Monday March 26, 2012

I don't have anything exciting to report yet except that we're going to start teaching a guy.  He wants to be baptized and apparently he's been to our services before. His name is Mark. He'll probably have to be interviewed by the First Presidency (Most likely by phone or video chat) in order for him to be baptized, but hey. The gospel is for everyone. "The whole need no physician" (Moroni 8:8) The ward is nice. We're having a tough time exciting them to missionary work. They seem to think of us as their personal butlers for EVERYTHING. Its a work in progress though. Everyone here works for the government so everything is secretive or they just don't like you. Its tough to work with sometimes.

But I want to close with something that my mind has been increasingly called to lately. It stems from two sources the 107th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants and the April 2008 General Conference talk by Jeffrey R Holland.

23 The ^atwelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve ^bApostles, or special ^cwitnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.

"Of the many privileges we have had in this historic conference, including participation in a solemn assembly in which we were able to stand and sustain you as prophet, seer, and revelator, I cannot help but feel that the most important privilege we have all had has been to witness personally the settling of the sacred, prophetic mantle upon your shoulders, almost as it were by the very hands of angels themselves. Those in attendance at last night’s general priesthood meeting and all who were present in the worldwide broadcast of this morning’s session have been eyewitness to this event."

I've thought a great deal about Prophets and Apostles lately and their calling. I'll start with the Quote by Elder Holland.

Because of time that I spent watching the Bible Stories at Leslie's house when I was a child I always had a unique fascination with Elijah (At the time it was because he carried a really big knife and seemed like he was a Warrior Prophet) and what he did. It wasn't till recently that I've come to understand his deep conviction and understanding of the Gospel. He also held and exercised the Sealing Keys. Towards the end of his life on earth though when he was with Elisha he was translated. As he ascended to heaven at the time of his translation his mantle fell back to the earth and settled on Elisha. This mantle was something that many people recognized when they looked at Elisha and they knew he was a Prophet. In history a mantle was a type of coat or jacket. Elder Holland talks about watching the Mantle of the Prophet fall on President Monson's shoulders. Strengthening his testimony of this great man. I didn't see a Mantle or a coat fall on President Monson's shoulders and nor do I think I ever will. But President Monson has always stuck out in my mind with the same sort of uniqueness as when I thought back to Elijah. A man who holds a deep conviction of the gospel, holds and exercises the Sealing Keys and all of the Keys of the Priesthood, and whose mission it is to help others "Come unto Christ and be perfected in him" (Moroni 10:32) This is something a Prophet does.

As for D&C 107:23. I continually have to believe that the Apostles really have seen Christ. When and where I don't know. I have to think the temple because the Temple is called "the Portal where heaven and earth connect". They know understand things that we don't. Simple men called to do extraordinary things in this life. The most extraordinary thing though is to be a Special Witness of Christ to the World.

I know that these men are apostles and prophets of God. They help us draw closer to our redeemer. They don't replace him by any means. They help us strengthen our testimony and faith in him. This is the structure he set up for his church to be built upon. Apostles and prophets. I testify that Jesus Christ lives and he calls ordinary men to do this work. I'm an ordinary person with ordinary difficulties sent to teach the grand and glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Feed my sheep..."

Elder Christofferson

Monday March 19, 2012 (Late again)

Wow. Impressive. I didn't know that it wouldn snow this late in the season. Who am I kidding. I remember it snowing on us in Moab one year. I miss Moab. I give people who buy jeeps and dont lift them a hard time. They tell me that jeeps are not meant for crawling rocks. WHY ELSE WERE THEY MADE?!?!?! Oh brother. Some people just dont understand.

Oh man. President Uchtdorf with the Blue Angels. I'm sure he loved that. Flying in formation with those Pilots. The more I read and hear about the General Authorities the more I think that these are extraordinary men. The fact that they keep going and aren't hindered by anything completely astounds me. When President Packer has his Pace Maker put in he just pulled on coat and went right back to work. I also think of the words that he said back in the October 2007 General Conference, "Everything that is done in the Church—the leading, the teaching, the calling, the ordaining, the praying, the singing, the preparation of the sacrament, the counseling, and everything else—is done by ordinary members, the “weak things of the world.” He made that claim about the Apostles just like he did about the other members of the church. I think it inspiring that these men who we love and respect consider themselves as being just as ordinary as ourselves.

 

My mission has taught me a lot about independance. When I get home I'll be the best cook in the family...I hope. I can cook on a budget at least. I also know how to live on $145 a month! I may end up doing that for myself when I head off to college. Figure out my monthly income and then live off the minimum that I can.

 

So my typical day is that I get up at 6:30 every morning. Work out a little bit, shower, eat breakfast. Study by myself at 8. Study with Elder Richins at 9. Head out the door at 10 and work until 9 at night. There isn't much to our day. My roommates are Elder Chambers from Ogden and Elder Jenks from Alpine. They're pretty cool. Elder Chambers is the smallest in our apartment so we pick on him a little bit, but he holds his own with us. He's got a lot of attitude for a little guy. Elder Jenks is my District Leader. He's pretty laid back. He's pretty tall and skinny too.

