Letters from Mission

I have been cleaning out my gmail account and found a letter from Bryce that was pretty nice.

May 26, 2007 It’s interesting that the Sunday I spoke just before leaving to my mission here in South Africa, I was assigned to speak on prayer. Something that would seem so simple. Now 8 months later as I look back at all of the investigators I have had or that other missionaries have had I can link back almost all of their progression or not progressing to prayer. Just the other day we met an investigator who we have been seeing for a few months. We committed him long ago to read, study, ponder and pray to know if the Book of Mormon and the Church were true…as we do with almost every  appointment. I asked him –Ryan, did you pray about the Book of Mormon? Ryan said yes but he didn’t get an answer. Well Ryan, when was the last time you read the Book of Mormon? About a week or two ago. Than I think to myself, no duh! You didn’t get an answer. It has occurred to me that sincere prayer is something that takes up most of your day or even most of your week or month. Every time someone is not progressing it’s because they are not sincerely praying. That means they are not studying and learning about the church or thinking about our message.

 I remember Neeba, my first baptism, when we taught, how he was excited and asked questions. When we would come back he would bring friends and type up reports about what he learned from his study of the scriptures. He received answers to his prayers because he was sincere and put forth
effort. It’s difficult to get everyone to do that. It’s great to see the progress of the people I worked with in my first area. Neeba was baptized in Jan. just before his 18th birthday. Shortly after that he received the Aaronic Priesthood. Then he baptized a good friend of his and taught his two younger brothers and brought them to church each week as well as his mom. He gave us referrals like crazy and asked us for Book of Mormons to give to people he was sharing the gospel with. He brought friends and family to his house for us to teach. He went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead even though he could not afford the 8 hour trip. He has now receive the Melchizedek priesthood and is preparing each day to serve a mission; When he turns 19…this is someone who 6 months ago had
not heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Archie, whose wife and daughter had been members for 1 year was baptized just the last week or two before I left Dwesi. He now has the Melchizedek Priesthood as well and is the Young Men’s President. There are so many good things happening. Those good things happen because of sincere prayer and action on answers and promptings to those prayers. The better we can master communication between us and our Father in Heaven, the better we can fulfill our purpose here on this earth and the better we can help others fulfill their purpose.

Oooh, mom and dad…mission is crazy. I’m still the same Bryce, but I’m different. The gospel is so simple..but it’s so complicated. Things are so easy, but they’re so difficult….it is great thought. I meet so many crazy peopleall the time and see the strangest things. It just happens so much that it doesn’t even faze me.
 It’s crazy to think about the relationship we all had in the spirit world and what we were all like, and what we all did to be blessed with knowing and accepting truth. I love you.

The Transfer Vol. 3

Last Christmas I found a book under the tree, wrapped but with no card.  I opened it to find The Transfer.  It is a book about missionaries that die while serving on their mission.  My first thought was ...how morbid.  Why would you want to read that?  It sucked me in however and I had a hard time putting it down and began a correspondence with the editor of the book and creator.   They encouraged me to write about Bryce and so I am posting my copy that I sent in.  It should be out this fall. 

 

Bryce Kim Christensen 

Born:  26 August 1987  Parents:  Kim and Wynette Christensen

Siblings:  Brooke, Kira, Tyler, McKay, and  Dallin

Mission:  South Africa Cape Town  Time of service:  October 2006 to October 2008

Cause of death: Killed in a car accident   Date & place of death: 7 January 2009, Utah County near Spanish Fork, Utah   Place of burial:  Spanish Fork, Utah     Story related by:  Wynette Christensen, Mother  

Bryce had a really hard time sitting in church and school from the time he was young.   Sometimes when he was a teenager and I dropped him off for Young Men activities he would go in one door and walk out the other to go to the home of a friend.  He refused to sing in church, struggled with tithing, and did not want to participate in family activities and gatherings.  His friends, music and snowboarding were his interests and where he wanted to spend his time.

 During Bryce’s senior year in high school, his father was called to be a stake president.  When Elder Dieter Uchtdorf  laid his hands on Kim’s head to set him apart to that office, he paused, put his hands down  and said he was going to tell us  how missionaries are called to their particular fields of service.  Three young men, including Bryce, who would be of missionary age within the next five years, were in the room.  Elder Uchtdorf’s comments must have made an impact on Bryce because from that time forward as I found documented in my journal, Bryce cut his hair, started singing in church, began to pay a full tithe, showed more interest in seminary and reading his scriptures, and even attended a missionary preparation class. I think he wanted to see just where the Lord would send him.  

I was never really sure if Bryce would serve a mission but he surprised me by making sure that he filled out and completed his missionary application to be ready on the first possible date he could turn it in.   The day he opened his call, all his friends were gathered at our house.  Bryce wore a Bob Marley T-shirt (he really liked his music), and was so excited when he read he was called to South Africa.  Later when he was in South Africa tracting in the Townships and heard Bob Marley music, it would help him to keep going. 

