July 20, 2013

Hello Everyone,

Wow, sound like you had a lot of fun with the rain! 

It's actually been really cool around here, I haven't even used my fan at night at all this week. The real "rainy season" was apparently supposed to end on Monday, but it has rained 3 times since then, so no one really knows what is going on. I don't remember enough from last year to say, and two data points doesn't really make any statistical trend anyway.

Don't worry about pageant next year Mom, it will all be fine. I'll be there to help too, and there won't be any girls around to distract me, they'll all be getting back from their missions. 

Yeah, we've got quite a number of missionaries coming in over the next three months. Only 2 Americans though, which is interesting. But no Americans go home until November-December. Then it's my turn!

We should be getting our third office missionary this week. I'm not actually 100% positive, but I believe that it is Elder Mary. He's from France, but his mother is Peruvian, so he's kind of that dark tan color that all of Richard and America's kids have. He speaks pretty good English too, and he's a lot of fun. It should be fun working with him. It gives me absolutely no idea though on when President will send me out of the office.

Funny you should ask about driving mom. I got pulled over this week for running a red light. I was very alertly watching as I approached, and I saw 3 cars and 6-7 motos run it too, so I assumed that there was a policeman directing traffic. There was a policeman, but he wasn't directing traffic. Apparently here, the way they enforce tickets is by taking away your registration and insurance documents. So we had to go to the central police station to get them back. I paid the fine ($12) with my own money since it was actually my fault. The whole thing was a huge hassle, and I am struggling a little bit to be charitable towards that policeman. But for your other question, yes I am a lot better at driving stick now.

We ran into that tie-merchant again. Some of my ties were getting rather dirty so I picked up some new ones. 75 cents each, I'm getting better at bargaining. Which is good, I'm going to try getting down to the artisan place soon to pick up souvenirs. I figure being in the office is the best time. I know one missionary picked up a carved elephant femur there. I think I'll leave the ivory alone though, that could be awkward getting stopped at customs coming home. Does anyone have specific requests for souvenirs? If you want me to get clothes made for the family, I'm going to need measurements.  

We had some very interesting medical times this week. [backstory] a few months ago I attended the wedding of Precious, the Nigerian woman who works in the mission office to help us pay utilities and buy supplies and what-not. Well, her new husband had a stroke and is now paralyzed on his left side. So we've been helping her out by running him around to various clinics and testing centers and what not (and by whatnot, I mean getting him up and down 3 flights of stairs). That has been a very interesting experience. BTW, I learned that it is best not to go to the hospital if you haven't eaten anything yet in the day. Low blood sugar + blood leaving head = Elder Christensen realllllly needing to get off of his feet.

If it sounds like this week was a little rough... It was. But things are doing better now. Hey, not every week can be daisies and buttercups. But weeks like this last one usually mean that good things are just around the corner. 

So are you ready for this story? Two of the girls that attended my farewell (not knowing each other at the time)...... Are now at least in the same district, and I'm waiting for confirmation on whether or not they are actually companions. The world is so small. 

You know what else is just around the corner? My 18th month mark. If I were a sister missionary, I would be going home next week. That is super weird. I'm so glad that none of the sisters in the MTC with me came to my mission. It would be so distracting to watch them go home.

Do you know what is sad? All of my old high school and college friends have come home from their missions. Do you know why this is sad? Not a single one of them has written to me to tell me about their mission. I currently have no friends regularly writing me who don't wear a badge with the name of the church on it.    

BTW, in case you didn't notice, I'm attaching some pictures! 

1 - the city scape from the top of our apartment building

2 - A photo of me and Elder Mbala (not a companion, just a cool Elder) with snakes!

3 - a dinner I ate a few weeks ago. Oranges and Tangos (? I forget what they called them) + 2 chocolate covered oreos (this is why I don't hardly ever go into supermarkets). No, my dinners do not usually look like this. Yes, I eat lots of things I didn't eat before the mission.

4 - Me. Wearing a Kente tie (they come from Ghana, and I never wear the thing because it is so hard to knot!).  Oh yeah, and I cut my hair again. I did it in the dark, but it seems to be alright. I don't know what the back is like though. 

Have fun driving home! Don't get stuck in Nebraska again!

Love,

Elder Christensen