Well, Even though there are 7 days in a week I will only hit
up the highlights of the week.
Tuesday, we had district Meeting in Dornbirn. :-) Fun as
usual, District Meetings are always uplifting. Later in the days we had a
lesson With a Man named Thomas Haman, he is a friend of Brother Stevens that
Brother Stevens got to know through his business. He likes to ask deep
questions and hear the answers from each one of us. It was a great discussion.
We hope that he and his family will come to church at some point in time in the
near future. Right after that I called Mariet, and She had time right then, so
we went up with the Buchanans and were able to meet with her. She is doing
well, she is just busy with work and apparently has a lot going on and wants time
to get things settle before she gets baptized... But we will keep meeting with
her and see what happens.
Wednesday I went on Exchange back to Dornbrin and spent the
day Bregenz with Elder Fox, who has only been here a couple of weeks. That was
fun. He forgot the Map back home, but I knew were all the streets were (having
spent a lot of time in Bregenz last year) and so I navigated us the whole day
which is cool, but at the same time it is probably the biggest downside of
doing exchanges down there. They assume that I know the area better than they
do and often expect me to lead out on the exchange. I need to figure out how to
overcome that.
Saturday, the day after a German Holiday.... Stephan needed
our help so we planned to catch a train to Markdorf and be there at 3 to help
him out for a few hours then change and try to stop by on the Micov Family and
the Kunz Family. We arrive at the train station in Ravensburg, only to be
greeted by the announcement that our Train was cancelled. Ok, no Problem, we will
just catch the next one, which should leave in about 8 minutes and we should
still be able to get there. It turns out in that particular hour, that train
didn't exist. Stephan doesn't have a cell phone, so we can't call and tell him
we will come late, or that our Train was cancelled.
We decided to catch the
next train to Friedrichshafen and catch a bus to Markdorf. Well Long story
short we missed the bus to Markdorf, and ended up getting to Markdorf at 4.00.
We hoped that Stephan would try coming back to pick us up, but after waiting
for 10 minutes we gave up and went and changed. I was a bit frustrated at the
train for being cancelled because the connections really aren't that down here,
so it took up an additional hour of our day to get there, and he probably
thought that we blew him off because he doesn't have a cell phone. So we went
to the Restrooms located in the center of Markdorf to change We now have much
more time than we anticipated. Like I said I was frustrated at DB in the moment
(They aren't exactly known for punctuality and great service in this
region).
I cut my finger pretty bad in the WC which made me even more frustrated
and then in that moment a scripture popped into my head, Joel 2:13: "...rend your heart, and not your
garments, and turn
unto the LORD your God..."
It is a scripture that I had become fond of, and it came
back to me in that moment. In this part of Joel, Joel prophecies of a terrible
war and catastrophes that will happen. Then verse 12 and 13 is God inviting us
to turn unto him with our whole hearts, not to get angry and everything bad
that is happening (rending your garments) but to become humble and turn to him
(rending your heart) because "he is merciful, slow to anger, and of great
kindness [and he will turn away the
evil from you]". It had already great meaning to me,
but in that moment it meant so much more. Almost as if he were saying to me
"Yeah, your Train fell out, you missed your appointment and have a lot of
Free time on your hands on a day after a holiday, but don't get angry, just get
humble and turn to me, and trust me". I took a few minutes to pray and try
to re align my view.
We went out and were able to stop by on the Micov family
and bring them a pamphlet of the testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, printed
in Macedonian (the only the the church offers in Macedonian) and talk with
them for a bit. That was great. Later on, we went by on the Kunz family. We
haven't had an appointment with them in over 2 months they have all fallen out,
and we haven't been able to contact them at all. Not knowing what to expect we
said a quick prayer and then I rang the doorbell. They were there! And we had a
great conversation with them for an hour and a half (the timing wasn't the
best because all of their kids were sick and so one parent was always helping
the kids get ready for bed while the other was talking with us, and then the
would switch :-) ). It turns out that they have had some phone problems and
have felt so guilty because something would come up, they couldn't make the
appointment and then they couldn't contact us. They are really busy during the
week, but we were able to meet with them that night. If we would have had the
service project, that wouldn't have happened. It taught me a great lesson.
The next day was Sunday. It was a great day. Jason was
there, as well as the Trautmans Granddaughter, which surprised me a bit, but we
taught both of them and that was fun. Later on, we were supposed to have an
appointment at 3 with a Sri lanken family here in Ravensburg, but they ended up
saying that they don't want to meet with us. The Buchanan's were having pie
with Derick and Jason, and invited us, so we got our bikes and started to ride. Those who have thought "Wow! Elder Christensen had a whole week with no bike
problems!" Just wait.
On the way up the hill all of the sudden with out
warning the seat fell out from underneath me, nearly throwing me backwards off
the bike. The uppermost part of the frame which fastens the seat and pole to
the frame snapped off. Not repairable except through welding... I don't just
mean that a small part broke off, a good 2 inch long ring of the frame broke
free, and with it the seat fell off. So my bike is... dead. I don't know what
to do right now... :-P It has great brakes, wonderful pedals, steers really
smoothly and has a wonderful oiled chain, just no seat... At this point I just
thought to myself "rend my heart, not my garments, rend my heart, not my
garments..." :-)
So we spent the rest of the Sunday walking around trying to
visit some people. No one was home and the people on the roads were being
incredibly rude. One thing that I ought to also mention that over the past
week, Satan has really been working hard on me, and it has been getting worse
and worse. Every possible thing that Satan can use is has been, stressing me
about things, wearing me down, with every possible angle, Highlighting many
many weaknesses.
2 Cor 12:7-10 ( I will only put in verses 9-10)
9 And
he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will
I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s
sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (bolding and
underlining added)
The
difference between the King James and the Martin Luther here is only a slight
one, but in Verse 9 in the Martin Luther it says "LET my grace be
sufficient to thee".
Later I thought of D&C 98:1-3
1 Verily I say unto you my
friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore,
and in everything give thanks;
2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have
entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with
this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be
granted.
3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an
immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things
wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for
your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord. (bolding and
underlining added)
Essentially, Hard times will come. There is no question, and
there is nothing that we can do to stop it. But we can change how we react to
them. If we humble ourselves and let ourselves be satisfied with his grace
(which may mean that things don't work out like we want them to) everything
will work together for our good. Our Weakness will be made manifest, to keep us
humble, Then our Weaknesses will become strengths.
With this e-mail, the number of remaining weeks I have left
in the mission field is now a Single digit number. Could I really expect
anything else than to have it be the most difficult time? But I know that God
hears my prayers. I know that even though things don't always go as planned,
that everything will work toward our good. I am still learning more about
"rending my heart, and not my garments" and still have a long way to
go until I can say that I am really can let Gods Grace be sufficient, But I am
working on that, and I trust that God will help me get through it. I am
grateful to be a missionary, to spread the Gospel and to come closer to my
Savior, who descended below all things.
I am grateful for his atonement, and
the promises he has made to me. I know he loves me, and loves all of us. And
that "the gates of heaven are open unto all who believe on Jesus Christ
the Son of God" (Hel 3:28) That is why I am here, that is my goal is to
help as many as I can feel that love, and be able to one day return to God.
I wish you all a
wonderful Week!
Elder Ryan K. Christensen
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