 

I don't have any new stories yet, but I'm working on it. But i wan't to close with my testimony that life isn't just a free ride. We do have to work for things we want and keep the commandments to obtain salvation in this life. With our mortal life being a time where we are able to grow its important that we do all we can to obtain perfection in this life and then Jesus Christ's Atonement makes up the rest. I know that this is a part of his Doctrine. That it has been taught throughout all of history. It is part of this church. I know that Thomas S. Monson leads this church today and that it was restored the Joseph Smith many years ago. I bear my witness that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Master. Of this I bear solemn testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Feed my sheep..."

Elder Christofferson

 

Monday March 12, 2012

Sounds like your weather has improved significantly. Ours is still on the fritz. We get hot and cold so rapidly that its annoying. Its also very windy here.

Tell Colton that'd be great and I'd appreciate the help. Tell Molly I'll be filling that room when I get there. I want to start school as soon as possible when I get home. I've been thinking about getting Troy Swain to see if he can get me hired on at one of the Maverick's down there when I get home. He might have a little bit of pull with that, but I don't know.

I'll go ahead and answer your questions now.

1. I was transferred so close because the Lord needs me here. President Belliston told me that there's something I have that this ward needs and that I'm the only one that can do it. Of course he says that to all the Missionaries. His job is to know where we're going. Ours is to find out why we're going there...and sometimes how.

2. I'm in the Severn Ward of the Annapolis Stake.

3. I'm in another four man apartment. We share with the Ft. Meade Elders. In Ft. Meade is the District Leader Elder Jenks and his companion is Elder Chambers. We live in a towne house. Its kind of nice. Barren. But nice. We're not allowed to hang pictures or anything on the walls so its kind of boring inside.

4.My companion has been out for four months. His trainer just left so now I'm his second companion.

5.We get along just fine actually. I found out that he's originally from Arizona. He's also half Hopi. He's very into baseball and football and I actually met him briefly before the Mission and didn't realize it. I worked for some OA functions and he was there. We've had lots of talks about Scouts. He's awesome. Hopefully I can learn some more from him while I'm here. Keep in mind that you'll never know till I get home which companions I got along with or didn't get along with and even then you might never know.

President and Sister Belliston have been out for almost the full three years. We see him on average once a month in Annapolis, but in Columbia we'd see him about once a week.

The Army Base isn't our Area. It's Ft. Meade's area. They're on base every day. When we go on exchanges I'll go on base sometime though. I wouldn't join the army. Dad and I talked about it. I'd join either the Marine Corp or the Coast Guard. :)

I don't drive. I lost my priviledges. Remember? We share a van with Ft. Meade, but since we live with them we trade every other day. Hopefully I'll be here for the 4th of July and get to go see the air show and fireworks over Annapolis Naval Academy. Things are started to blossom. We've had our first view of pink already.

There is Antietam Battlefield. Brother Marvil who lives in Sharpsburg and less than a mile away from the battlefield has already agreed to be our tour guide when we go out there and he's going to show off some of the Book of Mormon related paintings that he's done. Its pretty cool. Annapolis Naval Academy does tours I think. There's also a state park up in Baltimore. Old Ellicott city has one of the largest antique and home furniture shops in the state of Maryland. Of course the temple and we'll get to do a session and take Kadee for Baptisms for the dead. It has the Visitor's center.

Well I'm going to close for now. No new stories to tell yet since I just got here.

I want you all to know that I have a testimony of the Gospel comforting the afflicted. I was able to see how a priesthood blessing comforted a less active member in her time of trial recently. God's plan and efforts are always moving in unique and surprising ways. I so testify of his divinity, love, compassion, and his mystery in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Feed my sheep..."

Elder Christofferson

 

"NEW ADDRESS" Thursday March 8th, 2012

So I've been transferred to an area called Severn. We're right next to Ft. Meade Army Base here. Don't worry. I remembered my bike. I can't forget it.

My new address is

 Elder Christofferson

7998 Millstone Ct.

Severn MD 21144

 

 My new companion is Elder Richins from Pleasant Grove.

Monday March 5, 2012

This week is kind of bittersweet in the Maryland Baltimore Mission. Many miracles were reported to President Belliston and he's reported to us his replacement as Mission President which will take place in July. Mark Richards and his wife Karlan. We're all sad to hear of him going. But he's not dying! Because he's still here, I'm not going to mention anymore of it till he is released...and I'm getting transferred. Not happy about that one.

So this week we were granted a tender mercy of the Lord when we were able to find Alfred. A man from Cameroon. He let us right in and we were able to start teaching him right away. It was great. He has an interesting story of how him and his family arrived here. He credits it all to the Lord. A lot of our conversations are very formal though. We'll be trying to get to know him better this week. Alfred has a great spirit to his home and he just loves to sit and soak it in. He's a great guy.

