Week 3

Dear Family and Friends,

All is well here in Cambodia. Alright that was way too formal. I am LOVING life here in Cambodia. It really is the biggest blessing to have the privilege of serving in this beautiful, very hot and dirty, country. I thank Heavenly Father every day because I LOVE it!!!! We had an interesting week, so get ready. Keep your arms and feet inside the cart at all time and ENJOY THE RIDE!!!! Here we go. (: 

Monday was interesting. We had been invited to go bowling with the sister AP's and the Vietnamese sisters, but by the time we got to the mall, yes a Cambodian mall, and got lunch we didn't have time. K, hold on for one second let me just talk about this mall real fast. It was straight up a piece of America here in Cambodia. Sister Fields got real trunky real fast. It was funny. We walked past the movie theater and her and another sister we were with, Sister Young, told us that we had to do a walk through, so we slowly walked through the lobby of the theater looking at the posters for upcoming movies and then we had to stop and watch the trailer for Hunger Games. All of us got chills and started freaking out. haha all the Cambodians thought we were crazy. Ah, and the smell of popcorn. Oh, man. I miss movies... haha. I'm not really sure if that was something we were supposed to do, but I was just following my trainer. We walked into the bowling alley. So fun. Black lights and everything. They were even playing American music, but the sisters have been here so long that they didn't know what it was. So funny. We really do live in a different world as missionaries. We stayed for a little and made plans to come back on a different P-day when we would actually have time to bowl, but on our way out we had to stop and get some ice cream. We got it from this place called Swenson's and it was so delicious. We aren't really sure where the franchise originated... maybe someone could look it up for me? It's possible it started in San Fran, but why it didn't reach the rest of the U.S. I'm not sure... It's interesting to see what they have here in Cambodia and what they don't from the home land. No McDonald's, but they have burger king and KFC. Very interesting. After we went to the church to teach Bong Heeng and her son about the temple that's when I realized how much i already miss the temple and how long 16 months without going will actually be. We brought the preparing to go enter the temple book by President Packer, just to show the pictures, and i just started crying... It was bad, but then i got to bear my testimony and share my love that i have for the temple. It was such a powerful lesson!! 

 

Tuesday we were teaching a lesson, nothing significant there, but while we were teaching it just started pouring. Like a complete down pour. We couldn't even hear each other talk. We all just started laughing because the youngest daughter (it was the 4 girls) said the closing prayer and she finished the prayer, but none of us heard her say amen, so we all just sat there until she yelled at the top of her lungs AMEN!!!! so funny. The Khmers are a little superstitious about rain, so the neak ming wouldn't let us leave, so we just had to sit in their house for 20 minutes trying to make small talk with them. It was quite the awkward situation. She gave us some fried bananas which were really good! Next we went and taught Hiang Lii. She is so cute. She is the girl who has like 9 people living in this little tiny house. She has an older Sister Bong Naavii that was always in the background listening to our lessons, but never wanting to join, even when we asked her. We were talking about the word of wisdom and chastity and the neak ming just goes off and starts talking (she does that a lot) but come to find out Bong Naavii believes in god, but just doesn't go to church... She and her husband both have problems with the word of wisdom, but we can work with that. We decided that the next thing we needed to do with that family was hold a family home evening. We shared our thought with them and they all go excited!!! Yes, i was super excited. (: More the come later in the email. 

Wednesday I finished the book of Mormon during personal study. Man, i love that book so much. It has so much power. If you haven't read it yet or haven't read it in a while, please do and then put the promise in Moroni 10 to the test. I promise you that if you pray with all your heart and truly have the desire to receive an answer, heavenly father will answer you. DO IT!!! After studies were done we went and tried to visit some less actives (we have to many of those) she wasn't home though, so we went and visited the Bishop and his family. Let me just tell you that they are amazing!!! They are one of the big reasons i want to learn this language. I just want to be able to speak with them so bad!!! As we were getting ready to leave the neak ming says that she knows me from somewhere before and sister fields asks if she's ever been to America? Her response was classic and then she asked if i'd ever been in an ensign or liahona before. I don't think i have, so we came to the conclusion that we were friends in the pre-existence. She thought that was the coolest thing. And I truly believe that is that case with their whole family. Also, the bishop explained to me that he knows a lot of people from Utah (not sure how that happened, that's just what he said) and he knows that the best Mormons come from Utah. haha! 

