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MTC Pictures

 Rob was finally able to download some pictures from the MTC and send them to me!  He didn't include any captions or commentary with them so I have no idea who anyone is or if some of these pictures have stories or significance.  He'll have to fill in the details later.  

Elder Christensen gave us a quick call yesterday from the Denver airport on his way down to New Mexico.  He sounded great and is ready to get to work!  We haven't heard where he is in the mission, he could be in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, or Utah.  A little crazy not knowing which state your brother is in at the moment, but I'm sure he will fill us in with the details as soon as P-Day rolls around (not sure when that is either, so we are all waiting and checking our in-boxes everyday.)

From now on, I imagine I'll just be posting something up once a week, as soon as we here from him.  Pray for him and all the other missionaries out there....and extra prayers for Rob's companion....good luck, buddy.  :)

MTC Email #3

Yaa'ah'teh!

Yes i saw brett, he looks good.  I got the root beer and preach my gospel. Thanks so much! He came to give me a hug and I didnt know what to do.  I was like uhhhh....oh ya its ok to hug.  I am attempting to repack everythign today.  I need a miracle.  I leave on Monday at 6 am. Layover in Denver for a couple hours then fly to Durango.  From there drive to FArmington, the who knows where!  So if I call it will probably be sometime around 4:30 or 5ish i dont know. so be ready to be woken up.  I have to get up at 1:30, and we will have to be all ready to go by 3 am! so fun times!  I learned some more navajo lately from teachers that served there adn one elder who is navajo!  lfor example....  Ah'ee'ee (pronounced ah-yhe-eh)  which means thank you.  Very complicated to pronounce these words.  oh my favorite, cle'h.  whiich means horse.  Its pronounced with a nasal throat sound its almost impossible to say its crazy.  I have gotten to talk to some of my friends from BYU-i that were in my Russian class with me and have been able to carry on a few conversations so that makes me happy. Also a teacher here is French and he started talking to me and he insulted me in french but he was extremely surprised that i understood him and replied! it was great, but we didnt really get anywhere, i have forgotten alot of my French.  Tell steve hello for me! He can have his derek zoolnader shirt back, it should be in my closet.  I have had some more great experiences this week, cant wait to get out to New Mexico.  There is a teacher here that served in Phoenix which was what the mission was before it was Farmington.  he had a couple of interesting experiences he told us about our skinwalker friends that we will be amongst.  He told us jsut to always be listening for the spirit with extra intent especially when it gets darker and when we are tracting.  Things happen.  But hey whatever BRING IT ON!!!!!  I read in 2 Timothy earlier this week which is a great book by the way I highly reacommend it.  It talks about being a "Good soldier of Jesus Christ"  and to always be faithful and you will be protected.  So im excited.  Other fun news i got a concussion on Wendesday from playing basketball, so i guess its karma.  Elder Hullinger who is in my district and  from Boise, he went to Eagle, decided to be a linebacker for a second and he headbutted me in my face. Felt wonderful.  Bloody nose for about 30 mins, I went to the Hospital to get checked out and they said my brain wasnt bleeding but it swelled up pretty good.  So i was lucky.  Im all good now.

Anyways i got to go! The church is true!  The next info shall come from New Mexico, Utah, colorado, or Arizona.  its a pandoras box.  Go broncos!

-Elder Christensen

MTC Arrival

Robert has been in the MTC for two weeks now.  Here are some highlights from the big day.

Robert flew to Salt Lake and Llyr and Tiffany (and Llyr Jr.) picked him up.

 He got presents and to hold the baby.  Mom and I are very jealous that he got "baby time" when we didn't.

Onward, Elder! It was really neat that his big brother got to take him to the MTC.  Robert helped drop off Llyr years ago and we have a similar picture of the two...trying to find my copy.  So far, he is loving being a missionary.  I'm sure he is ready to get down to the mission and try out everything he has been learning.  We are so proud of you, Robert!

MTC Email #2

 

 

HI Everyone! 

 

The MTC is awesome and we are all learning ton sof new things.  My companion and I are a super team! We can teach anyone, bring it on!  This stuff is great!  The cafeteria food is makin its mark on me.  I weigh about 180 now, so things are loookin on the upside here.  I dont use my electrice blanket here, its to warm for me.  I dont sleep with and sheets or anyting.  I guess its a Norwegian thing.  Besides the 8 plus hours of class we have everyday, things are awesome! The classes are good to but I hate sitting in the saem seat for so long.  I think I finally felt the spirit in my life and now I know what to look for when teachinga lesson and how to get it to touch the people we are teaching.  Its awesome.  Tell Evan he can play Mario Kart while he is recovering.  Tell him he needs to get here as fast as possible.  Well sorry im running out of time, our emails our timed its dumb.

 

I will hopefully be able to get more in next time. 

 

Elder Christensen

 

 

 

 

The First Email!

Robert was able to write us this weekend! Enjoy everyone!

Hello Family and whoever sees this email

 

     I finally got some time to write an email, its been pretty hectic here.  You literally have 30 minutes of personal time a day and all you really wanna do is go to sleep.  Llyr left me off at the curb basically and as I started walking towards the MTC, the gaurd guy told me I couldnt go in because I didnt have a nametag.  I was like uhhhh......duh.  Im new buddy! See me with these three suitcases?  but ya he was pretty persistent until another Elder came and helped me out and got me in.  So that was fun.  Our first gym time was yesterday, they have all sorts of stuff you can do but usually everyone just plays volleyball or basketball.  I naturally played some B-ball.  Its pretty competitive the people that play are all pretty good so its fun!  Although I did end up breaking an elders nose.  He was goin in for a layup and I jumped as high I could and I came down with fury upon him.  So basically I hit the ball right back into his face.  I warned him to stay out of my house before the game but he didnt listen did he?? no just kidding.  I felt pretty bad it was bleeding alot.  Hes all good though.  During this process though I learned the secret to MTC basketball success, which is get as many Tongans and Samoans on your team as possible!!!  Impossible to lose.  Other then that my companion is Elder Bowman for Twin falls.  Hes awesome, we seem to gel pretty good.  We had our first two investigators and the first one we had alot of success with and it was way fun to teach.  The second one was terrible and I wanted to just throw something really hard after we were majorly embarrassed.  There is plenty to learn here, I dont think I will be able to hit the ground running yet when its time for the navajo rez, but i still got 15 days or so.  I leave Feb. 4th.  oh one other thing before i got to go.  I cant stand hearing during meals all these missionaries speakin in different languages, so when people come and ask us where we are goin and stuff.....I just say ya we speak navajo.  That silences them spanish gringo speakers up pretty good. 

 

thanks for everything, Love Elder Christensen

 

 

Navajo Book of Mormon

Navajo Book of Mormons.

Rob wanted a couple to take with him on the mission.  They arrived in Boise the afternoon he checked into the MTC.  My mom is going to send them down soon.

Bless those who translate these scriptures into different languages.  I cannot even fathom the amount of work it takes to do this.  I cannot even fathom how to pronounce any of that either...

Robert's Information

Here's Robert's info if you want to write or send him anything:

Missionary Training Center

Elder Robert E. Christensen

Box 352

2005 North 900 East

Provo, UT 84604

I'll have this on the sidebar of the blog as well.  We will update his mission address once he gets out in the field.  He leaves February 4th for New Mexico!

 

Airport Send Off

 All packed and ready to go....

 At the Boise airport....miss him already.