Week 46 -D&C 42:6 what's your verse?!

Loved ones,

I LOVE serving in the YSA branch. This week has truly been the most
overwhelming, stressful, joyful and successful week of my mission. The
field really is "white already to harvest". And boy have Sister
Kutterer and I have been doing our best to thrust in our sickles with
all our might! It's been amazing! She is such a dedicated and hard
working missionary and makes up for what I lack. I'm learning so much
from her!

We've seen too many miracles to count. Mom mentioned in her letter how
nice it will be to hear these experiences in person and I agree. Most
of these will have to wait until then! But I'll share a few.

Tuesday during lunch we were talking with Sister Fuller and Sister
Jacobs about different ways we could "get in the door" and have
powerful first contacts. After lunch we began walking up to UGA
campus. We noticed a young man holding a flower. I LOVE flowers so of
course we had to stop him and talk to him about it. Once we broke the
ice we began to get to know him and his beliefs. At that point he
invited us to step under the shade of a tree nearby. He opened up to
us and told us how he was atheist his freshman year of school but all
that changed when he said a prayer and a friend reached out and
invited him to come to bible study with him. He expressed how he had
to search for a church he felt comfortable in and why he liked the one
he was attending now. We shared a verse from the Book of Mormon that
went along with what he enjoyed about his church and said how we enjoy
the same things! He was skeptical about the Book of Mormon but we
testified of it and invited him to learn more. Thursday he met with us
and a member. We taught him the restoration and asked the member to
reach the great apostasy. It went so smoothly! At the end we had him
read Moroni's promise. He was super impressed and wanted to read more.
He also came to church this Sunday. It was incredible! He said at his
church just the preacher stands up and talks and maybe the other
members of the congregation read scriptures. Coming to church with us
made him feel like he needed to share his testimony! We told him we
would be sharing ours this Sunday and invited him to share his! He is
visiting his family this weekend but said he will next time for sure!
He is preparing to be baptized at the end of July. This church is
true. It is organized exactly the way the Lord would have it be
organized!

We have been meeting with Jennifer for a few weeks now. She was found
at a booth on campus. We happened to have a RM that served in Brazil
with us that day and he was able to begin talking to her in Portuguese
and set up an appointment with her. She speaks English pretty well. So
we've been able to have successful lessons with her. One of our
meetings we found out she had forgotten to read the Book of Mormon. We
truly were sad about it. We began reading a chapter for our lesson.
After we had read and bore testimony of what we had read we invited
her to be baptized. She said she would if she came to know it was true
but wanted to keep reading and praying because she wasn't sure. We
began texting her every day to remind her to read and pray and one day
she said "You don't need to remind me anymore. I'm remembering every
day :)." Our hearts about burst out of our chests! Sunday after church
we met with her. She told us how she understands the Book of Mormon in
English when she meets with us but absolutely needs to read in
Portuguese at home. We asked her if she has been praying to know if
the Book of Mormon is true. She immediately starting beaming!!! She
smiled so big and softly said "yes, it's true". I was overcome with
joy! To see her humbly and sincerely gain a testimony of the
truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is probably one of the best days of
my life. I love her. I know she will be baptized and I know she will
continue to gain a testimony of the truths the gospel of Jesus Christ
offers. I love having the privilege to witness these sweet beautiful
moments! I love being a missionary!

We should have a baptism this weekend. Keep Sam Lummus in your prayers.

I love all y'all!

❤️
Sister Christensen

Zombie Donuts 🍩

I love the south!




Sent from my iPad

I'm doing this with Bre weekly so I thought I'd share it with y'all ❤️.

Monday: a girl in the branch made us dinner and gave us flowers.
They're still on our table at home.
Tuesday: we read Alma 32 with Jennifer and watched "Mountains to
Climb". She said it was just what she needed and we were all crying.
We got to know the names of her family and began praying for them
everyday.
Wednesday: we met with Sister Mingledorf she's in her 80's and I love
old people.
Thursday: SO GOOD! Ryan really opened up. Trina accepted a baptismal
date. Ronnie's doubts about the Book of Mormon left!
Friday: Missionary Leadership Council. I love my mission president. He
reminds me of my dad/grandpa combined.
Saturday: Ora. She is old and doesn't remember anything that we say
and gets super distracted. When I shared the first vision with her. We
made eye contact the entire time and she started to glow with the
spirit and smile. It was amazing. She might not understand in this
life but I can't wait until she can accept it in the next!
Sunday: Jennifer saying she new the Book of Mormon was true and 5
investigators coming to church!

