Stoked about Doing the Work

Elder Teh (General Authority over Asia) and his wife, President Pagaduan and his wife and our zone.

Hey, what’s up everyone? This week was a pretty normal week as far as the work goes, but at the same time we had a bad Sunday yesterday! We had like 8 people commit to go to church and when we got to church we waited and waited and not a single investigator showed up! Zero! It sucked haha. You work all week to get people to church so when they don’t show up it hurts! But whatever, it will all work out. We still have three people right now with baptismal dates. Myra Nerval (18) will be baptized the 30 of July...It should have been the 23rd but since she missed church this week (she was out of town with family) we have to move it back a week. Another story we have from this week is that we are getting people married! We have an investigator named John ray Fernando who is like 27 and has three kids with a returned missionary (less-active), but hasn't been baptized or married. He wants to be baptized but has to get married first. The problem is they have no money. So Elder Key and I just paid for them to get a birth certificate, then marriage license. Now all we have to do is correlate to get a bishop to marry them since ours doesn't have a license to marry people. Our third baptismal date is to a woman named Lola Pilante (71)...lola means grandma haha I don’t know her first name! She has family that are members, but has never listened to missionaries until about five or six months ago, then her husband died from a disease and she stopped listening for some reason. We started teaching her and it took her a long time She kept saying she wasn't ready for baptism but she has finally realized that it is something she has to do in order to get back with her husband someday. She will be baptized in August, Right now she still has a problem with drinking coffee so we are working on that. Elder Key and I are doing awesome. I love our apartment and all the roommates so I have no complaints. My health is good and I am stoked about doing the work. I am glad you all had fun at the family reunion and thanks for the pictures. Another thing that happened this week was that we had a general authority come visit us. His name is Elder Teh. He is our area president of Asia. He was awesome and I will send a photo of our zone with him and his wife, and President Pagaduan and his wife. They talked a lot about lifting where you stand. Just do your job in the church and the church will grow so much. It is when we start worrying about things out of our hands when we have stumbling blocks. It was really awesome. I am loving my area. We have lots of good things going on here. I am also happy about your business mom. I always wished you would move it to St. George now you did it! Tell Dallen I love him and am way proud of him. This week he will start his journey of a lifetime and he is way lucky. Tell him to be patient with himself at the MTC and try to enjoy it and the food haha. I know he will be fine. I love you all and thanks for all your support to me and your sacrifices so I can be here. Palangga ko kamo, Elder Garrett Christensen Hey dad. How is your week going? I am having a really good time right now and no complaints. I bet you had a blast with all you family this last weekend. I know I miss stuff like that. You look like a stud playing horse shoes in the photo mom sent me. Are you excited that we are getting close to hunting season? Which also means that the weather will get better for you. I am healthy and happy with everything here. I hope all is well with work and everything. Thanks for everything Dad I Love you and miss you lots! Elder Garrett Britt, That is so awesome you made the soccer team, I am so proud of you! You are my hero! I loved getting pictures of you! You are so gwapa, maganda...or beautiful :) Keep being a good girl to mom and dad. Love ya! To answer Dad's question about how the mission works....So how it works is the mission president lives in the mission home and has an office which is in a church in Iloilo. He and his wife have two kids. The highest missionaries are called AP's or assistants to President. There are two of them in our mission. Next is the zone leaders, we have six zones in our mission so there are twelve zone leaders. They are experienced elders who help the zone and also do interviews for baptisms, then the district leader. They also do baptismal interviews and they teach a training every Tuesday morning on subjects like teaching form Book of Mormon, how to begin teaching, finding, etc. There are three districts in our zone so each district has like 5-10 missionaries. Then you have just your normal senior and junior companions. I hope that answered. Love you dad!

