Rain, rocky, BAM!

hello family and friends!

well this has definitely been an interesting week. we've started to pick up the pieces from the last couple of weeks, and things are starting look up more. with the bams this week, we delivered their book of mormon to them, and they were quite happy to take it, and talk to us. they didnt have anything against us, they just wanted to call it quits on the lessons, but we set up another one with them just to watch the testaments with them, to see if we cant make a bit of a difference. So that was good. we also had a mini monsoon this week. it poured all day one day, and it was the day that we were planning on going tracting most of the day- so we did some house keeping things in the morning to see if it would clear up by afternoon, but it just continued, so we just went out in it. it was flooding in some areas, so there were some BIG puddles which, being me, i couldnt resist riding through them. i got absolutely soaked, and enjoyed every minute of it. :D Elder purser wasnt a fan, and had to find his own way around all the big puddles. but we werent able to contact eveyone that we wanted to, so maybe this coming week will be a bit better. But, this week we had district conference, so we went to Rocky again, and president Langeland was there, as well as president Nielson from the area presidency. it was such a good conference. Elder Nielson talked for a solid hour 2 nights in a row with no notes or anything prepared. it was probably the most inspiring thing i have ever seen. the talks were absolutely amazing, and the spirit was very strong. then last night, we had another training with president Langeland, and lots of things are changing. there is a LOT of new things that we're doing, so it'll take some adjusting. but it was very good, and i really enjoyed it.

anyway, that should about do it. I love yous! have an awesome week!

love,

Elder Tayler Christensen

Hello family and friends!
what a week this has been. not a whole lot really happened, a few disappointments though. and when i say disappointment, i mean i was crushed. the Bams decided to drop us. they want to just leave it that, and pray about it or something like that. but we will be trying to get them back. we ordered a book of Mormon for them in Afrikaans, and it just barely came, so we're going to drop that around to them this week, and see if we cant repair some of that damage. but we also have had some successes. we were asked to give talks in sacrament meeting yesterday on missionary work, and we decided to just basically teach the restoration and Plan of salvation in our talks. we weren't really sure why. but then, it turns out there were like 5 non members that came to sacrament meeting. one was the close friend of the sis. smiler, the lady who was helping us with the Bams, who normally attends the AOG (Assembly of God) church. so that was really good. it was good. and then one of the elderly ladies in the branch had her entire family there as well, so there were some less-active members and then some non-members there as well, and they really seemed to enjoy it. it was a good sacrament meeting. so that was really good. during the week, not a whole lot exciting happened. just work as usual. but on Saturday, we did some service again, this time At Bro. Watene's house. He's basically re-modeling a trailer, so we helped him rip it apart and start putting it back together. so it was a manly day, cutting steel with a grinder and in a few cases, a gas Axe. that was FUN. oh, and apparently the sparks from the grinder are hot enough to catch your pants on fire... and the ground around you... watch out. don't worry, it didn't burn much, i just have a cool new souvenir on the ankle of my jeans. nothing major. but, it was really funny, and everyone told me to stop lying for the rest of the day... :P [editors note--so it took like 5 minutes to figure out his allusion to "liar, liar pants on fire" ha--funny) so that was fun. and as dad said some time ago- hot steel: that's man glue. but yes the week was a bit boring, but good at the end.

i hope yous all have a good week, and dont worry, my back is doing just fine this week, i started my physio homework again, and it's helping heaps. ok, have a good one! i love yous!

love,

Elder Tayler Christensen

hakuna matata. what a wonderful phrase

hello hello family and friends!

well, it sounds like everyone had a busy week, and this week isn't looking much more relaxing. :P sorry about the late email, our branch mission leader took us out golfing this morning- it was pretty shocking, it took us 3 hours to play 9 holes... it was pretty embarassing when a girl about 15 years old drove her ball not only further than me, but we're talking like twice as far as me... ya. sad. anyway, thank you for all of your emails, they have made my day. it seems that good and bad weeks have formed a pattern here. and seeing as last week was a good week, that means this last one not so good. my back kinda flared up on me again, and i wanted to shoot something, but it restricted work, and was quite discouraging. we also were supposed to have a lesson with the Bams, but they cancelled on us about an hour before the lesson. we're not sure why, but hopefully something actually did just come up as they said. but the week wasnt all bad. sacrament meeting was amazing. for possibly the first time ever, i was so excited and happy to fast. it was just a good reset for the month, and brought some very good spiritual upliftment. and i enjoyed a good week of studying, and also again, using a jack hammer to cut through concrete and steel. it was awesome. oh, and transfers happened last week, and nothing happened for us. we stayed in emerald. so we're going to make the most of it, i'm doing my best to not get too burned out, but to continue struggling upward so i can finish strong.

Dad, hope church went well for you today. i'm praying for you every day too. and i'm praying for the family as well. anyway, thats about all i have time for. i love you all so much!

love,

Elder Tayler Christensen