Thursday- my first zone conference and President's first as well! I can't tell you everything that President Christensen talked about because he talked about a lot and i forgot my book at home, but it was amazing. Definitely changed my perspective for my mission. He talked about become a deliberate disciple and making conscious decisions to do what the Lord wants us to do in order to become who/what he wants us to become. This is how i'm going to start signing off my emails double D, deliberate disciple, because that is what's going to change my mission and make the most difference in the rest of my life. Also, President and Sister Christensen have the cutest relationship. I love them so much. I've decided that it would be so cool to be a mission president's wife. Like how fun would that be? We got some Vietnamese food for lunch, I can't remember what it was called, but it was good. It honestly tasted exactly like Mandarin Chicken from Panda express haha. After the conference we went to teach FHE!!! We had planned a lesson using the first 2 points of Lesson 1, we weren't feeling super good about it, but didn't have time to plan another, so off we went. we got there and taught the lesson and it went SO SO SO GOOD!!! Everyone joined and then even bought treats. Bong Naavii's husband, Bong Chiat, really scared me at first... he has crazy eyes and just wasn't super friendly, but we got to talk with him and i found out that he's so nice and really interesting in learning. They even bought nums (little treats) to eat. So sweet of them. It was such a fun experience and opportunity. I loved it! As we were getting ready to leave sister Fields asks Naavii and chiat if we could come back and teach them more and both of them were so excited and interested!! So BAM! Two new investigators. Holla!!! so exciting. (: As we were walking to our bikes, sister fields turns to me and says "sister, that's what missionary work is all about!" She is so true. That has got to be the best moment of my mission thus far. I know i've only been here 2 1/2 weeks, but I felt so good after it. Ah, i love it! 

Friday we had weekly planning and you just gotta do what you gotta do to get through that, so we realized that it was exactly 3 months until Christmas. That's pretty exciting right? haha still far away, but something to look forward to and we realized that we can give Bong Naavii and Bong Chiat a Christmas baptism if all goes well! How exciting, right? (: We went and taught the 4 girls. because of work we now have to give them two slots and we teach them back to back, it's nice how that worked out, but still kind of weird to spend so much time at their house. After the lessons the neak ming was speaking English with us and she is actually really good. Then we got to sing some hymns with her because she didn't know the tune. That was really fun. Srey Bow was singing with us too. I really feel like she has the strongest testimony of the gospel already. She is the only one who consistently reads the book of Mormon and always wants to pray. I love her. Then we taught srey Kayo... not sure if I've told you about her, but she got baptized and then started having bad dreams which she attributed to her getting baptized. We still go teach her and just try to help her know we care about her. This time we planned a lesson on the atonement and that through the enabling power we can do anything and everything, trying to hint at the fact that she can come back to church and all will be well. We extended to invitation to come to church on Sunday and she says for sacrament meeting? and we say of course and she says oh sisters i wouldn't dare. WHAT??? Did the lesson we just finished teaching go right over her head? We just told her we loved her and left. We don't really know what to do with her... 

Saturday! We were getting ready to finish comp study and sister fields said she needed something to eat, so naturally i needed to get something to eat too, right? She got to the door first and pulled it quickly shut behind her, locking me in the study room. I thought "What the heck? What is she doing? I thought she was older than this?" I gave it a couple seconds and tried to open it again, it opened a little, we made eye contact and with the most scared look on her face she said "Sister, you can't come out here. There's a bird in the kitchen". WHAT?? How in the world did a bird get in our kitchen? I started pacing the room and freaking out as i heard her trying to get the stupid thing out. She eventually come into the room and said, okay i think it's gone, so i walked and guess what? it wasn't gone. It almost flew right into my head and i started freaking out again. I went back into the room and Sister fields managed to get it out the door by throwing a shoe at it. haha very productive morning. Next we taught some English and then went and visited some less actives with the bishop's wife and the second counselor in the bishopric. That was fun and then we thought we were going to visit another member, but we ended up at the bishop's house and his wife insisted that we eat with her. She bought some meat off the street... i'm still not sure what it was, but she made us eat it and then she shared some spicy spaghetti noodles with us that were apparently leftovers from a wedding that her kids wouldn't eat... that's saying something.. haha. I was convinced i was gonna get sick, but i didn't so HALLELUJAH!!!!! 