Myra is Golden

Hey what’s up everyone. This week has been a really awesome/weird week. The best news of the week is that we gave out 4 new baptismal dates and all of them accepted. So now we have five people with a baptismal dates of July 23 - August 6...We also had four investigators at church this week, one of the investigators with a baptismal date was unable to go to church since he had to work. We also had a weird week since we tracted a lot and had quite a few people fighting with us over doctrine haha. In my first area, I had one guy the whole time, fight with us, but in this area there are a lot of "born again" people and they all listen to their pastors about verses in the Bible that say things about angels and stuff so they claim that the Angel Moroni thing could not have happened. It is hard to ever have the spirit when they start arguing so the lessons don’t go as well as we hope. Myra is still going to be baptized on the 23rd and she has been progressing amazingly. Probably my best investigator ever, haha. She is golden. We have also started teaching her sister. But her dad is always at work so we haven’t taught him yet. My tooth feels great and thank you for the shoes you bought. I hate the shoes I got from here. Just cheap, uncomfortable and already breaking. I don’t have anything in mind special for my birthday. Whatever haha. I ate the roast beef you sent last night and it was awesome hah! I also love the Gatorade packet things you sent, and Propel. Elder Key-Macdonald and I are doing well! I also got the Dixie Elder thing in the mail this week and was way good to hear from everyone! I am way excited for my buddies. They are studs. That would be awesome to go to Mexico when I get home. Seeing the beach everyday makes me want to scuba dive haha. When we come back to the Philippines we should go stay in Boracay and then it is very close to my area now and I can show you other areas too. It was good to hear about the family reunion. I bet you had a blast. Sorry nobody caught any fish at Kolob except dad. Since I wasn't there he has no competition! Better enjoy your time dad because when I get back you are no longer going to be champ. Anyway, things are going well. I love you all! Elder Garrett Christensen Hey Pops! Things here are going well in New Washington! We have definitely seen our hard work show awesome blessings to both us and our investigators! Our health is doing well and we are having a good time together. I am glad you are having fun with Britt and running her around. Also I bet you guys had fun in Kolob. I miss that place a lot and can’t wait to go there again. How is work going for you and how is church? Do you guys have any new callings? I won’t lie, Sunday here is the most hectic day because nothing is organized right. We are like the organizers/ushers/bouncers haha. It is quite funny but frustrating too! Anyway I love you dad. Talk to ya next week! Hey Bert, I bet you had fun at Kolob! I wish I could have been there. That is a funny story about mom sleeping with the mice at the cabin! I bet she was scared when she found out! How is track and soccer? Alright Bert I love you tons. Have a good week!

The beach I live by is prettier!

Myras Family

Lechon Baboy (rotissari pork)

Myras

YO!!! Whats Hatnin'??!! Things here in New Washington are going awesome. I am really enjoying my new companion and our area. We have been working so hard and have definitely been blessed to see the results of our labors. This week we had four investigators at church(the most ever in this area) and it went so well! We still have the baptismal date for Myra Nerval on the 23rd of this month and she is doing awesome. It was her 18 birthday yesterday so we went to her house and they fed us bihon and some dessert made out of banana which was way good. We finally got to meet her dad and he seemed way rad. His wife(myra's mom) died four years ago so he is a dad of four and single. He has to travel about twenty minutes to work every day and back late at night. He is a care-giver at a hospital. Also we have been doing tons of tracting and it has been going very well. We have met lots of awesome families. I would like to say happy birthday to Grandma Hirschi! I can't believe it is July already! Also of course, Happy 4th of July haha! Nobody knows what that is here but us Americans are representing our country haha. It sound like you are all having a good time in Laguna(although the beach I live by is prettier anyway) :) By the way tell Cambria I said hi, along with all the rest of the family! I hope you can all feel my love for you! That "laughing club" thing you went to sounds rad haha. I want to go there sometime. My tooth has been doing great, no problems at all so that is good. It has been super hot this week and hasn't rained very much which is wierd this time of year. I bought some shoes here but they suck way bad haha so I am thinking maybe for my birthday or something you could send me some shoes? To be honest if you go to Dillards at the mall they have "ECCO" brand. That is the brand of shoes I wore up until now and I loved them. They were slip on black shoes. Size 11 or 45. Please make sure they are slip-on...we are constantly taking off and on our shoes so to tie them would suck. Anyway thank you all and I love you all and hope you have an awesome time at cuzzie camp! p.s. Court is sure looking buff in that picture you sent me! Love you all, Elder Garrett Vaughn Christensen

