Elder Coy at Five Years Old!

Elder Coy at Five Years Old!

Friday, September 27, 2013

I took it like a man, Seth!


Scripture Study!


My new haircut!
D-D-D-Dear Mother...

I'm currently starving to death in the middle of the Jungle heat up to my waist in snow. All I want before I pass from this life is one last taste of your signature apple pie biscuits with gravy, which I'm pretty sure I just hallucinated.

No seriously, I don't need anything. Thanks for your concern :-)

I'm just about to get the shots today, I have enough money, thanks for everything.

I'll be on at 4 if you want to talk :-)

Dear Hordes of the Beloved by me

Thank you so much for the waterfall of love and messages I've been getting all week! I feel like Van Pelt on the Best Two Years when the letters being passed out go "Coloma. Coloma, Coloma, Christensen, Christensen, Christensen, Christensen, Coloma,". Seriously that guy must have like a fan club or something.

Anyway here's to resolve some stuff that my parents have been bugging me about:
NO I do NOT need ANYTHING Mother, thanks for your concern.
That Picture of the white board I sent last week is NOT the Alphabet we use. That was our teacher Brother Blissit writing the Church's Name in Jawi Script because it's cool and he's awesome.
Favorite Scripture for my plaque: 2nd Nephi 4:26-27 (and 28 if you can fit it)
Dear Elder is the best way for me to be reached now, and will definitely stay that way on my mission since I won't have to wait for a month to get them!
I got my shots today, the card worked fine, and Seth, don't worry, I took it like a man.
If you just email your questions for me, that would be much better so I don't have to reread your letters to find them!
TOTALLY tell me about the books you are reading! I'd love to hear about that!
Quotes: Just do what you did before, I'd specifically request the letter Abe Lincoln wrote in that green poetry book (or anything else you get from that). I was going to try translating them into Malay, helps me learn.
You guys should totally order a Malay B.O.M. from lds.org. I'll write up a pronunciation guide!
I loved all the pictures! Please keep them coming! Except that Fall one mom, don't make me cry. I've loved to hear how life is there, I feel so bad about the bees Dad! I hope your poor Romulan head gets better! Seth! You're awesome! I wish I had been able to be Doctor Who in Laser Tag! That's so cool! Anything else that people have written me about I've tried to write letters home to.

The MTC is frickin' amazing. In case you didn't know. Everyone keeps asking what it's like here so, here we go. But first, Snow on the Mountains! Today! Awesome! That reminds me of a segway into our beloved Elder Paiwei from Australia. He hasn't seen snow in ten years and wants to before we leave, so everyone pray for snow!

Paiwei is a very awesome man. He picks up the language pretty well and he is always pleasant to talk to. He is from Brisbon Dad, and said we could use his guest bedroom if we ever vacationed there (after I get back of course).

Allen is our DL right now. He's an interesting mix of sporadic self righteousness and total prankster. He's already planning to write Wilson as if he was Wilson's girlfriend, and is really funny alot of the time.

Blackwelder is from Cincinnati Ohio and reminds me exactly of the story that Grandpa Jello tells of the guys he got to read the B.O.M. by doing a stick pulling competition in Seminary and tying it to Joseph Smith. Very physically active, doesn't like studying much, and kills everyone in 4 square. Before I met him I had never heard Captain Moroni called 'sick' or 'tight' or 'crazy awesome' before'.

Jin is born and raised in Houston Texas, but his parents came from Korea. He's kinda quiet, but very insightful, and usually only talks if you talk to him first. But he's a great guy and fun to hang out with. He's also going to college in Engineering and 21 years old.

Sister Anderson is a reincarnated Aunt Jeni with a New Zealand accent. I don't know how she does it, but being the only female in our district, she's very good at keeping the rest of us in check.

Coloma is an amazingly smart man from Paris France. He has a fiance waiting for him, and is really funny. We're all on pins and needles to see a picture of her. He just started to pick up American slang such as "Oh My Gosh" and he called his companion Wilson a Dork the other day. He's still learning English and doing better than he thinks he does. He's very spiritual and is excellent at teaching and learning languages, just fun to be around. He is also 21.

Wilson. How to describe Wilson. He wants to be a Barber when he gets back, he loves rap, he's from Ogden, he never changes his hair style, and he's temperamental in a good way if that makes sense at all. 'nuff said.

My Companion, Sessions, was very quiet when I met him, but now that we've bonded somewhat he's really funny. Constantly trying to get us to laugh, and he feels more comfortable with the language. He's a great guy, very concerned about the state of his hair, likes to maintain a six pack, so eating and sitting for 12 hours a day kinda bothers him. Other then that we get along swimmingly.

Then there's me. Hopefully you know me already ;-)

Daily MTC stuff includes one alternating hour of gym time, usually 4 square is what my district does, 3 hours of Breakfast Lunch and Dinner, and the rest is Study. Language Study, Companion Study, Personal Study, and Classroom instruction.

I'll save time for describing my teachers next week.

We also get awesome devotionals every Sunday and Tuesday (when the Choir sings as well).
If you have specific questions about my life style, please ask! The more letters (and packages) the better! Keep the manna from Heaven flowing!

Love you all so much! Sorry for the scanty pictures, I totally forgot to take any this week!

With love
-Elder Christensen

Friday, September 20, 2013

I lost my companion!


September 19, 2013

The MTC is fantastic. It usually winds up that we spend about 12 hours a day studying, 2 hours eating, and an hour going to bed and writing in our journal. Pretty dang exciting ehh? Seriously though, it´s so great here. I´ve made so many friends and I hope I can do the whole experience justice in 10 minutes.

