Baptism of Maria Mae Nerval

Hey everyone, this is big twenty year old, grown up Elder Christensen from Iloilo :) How is everything going there? Things here are great. I will start off by saying that we had an awesome baptism this week of Maria Mae Nerval who is the sister of Myra. So both the first and second baptisms of this area are in the same family. We had it on Saturday night at 7:30. It was late so Myra would be able to make it from work. The thing here is most people are in bed by like 8 or 9 at the latest so things at night are hard here. But we had a lot of members there and it went well. So last night (Sunday) Elder Farnsworth and I drove 4 and a half hours down here to Iloilo so I can go to the dentist later. Sister Pagaduan is taking really good care of me here. Other than that, our work really has been blowing up in New Washington. We keep finding new people that are progressing and going to church. We found two new families that are listening to us and doing great. I am glad that you guys wrote Brother Weaver from Sibalom. He is an awesome guy and I was super lucky to teach him. Right now I am at the mission office e-mailing (where president and all the office people work.) No mom, we were not affected at all by the storm in Manila. The weather here has been great. Overcast so it’s not hot but not raining too hard. I feel weird today in my mind I feel like I should be celebrating but the thing is that I am so happy. This is an awesome birthday so I have no complaints. I love being here, with these people and this place. Sorry this is short but I will send pics. I love you all! Elder "over-the-hill" Christensen Hey dad, you look good in the Pilipinas jersey! Hopefully you like it and can find any reason to wear it haha. Things have been great this week. I am going to the dentist in a half hour and then I will make the long trip back up to Aklan. I am excited for you all to go to Lake Powell and have some good, family time. The boat house will be cool too. How is the football/hunting/paradise season going? Anything new? Hopefully all is well. I love you and pray for you all! Elder Garrett Hey Britt, life here is going awesome. I really like it and am having fun. How is your new school with all your new classmates? I bet tons of boys are checkin’ you out! How are all your friends and your soccer team? I hope all is well. I love you!

We shouldn't even have a P-day

- Me climbing a coconut tree -

We did a service project cutting down weeds with a 'binangon' (machete)

Hey family what’s hattnin?? Things this week went very, very well. I was joking with my roommates that we shouldn't even have P-day and we should just work today but they all declined haha. I am glad that the package got to you and I hope all the stuff fits and made it there without getting ruined. Hopefully you like it all too! I probably will only send maybe one or two more in my mission so if you really want something, tell me. Thanks for the suggestion Mom, I will look for a nativity scene here. This is going to sound mean/bad but what grade is Britt in? 5th or 6th? Does she go to Tonaquint now? She looks really gwapa/maganda in her pictures haha. Looking older though for sure. I can’t believe I am almost twenty! The next time I e-mail I will be 20. I am not sure how I feel about it. Oh well. So this week we had what is called zone conference which is where Pres. and Sister Pagaduan come up and do like a training type thing for us. We learned about how to be a better companion, and also how to improve on some teaching skills like asking questions, listening, committing, etc. It went really well and I learned a lot. We also got portable DVD players for every companionship which is rad. We are allowed to watch all the church movies so hopefully nobody abuses it and gets them taken away by watching other movies. Every night as an apartment we have watched a movie or a segment of a movie and it is sweet. We also had stake conference this Sunday which went very well. The temple president and his wife came up from the Cebu temple. They are from Idaho and were nice to talk to. Our area is on fire right now and we are having a blast. Maria Mae (the sister of Myra) is going to be baptized this Saturday the 27th. We also are very close to getting John Ray married so he can be baptized. We have been doing a little bit of finding this week and it turned out well. We found a family, the father and mother are never there but it is an 18, 17, 15, and 14 year old They are all listening and have great questions and yesterday they told us they think what we are teaching is true. We told them to pray and read so they will know for sure. They are the Castillo family. My tooth is fine. I think I will go to Iloilo this week to a doctor. Don't worry. Sister Pagaduan is on the ball and is really worried so it will get taken care of. My health is great. My spirits are great. The work is great. Regarding the guy from last week. He was actually forced to leave the city. So that guy is no longer in New Washington. They made him move back to where he is from. So don’t worry about me getting stabbed haha. I love it here in New Washington and am glad to have at least another two or three weeks here, possibly more. I can’t think of anything I want for my birthday. I truly have been given much and anything is fine with me. Maybe some money would be good so I can buy some new pants here. The benches we sit on here are cawayan, or bamboo. And since they use nails on it, it is really easy to rip the seat on pants so I need to get some new ones made. I am glad that you are all happy and healthy and i Love you all more than anything. Love, Elder Garrett Christensen Hey Britt! How are you? Things here in the Philippines are going really well! I hope you are liking school and having fun but getting good grades! How is football/hunting season? That is so awesome that you scored! Keep practicing and you will be the best! I love you Barbs! Hey dad what’s going on? This week went awesome. I have no complaints. That is cool that football is started, I can’t believe it, but it’s cool haha. Who are the good players for Dixie? What grade is Tanner Webster? I am glad they got a good win. Also that sounds fun that hunting season has started. GOTTA LOVE FALL! I definitely think fall is my favorite season even though it is the same weather here haha. How is work going? Is it starting to cool off there or is it super hot still? Our health is all doing great! We are working hard and really seeing the fruits. Our daily planners are always full of people that we can help come unto Christ! I hope you have a good week and find some time to catch a ball game and hunt too.! I hope your jersey is good and fits. You should send a pic! haha love you dad! Miss you too! Elder Garrett "sharp shooter" Christensen

