OKay, serious missionary work letter. PREPARE YOURSELF

This week was ridiculous!! But in a good way, mostly.

So, this week started off like any other, the typical 6:30 wake up, pray, exercise. But while I was putting my shoes on to go out, Soeur Everett said she felt really really sick, throw up kind of sick, and that was how it all started...

I did my normal workout, and morning studies, but she was sick the whole day, we walked to the church to see if it would help, but it didn't and we did emails, but that was really hard on her, so basically, we spent the whole day inside and she called the mission nurse and she said that there was a flu going around, and two of the elders at lyon blue's conference had it... and so that's how she got it. But anyways, we were told not to leave the apartment for 2 days!! So the rest of monday and tuesday. 

So you can imagine what a weird start of the week we had. Tuesday, I did normal morning stuff, and we did our studies together, but then we had like 6 hours with nothing to do!! Well not nothing, but six hours in the apartment!!! It was so weird! I pretty much sat and read the whole day, and we did some calls and set up some rendez-vous with potentials and other people, but that was really it.

Then, and this is where it gets good, tuesday night I got a really bad headache, which is ridiculous because I did nothing all day, and I started to have a bit of a queasy stomach... So we went to bed early hoping that it was nothing.

But no, wednesday morning came and I was sick, so then we spent another 2 days in the apartment!!! So if you haven't been following that's monday, tuesday, wednesday, and thursday!!!!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!

It was so ridiculous!!!

So basically we had the worst week because we were inside for half of it, but then there were amazing miracles, just let me tell you.

Okay, so in all the time we spent inside we were discussing the members here and we had these absolutely inspired ideas!!!!!!! I'm dieing just thinking about it!! Ah, it's so great!! Are you not excited to hear about it!!!?? You should be!!! :)

Okay, so what we kind of figured out in all our talking and thinking, was that we wanted the ward to be strengthened by their own conversion stories, because so many of the members are converts and we read in alma, when the sons of Mosiah and Alma reunite, and it's this huge joyous reunion and alma recounts his conversion story and every one is happy and uplifted. So basically we wanted to some how do that with the branch here. But we weren't sure how and we kept throwing around ideas, and then we got a call from our DMP, and he said that since this sunday was the fifth sunday of the month we got to do the special lesson for everyone!!! 

It was exactly what we needed!! So we started discussing how we could use this opportunity and all these great ideas started coming!!! 

So we made a lesson plan, and I kid you not, and you won't even be surprised, but I started tearing up because the plan was so perfect and so inspired!! The lesson was completely inspired by the Spirit, which, obviously was why I was crying... but anyway, back to the good stuff.

So Sunday came, and the lesson was so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what we did, we started off with a bible video of when Christ calls Peter and the others as they're fishing to be "fishers of men". Then we had 3 members of the ward come up and share their conversion stories, then we had Soeur Perez and Frere Coulon read and excerpt from Elder Holland's talk, the first and greatest commandment (read it, it's amazing). Then we shared our testimonies and our DMP did too. 

And that was it, I know it probably doesn't sound like much, but it was perfect! The Spirit was so strong, I started crying during conversions stories, and didn't really stop. Especially when it came to be my turn to bear my testimony about the Savior, and how important he is to me. That was embarrassing, but again someone came up and gave me a Kleenex... You would think I would have learned by now to just keep one on me at all times, but I'm always optimistic that I'll be able to keep it together... false hope... :)

Just an insert, when I say cry, it's not like sobbing, snot everywhere, gross. It's just like tears, that don't stop falling. I don't want people to be thinking that I go around weeping and wailing and being gross, it's not like that. My eyes just start raining. NO BIG DEAL

Anyways, it was awesome.

aaaaaaand, we had english class, 2 new people came, and the one asked to discuss religion and what we believe, so we set up a rendez-vous to meet with all of them! which we had on sunday, aaaaand

It was awesome!!!!!! Sr.Griveau came, and they were both super interested! When we gave the one a Book of Mormon he immediately started looking through it and reading the introduction. Isn't that cute!!! They really are searching for the truth, it's awesome!

