Week 3...Tender Mercies

Hey guys!!

Well I am in Houston now! Getting here was a bit of an adventure, so I left on weds morning at 6:30 and we landed in Dallas. We had a couple hour layover in Dallas, so we sat at terminal A11. That was where we were suppose to fly out of. We were sitting waiting, and we were suppose to begin boarding at 12:05, and at 12:00 our plane wasn't there. I was beginning to worry, so I went to check on our flight with my companion. Our flight had been changed to terminal C19. This was on the complete opposite side of the airport, and with how big the airport was we had to run through the airport and catch the train they had to get to the other side, and we made it there at 1210. We got so lucky that we hit the train when we did, or we would have been even later. We got there and found the other missionaries, and then we found out that the pilot wasn't there yet so we were delayed to take off until about 1:20.  Well once we took off, the flight was nice. It is so flat in Texas, but there are some pretty good views. 

Well we landed and I had the chance to meet President Pingree and he wife. They are so kind, and I got to talk with them for a bit. Well you guys are probably wondering if I am dying because of the heat. Well I am so so blessed that it has not been too bad. I was praying before I left to have me be able to adapt to the heat and humidity. I was nervous about how much it would affect me. But  once I got to Texas it was only like 77 degrees, and it was raining. It had been raining all week, and had cooled it off so it didn't feel any different then Utah just a tiny bit humid. This whole last week, it has been sunny in the morning, and cloudy and stormy all after noon. The missionaries that have been here for a while have said that this was a perfect time to come, and that this has never happened in Texas where it is stormy every day, at least in the Houston area. So I have been able to slowly work my way into the heat and humidity. Heavenly Father really does answer prayers, and I know that the storms have been a tender mercy. 

Well I got my new companion and area. I will be in the white oak ward, in Cyprus and my companion is named Elder Brown. He is an awesome kid!! He lives in Hyrum Utah, and he is exactly like me! It is kinda scary how similar we are!! But it will be so cool. The area we have has alot of potential but it won't be a quick change. They white washed the area, and on top of that we don't have an area book. So we are basically starting from scratch. This is going to be the hardest part because we don't know anyone, or any place around here. President Pingree thinks that we will be able to help this area flourish, he said he had a spiritual prompting to put us together, and in the area we are in. I am excited to be able to work.

Lately we have been trying to meet all of the members. We are hoping that through them we will be able to get investigators. Because we have no area book, we have no previous record of investigators, and tracting has proven ineffective. We have knocked alot of doors, but it has been a bit rough to have people not interested. In this area, so many people want nothing to do with religion or are set on the church they are attending. It is just hard to see people not want to take part of the gospel. I know that things will get better, but we are both relying on the Lord, and on the members to help us out. 

    This week we did have a cool experience, in the area I am in I need a bike. So on our way to get a bike we were going to walk 5-10 miles, and then bike back. But while we were on our way, we were waiting at a stop light, and a car pulled up and a guy named Jose asked why we were out in the heat. We explained that we were missionaries, and he seemed interested, so he pulled into the parking lot and we talked to him. Sadly he is not in our area, but we are sending his information to spring ward. It was a miracle that we met him, and it just shows that Heavenly Father prepares people for the gospel. We just have to be ready to talk with them. It was a cool experience.

I know it is off to a slow start, but as we learn the area more, and as we look  for people Heavenly Father has prepared, and with the help of the members, we will be able to help this work move forward. I am excited to be able to be apart of it, and to be a instrument in the hands of my Heavenly Father. Well this has been my first week in Houston, I can't wait to be able to tell you guys more about it later on. 

I hope you all have a fantastic week.

Elder Christensen

These next two pictures were sent to me by a ward member who texted me a bit yesterday to tell me my son was doing well!