3 White Shirts and a Bus Ride

hey fam!

I cannot believe it is November.  Where has the time gone? We had a wonderful week full of tricks and treats.... on Tuesday we were in Sipocot for exchanges.  We counted the exchanges as very successful because we found wonderful Witches Hats for 20 pesos.

While we were there we were able to teach one of their investigators who is getting married next week.  This is someone you may not picture passing the sacrament on Sunday in a white shirt and tie. But there hanging in their small one room home are 3 white shirts and ties - cleaned and ready for this coming Sunday.  This man has an incredible knowledge of the gospel and a strong testimony of the restoration.  I am so grateful the gospel that helps us to see new light, to find hope in darkness and become a little bit better each day. 

The bus ride from Sipocot to Daet is a three hour ride and buses here can pack 10 times as many people into a 10 times smaller spot. Sister B and I had to split up because there weren't two chairs next to one another.  I ended up squishing in the middle of two mothers. One mother had a three year old boy sitting on her lap and an 8 month girl in her arms. The other one had 3 children waiting for her at home. As we talked I found out that both of them had met missionaries before and knew a little bit about the church.  We got on to the topic of the temple and how families can be an eternal unit.  The woman with two children in her arms looked into my eyes and her face changed. It was the same change I have seen in other investigators... it is what the church leaders talk about when they say investigators will hear an echo of a testimony they once knew. We referred them to the elders and hopefully they will be able to recall that testimony they once had. 

 

We had a curfew nearly every day this week because of the election and then because of All Souls Day and All Saints Day. We had to be in the apartment by 6p.m. because by 6p.m. No matter what time of year it is here it gets dark by 6:00 p.m.  Because we were cooped up in our apartment for hours on end we bought a squash and carved it for Halloween.  The sisters had never seen that before and they loved it! Then we paraded around our apartment taking pictures. Somehow the Santa hats came out and were thrown into the mix and more pictures were taken.  It was a great Halloween. 

Will’s first email from Chile killed me. Hopefully he can figure out the translator thing.

Congratulations to Sara!! ahhhh. I love England. I may have to be the one that comes to pick you up. That is so fun. You are going to love it and be a wonderful missionary. Yeah for three- missionary families. 

Well in this month of gratitude, I am so grateful for this gospel and the purpose it brings to my life. I am grateful to be here and be a representative of my savior. I am grateful to know of a loving heavenly father and a loving son and their wonderful plan for us. I am grateful for you and your love and support. I hope you have a wonderful week. 

Love from the pines,

Sister Christensen