HERE WE GO!

February 26, 2013

HI EVERYONE

1.  Where is your companion from?

 My companion is from Honduras again but he is from a part of the Capital Tegucigalpa

2.  Does he speak English? 

Yeah he speaks a little bit but I prefer to talk in Spanish with him haha because sometimes I just get annoyed and don't have the patience. By the way, mom thanks for the lack of patience hahaha JK

3.  Are you getting a new mission leader now that the old one left on a mission? 

Well the thing is that before he left there were three people that had the Priesthood that lived in the area, Me, Elder Diaz and Fabricio. Now we just have two missionaries haha. There isn't active priesthood here in the area other than us two

4.  What are the fun things you do on P day? 

On P day there really isn't anything to do because we have to go about two hours out of our area to but all of our stuff for the week. Normally we just sit in the house and rest because there literally isn't anything to do here haha. But it isn't that bad really, it's nice to rest and write some letters if we have time.

5.  Feet totally healed?

No not totally. I'm starting to get little ingrown toenails hahahaha I just don't know when the madness will stop!!!!!!!!! But it's not that bad and I know it's only for the heat that I have so many stupid little problems.

6.  Anything else you would like in your package? Items that you can't get there, that you are craving?

I don't really know. There really isn't anything where I am at so anything is good. The airheads were Heavenly haha I loved those, even though I was supposed to give them to the kids... But whatever is good, I'm good! And I won't get it for a while!

Well this week was a tough one to say the least haha. It is so so so so weird to have a new companion that is literally nothing like the one that I just had. Elder Diaz was just totally chill and down to do anything and was totally obedient and just loved life and being in the mission. Now my companion is literally just the opposite. That's all I have to say about that...

So sweet that Diondra is getting out there!!! WHOO!!! There is a missionary in the mission right now from Australia and he is so sick! She will be so great! I got some really good letters this week and that made me super happy. I got a letter from Natalie that was the best thing ever! She sent me little pictures of us and all the fun stuff that we did together! LOVED IT. I also go a letter from Nicolle and that was funny to hear the difference between my mission and her mission. She mentioned metal sink and my heart sunk just like it was made of metal hahaha METAL SINK??? I want a metal sink hahaha. Also I love the letters from Dave and his family. The funny stories always cheer me up. I needed some serious cheering up this week haha.

Our investigators are coming along pretty well. We're trying to get all the papers for Arnulfo so that he can get married. The dude is on fire! He comes to church and practically teaches the Principals of the Gospel class hahah he's so awesome! We also have a kid named Ramiro Monson and he's 21. We've been teaching him for a little while and this week he got work off especially for church and is working to get it all off so he can come every sunday. STUD! We found an old man with his grandkids that had already went to church a bunch of times and they all want to be baaptized but he is going out of town for a little bit. I hope that one happens!!! But everything is woring out right now because I am really really trying to be super obedient so that I can have success in this change so I can show to my Heavenly Father that I can be trusted with this responsibility in the mission.

I'm really trying hard to learn two lessons. First is the Attitude and second is patience. I find that when my attitude is super good, my day is super good. We can take that lesson and apply it to every single day in our lives! With patience, I'm trying really hard to just keep it all in during the day and then pour it out into my journal and the pray it all out to my Heavenly Father. I love to pray. I'm literally always in constant communication with my Father in Heaven because I know that he really listens to what we have to say and it is important to him. I love my Heavenly Father so much.

I hope everyone has a great week and that eeryone can kill it! I guess Parker is going to Peru this week or something because his visa came in!! Super stoked for him. Chris Bednar couldn't get his visa to Mexico and got reassigned to Salt Lake.... ouchhhhh But the Lord has a reason to do everything.  I love you all so much and am so thankful for all the support!

Much love, Elder Hanson!

Cool bracelets I found

Lake Atitlan

Lake Atitlan

CRAZY WEEK!!!!!

February 20, 2013

Hi everyone.

This week was CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tha sucks to hear about the split of the ward but I know and am finding out more and more that the Lord has a plan in everything. It's going to be really weird without a million people in the church when I get home. But who knows lol? 

