure as always. and I got my comp after!!!! his name is Brian... yes, kind of weird for here and he is from Queretaro. The coolest part is that he is a convert of Elder Tolosa! so we have that connection. But really he is a really chill kid, and I can say kid cause he is 16 but he is just as tall as me so that's fun..
But really its just awesome to listen to his stories about his life before his baptism cause he was pretty much a 180. Lip, eyebrow, eye and tongue piercing, part of a gang, got kicked out of two schools, and now he is giving up three weeks to help me out haha so obivously im learning a whole new basket of spanish vocabulary.... not sure how much of it I'm going to use haha but really he is great and I'm grateful to have him as my companion.

Other than that, we didnt have too many exciting things. We only got lost a couple of times and one time ran into a gang but it all turned out well so it's all good haha investigators are... difficult. but hey, so is everything great. We could use some prayers cause we need to see some miracles these coming weeks.
Okay, I got to go read two weeks of letters and everything but remember that the church is true and the best way to know is to try it. if you have a doubt put it to the test. I know our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of you, and so do I. Esten bien!
to the moon and back,

Elder Christensen

Sometimes I Just Laugh Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 1:29 PM

2009-05-26T09:24:00.000-05:00

How we doing everyone?

So before I go off on a tangent of the last 24 hours, I'm going to ask how are all of you guys doing? Everyone is or was in Arizona for Grandpas 80th. Happy Birthday Grandpa!! love you, sorry I couldn't be there but I got this Mexico thing going right now. You are great, keep that health up, and hope you had a great day.
And jenny and Britton finished their first week back at home. Wow, that is really more drug out so it doesn't sound so sarcastic. I don't know, it's something that I do a lot here.
Also, Nano starts work today? Best of luck. Just put a smile on and make a lot of friends. It's what I try to do when i don't understand what's going on, and Cooper super Scooper que tal, como esta bro? Should be finishing school here pretty soon right? all the schools here have to go for another two weeks for the pig flu time so count your blessings. Keep working hard and appreciate your siblings while there are home. and eh, start going to the stake dances!

Dad, your a stud. Keep it up. I always enjoy your little thoughts that you share. I shared the one about if he wanted it perfect he would have sent his angels but he sent us. I shared that with my district and they were like, yeah, your definitely no angel. No not really but they had that look on their faces.

Mom, love you. yeah about 11 o clock from the DF, also its called San Nicolas Romero so if that's easier to find. How is the new carpet? I feel like I am not going to recognize the house when I get back.

OK, so my week. Lets just say that it was a little bit like Sterling's last week. I think the worst number wise with a companion that wants to work as well. It's just that we are doing these actualizaciones of the members information still and my area is large and there are like 400 names that we still have to check and its due next Sunday. So i was a little stressed and that didn't help me because then I got a cold and was not sleeping much, so yeah, long week. Also the two baptisms that we had planned for this week because the mom backed out of the permission again and yeah... going to talk with her tomorrow. I try to sound tough but really I'm not -- it was a long week. And the few families that we found didn't come to church and it just made it that much bitter. Then I was reporting the numbers to Elder Brown and I left one name in the house and we were like 30 minutes walking from the house and he kind of told me off and was like elder, you are a dl now, act like it, I was a little hurt puppy for a while but I think its what I needed in reality. I haven't had someone that I respected tell me to get my act together for a while and it was kind of a wake up. so later Sunday we went with the bishop and did a lot of work with him and the church information and everything was great except that I left the cell phone in the house... and it would be the one time that I forget the cell phone that everything freaks out haha so we get back 37 missed calls, I'm like, hmm.. maybe someone wants to talk to me. Ends up that elder Soriano left this morning to Xalostoc for emergency transfers and I am left here.... without a companion.... haha right now I'm chilling with my mission leader who is going to leave on his mission in three weeks so its not to bad but... yeah I know where my house is and where the church is but more then that... its going to be fun haha I was joking with elder Soriano last night that it's about time the Presidente threw me another curve ball, I hadn't grown in a while but yeah... so I'm going to receive a priest from the stake and he will just be my little sheep to follow me around for the next two weeks. Expect exciting things.... I AM!
OK family and fans got to run and fly and lift cars and stuff like that but know that I love you all and that I think you are the best. Don't let it go to your head Coop haha much love. Lately I have been reading in Mosiah and I think it's important to note that we as members never really know the impact we have on others with our examples. The great ones never were the loud ones. And with that poetic thought I got to run. love you all!!!

To the moon and back,
con amor

Elder Christensen

I love Mexico!‏ Sent: Mon 5/18/09 1:32 PM

2009-05-19T09:43:00.000-05:00

Hello Family,

How are we doing today? I hope that everyone is home now and enjoying life and if not just lie to me, but hopefully Jenny and Britton are back and working with less stress. Also, I hope it's a little warmer there then it is here. Heck man, as of Tuesday I haven't seen the sun. They say that this is still too early for the rainy season but I'm just getting warmed up on all my Oregon jokes. But really idk how many times I have walked home in the rain this week. The good thing is that it is rarely hard and more of a drizzle on and off but its all the same. I need the sun!
We played as a zone today and I was talking with elder Brown, love that guy, and I made the joke of saying, it is a little cold today haha cause that's how you say it in Spanish but he was just like, yeah, isn't it great! He is from Seattle, maybe explains a little. But another story that came from playing today was that someone kicked the ball over the fence and we knocked at the door and no one answered the door so elder Brown was like, ok I'll just jump the fence haha bad idea, I just he just got over and this crazy guy comes out of the house with a pistol asking him if he wants to die and nonsense and Elder Brown was like, whoa perdon, and the crazy guy was just like, trying to rape my mother huh? So moral of the story is we didn't get our ball back and elder Brown is safe and well and now we just laugh about it. Also I'm safe mom, I only told you that story cause it is crazy and didn't involve me haha
ok so your guys....
Coop, tough luck about the job loss, just look for opportunities, they are there. Nano hope you enjoy your new job. Mom, your questions. No I don't get home sick very often. I keep that album on my desk and that usually keeps me good, also your letters are fine, mundane life is perfectly fine with me.

ok my life
elder Soriano is a good missionary. Wants to work, knows how to work, and gets it done. He is also 26 years old.... yeah that was a shocker but ask me how many times I have felt like the child teaching with him, it's good, I'm going to learn a lot from him. Also he is from Guadalajara but lived like on the the other side of our area boundries for 20 years, so he knows everything about our area, so yeah i felt kind of useless this week but I think it will just improve the more comfortable I feel in the area. also.. its a large area haha its two wards and they both have a lot of territory. and its all hills... I feel like we are always going down hill just to go back up again haha but yeah my legs are adjusting well and I think its helping my knee a lot. also I don't feel as comfortable with my Spanish here. They have a different accent and .... I'm working on it. Also we are hoping for two baptisms this week! thanks nothing to what I have done... but they like me too. I'm counting it haha it's two brothers. The oldest is 14 and I was like... your my brother, it was a weird moment to think how Cooper would do with Elders teaching him so yeah we are working hard and doing well. Just need the sun in my life again.

ok fam and fans. Here is elder Christensen in the field and number one in your hearts!
I tried that line today with the zone and the Mexicans didn't get it.... but you do! do great things people.
You are all amazing individuals and children of our Heavenly Father. be great!
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder W. Christensen

Back to Mexico (Mexico City) Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 1:55 PM

2009-05-11T21:18:00.001-05:00

hey guys,

So yeah, I am currently writing from my new area in Valle Dorado. Its just what I imagined it would be, a lot of people, cars and cement. I love being back. My new companion is elder Soriano and he has 6 months in the mission. I guess I have to wards and three companionships in my district and that our area covers a lot of ground.... so glad to hear that news again. He tried to pull the whole, everything you can see is your area, line but I said, you don't know my last area haha but its all good. our house is definitely not the best I have lived in, two rooms and a bathroom. mattress on the floor and the bathroom smells a little odd but its all good we cleaned for like 30 minutes while I unpacked and it looks al ot better. The good news is that the chapel is right behind our house so that's a plus. We don't have any baptisms for this week but a family of six in the week to come.... so yeah we will see how that goes.
saying goodbye to elder Valdez was alright, he was just straight faced, take care, see you later but its all good, he is a good kid, I hope to see him again. good news though! i don't know anyone in my district.... but I know both of my zls and one of them is E Brown!! I love Elder Brown, he was my zl in villas and was the best missionary I knew. I'm excited about that. But I get to lead the meeting tonight so i have to prepare the message this afternoon.... its all good
so for everyone that is a mother or will be a mother, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!! yes i got to call my wonderful mother and speak with her for a little bit. I didn't cry like elder Valdez talking to his family, its all good, to each his own. but yeah, I was grateful to talk to all of you and am glad to hear that everyone will be returning home this week and be being kept care of.

This week wasn't too much in way of excitement but we returned to work and the only limitation we had was that we couldn't put ties on. ask me if i felt uncomfortable.. si, (yes) I think i reach to move my tie like 100 times but yeah its all good. We also had the confirmation for the Hno Fransisco so that was good to finish that. Maybe we will enter in the temple with them in one year as well. I said goodbye to the fam Aguilar. it was said but i was grateful that i had the chance to meet them. I plan on writing them letters and getting a couple of pictures of the baptisms of the hno and luis in two weeks. ONE YEAR BABY!! start the countdown, we are going to enter.

OK, sorry that this is kind of short but it happens and the internet is not very good. but hey, I love you all and am grateful for what each of you contribute to my life... know that our Heavenly Father lives and loves you. This is his church. Esten bien.

to the moon and back

con amor
Elder Westley Christensen

Subject: Happy Mothers Day! Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 11:41 AM

2009-05-04T20:37:00.001-05:00

Hey Fam,

How is everyone doing this afternoon? This morning there but it's all good, only one hour. Which reminds me of the most important thing. We just discussed it and Elder Valdez and I think that we are going to call at like 5 our time so 4 your time and we have two options to call from so I think that we are going to go with the same plan as last time were I call and you all call back. Just need to find my phone card... haha all good though. Have all your questions ready to ask so that we dont spend the time asking about my last letter like last time haha so muh love. Can't believe that jen and brit aren't going to be there but it's all good, I understand that life is like that sometimes. I'm excited to see if Coopers' voice has dropped anymore or if he is still my taller little brother. Bro, measure up, I want to know. Also congrats on being beat up by a girl in your soccer game. No offense to girls, tay, we know they are strong, but it's alright bro. The Kluks did the same thing to me. Hope state goes well and stay strong.
Sisters... havent heard from ya in a while, hope school is going well and that your ready to finish.
Nano good luck with the job again.
Mom congrats on your missionary experiance. I was going to say that yes it is slow for missionary standards but that's because I'm a missionary. I hope everything goes well and will pray for you.
Dad glad to hear that you are staying busy as usual. Try to heal man haha oh yeah, I want to write Eva so if someone could help me with her home address or wherever she is going to be in a month and also to Nadar!!! love you man!! you are a stud. I was so pumped when i read that letter from Tay. You are going to do awesome. Also I spent a lot of free time writing this week so people will be getting letters...

ok so my week very quickly
uh basically this swine flu nonsense is ridiculous. Life is pretty much back to normal and 90 percent of the population think that it was a big lie, so yeah , but as for the last week everyone still believed thus we did not do much. We were told to visit our investigators and no one else.
I think Tuesday we had 4 appointments and one was there and the rest of the time was in the house, it was fun for the first day but by wednesday it got old. I started singing that "we got cabin fever" song from the muppets treasure island.
Wednesday all we did was have the interview for our baptism and the rest of the day I wrote letters.
Thursday, what an adventure. We left our house at 5:30 am walking to arrive at the church at 6 to start the water to be ready for the baptism at 8. I finished preparing everything and took an hour nap on the bench. Since we were allowed to have alot of people in the baptism, for the situation, it was just us, the Hno and his family, and the bishop and his family. Hno Fransisco got baptized thursday morning at 830 inthe morning by elder valdez. So I was happy that it finally happened because his family are all members and the Hna is great and I love his kids so it´s exciting to see them start the year wait to enter the temple. It's just that the Hno is a little hard... haha Elder Valdez asked him if he wanted to take photos with us after the baptism and the Hno just looked at him and said no. I wasn't too hurt but Elder Valdez only refers to the hno as Grinch haha so that was a good experience and the last thing we did Thursday.
I took alot of naps this week haha and then Friday was more of the same and Saturday we couldn't take it and tried to visit as many people as we could. I think we entered two houses..... so yeah, I'm excited to return to normal this week. We had sacrament meeting in our house yesterday. Me, as bishop, haha I got a couple good jokes out of it. But it was interesting just the four missionaries. We sang and did everything and then bore our testimonies. After, I said that we were going to pass into sunday school and everyone just looked at me haha no jk and then, yesterday, we were going to have transfers but yeah... those got postponed for a while too... so I'm ready to leave here but we will see what happens. We have interviews Thursday so I'm excited to talk to the Presidente.
ok I got to check some thing before the district meeting but I love you guys. I have been feeling kind of... not down but dragged? haha just like I'm ready to get rid of all this nonsense and do something great. So basically, be on the lookout, something is going to happen. I love you and am excited to talk to you guys next week. I promise not to mess with dad this time haha be great fam, thank you for you prayers and faith. Our Heavenly father loves us.

to the moon and back...
con amor

Elder Wes Christensen
PS (Just kidding, mom, Elder Westley Christensen)

Everyone just stay calm.... Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:58:51 +0000

2009-04-27T17:32:00.001-05:00

Hola From the land down under... the U.S.

How is everyone doing? I hope well and know that the Lord loves and cares about you. I have been noticing recently how little i bear my testimony in my personal journal and with you guys. So if you note the difference today thats why haha but really how is everyone doing. Dad came home and everyone is happy haha way to go mom and coop sticking together for that long. Best training ever coop for a mission companion, 24/7, two years haha but mom is a good companion so no worries. Glad to hear everyone is back in their proper home and doing well. seeing that i think i responded to alot of the comments the last monday and that i havent had time to read the letters i have for today, i am going to talk about my week. and it was an interesting one as well haha

so tuesday we had the zone conference which was more or less alright. We showed up late because there was road construction but gave us alot of time to watch films on the bus. We watched Work and the Glory 2, Gods Army 2 and Saints and Soldiers haha yeah idk if that really helped us focus much on the work but whatever the zone leaders were running it. also i do not recommend gods army 2 to any young man preparing for a mission,its ridiculous haha but yeah that part was fun. So we showed up started with district presentations and whatever and then Presidente got a call from someone and left.... and came back at the end. Like the Hna Nancollas read his talk for us.... so that was kind of lame cause it was a zone meeting pratically but in Hidalgo. So whatever, i had trouble getting something out of it but it totally payed off in the end!!! haha birthday package from tay wooo!!! heck yeah haha no worries tay, going to write a letter about how great it was haha but yeah also a letter from dan, who is doing better which i was glad to hear, Brother Forsyth and avery. So everyone is doing well and it was nice to here from them. Also mom i talked the the Hna Nancollas, and she is going to send a check so you can deposit the money back in my account. But man was the package great haha

wednesday was ridiculous, we had some appointments in the morning but after the bishop want us to go with him to visit some families. So i said ok and we left at 1 and got home at 630... ridiculous, we only visited two families. so whatever, kind of a waste of time but i would rather have the bishop happy with us.

thursday we did splits with the other elders that are here. What an adventure. We learned that they were sporting a cell, that they went to the peña, which is now out of mission boundries, and that when we arrived at their house at 8 they were still asleep.... haha i love it. but we worked hard all day and had 0 appointments planned... 0.... i felt like i was in the US. but it was good, we worked about found a couple of people. and later i had to talk with the zone leaders about the day and yeah they had a talk with the elders, surprisingly my elders still talk to me haha

friday was a good day, we worked hard after a couple of days not working in my area and we got some work done. but friday in the night we got a call that mission work would be suspended from a couple of days... So i think its on the news in the USA but idk. But there is a new flu virus here and yeah kind of serious. The last i heard was 104 deaths. So everyone is kind of freaking out a little bit. Schools are closed untll the 6th of may and every other meeting place, churches, stadiums, anything. So saturday we went to the appointments we had planned and than left to the house and chilled for the rest of the day. The sickness isnt so much here as in the Df and mexico but seeing as the majority of the elders are there in mexico, the presidente has his plate full. so mom... dont be calling the presidente to ask how i am, im fine, he has enough moms calling to ask where their sons are and why they are still in mexico haha so its all good. we have just been relaxing and taking naps.
and that was my ridiculous week. also we found the two guys from seattle again!!! we knocked on their door and now they are taking the lessons haha the Lord has a plan and is going to accomplish it.

