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 

July 11, 2016- The Land Bountiful

Hello family ! 

It has been such a cool week. I'm glad to be back in the hills. I definitely have missed them. It feels weird coming back to the type of area I started my mission in but it has helped me see my growth also. We have seen a huge spark of excitement in the el dorado zone this new transfer as we chose to focus on the need for extending baptismal invitations to people. We have already seen tons of miracles. Even in our own area that has been struggling. Some how the lord worked it out where we have added a bunch of new investigators and have a potential baptism for the 30th of July. 

The Ward is awesome. I have already met tons of people whom I love ! Plus living in the middle of no where is great. One night after planning I

We jumped into the bed of our truck and we star gazed as an apartment of four. 'Twas a good bro moment for all of us and quite unifying ! 

I was able to attend a leadership meeting and I saw elder H , who has now been called as a district leader ! So cool to see his growth from when I trained him first in the mission. Elder T has also been called as a district leader. Glad to see that. I've seen so much growth in both of those companions . 

It helped me in my testimony in the savior and his ability to change people through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We also had to write a page about the atonement to president Jardine . As I was writing and completed writing my page, I realized everything I knew about the atonement of Jesus Christ was from the pages of modern scripture , especially the Book of Mormon. The bible tells the beautiful  story of the saviors sacrifice, but the Book of Mormon tells of the divine ability and role He has in cleansing our lives. Even to the purification and perfecting of our souls. The Book of Mormon  outlines exactly what mankind must do to receive peace in this life and eternal life in the time to come. I know that it is only through the atonement of our savior that any of us can achieve the pursuit of happiness.  we can discover these doctrines most clearly through the words of the divinely appointed record known as the Book of Mormon. 

Love you all ! Here are pictures ! 

Back in the land of Zion. 

Elder kristensen . 

Yes my companion and I are twins. 

July 4, 2016- "Run to the Hills!"

Hello my family and friends ! 

Another great week in restoring and gathering scattered Israel! It was for the most part a wonderful week. But there seemed to be a lingering of uneasiness as we approached July 3. The day of transfer calls. We focused and worked as if nothing was happening but , something was still going to happen so you couldnt avoid it. Saturday was the worst. I feel as though the longer I've been on my mission the more transfers seem to hang over me like a black rain cloud that  hanging over me. But in the end it brings some rain , and as a consequence, there is growth. Although when it seems to rain at transfer time ... It pours.  

I received a transfer call from president Jardine. My new area is shingle springs YSA in the el dorado hills zone. I have been called as a zoneleader. My new companion is elder K from American fork utah. Some fun facts about my area :

-I can see my first area (ione and Jackson area ) from where we live which is in the middle of the woods at a members home in a little house they built in the back. it sits up on a hill. It feels so cool to back in an area that is so much like my first area. Same beautiful scenes. Same kind of work ! 

-I am now in ysa work (young single adult Ward). I think it's funny because I kind of disliked Ysa wards before my mission. So Heavenly Father  placed me in a Ysa to learn to love Ysa ! I am actually quite excited. 

-I came into east sac when elder K first started his mission. We have followed each other around since over to north sac... And now we are companions ! So excited. I love this elder ! It made the transfer easier to swallow. 

I do have to say transfers have been some of the most heartbreaking times on my mission. Every transfer a piece of your heart gets scooped out and left in the area. So I just want to thank natomas 3rd Ward and tala'ofa for everything they did for me. I know I could have done more in those areas. But I did gain such an appreciation for all those who loved me and my companion, and took us in as if we were one of their own. And that is a understatement . Truly I feel as Ammon and his brethren felt after they had finished their work converting the lamanites to the anti-nephi-Lehi. Mormon said that those whom Ammon served and so "dearly beloved" -loved him Also "for they were treated as though they were angels sent from God." Alma27:4. 

Truly that is how I have felt in both wards. I love you guys with my whole soul! 

Also I want to give a  tribute to my companion elder Y who is literally a born natural at missionary work. All I had to do was show him and he'd do it. As if it needed no practice. When he knew better, he did better. Which is the very thing elder Lawrence from the 70 said was the key attribute of Christ. Not only is  he a great missionary, but also my brother and friend. I know he's got my back. He would do anything to help me become better. He taught me a lot of things about giving that I may not have learned from anyone else. 

Here are some pictures : 

Nathan.kristensen@myldsmail.net

Love you all - elder kristensen 

June 27, 2016- Elder Ross

"If you want to go fast , you go alone.  if you want to go far , you go together " African proverb .

The name of this email has nothing to do with this email. 

 So a lot of exciting things happened this week in the mission.

Elder Lawrence from the first quorum of the seventy came and did a mission tour. That Zone conference melted my brain with delicious knowledge of the gospel and the twelve tribes of Israel. Sister Lawrence first got up and taught us the Old Testament, New Testament and the restoration of the gospel as prophesied in a a matter of two hours. She talked to us a ton of the scattering and gathering of Israel and helped us realize the very serious reality of our role in gathering scattered Israel. I wish I had the time to tell you all about it because it made all of the gospel make so much sense including a lot of the idioms that we use. But all and all just know that scattered Israel is being gathered and the Book of Mormon is the proof of the gathering beginning ! 

