Week 31: Covid & Bellybutton Pics

¡Hola Amigos!

The other week we met this lady named Monica and we offered to help take down her Christmas decorations, so we exchanged numbers and she said she would give us a call. She never ended up calling us so we stopped by on Thursday and her husband answered the door. We actually thought her name was Monique so when we asked for her he was like, "uhhh no she doesn't live here" and then his daughter was like, "yeah she does! I remember you guys!" So we ended up talking to Juan (Monica's husband) and he was so nice!! He told us that he lived right next to the temple in Venuezla and that it looks a lot like the San Antonio Temple! Then Monica came over and we talked to all of them for awhile and set up a time to come drop off a Book of Mormon! Monica made it clear she wasn't promising anything and that she's a strong catholic but I think they still have a lot of potential. 

Later that night we went to stop by a member's house and right as we got there a man was getting out of his truck, so we striked up a conversation with him. He was actually picking up a table and chairs from the member's house so we offered to help and he accepted! He was super grateful we were there because he didn't know how he was going to load all of it into his truck alone. Talk about divine guidance amiright?? God really put us in the right spot at the right time! We gave him our card and he gave us some flyers for his church so it was a win win lol. 

That same night we went to stop by another inactive member and when we pulled up to her house she was in her car. So we stood there for a second trying to decide what to do and then we heard someone say over her speakers, "Don't get out of the car. Just back out and drive away." She must've been talking to someone on the phone and had it connected to her car... so that was really awkward and we rode away. I'm just confused why some people are so scared of us though, like what do they think we're gonna do to them?? Bring them everlasting joy and blessings??

Okay, I know y'all were probably wondering when I'd finally address the concerning title of this email. So here it  goes... earlier this week a man messaged me on messenger so I looked at his profile and it looked like he was a member of the church so I was like okay I guess I'll say hi back. Well... that was a mistake lol. He then proceeded to ask me if I would participate in a bellybutton study that he's doing. As intriguing as that was I sadly had to decline. The most concerning part about it was that he said over 78 missionaries said yes... I think about those missionaries everyday and wonder if they're okay. If you are a victim of the bellybutton study just know you're not alone and I'm here for you.

And yes, unfortunately I got covid so now we're in quarantine until the 20th :( My symptoms haven’t been too bad though so I'll be alright haha. We weren't able to help LJ with his move on Saturday though so that made me really sad but he said he wants to meet up with us next week.

Elder Yardley and I are the page coordinators for our district and it's actually a lot harder than I expected. We're trying to get memebers involved in our posts so tonight we will be posting one of our members testimonies! It's SO SO good so I wanted to share it.

"The missionaries asked me “How is your faith a blessing for you and your family?” From a birds eye view, I have a hope and belief in the transformative power of love given to us from Heavenly Parents, for a Savior that is mighty, and for a godly plan that allows human beings to use agency to grow and mature. These core beliefs are reassuring and anchoring. At the same time, I am very much human and have to deal with all that comes with that– and it aint always pretty! 

How my faith plays out in my life reminds me of the time I ran the San Antonio Rock ‘n Roll marathon back in 2011– over a decade ago. It was my first (and last!) marathon. As I ran that marathon, my only goal was to finish. So I ran, albeit very slow at times. To give a visual, there was a lady next to me that would walk the course, then run, walk then run, and she and I were right at the same pace even though I was running the whole time! There were times in the race where all I could think about was putting one foot in front of the other, even though I didn’t know if I would be able to finish, hoping for the next mile marker to get some water and a boost of confidence. And it came, the water, the electrolytes, and even some energy gum. I can remember the cold water going down my throat and felt an almost immediate conversion of energy to my body as I continued to run. Those intermittent moments provided much needed reassurance and helped me to keep going. Even when it was hard and I had so far to go, I knew I could count on another set of cheerleaders and another cup of water not too far distant. Around mile 18 or so, I had to run uphill! It felt far too late in the course for that and felt like a dirty trick! But then there would be a downhill where I could get relief and a little momentum. 

In many ways, this describes my faith. For me, faith is the ability to walk in the discomfort, to put one foot in front of the other even when it feels unstable. Faith is letting go of control, it is humble in nature, it is grounding. Faith is collaborative and creative. My faith stretches me, it teaches me compassion for myself and for others. It helps me to forgive and to love, to listen without judgment, to be patient when I otherwise wouldn’t. Faith helps me to have more wisdom in multi-layered situations whether that be with my children or other friends and family members. Exercising my faith helps me to have a greater ability to use my agency for good, to have courage, and experience joy. I’m so grateful to be a part of a church and organization where I can worship, serve, and learn with and through others. It is very inspiring, connecting and enriching to see others’ faith in action and to do it together– it is nothing short of magical. Exercising faith can be challenging at times, it can be scary and uncertain. But it is always worth it and has led me closer to the Divine, and to have experiences that are so special and that I cherish."

Love y'all!

- Elder Christensen

Pictures

1. District picture

2. A picture of me coughing for dramatic effect

3. My Sunday get up

4. 2nd day of covid

5. Me and the comp

6. Cactiiii

7. Some graffiti we found on our walk

8. Neature (if you know, you know)

9. Bellybutton guy