I Totally Know Now How It Feels for a Parent to Let Their Kid Leave

This is us playing a game at family home evening

gotta stack the matches and they can't fall.

Some photos us going through the forest haha

Hey guys how are things going?
   Elder Miano and I had an awesome week. Maybe one of the best ones I have had in Pototan. It started out on Monday we had a sweet family home evening with a part-member family, then Tuesday through Sunday it was work, work, work and we saw amazing blessings! We had six investigators go to church which was exciting and also we had some of our less-actives that we are working with go to church for the first time in years!
   We have eight investigators right now with baptismal dates for May...Hopefully I will be here to see them get baptized. They still have to go to church three more time though to be baptized so we will see!
   Yesterday we had a fun day. After church Elder Miano and I went on splits. He went with a returned missionary who is like 28 years old and I went with some guys that are preparing for missions. I totally know now how it feels for a parent to let their kid leave for a night or something haha. I just worried about him and how he was doing with teaching, the language, getting around...but it all worked out great and they taught good lessons and we did too...We were able to teach 17 lessons with members present which is over our mission goal so we are happy and glad the ward is working with us.
   We also had a member return this week from Saudi Arabia. He is a returned missionary but in Saudi Arabia it is against the rules to have Christian meeting or church business so it was awesome to hear his story about how much he went through to find the church there. They have the largest area branch in the world because it covers all of Saudi!
   I can’t think of anything really for the box. I loved the ties you sent me in the last package, it is always sweet having new ties since it’s the only thing you can really change up every day. Also I will request those dill pickle sunflower seeds! I loved those and they were gone in like two days haha! Crazy how much I miss stuff like that. It reminded me of baseball season.
   I am loving life and we are doing so well. Thank you for all your support and prayers. Take it easy.
All my Love,
Elder Garrett Christensen

Hey Dad what’s up?
   The weather here is rainy right now, too, but it will get hot soon they say so we'll see what happens! I like the hot better than the rain though. We always get muddy and wet when it rains even when we have an umbrella.
   That is cool we have Dick's Sporting Goods. Where is it?
   I bet you will love teaching seven year olds. I have definitely learned how to teach kids better since I have been here. Just always include them with questions and use lots of visual things and drawing and stuff...Just really try to make it apply to them by using examples of toys, playing, swimming and stuff that they are interested in...The same way Jesus used examples of baking, planting, harvesting, fishing...which all applied directly into the lives of the people he was talking to.
   We are doing great and I love you tons dad!
Your boy,
Elder Christensen

Community Service Project

After a Soccer Game

 Teaching the kids how to brush their teeth.

 Kids eating the 'bihon' we made for them

A dessert called 'halo halo', which means 'mix, mix'.  It's just a ton of stuff in milk and ice.

I am Loving this Country

Well, we had a sweet week this week. Monday through Wednesday were the same but then we had interviews with President Pagaduan on Wednesday so we had to go to Lapaz and do that. It went well and he always has good insight of what to do for our areas. After that we got to eat at McDonalds in Iloilo...Who would have though McDonalds is so good? I think Granny was on to something :)

   On Saturday we had probably the most fun CSP (community service project) that I have done on my mission! We went to a barangay way far away in the middle of nowhere. It was Elder Miano, about 20 members and I. We played soccer also while waiting for a ride haha. It was the first time I have played soccer in like....ever haha as you can imagine I was bending it like Beckham. When we arrived at the place, there was tons of mothers and little children. What we did was teach the children to wash their hands, brush their teeth and we also fed them and played way fun games with them. The kids loved it and it was so fun and rewarding to serve them in such humble circumstances. I think that was the day that it really sunk in how much I will miss this place when I am no longer here!

   Our investigators are doing well, I think a few that we were working with might be hiding from us haha. I wish they just tell us not to go to them, it would save us time. But we will see. We also got some sweet referrals from the ward this week so our work should progress better and better the next few weeks!

   I am loving this Country, area, members, companion and everything about my time here now. I saw an American dude this morning on a bus and it was crazy to see how out of place he was haha. I feel like I belong here though :) He had a DC shoes hat on backwards haha. Crazy to see!

   Sounds like the weather there is wacky. Who is Nate Binks getting married to? That is crazy how fast that is haha. He hasn't even been home six months has he? I am happy for him though. I am also happy for you mom that tax season is almost over so you can relax a bit. Thanks for the schedule thing too. It’s cool to think of doing that stuff since it seems kind of foreign to me right now. Thank you for the recommendation on school as well. I love you all and miss you, can’t wait to talk to you next month.

Your boy,

Elder Garrett Christensen

Hey Pops, Sorry you have been sick lately. I have really realized on my mission how lame it is to be sick, it’s so useless and lame haha. Hope you get better soon...Haha that is funny that you talked to Bergeson. I hope to play with them on their softball team when I get home.. I can’t wait to be a little more active. I feel like here, nothing is about me...I feel like all my time and energy is on others, which is good. But when it comes to athletics and stuff it will be fun to work out and lift and play sports, things I can’t really do here except on P-days. I am loving life, I like my companion and also my area is great. I love the members. I hope you get better. Love you tons.

Elder Garrett

Hey Britt, it’s okay if you didn't write me. You probably already forgot what I look like and stuff :( haha. Just kidding, I know you are busy...I am glad that you like track so much and I hope you continue to have fun. Guess what? We have a big huge rat in our house. We saw it and tried to kill it yesterday with a broom but it got away through our window! Hopefully we get it this week :) love you!

Elder Gary

Listen to the Counsel of My Parents

Hey guys what’s going on?

