Our 2008 Christmas Letter

Christensen's Christmas Greetings from our lovely teenager Sarah

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Oxfam Trailwalker Team 0947

100km at 50 years old, Happy Birthday Brian. Brian's team, 0947, completes the race at 40 hours and 38 minutes. The team faced big obstacles and Brian nearly quit because of illness but persevered and finished the race. Click to see the story and map that goes with the slide show.

To see more about Oxfam Trailwalker great fundraising efforts, the race and where the proceeds go watch this!

Wedding Day

Arriving in UT just a couple days before the wedding, Brian and I were excited to meet Anne and take the engaged couple out to dinner. We ate Thai food and found out a little more about Anne and she found out more things about us. It was a lovely evening. The next day Matt and Anne left for Vernal after classes. We fixed up their apartment Saturday morning as a honeymoon suite. Then headed out to Vernal. We took two cars filled with friends and had a great road trip to Dinosaur land. We arrived in Vernal not too long before the couple needed to be at the Temple.

Brother Anderson sealed them. It was wonderful to be there. We had family and friends there with us and Anne's family helped us feel so welcome and "at home." They had a lovely dinner prepared after the ceremony at a nearby chapel. Family and friends were all invited. Brian and I really liked being with the Shakespeares and felt a special kinship. It was a very wonderful day. After the dinner clean up, we went to the Shakespeare's home. Matt and Anne opened presents and then packed up the car and headed for their honeymoon suite. The rest of us headed back to Salt Lake on another fun road trip.

It was a lovely beginning to a happily ever after story.

Tanner's Farewell

Tanner was set apart as Elder Christensen on June 22 and left Hong Kong for the Missionary Training Center the following day. It was a joyful farewell. Once in UT his brother Matt picked him up and the two of them took care of last minute items that Elder Christensen needed. Wednesday he went into the MTC and sent a letter home the following Monday. He is having a wonderful time learning Mandarin Chinese and how to teach people about the doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He will be gone for two years serving in Carlsbad CA mission teaching the Mandarin speaking Chinese people. We miss Elder Christensen but are thrilled that he is part of a great and marvelous work.

Eagle Trail

Just around Christmas time Joey started his Eagle Project. The project was to collect clothes for an orphanage in Mongolia. He had many generous people donate many items. Many scouts helped with the project and he ended up with over 12 large boxes of winter clothing. Unfortunately, shipping the items was too expensive and the clothing was donated to a local organization, Crossroads that ships all types of items around the world as needed. His project also included raising funds so he was also a ble to donate over 200 USD to the Lotus Children Orphanage in Mongolia. His Eagle Court of Honor was at the end of May and it was a memorable ceremony involving friends, family and fellow scouts.