3 Languages

One of the counselors from our ward. A few members. Me, Elder Williamson,Elder Dadbe, Elder Scott, then Elvis (the groundskeeper)

Whats up everyone?! This week was really good/weird. Well I went in and finally got my tooth to where we thought it was finished but then that night it started killing again and was giving me a really severe headache. So we talked to the member/dentist and she said to come into her office the next day. She took out the filling and now it is just open haha but it feels way better. She extracted more infection too so now it should be all out I guess? It has been a few days now and it feels good so I hope it’s all done. Yes I am on antibiotics. I think it is ok mom. Don’t worry about it :) So this week in the Philippines on Friday was "San Juan" which is where they celebrate the "birthday" of John the Baptist. I am not sure who told them it is his birthday but everyone goes out to the beach and swims and stuff all day. All the men get hammered drunk. It is a funny day here. There was this one drunk guy who kept asking me if I was from America and I kept saying yes and he said “Where?” so I said Utah and he kept saying Uutah Jazz, Utah Jazz!!!" haha I was like yes, the Utah Jazz. Then I started messing with him and getting him to say funny things in English. It was kind of a baseball team joke so it might not be funny to everyone but I. told him to say "ay yo wassup doooo!" and he kept yelling it haha Drunk dudes here are better at English than sober ones. We also had a visitor this week. Brother Michael Douglas. He is from Salt Lake and served here in 1999. He is here visiting for his first time with his dad. They gave talks in church yesterday and he just started crying. When he served here it was in a little house with 25 active members. Now we have a church with 140 active members and growing very quickly. We had three investigators at church. One was the boyfriend of a returned missionary who is less active haha but he is doing well. Still struggling with word of wisdom but trying to stop. Anther was a 17 year old named Myra. She will be baptized July 23. She was tracted into and now is doing so awesome. She went to church and loved it. She has probably been one if not the best investigator I have had. She was definitely prepared. Everything we say she does instantly. Wow you guys are always so busy! I am glad that Trevor's reception went well and Britt did well at her track meet. I can’t believe Trevor is married haha. Regarding the people here mom. Nobody here farms. Everyone here is a fisherman. They have these little boats and fish like all day every day. We have a few investigators that are fisherman and we have a very hard time getting an appointment with them. I am stoked for Nick Accordino and Colton Gust to get into the MTC soon. Dallen will also be in there before he knows it. He is lucky to have a temple in his mission. It would be cool to go to the temple here and do a session in Tagalog. My language now is about 70% Tagalog, 20% Aklanon and 10% Ilonggo. I will send you a photo of the dictionary we have to use here since there are so many languages. I hope you all have an awesome time in California, and everyone is happy and healthy :) Hey I better go but I love you lots, thanks so much for the Gatorade packets and the stew!!! It was so good! I love you so much! Love your son Elder Gary I love you all! Hey Britt! This week for me has been going really well. I like it here lots and am having lots of fun! I am proud of you for making the soccer team andIi hope you are practicing hard! I love you lots! Hey there poppa of mine, Things have been pretty good this week. A little weird, but no complaints. I have a question for you guys. When Jordan was born, why were you inactive? Just lazy, or didn't care, or what? We have trouble here getting people to church sometimes so it would be cool to hear your story of why. I hope you all have fun in California and are safe. I love you and miss you lots.Love your son, Elder Christensen

