July 25, 2016- Marriage and Baptisms

Dear family ,

Before I say anything about my week , I want to throw out a a tribute to my older Kyle kristensen who is now married to my beautiful sister in law, Cassie. Kyle, I love you. I love you for the eternities. I can't even begin to explain the profound influence you have had in my life in helping me become what I am supposed to be. I am grateful that we have gained the friendship we have. Thank you for being there... Always. And Cassie, I dont know if you read my emails but I hope you know you are the best thing that could have happened to my older brother during this time of his life. I am grateful to have another sister. I always said one was  enough, but I can settle with another! You are my family. Thank you for all you have done with us. I am bummed that I missed your wedding. 

But the Lord knew I would miss it so he gave us an incredible week !

I'm just going to give you the bullet points because it's a lot . Then I'll brake it down . 

• Went into a gold mine as a zone 
• exchanges with the assistant to the president 
• Thrift shop service 
• Upper room service ( Catholic Church building feeding food to the poor )
• Interviews with president 
• BAPTISM ( I had to speak) 
• Sacrament (I also had to give a talk on elder snows general conference talk "be thou humble")

So I will first tell you about how amazing interviews were first. I love my mission president and it is incredible how much love he has for us as missionaries. I cannot believe it. Truly my mission call was inspired, I know that I was meant to be sent to the people I have met and associated with here. 

Next, the baptism I attended and spoke at. It was RTs baptism. I taught him in the natomas 3rd Ward for 4 months. HIS FIRST PRESIDENCY APPROVAL FINALLY CAME IN. Yup . there were a crazy amount of people at his baptism. A lot of people from the prison branch presidency came. This was probably one of the most spiritual baptisms I have ever attended. I am grateful that the lord gave me something special the day my brother got married. Softens the blow a little bit haha 

I love you all ! I'm sorry I have to cut it short! 

Here's also an 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon . 

Mr. And mrs. Kristensen

July 18, 2016-Adventures of the House of Israel Hunters

Okay this will have to be a quick one because we went on another adventure today ! 

I don't know if any of you know but I'm serving in the Wild West where all the gold mining took place . But I'll tell you about that next week.

Fun fact one of my old Ward mission leaders just got called as a mission president ! 

 This week was a tough week with a few trials and a disturbing lesson. But it is amazing how much the mission is a refiners fire. We get beat up and thrown into heat but come out more purified and refined.  And I have seen that over and over again in the mission. We also saw some unfortunate things go on in the zone with some people having their baptisms delayed. But no worries . 

I just want to bear testimony of the gift, power and influence of the Holy Ghost which speaks with such perfect power. His role is to push us or entice to do the things which are right in the sight of our eternal God. The prompting a of the Holy Ghost are so soft and quite but powerful enough to silence any fear. Give motivation to over come any trial. And has the ability to fill us with the love of God and the testimony of his reality. They are not fake promptings but they are very real. It is  given to us as we seek for the Holy Ghost. We will feel the influence of the Holy Ghost as we live worthily of it by keeping the commandments, making covenants through proper authority, and pressing forward enduring to the end. I have felt of his influence this week. He is real . And anybody can experience this great joy ! 

Love you all ! 

Elder kristensen 

Our back yard