sterling... stop kissing kangaroos! you are great man, keep it up

We are having a baptism this week! Its the husband of a member and he has a fear of people..... like a real fear. So we are having the baptism at 8 in the morning so its just us and his family and the bishop and the confirmation... i think he is going up with a blindfold haha no but idk, i will pray harder.
> last week of this transfer and idk whats coming, maybe we will have interviews this week but im not sure. I was thinking about how im going to miss elder valdez... he is still a kid at times but hey... so am i haha

ok fam and fans, i got to go sit in my house and not get sick but know that i am fine and great. and that i love you all with all my heart and that i know that this church is the best thing that can happen to people if they just listen a while. Dont just believe, live it. YOu are all my testimony
to the moon and back
con amor
Elder W Christensen

Pictures! Sent: Apr. 20, 2009

2009-04-21T12:25:00.003-05:00

2009-04-20T17:02:00.002-05:00

Hola Familia
How is everyone doing this wonderful Monday afternoon? i hope very very well. I know that some of us are back to school or taking finals or working in south carolina, but hey, you all got one thing in common, i love you! Its a little brisk today, fairly windy. I would say in the high 60s low 70s, sometimes its nice to take a break from the sun. haha! But i still have all the symphathy for the people with snow... i cant even pretend to understand what cold is unless we run out of gas again haha
so jen, your great, here are your answers again, i probably talk in sacrament meeting at least once every other month in this area and thats just because there are alot of members. Good luck with your talks, prayer... i love enos. i would probably just talk about how its a conversation, not a scream of help. my shoes are holding up pretty well. the padding and all that is gone but the outside looks great haha the coolest area that i have seen would have to be tequisquiapan or the temples at teotiuacan. I hope i spelled that right haha but yeah, you will see both, no worries.
Mom you rock!!! congrats on your first missionary experience! is everyone else taking notes? haha but really mom you just have to be encouraging, invite the lessons in our house, not be the chanel between the missionaries and her but an aid and advisar. thats so great!! i will totally be praying for you guys. coop! take notes man, its not thatfar off. Congrats on the wins bro, keep up the good attitude and give 100 percent both sides of the ball. Just make everyone around you better.
nano... good luck finishing school. Hopefully that job will pop up. Had any dates lately? just checking the ring finger haha and dad, hope the paper finsihes soon but really, do something more exciting than watch softball games haha glad to hear the shoulder is doing good.
the knee hasnt given me problems for about two weeks, i also haven't been doing anything too crazy but hey, its a start. We went running every morning minus two days last week. yeah gold star for me haha the bishops wife motivated it with the comments about how i arrived skiney and now im not. haha! love it!

OK my week really quick:
We found some families at the beginning of the week but by saturday most of them had dropped us. we put a date for the son of the Hna Aguilar, 2 mayo, i am really hoping to put the same with the Hno but we need to talk to him about that again. He had a cup of coffee this morning when we were eating breakfast with them. no worries, i told him off haha but really i would love nothing more than to seal this family in one year. man.... haha uh nothing too exciting this week though really. I contacted two guys from seattle! haha that was fun. they were driving and pulled over and said something in english and elder valdez just pointed at me to get my attention haha but yeah they spoke perfect english and were pretty chill. they were just like, we havent seen an american this far south since... well ever haha but i felt weird contacting in english, i was screwing up all over the place. so that was cool.
aslo the aguilar family started a kind of food stand at night to make some more money. Obviously we have to be their first costumers every night to start the good luck haha gorditas y panbasos. i will teach you when i get back haha so no baptisms this week but we are hoping for three next week. prayers please.

cous! you stud haha keep up the good work. why are you kissing kangaroos? haha thank you for your testimony man. good luck with the tie

ok fam, sorry this letter wasnt too exciting but this week was pretty normal. Maybe that means i need to work a little harder... conference tomorrow. im pumped. Expect great things next week, they are going to happen. I love you all so much and your faith. The church is true and blesses the lives of everyone that is willing to listen. so in the words of my wise cousin, give the guys in the white shirts a chance and listen to what they have to say haha stay great, i love you all
to the moon and back...
con amor

Elder Christensen
PS hoping to send pics today... and thanks for the address for david mom

How about Easter?‏ Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 1:43 PM

2009-04-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

Hola Familia,

primero, les amo mucho. second, i love you all
How is everyone doing this wonderful Monday morning? I don't have a list of top ten right now but this is my most recent observation that I have been in Mexico too long. Taylre commented that no one wanted to play football in 25 degree weather (in Utah) and I was puzzled. I thought that was a fairly nice day, oh man.
It was lovely to read about the family trip. Glad to hear that grandma and grandpa Bingham and doing great and I'm appreciative of all the work you guys offered. I have gotten one of their letters about a month a ago, I thought I mentioned it but maybe not. Yes, and its the only one, kind of slow but it works.
Glad to hear that grandma Christensen is back on her feet. Sounds like Tucson was a fun trip as usual. Grandpa, good on ya for finishing the BofM, and no Grandma, sometimes I just throw my pants on my bed haha sorry.

Coop. sorry about the rough soccer season but really it's when you need to recognize the opportunity to grow and help. Sounds like you and B had a fun time driving around the parking lot haha clowns. I felt old when i read that haha
Nano, jobs.... lab and than i was thinking of with amy (WR Ship It) where i was. or Smiths!!! yeah baby! it pays good....
Dad is on travel... to where?
and yes i full hearitly agreed with the rescue team sheep metaphor. We are just two people. bring them back.
also elder Sterl stole my Mexico week! those were my new investigators haha we had an Australia week.... but anyways haha enjoy it, I'm taking it back.

Jen, i love you. You made me laugh with all of your questions but here are your answers.....
My clothes are very clean now that I'm am washing by hand, we have a washing machine but it doesnt work super good. Breakfast this week included bananas with peanut butter from my packages. Lunch with the members is always good. yesterday we had a potato soup with chili and then some tacos with a kind of roast beef meat. Dinner we don't usually eat but I recently have found the joy of soup in a cup. MARUCHA haha
I hope you had a fun time out on the ranch.
my week

not alot happened to me this week. We were doing pretty good the first part and then everything just kind went down hill after Wednesday. Thursday we had a three people with the baptismal challenge and no one said yes.... yeah everyone has their issues. the frustrating part is that all of them know that the church is true, like they have said it.... so yeah we are going to work on that. Here Easter is called la semana santa, or holy week. They really only celebrate the death of Christ on Friday and nothing else but everything closes down for three days and no one wants to talk to missionaries, so it was interesting to see. but families would come from all over to have a big lunch on Friday and Saturday relax and Sunday go back home. We actually went to one and it was alright until the uncle fanned a piece of charcoal on my leg haha i was like hmm... something feels hot haha burned a hole through my pants but not the G's haha so that was exciting and then last night was the cherry on top
we went to bed early to catch up on some sleep but at 1030 the phone rings and I'm like what the who is it and the voice was like ¨Elder Christensen, it is the President¨ haha yeah I woke up pretty fast. Appartently an elder was joining to come here to san juan from queretaro without permission and solo and stay with the other elders so i had to get up and go check and see if he was there. and he wasn't... and the Elderes told me that they were waiting for him and he never showed up... so yeah the last time i talked to the pres at 12 no one knew where this elder was and the office called me this morning and they still haven't found him.... so yeah. hopefullly he is not in trouble but i promise you he will be very soon. the Presidente last night was like, welcome to the dl position. I was like yeah feels great haha.

ok fam and fans, I got to go hit up a party for a member in my ward that is leaving on the mission tomorrow. got to go offer my advice and last thoughts, I know that this work and church are true. Learn to pray like you want an answer. My new favorite scripture. Mark 5 36. JUST BELIEVE

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen
how did everyone do with testimonies this week. mom please report. didn't do it, no love.

I don't even want to talk about age Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 4:43 PM

2009-04-06T20:55:00.000-05:00

Hello family,

So yeah, I am kind of a rush to get this letter off so we will see how it goes. I was being the generous leader that i am and let all of the other elders write first and they left me with little. See if that ever happens again haha.
ok so first, I hope that everyone had a good time out there in AZ. I realize it was nothing without me but hey what can you do. I would have to say that six inches of snow is a large amount, and that I haven't seen ice in 8 months haha but yeah hope everyone had fun and that all the extended family felt my love this week.
ok so Mom. First the cash -- yeah sorry about that I was going to mention it in last weeks letter but yeah forgot. So its like grandma and grandpa said, I used my own money to get the house for the Elderes. The mission gave me the money back but they gave it to me in pesos.... so I am not sure how I can deposit it again. I will have to ask around. But yes it was me. I didn't enjoy taking it out either. anyways, yes, I received the second package! and we had a party and opened them. Actually I opened the second one because the zls were in my house for the inspection and had not eaten and I shared my goodies with them... but its fine. So the belt is already broken. yeah I don't enjoy reversable belts much. The buckles screws fell off and I don't know where. Also that was a cool article about Spence Larson. That kid is a stud. Love the tie, wore it on my birthday. Gave away alot of candy, haha muchers. The harmonica was a surprise, but I'll try to learn like Sterl and.... obviously all the photos and letters were great. Don't even worry about it Coop, I know it wasn't your Spanish haha i was really impressed at first until i realized you probably cheated, so much love. Also your last letter was funny. You're a clown bro, you are great.
Jen, sounds like Texas was great. I was pumped to read about that class you were teaching in biligual. I am teaching someone that does the same thing mas o menos. any tips? but that's way cool. I hope to play Wii fit soon, I know my character looks good.

So my week. Sick on Monday, Tuesday we stayed in the house waiting for the Presidente until 530, four hours mas o menos. so yeah that was frustrating but I took some medicine after and was great all week. We also had little interviews with the Presidente so that was nice as well.
Wednesday we worked but yeah... not much in results. Thursday we had a little sit down talk elder Valdez and I. I let some things out that we needed to change if we were going to make it through another transfer. And yeah, we have been great the rest of the week. Also went to visit my other elders and at 8 o clock when I passed by, they were both asleep..... so yeah.
DL not that much fun haha they also stayed the night Saturday and yesterday with some elders here so they didn't have to travel back and forth. I didnt know that and the ZLs got mad at me. I decided that I don't like my cell. People only call me to yell or text me to say they can't make it to the appointment. No one texts just to say, have a great day haha whatever.
Saturday wasn't much.... haha jk! elder valdez woke me up with a hug... that started the day off bad haha no but really we ate like 3 times, 3 different cakes. I don't want to eat ever again and the only gift I got was a stuffed heart from the fam. aguilar. and t moneys letter!! Going to write him again!

we only got to watch the Sunday sessions of conference but it was still great. I'm excited to see the Ensign with all the talks.
So family, I love you. Be wonderful because that is who you are. I am sorry I can't write more but hopefully everyone felt my love and my testimony. The church is true, and I am on a mission for her. Pray with total corazon.

To the moon and back,

Elder Christensen

Subject: Man I'm old and feel it Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:15

2009-03-30T21:09:00.002-06:00

Hello Family on the other side of the boarder.
So yeah.... Im so old haha I keep on telling everyone that i have lost my youth and the next thing I will know is that i am a grandpa, and i dont mean in the mission way. But yeah we are going to fiesta it up son!!(Saturday is Westley's Birthday) more like we are going to wait till sunday night and go with the other elders here. We have a cheese cake ordered from the bishop. Still costing us 200 pesos... haha its cool, still love the bishop.
But yeah speaking of feeling old, i want to sleep right now. district leader is not nearly as fun as it first appeares haha and i dont even have a cell to feel official haha but yeah i think the lack of sleep with the added stress of where are my elders hasn't helped me. Im feeling a little out of it right now but the president and his wife are going to come tomorrow to inspect the house, which has been a pleasure cleaning haha, and im going to ask from some medicine from the Hna. Hopefully ill recover soon cause we need to work this week. And by that i mean that this week was not as hot as the weather. We spent the first two days showing the elders around their area and than two days to work in ours followed by a saturday not to forget.

so showing the elders around wasnt bad, we just got limited on the whole working thing. After two days the elders told me to let them be free and try flying solo for a while. They did alright. Already they are fighting with one of the wards but other then that everyone loves them haha. I knew one of the elders before, he is good, just kind of lazy when his companions are. The other one happens to be the bff of the one elder that cursed my dead dog back to the stone age.... yeah... but he has been chill so far. He keeps asking why im district leader and all i say is, "thats my question too" haha but they are a good pair of elders and im excited to have them.

So saturday: We were going to have an interview with a old investigator of mine that lives over in txs. So the zls had to come. They showed up an hour late and then we still had to travel. We get there, she tells us that her daughter is bleeding out of her mouth and nose and that she needs to go to the doctor. The doctor happens to be by the chapel so we all go together. The interview goes fine and everything, everyone is happy! the next morning I call to see how the baptism went and the elders tell me it didnt happen. Apparently, the night before she had a dream where Christ told her not to get baptized that day because it wasnt her time and that the elders where basically evil for trying to change the timing.... Best part of it was that she stood up and said it in sacrament meeting.... so yeah the members look at us funny. I get to talk to everyone and calm them down haha fun day. i told elder valdez and he started looking up scriptures that talk about how satan can appear as christ, i just put my face in my hands and laughed haha good kid

Most exciting thing that happened this week has washing out clothes by hand. I mean washboard and elbow grease. And im not even talking about my abs... (haha i couldnt help it im sorry.)alright, we have got to go finish cleaning the house and i need to take a nap and prepare a lesson for the meeting.... all in one hour haha just watch me do it. Ok you are all great even if i dont know where you are exactly. Be strong and lean on the Lord when it gets tough. Take notes in conference. Im only going to two sessions so be grateful haha jk but they are men called by God. Their words are scriptures.
Esten bien y cuidense
to the moon and back

con amor

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Love to the Madre Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 3:07 PM

2009-03-25T08:31:00.000-06:00

Hello Familia,

So first thing is first...
MOM, happy birthday!!! feliz cumpliaños!!! and I only know two languages.
So there it is so I didn't forget. I hope it is a super nice day and that everyone is loving and caring and that they go out of their way to let you know that you are great. Sorry I couldn't be there but I got this thing going haha. What would you like as a present.... that will possibly have to wait till 2010 to receive? But really, love you mom and I encourage everyone to at least send a little shout out to my mom cause she is great and has put up with me for 20 years. It wasn't easy haha love you mom.

ok, so I hope that the rest of everybody else is doing great and happy. Yes, doing happy. English is almost more difficult than spanish at this point. Good times. but I read those letters that I got today and sounds for the most part that everyone is dominating.
But Grandma? Take care of yourself! I hope all is well.
Let me say I don't miss March Madness until people remind me, but go U of A! I assume BYU choked haha
No mom, i do not have allergies here. Its great!
Nano, that's too cool about you Patrearticle blessing. I would have loved to be there but the message for you is still the same. Mission haha andale! We all have our missions is life right? Actually a girl in my ward just got called to chiapas mex. Its pure rainforest and they eat monkey.... haha i want to go! I am sure you will learn alot of things from this blessing. Coop, when are you going to get yours? Also, bro, talk to me man haha whats up, where is the love? you know i have been missing you like a big dog haha as dad would say. Sorry about the loss bro, bite the bullet and work harder.