Sunday's are so long... But it was productive. I started the day off by reading a talk by president Holland called the miracle of a mission. Holy- so so so good. I needed to read it. It gave me a new outlook on learning the language and being homesick (which i haven't really been yet luckily) and basically just the hardships that come with missionary service. SO good. Then we went to church. Here's something interesting that happened. After sacrament meeting we were walking down the stairs and everyone was just gathered in the lobby area around one of the benches. Turns out there was a lady there that they weren't sure if she was alive or dead... They tried to wake her up and then she started choking... so scary. Everything ended up being okay because she was in relief society, but turns out that she's homeless and was looking for some money and help. Very interesting... then we went and met with Bong Naavii and Bong Chiat again. We taught them the rest of lesson one, gave them both a book of mormon, and taught them how to pray, with the help of hianglee who was so excited to teach them. So cute. We had Bong Chiat read part of the introduction and he got to excited. He isn't the best at reading, he didn't even know if he could, but we told him that he could read the book of Mormon and practice reading and he thought that was just the neatest thing ever. We gave them the invitation to read the book of Mormon and then pray to know if it is true and they both accepted, so that's real exciting!!! As we were leaving Bong chiat asked us if we could come every day. That was a huge thing. I really believe that they are going to accept the gospel fully and see miracles because of it. We also found out that the dad of the family, who had previously learned with the elders, but couldn't stop smoking and drinking, has stopped smoking and drinking, so we're planning on teaching him here pretty soon too. We are gonna get that whole family. (: Dang, i can't wait. (: Exciting things are happening here in Cambodia and the Lord has allowed me the sacred privilege of being a part of it. I love this!!! I have lots of pictures from this week, but we are in a sketchy internet cafe and i'm scared that if i plug my card in all lose all my pictures, so you'll just have to wait til next week. sorry!!! Love you all so much. (: 

 

Love,

Sister Zoe Loftus (Double D)

 

White Girl, Smiling

Dear Family and Friends, 

I have officially survived my first full week in the mission and it has been full of adventures and new experiences! I have loved it!  The subject line of my email explains me in a nut shell.  All the Cambodian kids and people come up to me and want to talk but I can’t understand them so I just smile.  So we spent last pday in the hospital with a sister who had some weird infection on her face. There were 4 sets of sisters there and basically it was just a party! We got some Burger King and made a day of it. And oh my goodness. the hospital she was in was SO nice. Nicer than some of the ones in America. It's called Royal Phnom Penh. Sounds like a hotel, doesn't it? After our day at the "hotel" we went and met our investigators, the four girls. We were done with the lesson and the mom looked at me and told me that I had the same mannerisms as her youngest daughter, Srey Bow, (who is my favorite of the four girls. SSSSHHHHH! Don't tell anyone. (: ) and that just made my day. Even though I didn't understand what she was saying I was so happy and everyone just started laughing.
 

Tuesday we had our first district meeting and it was in the middle of China. For reals we just kept riding and riding. We ended up getting lost 4 different times, but somehow managed to make it there. It was hard to find it because it's just a normal building. You can't tell it's a church until you get inside. Our meeting was on unity with our companions and with the members. It was good. Our District leader is so funny. He is very quirky and can't really socialize with people, but his intentions are all good and you can tell that he loves being a missionary and serving the Cambodians. During the meeting we got a call from the sister AP's and we were needed at the hospital once again because Sister Harris (the sick one) and Sister Semones (my mtc comp) were going a little stir crazy being in there for so long, so we went to relieve them. We just chilled and talked and played some uno. She actually ended up getting released that day, but had a follow up appointment on Thursday and they are serving in one of the kites (provinces) so instead of going all the way back out there I had the brilliant idea to let them stay with us. SLEEPOVER!!!! so fun!. We had them come over and because sister semones hadn't really experienced missionary life, I let her go on an exchange with sister fields and go teach some lessons and i stayed with sister harris and had some language study. When they got back we made French toast and it was so so so good. I think i'm going to get fat here... It was fun having another companionship in our little apartment. Made it seem more home and not so lonely.
 

