"One shot kill" on my 21st Birthday..chalk one up to Drake & Josh . Jaci's Baptism - 9/22/12

This week was great!!! It started off super slow but as the week went on it got better! Monday night me and Elder Hoskins went on an exchange to my area and it was super fun! Tuesday we went over to this part member families house to see Larry! He is the non member and he sells scrap metal so he can make a living haha. so that day we drove with him to the scrap yard with 2 big trailers full of tin and watched this huge crane with big jaws pick up the scrap! it was way cool! he made just shy of $400 dollars. not bad! Our exchange didnt end until Wednesday morning.. it was a little longer than a normal exchange but it was nice because it gave us a break from our companions!! haha. We met up at this place called Waffle House and had breakfast there. it was really good!

 We are teaching an 18 year old kid named Alex and he got interested in the church from his friend who converted about a year and a half ago. He has a lot of questions and seems to be seeking for truth sincerely! Thursday we taught the Bruce family and had the Ramos' come with us. We went in to teach them the Law of Chastity, Tithes and Offerings and Prayer and Bro. Ramos Highjacked the lesson and that was kind of irritating! we only got to talk about the law of chastity but oh well.. you can't always get what you want! Friday we were in Dallas all day for a specialized training. It was a long day but i really enjoyed it because i got to see my Trainer Elder Sinclair who i basically talk to on the phone every night and i also got to see a lot of other missionaries which was way cool!

Saturday was a great day.. and Happy Birthday to me also haha:) Saturday morning we had a baptism for my new convert Jaci Laster! The baptism was scheduled for noon but the Branch President was late and we didn't get started till about 12:30! Also President Durrant said he was going to come and he was running late too so we started the baptism and President Durrant still wasn't there.. but when i was standing in the water with Jaci.. as soon as the Font doors opened up. There was President and Sister Durrant.. That made me a little nervous but I Baptized Jaci on the first try.. One Shot One Kill! Later that day we saw a ton of other less active members and then since it was my birthday we decided to go to the best restaurant ever! Carinos!!! and i had the best dish there ever too! The Chicken Scalloppini! Oh man it was so good! Considering it has been over a year and a half since i have had that!

Sunday was such a great day too! The lord is definitely blessing us because in the Mountain Creek ward.. We had a family of 4 come who are not members and she said she really wants to know more and become a member! That was so so so Awesome!! Jaci was running a little late to the YSA Branch and i was getting a little nervous. but she made it and she was confirmed a member of the church. She is way awesome and she already knows so much about the church! She actually started researching the church 4 years ago when she was 14. She was watching the nickelodeon's tv show Drake and Josh and i guess Josh said he wanted to go to Utah because everyone is super happy there.. So Jaci asked her dad what was in Utah and her dad said the Mormons! and that is how Jaci got interested in learning about the church! way cool huh?! She also got me a card for my birthday which was way nice of her:)

Dilan is turning 21 this week on 9/22/12!

I can't believe that 21 years have nearly flown by since this little pale, toe-haired kid graced our presence!  We've been through alot with this boy of very little fear everywhere from splitting his head open TWICE, surgically removed rocks from his forehead and ears (separate incidents), broken arms, who knows how many concussions and many bumps, bruises, cuts and more to even count!  There was a time when he was young when I swear I would get turned in by the emergency room for being a horrible mother and that I must be doing something to this child when I made monthly (if not more) visits to the ER or urgent care.

Well..he's already survived (barely) over a year on his mission in Dallas, Texas...notwithstanding he HAS had a few injuries from falling off a roof, bit by a dog among a few of them. Probably more that he hasn't told me about.  Through it all, we are very proud of Dilan and how he has been able to use his personality to teach many without fear of failing.  He isn't afraid to open his mouth and share what he strongly believes to be true!  He is being an EXCELLENT missionary because of his attitude and is an example to so many!

Dilan has shared many messages and stories with us that I have kept updated here in his blog over the last 14 months and I thought that anyone who would like to send him a piece of mail letting him know we are thinking of him on his birthday..I know he would love to hear from any of his friends. If you prefer to write a message here, I'd be happy to send it on to him since I'll be printing any messages and mailing tomorrow.  (the address below will be good for at least another 4 weeks till next transfer)

Address:
Elder Dilan Christensen
700 W Center St. Apt 264
Duncanville, TX 75116 

Feeding family of Raccoons and birthday week!

 

This week was a pretty good week! On Monday we got a new investigator for the young single adult ward and he was supposed to come to church yesterday but he didnt:/. Tuesday was transfer day and me or my companion wasnt getting transferred but we still went to the transfer meeting so he could get the new missionary training. He said that it really helped him and he liked it. This week we burned a lot of our miles on our car but thats okay.. it was all for a good cause! On Thursday we had a lesson with the Bruce family and they said they weren't ready for baptism unfortunately but we did teach the word of wisdom and that went pretty well.. Bro. Bruce said that he wasn't going to quit drinking coffee and tea just yet.. While we were teaching them a family of Raccoon's came to the glass door and was eating the cat food that sister Bruce puts out for them.. i guess she has been feeding them for 3 years.. and this is the 3rd generation. It was a little distracting though.