I can't believe David Parkinson is finishing his mission. Alaska! I want to write him...
Also why are jenny and britton going to Texas? haha its cool, have fun at Sea World, don't worry about not inviting me.
ok my week.
Nothing too exciting like last week. We had to finish a lot of busy work so we really didn't get to do much of the fun finding and teaching thing this week but its alright. I had to go house shopping for the elders that are going to come tomorrow. So difficult and I don't even like the place but its cheap and I don't have to live in it. So yeah no baptisms this week either, just working little by little on the ones we got in the works. We celebrated E valdez completing 2 months in his mission by having breakfast! scrambled eggs and tosadas! he is a good kid and im excited to be with him for another cambio. Quien sabe si el siete lo mismo haha no we are good. Also we had cambios last night and they arrived at 12:30 at night, ridiculous but yeah alot of my buddies from this zone are getting shipped out. It's cool, got another two years to see them again. Also we had stake conference this week in Querétaro. Half of it was devoted to missionary work so that was exciting. But when we went we saw elders that we haven't seen in the zone before and i guess there were emergency transfers because the Presidente is still sending people home.... yeah so that was kind of discouraging but if it needs to be done, so be it.
and really our week wasn't that exciting.
Okay, fam. love you. But for this week it is not equal but slightly shifted towards Mother. Don't be jealous, you all get a turn haha but esten bein, cuidense. You guys are wonderful and great in every way. The church is true and everyone is Mormon, they just don't know it yet.
to the moon and back...

con amor

Elder Christensen

Week of Surprises Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:45:28

2009-03-16T16:27:00.002-06:00

Whats hip hop happening fam?
It was awesome to hear from practically everyone last week, minus coop, lazy kid haha jk bro much love. I loved reading all of your letters and they were all inspiring in one way or another. So right now my knee is not doing so hot. I took some pain pills and stretched and yeah we will have to see. Im not worried, much, just yeah i realized that i just need to hang up the cleats and throw in the towel. Sports are not for me.
Anyways, off my soap box, haha sounds like everyone is doing well. Tay, sorry about all the tests, i hope you survived. Britton thanks for the shout out and way to support my brothers on the other side of the boarder. Haha sorry your computer isnt that great jen haha but really dad was thinking about getting you guys a new one, just that his bike came first haha i hope you two, mom and dad, are enjoying your gifts and yeah i guess you dont have to go to ireland. Mexico is where its at! I am starting to see more tourists here because the weather is pretty nice. I would not mind taking a dip in the pool some days haha this new guy that we are teaching wants to get baptized in a river.... I aint getting into a river in mexico haha apparently its against the rules in this mission anyways.
Coop, hope sports are going well, remember to stretch haha and nano, i know you are not getting married, just checking up like a big brother. and... yeah i hope this week was great for everyone.
ok my week haha full of surprises and fun. So monday in the junta we were thinking about possibly, possilby, having the baptism with the hermana aguliar this week. My dl took that and ran with it. He was going to come wednesday to interview and friday bapstism, cause it was the only day that her godfather could come. So the fun part was telling the hermana haha we passed by to ask her how she felt about this week and she was fine with it because we had talked about it before. But then elder valdez just started saying some... (the truth dumb things) i love the kid i do but sometimes! he started talking about how we have goals for baptisms and stuff and how if we didnt baptize our leaders would get mad and stuff. I was like elder, callete! la verdad haha so the hermana in a space of 5 minutes went from lets do it this week to no i dont want to. I was just like... why? but we talked and the hermana calmed down and chewed me out for not having faith that she knew that the church was true and that she was only kidding for the most part haha it was a dramatic night for me haha but yeah interview wednesday and everything went great. We learned thursday night that we were going to have interviews friday in the morning in quaretaro so yeah.... pleasant surprise of less sleep haha and it was weird cause it was the first interview that i was not terribly excited to go to. I didnt know what the presidente was going to say or really what i wanted to talk to him about. elder valdez went first and i followed in after him. so yeah bad news....elder valdez is going to have a dl as a companion. worse news, im his companion for the next cambio haha yeah.... we are going to have a district there in my little city of san juan and i have been choosen to lead this misfortunate group haha its not because i know what i am doing, let me make that extra clear, but because i have the most experience in my area that the new elders are going to fill. So we loose tequisquiapan and san jaun to them and we keep lomas which i am pumped about. so means cell phone! you can hit me up with a text tay haha oh how i pretend im funny haha also means zls calling every night to see how my band of scrubs is doing haha oh man... this is going to be an adventure. Stayed tunned these upcoming weeks, should be exciting haha. But yeah i know one of the elders thats coming and he is a good kid and i know he will work. also got the package from mom, thanks mom, excited to see all my goodies haha but yeah, there is my news haha yesterday we had our confirmations and everything went great! Now, just got to get the Hermano Aguilar in the font haha and yesterday their son, who is great but hasnt really put much attention into us, teenagers haha commented to his mom yesterday in church that he is going to start taking the lessons from us! there it is!

ok i got to bounce but hey, what did we learn today in class? westley loves his family and others with all of his heart and has random moments where random memories make him sad for just a moment but then really happy directly after because he has those memories. You are all great. I do not boast of my own strength but i will glory in my God!
to the moon and back

con amor
Elder Christensen

Eh, estoy aqui, no se procupre haha Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 5:12 PM

2009-03-09T19:46:00.000-06:00

Hello Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

How are we all doing today? so yeah, lets just get the sorrys out of the way and apologize to everyone that was looking forward to an answer letter that I wrote that got erased. I´m sorry but really I was upset for only like an hour.... or two afterwards but its all good cause I'm here now. so again sorry, but sometimes the dice just don't fall my way.

also, I have not had time this week to reread all of your letters and for that i have a hard time remembering what as is going on in your lives. Its been that kind of week for me so I'm going to mostly talk about me and the last two weeks of my Mexican experience. Coop, i imagine that basketball is coming to an end here pretty quick, good luck with soccer. I cant lie, every time I go out to play with all the elders, i just think, coop could take most of these guys. Your a stud man, keep it up. don't forget about school. Sisters, I don't mean to group you together but you are kind of in the same town and school. No jenny, we don't cook, just little things with the george forman son! so that's clear but we have made a lot of friends in bakery and other stores so we get a lot of stuff free and Danielle, do great things, haven't heard from you in a while, i don't want a wedding announcement before a letter and a name haha

mom and papi, hope everything is going great and that you are staying busy. I will be on the look out for that box mom. I love you two very much and Ireland sounds... wet haha andele!

ok my week.. weeks.
yesterday we had a baptism! surprise! It was a 22 year old kid that had a girlfriend that was a member. flirt to convert is a very active part of our work jk... kind of. But yeah elder Valdez did the ordination and took it like a champ. Just like I taught him, he is a great kid and didn't screw up at all. So maybe not like I taught him... ha ha but yeah that was a good end to a difficult week. It just feels like right now we work all week to find a couple people at the end of the week that listen once and then don't want anything. Like last week we had one new going into Saturday night, one! that's not good and at 8 in the night we found two families back to back! i was so pumped.... and now they don't want us. But yeah haha that's how it is sometimes. I am learning to understand Ether 12:6.
So last week, nothing exciting until thursday when we had a conference with the presidente. We walk in and the Presidente was like, elder Westley Christensen! I just thought it was funny that he called me by my full name because its very rare and because he is like that with me haha but it was a great conference. Pure Power, and the Presidente got up there and was like so i have noticed a little bit of increased frustration in the mission. I understand there will always be some but only a certain level. I was thinking about this last night when elder Holland called me..., I was like Who called you?! oh, just elder Holland. I was like no way! but i guess they are good friends and talk alot. I knew I liked my Presidente for some reason, but elder Hollands answer was pretty cool, he said "Daryl (my Presidente), you know why. Your elders are doing great things. Satan will never be content with that. He is trying harder and harder every day your elders continue doing the right thing" so yeah it opened up my eyes a little bit.
and so after the conference i asked the Presidente what we should do about our three areas because our numbers were... less then bueno haha he just told us to get rid of one, it was impossible to do three. so we did and now that ward does not like us. I wouldn't mind but we still have to go back and do some paper work with them. I don't feel like we are going to get that help haha esta bien.
So this week was pretty average. But ill just skip to the exciting part! So we had a district fast for all the investigatores that were on the fence, baptism wise. Quick side note on the fast, hardest thing ever with no water, anyways we ended it Wednesday night and we visited the Fam Aquilar. The Hna was like, elder do you have a calader? and my comp did and she was like " how does the 15th sound for my baptism?" i was going pretty crazy but her godfather can't come that day so right now we are struggling to find a day before the transfer. So if you wanted to focus your prayers on something... Fam Aquilar. The Hno still hasn't put a date but im hoping everyday to hear those sweet words. I love this family, they have nothing and always offer us things. I want to be there in a year with them in the temple! I liked what Presidente said in the conference that during his mission, he felt that with some of his convert families that he made that pact with them in the pre-mortal life he was going to find them.... he was going to give them the gospel and share so much joy. I feel that way. Good stuff, I want more families like this!
also last night almost had to fight a drunk from beating his family. But didn't have to so it was fine. Sorry for the lack of details, i just wrote this at the end.

Last personal note, hope everyone celebrated my one year anniversary of tearing my ACL. I did with jumping of the tramp, jk dad. No I'm good, it just hurts random days. Idk. but no worries
ok I got to run to get yelled at by my leaders for whatever. I have finally figured out how to be funny and still work hard in Mexico. My dl doesn't like it but yeah, doesn't affect me much haha
ok fam and fans, i love you all. I know i say it every week and whatnot but I truely deeply do, i promise you haha backstreet boys! you are all my testimony, my example, my motivation. Be great because that is who you are. Do great because you want to show it haha wow wes, little tired. Ok, love you all and hope the best. The Church is True. It's that simple.

to the moon and back

con amor

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Yeah... Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 20:48:14 +0000

2009-03-02T16:07:00.000-06:00

so i wrote this great letter and as i was going to send it, the computer kicked me off....
sorry fam and fans, next week
Just know i am great, so grateful to be here, doing what the lord wants

to the moon and back
con amor
Elder Christensen

Happy Half Year In Mexico Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 4:09 PM

2009-02-23T20:54:00.002-06:00

Hola Family of Gringos

So i saw some pictures of me today of when i was in the mtc, and i was white haha i almost had to look twice to check how white i was haha also my hair was longer. I looked younger haha a whole 8 months younger. Anyways sorrry, that was kind of a random note but now im back on track.

How are we all doing today? I hope that everyone is doing great and that we are all dominating in our respected areas haha School, work, sports, friends, boys, not girls ( still too young coop haha much love). Love getting all of your letters and hearing from all of you. Even better when its like two or three letters haha thanks tay. So yeah, im having the hardest time focusing right now, but im going to try my best to stay focused for half and hour and write this letter
you are welcome.
thanks for informing me about the shoulder dad, sorry i didnt pay more attention before. loved that quote about love, poderoso. Hope things continue to go well with that and with all the youth activities. Mom, congrats on finishing the BofM, i am also trying to finish it in this next month but we will see. Congrats on the business and remember to have patience with cooper. Im sure i was worse haha. I didnt get the pics of the furniture but it sounds like everything i want to nap on and congrats on the newer entertianment set. Nano, have fun in Pheonix, or had fun. Sarah is great. Jen, love you, hope everything is going well and that i can hear some funny stories soon from your side of the town.
Ok the package. I cant think of anything in specific to ask. Just more stamps possible. I think the church system is way better. Thanks for forwarding the dan letter. Hope he is doing well. I need to write everyone but i always seem to be running off to some other place.
Thanks grandma for that letter, it was way cool. Glad to see someone else understands that baptism dont equal success.

The knee is doing good, dad asked. I played soccer today with the zone and yeah, felt good. I had some tumbles and i never once thought twice about it. Almost a year since it happened.... how crazy. thats rough to hear about spence. how did he do?
ok my week very quickly
tuesday my dl came to my area, to help me. Yeah.... I am working out my issues with him haha its just that every leader is so focused on numbers that they forget what it represents. I presented him to my family aguilar, who i love, truely love, and the hermana was like, i dont feel the same spirit with you as i do with them, i dont want to talk to you haha i thought it was funny. I love her! I just love how she testifies about the gospel, so powerful! she went to a funeral for her sister in law and taught her family the plan of salvation. My dl tried to convince her to take her baptism this week and she replied that her husband had doubts and that when she started investigating the chruch that the gospel was about the family and that she was not going to leave her husband behind haha i loved it, but its true... i am working on helping the husband haha if i were to only baptize and seal this family in my mission, i would leave with a smile. I love this family!!! but i know i can do the same with another family, that same joy. and thats why i want these next months.
A couple days ago the Hermana was like, elder i have a surprise, i was like what? she was like, i picked a date for my baptism. i was like great hermana! when? she told me, the fourth of april. I was like, hermana, thats my birthday. She was like I know.... oh man haha i had to fight back just screaming with joy i was so happy to have the chance to know this family. haha she also wants to give you a gift that she is going to make mom.... for letting me come.... i give full permission to cry cause im doing it right now haha niñita haha love this family. I just wish i could feel this love with every investigator.
so that was my favorite family rant. the rest of the week, not as awesome. We were frustrated and trying to get around to every side of the city to get to all of our appointments. which is great that we have those appointments but they are just not progressing like they should and yeah... its just frustrating to put all the effort to only see them take it lightly. idk. also the leaders are all mad at me cause im not, completing with my goals, i supposably, lack the desire to complete them. I have to laugh at it just to avoid getting angry haha but its true, partly, i need to complete my goals more.
Friday we went to tequisquiapan, my branch, say that ten times fast haha and we met some inactives that happen to own and texas road house there in the centro haha yeah eat your heart out sterl haha much love. so yeah they invited us to eat breakfest, lunch and dinner to carry out every day that we are there haha we will see haha working on keeping that weight down. but yeah that was cool.
so que más? oh yeah, sunday everythig went wrong haha, no one came!! we had two in the chapel! it was not good and yeah the members were being dumb and said things that made my investigators think twice about coming next week... sigh yeah haha ok so i understand that not everyone is doing the testimony every week thing but atleast home teaching. So much harder to invite people to come back if they dont have a friend or a support. I can call people out because i was lazy before and i have woken up haha ten mintues, every month, not hard. love you all

ok sorry im not more focused with my love and news but thats just how it has been today. I promise to do better next week. You are all in my prayers and heart. Know that i know this chruch is true. It is not the easy chruch, its the true chruch. Do work son haha
i learned an elder in my generation went home the other day because he couldnt do it anymore. I didnt know him that well but it hit me pretty hard. Be that reason someone sticks it out until they find THE ROCK.

to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Subject: Who wants advice on how to be a father? hahaSent: Monday, February 16, 2009 3:42 PM

2009-02-16T21:25:00.001-06:00

Hola family of Americans,

Just wanted to say hi real fast and check that everything is good and say that I am great and I love my companion and that we are dominating. That was all haha, ok yeah I have little time and a lot to write so it's going to come out in blurts.
First grandma, yes I print all my letters to read later so put whatever you want. I thoroughly enjoy every letter from you guys. i dont understand white washing an area and Mexico is not that bad. All the drugs and stuff is in the north, but down south everyone is relaxed and pretty nice. Just wanted to stick up for my country.

ok family
yes mom, i would have to agree with Dad that you and I were both a little nieve about "Raising the bar". Presidente is getting the hang of sending people home, not that he enjoys it but yeah... you know. And let me tell you how much I love my Presidente. If i could talk to him every day, I think I would be an Alma walking down the street. I have no doubt that he is callled of God. I am honored to serve with him.

Dad, I am ok with you quiting basketball after this year if you want. I know you were waiting for my opinion. But sounds like everything is going well and you are taking the parents like you should. Coop! buy some sick kicks(shoes) man, they can look cool too. I would go with murdered out black.
Mom, didnt have Radasovich, (Cooper's HS advisor) cant even really remember what she teaches. and no, cooper is not in high school yet haha when he is in high school, im on the back slope. Family furniture sounds great. Can't wait to take my first nap on them and pillows, that was the problem last time.... just saying haha

Nano! your great! sounds like you are dating up a storm and good luck with the job. Just dont be a flirt, no one likes a flirt haha
Weather here is hot! like burns me hot. I havent seen a cloud for months unless i cross my eyes and pretend that the smog is some clouds haha and thus my allergies are fine, I haven't had a bad day yet.