08/14/2011 Photos

We Were Protected

Hey everyone, This week Elder Key and I had a crazy week so hopefully in my time I will be able to tell you all of it. Especially one experience. Well I will start by saying we had two investigators at church this week, both of which will be baptized on the 27th since this week is stake conference here. Almost every day this week we didn’t have a full day to teach but it was an okay week. The main and craziest thing that happened is this… and I don’t tell you this story to freak anyone out or have mom worry but to show really how protected we are as missionaries. So on Saturday evening around 6pm we were at an investigator’s house. The Gregorio family who we have been teaching for quite a while, but they are really strong in their religion, so they are having some concerns. Anyway we were waiting outside their house for some of the family members to come home from work and a drunk man walked by and Elder key said "kumusta brud" to him which is just like "hey man" or "hows it going man" and the man, who was with his wife started yelling at us and swearing and stuff at us for some reason. His wife was holding him back but he seemed really mad at us for no reason. So he left and then after that a bunch of the drunk guys (neighbors) came over to where we were and were like "he said you two (Elder key and I) were saying bad words to him and stuff. But since we had a bunch of witnesses there (the Gregorio family) they had our backs and told them we only said hello. This is where it gets crazy, about five minutes later we were still outside talking to people about it, and the drunk man ran around a corner with a knife in his hand charging towards Elder Key and I. He was drunk so he was kind of staggering but then his wife was chasing after him. This is where I knew we were protected. For no reason, the man just stopped and pointed at us with his knife when he was about 20 yards away, which allowed his crying wife and others to grab him and take him away. Later the police came and said he told them that Elder Key punched him so that's why he was mad. All I know is he had a free shot to come get us with his knife but for some reason he stopped and I know we were being watched over and I feel really lucky. We ended up teaching the lesson and continuing the day. Please don't feel worried for us or anything. The lord is with us, he is on our right hand and our left and in this case, he was protecting us from a drunkard. I am happy you are all happy and healthy and loving life. I am loving it here and loving the people. The weather has been crazy this week, super hot, and then way rainy. I will send some photos of us in a flood! I love you all and hope you have a great week! Elder Garrett Christensen Hey dad, What’s up! This week has been really good, but super filled with weird things happening. I had my tooth worked on again. I got a haircut, I got almost stabbed haha, but it was sweet and the work is still progressing. I am happy that hunting season starts! I can’t believe it. This will be the last hunting season before I am home. Time is short and I am glad to be here. Tell James I love him and am happy for him and his call. I love you tons, dad. Elder Christensen