New Comp - Elder Key-Macdonald

What’s up my peeps?! Things here are going well. Thursday I went on splits since Elder Williamson left. I worked in an area called Altavas. It was nice and I worked with a kid who is from Mindanao, Philippines so it was fun. They had three baptisms Saturday there. I also worked there Friday, then Friday night all the new missionaries who were being transferred into our zone were on a bus that passes through Altavas so I got on the bus and started going to my area. My new companion is Elder Key-Macdonald from Auckland, New Zealand (I believe where the Gublers are) he has been out over a year and he seems cool so far so I think we will have a good transfer. Also Sister McDonald from St. George transferred into this zone so there are two of us from St. George here haha. It was good seeing all your photos! Although it just makes me hungry for good food haha. It sounds like you had a good time and I was glad to hear you were all safe and happy. That crab dinner looks like the one we got in Cancun last year on the beach haha. It was so good! I am still in New Washington. We also got to go into the Sampaguita resort. It is pretty nice but like you said Mom, it is pretty cheesy haha and weird. I was bored in like five minutes haha. We only had one investigator go to church yesterday so that stunk. His name is John Berba. He can’t be baptized for two years since he has two children with his girlfriend, then she left him...So he doesn't have a very ideal situation. I got a letter from the Empeys this week and also Uncle Paul. I also got my debit card so thank you mom! That is cool to hear about the missionaries. I know Eric Carter pretty well so that is cool he is going close to Mike Sharp. I also got your package this week Mom and all the food has been awesome haha. Thank you so much! I also love the Werther's candies so please tell Grandma Sherry thank you for me! This week we didn't have really anything crazy happen. We are starting a thing where every Monday night we will play basketball with the members and less actives and hopefully start getting some of them activated. We had one unfortunate thing happen. We had one investigator named Erwin Cajurao who was progressing well and reading and everything. He is a seaman so he is pretty much on call at all times. Whenever they need him, they call him to go to Manila and board a ship. He got called last week to go there so he will be gone potentially nine months! That was a bummer but we are still teaching his wife and she is awesome. I am glad you took dad to dinner for Father’s Day! That was nice haha. People here celebrate Father’s Day too so everyone was telling me Happy Fathers Day yesterday haha. People here think I am like 30 years old since I am so much bigger than the people here. When I say I am 19 they freak out haha. It’s funny. Things are going well and I love you all! Have a good week! Pops, whats up stud?! Not a lot is new here except my new comp. Elder Key-Macdonald. He is from New Zealand and has a funny accent but seems cool. That is sweet about the college world series. What happened to Dallen Reber? Why isn’t he still playing with Kentucky? Did he get dropped or injured or something? Like why isn’t he finishing the season? Or are they already done? I’m glad Mike Sharp is doing well. Trevor’s wedding will be cool. They are getting married in the Salt Lake Temple? I also can’t believe that Jaron got a mission call. I’m getting old dad haha :) Things here are going well. I am studying the Book of Mormon and the New Testament lots and I like it a lot. How was spraying boats for dedicated hours? Can you believe the bow hunt starts in only like a month and a half or something. That was quick. You better get a big buck with your bow haha :) Anyway I love you lots dad. Thank you for always being an awesome example for me and for teaching me to be a good dude! I miss you more than you know and love hearing from you weekly! I hope you had an awesome Fathers Day. Know that you are greatly appreciated from here in the Philippines. I love you tons! Love your son, Elder Garrett Hey Britt, what is going on? Things here are going very well. What are you up to this summer? Are you excited for cuzzie camp at Laguna? I would be haha. That was cool that there were trikes in San Diego. Did you get to ride one? That’s all we ride here everyday haha. I can’t wait to actually sit in a car! Anyway I love you Bert!

Root Canal

A part of my area where we teach quite a few people.

Notice the bamboo power lines!

I broke a member's couch because I am too heavy!

Arvin is a ward member. Sampaguita is in the background.