Jen! loved the every morning waking up and thinking, I'm a missionary, time to get to work. Thanks for that. Congrats on the job! that is so awesome, i think you will totally dominate it! and the they are expecting story had me laughing for a while. I could see mom running towards dad waving her hands like that haha and britton, you know I love you man. Thanks for the shout out.

ok, my week extremely fast....
ok my companero is not named elder morales haha learned that on the hard way when I arrived at the district meeting and a new guy was sitting there but was elder Valdez, so i said hi and didnt pay much attention. Everyone was asking me if he was my comp and I was like no! elder morales not Valdez until we finally asked and he said that Elder Christensen was his companion, yeah im a good father, no worries haha but man this kid is great! I have hardly taught him anything and he is rocking it. He has so much desire to work that i have trouble keeping up haha he is from monterray and speaks really fast... yeah I had troubles the first couple of days but now I am good. we had few appointments this week but always seemed to be doing something. and Sunday was great! everyone came! I was extremely happy and elder Valdez was liike, and what? haha I explained that this doesnt happen very often, so enojoy it! haha jk v dad wasnt anything special, but i did get a kiss on the hand from a drunk friday night and im counting it haha sometimes its fun to be out here.
ok yeah, we went running at 630 in the morning.. we are going for three times this week. I might die, keep you posted. Also, haven't gained more than one kilo out here! Go me!

wednesday was us vs mex in soccer. 2=0 us haha I enjoy reminding everyone. We got some great families that we are working with, just got to keep working. I love the family Aguilar and when they are baptized, oh man.... its going to be a good day.

OK, I got to get on a bus right now to go to quaretaro. I love you all so much, remember who you are and dont let it get you down haha no, be the great thing that happens tomorrow. I have a testimony of this church and hearing my investigatores testify to me about the plan of salvation has done nothing but confirm that feeling. The Church is true. Believe in it.

To the moon and back
con amor
Elder CHristensen

Longest Six Weeks Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 12:40 PM

2009-02-09T20:54:00.000-06:00

Hello family of gringos,
I love you all.

i love you all so much. I had been studying D&C 122 alot this last week and one important part that I love is where it says, fear not for thy friends still stand beside thee. And in a very general way, you guys are my best friends no yeah lame but yeah what can you do?
I would have to say that this last couple of weeks have been the hardest in my life. But that's when we grow the most right? or something. I'm just excited for it to be cambios and see some elders go. So looking forward to my "kid"!!! haha grandma, where is the love? Watch me train haha I pray ever moment for the Lord to prepare me and I'm trying to think back to my training and all the things that I said I would have done different. And when in doubt, going to the scriptures and PMG. Sad days though, he has not arrived yet, he is having lunch with the presidente but his name is Elder Morales and he will get here about 6ish. So pumped!!! Right now im just chillin with Elder Ortiz and trying to convince him to not call the presidente and complain about his next companion, me encanta a veces.

ok onto you guys, first I hope to read some good news about uncle Tyler. I did my fast yesterday and ready to go again when you need me. Coop, dad, good job in the tournament. Third still gets on the medal stand haha no but as long as you are having fun. Always glad to hear that Coop is giving up the rock for some sweet shots. keep in up bro.
To answer some question from before. My shoes are pretty good, holding pretty well. It is my reversable belt that looks like... yeah haha so a belt for my birthday would be great, or just money for it. And also a way for playing music. like an old cd player or an old ipod nano without the screen with church music. Just an idea.
Also I still dont know the story with dads shoulder?! haha please tell me, all i hear is rehab, what happened? and danielle, glad to hear you have been working out and stuff, throwing up some threes haha crazy kid, have fun. jen, love you haha and tell Britton that i now know what it means to not be the most favorite missionary.

ok my week very fast. You know the beginning of the week already so ill just go to wednesday. So we had our interview with for our investigator, which I wasn't all for but whatever, Elder acevedo decided it, so our dl came and didn't do anything, only filled out the paper work and said felizidades! So I was like, oh heck no. i dont care if you choose to screw around with your own mission and do a half effort job, but your not going to do it with mine. So i called the zls and they were like, dang, alright we will handle it. So i felt better for a moment until elder acevedo got totally pissed at me and called my dl to say I was screwing everything up haha so long story short it was a long week with Elder acevedo with him hating me, even though we had the interview and the baptism. But we really did nothing this week. Five lessons, I could do that in one day. and saying good bye today was a pleasure also they called me a bushel of names and whatnots but at the end I just smiled and said have a good one. I was thinking of dad the whole time, i imagine cause i was trying to imitate his patience and love. Always another cheek.

So yeah, we had a baptism and it was pretty good, she was just one of those people that went to church every sunday and knew everything but didn't want to get baptized until for whatever reason we came. Elder Acevedo performed it.
and that was really my week in a nut shell. I just have a large task in front of we of regaining the trust of the members back, finding the investigators, and training. Easy right haha alma 26:12 son, all day.

ok fam and fans I got to run and do some great things. Know that I have only been bruised, but that my testimonie of this church is stronger than ever. I have a dertermination to share this with others. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. I love you all and pray for you often.
Mom I just feel like I should say I love you tons. Don't worry about me, those that be with me are more than those that be with them haha who can find that scripture?
Do great things, be the changes you want to see, and of course, keep feeding them the carrot. haha love you guys!
to the moon and back
con amor

Elder Christensen

Haha made you look!! Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 7:59 PM

2009-02-04T11:32:00.002-06:00

hello american family
how is everyone doing tonight? no worries, I spoke with the President and asked for special permission to write this letter because i wasn't going to have two no letter weeks in one transfer, mostly I didnt want to get anyone mad.. mom haha but its all good. so no worries, still obedient, just wanted to share some love
anyways, most recent and most exciting to say the least and past

I AM GOING TO BE A FATHER!
haha yeah raise those eye brows, no it means I'm going to train next cambio (companion)if things go to plan, which i hope they do. I was so pumped when the Presidente asked me if i wanted, I was like, heck yeah and then in the bus ride home I was struck with a sudden collapsing fear that i am going to be a father haha i imagine it something like the real situation haha but Im good now haha so yeah the President asked me this morning when we had interviews. Best thing ever! I think mine lasted 30 minutes, it was ridiculous. mostly it was the presidente trying to figure out what to do with my companion. He said something along the lines of, I dont know why he came out. So yeah.... but the rest was great. I am going to be a dad! A mexican baby! haha there are no more Americans coming for a while so yeah.... but it happens. To answer your question mom, no it just means that there will be more Mexicans than Americans for a while.

That's cool about Aaron going to Vera Cruz, I have heard alot of good things about that mission. Also extremely hot haha good luck. and Nano, I think a transfer to byu would be great if they would give you a scholarship. Boarden alot of views but yeah if you need an apartment, all of Tays roommates are getting married so.... haha jk
also Jen, hope you found your glasses, I can imagine Danielle standing behind you saying, i cant see without my glasses, in that nasiley voice haha glad to hear you two are getting along and doing great.
Coop, bro, how are you man? sorry about the loss, but you know that Henry is not going to go pointless in many games. keep up´the hard work and the grades. your are stud man.
oh yeah, Mom, thanks for the card number, works great, your wonderful for that. Glad to hear the business had a good night, very impressive.
Dad, love ya, haha sorry about the loss. Thanks for the story
ok yeah Uncle Tyler, i didn't get the e-mail till now but you got me on Sunday. You have my prayers as well.

ok my week really fast.
Yesterday i couldn't write cause we went to the PEÑA. Which translated means, big rock, but it was a touristy thing and my comp wanted to go so we went and it was not very exciting, but whatever already over it.
so Sunday we went to quaretaro for no reason and went to a members house to watch the super bowl. I wasn't pleased.
Thursday was the longest day of my life. I was arguing with my comp and my mission leader about the meaning of success as a missionary and how to go about it and yeah i was tired, angry, wanted to fight someone. When we got home I went to my patriartical, i cant spell, blesssing and it didnt help. it told me to be an example and a light and i felt like i was doing neither. I kelt in prayer and pleaded for help... the only answer i got was a line from my PB over and over in my mind. broaden your shoulders. Its been different since. Im happy to report that today was much better. We still dont talk to each other outside of appointments though haha oh well

alright I got to run but hey, love you all.

Fam, do great things this week, I want a report on bearing testimonies.
Love you all, but you all know that. lean on the LORD. HE lives and knows us.
to the moon and back,

Elder Christensen

From: DAVIS CHRISTENSEN Sent:Mon 2/02/09 7:50 PM

2009-02-03T09:59:00.001-06:00

Sorry, nothing came from Elder West today.:(

Pictures Sent: Monday January 26, 2009

2009-01-26T17:03:00.002-06:00

yeah.. que semana‏ Sent: Mon 1/26/09 3:24 PM

2009-01-26T16:52:00.002-06:00

hey guys
so yeah lets just start off by saying that last week was just a rough week and that im sorry that i didnt get to write. I was able to send that little note on thursday and i printed off all of your letters so at least i knew what was going on in all of your lives right haha so yeah if i talk about things from two weeks ago, sorry, thats just the age im in haha oh yeah, happy seven months to everyone, even if you didnt hear aboout half of the month haha its just how life is sometimes, and my district meeting should be a good one today. haha but that is just my business so lets talk about you guys. it soundsl like everyone is doing fairly well, either getting used to school, or starting up sports. coop you are a stud, congrats on the win, keep up the hard work, dad sorry about the parents, you know how it is sometimes haha mom sounded good, thanks for going to stay with grandpa, sounds like you were a help. and speaking of which, i cant even believe i skipped this. grandpa! haha how are you doing haha sounds like you will be back to running around in no time. lets get that excercise up and thanks for your letters. lets try to keep it less than a dozen of those heart helpers haha. but im glad that everyone is doing well and taking on challenges like a champ. that is something that i am learning write now. oh yeah i would love to write dave but i forgot his address.... also dont know who stephen r cores is.... oh yeah congrats on teh the new calling mom. kill them with kindness haha jen hope your new raise is helping out. and yes mom i will try that new number and it does ring some bells, just hope its the right one haha and yes in fact my last conference was like a christmas party all over again, i got three packages, the envelope, the old lost christmas box with captn crunch! and a something from the forggets, please thank them for me. and a letter from t money and avery.... writing them both back this week. also going to send dan a letter but send it to you guys to send cause i dont know how to do it here.
ok my two weeks, well we had a conference last week which was pretty good and i really enjoyed it. it just took three hours to get to by highway haha we are out from everyone. and yeah.... i think that was everything exciting last week haha that was quick. so this last week was rougher. i couldnt write because monday was ridiculous and my companion and dl were... difficult and monday night i left back to mexico to goto a conference of dls or future dls... yeah i konw haha no but it was cool. we eat breakfast and had a festival of testimonies for 8 hours haha i shouldnt be so negavtive cause it was really powerful, but after the first two hours it was a little something like the testimony night at girls camp haha thats what elder farmer and i came to the conclusion of anyways haha oh yeah all my boys were there! my whole district and all my ex companions.... i imagine it is like seeing all your ex girlfriends in the same room haha jk but it was great to catch up and eat lunch with them. they are all still studs. so yeah we also got this sweet poem thing entitles, the fellowship of the unashamed, read it love it apply it. pure power. so yeah we came back and it was a week of walking around doing a whole bunch of nothing. I am struggling to encourage my companion. it was a rough week haha im hoping to grow alot from it though haha and we have interviews this week too so that will be good. friday was the worst day,i got yelled at by everyone haha my dl my members my self, i was feeling pretty low. so i did the lonely thing i could think of. I prayed the most earnest prayers i have ever. I am grateful for that opportunity... and saturday after my prayers and my speech to my comp i was expecting great things, and we didnt. again haha rough week, but hey, no witness until after the trail of your faith right? and yesterday was pretty good with church and seven months. its crazy how it happens.

Important things to remember:
i love you all
with all my heart
i pray for you daily
i had a rough week but hey since when has salvation been easy
that i know that our Heavenly Father answers prayers...
He hears us.

ok, you are all my examples, keep fighting the good fight
to the moon and back

So sorry but dont doubt the love Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:21 PM

2009-01-23T16:08:00.000-06:00

Hey guys,

So yeah let me just say sorry, it has been a long week and Monday was not a good day but yeah.... things are getting better quickly. I just found the time right now to write a quick note of love to you guys to let you know I love you and I didnt forget about you and that I am well and not dead, expect something wonderful on monday, letter , photos the whole deal haha

everyone dominate

Elder Christensen

Loving the Sun Sent: Mon 1/12/09 4:13 PM

2009-01-12T17:21:00.002-06:00

so how is everyone doing today? wonderful i hope. let me jsut go ahead and say that i miss snow... alot haha or maybe just a change of weather, something other than hot haha im not boasting 40 degrees like sterl but i was breaking a sweat the other day just walking. maybe im just over weight haha no jk. my living situation. well its a nice house again with two stories and really as soon as you get rid of all the piles of trash and ants, it might be something to be jealous of haha. Yeah i got here by bus and that is the only way we get around here. there are taxis but they dont have meters so it is like.... how much would it cost to go here? 100 pesos. and the bus is 5 so yeah. haha i cant believe we bought the office for the family haha thats great. cooper, just plug your ears on the bad parts haha idk, i liked it. so mom just to refresh your mind, im a guy, telling me that danielle looked great in her red pumps and flared jeans gives me the mental image of nike air pump basketball shoes and fiery pants. haha sorry i need pictures. tough to hear about Chance. i might have been out of the county for a little bit but what? dad has a separated shoulder?! haha maybe i just forgot, which is likely.

ok my week. Well we went to my little branch out in the middle of nowhere. its acutally really pretty it reminded me alot of tucson and the plaza downtown in santa fe. its a big tourist spot and with reason. i would definitely show it to you guys. but yeah its hard working there because we totally depend on the members there for help because we can only be there two days a week and never on sunday so the members have to bring them to church and almost do everything. but thats what the church is about right?

thursday my dl came to work with me cause he was going to do an interview later but yeah i learned he is from juarez, just south of jen and went to school and NMSU for a year. so that was a little nice reminder of home. we also met my new favorite inactive family. the mom reminded my of aunt stacey for some reason... haha idk but she was way nice. saturday was a big day for two reasons. first we found a bomb family that was totally prepared for us. they have member friends and they just ask the most perfect questions, like how can we know that joseph smith was a prophet? i pray for moments like that and it happened! haha buenisimos! it would be my first family too... the second reason saturday was big was because my comp turned one in the mission!! we went and got tacos to celebrate with a member. i am going to make these tacos for you guys when i come back. they are wonderful! with a lot fo grease.... but yeah my comp. we are going to try the touch love approach this week. its not that we arent working it is just that we are confusing movement with action. we need more action.

also learned that one of my bishop and his coucilors each own a bakery.... cinammon rolls... who would still love me if i gained 20 kilos.... (40 pounds) haha jk but it happened to a members son here! it is about what is inside right? haha

my brother in the work

Elder Sterl, you are a stud man. When i read your letter i was so pumped for you, i dont know how i didnt think of it before but stralia is the mission for you man, its so obvious. yeah hope you enjoy your bike and car... karma always comes around haha jk that is cool. glad to hear im not the only one having language problems, but hey, just stick with it and i know you will rock it. im excited to hear how the baptism went for you. I have been on a eight week fast... killing me but yeah, just keep knocking those doors for me haha oh yeah 40 degrees C is 105 F, just so you know. Do Work Elder

alright guys and gals, i got to fly but know that i love you and that i hope the best for you. Today i met some of the newest elder from the states and i just smiled because i was them four months ago... didnt know anything. I have room to improve and thats why im out here. i love you all with all my heart. Love one another.

to the moon and back...

con amor

Elder Christensen

Starting the new Year the mexico way! Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 22:11:26 +0000

2009-01-05T17:53:00.001-06:00

Hello American family

how is everyone feeling today? í am doing great haha i just beat elder acevedo in pool seven times in a row, and it was all luck haha he is really good so he doesnt want to talk about it, just a bad day haha but yeah how are my siblings doing these days, i heard jen got into grad school, congrats sis. im not sure what all that means but it sounds good. haha mom no worries, you will have grandchildren some day. just not for three years haha love you sis. and danielle is working all the time now and playing wii haha keep it up sis, you know i would be doing the same. and sounds like coop started basketball and got ridiculous amount for chirstmas. be grateful haha jk thats awesome bro. so yeah everyone told me about rockie, that is way sad. but hey, he was a good dog and i only yelled at him once or twice. sorry about that one dad. and no dad, im not wiser haha im going to argue that one with you but older yes. 20 in three months!!! probably a third of my life right there haha jk learned that my companion was 21... would have guessed younger haha but yeah thanks grandma and grandpa for your letter, i thoroghly enjoyed them haha sounds like sterl made it to the land down under well, thanks for forwarding those letters mom, im very excited to see the newest cousin in the field. oh yes and happy very late birthday brit, i feel you on the old part haha jk

ok before i forget again, i tried the card again and it got mad and said i had a hot card so i figured i made it mad and havent touched it since. idk, im going to talk with the presidente soon if i cant figure something out. and yeah.. i think that it all of my issues right now other than it is ridiculously hot right now haha i miss snow, i really do. im tired of getting sunburned haha and with that i apologize to tay because we had a discussion about how a elder returned from here to her home ward and he was all tan and whatnot and i argued that it was going to be cold.... well i was wrong, its only cold at like 11 at night and that is really 50 degrees or something.