   We had a pretty good week this week, although it was different due to 'holy week' and general conference. It started out with a normal day on Tuesday and Wednesday but then Thursday and Friday were super hard days of work because it is a huge Catholic celebration here. Everyone walks around town in a procession with like big statues of Christ. I think they believe that he is dead on that Friday every year or something? I don't know all their beliefs though. Then Saturday was transfer day, I did not transfer which is good, I love my companion and area so I am happy. I am like 99% sure I will transfer next transfer in May the week after we call home haha :) What did happen that was cool is that Elder Price, one of my best buddies in the mission, transferred into my district which means I see him every week. We are going to play basketball with them later. He is in Elder Adam's old area, Calinog. He came from my old area, New Washington! Then Saturday and Sunday we went to Lapaz, Iloilo to watch conference. Conference felt different this time. Like they all just talked about families and wives and stuff. Also about taking care of children. We had a good time though!

   I did get 1) your box with ties, cookies, razors, etc...2)Janet's walnut oil (I wrote them and thanked them) and 3)your small package thing with a journal and the Dixie elder which I read and loved of course haha. So thank you a ton for taking care of me!

   I missed your Easter party. Sounds like you guys all had a good time. I bet Court got to 999 girls before his mission and then Amber was #1,000....I only say that because Court and I are similar guys and I also have 900+ on record :) haha jk.  I do miss you all though and sounds like you had a good time.

   Regarding my going home time...I talked to President Pagaduan about it and he says I should "listen to the counsel of my parents" and he will support my decision whatever it might be...So it’s not 100% yet but I will tentatively say that I will be home in October...It is subject to change though so don't set that date in your minds yet.

   I am loving my time here. My mission means the world to me and it was the best decision ever. I have a testimony of this church as the only true and living church. I love to look around here at the trees and sunsets, etc. and see God’s creations...I love what Elder Nelson said..."how could this have come from a bang? Would a bang in a printing press create a dictionary?"...God is real and I know it.

All my love to you!

Elder Garrett Christensen

Hey Dada what’s up?

   Things here are going great and I am still in Pototan with Elder Miano which is good. We like each other and get along well. The work is great, too, so we are happy. We also made American brownies last night so that adds to our happiness haha. That is sweet about South Dakota or Nebraska or whatever. We will have a good time I am sure. How old is Gus right now? Is he getting real Big? I still remember when Doug said "you can play whatever sports you want Gus...But you WILL play football" haha I was laughing so hard. I love those guys. How are they? Anything new with the Snells or the Binks? I liked that picture of you and Mark!

   The Elk hunt sounds fun too! I haven’t shot a gun in so long it will be good to see what happens. Anyway, things are great here. I love you dad!

Halong, Elder Garrett

I got to give a baby a name and a blessing in church

Hey Everyone:

   Things this week are going well, we had great success. One day we got punted around all day by our investigators so we went and found inactive members(there are plenty of them) and from that we found four new investigators in one day! They are way nice, they even have a child named after the missionaries from like ten years ago! Haha I was laughing way hard. His name is like McClellan or something from a Utah missionary forever ago!

   Elder Miano and I are doing awesome. Our health is great as well. We have great things going on in our area right now. Even though transfers are this week, I think he and I will stay together. I will be shocked if I leave.

   I did something cool this week haha. We have an investigator named Christine Buison and she just had a baby on March 5. Her mother in law is a member and so they wanted to have the baby blessed in the church even though she isn't a member yet. We just assumed that our branch president would but when we showed up to church, she asked me if I would. So I got to give a baby a name and a blessing in the church. It was cool.

   Elder Adams went home today which is crazy. He and I have been way good buddies since September when we lived together in Roxas. His homecoming is April 15 I think so you should go! Contact his mom (Monica

Adams) so you can go if you have free time. He is a stud and I will miss him.

   This week will be a crazy week. On Thursday and Friday we have to be in our houses by 5 pm due to holy week. They celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ which is cool, but they do it by getting drunk and stuff haha. Then on Saturday and Sunday we get to go to Lapaz, Iloilo (like 45 minutes away) to watch general conference, which will be sweet. I love conference as a missionary.

     I also got a letter from Elder Wulfenstein this week which was sweet to read. He sounds like the language is hard but he is doing well. I love reading the Dear Elder thing. Sometimes before bed if I have a minute I will read and just think about how different all our missions are. I love it that lots of them are serving.

   I am loving my time here in Pototan, it is such a cool area. It is huge but that just means lots of people to talk to!

   Sorry I am late writing this week, we went this morning earlier but the website would not work, so I am glad it is fixed right now. It is 2:45 pm here.

I hope all is well with you all and you are having fun.

Lots of Love,

Elder Garrett Christensen

Dad, 

   Wow that is crazy that Devin Bennett is 19! I can’t believe it. Korea will be crazy. He is a pretty shy kid so that will push him haha. I'm stoked for him...please tell his dad that I got his letter, but can’t write him back since I have no address (he didn't write it on the envelope) unless you want to just give me his address and I can write him and Devin?

   I do not think I will leave Pototan this transfer, probably in May, I think. We have good work going on and I would be shocked if I left. I like my companion a lot. It gets hard sometimes with all his questions. I have to be patient, but I love him and am trying to help him as much as possible.

That is crazy that it’s Kentucky and Kansas again. They are powerhouses now in college basketball.

   So what kind of cool plans do we have for this winter when I get home? We going to South Dakota? I would love that haha we should take Breck too! He is apparently turning in to quite the hunter.

Thanks for everything dad,

Love you tons, Elder Christensen