Wednesday we went to the railroad tracks. Yes people literally live right on the railroad tracks. We parked our bikes on the other side of the tracks and went to talk to one of our less actives. Right before we started the lesson we heard this loud noise and she got a very concerned look on her face. She jumped up crossed the tracks and started trying to move our bikes. The train was coming and our bikes were in the way... We had locked our bikes up, so they were extremely hard to move, she threw them out of the way just in time as the train came. Looking back we should have gone and tried to help her, but we were both in so much shock we didn't really  understand what was going on. The train was really long, so we awkwardly watching her from the other side of the tracks in between the carts. it was pretty comical. Could have been in a movie. We started teaching the lesson and there were stray roosters everywhere. For those of you who don't know, i am so afraid of birds, roosters included. Never have I been so close to one. and i swear the Cambodian roosters are even more scary than American roosters... I just had to hold my breath in order to not freak out!!! Next we went to a members house to visit with her less active mom. Her mom had refused to meet with the  missionaries for a while, but she decided to meet with us and it was a miracle. We taught on the atonement and at the end she said the closing prayer and just started bawling. She definitely felt the spirit. So powerful!!! After that we were just talking with the member and she was asking me questions and she made a prophecy... because i could already speak Khmer so clearly, i will pick the language up quickly and be a very clear speaker. I'm hoping she knows more than i do and that it really does happen. Right then her nephew came crawling in, the cutest little naked Cambodian baby you've ever seen and she started singing "I have been born of Nephi of old..."and the baby gets the biggest smile on his face. Apparently his name is Nephi and every time you sing that song he just gets to happy. He is a twin and his twin's name is Joseph and when you sing Joseph smith's first prayer he starts smiling. The most adorable thing ever!!! After our very eventful day we went to a restaurant called secret recipe. I got lasagna which was a bad idea because it was so greasy and made me way sick... I went home and slept for a good 2 hours. Then we went and taught English class. That was interesting. We teach the beginning class, so none of them really speak any English. I was in charge of explaining how to play hangman. How does a girl who can't speak any khmer really explain how to play hangman to a bunch of kids who don't speak any English? It was one of the more awkward things i've done in my life. But somehow they understand what I was saying and we were able to enjoy some killer hangman. They all thought it was the funniest thing, i'm still not sure why, but they were laughing hysterically and i couldn't help but laugh too. I met the Vietnamese elders and they are very nice. 

Nothing exciting happened on Thursday... that i can remember. Oh, wait sister harris and sister semones came back to our apartment, long story why they didn't stay Wednesday with us, but we stayed up eating oreos and talking about Disneyland, so i was a happy camper. (: 

Friday we had training with President Christensen. That was really really good. Got me more excited about being here, which i didn't think was possible. We learned about personal and companionship study and about mission culture then we had a donuts break. So delicious!!!! then we learned about records and MSF, just some house keeping business. Then we had lunch. Really delicious sandwiches!! Then we had another meeting on something, i can't remember, and had a testimony meeting. and then had dinner. We had Cambodian curry and it was delicious!!! It was so nice to see all my MTC friends again. I really really missed them. Sad thing, i won't see them again til Christmas. It's kind of cruel that they make us spend 9 weeks in the mtc together and then just tear us apart... I don't like that. As we were leaving we were able to meet Elder Funk,  a member of the area presidency. He is so sweet! Then the Ap's drove us home. Holla for cars. (: 

Church was long as usual. I had a headache after, but that's okay. One of the speakers spoke on the articles of faith and it took me all the way til the 7th to realize what he was speaking on... haha. Then they talked a lot about temples and it made me miss my temple so much. That is going to be a real challenge for me over the next 16 months. Not being able to go to the temple. AH, i already miss it so much!!!! There is more that happened, but I can't remember it and i am running out of time. We are getting ready to go to the mission home to get some supplies for contacting and all that fun stuff. (: 

Love, 

Sister Zoe Loftus 

Still trying to come up with a catch phrase... 

Sister Loftus and the girls

Selfie at the hospital

Sister Loftus and Cambodian children-she loves them!