So even though we had to spend the week inside, we were still blessed with some really cool and amazing miracles. We really are just instruments in the hands of God, how lucky am I that I get to be part of all these miracles. I don't want to stop being a missionary. Real life does not compare, sorry you normal people out there, it just doesn't.

But also, since we couldn't leave the apartment, our grocery situation got pretty interesting, and finally we called a member to get somethings for us. I don't know what we would of done with out her. The members here are great!!! :)

But since we couldn't really eat a ton, we ended up eating potatoes... everyday. Doing groceries today was amazing, we have so many choices now, not just potatoes...

Something else I LOVED about this week was my studies!! I love studying, well..  no, ya, i love studying, pretty much always.., 

OKay, I love studying and this week I got to read a lot and I realized how lucky missionaries are to have so much time set out to study the scriptures and words of the prophets each day. An hour goes by soooooo fast!! 

well, I can't think of anything else to say, oh actually wait, I just remembered something

We were having companion ship inventory, so you pretty much are forced to share your feelings, and we were talking about things we need to improve and she said I needed to improve my confidence when I speak, but that wasn't shocking at all, every sister training leader has said that and I know that, so it was good, but she made me practice being bold, it was horrible

horrible

not fun, but needed. She made me role play asking someone if they wanted to be baptized, 

She started laughing half way through because I was being "bolder than she's ever seen me" and it was funny, good but funny. I was ruthless, sort of, I'm me so it still wasn't that bold, but it was!!! for me especially. After words i felt good, but it was horrible. But at least I know I can do it now!

And now I can't think of anything else to write, so lots of love

France is the best

Stay happy everyone, I love hearing from people, so keep writing

ya, 

the end

Check out Soeur Everett's blog as well! They shared totally different stories from the week. And she uploaded a few pictures as well.  http://sistereverett.blogspot.ca/ 

Also! Camrie's birthday is coming up - April 26! If anyone is interested in sending her a package or card use the mission home address:

Mission Fracaise de Lyon

59 rue de l'Abondance

F-69003 Lyon

FRANCE

It should be sent soon to get there in time. She will be at the mission home on April 25-27 for the ipad conference, next transfers are on the 27th.

Camrie also said this in her e-mail to me today- I thought it was to funny and cute not to share.

It's slightly morbid, but I was thinking about what it would be like if anything happened to anyone while I was on my mission and really how sad I would be. But then it was good because I just realized how much I love everyone and how much everyone means to me, and how blessed I am to have such an amazing family :)

If that doesn't guilt trip some of you into mailing her a birthday card, I don't know what will! She will be turning 21, and would love to hear from you!

Update!

Camrie's new companion is Soeur Jessica Everett, she is from California but moved around a lot in the States. Camrie says she is loving and talkative and they are getting along very well.

And because I'm like that, I searched and found her new companion's blog. Which has her letter from today on it as well. I took some of her pictures, and a few paragraphs about serving with our own Soeur Christensen!

This is the link to her blog if you want to check it out! http://sistereverett.blogspot.ca/ I have a feeling she will be a lot more informative about what they're working on... It appears that Camrie forgot to mention that one of her ami's has committed to being baptized on April 11th! (Like I said, she's a LITTLE spacey)

This is from Soeur Everett's blog:

Now I'm here in Montauban! I can't get over how stinkin adorable it is. My new companion is probably annoyed by me constantly saying "It's so cute here!!" haha. By the way my companion is basically perfect too. What in the world. She's a blue (of course, I have trained my entire mission hahaha) and she's from Edmonton Canada!! Her name is Soeur Camrie Christensen.  Her French is really great and she is a wonderful teacher. We're going to have an awesome transfer together!

I'll just share this since it happened today. So there is this 18 year old we met with today named Elodie. She is 18 and just had a baby out of wedlock. She grew up in the church as a foster child in a member home but the mother had gone out of the church and didn't let the kids get baptized unless they decided to at 18. Elodie spent quite awhile away from the church but after having her baby she decided she needed to come back. Just about 2 months ago she started coming to church again. Today when we met with her she told us she wanted to be baptized!!!!!!!!! We set a date with her for April 11th! We have to teach her all the lessons but I think it will be easier seeing as she has a background in the church. I'm so excited (and yet again blessed) to teach her! She's so cute! And so is her baby haha. :) 

TRANSFER TWO!!!!!