My lovely family :) Kumusta na kayo diyan? Things here are going really well. This week was pretty good too. So Thursday I went in to the dentist for the root canal. At first the numbing medicine she gave me was weak haha so she gave me more and more until it went away. The member/dentists clinic was nicer than I expected. She has a nice adjustable chair and a tv and sanitizing equipment. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as I expected. I have to go back tomorrow to get a permanent filling so it will be good. The pain is gone so I am excited! Also one of the elders in my house, Elder Dadbe from Philippines is going home tomorrow so it has been weird helping him pack and he keeps telling us he will miss his mission. I feel bad for the Filipinos that come on missions and go home because even though we don’t have that much money every month compared to normal life, we are still rich compared to people here. But anyway this week we had a couple going away parties for him, one that the ward put on and another was done just by a member family that he was close with. Also more big news is that Elder Williamson will be transferring this Friday so I will get a new companion on Friday so there will be two new guys in our house this week. I liked him a lot so it will be fun to see what I get Friday haha :) I am stoked to hear about Dallen’s mission call. I bet that mission will be similar to Taylor and I's! What is going on with that newsletter thing you wanted me to write to mom? I also can’t believe that Dallen will leave so soon! Barely over a month. I have a firm belief that when we get our calls. It is at an inspired time. At first I didn’t want to wait for three months but when I got to the MTC and the field I realized that I needed that and that I was with the people needed to be with. I would love to hear from him if he will e-mail me. I will write him through letter and it will probably just go to the MTC through pouch mail. This Sunday was fairly lousy. We had zero investigators at church which has only happened a couple times in my mission. It is way frustrating when you get promised by 5-10 people that they'll go to church and not one of them comes! This week we also tracted a lot and had a rough week. We went to a richer area in New Washington and everyone has gates and stuff and we actually talked to quite a few people but nobody would let us teach them. We do have some pretty good investigators though so I still have lots of hope! Wow I am proud of Britt for doing the track meet and making it to state! How is San Diego? I have met a few people here who have relatives there so look for Filipinos haha! Tell them "kumusta daw kayong lahat?" :) I am jealous that you got to go to Beaver. That is one thing I took for granted. Cheese! Here there is no cheese other than nacho style liquid stuff. It stinks haha but later today since Elder Williamson is leaving we are going to this hometown pizza place that is really good and the pizza is somewhat similar to America! That is awesome to hear about all the missionaries. I know almost all of them and am way excited for them to get out in the field. They will have challenges but they will love it. I hope all is well. This week is Macy’s birthday and also Father’s Day on Sunday so happy, happy birthday to Mace. 23! "bata ka pa lang" which means you are still just a baby :) And Dad, go grab a good steak or something for me this week for Father’s Day, you deserve it! I love you all Your son, Elder Garrett Christensen