ok so my terribly long and interesting week haha. so monday i arrived here in quarétaro the city and i met my district and whatnot and i saw elder graham in the bus port and it was all good. that night i unpack and go to bed excited to start in a new area, a member wakes us up in the morning saying the lzs called and that we had to call them back, we do and they tell us we are moving to a different area because the new dl in my district has to be in the city. ends up i pack twice in 48 hours and we move out on wednesday and another elder takes me to my new area called San Juan del Rio, its the second biggest city in Quarétaro. the funny thing is though, is that the entire state of Quarétaro is my area with exception with the city of Quarétaro... i just got handed a state the size of vermont as my area and told , go get em champ haha it was funny while we were driving there because the elder the showed me around the city, elder ortiz, is new and still full of fun and was like, elder, everything you can see is yours haha it was like the scene from lion king where mufasa is ontop of pride rock with zimba and says every where the light touches will be yours someday. expect that someday was wednesday and there is no elephant graveyard haha but it has been fun for the most part trying to learn from stratch, i try to imagine it like the first elders that really didnt have any help. but yeah im still with elder acevedo but wednesday elder ortiz showed me around and edler acevedo stayed in quaretaro to teach the area to my dl. i have two wards in the city of san juan and a branch out in the middle of no where that i get to visit tomorrow haha im pumped to meet them. the nearest elders to where i live are three bus rides and an hour away. it is a lot more beautiful here, so if you guys come, i want you to see this area haha so wednesday night, new years eve, in the house by 8... not too exciting but i dont think we missed out on much. thursday elder acevedo came and we worked for the rest of the day. it was kind of a bummer that the whole week we only found two news... but i am confident that this week will be different. it was kind of crazy also wednesday night because i realized that for this entire year ill be on a mission... idk it was interesting to me. other than that nothing much has happened to me haha

oh yeah! found a copy of the liahona in english from the general conference edition, been eating it up, at least 4 talks a day haha i have a renewed testimony that President Monson and his apostles are called of God. So powerful.

Also i want to hear how everyones testimony went yesterday, i gave mine. i am going to keep track haha also dad i feel like i say what i want to happen and fully expect it to happen, but really im doing it cause i know it will be a blessing. I need perfect home teaching this year, im serious, it is the most frustrating thing to try to get inactives to come back espiecially when they dont have any contact with the chruch. so sorry im being demanding but i know its a blessing.

haha ok sorry about the seriousness

ok fam and fans i got to run and do something great but remember that i love you and that i am confident that you are all rocking at what you are doing. do an act of charity this week. You are always in my prayers

to the moon and back

Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Yeah not in mexico anymore... Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 4:57 PM

2009-01-03T09:56:00.000-06:00

hola familia,
I hoped my title would get your attention I suppose it worked. so yeah today were transfers and i am not longer in the state of mexico. i am in the very moment in another state of mexico called Quarétaro, it is like three hours north west of my old area. it is like the holy grail of the mission in that everyone wants to come here because the members are rich and the food is good haha but really its different than every other part of the mission so its cool to get to spend a little time here and work. my new companion is from mexico and i have never met him before but for the three hours that we have together he looks like a good elder. yes i am still minor... yeah i was pretty upset about it haha really it was just a matter of pride, so yeah this morning in the shower i was just thinking and i realized that i still have alot more growth to happen before i am the leader that i want to be and that i shouldn't have questioned the same president that two days before i was praising to my family. so yeah it was just yet another humbling experience here in mexico haha but the cool thing is that i came with an elder from prados that i liked and elder graham from my district in the mtc was here to meet me at the bus station so that was nice too.

but speaking of which i talked to my family this week! how cool was that i was talking all this trash that 40 minutes would not be a problem for me but heck man, fastest 40 minutes of my life but it was great and yes coopers voice is a little deeper, much love bro. also is painful when the power goes out while talking to your dad, so yeah wished i could have talked longer and with more people... in oregon... haha jk but seriously. but i lived and loved it. but yeah christmas here in mexico.... let me just go ahead and say that christmas is not that exiciting a, without your family and b, the way mexico celebrates it haha they dont open presents on the 25th which i didnt know untill the 25th so that was kind of a bummer but they have another holiday on the 7th of January were they open presents and everything and its great fun but i also learned that santa doesn't come here the hard way haha i was chatting with one of my favorite little kids and i asked him what he asked from santa this year and he was like... santa doesn't come here... and i was like west you dumby, the family told the kids that santa is not coming and yeah all that stuff. i was sweating a little bit to say the least haha but than he put a smile on and said that he asked for an action figure from teh three magic kings, sometimes you got to learn the hard way. but yeah it was all good, we broke a piñata and ate a lot of turkey on the 24th and the 25th. i missed left over turkey sandwiches haha but yeah we worked on both the days, didnt find anyone but we put froth the effort. and it all payed off because on Saturday we found like 5 awesome investigadores that i dont have now... anyways, elder slade has a lot of good stuff to work with. but yeah we blanked this transfer, as in didn't baptize... yeah never again. never again. speaking of which we are going to baptize this Sunday in my new area.

i got no more time so sorry this is so short but i love all or you and pray for you twice a day at least. hope everyone is enjoying their break and getting ready to go back to school. do work.
to the moon and back...
con amor
Elder Christensen

Big Six Months, but who is counting? Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 1:24 PM

2008-12-26T15:55:00.002-06:00

Hola American Family,

how is everyone doing now adays, i just took a quick look at the photo that tay sent me and nine inches is something to brag about haha i can only imagine how wonderful it must in new mexico. Im not going to lie, i miss the snow, but not the cold haha i hope everyone is doing well. again i forgot my list of awesome things to write about on my desk so i am a little upset but hopefully i will remember most of it. ok well first of all, hope my package got there haha i would use words to describe that package but im a missionary. so frustrating, and than the worst part was that it cost more than moms three boxes to me... yeah i wasnt too happy about that but i hope coop enjoys it and that everyone can have a little piece of the mexico temple, seeing as it was mostly what i sent. but yes the other frustrating part was that we had to empty everything out and the guy had to check everything for drugs and whatever so it all got screwed up so basically mom, the ring, a photo, and the memory chip all go to tay, if you would be so kind haha much love and yeah throw in a mexico magnet or something. and the rest is for the family, but really, package from me, probably never again, so enjoy this one. glad that nano is home, working ehh but hey is it money. mom you are funny, i hope everyone has their questions written haha and yes mom i think the phone card is a good idea and i think i will just call and you guys can call back on the phone card, i get 40 mintues and i would rather not do speaker cause its just screaming haha but im hoping for the 24th so jenny and britton can head off. so yeah... should be good haha im excited, havent put much thought into it, mostly just going to be another day with a couple extra meals haha but yeah it will be cool, hopefully i dont sound too weird with my phrases and whatnot ahahok what else did i forget, oh yeah dad, great job on the talk, i talked too but i dont think it was as good as yours, i dont remember that story though. glad you guys found the christmas tree without too much blood, even though the blood does add something to it haha glad to hear that sterl made it alright to the mtc, that kid is such a stud haha love him, and thats cool about B, i understand that cooper might love me like that too haha jk bro, your awesome, do work. uh what else.... cambios are next week and yeah... it feels like elder slade and i have been together longer haha he is just a little prideful but hey so am i. idk, really im hoping for a new area but ill do whatever the president tells me. oh yeah got a letter from dan and andrew wilson on thursday, i wrote dan a letter today so it will probably be there... march haha but he sounds good just having the regular problems. send my love to him please. hope basketball is going well

took my week really fast the first part of the week was pretty normal, we found a couple of solid investigadores that have some real interest in the church so that was cool, just sad part was that we didnt get anyone of them to the church... yeah we will have to work on that this week. but thursday was the big day! i forgot to tell you that we were going to the temple as a mission haha so yeah we went! well just half of us one day and the other half anther day. so yeah we filled the room and is was way cool in spanish, alot of words i didnt know and it was in vosotros so it was a little hard. i messed up alot haha but its cool, comes with practice. after we ate as a mission and had a christmas activity where people sang and stuff, it was pretty sweet. and than the presidente got up there and was just deadly serious, have a great christmas, get to work, and than he sent sent an email that was like, if you dont want to work the right way, you basically dont believe in Christ. it was pretty intense, he is just done with the crap from the elders that refuse to change. idk, very serious though.

on a lighter note i got my package from tay!!! whoo i was so pumped! all the mexicans were like... why do you have the virgin guadalupe on your package and i explained it was because i didn't want to get robbed. the americans thought it was genius and the mexicans... well they didnt like it very much haha but yeah thanks love, the tie is hidious... its perfect!!! (thanks taylre for donating the tie for the burn) and the sick awesome tshirt, wore it last night haha anyways, it was great, thank you very much.

saturday we had two elders go home because the cambios are next week but the presidente wanted them to be home for christmas so yeah we are one zone leader down and one down in my district. kind of chaos haha and yeah all the ward parties this weekend that we couldnt go to because they start at nine and end at one in the morning! ridiculous haha but yeah good stuff and the funny thing of the week, i was with the zone leader that is left and he is from washington and yeah were chatting and a member comes up to us and tells us she is a member of a ward in our zone and offers us a ride and my zl was like, oh ok so you know edler aquino? but in english and she just looked at him weird and didnt understand so he said it slower the second time and then i was laughing too hard and had to tell him that he was speaking in english and not spanish haha he really didnt know the difference. good times
Ok folks, i got to run, no sports today.. kind of sad but since no one got mad last time i dont feel bad saying i scored 4 goals haha ok for those of you that i am not going to talk to this week, feliz navidad and have a great week. and for my fam, talk to you wednesday! love you all and pray for you often.
to the moon and back
con amor

elder w christensen

Tu eres de Mexico? Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 4:48 PM

2008-12-17T14:19:00.002-06:00

Hola familia!!!!
Bueno pimero, les amo muchisismo haha si, yo deje inglés de lunes pero para que ustedes puedan entender, voy a escribir en inglés. Y solo por eso... haha jk how are you guys doing!!? I imagine that everyone is back home and doing awesome and that everyone is done with school except for coop?.. sorry bro, hang in there. But hey Jen!! congrats sis that is so cool. I would try to imagine what that must feel like but seeing as it is like seven years in the future, i will just have you tell me haha but that is way cool, i hope you celebrated and everything. You are grown up now jen, how old haha jk much love, i can say that because i am on a mission and that means im going to be turing 20 in april, four months away.. no manches... haha uh crazy. but yeah everyone feeling the holiday spirit yet or did the computer brake and there is not christmas music going 24/7 in the house? haha jk mom but i must admit i do enjoy the christmas music here when i hear it. there are not a lot of mexican christmas songs so they play the good old classics haha and i forgot to tell you mom, the person that we are going to have christmas with put up a ridiculous amount of decorations, just so i can feel at home haha how are those coming by the way? well im sure. at lights only on the first story? coop... haha jk
ok yeah the third box came from tucson this week. had the photo album of thanksgiving. and no im not peeking.. much haha the sweater was already checked and the wrapping was gone. i have been good haha elder slade is already done with his stocking haha
that is too bad to hear about dan. I would lie and say that they dont like americans here either but im sure its nothing like there. im going to have to write him a letter soon. i have written everybody else haha by the way hoping to send my package home tomorrow... yeah so we will see about that and hopefully you will distribute the things to their respective people. i wrote letters for grandma and grandpa on both sides. just get excited coop, im getting your present tonight from a member haha im jealous.
oh yes cannot forget to congratulate britton as well. well done my brother. and i encourage meat in the freezer, if it lasts two years haha and y gracias por su carta tambien, fue muy bien. solo tuve problemas con un ante pero yo pude imaginar lo que fue haha
ok momyou wanted a testimony or something like that. I really dont have many christmas stories yet, does help that it feels like july either but i can talk about my favorite convert so far.
So this kid, Issac, and i say kid but he is older than me, was one of my fist baptisms. The first time we met him was in the church where he had brought himself after a friend had told him where it was. We introduced ourselves and he told us that he would like to take lessons. We told him that we could help him with that. After our first lesson we discovered that he worked full time and was going to school as well. The fact that he had gotten special permission to come that sunday was a miracle in itself. He told us that he couldnt come on sundays because he worked every sunday morning from 8 to 2. We thought about it and asked him to pray to his heavenly father and ask for help. The next day, he told that he did what we asked and talked to his boss. HIs boss had given him two hours for every sunday to come, 9 to 11. We were so pumped for his faith and desire. The next week he came with the first frown i had ever seen him wear. He told us that his grandfather had spoken to him and that if he joined the church, his grandfater would disown him. Seeing as issac didnt have a father, it was a pretty large hurdle to put it lightly. We cried together that night. We asked him to pray again to his Heavenly Father for help. the next Sunday he showed up with a smile again. We asked what happened and he told us that nothing happened, but some how he felt that the Lord was going to take care of it. We were happy then, but when he told us that he wanted to get baptized, we said, we can help you with that haha
the lord doesn't give us challenges to watch us fail, but rather to watch us sore.
Good timber does not grow with ease, the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees, the further the sky, the greater the length, the more the storm the more the strength. By sun and cold, by rain and snow, in trees and men, good timber grows.
Douglas Malloch Good Timber
ok i got to run but i love you all.
I love you all and obviously the closer the 25th comes the more i feel for you all but hey, i wouldnt be anywhere else. Loving every second of it.
to the moon and back..
con amor
Elder W. Christensen

No broma, soy Elder Christensen Sent: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 17:00:10 +0000

2008-12-08T16:11:00.002-06:00

hey fam/others that read this letter>
como estan? espero muy bien. estoy ayunando de ingles hasta la navidad. Va matarme haha pero me prometi que yo puede escribir en ingles para que ustedes que no hablen español puedan entender. y porque yo no quiero escribir en español por tode de esta carta haha

how is everyone doing? if you didnt understand, its alright, i probably screwed up somewhere in there typing haha just ask britton or your nearest rm. anyways, i hope everyone is doing great cause i am. seriously, i was struggling this week but the weekend totally turned it around. also helps that the weather is like los alamos in july haha its wonderful to walk down the street in a short sleeve shirt at night.

anyways on to more important things. sounds like thanksgiving was everything that you had hoped for and more. way fun. glad that everyone had a good time and that no one got in any fights haha i know you all missed me but hey, next time just bring rockie and it will feel like i was never gone haha a yukon? haha i was ok with buying a car but i thought it was going to be something a little smaller, but if it is large because it needs to pull a boat, i approve haha jk but dad congrats on doing a great job with the suburb, and sorry about work, i understand if you were busy. i was just laughing when i got your letter cause i asked elder slade how many elders get a letter like that from their dad haha but yeah good luck. uh que más? thanks for the letter mom, i hope grandpa is doing better. i am trying to remember everything and its hard cause i left my lists of things to reply to at home so sorry. but yeah the picture of coop doing a bike, i wrote underneath, algo es possible, haha much love bro.

sounds like sterl did a great job with his talk, and is totally ready to dominate the ozzies. good luck man, you wil be great, just be patient and know that when you put on that tag, you are not you for two years, you are something much better. hopefully that didnt come off wrong haha and yes mom i read your read frist letter, and yes i can have something for next week.

oh yeah christmas call haha so i am going to be at my mission leaders house that morning and elder slade told me that he is jsut going to call and hang up when his familys caller id gets the number and than his family can call back and they will pay haha but i have a phone card left and i think i will use that with jenny. where is she going to be? and yeah i get 40 mintues so it will be good.

alright my week real fast
so tuesday were interviews with the president and they were alright. i talked to president and pretty normal nothing special, idk, he always looks at me at the end and just smiles, its like he is reading my mind haha but the funny part was afterwards when i was talking with Hermana Nancollas, his wife, she said, gracias elder, when i was leaving and my mind froze and i was just like... to you haha in spanish you would say, a usted, in that situation and yeah my mind died haha it was really funny but you just have to know that the amercans here just speak differently. we say phrases in spanish in english and they dont make sense to anyone else except for people in the mission haha its great not being able to speak either language. saturday was a baptism for some elders in our district and they baptized a 90 year old woman. elder tapp was already scared of killing her and than the first attempt she took a breath under water. it was terrible, but the third try he just grabbed her face, plugged her nose and closed her mouth and put her under haha it was the most exciting baptism ever. we had six edlers there all ready to perform a miracle or cpr depending on what went down. no i shouldnt joke like that but it was a good baptism. and than sunday the bishops son was back from the states and he had been at byu the week before haha almost killed me but it was cool to talk about provo with him. i also bore my testimony in church that i love the members and that i still cant speak spanish very well but i am here to help them in any way. later in the hall, hermano macias, one of my favorite brothers, pulled me aside and was like, elder you cant speak spanish very well. i was like oh thanks hermano but than he continued, but your progression as a representative of Christ has grown enormously. yeah it made me feel pretty good inside. but yeah i want everyone to make a goal of bearing their testimonies every fast sunday this next year, its only 12 a year, and yeah best way to see a testimony grow is let it outside every once in a while haha ok yeah that was pretty much my week, nothing too crazy

alright guys and gals, this elder is going to go play some sports and whatnot cause i just realized yesterday, that it has been 8 months since my surgery, crazy, and my leg feels pretty good. so yeah i love you all with all my heart and i wish i was a better writer to express all the things that i want to say but im not so les amo muchisisismo. esten bien hasta proximo lunes. remember to do service this month and remember why we celebrate it. you are all great and i miss you very much but i wouldnt be anywhere else than here. Do work son! to the moon and back...
con amor
Elder W. Christensen
PS there are four christensens in the mission now so the president calls me W haha good times

July in Christmas... o algo Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 2:54 PM

2008-12-01T20:34:00.002-06:00

hello americans

haha i only make the distiction because we played football today and the americans lost to the mexicans. Really they only learned ten minutes before hand how to play so yeah... it was humbling haha anyways... how is everyone doing?