I had a really good week and have some really cool news!!

I'll start with the news, as a bit of a guessing game.

First clue, something in the mission is changing

second, all missionaries are going to lyon for a conference,

third, we will be having some general authorites or leaders of the church coming,

fourth, missionaries are reciving something...

have you guesed yet??

IPADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is that crazy or what? yes, crazy, but I'm so excited. it'll be so nice!

Now, I have kind of have run out of time and so this week has been really good? 

My new companion is sr. Everett. and we've been seeing cool miracles already. At church this last week we had 2 new amis come and we've met cool people and it was really cool.

Also, I met an Elder Garside, from edmonton and we had a 4 hour or so train ride to talk all about Edmonton!! It was so fun!! 

lame letter, sorry, next week will be better... probably...

Love as always, Soeur Christensen

(Side note: Elder Garside is serving from mine and Brady's ward, Greenfield. We had told her to watch out for him... but its Camrie, haha, she is pretty spacey.) 

Transfer Calls

Well, I guess this email is really just for my lst week of transfer one, but technically now i'm in week one of transfer 2, so that's more exciting. This week, since it was Soeur de O's last week we ate at the cool cafe near our apartment and at this pizza place near the church, and we got our last kebob. So good, so so so good. But groceries this week might be a bit slim...

At the cafe we planned on getting some super french thing and a dessert, but then we saw what their burgers look like and got that instead, and really, no regrets. It was delicious! And the pizza place was really good too, we walk by it every day pretty much and so we went! again, no regrets it was delicious, kind of like famosa, similar style of pizza crust and such. And you know kebobs, oh kebabs...

Anyways. This week was full of tombez vous and mangez vous that turned into tombez vous. 

But that was okay. We had lunch with the VanTonders, thay are so amazing! They are these 2 elder couple in the branch, he is from england, and she is french. He's just he sweetest and really funny, he LOVES harry potter and those sorts of things, while she is really strait edged, really kind really amazing, but definitely not goofy. it's funny how opposite they are, I love them!!

I can't really think of what's happened this week, with Soeur deO leaving we spent alot of time packing and doing those sorts of things, but oh ya, my new companion!!!

So this is how it works, the last friday of the transfer president does calls (what's going to happen in the next transfer). He starts on the west and makes his way across, so he usually makes it to our area at about 8 ish in the morning. Sofriday finally came, and we did our workou like normal, and then we waited... I wouldn't say I was freaking out, but I was definitely nervous, my stomach was all in knots and my heart would not stop beatting, it felt like it wanted to leap out of my chest, but not quickly, kinid of like a slow preolonged death thing, that isn't a good comparisson, ignore that. So I was trying to to think about it, and so I was brushing my teeth and the phone rang! I choked on the tooth paste but had to answer the phone quikly and president says my new companion is... drum roll please... SOEUR EVERETT!!!

I don't know anything about her really, Soeur deO didn't really know her, just saw her at random conferences, but she said she's nice, so ya. I'm excited!!

I'm staying in Montauban! 

If I think of anything else I'll write next week, but this wasn't a very big week. 

It does't really feel like I'm getting someone new.. but transfer two begins and I have a lot of goals, well not alot, but I really want to make this transfer something special!

as always lots of love!!!!

Cam Soeur Christensen

One transfer down... 11 more to go, is that weird or what?

Weird, it doesn't feel like I'm done my first transfer. Well, almost done, I guess I have one more week. Friday morning President Roney calls to tell us what is happening for the next transfer. Soeur De Oliveira goes home that's not news, but what's going to happen to me??????

It's almost sure that I'll stay in Montauban, since my companion is "dieing" (as a missionary not actually. no heart attacks please). So I'll almost 100 percent stay here, but who knows!!!!! It's crazy!! I wouldn't say that I'm freaking out about it, but it's really exciting! I'kind a freaking out... In a good way.