I Am Slowly But Surely Turning Into a Filipino

Hello my pinakamamahal na family: :) This week went very well. It was sort of a regular week but I did think of one thing I need some time in the next few months. A new journal. I have kept one every day (almost) of my mission and I am like 1/3 done with my second one so just remember that next package or something. Just a little one is fine. Thank you. So this week all of us were still recovering physically. Elder Key and I were fine and worked hard all week but Elder Farnsworth was sick still so they stayed home a couple days. Elder Scott was super bored all week haha. Sitting in the house gets way old on a mission. You just want to go out! I felt bad for him. I am excited that you all had a good time at Park City and that you got a new car and to go to a Tim McGraw concert haha. I bet you had a great time. The lake you went to looks awesome! I want to go there sometime. I am assuming since it was dad fishing that you got skunked??!! haha just kidding. I bet he caught a state record. Yesterday we had four investigators at church. Myra (who was just baptized) is turning into a great missionary! Her sister, Maria Mae has a baptismal date of August 27, along with one of her friends! They are progressing well and Myra told us yesterday that she wants to go on a mission haha. That would be so rad! She seemed serious too! She is fitting in great with the ward and is getting more and more friends. I was looking at her Aklat ni Mormon the other day and she is like halfway through already. She marks it and everything. She was absolutely prepared by the Lord and I feel lucky I got to teach her. Something cool is happening to me I think. I think I am slowly but surely turning into a Filipino. Meals without rice just aren't meals. Riding in tricycles and jeepneys is the only way I can imagine traveling. Hot and humid is the only weather I know now. Stray dogs that carry nasty diseases and fight other dogs are just part of the everyday experience. I am starting to think my real name is Joe. I am really starting to love it here. I know I was sent here and I am doing all I can to use my time wisely. I feel watched over and protected every day. I know a couple of those kids going on missions and I am excited for them all. I hope you all have an awesome week. Love you! Elder Garrett Christensen Dad, that is too bad you are back in the He_ _ hole. I feel bad for you ;) just kidding. I miss that hole! Things were good this week and I have no complaints. That is crazy that football and hunting starts so soon. I remember when you said baseball was starting and then like nothing it ended. When football ends I will have already been gone like 13-14 months! Then I will be home during the next football season. Time is a crazy thing, especially on a mission. You realize how much of a gift it is from God to have time to learn, have fun, progress, and help others to progress and see their divine potential. That would be cool to rifle elk hunt (even though I am not convinced there are elk on Cedar Mtn.) With those oil things, I haven’t seen pure olive oil so I don’t think we can buy it here. For the containers, just maybe a couple of the bigger ones like we did in Priesthood that one day and then a bunch of the small metal vials. Whatever you can do is good! I love you lots and it was good hearing from you! Elder Garrett Christensen Bert! What’s up Bert Nert! Things here in the Philippines are going way good and I am happy and healthy (but tired.) I am glad you are about to start soccer. Use all your practice time hard and pay attention so you can be the best! I love you so much and miss you! Love you too, Mom! Sorry about photos! I have no new ones, nothing exciting happened this week. I will try to take some this week Love you more!

Myra's Baptism

Elder Farnsworth, Lia, Myra, Me (back)

Elder Key-McDonald, Elder ?