View outside the hospital

White Girl Storms Cambodia

 Dear Family and Friends,

Goodness. I just wish all of you could be here with me because Cambodia is indescribable. so much has happened in the past 4 days, I don't even know where to start. Travels went safe and sound. I got all my missionaries safely to Cambodia, thanks to a very nice Elder Smith you saved my butt. I knew I was in for an adventure when i was already freaking out when i got to Honk Kong. So crazy. I've decided they need to create a better way to travel because 15 hours on a plane is WAY too long. I thought we had been on long enough when i looked at the little tracker and we were in the middle of the ocean and still had 7 hours. I thought I was going to die. I just went to sleep again. haha The food was nast, but we did get some ice cream which was good. We got to Cambodia, stepped off the plane and saw a soldier. I'm pretty sure he was armed, but i may have just imagined that. Welcome to Cambodia. haha We then went out and met our mission president and his wife and a huge group of missionaries. They are the sweetest. It really is one big happy family. I love it. So many people have come up to me and said that i looked familiar, like they know me from somewhere. Interesting, right? From the airport we went straight to meet our trainers. You'll all be happy to know that all the trainers were American so no worries there. They dropped us off at the phisaa (market) and we met our trainers.  My companion is Sister Fields. She's 24, from Washington, she's been serving for a year, and is the nicest. I'm her goon (child) and she is the best mdaay (mom) ever. All the sisters call her the mission mom because she is so old. haha. I don't really know if we have much in common, but we get a long great, so that's good.   we were supposed to go contacting, but we didn't we just went and got some delicious fried rice and then made our way to the mission home, which is so nice!!!! We took care of some business and then went to our apartment.  Our apartment is a 3 bedroom apartment that's relatively nice. It’s on the fourth floor though so we have to walk up 73 stairs everyday. That's a workout. haha. Yes we have running water. The bathrooms are interesting though. The shower is just right there, so you shower and everything gets wet. Once we got there and walked up the millions of stairs we had some down time before our appointment at 6. We planned some stuff and i got a little situated. Sister Fields offered me a shower, but i declined because i figured i'd just get sweaty again anyway. Oh, here's something interesting. in this mission we wake up at 5:30 and go to bed at 9:30 and the sisters have to be in by 7 unless teaching a lesson and then it's 7:30, just for safety reasons. So we have two hours to kill in our apartment. Anywho we went to our appointment which was with four sisters Srey Heng, Kim Hoa, Kit, and Srey Bow and i already love them. They are so sassy and so funny. Their mom is a recent convert, like 3 weeks ago recent, and she is amazing. She knows what's up and tells her daughters straight up. They called on me to say the opening prayer. Go figure. They then asked how long i'd been speaking Khmer and Sister Fields replied 2 months and they were blown away. They thought i'd been learning for at least a year. That 'made me feel good. We then went home; I showered and crashed at 7:30. I was exhausted!!!! 

Friday we woke up and studied. We had weekly planning and then we went to our lessons. We taught an Om (grandma) about the sacrament. It's so interesting because the recent converts/ less actives understand so much about the gospel, but have no way to get to church, so that’s why they are less active. The places they live and so humble. You'll turn down a little alley way and find 7 different houses, which entails one room where everyone sleeps and cooks and eats and then a bathroom. I'm not sure what they bathroom looks like, i haven't used one in a members house yet... I assume pretty simple though... We then went and taught Hianglee. We had to wait for a little because she was talking ice cream to someone, so we contacted two om's that live next to them. They were very friendly, but said they didn't have time to learn... this is when the rain started. We then visited Hianglee who is a 12 year old girl whose mom is a member. She is absolutely stunning. This is the family with the little girl that hold my hands.  There's one little girl, the daughter of a member, she's about 4 I think, i don't know her name, i don't know anyone's names yet, but she is the cutest. When we go and visit she sits down right by me, shakes my hand and then just doesn't let go. She literally holds my hand for the full 35 minutes. I love it. All the little kids know some English from the missionaries so you walk by and they say hello with the biggest smile on their faces. It makes me so happy. 

  They have about 14 people living in a room the size our laundry room. It's so crazy and they are all so happy. It had rained the entire time we were in the lesson, so the streets were flooded.   I experienced my first Cambodian rain my 2nd day here. Quite the welcome, right? Sister Fields said that it hadn't rained like that in a while and that i brought it with me from America. Whoops... It has rained every day since then... The streets flood and traffic is crazy. but it does feel way nice to get cooled off a little. everyone puts on these ponchos that are neon colors and we all look like Easter eggs. I love it!! We had an appointment at the church, but traffic was so bad we couldn't make it, so we just went home. I was so wet!!!!! Also, the streets here have no pattern, so i'm convinced i'm never going to be able to find my way around... I can get to the church, but that's about it. haha I guess that's the best place to know how to get to, right? But there aren't really any rules for the roads and then there's me and sister fields on our bikes hoping and praying we don't get hit!!

