Finally in Suriname

Wow this has been a pretty intense week! It was transfer week, so it is always a little crazy! I left St. Vincent on Tuesday afternoon and flew to Trinidad. I was really sad to leave all of the awesome people I had met there. It already felt like home but I was so pumped to be heading to Suriname.So I stayed in Trinidad for a day and went out with the sisters there. It was really fun to be serving in another country for a day and just see how different it was. I contacted this one guy... actually he contacted me. He was sitting in his house and waved for me to come over so I started sharing our message with me. Then when I finished he said he really liked the vibes I was sending him. Hahah he was such a Rasta man. It was really cool to see how even though people and places are so different the gospel is the same and it can touch people in many different ways. So what he wanted to call the Holy Ghost cool vibes, I'll take it. Haha gotta start somewhere :)

Okay so after my adventure in Trinidad I got on a flight to Suriname with 7 other elders and we flew in at 2 AM. I was exhausted but the ZL's drove me to my apartment and I finally got to meet my companion! Her name is sister king and she is awesome! We are already best friends, I am so excited for this transfer :) We are going to work so hard and have so much fun! She is from Alaska, she loves the outdoors,and she is up for any kind of adventure! We're going to have a blast!

Well so the next morning we woke up and our branch was having a sports activity. So I got to meet lots of the members in our branch. They are so awesome, I love them already. And they taught me some Suriname games, haha it was a really fun morning. Then we went back to our apartment and the water wasn't working there so we had to take our showers out of a bucket! Hahah talk about an adventure... we had to fill up 2 big buckets of water and dump it over our heads and call it good. Sister King was telling me they have moved 5 times since she has been here and they are trying to find a new apartment where the water works! Haha I guess that is what happens when you are the first sisters in Suriname. But don't worry we were able to find a new apartment and it is really nice. We actually moved in this morning. So hopefully we won't have any more apartment problems.

I absolutely love it here in Suriname. I just know this is exactly where I am supposed to be. The members are amazing. I bore my testimony yesterday in church (in dutch) and everyone told me they couldn't believe I had just been here for a couple days. That my dutch was really good... I'm not sure if I believe them but it made me feel good :) So just now I'm gonna be fluent! Hahah but everything here is wonderful and I'm ready for all the crazy adventures that I'm sure are just waiting for me. I'm so happy this is going to be my home for the next 15 months. I hope you have all had a wonderful week! Thanks for all the emails and love you send me. I'll talk to you next week

Suriname Bound

What a week! My visa came in so I'm leaving for Suriname on Wednesday! I'm so pumped but I am really going to miss it here on St. Vincent. I've already made life long friends here so it'll be hard to say goodbye. But it's alright because I'll be coming back here just now and I'm definitely up for the adventure in Suriname. I'll be on a bike so I'll let y'all know how riding in a skirt goes!

Haha this week we climbed some pretty steep hills and got absolutely soaked a couple of times... but hey it's building character right? The funny part is everyone here is afraid of the rain. If it starts raining everyone in sight takes off for the nearest dry spot and they won't leave until the rain stops. Haha it's actually quite hilarious! Well me and my comps love the rain! It gets so stinkin hot here so when we stand out in the rain it feels so good. So we continue to walk around even if it's pouring and as we walk by people always yell at us to seek shelter or to hurry inside before you catch a cold! haha they're so ridiculous... We've also had people tell us we're gonna catch cold from the AC in the car.. I love my vincey's! :)

Well this week we met so many amazing people. I really am going to miss it here, all of these people are just so wonderful. But my two fav's were Tanni and Nick. We met Tanni last week and taught her a couple times then found out she had a boyfriend so we asked if we could teach him too.. So he joined us! And oh boy is he awesome! When we met him he wasn't wearing a shirt (guys here never wear shirts) but he had this huge scare all the way down his stomach and he was limping and walking with a cane. So we asked him what happened and he said a month ago, just down the road he got shot 3 times! Twice in the back and once in the foot. And so the huge scar on his stomach is where they went in for surgery to remove the bullets. He told us he is lukcy to be alive and he felt that God spared his life for a reason and that he wants to be a better man. So we started teaching him about the restorations and it was so cool to see how accepting he was. he has so many good questions and most of them were answered with the restoration! This lesson really reminded me why I'm out here on a mission and just how much the Lord's hand really is in the work. I read this scripture the other day and I really liked it. It's D&C 68:5-6 "Behold this is the promise of the Lord unto you... be of good cheer and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you and will stand by you..." This scripture really hit me because since I've been a missionary I have really felt the Lord right there nest to me, helping me along the way. And this scripture is true for everyone. if there is one thing I know for certain, It's that God and Jesus Christ love us so much and they are always right there with us. So be happy! Don't be scared because there is always someone there for you. We are all children of God and every single person is important. So remember how important you are and be happy :) I love y'all so much! Thank you for all the prayers and support. Talk to ya next week! Tot Ziens!