On Friday I went on an exchange with Elder Crockett my zone leader because he was going to be interviewing Jaci Laster for Baptism.. Of course she passed without no flaws and then we set up her baptism for this coming Saturday. I told her that we need someone to baptize her and i said that it would be a really awesome birthday present if I could do it on my birthday and she thought about it for a minute and said.. "That would be a really cool Birthday present! Okay! I want you to baptize me!" So this Saturday I will be baptizing Jaci on my birthday:) Later that night we went out with a member from the DeSoto ward and his name is Jeremy Sappington and he is way cool! He actually used to be a member of the Crip Gang.. We went to visit this media referral that we received earlier that day and it was for this girl named Lacy Long. The referral said. "my husband is LDS but i am not." so we went to visit with them and they have a FREAKING HUGE HOUSE! She drives around in a 2009 Nissan Skyline GTR and he drives a 2011 Porsche Panamera! I was almost coveting in a way.. but i didnt.. cause i dont wanna break the commandments:)! So we got to know them and she wants to learn more so we are going to teach them on Tuesday! Saturday was a day of YSA numbers.. We had a couple of lessons with YSA's and that night we got 2 new investigators who look like they are in their mid 20's but only 18 and 19! Their names are Alex & Samuel and we had a great Restoration lesson with them. We have a return appointment with them and hopefully that goes well too! Sunday was a great day of course but i was super tired!!

Mock teaching our investigator, "Mr. balloon head"

This last week has been great! Elder Toomey my "Greenie" is starting to fall into the missionary schedule and thats good.. hes still super obedient which isnt a bad thing . It was a slower week for us. We didnt do as much teaching but that happens every now and then. I went on an exchange Tuesday with my Zone Leader Elder Ricks... My old companion actually and we had a great time. This family that feeds us every Tuesday night was super happy to see him and they took us out to Ihop! That was good! This week i actually dropped 8 pounds because i am doing this shake drink called herbalife and it replaces 2 meals for the day and then i eat one serving at a members house. I am hoping to be a lot more skinnier for when i get home.. you wont even recognize me:)!

Since i am training i am having to do the 12 week program with my companion which is an extra hour of companionship study which isnt too bad. but we do a lot of role playing together and he struggles when i act as an investigator so i had this brilliant idea. I blew up this ballon to the size of a head and I drew a face on it and then i stuffed my sweatshirt with my pillow and put the balloon in the hoody.. So instead of my companion teaching me.. we both taught our balloon friend and i could tell how much more that helped him when we were working together as a companionship rather than one on one..

Our investigators that we have with baptismal dates are still going strong. All 3 of our dates are for September 22nd which i probably told you that in my last email but if not i am telling you again. Well they all are coming to church and i know one of them is going to go through just because of the way i feel about her progression. The other 2 are probably at a 75% right now of actually being baptized on the 22nd. So hopefully that happens. Church yesterday was great and this kid from the YSA named Cristian Mattoon gave his farewell talk because he leaves for his mission on Wednesday. It was an awesome talk and I think he will do great!

"Get baptized Maybe" VIDEO

I ran across this youtube video made by a missionary and thought it was too cute!
It made me think about Dilan and his time away from home and the sacrifices missionaries make for 2 years such as dogs chasing them, temptations, dear johns, no tv, no facebook, lazy companions but all for wonderful blessings they receive from serving and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.   I know he wouldn't trade his experience for the world!  Check it out! He even mentions BOISE!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WduxkDRo0A

Missionary meets sting ray - C R I K E Y!!

                                                                     

This week has been C-R-A-Z-Y! Like i told you in my last email.. I was going to get another companion which is my 3rd this transfer. Well i picked him up at the mission office on p-day and then we went to the Dallas aquarium. that was super fun and we got to see sharks and i touched some sting rays. i almost pulled a Steve Irwin.... Crikey!! but we are good.. I'm not injured or anything. Later that night we went to the YSA Family Home Evening and introduced Elder Toomey to the YSA.. On Tuesday we had the best district meeting ever. Elder Murdock the district leader has the funnest district meetings! We played powerade pong. its the same as beer pong but we played with powerade. and every time a team made the ping pong ball into one of the cups.. the other team had to answer questions from the Book of Mormon or Preach My Gospel! it was way fun. When we left District meeting Elder Murdock came with me and we went on an exchange. i was already getting annoyed by my companion! We made a Spud gun out of PVC pipe that day so we could use it for a visual lesson. that thing can launch a spud a good hundred yards i would think. we also made it to where it has interchangeable barrels so we can have a big barrel for launching potatoes and a small barrel for shooting Nerf darts super fast! we actually shot a member right in the gut that night and it instantly put a welt on him! hahaha! That was super funny! i have video of it too!!

My new companion .....

We did quite a bit of teaching this week and we actually set 2 baptismal dates for the 22nd with a part member family that we have been working with for the last couple of weeks! This sisters also passed off one of their investigators to us because she is YSA age and she has a baptismal date for September 22nd as well... My Birthday! so hopefully i will be having 3 baptisms on my birthday! which is also called a hat trick:)! Church yesterday was awesome and i love fasting! i remember back home i would dread it but going to church for 9 hours straight and feeling the spirit is amazing and totally better when you are fasting for the right reason! The YSA had another "Break the Fast" and it was breakfast and was super good! We also were supposed to go see another part member family last night and bishop earl wanted to go with us.... so here's the scoop on this family.. its the Ramirez family and they are probably my most favorite families in this area! Well Bro. Ramirez has been less active for about 2 years now and we have set multiple baptismal dates with his son Daniel... and Bro. Ramirez wants me to baptize his son because he says his motivation is not there and he says it will take a long time for him to be worthy of doing the baptism.. so we told bishop that and bishop basically said. that's just an excuse! Bishop has no love for anybody! and he is very hard to work with. So Bro. Ramirez said no to having us come over with Bishop.. so that made bishop a little angry and he said.. well my calling is to call people to repentance and i told bishop.. well you have to love these people too right?! I have been working with the Ramirez family since i have been here and i know what Bro. Ramirez is going through and for bishop to just have the intentions of going over and telling Bro. Ramirez what he should be doing instead of putting an arm around him and being a friend just doesn't seem right! I think that's one of the main reasons people go inactive or less active is because they don't feel the love from ward members! anyways.. i hope you enjoyed this weeks weekly update:)!