Saturday we had zone council which was all in English. Very nice. We then got lunch from KFC. SO DELICIOUS!!!!! After that we went to a relief society activity. that was good, i think, I didn't understand anything. haha, but after they had some refreshments and they were good. They were like crepe chips. if that makes any sense. SO good. and then with every meal they serve a whole loaf of bread, like French bread that's like a foot long. The bread here is delicious!!!! I''m gonna get fat... haha. Also, our apartment is right by a bakery, like a legit french bakery... so that is just one thing that's gonna make me fat. haha We then went and taught some lessons. I am slowly gaining confidence in Lessons. Sister Fields said that i speak khmer very clearly and that they can understand me, so that made me feel pretty good. Now i just need to work on my vocabulary. 

Sunday- ah, 6 hours of church, I didn't get anything out of it at all... haha during the second ward the stake president was there and made me bear my testimony... it went pretty well. Also, the primary kids, all 8 of them sang the family is of god and that's like my favorite song, so that made me happy. Also the sacrament was way cool. I can't really explain it, but the spirit was incredible. The church is true. After church we went and taught Hianglee again. It's so interesting because the rest of her family sits just close enough to hear what we're talking about, but doesn't actually want to join. One day we'll get them! After church we just went home and chilled. 

Today has been good. We woke up and went to the phisaa. Ah, that was quite the experience. There were just people everywhere and raw meat. like whole pigs cut open... i just tried to no think about it, but the food is really cheap, so that's a plus. I'm still trying to get used to the money system. They take our dollars, but they don't take coins, so that's when you use ril (spelling??). so confusing... but then we went and got some baked goods from the bakery. Holy, delicious!!!! Now we're emailing and then going to the mission home and then out to lunch with the other sisters, which i'm stoked about because i'll get to see Sister Semones and Sister Collins again!!! 

Saying goodbye to my teachers in the MTC was so hard... like so hard. and Lookruu didn't make is any easier. he made us sing god be with you til we meet again for our hymn. Cruel. but they all assured us that we were all ready and that we would be amazing instruments in the lord's hands. Lookkrruu mickelson's brother ended up coming home early (not really sure why) but he said that if he had been companions with any of us he would not have come home. He said he knew the power of a good companion and that's what we were all going to be. I thought that was the nicest compliment. 

I know i'm missing so much, but next week i'll be a little more settled and ready to write an email that actually makes sense. But I just want you all to know that I love Cambodia, serving the lord, and this gospel. I know this is where i'm supposed to be for the next 16 months and i couldn't be more excited to see what that entails. Keep the faith. Love you all!!! 

Love, 

Sister Zoe Loftus, the goon (child)

Hong Kong Airport

Sister Loftus and Sister Fields

View From Sister Loftus' Apartment

Sister Loftus' Kitchen

Second View From the Apartment

Sister Loftus made it to Cambodia

This is the email we received to let us know that Sister Zoe Loftus made it to Cambodia safely.  The picture below is the 15 missionaries that traveled to Cambodia together. 

Dear Parent,

We just want you to know that your missionary has arrived safe and sound! We love this picture taken right after they got off the plane and   although they are jet-lagged they bring a wonderful spirit and we are excited to get to know them and begin serving together. We have had a wonderful day today, they’ve been to the market and done some contacting, eaten khmer food, and had a short interview with us. They have now gone home with their companions to begin working hard tomorrow.  We are looking forward to bringing them back to the mission home next week when they can stay awake and we will spend day together in training.

Cambodia is a wonderful country and we feel the blessings of our Father in Heaven being poured out to these people as the church continues to grow here.  In the next few months as your missionary’s language skills increase and he or she begins to personally know the people in their areas we are confident that their excitement and love for missionary work will only grow.  We already love your missionary, we were overwhelmed with their expressions of faith and excitement today and we promise you that we will love and treat each of them as one of our own.  Thank you so much for trusting our Father in Heaven enough to send your child to this part of the world and know of our confidence that God watches over his missionaries and blesses them every day.

May God bless you and your family as you continue this wonderful adventure,

 

Love,

President and Sister Christensen