Liefde, Zuster C 

Wah Gwaan

Wah Gwaan (whats going on in Vincey) hahah

It's been such a good week! President Mehr and his wife came this week for our zone meeting! It was so fun to see them, I love them so much. I don't know how I got so blessed to have such a great mission president. And I got to go out teaching with them while they were here. They contacted this guy named Jammall. He lives in our area so we got to go out and teach him with them. It was awesome. It was such a cool learning experience for me. To be there and see how President and Sister Mehr teach. They are fearless and so bold with the message of the restoration. By the end of our meeting we had committed him to baptism and he already wants to have us teach his sister, brother and some other family members. Haha it was so awesome :) The gospel is such a blessing. That has been one of my favorite things since I've been on my mission to see. Just how great the gospel is and what a blessing it is in peoples lives. It's my favorite when I'm teaching someone and the message just makes sense to them. And I see them make so many changes in their life so that they can live in harmony with the gospel. People here sacrifice so much, it amazes me. But with out fail I've seen when you sacrifice something for the Lord he blesses you 10 times more. It almost makes that sacrifice not seem like a sacrifice. The gospel really is the key to finding absolutely happiness in life, I've seen it and I'm living it! I have never been happier in my whole life than I am now. When you do what is right and you're really trying to follow Jesus Christ, that's when you feel true happiness. I love you all so much! Sorry the Email is short today... I don't got much time! 

One Love, One nation...

Liefde, Zuster C

Survivor

Halo Familie

Well I survived another week Chicken Goonya free! It was a close call though... I got a really funky rash and I guess that is how it starts. Hahah so once people found out that I had a rash they started freaking out and trying to get me to try all their remedies to "cure" me. The people are crazy in the Caribbean, I love them but they're crazy! Haha I had so much coconut oil rubbed on my legs! Everyone here uses coconut oil for everything. It's actually super cool. One of the members is going to show me how to make it... I'm so excited :) 

So I am continually amazed by the beauty of this place. It is constantly taking my breath away. We had a meeting on the other side of the island this week. The whole drive was along the coast and it was beautiful! Dad it was like when we drove down along California through Malibu but even better! Oh and there was 2 baptisms on Saturday, Zoana and Tony. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had. The people here are just so amazing. They were baptised in the ocean then after we had a testimony meeting on the beach, it was so cool to feel the spirit so strong and to hear them tell of their conversion story and their testimony of the church. Then to feel their excitement as they are starting their life long journey in following Christ. It was pretty awesome.

Okay so since I've been on my mission I have been absolutely exhausted. I come home at night and crash hard then I wake up in the morning and feel like a zombie. I'm just so tired altijde. I am pushing my self so hard though, so that I can have energy to do this with all my effort. I'm doing my best... So I think Heavenly Father understands :) The other day when I was reading the book of mormon I read Helamen Chapter 5 verse 6. This verse talks about the importance of names and it made me think back to Peyten and his talk at my farewell. And I started thinking of my name and how for the next 18 months my name is Zuster. I started thinking about all the awesome Zusters who have gone before me like mom and aunt laura and so many other amazing women. I don't want to let them down. And I'm not going to. I'm going to remember their works and do good. So don't worry I'm not slacking off here on the beach I really am working hard. And although this is the most physically exhausting thing I have ever done... I'm putting in my best effort and absolutely loving it! The church is so true, I have never been happier in my whole life! Well I gotta go but I hope y'all have a great week!

Liefde, 

Zuster Christiansen