A few companions taught him to speak a little Afrikaans or Xhosa as they walked from house to house.  From the letters he sent home, we knew he was working hard, he was happy, and he missed snow.  His mission president later told us he gave Bryce several African missionaries as companions, because he was patient with them.      

 Bryce arrived home in October 2008 after a successful mission.   We enjoyed spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with him.  Bryce’s mission had refined him and brought out all the good in him.  We were grateful to see his continued commitment to the Gospel and to the Lord.  We saw his concern and love for friends who chose not to serve missions, and saw his desire to reach out to less active family and friends.  He had post-it’s in his room and bathroom reminding him of his goals to finish the New Testament,  to exercise, to do something awesome that wasn’t planned each day and to get up before 7 a.m. He was more patient and made a conscious effort to think before he said anything.  He was also determined to date and get a girlfriend.  He did not date in high school and it wasn’t easy for him. 

      He wrote down his favorite scripture on a Family Information sheet when he came home:  2 Cor. 4:17-18:  “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  This scripture has brought us insight and comfort.  

      Bryce was killed while getting on to the freeway.  It was his first day of college classes.  When he left for South Africa, the plan on his return was to work at Park City so he could spend his time snowboarding.  He had not enjoyed school much growing up, but after learning how to study on his mission and doing well on entrance exams; he came home and applied to UVU and BYU.    Bryce’s car was hit from behind by a car spinning on black ice, and he was pushed into the path of a semi-truck.  His father drove past the accident on his way to work; unaware it was Bryce who had been injured in the crash.  Responding to unsettled feeling he had, Kim returned to the scene of the accident, arriving as Bryce was being priced out of his car and put into the ambulance. He was allowed to accompany Bryce to the hospital. 

      Bryce never regained consciousness.  We did not realize that Bryce was going to die, and waited patiently in a room of the E.R. to hear from the doctors.  We could hardly believe it when they said we could see him one last time before he was taken off oxygen.  After he was pronounced dead, we were allowed to sit in the room with him.  His older brother came from BYU, his sister from work in Salt Lake and our bishop got his younger brother from the MTC where he was preparing to serve in Japan.  We were comforted by the sweet feelings in the room.  We savored that last opportunity to be with his body. We sat and talked quietly and were in no hurry to leave. Blessings were given, prayers were offered, pictures taken of our missionary and peace descended on us. 

      Bryce’s mission president later told us that the news of Bryce’s death deeply touched the missionaries in the Cape Town, South Africa Mission.  As they gathered in different parts of the mission for transfers, they all sang the hymn, “Each Life That Touches Ours for Good,” and offered a prayer for Bryce and our family. 

      So much love was shown to us.  Our house was full from morning till night with people coming to console us.  We received letters from all over the world as friends and Bryce’s fellow missionaries learned of his passing.  One friend credits Bryce for inspiring him to serve a mission later in his life. Our family was truly lifted up by all the prayers offered in our behalf.  I did not shed many tears at the funeral.  I couldn’t - I felt such peace and joy, and knew it was because of so many prayers.

      Elder Uchtdorf sent a letter that gave me great comfort.  He wrote: “I want to share with you my testimony that Bryce is in the best place he can possibly be at this time.  Your beloved son continues to be involved in the work of the Lord and is safely in His hands.”

Bryce wrote in a letter to his mission president upon completing his mission:  I have experienced the most difficult days and weeks of my life while serving a mission.  I have also never felt the Spirit in more abundance, and have never been more aware of what Heavenly Father wants for me.

 As we think of Bryce, we are continually reminded that we need to appreciate every day we have together.  Bryce was probably taken at a time when he was most ready and we all want to better so we can be where he is. 

      This has been an amazing journey, one I am grateful for. We had Bryce for 21 years, and we miss him so much.  The dynamics of our family have changed.  I try harder now to tell those I love how much they mean to me.  We are very aware and grateful for the tender love we have felt from our Heavenly Father.  It is so much more evident and real as He comes to our aid when we feel despair.  Our testimonies have been strengthened, and the Atonement is much more personal.  I look forward to the time when I can hold Bryce in my arms again.  I am grateful for family prayer.  The last thing we did with Bryce was kneel in family prayer, and sometimes I know he has joined us again and is kneeling in the circle. 

In a letter written to his mission president in the middle of his mission he wrote:  This week has been a real test of my faith.  I have learned a lot and grown though.  We did a lot of finding with little success.  To end off the week I burnt the bathtub down and made the whole boarding smell like toxic burning plastic.  Things like this happen every once in a while I suppose.  At least it’s over now and I can move forward and learn from these experiences.  I am grateful for the trials I have been given.  Heavenly Father knows what He’s doing.  We have the 100 % restored, only true gospel on the whole face of the earth and when you think about that…burning tubs don’t matter so much.