I've decided I don't really like contacting in English, it tends to just be super awkward for some reason. I guess that's a good sign, since I seem to be more comfortable talking with people about the gospel in Mandarin than in English. I'll have to reverse that when I go upstate.
Yankie's Games are really strange to go to as a missionary. REALLY strange. But also really fun. You'll get a few pictures from that at some point.
We talk a lot in English and a lot in Chinese at the apartment, it seems to mostly depend on what we're talking about, and how focused we are. That said, I've caught myself several times transferring into Chinese without meaning to do it, and in some cases without even noticing, which is a promising sign. Now if I could just understand what everyone says a lot better, that would be great.
If you want to send him (Elder Wang) a package, feel free to. He really likes Essential Oils (ironic then that he's companions with me, since he has to use a diffuser in the apartment every day, or else he complains it smells, and I can't even tell what the difference is between our apartment and the subway scent wise.) And his family is FROM China, but lives in California, so he can get some packages, he just doesn't. Speaking of which, I'm out of granola bars again. :-) A water bottle would be good too.
I have been wearing just short sleeves about 50% of the time these last few weeks. Which is a good thing, since all 3 of the suits I have out here now have holes in them. (Sorry mom, the replacement you sent out has a few holes in the fabric on the inside of the jacket that are I think going to grow quite rapidly once I have to wear suits every day again, and the other suit is just really old, there's a tear forming on the left leg right below the side pocket, not a seam ripping, the fabric is coming apart.) It's not an urgent thing, but if you find another suit in my size, preferably 2 slit in the back, 2 buttons, I would like that. I am going to definitely need another suit, or else get the pinstriped one repaired, by about October or November at the very latest I think.
I went on splits yesterday with Elder Blonquist, and we met some of the nicest, and some of the most truly New Yorker people I've ever met. 2 people ASKED to give us their numbers, and 2 cussed us out, telling us that they'll call the cops if we tract their building again (we might be going there tomorrow, its supposed to rain, so contacting won't be any good on the streets. Not like the cops would do anything to us anyway, all the non-american missionaries have green cards or visas.) Oh, and its really awkward when you're talking to people on benches in the park, and then realize that you're out-numbered 2 to 5 by the Jehovah's Witness missionaries who are also contacting in the park. Yes, that is what every day is like for Elder Blonquist (he's the one who met the black guy in Columbus Park with the sword that I told you about. He's a magnet for crazy stuff.)
We've been working on our hardware merit badges this week. We're doing a Dragon Boat Festival party for the ward next Monday, which means that, since everyone in the ward is busy, the missionaries get to arrange it. It's really interesting when you realize that no-one on the island of Manhattan has done a Raingutter Regatta, which means that 4 19/20 year old missionary Elders are going have to figure out how to make the boats and "raingutter". We're using popsicle sticks for boats, with shiskabab sticks as masts, and we found some 4 inch PVC, which we are now going to work on cutting, and putting together some kind of frame for it to hold it up off the ground. This might end up being the most Ghetto Regatta ever, but it's going to be interesting, one way or another.
It sounds like a lot of stuff is changing pretty fast back home. It will be odd to see how different things are in another what...19 months?
You mentioned something interesting about "missing the point of the mission". Some of the missionaries (I'm being completely serious when I say I am NOT one of them) have been getting a bit down and out about the fact that recently they haven't been able to get any investigators who were actually interested in the Gospel, only in translation help really. The single largest lesson I have learned since I started my mission was that repentance is not supposed to be an action. It's supposed to be a way of life. I've been thinking a lot about how my mission might just as well be about the people who I teach now as about helping me figure out how to live the gospel correctly. Also, many of these people will come into contact somewhat regularly with missionaries for quite possibly years to come. Several of our current investigators are proof that it can sometimes take many encounters with missionaries and members before they really start to feel the desire to learn more, so I figure, if they don't have interest right now, that's okay, there will probably be more chances for them to accept later on. And my street contacting is getting better too, which is always fun.
Love you all, Eat bacon,
Your son/sibling in service,
Elder Christensen
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