We had probably the greatest P-Day Zone activity in the world today. We played broom hockey. I'm not gonna lie. It was awesome. Probably the most fun I've had during a Zone activity. I'm also the most worn out that I've ever been in my life. I'll probably feel like I got hit by a car in the morning. But its all good. I enjoyed it.

So other than those short little blurbs I only have to report that we found a Rhinoceros in our area. Pictures to come.

I want to close with my testimony. Jesus Christ lives and loves his children. He is mindful of their readiness to hear the gospel. "For behold, ^aangels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory." (Alma 13:24) Missionaries are to find and teach those prepared by the angels of the Lord. His hand is in every aspect of this work and if it wasn't for his love and influence then it wouldn't progress. I bear my testimony of these things in the name of the Master. Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Feed my sheep..."

Elder Christofferson

Short and Sweet February 27, 2012

This week was a good one. We found a lot of potential. Not nearly as many lessons but the ones we did have were good ones. We were knocking and as we open the gate which leads to the front door we hear barking. Elder Dobson asks me, "Is there a big dog over there?" I look over the gate and see through the glass of one of the windows. "No. There's three," I said. "HECK NO!!!" came his response "Not happening! I don't want to get eaten by the Incredible Hulk's pets!" Then we went to the next door. I didn't tell him that they were all vicious looking. Good thing we moved on. The front door was cracked a little bit and they could have gotten out and attacked us.

We were able to see Stake Conference Broadcast from Salt Lake City this last Sunday. Elder Richard G. Scott, Bishop H. David Burton, Sister Silvia H. Allred, and Elder Paul B. Pieper spoke to us. It was great. Elder Scott talked about the sanctity and beauty of women. Bishop Burton talked about Prophets and Apostles. Sister Allred talked about family prayer and Scripture study, and Elder Pieper talked about missionary work. They Broadcast it to 43 stakes on the east coast.

Well. I'm going to close this email for now. I know that we have modern revelation and Prophets on the earth today. The Lord calls Missionaries to go about preaching his gospel to all ends of the earth and that this message can bring the greatest joy in life. I so testify in the name of the beloved savior of us all. Jesus Christ. Amen

"Feed my sheep..."

Elder Christofferson

"Late Again" February 20, 2012

I do get to email you. It'll probably be a short one since we're in the family history center at the columbia stake center. They do that out here since we don't have an entire geneology and church history library like they do in utah. We're limited on time here out of courtesy to those who come to search their family history.

So this last week was a humbling week. We didn't find anyone, but we did knock on a lot of doors and find some very promising people. So hopefully we'll be able to see some significant improvement.

1. Its exciting to hear that they finally started the Payson Temple. Let me know if President Shephard is called as the temple president. He'll either be that or a mission president next. I'm sure of it.

 2. Tell Bishop Shephard hello for me also.

3.  Book of Mormon Challenge? I'll be sending mine home soon so that you can see how a missionary studies while on a mission. I'm planning on giving it a way to Max Martinez right before he leaves so that he can add notes to it while he's gone and then he can pass it to another when he returns. A generational Book of Mormon is what its referred to as.

I'm happy to hear that everyone and everything is doing well at home. Tell Darius Happy Birthday for me. I was going to send cards to everyone, but I tend to forget or run out of time or money to buy cards.

I have increasingly found something of concern lately. Keep in mind that "the invitation to repent is a declaration of love" (D. Todd Christofferson. The Divine Gift of Repentance. October 2011 General Conference.) That is some of the stories I've heard about Utah Born and Raised Members from those who grew up outside of the state. It seems that members in Utah get a little too laid back in their religion, they take it for granted, and they become pridefull because they're around it all the time. They say, "Well here in Utah we don't have to worry about everything out there so we don't really care about all your problems." They assume that every member has it as good as they've got it. I've had members ask me time and again, "Are you going to live in Utah all your life?" To which my response went from, "Probably" to "I have to praise those members for rasing a family outside of Utah. It gives them reason to stand up for their faith and be humble in their religion and they're testimony. They know whats in the world and they know how to love those that may come to them for help. I think that I'd rather raise my family on the east coast so that they can understand the same thing." I'm not chastising anyone who is reading this email to being downright nasty to those members who move from out of Utah to the heart of the state. I'm simply pleading with you to make sure you love them and make them feel welcome so that they see that our members really are what they claim to be.

Christ's love is for all God's children. This is somethig I've grown to cherish while on my mission.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his ^aright hand, Come, ye ^bblessed of my Father, ^cinherit the ^dkingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have ^adone it unto one of the ^bleast of these my ^cbrethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matt 25:34, 40)

Christ see's all that we do and he knows of everything. He desires charity and love for all of God's Children. I so testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 "Feed my sheep..."

 Elder Christofferson