I would make a comment that tay is the only one that wrote me, so for a whole week i felt love from no one else, but that would just be mean haha just kidding mom, i still love you, i figured you guys were either traveling or just about to leave so no se preocupre, it is all good. i know you all love me, and how do i know that, because i got two bomb packages! yeah i was pretty pumped haha and yeah sorry mom, they opened both of them, the mary pictures didn´t work haha but no worries, i think it was the secrateries anyways, its a mission rule or something. but yeah i think everything was there. I set up and make my tree last night haha i was just like... this is such a mom thing haha but i loved it regardless. if only i had presents to go under it... haha jk but everything was great, thanks for the sweater, it was 80 degrees today haha idk what is going on but its not december like i know it. so yeah thanks for everything and the pixi stixs are already gone... so yeahspeaking of holidays, thanksgiving doesnt exist here haha no surprise but yeah it was just an ordinary thursday, except when we walked into a members house to teach and they had texas vs taxas am on their huge flat screen. i almost died haha and i hate texas! weird, but yeah that was it.so

tuesday elder slade had to go to a leadership training so i went with teh zone leader that is going home in three weeks. it really wasnt bad, he doesnt know english so i learned alot of spanish haha we studied and worked all day. Before he was probably one of my least favorite people but know we get along just great. and he is one of the kind of leagands here, baptized 52 weeks in a row, some of them are more real than others but hey that is how this mission used to be. but overall it was a good break from the same companion and i learned alot.

so yeah i think it was either the last letter or the second to last letter but i mention my first blessing in english. yeah well saturday night i gave my first in spanish to an hermano that had this disease where if he eats alot of meat he gets crystals in his blood that tear the skin and attacks the joints, idk but is extremely painful and he couldnt walk. so yeah i went up there and tried my best and yeah... if you ever want to be humbled, try listening to the spirit in a different language haha but i was only shaking a little bit after it haha, and the next morning, here comes the hermano trotting into the chapel with a smile on his face. obviously he wasnt doing jumping jacks but it was still a pretty awesome experience to be a part of. I am very grateful to have had that opportunity.

this sunday was only the childrens program haha it is just the same in mexico as in the US, still look for the one kid that signs the loudest and every kid that eats the mic and screams something and skips off haha it was even better cause we have two wards so i got to do it twice haha so overall it was a pretty good week, we found this bomb family that has been going to church in a different stake with their friends and the missionaries there are slow so yeah hopefully we can get them to come here.

alright guys, i love you all. I cant say it enough. I see families every day here and they are all in different modes of life and i am so grateful for you mom and dad and for your examples, im grateful for the gospel and im grateful that i have three wonderful siblings that i can be a hero for. it was a great letter nano. yes nano, take note haha alright, i hope you are all dominating what you are doing and remember to ask in prayer for the things you lack, cause i can bear testimony that he wants to give it to you. its strange here, my greatest moment has been watching a kid, issac, who had everything going against him to learn the gospel bless the sacrament on sunday. yeah he screwed up 5 times but all the better. just now i smile thinking about it. its a wonderful experience here.. i regret nothing. and for all you elders about to enter or are entered, remember to hold on to those wonderful moments, cause they are going to carry you. I love you guys. to the moon and back...
Con amor
Elder Christensen

Five Months is nothing Sent: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:57:03

2008-11-24T17:03:00.002-06:00

hey fam
so yeah crazy week this week. and by that i mean that it wasnt the best,
companionship wise, ivestigadores, members, anything haha but i will
explain, and really everything is good, i just need to work harder.  but
first shout out to everyone! haha the air force game sounds pretty sweet
not going to lie, i would totally have loved to have gone.  next time
though haha and britton because you were a first time writer, ill answer
your question. yes the angel moroni does have the golden plates under his
arm.  i thought i sent pictures of it two weeks ago but i think i screwed
up so i sent them again today, hopefully they work.  also jen, hope
graduating feels great haha and that twilight was everything and more than
you wanted it to be haha but seriously i donÂ´t need an essay about it haha
coop,  sorry about the stubbed toe man, glad you took it like a man though
just like i taught you haha it was wonderful to hear from everyone! and
yeah danielle, sorry about the roomates but this semester is over and you
can find some others.  maybe you have learned everything from them that you
are going to haha jk
ok  my week really fast,
so yeah my companion... he is a great guy, he really is.  just kind of
difficult at times. like now he is mad at an elder in my district because
he is dead, or not working, because he is going home in five weeks, but
than i pointed out to him that this dead missionary still brought twice as
many investigadores to the capilla as we did, (2) speaking of which, all of
our investigatores dropped us, we stopped by and all of them said, yeah we
dont want you anymore... so yeh that was way frustrating but i know this
week is going to be better.  also church was rough, we got chewed out in
ward council cause we didnt bear our testimonies in one of the wards.  they
were like, never in my life have i seen missionaries just sit there.  it
was ridiculous but im trying to be humble about it, not working very well
haha pride before the fall i guess.  the funny part is that my zone might
be dan jones! which is jsut an award for having the most baptisms, from
worst to best haha also about the cultural event, its online somewhere if
you can find it  one the church website and if not, youtube haha or thats
what my members tell me. so cool stories, first, i gave my first blessing
ever! in english, but she is a school teacher so she understood most of it
but i was way nervous when i started but than the spirit took over and it
was sweet haha but really i was pumped to do it and next time is in
spanish... haha and the second cool story is that one lunch appointment we
had, the family was watching the other side of heaven, which i would like
everyone to watch again, or any other missionary film haha and yeah guess
what my new nickname is? kolipoki! haha all day yesterday at church haha
tmoney!! i know you are in there right now buddy, but really the mtc is
pretty good haha you have a letter coming so be patient and it is like i
said in the letter, you aremy example of a missionary already.  and if you
could be with me for 9 months you could be with anyone for 6 weeeks haha
alright everyone, i lvoe you tons and forever and a bunch.  i hope that you
are all doing well and staying warm.  this week was so cold!! but this
weekend was like 80s haha so yeah mexico.  but i pray for you all every
day, tell dan i love him and he is stronger than he thinks.
to the moon and back...

con amor
Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Tercer Cambios.... Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 11:10 AM

2008-11-17T17:35:00.003-06:00

Hola Familia
Just really quick,love you guys haha what is going on? i feel like i just wrote you and there went another week. Almost done with november and i cant remember the first half very well haha anyways again I am writing in response to everyones letter from last week so if i seem old and out of the loop, you know why. but yeah i saw cooper this week!! thats is what i am talking about bro, showing a little love haha now i can buy you that sick jersey. but thanks to everyone that wrote and yeah i am going to try to answer some questions real fast.
weather. well this whole week was blistering hot. no clouds, no wind, just sun and it was nice to enter some houses to just sit down. and than this morning, total fog, could see thirty yards, freezing. I would say it was like 30 below but that is a little dramatic.... probably 20 haha but i enjoy my sweater at nights. hasnt rained since my first cambio.
health haha so i checked my weight again and it said i was 160 163 so i feel bettter than before because the one before told me 155 and i was like heck no haha i have not been below 160 since sophomore year haha but thats all good. my knee. honestly i do streches every morning and excercise when i have time but really some days, i forget that that leg is my bad leg and than other days i have to do a little more streching.... but running and hiking make it feel strong again haha and the scars are almost faided away. other health, doing great. i think that that last illness was the thing that i get every fall and it just happened to occur the same time as some bad food but now im perfect, not the slight nose or throat problem. so much easier to work haha
quick word to jen (i wrote him how it frustrates me when people in my ward dis on the elders)
i had to laugh when you got mad at your ward haha i love the respect though. hopefully your missionaries are worth sticking up for. there are a couple here that i wouldnt mind seeing getting told off by their ward. but thats just me, you are alot more loving than me.
also danielle, glad to hear the roommates are better, glad i could help?... haha
mom i got told that my packages are in the office but some one else signed for them and that is why i dont have them. apparently someone opened them too but i dont know that for sure. so hopefully the next conference. and no, once i lost my father, elder tolosa, i was no longer the trainee, had to grow up with elder slade real fast haha he is like me in that he has little patience sometimes... haha
speaking of which , we just got new cambios today. im still here and with elder slade. elder arnett the other american in my district, going to elder tolosa in prados, elder tapp, his son is staying and scared stiff because he doesn´t know anything like me haha im trying to comfort him. elder shill, from mesa, went home honorable today. he was alright and yeah elder arnett´s new companion is elder farmer from my district in the mtc haha i know you guys dont really understand but trust me, someone is going to die in that companionship haha
this week we found 14 new investigadores, pretty awesome. also had two baptisms. issac and uriel, two awesome young men that are going to go places. elder slade did the ordination so that was cool just to watch. so that puts me at 8 at the end of my second cambio.
and the rest of the week was just alot of work and meetings with members.
but now on to the main event. The cutural event satuday. thrid largest stadium in teh world, estadio asteca, not so big haha just simple and they cram people into it. but yeah like 120 thousand members with the Prophet and President Eyring. Their talks were pretty good, the best part was that President Monson sang a spanish song for like a minute haha it was so awesome. the crowd went crazy haha but yeah the rest of the presentations were pretty awesome as well. something like 9000 youth all performing the history of mexico. we only got to see half of it cause than we had to leave to prep for our big moment. which really only consisted of walking out on the field but yeah, pretty amazing to be part of an army of elders, standing on the field in front of the president of the church with 120000 members screaming. really just felt good to be on the field again haha got to see all my boys again. elder heap and elder memott are doing great and elder farmers dad was one of the elders sent home last week.... so yeah
sunday was the dedication and that was really nice. President Eyring gave a bomb talk and talked about the blessings of the temple and his family. and than he got mad at the translator because they kept on interrupting him haha but it was wonderful to be a little part of that dedication, but i cant remember my last temple dedication... idaho something?
ok one cool story, last night we were walking back from tracting, with elder arnett and elder tapp, and we saw to guys pushing this vw van and we were like yeah lets help. we pushed that van 2.5 miles haha over hills and mountians and through jungles haha but it was funny cause every time we went down hill we would jump on and start singing the jamiacan bombsled theme song haha and all the mexicans were like.... stupid americans haha living the dream

hope things are going well. love all you guys. i don´t know where i would be without you but i got to run and be amazing so yeah, trying my best to make you all proud of me, you are always in my prayers.
President Monson said in the stadium, the Lord gives us June Flowers for the Decembers of our lives,
you are my flowers and i hope i can be yours haha
to the moon and back

Con Amor
Elder Christensen

Two Americans Rollin in Mexico Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 12:49 PM

2008-11-10T20:18:00.002-06:00

Hey guys!
so this time i am doing it a little differently. I only have a half hour to write so i am going to just write for all of it and than print all of your letters at the end to read later. so yeah if it seems like i am not answering any questions or saying how awesome anyone is doing, it is because i dont know anything haha but yeah i am going to go ahead an talk about my favorite topic, me haha really i am sorry that i am terrible with this whole email thing but i am going to figure it out one of these days.
anyways, my new companion. elder slade. from mesa, like every missionary from arizona, con excepcion with sterling haha that is so cool man, i know you are going to rock it. just dont be a stupid missionary that your parents wouldnt be proud of. there is an elder here going home in a week and yeah has the maturity of a 16. just know a mission is the closest to real life you will ever get. anyways my companion, he is actually really great. he can be a little blunt at times which makes me feel kind of dumb but i always end of loving him anyways haha for example he told me that i speak spanish like a gangoso.. look it up haha its funnier in spanish. anyways, he loves to work and be obidient. he got upset this week when we only found 6 news, he really wants to work, its wonderful haha we worked so hard that i totally missed the first week of november, cant remember anything. but yeah he comes from a rough family background where his two older brothers both did something while filling out their papers and werent able to go on missions. so yeah even more impressive that he wants to be a better example for them. we will definitely be together for next cambios as wellexciting things of the week.
two bautismos!!!! give me some love haha there were two girls that were friends with a member in our ward and thats i how we met them. but yeah, they are going to be great in the future. funny story though, so yeah i was going to perform it and i was getting into the font. totally ate it on the first step and crashed into the pool. the doors to the font were closed and so the crowd could only hear chaos and english words being yelled. its ok, only elder slade understood them haha jk but yeah that started it off well and than i couldnt say their names haha it took like 5 times each one and the bishop was just standing over me as a witness making be feel dumb and calling me a dumb gringo haha but we finally got it done and yeah, so pumped about it. we have another baptism for this friday for issac, awesome kid. he came to us last week and was like, i dont know what to do, i want to continue with the church but my grandpa said he would disown me if i did ( his dad died a while ago, so yeah the father figure) and it crushed me. i just told him with all my heart that God loves him and will provide a way if he asks for help. Came up to us tuesday with a big old grin and was like, i dont know what is gonig to happen but i have all this courage and love and i am going to talk with my grandpa but really, i just want to be baptized. how awesome is that!! best feeling all week, the Lord totally answered my prayers and his.speaking of this week.
Giant Cultural Event in the second largest stadium in the world? with the Prophet and President Eyring? yes it is going to happen and i am pumped! five missions are going to sing and they told us that it was going to be broadcasted so yeah... look for me haha and than sunday, temple dedication, already got my ticket haha it is going to be an awesome week, and we are going to find so many people and teach them and yeah.... i am just grining thinking about it haha
one more funny story, elder slade had been talking with a couple of elders one night on the phone about things the next day and whatever and he hangs up and comes to bed. the phone rings again and he, thinking that it is one of the elders that he was just talking to, says "whasup!!!!!" and the next thing i hear is..... "... oh Hermana Nancollas. how are you? i didnt think it was you...." haha i just bust up laughing. good times. she had called to talk some medical things with elder slade.
yeah thats all ok guys, i love you all and am grateful for your prayers and fasts. you are all my testimony and my strength.
(sterl, you are going to rock it man, you have such a good attitude and a way of loving people. The lord knows that and he is going to use that gift. Best two years. )
do great things, and remember who you are and dont let it get you down =) haha
love you all with all my heart
to the moon and back....
con amor
Elder Christensen

