Filipino No Good Eating Grass!

Hey everyone how are things going?

   Elder Light and I had the best week! We were able to be a part of Clarence's baptism which was sweet. We were actually at a members house and we were just setting up a time she could work with us and she said "hey, see that girl (talking about one of her employees in her in-home loan business) go talk to her and teach her" So we did and from day one she was really a great investigator. The first time we taught her about the word of wisdom she quit using cigarettes, alcohol, and coffee and hasn't used them since! Not even once! When we taught her the law of chastity, she dumped her boyfriend because he did not share her standards haha. She is just really sweet...

   Oh Yeah, I haven't gotten a hard copy of my travel plans home, but I was told over the phone about them! We leave from Iloilo to Manila, then from Manila to Tokyo, Japan, then from Tokyo to LAX, then from LAX to SLC, then from SLC to St. George. I am not sure what time I will fly into St. George, but I was told we get into Salt Lake around 1pm. So maybe we could assume that like 3-5pm I will land in St. George on October 10. See you there. :)

   We played soccer this morning at the Arevalo chapel which was way fun, even though I am not a super natural soccer player haha. We are getting excited for Elder Bednar to come visit this month. And also, I got what they call in the mission my "trunky letter"...which essentially says that 'you are almost done, don’t slacken your work effort or start thinking too much about home or other matters.' It was cool to get. I have seen people get them throughout my mission but it seems like you will never get yours, well I did. Also getting flight plans was cool, but I still feel focused and happy to be here.

   The relief society (best women on earth) have started planning me a birthday party dinner thing at one of their homes. She says she will cook me lasagna because that is what I requested haha :) I am getting so old. Mom, did you ever think I would be 21 years old?....I didn't haha.

   Something funny happened this week I thought I would tell you about...We were walking down the street and there was a place with trisikads parked (which is like a tricycle, except hooked to a peddle bike and not a motorcycle) and the drivers there are just sitting there waiting for passengers and one got up and started walking to us and said, in English "Filipino no good eating grass".....haha we were laughing because he didn’t laugh or anything. He just turned around after he said that. We are still unsure of what he meant? I guess you can make your own interpretation. 

   The Maximo family will be baptized this week! All eight of them! They attended the baptism of Clarence too! We are super united here, like a big family and I love it.

Elder Garrett Christensen

Dad, what’s up?

   Things are going so well here, I am loving it and happy to be here. We had a baptism last week and will have another eight this Saturday. We are super excited. That is funny that you are counting my days haha. I haven't really been counting days, just weeks, cuz I am sick of washing my clothes by hand. And we only do it once a week so every week down is sweet since I will never do it by hand again when I go home...at least I hope not!

   Good to hear that football is going well and that Dixie had a good game too. I hope you get to go hunting this week and have a good time in the outdoors!

Love you dad,

Elder Garrett