Elder Lawrence got up and talked about the needs of the mission.  He first talked about how he no longer had to do "missionary training 101" but our mission is now on "missionary training 301." We were advancing from the law of obedience to the law of sacrifice. He says now it's time to lay things on the alter of sacrifice that will help us now be more centered on the work. So we all have had to chose one thing this week. Some are offering up some of their music choices, and others maybe drinking soda. I know of a few elders breaking up with their girlfriends. All so that they can sacrifice and become more dedicated to the work. I have made my own personal sacrifice. And I have chosen something that I know I need help from the atonement of Jesus Christ. And the only  way I will overcome my weakness is throughout the Saviors atonement . So it'll be one of cool to see the change begin over time. 

But that was probably the biggest thing we learned was the importance of sacrifice. 

Sacrifice in our lives to do the Lords will brings blessings."sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." This is an eternal truth taught by the savior himself where he says if any man will lose himself for the lords sake shall find himself. And I know that to be true ! I'm discovering more about myself every single day that I didn't know about ! 

Also another miracle . We chose Asa district to do a district fast. In which we fasted for 3 people to be baptized this month who had not yet accepted baptism. That Sunday 2 of the three people accepted baptism and I did one of the baptismal interviews. We had to have a translated because she was Spanish. But we had one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission as we heard her bare her testimony. She chose not to get baptized. But then she went on a temple tour and when she heard of the sealing power that is within the walls of the temple she knew that is what she wanted. It was incredible to hear of the spiritual experience she had at the temple. 

Love y'all ! It's getting hot here ! 

Elder kristensen

June 20, 2016-Tributes

Sorry family I am super put of time. Thank you for everyone's emails though :) 

But I do need to apologize for my neglect in mentioning a few things. 

First off . June 7 was makinna's birthday. I do want to wish her a very happy birthday and for being the most wonderful sister (only sister ) I've ever had ! During my teenage years I'm pretty sure we were always at each other's throats, but if it ever came to anyone hating on me she was always there to back me up. Kinna has been the source of so much of my fun and joy that I've experienced in my life. I have felt her support by her words and also her prayers while I have served. Thank you makinna. I love you. I don't love it when you play the three same songs on the piano at 9 am on a Saturdaymorning though ;) i am eternally grateful for choice to keep covenants and make covenants that will bind our family and your future family for eternity. 

Also to my wonderful grandma kristensen ! Her birthday was June 12 ! I am grateful for her example and faith as she raised a righteous family. She has always been a firm defender of the faith and that was passed on to my dad and in return to me. It's a legacy of faith ! Plus she writes me a handwritten letter every week... That's amazing ! Thank you grandma. 

I must express gratitude to my father as well during this weekend of reflection on the sacred role of a father. My father has fulfilled that role as a worthy priesthood leader within the walls of his home. He has lead his family to find happiness and joy and I know that it has been through the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for my father and the example he sets not only to his sons but everyone in his realm of influence. He emanates a disciple of Christ. I could go on forever about my dad. But I know that Heavenly Father knew the exact earthly family I needed to find joy. 

I love my family. All of them ! 

The gospel is true. Jesus Christ is the son of the living God ! And Joseph smith is, undoubtedly a prophet of the lord in these last days. 

Have a good week ! 

Elder kristensen 

2 elder y and I dominated a cookie contest in our zone. All thanks to brother u .  Ours is the middle in the cast iron pan .

June 13, 2016- Holiness to the Lord, House of the Lord

Dear family and beloved friends ,
It has been an incredible week this week especially seeing the fruits of our labors that I know I have along since been waiting . On Tuesday night the L family willingly, with short noticed, attended the temple with me for sister D . Sister D was a lady I had the privilege of teaching and also baptizing along with her daughter . A year ago Monday June 6 she made her first covenant with the lord Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding priesthood authority given by God . She Covenanted to keep His commandments, to serve others, and to take His name upon herself as a disciple of the Son of our Eternal father. In return Heavenly Father Covenanted with her to allow his spirit to always be with her as she strived to keep her covenant. By weekly attendance at church where she partook of the essential ordinance of sacrament, she prepared herself for the sacred, saving ordinances of the temple. These ordinances within the saviors holy house , are equally important as to those of baptism. And I got to see her standing in the most sacred place on earth, I think that is where I felt some of the most indescribable and profound joy a human could ever feel. We as missionaries picture our investigators in the temple to help us recognize where we truly want them to go. And that vision that I had a year ago actually happened by the grace and love of our savior Jesus Christ. This is one of the highlights of my mission experience. 
Next spiritual thing that happened was that we organized a recent convert proxy baptism trip other wise known as baptisms for the dead. People who have not had the opportunity to know the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in this life and accept baptism by priesthood authority here, have the chance as we do the baptism for them. NH, RR and DV were all able to attend. It was D's first time. I cannot live without this precious doctrine. 
I know temple work is real. I felt it so powerfully this week.. I know L has been blessed with gifts from heaven as she went to the temple. The lord loves us all and would have us all feel of his presence within his holy house. 
Also cool experience, I got to see brother S in the temple! He was my first Ward mission leader in ione !! He was taking his son through for the first time. Also super special. I miss ione a ton. I'm ione trunkey . 
I love you all and please consider the amount you attend the temple. If you don't know about the temple , ask some Mormons :) 
Here's a bunch of pictures !