This came to Janna last week:

Hi Janna,

I am in the Allatoona Ward here in Woodstock, GA, where your daughter has been serving the past 6 months. I just wanted you to know that she is a fabulous missionary and has done so much good work here. She has been an especially great influence on my 16-year-old daughter, taking her out with them to teach, letting her know of her personal love and interest. When she is in our home, she always makes sure to leave a spiritual message that is thought provoking and real. On Easter, she gathered us all in a testimony meeting, right here in the family room, that was deeply touching and memorable and included a new convert friend, my visiting nephew, and our family.

Thank you for raising Riley so well, for supporting her in this important work, and for sharing her with us for this brief time. We love and appreciate her.

Love in Christ,

Lisa Garfield

Week 45 - Alma 38:5 What's your verse?!

Loved ones,

It was hard to say goodbye to everyone in Allatoona. But I got to hold
a baby pig yesterday so that made up for it haha.

I have almost survived a week on campus! We are actually covering a
family ward as well and it's been nice. I still get to have my heart
to hearts with wise individuals over the age of 31. It's the best.

The sisters here have been teaching a few really wonderful people. One
young man named Sam emailed the Institute president asking for a
triple combination(The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and
The Pearl of Great Price). He started meeting with the sisters May
19th and is going to be baptized next Saturday July 2nd (Grandma Mac's
bday!). Drew wrote me last week with words of encouragement about
those that are really looking for truth and wanting to change. Sam is
definitely one of them and there are many more.

I have been struggling with a lot of my insecurities since being here.
Have you ever met someone that you know is absolutely amazing and
wonderful and you just clam up and get off on the wrong foot? That's
what happened with the family of the former branch president. Nothing
huge but I just couldn't be myself or be anything but silent. Walking
in to the tiny branch and being close knit and having the Sacrament
passed was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. Seeing
the way the priesthood holders took care and had reverence for that
sacred ordinance was amazing to me. A young man stood up to give his
farewell talk after having been baptized two years ago. My heart was
so full. Then President Joyner got up and spoke as if he was speaking
directly to me (I know I wasn't the only one feeling that way). He was
bold and loving and the spirit bore witness to me that I am supposed
to be in this place at this time while he is the branch president.
Have all my insecurities gone away? No. But I know we are giving
weakness so that we may become stronger (Ether 12:27). I am humbled by
the responsibility the Lord has placed on my shoulders. I am thankful
for the support He has placed around me.

I love all y'all!!

❤️
Sister Christensen

Woodstock District (plus a zone leader and his companion)


Matching shoes with Sister Giddins. I misssss her!

Who needs babies when you can have a pig?!







Sent from my iPad

Week 44 - Alma 1:26 What's your verse?!

Loved ones,

The time has come... I am leaving Allatoona. I will be going to serve
on UGA campus in the YSA branch. It's pretty much my worst nightmare
haha but I know it's all part of the Lords plan for me.  My new
companion will be Sister Kutterer! She was one of the sisters I met
before the mission with Elder Woodwell and Sister Hosman! She replaced
me in Lilburn and has been on UGA for just the last transfer. Sister
Giddins began her mission there so she is telling me all about it. I
think the Branch Presidents wife is the woman I met while we were at
church in Nauvoo!! Crazy! I will miss Sister Giddins terribly. She has
been a huge blessing to me and will be a friend forever.