This week was fun,Soeur Hoxy took us out for Chinese food... WOW. It was a buffet with tons of options, and an ice cream bar. Ya, we both felt so sick after, not gonna lie, it probably wasn't the best.  But it was so good! Soeur Hoxy is really nice, and she LOVES loves loves LOVES green, every time I've seen her she's worn it, and her apartment is covered in it, pillows, plates, plants, everything. I think she likes green, more than my mom likes yellow. Let that sink in people.  :)

Everyone knows I'm a foreigner!! Which really isn't a problem, I mean, it's true, but one day, we were doing some contacting in the morning and every single person I talked to, stopped me mid sentence, during my first sentence, and asked  where I was from because they detected "un petit accent" It's funny.

This week we had our first district meeting, our job was to bring dessert. Which apparently is a lot harder than it sounds. I guess the last 2 district meetings the sisters were asked to bring dessert, and the first time since neither of them knew how to bake they just bought a box cake, but then instead of baking it they brought it with them to make there with ingredients, but then never ended up making it... then the next time they bought a cake to bring and then forgot it. but this time it all worked out. Zucchini breads a pretty big hit. I've made it so much the last few weeks that I'm pretty sick of it.

Also this week was THIBAULT'S BAPTISM! So this is his story. He was contacted on the street by sisters in September. They invited him to church but he said he couldn't come that Sunday but would come the next. and so 2 weeks by, they are at church, and he actually shows up! They started teaching him and he was awesome, but because he smoked  baptism had to get pushed back because it was hard for him to quit. But he was so prepared to hear the gospel. All the engagements and things he was asked to do just made sense and would always do them, awesome. So ya. Something funny though, he is really tall. and just a big guy, he played professional hockey, so you can imagine, but i'll send a picture too. And the baptismal font is literally tarp held up by poles, and because there is rain and such they only filled the water up to their knees. So ya,try and imagine a really big guy getting baptized in a tarp with the water only up to his knees. Everything was good, but when the time came to get baptized he just did a  kind of 'trust fall' backwards, and since the water was so low he made a HUGE splash, all the kids got wet and everyone that was close by, and since he's a big guy Jeremie, the guy baptizing him couldn't really lift him up out of the water very well... Anyways, it was pretty funny.

And on Sunday, after church Thibault brought us a cheese platter and we tried these different kinds of cheese. The whole ward ended up getting involved, and all I can say is wow, french people love their cheese. haha, it was funny everyone was crowded in this little room and the kids, oh man, they love it too!! 

Also, this week we had a very "what just happened" moment. We had met this guy a couple weeks ago and he was saying that he wanted to start going to church, so we invited him, and set up a rendez vous, but he didn't show up and we figured he wasn't interested, but then this Sunday he came! The first hour of church is priesthood/relief society, and so we showed him the class and he just walked straight in, like it was nothing. Then we had gospel principles together and he was participating, and then in sacrament meeting he was singing all the hymns and it was cool! But ya, I just couldn't believe it, it was so weird. The whole day I was thinking was , wait what?

So ya, it was a good week.

This week, WOW.

I don't know why I said wow, I just felt like it. Anyways, this week was good. We had a lot of rendez vous set up  but then the people didn't show up or they would cancel, or all the numbers that they gave us would be fake... so annoying. but It was a good week.

Some of my favorite parts of the week is that I did my testimony at church, and of course I cried, because that's just me, and of course, like last time, some one comes up and gives me a kleenez, haha, I love the ward here they are so nice, but I don't even really know what I said, I wanted to say something about how weeks are a bit difficult and coming to church being around the members really helps and strengthens me, but I don't know if I got hat across. But after sacrament meeting ended, one of the members, seriously the nicest woman, sat down next to me and put her arm around me and just said told me that she understands that speaking is hard and that its frustrating, but then she said the who you are is more importantt that what you say, and just was SO nice to me, she made me cry all over again! haha, but it was just so touching! So ya, that is probably the highlight!

 

Then so embarrassing!!!! well not so embarrassing, but it was funny. I had tried to talk to someone, I asked if we could do a questionair and he said no, and so usually Soeur deO will say okay, have a good day, and then I say goodbye. But this time I completely jumped the gun and said as soon as he said no, I just looked straight at him and said au revoir. Then I just kept staring at him, because I didn''t mean to say that and he just looked at me, then I just turned and started walking away!! It was so funny, I felt so bad, but oh well. That happened...

Hopefully I can send more about this week later.

Love 

Soeur Christensen