My How Time Flies

Dear Family and Friends,
     We have been in Tennessee almost a year.  It is hard to remember not being here.  We have let go of our former selves and really feel a part of the missionary and ward efforts here.  I think that is good because I think that is when you start to really see the good and don't wish for something else or feel left out because you are not where everything you knew is going on.  It does not mean that we don't  have little homesickness moments.  Just last week we went to teach a couple at their home the ward mission plan and they had a fire going in the fireplace.  It made dad miss home and he was surprised at that feeling.  I have them more than dad I think.  Sometimes it surprises me what will trigger a moment.
  We finished our weeks of zone conferences.  It is a lot of traveling.  We spend all day starting early in the morning to get to the meeting at 8:30.  The meeting starts at 9:00 dad likes to be able to set up his computer and get his things ready so we always get their early.  I think he is a little OCD with time but I try hard to be obedient and get ready sooner than I like.   It is something that I can sacrifice for him so he feels better about his job.  Needless to say we get up really early to get our exercise in and to read our scriptures eat breakfast and be on the road with the other senior couples.  Most of the time we leave in the dark and get home by dark.  The life of a missionary! Then we see what the President does and the traveling and interviewing he does after these long meetings and we don't have any reason to complain.  Mission presidents are given such a heavy calling and it is amazing to see how they get it all done.  This week is new missionaries coming in old missionaries going home and transfers.  All of which the president has to figure out where the new missionaries are going to be put who will be their trainer companion and what area needs a refresh with elders or sisters to get the missionary work to move. Then it has to be put on the computer so everyone has access to the information so mail can be forwarded that baptisms can be recorded and so we know who is in what apartment and where they are.  Then the phone they use have to be transferred to the new missionaries name.  The cars have to be arranged so we know what missionary is driving what car.  It gets very complicated when we have transfers.  
     After transfers however we are leaving to go spend a few nights in Asheville with two other senior couple who don't have anyone they are spending Thanksgiving with.  We are renting a cabin and then making Thanksgiving there which will be fun and hopefully relaxing.  Dad and I made the arrangements and try to keep the senior couples feeling like they are part of the mission.  Some of them live so far away from the mission office we only get to see them at zone training and zone conference.
    We hope you have a great Thanksgiving!  It makes us feel happy when we know you have a desire to be together and spend this wonderful holiday together.  The family is our greatest blessing.  It is what keeps us knowing that our Heavenly Father love us.  Those that don't feel that in their families have to go looking for other ways to feel loved and most of the time they don't find the right source of love and then get a distorted view of what is truly valuable in this life.  We continue to look for and to talk to people about the gospel and the true source of happiness.  Most of the time it is just brief moments with total strangers but we have a few that we are learning to love and appreciate even though they don't feel the need to seek more.  They are still our friends and we visit them every week.
     West Hills ward had their first choir number last Sunday led by Sister Christensen.  I was very nervous but it went well.  I am nervous about the Christmas music we are singing.  I hope we can get it learned before we need to sing it.  I have some good singers and then I have some that don't read music but just want to come and be in the choir.  You can't turn those away.  I know that the Lord blesses ward choirs.  When it gets right down to the wire they sound good.
     We count our blessings at this time and want you to know that you are part of those blessings.  We love each special one of you.  Thank you for your love and support.  We know that you pray for the missionaries and that includes us.

                                                       Love mom, grandma, and sister christensen

Which of these is not like the other.  We thought it was funny these missionaries
 chose to wear the same tie color 

One of those early mornings that we go to work.  This is our stairwell

Lularoe sweater helps keep me warm on those crisp mornings

We went to the Lost Sea which was fun and dad really liked it.

It is an underground lake that is in a big cave and you take a boat and feed the fish that they plant
in the sea.  They are rainbow trout but the guide said they taste like dog food because that is what they
feed them everyday so the people can see the fish.