The Temple and other pictures

2008-11-10T17:29:00.000-06:00

The pyramids

2008-11-10T17:26:00.002-06:00

Big news in mexico! Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 4:45 PM

2008-11-03T20:43:00.000-06:00

hola familia,
well first let me say that there are not going to be pictures again for another week because i just came from bowling, which i dominated, and i thought we were going to pass by our house again before but whatever. i am really sorry cause they are some awesome pictures and i keep on talking about them but got nothing to show for it... I am making a promise right now, next week, or you dont write me. ok that is a little dramatic, ill remember

anways the big news! last night we were just about to crash in the beds, well me cause i ahve been sick again..., haha its getting old really, but this is just a header ache, cold, fever thing... anyways we were about to crash and than elder tolosa gets a call. emergecy transfers. he left this morning at like 12. yeah crushing. it is becuase the president is sending people home now, six so far, and yeah he had to swith some things around to make it work so yeah my new companion is elder slade. he is the step cousin of an elder in my district haha very interesting but i like him. he is a good bowler and yeah wants to work and do the right thing. it made me sad reading all the letters from you guys and how obvious it was that elder tolosa and i werent getting along. we actually had a talk two night ago and yeah we totally let everything out. it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me right now. obviously he told me i need to work on my patience and how if i really am not a unhappy person that i need to show it. i know you are all knodding your heads so you can stop it haha but yeah got to put that smile on, because really, i wouldnt want to be anywere else. so yeah i will see him tomorrow for a conference, long time no see

ok exciting things of the week
we hiked montaña zero last monday. the first part was fighting man size spiders and the second was rock climbing mulan mountain. you will understand when you see the pictures haha but it was fun because i went with the elders that i dont spend much time with in the zone and yeah got to know them

second we went to the pyramids! bien chito! i was sick but yeah still fun because it was like hello! lamatines, christ coming! obvious! haha but yeah we met the head lady and she is lds so anyone that picks me up gets a free tour. i have pictures of the pyramids too. two things real fast. one of the smaller temples, called the temple of christ.... could it be more obvious haha and the second is that when we were on the top on the temple of the sol we were taking pictures and stuff and these two girls ask me if them can take a picture with me and i am like what? haha but yeah everyone just laughed at me and i just kept my hands in my pockets and smiled and prayed for elder tolosa to help haha what can i say, still got it haha jk sorry

found a lot of nuevos this week but no baptisms, but we gat two lined up for this week. thank you for your fast. also going to send a package next week with little things. and cooper... idk i am going to remember this... haha love you anyways
also want to apologize for being so whiney in last weeks letter
i am doing awesome

love you all and sorry i cant write more

elder christensen

Who went to the temple? i did! Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 5:35 PM

2008-10-27T19:18:00.002-06:00

Hola familia y otros

ok first and formost this devastating news. the package that mom sent two weeks ago, that i had loved and wanted to receive with all my heart, got sent back home last week. so yeah it will be at home in a couple of days. sorry about that but like i tried to explain before the company that used to do the packages quit and now they sit in a mexican postage office for a week and if the person doesn´t sign for them, it goes back. so idk what is going to happen with the one coming. hopefully i can make it to the office before it gets sent home, haha not bitter, full of love

k that was a little much of a rant but its over. it was great to hear from mom and dad.... haha and i´m going to laugh and type, im sorry. anyways, congrats coop on an awesome season. now you can help mom around the house more! and get grades up before basketball haha jk you are great man, keep it up. and before i forget, the dhl connection that the other elder had was only for receiving packages, no help on the 850 pesos. so yeah idk, idk what to do but its ok cause i haven´t boughten anything because we havent shopped. so yeah i need to figure some stuff out. but good news on the letter front. presidentes parents are coming to help in the office and he told me in the interviews this week that if i give the office a letter to send out that it would be gone in a week so yeah they come this saturday. sorry t money, i dont think you are going t get a letter. haha so frustrating! really im pretty calm right now, like on the outside, but really i want to scream cause of all the little dumb things haha anyways im good.

i have heard of that four stage thing that you got mom, i was there for the devotional. im in the hate everything phase haha no cierto, but it is definitely difficult sometimes. like we dont have gas or water in our house haha because we done have money but that will change monday so its all good.

sorry you had to work all week mom. im sure it is paying off. with all these rumors about the US that we hear from members, it could help alot. and yeah the pictures are great. they are a little bit of a pain at first but totally worth it once it is done so please, not a lot, but continue. and i can try the card again but idk. and yes mom I can understand spanish enough to poke the right button haha jk i dont. i will try again

ok so my life. we had interviews with the president this week and it was pretty not as cool as the last one but it was kind of understandable. the mission has dive bombed. we went from 400 baptisms to 130 i think this month. he was pretty discouraged. i just want to help him in anyway. and yeah we talked a little bit about a letter that elder tolosa got about a talk an apostle giving a testimony in a ward this month about how a terrible thing is going to happen and its going to be rough so yeah honestly it scared me. find the talk, and yeah be smart about money haha like i dont need four packages before christmas. but yeah anyways we only had a couple of days to work this week because we went to the temple for two days to help out. first day i help park cars and the second i introduced the prevideo to the temple for visitars. totally cool. i have a lot of pictures but i forgot my camera so next week. the temple is beautiful! so amazing and i got to go inside once and they ahve an entire wall of the painting of christ coming to the americas. like twenty yards long and ten feet high. so cool. not tryingto be a neener neener but yeah it was sweet. i recomend it to anyone that happens to be in mexico. also got to see alot of guys from my generation. saw elder memmott haha the first thing he says to me is, you been loosing weight? haha you look real thin in the face! haha in his country accent. love him. and really i probably have because i was sick with something this week and i didnt eat much. but now i am better and later i ate a 30 ounce steak to put it all back haha some of elder tolosas old converts took us out. but yeah i had some good laughs with him and his spanish is bomb, like im alright like i can understand pretty well and explain myself but he was bomb.

so two funny stories, well one and the other is just funny to me. first we were at a members house eating and we were talking about eye color. kind of boring with mexicans because they all have brown eyes but with me they were enchanced haha the hermana told me that my eyes were the color of miel... honey haha i thought, wow.. thats is enchanting haha then i explained that we dont use honey as a word to describe eyes in the US but i am going to start it. the second is that we were with the zone leaders for interviews for their converts and we were talking about our first names because everyone wants to know, so i say mine and they dont understand and move on and it just so happened that elder brown, the new zone leader, is Taylor Brown. and since the only other taylre that elder tolosa knows is my tay, he just busted of laughing, pointing at elder brown and me, almost falling out of his seat. haha we had to explain it to him haha

ok i got to run but i love you all and pray for you often. i want to share a quick thought. in spanish the phrase, what im going to do, ¿que voy a hacer? and what i am going to be, ¿que voy a ser? sound exactly the same when pronounced... just a thought about our actions.

k i love you all and you are my testimony and strength every day. to the moon and back

con amor,
Elder W Gene Christensen

viva mexico Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 2:21 PM

2008-10-20T20:07:00.002-05:00

hey howdy hi guys and gals
how is everyone doing? that is kind of a rhetorical question because i know cause everyone wrote me haha congrats to all for this wonderful achievement. it was wonderful to see how everyone is rocking it and dominating what they are doing. first and formost, jenny.. feliz cumplianos!!! yeahhh haha that is awesome that you got a washing machine! i am totally jealous cause i dont have one... haha but yeah happy birtday sis, hope it was great and yeah im still working on a gift idea so any help would be great.
but yeah cooper great stuff with the ipod, 160 bucks could keep me alive here for two months, just remember that haha and danielle, sometimes if not all the time we are the teacher so that we can learn.

what the heck happened byu!!!?? somebody was not praying hard enough. whatever, already over it haha and go broncos! sorry britton. and mom before i forget, your package is here but the problem is that the company that holds them doesnt just turn teh packages to the offices anymore and every missionary has to go sign for it personally. i was supposed to go today but they didnt call me. and yes i got the dear edler from tay and from sterl last week. love that kid sterl. how is he doing? every day im inthe mission i think how awesome sterl would be at this or that. much better than me haha but yeah i am going to send a package home soonish. i went to the dhl store because it does US and gauranteed not to be stolen haha and for one kilo.... 850 pesos to los alamos.... but hey elder arnett got his companion, elder tapp, i like him. from idaho falls, and i feel so cool when he asks me what a phrase means or a word and i know it! haha just a little pat on the back, but the real point of the story is this, they are working with an inactive member that is one of the mayor heads of mexico dhl and he gave them a password or something to get the packages across cheap. so yeah i need to talk to them. I am making a commitment right now to send a package with letters and coopers and jennys presents by the end of the this month.

which brings me to my next point, the debit card from home doesnt work... haha i tried it and it said no and i tried again and it said incorrect number so idk what to do. i used the number mom gave me. so yeah mom if you could work onthat that would be great cause i need money for coopers jersey and the package... no rush or anything haha but really thanks mom.

ok my week.... well the beginning was with elder arnett and yeah it was interesting knocking and teaching as a threesome haha elder arnett is kind of loud and fun and very likable, so likable that all of our investigadores were sad when he did come after he got his companion and just looked at us like... where is the other one? haha but hey what can you do. speaking of our investigadores, the family gonzalez put their date as the 5th of december so yeah totally crushing seeing as we were hoping for next week. wendy, our most favorite and best moved!! and we dont have her cell to track her down haha very very frustrating but we are going to go to her street and knock every door until we find news. and yeah no baptisms, no new investigadores, it is hard right now. but yeah we have interviews tomorrow with the presidente so that should get me fired back up haha we went go karting today. the zone leaders crashed into the tire wall and totally destroyed it haha sorry random but yeah i had to speak in church again yesterday. 25 minutes on la obra misional. probably the best talk i have ever written but yeah not the best presented ever haha i felt comfortable speaking and when i didnt know a word i would just turn around and ask the bishop. so yeah it was pretty cool.

so yeah i am going to go ahead and slowly being to wrap this up. I dont ahve many exciting stories this week. almost got eaten by a huge dog but that was about it. next week. hold it!! totally almost forgot! i married a preson this week haha or at least i was there and they were an investigadora and i payed for it! (800 pesos.. ridiculous) haha but yeah it was very, hold hands, this is what a marraige means and yeah sign here. haha regardless it was still very cool and i just hope mine is more exciting haha jk
it has rained for two days straight, bring on the sun. dont need portland right now. and yes mom another sweater would be wonderful!!! like just one to be in the house or even anther for the work. everything else is holding up pretty well.

alright guys im heading out. I love you all and hope to hear from you all again. do great and know that i and our loving Heavenly Father care and think about you often. i GET TO HELP WITH THE TEMPLE THIS WEEK!!! kind of excited haha ill tell you how it goes
to the moon and back...

con amor
Elder Westley G. Christensen
p.s. sometimes camping is fun?.... haha

viviendo la sueno.. Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 8:37 PM

2008-10-16T18:22:00.002-05:00

hey guys
so yeah it was another crazy monday, i want to send off a thing of letters, not through the pouch cause it is ridiculously slow, like 5 months, so yeah idk when im going to do that. so tay, t money sterl and nadar, it is all coming. i just dont know when haha. but i appreciate all of your letters and i hope that you are all doing very well

next, coop, my main man!!! the big 14 now, eso!! haha thats so terrrific man, im really pumped that you had such a cool birthday. i have had the pleasure to view a touch and idk, its a lot of money, but it can also be a great tool. just take care of it so i can steal it when i get home. but yeah your growing up man, its been a bummer not being able to be there for your last two birthdays but i want to let you know that i love you and think about you all the time. work on your patience and ability to talk with others, like mom and dad. that is what my president has me working on right now, patience, so if you can master it like i know you can, youre going to be a bomb missionary. which reminds me, yeah we need some help haha so if you guys want to fast as a family that would be awesome. we are working on a mom that needs a desire to be baptized. hermana gonzalez, i love her but she just doesnt see the importance. any help would be awesome

k my week really fast, this is ridiculous having to right this late and this little haha i know you will all understand hopefullly
so yeah i did have time to organize my thoughts so here it goes
wednesday we were in a lesson with a family and the hermano looks over and says, how are you feeling to me and i was like uh a little weird but nothing really and he pointed to his eye and i went to look in the mirror and my left eye had swollen, or the skin around it, till it was like four times the size of the other one haha i had a good laugh about it and took pictures which i will share later but yeah i just slapped an alovera leaf on it and the next morning it was great. i couldnt tell you what really happen haha apparently alo vera heals infects too, didnt know that

we are still with elder arnett. we have him again for this week because mexico has really closed the border to the US.

but yeah no new investigators and we had a baptism planned for this sunday but it fell through because we had interviews with the president which leads into my last story before i have to run

saturday we get told that we have interviews with the president, and not regular ones, with the president the next day. so we go to the offices and elder arnett talked first for an hour and comes out grinning praising the presidents name. he is going to be the same. elder tolosa next and an hour later comes out and i pick my back pack up to go and the president calls me over to his office. i was surprised cause they had told me that i wasnt going to talk with the president but yeah i go in and he is just like, how are you doing friend? and i am like, im doing pretty good president. and yeah we just had an awesome discussion about everything. the president was like are you a prefectionist? and yeah i expect alot of myself and hence others. and he was jsut like, when you came in the door i just saw a younger me and yeah you remind me alot of myself. obviously i had to brush my shoulder haha jk but yeah he just gave me a lot of advice, how i need to be able to control that... idk characteristic sometimes with others, because we all start from different points. and yeah he is just so cool and he was just saying all this stuff about me that he didnt know and was just like i feel that you have something to give elder tolosa, i wanted to change you two after that night but i feel that you need to give him something. and i had felt the same way and yeah haha it was an awesome experience. i truely love him and know that he is called of god. he ended with a elder, i know the language is difficult and if you are like me which you are, it is going to take a little bit longer, but i need to grow up quick. and he gave me a blessing and shook my hand.
one of the greatest men i know...
so yeah other news haha i ate cactus.. not as fun as it sounds haha it was ok, just kind of slimy. and yeah..... i cant think of anything else. danielle im sorry, its rough sometimes but when we are struggling we know that we are trying
i read my patriartical blessing. i cant spell, again and one line totally hit me in the face, speaking about my mission
broaden your shoulders, prepare yourself to be a light and stand to others, and do not fear man.
obviously it says it a lot cooler but that is the jist
dont be afraid to be amazing, president mendoza of south africa, look it up
and tay i wish i could write you something but i got to run. sorry you are wearing sweaters, i wore shorts and a t shirt and i was hot today haha
k i love you all and hope the best for you. thank you for your prayers and love, you are all an example to me. i know our savior lives and that he knows each one of us if we take the time to get to know him. happy birthday jen. to the moon and back.....

con amor
Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Westley! Sent: Tuesday October 7, 8:15am

