Sunday, June 28, 2015

芒果的恩賜

This week we were gifted with Mangos. For example one morning, all I ate for breakfast were 4 mangoes! It was wonderful! This joy was brought upon us because of our loving members. We had three different members give us several mangos! Gotta love mango season in Taiwan! 
    
On a different more melancholy note, my beloved mission president, President Day, as well as 27 other wonderful missionaries will be honorably returning home this next week.. I am happy that they have completed their service honorably and for their service in general but I am sad to see them go. A lot of the missionaries going home are good friends of mine. They are my leaders and my examples. I am sad to see them go. Moreover, I cannot express to you, my friends and family, the influence that President Day has had on me, nor will I ever be able to explain it with words. I am so very honored to have served with him, and to have felt his love for me as a missionary.

I enjoyed this segment of a poem by T.S. Eliot:

O world of spring and autumn, birth and dying!
The endless cycle of idea and action,
Endless invention, endless experiment,
Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness;
Knowledge of speech, but not of silence;
Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the Word.
All our knowledge brings us nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to God.
Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
The cycles of Heaven in twenty centuries
Brings us farther from God and nearer to the Dust.

Wisdom comes with following Christ. 
I love you all and hope you know that my favorite foods are still steak, sushi and ice cream.

Elder Henry David Christensen 

Sunday, June 7, 2015

"Another day another dollar."

"More like another nickle hehehe" - Squidward and Spongebob.
But really I am not making any money. 

In other words, I am loving Elder Wang! He is about to go home (just one transfer after this one.) I might be his last companion! He lives a different culture. His showers and bathroom breaks last up to a half hour or more. He makes good food and knows what to buy, so I am learning the ways.


This week I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Rasmussen, who is going home in 3 weeks, yet again. He said some things I liked. The first was, "Now is the time to develop the missionary you want to be regardless of the circumstances." I like this a lot because it is really easy to change with each companion. Be hard working with one and lazy with another. 


But president doesn't want missionaries who are only awesome 'sometimes'. I also think this can be applied to life. We shouldn't change around certain friends or in certain circumstances because Christ wants disciples that can follow him no matter what.

The second thing he said was "Never give up on him. Never give up on the area." I came into Beitou and the first thing I noticed is that it was slow. Not really anyone progressing towards baptism. Not to mention the apartment was filthy and the phone was very very unorganized (which is important in this work).

And I must admit I was not super stoked and was planning on waiting to leave and just let it sit. But I am now rededicated to making Beitou the best area in the mission. Of course, I am super super imperfect. So I am hoping to rely on my companion to help me, and furthermore to rely on Christ. I think it can be done. 



I love you all and hope you can find about 2 hours to watch a good movie or play a board game with friends in my honor. 
Love,

Elder Henry David Christensen 
Weird bugs, art, lazzerrrss, my handsome companion, and friends

Monday, June 1, 2015

Another First on the Mission

 My first birthday! (on the mission)

The first thing I cried out on my birthday was "I'm melting!" because it was so hot. 
Earlier in the week we were visited by Richard and Karren. I befriended the two in my first area and they are awesome! They brought me a killer octopus birthday cake which lasted me till my actual birthday day and I finished it off with glory.
I also received a lot of love through packages and letters and that is always a great feeling. On my birthday day we had no lessons with anyone set up and we were not going to be lazy so we were out in the sun on one of the hottest days I have seen thus far. 
I am not really twenty yet. I am still like 17 at heart. But in my mind I do feel old enough I guess. I don't like having to admit I am old.. It is lame. However, I am happy. 
This was a hard week as far as missionary work, but the love I felt made it wonderful! Thank you all for your support and prayers! 
Love,

Elder Henry David Christensen 

I found Pikachu
I loved the package!!!!!!!! I already ate a lot of the treats hehehe
Thanks for always loving me even in all my flaws. 
I love you momma!