Elder Key-McDonald, Myra & I Myra & I Elder Farnsworth, Lia, Myra & Me

Hello everyone, Happy birthday Grandma Sherry and Papa Joe! I love you guys lots and think about you lots too! Things this week have been okay although kind of a rough week haha. Starting Tuesday Elder Scott got sick, then Wednesday Elder Key-Macdonald and Farnsworth were sick so I though I was going to be okay but then Thursday I got sick too :( We talked to Sister Pagaduan and she told us we had some virus thing and we should just rest. We all had really sore throats, sinuses, felt very weak with no energy, and achy. So this week we did very little missionary work which stunk. One thing that was good was Myra was baptized! The first baptism ever in my 7 month-old area! So we promised her we wouldn't fill the water very high. She agreed and we went home. Then on Saturday we had her baptism and the baptism of another girl (who was taught by the other elders) which went very well except since the water was so low, I had to baptize Myra three times cuz she kept coming out of the water. It was okay though although a little awkward haha. I also got your package Friday and loved all the stuff, it was awesome. The shoes are perfect and also the toothpaste, not sure what I should do with the dental supply things but they are cool too haha. I already used some seasoning yesterday to cook chicken. I liked the voice recorder too it was awesome, The Dixie Elder I also got in the mail and it was awesome! I love hearing from everyone. I only have one question to mom. Who is Mark Quilter Johnson? He is a man from St. George and has cerebral palsy I believe, he writes me a letter every week but I have never met him. Any way it was good to hear about everything and I hope you are enjoying Park City. I love you all and will send some photos. Love, Elder Christensen Hey dad,This week was okay haha. We were sick but I am feeling a little better today. We do have a lot of investigators. We have three people that will be baptized in August. One of them is Myra's sister. She went to the baptism and liked it so she said she wants to be baptized even though she hasn't been taught yet haha.That makes work easier! For the oil I want a couple(2) big bottles just of oil (2-3 inches tall and not yet consecrated.) And also quite a few (10-15) of the small vials so I can give them out to priesthood holders who have none. Thank you! I am still in New Washington with Elder Key and we will be here at least until September so we are happy. Nobody in our house transferred so that's good! I bet you guys are having fun and loving Park City! I love you tons dad and thanks for all you do for me! I am not positive where the range finder is, sorry. I would look in my closet if you haven't found in in the trailer or anywhere. I Love You dad! Elder Christensen That is way cool about Ayami! Hey Britt, Whats up? I heard you playing the piano and you are so good! Is that a keyboard or a piano you are playing? I bet you are loving soccer huh? I am so proud of you and hope you have fun in park city! I love you.

You Look Like You Are Flying Without Wings

John Ray & his soon-to-be wife

John Ray's soon-to-be wife

Foot spa with Elder Farnsworth from Mesa, Arizona

Hey Family: This week has gone really well! To be honest it was pretty average but that is okay. I have been thinking lots about Dallen this week and how he went into the MTC. I am way happy he made the decision. Also I am very jealous that you all went to the lake on our boat haha that is BAWAL without me there! I bet you guys had a blast. Also I bet the 24th weekend was a good fun one. This week we had two investigators at church which was Myra (getting baptized Saturday the 30th) and John Ray Fernando (getting baptized on Aug. 13.) He will be married and then baptized immediately after so it should be a cool day. He is way awesome. When we first met him he was a cigarette addict and was using alcohol. Now he is completely done with everything and is going to church and loving it. His family is awesome. They always try to talk to Elder Key and I in English but the only phrase they know is "It looks like you are flying without wings" haha so they say that to us and we just laugh and talk in English so they don't understand haha. But John has picked up on some stuff like when we get there he says "come in." Myra is still doing very well and we are very excited for her. The other day we started teaching her dad and got his permission to baptize her. This week is transfers but I think that the four of us will stay here in New Washington. We haven't found out yet but I don't want to leave. We have a sweet house, roommates and lots of good things happening in our area. If I do transfer, you will find out I guess next Monday. Last Monday we got a thing called foot spa which is where they put our feet in hot water and it has the vibrating things haha. It felt so good. I will send photos. Not a lot has happened this week so sorry my letter is short. I Love You All! Your Boy, Elder Garrett Christensen Hey Dad that is sweet you all went to the lake except I am jealous haha. That is also a bummer about the 24th party that you got called out. This week has been weird with the power here. We have things called brown-out which is when the power just randomly shuts off. Sometimes for one minute, sometimes for hours. We have had a lot this week. It sucks when they are at night cause we just sweat as we try to go to sleep and it is rough haha. Anyway I love you tons and hope you are having a good summer. Love your son, Elder Christensen

Mom, I am out of time for the day. I love you so much and thanks for the photos! I love seeing you all! I hope you have the best week ever. Thank you for all your sacrifices you are making for me! Love Your Star Child (I wont tell Macy or Britt,) Elder Garrett Vaughn Christensen

Hey Barbara, What is up with you? Life is really good here in the Philippines and we are having fun. I hope you are having a good summer! Love Garrett!