Tuesday we had a phenomenal devotional by Pres. Schwitzer of the 70. He gave an amazing message about how the skills we learn on our mission will start us on the path for perfection.
Afterwards I lost my companion, he´d gone ahead with Elder Jin, and the other 7 of us stayed to the last looking for them. It was awful. I felt like a part of my soul was empty. I found him back at the classroom, hugged him tight, and told him never to do that again. I´ll never lose a companion ever.

Afterwards President Parrish gave an after devotional devotional, and he said that We work in this life so that we can be worthy of a Terrestrial World when we die, and thereby earn 1000 extra years to work for perfection. That was really cool.

Today was the 1st P day. We went to the Provo Temple. Anyway, pictures!

Elder Christensen

 Me and my Companion, Elder Sessions from Syracuse, Utah.

Our Classroom




Elder Sessions, Sister Anderson from New Zealand and Elder Poiwei from Brisbon, Australia



Elder Allen and Elder Paiwei

The Malay Book of Mormon is just a few weeks old!  

The church's name in Jawi Script!  Malay's original writing....

Our District, Wilson Blackwelder Allen Jin Anderson Paiwei Me Sessions and Coloma

heh heh heh

The Shire. A little grove in the middle of the classrooms. Very appropriate considering how spiritual it is here and the task we are called to do when we leave.  (Mom note: Lord of the Rings reference)

The guys

This awesome guy, Ronnie from Singapore, works in the cafeteria, made us ESPECIALLY authentic Malaysian Chicken curry today, bones 'n all.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Baptizing them in their own tears....

September 15, 2013

The MTC is so great. I can't begin to explain how wonderful it is.  I've made so many great friends and I am learning so much.  It's already beginning to be hard to differentiate between Malay and Ingliss!  Soyo Begasso, seriously!  Did Komu know that Malay's so very related to Arabic? You'll get some pictures on Thursday.

Anyway, the MTC is so much fun. Elder Bester from Canada (and proud of it) was given the job of Sacrament Music Coordinator, but when he returned he told everyone his companionship had been transferred to the Bangkik Thailand mission speaking Mandarin.  Elder Sessions and I, just returning from being given the job of Sacrament Coordinators, were given the heads up so we played along, saying the same thing.  Komi had fun with it.

We're 'teaching' an 'investigator' named 'Limbie' right now, and we had our 3rd (tiga) lesson tomorrow morning.  It's fun.  We spend most of the day teaching each other a lesson we do not know, since we only get a teacher for tiga hours.  The food is decent, but apparently it's worse, but it trades off for better housing here in the west campus.

Another funny thing, Elder Blackwelder, after teaching Limbie, came out and, when we asked him if he's done the baptism challenge, said "Done and Done. The spirit was so strong he started crying, we baptized him in his own tears.  Bam. Right there."  He's a really funny guy.  The other people are good to associate with.

Elder Colomo is a really awesome person, and I totally respect a person who learns Malay by fist translating English to French, then French to Malay.

Elder Bednar's talk on the Character of Christ is amazing, and you should totally watch Ephraim's Rescue.

Love you all,

Elder Christensen

p.s. Thanks so much for the cookies!

p.p.s. Ron Tanner spoke, cousin to T.C. Christensen. Did you know he made "Only a Stonecutter?"

p.p.p.s. Tell my siblings if they write me, I will always respect personally!

p.p.p.p.s.  Tell my siblings if they write me, I will always respond personally.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

The MTC has been a fantastic experience so far!

September 12, 2013, Thursday

Hey everyone!  I can't say I'm missing you all that much yet, but it's also only been one day, give me some slack!  

Anyway, the MTC has been a fantastic experience so far. I'm writing this at night in the little time I have, partly because the District Pres. told me to, and partly because you won't hear from me 'til next Thursday (and yes, pictures will come then as well).

After being dropped off yesterday, I was told I was going to be moved to the West Campus, which is apparently much nicer. All the people here are staying longer.  All foreign language speakers are here, and most of them are going to Singapore!

Elder Sessions, my companion, is a kinda quiet, but really cool guy.  He's a very deep thinker that enjoys politics and hopes to reform the U.S. Education system. (Mom note...Coy has said he wants to be a revolutionary and reform the education system as well..Fun!).  My other fellow Singaporeans (in my district) include our District Leader Elder Allen, his companion Elder Poiwei from Brisbon Australia, Elder Blockwelder (say that ten times fast :), his companion Elder Jin, a Korean from Houston, Texas, Elder Wilson from Utah, his companion Elder Colombo from Paris, France, and our only sister, Sister Anderson from New Zealand.  (She is just like Aunt Jenny in every way except appearance).  

Mostly the days are taken up in language study with our amazing teacher Brother Blisset, who got back from Singapore about 2 years ago and loved it.  We've all hit it off very well and are enjoying our time together.  We also all leave here on the same day! 

Other than that the Gospel is still true and the work is progressing. We had some workshops that were fun and the food here leaves nothing lacking.  The last thing I'll mention is how we all love to heckle Elder Bester from Canada, also going to Singapore.  There are about 18-20 of us, so we fill 2 districts. 

More to follow!  
Love you all!
Good Night!
Elder Coy Christensen

p.s.  We just got the new Malay Book of Mormon today, want one?

p.p.s.  Profound note:  My name tag translates to "Church Jesus Christ people Holy Last Age."