This past week was pretty great in Allatoona. Friday we went over to a
less active members house we've been working with for the past 4
months. We work in her yard every Friday. This week it was 104 degrees
while we were working. We were a little toasty! I actually used a
machete to cut her grass! Turns out you don't need to go to Argentina
to use a machete you just need to go to the backwoods of Georgia!
After we had worked we came inside to watch the first 15 minutes of
the film Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration. Her 9 year old
daughter and her two friends were watching something else but they
agreed to watch it with us. As Sister Giddins was plugging in her iPad
and waiting for me to finish popping popcorn Mya saw the Salt Lake
temple that was Sister Giddins background on her iPad and said to her
friends "See that beautiful castle? It's called the temple." After we
watched the first 15 min we discussed it with them all. One of Mya's
friends really had a lot to say about the clip. She recognized that
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith and felt so
bad that people were so mean to him. We asked them if they would pray
to Heavenly Father to know if that really happened and they all
agreed. I asked them how Joseph Smith prayed and how we should pray
(trying to get them to say a kneeling prayer with us). Mya's friend
told us we should open our hearts to God. Wow. Hopefully they will be
there again on Friday.

We went knocking on doors right after that. We were pretty bold
telling people we have been praying to find those searching for truth
and wanting to follow Jesus Christ and asking them if it's them. We
had a lot of quick no's or no opening of the door but that's okay! We
met one man that told us his dad is a Mormon. He said his grandfather
had passed away and his grandmother was praying for help. She got up
off of her knees to open the door to two Mormon missionaries. They
never went hungry. He however was not interested at the moment.
Eventually we came across Rodney and Maggie. We asked Rodney the same
question and he said yes. His wife and his daughter had recently
passed away and he is now raising his 8 year old granddaughter on his
own. She is so sweet! She looks just like Shirley Temple! He invited
us back and we went with a member that had both of her parents pass
away in the last two weeks. They were able to find peace and comfort
in the Plan of Salvation and Sister Fagre was able to testify with
great power that it is true! We sang Families Can Be Together Forever
for them too. It was so special. I love being a missionary. It's the
most beautiful experience to see hope and peace come into people's
lives. Jesus Christ lives and is the center of this happy, beautiful,
wonderful plan!

I've been studying integrity a lot. It's a quality I am striving to
posses. Jesus Christ is our perfect example.

I love all y'all.

Dad. Thanks for being the best. I almost said "I'll be singing along
with the primary kids on Sunday". But I'll be in a YSA branch.. So
I'll be singing in my heart! I love you!

❤️
Sister Christensen

Marietta East Zone

Lazer tag for Sisters preparation day

💕

Week 43 - Moroni 7:33 What's your verse?

Loved ones,

I forgot to tell y'all last week!! I saw a lighting bug for the first
time!! They are quite possibly the cutest creatures ever!! I am in
love with them! Sister Giddins and I were sitting on the bench outside
of our leasing office talking about them one evening and out of
nowhere this little lighting bug appears literally right in front of
our faces and lights up! It danced around us for awhile and lit up for
us. I saw it as a little gift from Heavenly Father. I love Him.

As the days go on I am starting to feel I don't have much more time
here in Allatoona. Whether it's another week or another 7 weeks it's
still a little emotional. I am trying to soak up everything I love
about this place and reflect on what I have learned and the people
that have touched my life in so many ways. I know the Lord has been
eagerly involved in my time here.

We had 20 less active members at church Sunday. 20!!! We received
counsel from President Bennion to share our testimonies and invite
people to come hear them in Sacrament meeting. We invited everyone we
could think of and everyone the Lord placed in our path. We still
didn't have an investigator but we had so many of the less active
members that we have worked with come. And one sister even stood and
shared her testimony as well. It was a huge tender mercy. The closing
song in church on Sunday was "God Be with You Till We Meet Again". I
was sitting in the back of the chapel and I saw so many wonderful
children of Heavenly Father that I have grown to love so much. As we
have come together and worked together we have seen many miracles in
this beautiful place. I was quite emotional. I have been so incredibly
blessed. There have been days when it's really hard and there have
been days when we can't fathom all the Lord was able to accomplish
through us. I know he has been right by my side every step of the way
and will continue to do so while I am here and where ever else he
calls me to go.

I love all y'all!
❤️
Sister Christensen

That little yellow light smudge is the lighting bug 😍.

Sister Barben 💕
We were driving down to Missionary Leadership Council talking and
laughing and the next thing I knew I had peeled the entire orange in
one piece! Pretty cool, huh?
!