2008-10-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

hola familia
k yeah so i know that it is tuesday and i was supposed to write yesterday
but yeah yesterday was lame haha transfers and nonsense all day long and
than i didn´t have time to write back to any of your emails. i´m pretty
sure i´m not breaking any rules by writing because it wasn´t my choice not
to write and it´s a requirement that i write my family every week so here i
am haha no i´m here not only because it is a requirement haha love you
guys. sorry about the stress to everyone that was concerned, mom. but yeah
i´m just going to go ahead and talk about my week real fast and yeah great
stuff.
we can start with yesterday because it was the most interesting. cambios,
or transfers, came in on sunday night and they were my first. i´can´t
believe that i have been in mexico for 6 weeks, i still feel like i don´t
know anything. that is because i don´t haha but yeah so elder tolosa and i
are still together and he is still the district leader. but two of the
five americans from my zone went home this week. elder doyle, who i
liked and was my zone leader and elder hewirzon or something haha i didn´t
know him very well but they were good. they were really excited to go home
though, like elder doyle just got in the car and wanted to leave without
saying bye or pictures and it just made me wonder how i´m going to feel
when i´m done, whether the president is going to have to box me up to get
me out of here or i´ll be like them. i´m hoping the first but as of right
now that´s not really it. but i expect that to change. other cambios,
elder arnett the other american in my district, his companion the one that
i went to the df with and is yeah.. needs to go home, got transfered but
elder arnett stayed and is going to be a dad!! to an american!! very
exciting because i won´t be the baby anymore haha but yeah they are having
visa problems still so it could be a week before he comes. thus elder
arnett is pulling a kind of threesome with us during the morning and
evening but on splits with members during the day. i´m just hoping that i
know more spanish than the new kid haha that could be another humbling
experience haha but elder arnett will be good, he is kind of like uncle
aaron football type doesn´t put up with crap. oh yeah new zone leader,
amercian , elder brown, i like him but it is his first time as zl so we
will have to see how he does. we also have hermanas again... but they are
not in my district haha i didn´t mean anything by that at all. yesterday
we just had to carry their beds from the zl house to their new house on our
backs to two miles. good memories. i enjoyed it.
our investigadores, i can´t spell in english haha but yeah found ivonne,
the single mom, and yeah doesn´t want anything to do with us. i think her
ex had something to do with it but whatever. elder tolosa didn´t seem to
mind much and my zone for the most part didn´t seem to mind that we were
the lowest baptizing zone in the mission. yeah... idk it´s way frustrating,
but í´m going to make the best of the next six weeks because i´m not going
to have a mediocar, i dont know how to spell, mission. idk, elder tolosa
and i have to have a heart to heart here pretty soon. other investigadores,
wendy, from the familia mota has become the most interested in our message
so yeah we are hoping to have a baptism this week with her and her
daughter, the rest of the family... yeah we need to work harder. haha sigh
haha familia gonzalez, idk what´s happening, we have taught all the lessons
and they love us but the mom is this like, why is this important to me? so
yeah, but i felt a couple impressions last night to bear my testimory to
her that this is the greatest gift that we have to offer. we will see how
it goes. and yeah we have a couple new families but nothing really serious.
i tracted for 6 hours every day last week, knocked soo many doors with so
many nos, but yeah i liked it haha
so yeah two funny stories really fast, once during one of my 6 hour
tracting i was talking to this lady and i felt something touch my head so i
thought it was a butterfly or whatever, its mexico haha and so i brushed it
off. and i´m still talking and it touches my head again and so i brush it
off again and thus as the conversation is coming to an end the thing full
on grabs my head and i freak out! i´m all waving my arms and my backpack is
going everywhere and im making weird sounds and i look up to see a branch
perfectly placed to my height rocking back and forth. needless to say the
lady left the crazy american alone...haha
second, we were coming back from a lunch appointment and i was eating an
apple and was at the core . we happened to be in a park at the time with
basketball hoops and so i tell elder tolosa to watch and of course i make
it from the courner like kobe and i keep walking trying to be humble about
it. however... there was a lady cop that happened to be sitting in her
truck doing nothing and felt the need to tell me to go pick up my trash
from the pile of trash that it eventually landed in and dispose of it
properly. that apple core could have fed a starving dog. haha elder tolosa
had a good laugh about it.
so yeah little side note, we got a cell phone from the president because he
gave them to all the district leaders. elder tolosa is like a little kid
with a game boy, haha sometimes i want to step on it. but yeah if you ever
want to hit us up with a text the number is... no se crea! haha i´m still
fighting the good fight.
general conference
amazing haha i don´t know if it was just because i am on a mission or in
mexico or something but the parts that i heard were amazing. i saw parts
for two reasons. first it was in spanish for the saturday session. oh
yeah totally watched the saturday sessions for the first time in my life,
they are actually really good too haha should have watched those more when
i was younger... but yeah we eventually got a tv for the americans to watch
it english and that´s when i was like wow this is amazing. in spansih i
could understand the jist of what they were saying and with one translator
that i loved, understood all, but it just didn´t have the say effect. it´s
like the translators eat the mike and try to talk haha but it was great.
sunday the tv was taken to be used in another classroom for everyone that
came. i mean people were sitting in the hall, floor, anywhere you could
fit a person in the stake center. and thirty minutes into it, the power
went out... it happens here randomly, like the water haha but yeah i didn´t
watch any except the first and last thirty minutes on sunday. going to have
to wait for the ensign. but yeah the parts i liked, yes talyre the
childerns choir, i was just wondering if the passed out juice or something
to keep them awake haha and yeah i gues dad and coop with have to explain
and a young gentleman from byu but the first presidency in the priesthood
session. i can´t describe it. it felt like ever talk was directed at me
and freaking rocked. the submarine, i command you to turn around! bein
chito. and president monson, the three things we need to do, do what you
need to do, be what you need to be and yeah great stuff, i´m looking
forward to studying more when the ensign comes.

and mom i am on the look out for a package, we have a zone conferecnce
manana so maybe.. haha no but sometime soon hopefully.
k i got to run but i love you all and that reminds me, danielle, sometimes
we need to change a little bit of our imperfections before we can hope for
more from others. have patience with crazy people. i mean look at me haha
i meant my companion. i can always do better.
and jen and coop, sorry about the stress but you´re both amazing, keep it
up. i´m thinking of a jersey for coop and idk for jenny. so coop, look up
on ps2 the mexicna soccer clubs and see which one you like. and jenny,
anything haha and the jerseys are around 500 pesos.. yeah so mom and dad
haha
k really i got to go but i love you all so much with all of my heart and i
pray for you ofter. you are my foundation.
to the moon and back...

con amor
Elder Westley Gene Christensen

Re: Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 4:31 PM

2008-09-29T20:33:00.002-05:00

hola famlia
well can´t lie, i loved getting letters from everyone this week, it was just one of those weeks haha but yeah sounds like cooper is doing great in soccer, always proud of that as long as he isn´t haha jk but bien hecho hermano keep up the hard work. Jenny, sounds like everything is going well for you and britton and thank you for the encouragement. before i forget, what do you two want for your birthdays. cause i´m hoping to send a package home like next cambio, transfer, or at least before christmas, which reminds me that i still need to get dad something, and no don´t argue, just let it happen and help me out with some suggestions haha you can even help pay for them if you want haha jk but yeah we will see what happens when i start collecting things. and danielle, sounds like you are rocking school which is good to hear. i´m holding back calling nmsu a high school haha jk its wonderful and just keep up the hard work. glad to hear you are making friends with your roomates, and yeah, never be afraid to go home to mom and dad, they are pretty good too.
so ill just mention these two things write now. first we had a meeting with the president on tuesday that i´ll talk about more later but he told us a couple of things. first that we are allowed to go to some tourist cites once in our mission. they are as follows teotihuacan, zocalo, y parque chapultepec. so yeah if you could just look those up for me and give some suggestions about which ones i should see and when that would be cool haha second the whole meeting was about leadership and obidience and yeah it ends up that i can only write my family emails. thanks guys
life in the mission haha
last monday the elders had a soccer game with a bunch of little mexican kids and you can guess it we won 9-10 haha it was a hard faught match but in the end, the righteous prevailed haha k sorry that was dumb
so right this last martes we had a special leadership meeting with the president for all current and future leaders, haha no not for me, my companion is district leader but yeah i went and sat in and all that good stuff but it was pretty over my head in spanish. like i´m learning more and more every day and i understand what people are saying for the most part but speaking and when they talk fast are still problems haha anyways i was trying to understand. it was way intense but completely awesome. all of the older missionaries are having trouble with the transition of presidents but i think now they know this president is for serious. i have a lot of respect for him. i also got to see elder heap for the first time since we split but it was a hand shake and a see you later cause he was going from a meeting as i was coming but hopefully i will get to see him again soon.
so this week in the work. we have no new investigadores, we found a lot of ex members that dont like us much but yeah it was pretty frustrating and it came out with elder tolosa and i getting into a lot of arguements. idk we can both do better.
ivonne, our single mom, is officially hiding from us. not helping the fustration haha but yeah she saw us the other day up the street and got in a taxi and drove the other way. so yeah idk what we aregoing to do with that. the family gonzalez the ones i love are on pause because the mom is having doubts about why the restored gospel is important so they are on pause. they are getting a lot of pressure too from their families, very catholic, it is frustrating haha but idk what to do, im thinking back to the basics, prayer and fasting. and thanks tay for your contribution, youre great.
pues nothing really happened the later end of the week, it was just cold haha i didnt see the sun for three days haha but today was flaming hot so yeah its all over the place. but yeah saturday, that was an adventure. we had a baptism planned in our chapel for that night and we showed up in morning to see the font had not drained from the last baptism i had performed the last week haha cause in mexico its too hard to just have gravity grain it for you, no you need a pump to suck it all out. yeah wasnt working this week haha so with four red buckets, and a solid hour and a half of sweat and effort we we able to pour all the water from the font to a toilet haha i enjoyed it. that is why im here, to work. whatever type it may be haha so yeah we had another baptism this week, another hijo of a previous inactive member that we brought back. alberto federico alva mora, and i did it again! but this time we get in the font and the doors to the font are closed and than the crazy kid goes, i don´t want to do this right anymore, he is nine haha i was like what? but we worked it out with another elder and we did the ordinance and i had to do it twice because his feet shot up haha but it was good and that we went to kfc after to celebrate! haha not my favorite but i ate it. domingo, another adventure. had to wake up at 430 to start the font for a baptism at 8 for my favorite family every, the family soto, love them. we had their two kids scheduled for that morning. but yeah we had to leave at 430 on a 30 minute walk to the chapel cause taxis are not same at that hour and i didn´t have my sweater cause an elder stole it from me haha so i had an old mexican blanket around my top and my bronco plad sweats on the bottom haha great times. but yeah their baptisms were amazing. the dad did it and i was standing in the restroom on the sideline coaching haha it was great. jorge and mirian, love them. so yeah i didnt think that i had to do anything cause of the dad doing the ordinance and elder tolosa conducting and then the mom asks me to bear my testimony... simple but sweet. just my style haha im not going to say i cried cause i didnt but.. yeah love that family.
just to clarify for everyone, 15th de septimbre is the day of independce, cinco de mayo is not a national holiday haha i was shocked as well.
k i love you all and pray for you often. thanks for everything and i´ll be looking for the package soon i think. love you all!! to the moon and back...

con amor
Elder Christensen

One baptism done, hundreds to go Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 5:11 PM

2008-09-22T20:31:00.002-05:00

hola everyone
well Im a little short on time right now so i cant write a whole lot to your emails but i did get them and they are all wonderful, sounds like everyone and everyteam is rocking which is always good news. so im going to just start with the beginning of the week and go from there and possibly answer some questions on the way.
lunes
so yeah we had the biggest national holiday in mexico. biggest disappointment ever haha i mean there was noise all night but it wasnt anything that i was expecting. it didnt help that it was raining... again... i could totally live in portland after this haha its ridiculous but yeah so mention on the disobient side, we were suppposed to be in our apartment by 6.
martes
we had surprise interviews with the president on tuesday, mine consided of, yeah this mission is in the hole with dissobientience and that the new americans that havent been affected yet are the ones that need to make the change, so yeah it was kind of a heavy discussion but i like my president very much, and really he was just asking me to be strong. most of the elders dont like him however which is the problem. also tuesday i had pig skin stew.. yeah way gross. felt like eating straight chewy fat but elder tolosa gave me the eye so i ate the whole thing. not going to miss that
miercoles
we totally have a new awesome family, the motas, five girls, a grandmother three daughters and a granddaughter. they love us and ask loads of questions that are rreally good and we had them pray about our message right there and susan the oldest daughter stopped the the prayer and struggled to the end and with tears told us that she felt the love of her heavenly father. its those moments that make it all worth it. only problem is they smoke like chimneys... yeah we are working on it.
jueves
went to the df with all my buddies from the mtc to finish our visas, love seeing them and hearing their experiences, i have seen everyone except elder heap. he is out there, but yeah it was great to see them and i saw elder ashcraft again... haha yeah so he had a huge scab on his head from getting hit in the head by a firework on the 15th.. he told people he ran into a pole but elder memmott told me the truth. to say i enjoyed it is to put it lightly haha good times. that morning i did lunges too... worst decision ever, totally almost died, couldnt walk for days after haha everything hurt. im going to wait for the next attempt
viernes sabado
i had my firt baptism! i performed it and did it perfect the first time. we had eight planned for this week and yeah people felt pressure from family or didnt show, very discouraging, i was ready to call quits cause i was so frustrated cause i know it has to do with our my companions disobiendience. idk, i can always do better too
domingo
well yeah appartently every third sunday the missionaries speak for the duration of sacrament, which has a lot to hyms, but noone to play the piano. so yeah i talked about prayer for 20 minutes in spanish with a lot of stuttering and blank looks but elder tolosa said that everything made sense so i felt better. it was intense though haha also am learning how to play the piano again, because we have two hours of church meeting that we dont have anything so i went and played closer my god to thee for an hour. i dont want to brag but its pretty awesome. haha no but with practice.
ok packages are a no go, i dont have an address yet and the one you have is wrong so yeah tomorrow maybe ill talk to someone. money is simple, the first day they gave us a debit card and we get about 900 pesos for the month, which i learned a little late so now i have 50 for the rest of the month haha totally doable, im not worried.
alright im off to a meeting but i love all of you and im glad you are all doing great things, dad great job on the raise and cooper, goals are great, but making others better is what makes a great team. i know you know that and i trust you are doing your best. you are all amazing and wonderful and i am working hard to be the missionary you and our heavenly father want me to be.

con amor
elder christensen

The First Mexico Letter Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 5:00 PM

2008-09-15T18:10:00.001-05:00

I am having the worst possible luck with computers, i was about to send this ridiculously long one with everything that i wanted to say and than the power went off.. I hate myself but here is my second try, so sorry
last week I had to go to the actual Mexico city to finish my visa papers and yeah we got back and elder tolosa was being dumb and we had no time to send anything so that's what happened
i love your letters and I'm glad that everyone is doing well and i wrote you all something but yeah frustrating haha
I'm going to abbreviate everything that i said before really fast cause I'm running out of time again, so we have some pretty awesome investigators. one single mom loves us and had a really rough life before she met us and it was all because of her ex husband and yeah really bad stuff, the gospel does truly find the meek and humble but yeah she knows that our message is true but the only hurdle that we have faced is the law of chasity.. yeah kind of ironic because it is with her terrible ex husband so yeah that is kind of a downer but just like in track you have to kick down and keep going, it doesn't have to be pretty but it just has to work. she is set to be baptized this Saturday with another family, gonzalez, family of four and wonderful, the dad let us in and cried the first time that we sang and prayed for his family, they have the most awesome little boys but yeah i love them. and the last ones are an inactive family where the dad wants to baptize the kids but wasn't worthy so we are working with them to make it happen. the family soto, i can not express how much I love everything about them!! ahah but really their little boy, so tight, i taught him how to pound it with the knuckles and explode, we are close haha and i totally cried twice in one lesson. elder tolosa refused to teach the lesson, which he does when he wants me to practice my Spanish but yeah i taught about testimonies and than we practiced bearing them because the next Sunday was fast Sunday, i totally cried when the mother, who knows the gospel is true but quiet about it i guess, bore her sweet and simple testimony. I don't cry!! haha ok well i do but not for other peoples testimonies haha but i cried again when Jorge the little boy blessed the food cause he totally messed it all up but I felt the love and the effort so much, he was all embarrassed but I gave him a knuckle and it was all good again, I love them!!!
the food is OK, haha im probably not going to miss it as of right now, there have been some plates that i have enjoyed but really it is all kind of bland, and hot haha but i like it enough, I have tried everything that has been placed in from of me and the only really crazy thing so far has been cow nerves in vinager.... yeah gross and i had to have seconds ahah but it was worth the experience?... no haha my apartment is pretty sweet, i enjoy it except when elder tolosa sets off fireworks haha i try to tell him to stop. Mexican independence day today, supposed to be two days of noise and alcohol haha cant wait. but yeah my mission is one of the highest baptizing missions in the world and probably one of the most disobedient.... it is frustrating but i will be the missionary mom thinks that I am =)
K i got to jet but I love you all and you are all very wonderful. i live in coacalco or heroes coacalco, mexico. the packages, just send ups to my mission home or a members home but I haven't worked that out. we don't have maids, only members that clean our clothes.
k really i love you all and sorry about the letter again, i will get better at it
love love love

elder christensen