Week 25 in Cali--Week 34 Overall

Hello again family and friends.  So the highlight of this week was DEFINITELY Raul and Rosy's wedding!  At first, I thought there was going to be no possible chance of me going.  But then, one of the assistants was on exchanges in our district and I asked him, and "if I played a major role," I could go.  It was so awesome!  They said they would be getting sealed in a year like 5 times.  It was so cool!  They'll just need to hop areas my whole mission so I can keep seeing them.

A HUGE thank you to the Sellers family for the package.  Bro Sellers, I've been trying to remember those jokes you would always share in Spanish and now I don't have to search my brain anymore.  Michael, no I haven't met the Beach Boys.  Thanks to all those that emailed me as well.

I gave a talk in my ward this past week.  I think it went really well.  Hopefully it'll spark something for missionary work.

Unfortunately, it looks like we will have to push back Elvia's baptism one week.  They've cancelled a few lessons with us and we don't want to do a frantic sprint to the finish and drag her to the water.  Next week for sure.

We got to have a lesson with Antonia yesterday and it was awesome!  At the beginning of the lesson she said, "Do you know how you are always asking me if there is anything that you can do for me?  Well I've got something.  I need a witness that I'm dumping all the alcohol in my house down the drain."  It was AWESOME!  She hasn't had a drinking problem in years, but she wanted it all out of her house.  We dumped hundreds of dollars worth.  As far as the spiritual stuff goes, it looks like she might not take off like a mad-woman like we initially thought, but that's okay.  We told her to "fan the flame of her faith" and she really liked that.  Poco a poco.

Since my last letter, we have picked up 3 new people--2 from the family with the Grandma from Mexico, and 1 from a family we street contacted.  There are 3 more we can get from her family.  Her husband used to live in Pleasant Grove and he knew tons of members up there but they never invited him to stuff and he didn't ask them much.  I think he's going to be the key to getting that whole family going.  During our lesson with the wife she seemed kind of skeptical, but the idea of eternal families had her excited.

Everybody else is hanging in there bit by bit.  Everybody is busy, and we're finding out that Friday night is apparently EVERYBODY's free time.  We'll probably end up needing to go on splits with members on Friday.  

Also, we had Zone Conference yesterday.  In essence, we were told (with as much love as possible) the Lord is hastening his work, so we need to step up.  Be better.  Be more diligent.  Do those basic things that we've talked about a billion times.  Pres. Becerra is amazing.  He was pulling out all kinds of stats on the mission. It was great.

Love you all so much.

Elder Christensen