Wonderfulness

Hello My loving family,

This week has been wonderful. Full of trials but also full ofa great amount of blessings. I have grown so much but I do not have a lot of time to talk right now. I will firstly tell you about my wonderful companion. I thought I had told you already but apparently not. My companion's name is Elder Burton. He is from Provo and he and I already learned quite a bit of Mandarin before coming out here. I love my companion and he and I have been through a lot together. Many blessings have been given and received and a great deal of strength has been gained. He and I started a new study plan last week where we would pray to receive revelation to know what to study that will best help each other and then we would study for about 5 min. We would then teach eachother according to the promptings of the spirit and we both found a great deal of support and strength from those lessons. Also this week I took the advice of a leader who talked during a Sunday Fireside about Likening the scriptures. As I have read the scriptures I would then take apart what I read and apply it to myself and to someone I thought of. Ether 12 and Alma 34 were incredible to go through. I am so sorry that I don't have anymore time to write more today was a long day. I know that there is a real power in the Atonement and I know that the work I have been called to along with many others will not end until all have been preached to. This work is real and the sooner we sacrifice our lives to teaching others about the gospel the sooner we will receive the blessings of joy that a pronounced in the scriptures. I know that this church is true and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen,

Sincerely,

Joey Christensen

Having a Great Birthday!

Hey my loving wonderful family :)

I am having a great birthday :) Today I was able to go to the temple again and put Uncle Bob's name on the roll. I am happy to hear of any improvement but I am sure that Uncle Bob is scared. I pray for you all as often as I can. This week I read through Ether 12 because mom wrote about it in her letter last week. I loved reading through it. I learned a great amount about faith, hope, and charity and the way they all work together. I am bummed since I can't see any of the pictures you sent me :( The computer I am on won't allow it. I also realized today that I leave the MTC in about 3 weeks. Ahhh I am excited and nervous at the same time. I cannot wait to get out of the MTC and move around. Today was such a beautiful day with a blue sky, bright sun, and a great warm temperature. I have been in a classroom so much that I forgot how incredible it is to be outside :(
Now, I just need to say I know that this gospel is true. I know that our Heavenly Father guides our life to better paths that bring us to be better people. The only way we do not change is if we don't allow God to do so. I know that faith is important. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love you all and wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Joey

Heavenly Father is intimately involved in our Lives

Hello my loving family,

I don't know why but I never receive the emails from you on dearelder until later on Monday and so I am unable to read how your week has been before I write you. I have had a challenging week but I have learned over this weekend that I was led to know what to do. First, my hamstring had a muscle spasm for a few days and was pulling my shin bone out of place a little. I am all better now though I only had to stretch a lot. Second, I didn't make very much progress on my Mandarin this week and was hardly able to speak a word in Mandarin when I wanted on Saturday. Saturday is the day that I am able to go and teach investigators the lessons. This week there was a real investigator from Taiwan and I had taught him before. It was a lot of fun and he is ready for baptism but needs that one extra push to accept a date to be baptized. I love this gospel and I have received some strength from Heavenly Father as to how I should go about trying to help Howard (the investigator) accept the commitment to be baptized.


I quickly skimmed over the email before I replied and saw that Uncle Bob is progressing slowly upward. So long as he continues to progress toward health nothing bad can happen :) I am glad to hear that mom is home safe. I really skimmed over the email, sorry. I know that Heavenly Father is intimately involved in our lives. He loves us so dearly and desires our happiness more than we realize. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and because of his struggle we have the truth restored to the earth never to leave again. I know that Christ lives and because of this I know that we can all be resurrected. I wish you all the best. I put Uncle Bob's name on the Temple roll again to add to the army praying for him. I love you all so much and I know that families can be together forever. I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and I am realizing the reality of this gospel and work more and more each day. I have finally set up a language and gospel study plan that will help me record my growth and I will be putting it into affect tomorrow. I love this gospel and I love you all. I am also very excited for you Sarah.

Sincerely,

Joey Christensen

I Love You All!

Hey there all,

I loved your added effort and I really loved Jeff's second letter ;) That was funny. Well really quickly I actually can't email Adam and Jake I can only write them a snail mail letter. But Amie sent me a package so I wrote the letters and put them in the letter to Amie for her to help me deliver. I love you all and thanks for your help though :) This week has been great. Again I didn't have time to read your letter before I had to come here. Sorry, I have a lot of stuff to do. Well, I am progressing well with the language. I have had a few problems though because I haven't had struggles with the language at all really until now I am finally hitting a wall and I need
to break it down. I really want to progress with the language.

Sarah: I am so jealous that you know how to make Dou Jiang and You Tiao. Oh
I love that stuff.

Audrey: I am sorry you hurt your foot.

Rebecca: I love you too.

Jeffrey: You are a funny kid.

Dad and Mom: That is great that you are having some great talks with Jeff and Bex. I am proud of them and I know that you are following the Spirit.

Sorry I don't have a lot of time. I planned on writing a letter to Uncle Bob now and so I want time to talk with him.

Sincerely,

Elder Christensen

The Lord Will Help Me and Strengthen Me

Hey Family,

SARAH that is soo awesome :D. I am way excited for you :) Okay really quickly I need to ask you mom and dad. Did you have a mission president in your mission named President Baker? He told me he had a couple of missionaries named Christensen and he said that he was there about the same time you were. If so he is my Branch President right now :) Well, This week has been awesome and hearing about Sarah's acceptance makes it even better. I am so happy for you Sarah and I know that you will do well. I am sorry I haven't been able to read the email yet. I haven't received anything from dear elder and I don't have time to read the email during the time allotted. I only skimmed over the first few sentences. I pray for Uncle Bob. I hope that he will be okay but I know that whatever happens Heavenly Father knows best.

As I said this week has been amazing. I have had a lot of powerful experiences with the Spirit and have loved every minute of being able to give my time to the Lord. I have been serving much more and always doing what I can to learn the language and learn more about the gospel to the point where I am able to teach with power. I have had my struggles but I am doing my best and know that whatever I do the Lord will help me and strengthen me. I pray for you all each day I know that your are a wonderful family. In know that this church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that through the power of God the Book Of Mormon was translated. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. If you want to be spiritually nourished to overflowing you can watch the past three years of talks given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Also, Watch the talks given by President Uchtdorf, President Eyring, and President Monson during their first General Conference as the First Presidency. They have wonderful messages that can give us a powerful testimony of the work of Jesus Christ. I love this gospel and I can promise you that it is true. If you don't believe me, try me ;) If you read the Book Of Mormon and pray with this question in mind: "Is the Church of Jesus Christ the only true church upon the earth?" Then I promise that the Spirit will "tell you in your mind and in your heart"(Doctrine and Covenants 8:2) if these things are true. The Spirit will give you an answer just pay attention to your feelings. This gospel is the only true chruch upon the earth and I will stand by this testimony until I die. I love you all. I pray for you.

P.S. I have a problem because I need to send a letter to Adam and Jacob Morey but I don't have their address. If you could send that to me I would be very grateful.

Sincerely,

Elder Christensen