Hello family & friends!   Here's a little update on our Elder Nathan Christensen in Argentina!

Nate feels like his Spanish continues to get a little better all the time. 

His trainer, Elder Weber, finished his mission and went home a few weeks ago.  Nate said Elder Weber was a very motivated missionary (which must be true because he and Nate had 7 baptisms before Elder Weber left), and Nate liked that about him.  Nate has a new companion now named Elder Murphy, and he likes him too. 

Nate loves empanadas, but doesn't care for the Argentine beverage, maté, at all.  He said it tastes like grass tea.  He said he buys and eats a lot of oatmeal because it is very inexpensive.  He wrote, "I am generally more happy now cause I have food to eat.  It’s amazing the difference that makes on your mood.  At least for me.  I bought 2 things to treat myself.  One jar of expensive honey cause I wanted to eat something familiar (and I eat oatmeal every day and I thought honey would help) and a little strand of Christmas lights."

When Nate was in high school, he was interested in parkour and learned how to do back flips and other cool stunts.  Apparently he has shared some of his skills in Argentina.  He wrote, "The kids in the barrio always want to see the back flip, so I’ve done that too much.  They ask if I do martial arts.  I don’t yet, but it sure sounds like a good idea."  

Nate said that two rival soccer teams--Newell's and Central--played recently in Rosario, and fans from the opposing sides kind of broke into rioting.  He said the missionaries stayed in their apartments because the streets were too dangerous.  He said they could hear make-shift bombs going off.

It's summertime in Argentina right now, and Nate has been suffering with the intense heat and humidity.  The missionaries' apartments there are not air conditioned, and for several weeks, they didn't even have a fan in their apartment.  Nate said he was wet all the time and couldn't sleep at night.  He wrote, "The heat really will kill me.  I was meant to underdress in cold rather than overdress in heat."  That sounds about right coming from the kid who has always loved running barefoot in the snow!  Nate said they finally got a fan in their apartment, and that helps a lot, but he has to stay right next to it. 

He mentioned that he thinks he needs a motorcycle.  And, for some strange reason, he has started chasing buses.  He said there's a big long story about that, but he didn't share it.  He wrote, "If I see one [a bus] coming, I won't hesitate, and just break into a sprint."

We know that being a missionary isn't easy, and we are really proud of Nate for everything he's doing.  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for him.  We are looking forward to Skyping with him on Christmas Day!

Nate sent us the following email on Monday, December 4, 2017:

the spanish is coming a little better now, and i felt that this week. I don't speak perfect, but i understand more, and they understand me, or at least what I'm trying to say.  it would be a wild time to be home [Nate is referring to all the Christmas activities we're involved in, on top of preparations for Emily's upcoming wedding]. it is very hot and humid here and I don't like that at all.  its impossible to be dry.  i can't sleep at night and I'm always wet.  we need a fan really bad.  the people tell me I'm going to die here cause it is still spring.

we have lots of appointments set for this week already.  my companion is new in my area, and it is all good.