Setting Goals...

NI HAOYA DOIN?!

I GOT IT! And you guys really DO love me!!! The zone leaders dropped it off on saturday night and I was like "Whahttt?!?!?! SO BIG!" And then I opened it and was like "WHATththth?!!? SO MANY!" And then I was like "I should take a picture of this!" and so went to my backpack and reached into the pocket where I kept my camera and was like "Whaththt?!?! SO NOT IN HERE!"

So basically it was all at once, the happiest night ever and the most depressing. I really have no idea where it went though. The only think I can think of is that someone reached into my bag and appropriated it as a kind of early christmas present. Such a bummer though... I feel like I keep losing stuff since I lost my scarf the other day on the stupid subway. Which basically keeps taking Elder Luo and my stuff since another time we left a couple of umbrellas at a stop and got on the subway and realized our umbrellas were outside right as the doors closed and we watched them disappear into oblivion.

On the bright side though, it had like 2 pictures on it... however there really aren't many bright sides to losing stuff like that. Sorry!

Sounds like your xmas activity went well. That's pretty cool you got to have it with those heathens, err I mean, fellow christians across the street :D We had the chance to go see the devotional too which was fun. And there was even a music program beforehand put on by various people in the stake. Had a really good performance by 4 missionaries who sang silent night and had basically really good harmony. I think theirs was probably the best performance of the night.

Music definitely is very powerful in conveying the spirit. I've never heard that experience before either mom! But then I guess I've never really been all that clear on what was going on in your 6th grade year dad haha. Thanks for sharing it though. Elder Luo and I have committed to sing even more than we do to our investigators... which will be an even better goal once I get a new companion who can stay on key! :D Don't tell him I said that... not that you would be able to... but... anyways!

We had a really good zone conference this week on asking refrerrals and setting goals/making plans. Definitely inspired since those were two places I've been struggling with lately, particularly goal-setting. But I have definitely already felt the benefits of following the advice of Pres. Wade and our goal setting is definitely way better now...

Unfortunately that's not really reflected too much in our success lately it seems... since Brother Chen didn't make it to church (and is now sick which is a bummer since we don't know when we'll be able to next meet with him), Brother Zhang said the answer to his prayer was that he was already saved and didn't need to get rebaptized (asdl;kfj;lkjaslk!!!), Sister Loi is "sick" and not very interested in continuing to meet with us (we think possibly cancer since she showed me some letters with medical information saying she might possibly have it and then she went to the doctor's right before cutting it off with us)...

So basically this week didn't go exceptionally well... but we do have high hopes that this next week will be better. We have a new investigator named Sister Zhao who's like 30! So about 50 years younger than the average! And she seems to be doing fairly well. I was on companion exchanges with Elder Mak from hong kong on saturday and we taught her in mandarin/cantonese (he used the cantonese) which was pretty interesting. Cantonese is pretty hilarious. I think i might have to learn some though before I leave since there are so many canto-speakers in this mission. Can actually understand it marginally well or at least guess at the meanings. Anyways, that lesson went pretty well. Although it seems like a lot of our investigators seem to have problems with prayer and knowing that what we're telling them is the truth. Anyways, have a couple other new investigators too which is cool but getting them to church could be a problem since our district is the furthest away from church and none of the people living downtown have cars basically.

Anyways, i'm almost out of time since it's like 1 minute before six but I just want to say that I love you and thank you so much for the big box of christmas presents. It basically feels like home in our apartment with all the xmas music and lights and stuff haha.

Anyways, gtg. Love you!

-Elder Christensen

P.S. At least the govt. is doing SOMETHING right. Probably cause there are so many mormons in the state dept. haha