Recognizing the Spirit

Hey everyone. How are you all? Things here in New Washington are going well! First off, I have not gotten your box yet. I am not sure why? Maybe later today it will come in our cargo? I can’t think of anything I want in another one.....haha. Thank you for doing my debit card! Sorry to always be a burden to you. I feel guilty when I ask things from you because I feel like I am always asking so much. Thank you for it all. I did not yet read your letter about Jordan but I will print it and read it later. Thank you. I also got all the pictures haha I love them all. The goat, hat and shed are all rad. I do have some bad news though. I had a tooth filling fall out a while ago but it didn’t hurt or anything so I just told myself I would wait until I get home to fix it, but just this last week it was getting super sensitive and giving me super headaches. So I went to a member/dentist in Kalibo and she looked at it real quick and touched it and it was killing. She told me I have an infection and will have to get a root canal. I am nervous but I have talked to Sister Pagaduan a lot and I will do it tomorrow I guess. She has given me some medicine for it to stop swelling and stuff but it still hurts when I eat and drink. It is tomorrow and the lady is a member...It only costs 3500 pesos...or like 60-70 dollars for everything so I will just pay for it with mission money and then take it out of my debit when my card gets here. Oh well! Part of the job! This week my focus was on recognizing the spirit. What is the spirit? How does it guide us as missionaries? How does it guide us in everyday life? As I studied I learned a lot about how to let it guide me during lessons. I learned the different ways it will speak to us and what happens if we don’t follow it. I actually had a few very interesting experiences too. First, right after I had studied about the spirit, we had a lesson with a less active girl about 18 years old. We had planned to teach something and when we got there as she was praying for us, I really, really felt like I should talk to her about what I learned and ways we can use the spirit in our lives. I read from Helaman about how sometimes it is a still small voice and I told her ways the spirit can help all of us if we are worthy of it. As I was testifying, she began to change her countenance and seemed to be getting emotional. Our bishop was working with us so he began to testify as well and she continued getting emotional. Finally at the end of the lesson we asked her what she was feeling and she said the spirit and that we really touched her. I was grateful for the guidance of the spirit in knowing what I should share to her. We also have an investigator named Myra Nerval. She is 17 and we tracted into her. She is taking care of a grandma at a different house so she does not live at home. We have been teaching her for a while and she has been awesome. She always asks questions and keeps commitments. So yesterday we went to her house to teach her about faith and repentance. We opened and she said she had no questions from her Book of Mormon reading. So we continued to teach her faith and repentance. After we were about to close the lesson, I felt like I should bring up the Book of Mormon again, so I asked her if she had prayed to know about the Book of Mormon, she kind of just went quiet. I followed up with asking what her feelings about it were and she said, without hesitation "totoo siya" or in English "it’s true." It was really awesome to hear that she got an answer from her reading and prayers. The book is so powerful. So much so that if we read it diligently and pray about it, you will receive an answer. It is so easy. Yet so overlooked. I am excited to help Myra in her journey looking for truth. So on another hand, I am super stoked to hear about James and Dallen. My guess is Dallen to Philippines(or Asia somewhere) and James to Spain(or Europe somewhere.) Hopefully I get one of them at least. I hope they both come to my mission haha :) We need some quality missionaries here. There are too many slackers. Anyway I love you all,have a happy and healthy week! Hey dad. That sounds like a fun dedicated project. Is it still 40 hours for the 3 years or is the program different now? That is cool that Mess will be back coaching in Utah! It will be good to see him again. He was an awesome coach. I loved reading your thoughts on Jordan, it was just for my personal benefit, just curious so thanks. How is the summer sun feeling? Is it getting nice and toasty? It sure is still hot here even though it is supposed to be rain season. Oh well. How is Britt? Keeping you busy? haha I bet she is! Anyway love you dad and miss you lots!! Hey may may and Breck! I got the picture of the hat from Boston and I love it! I will fo sho be rockin that a few days after I get home! Things here are going well in my area and with my companion. I am excited for you to get done with your EMT classes. I still haven’t changed my mind about being a doctor. It will be rough going to school but I know it will be worth it. I am glad Boston and Hank are doing well. That is cool about your friends being married. I bet work will be picking up for Breck, too now that it is almost summer......ps...I met a missionary here from Vegas who always goes to the cheese factory in Beaver when they drive to Salt Lake! Haha, it was so funny to hear that. I didn’t know other people were as lame as us! Oh, I got the lyrics to that song like "I Like to look at Rainbows Whenever there is Rain" in Tagalog and it is way cool. A girl sang it during a meeting here. I think I remember that being a song you liked May May. But if not...sorry haha. I will send the lyrics to you in a letter. They are cool :) Anyway love you guys tons and miss ya too! Hey Barb! Wow you did so good at the track meet! I can’t believe how fast you are! I agree. It has gone by very fast. Wow I can’t believe you are starting soccer already. You will be great. Just practice hard! I love you lots Britt and miss you! Be nice to Papa!