First of all!! WE FINALLY HAD A BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!! Maria got dunked! But it wasn't easy haha. She got sick the night before the baptism and couldn't come to church because she had to go to another city to get some special medicine and none of her family had any idea when she would get home. So there goes the baptism at 2 o'clock. But we didn't lose the hope! We returned to the house like 6 times and finally she was there around like 5. She told us that she still wanted to do it, so we took her and went to find a bus that could take us to the next city to take us to the baptismal font. There was no one!!!!! But after that we found some guy that could take us, so that was all good. We got to the other church and everything was ready to go! I baptized her, but let me tell you, it was not easy!! She didn't understand that she had to go all the way under the water. So after the 5th time, she finally went down!! I said the words right and everything but she just refused to go under. The last time I just basically took her feet out from under her and threw her under and there it was! It was a crazy experience but it was really good. I had been praying for a baptism really really hard so that we could have one before Elder Diaz left. I know that it happened because we worked super super hard and I was literally praying really hard. It was a miracle!! Abdias....well he decided to move to another city and go live there! Whoo!!! Haha I have no idea what people are thinking! And with Arnulfo! We taught him and he came to church and loves the church and wants to be baptized still. We just need to get his papers so that we can have someone marry them!! And then it's a baptism for sure, if he doesn't leave again...but it's all going good with the investigators!

Well with changes....of course Elder Diaz went to a different place, Chimaltenango, and there he is district leader. Our district leader called us a couple days before the changes and told us that yeah we did have changes and that both of us had interviews. WHAT?? haha only leaders have interviews and I had no idea what was going on! So we left the house on monday at 4 in the morning to get to the Cap for the interviews. I was really nervous, first of all to have a new companion, second of all to have an interview for who in the heck knows what, then to literally be left with this whole area in my hands because Elder Diaz left and our ward mission leader went on his mission today! I had no idea what was going on... I talked to President Brough and I am now Senion Companion to an Elder that has a year and a half in the mission, named Elder Ucles! What in the heck haha now I have a companion with a not great reputation and a whole area to lead haha. I seriously have no iead! I'm really stressed out haha. But I know that I have this calling for a reason and that I'm supposed to help someone in this change, whether it be me or my companion, I don't know, but we'll find out!! President Brough told me that this is really weird and hardly ever happens haha my second Companion and I'm senior! SABER!! hahaha But it's going to be good and I will be able to do it.

I'm glad to hear that everything is going good at home. I had a great Valentine's Day with Elder Diaz and we killed it listening to church music and working in the work of the Lord!!! BOOM!!! haha Well everything is going good for now. Excited for Jarom and B-town! I love you guys! thanks for all the support always!!

Love Elder Hanson <3

HAYYYYYYYYY

February 13, 2013

HAYYYYYYYYYY

This week was one of the best that we've had here. We taught like 55 lessons haha. Pretty much we just ran all over the city and just killed it! The best thing though that we did was put the date for the baptism this week for Maria! LOVE IT!!!!! Yess!!!!!! I've been praying and fasting like crazy so that we can have this baptism before Elder Diaz leaves. I know that the Lord is answering my prayers and is aware of what I want. The difference in this case is that I have been praying for Elder Diaz so that he can have this baptism before this change. He's itching to get out haha, but we've still got some work to do in this week to make sure that this baptism happens!!!

One thing that we did this week that was freaking awesome.... We went to the city San Lucas and went and saw the Lake Atitlan! That's where Alma baptized 204 people in one day in the Waters of Mormon. It was really cool to go and see a place like that with all that historic significance. The water and the things all around it just make it so dang cool. It really is such a cool and spiritual place. I have a ton of pictures but I couldn't send them this time so I'll send them next week! They are really cool. Maybe a once in a lifetime thing that I got to do yesterday!

The return of Arnulfo!!!!! Hahahaha este chambonsito!!!! He came back this week and we went to visit him this week and he was working haha. I want to go and talk to him so bad and just see what's going on with him and see if we have another potential baptism! We're working with Abdias and seeing is he can get his school changed and that's looking like it's going to happen! Super stoked for that! I'm really trying hard to work hard and be obedient so that these things can come to pass.

The mail system sucks way bad, trust me, I know. But everything that I have sent out will get there eventually and everything that yu guys send, I'll get it hopefully before my time to go home comes haha. I'm still writing a certain person every week so don't worry they will get there! Happy valentine's to everyone! My Number 1 Valentine, MY MOM, and my Number 1a valentine.... CHODE ..... Just kidding haha you know who you are LOL ;)

Not really much happened this week but the next time that I email, I'll probably have a new companion.... haha I don't know how I feel about that haha. My spanish is really coming along well. Lots of people don't believe me when I tell them that I only have almost 6 Months haha. I know that I'm really blessed to be able to pick it up quickly and be able to help theese people faster. I'M LOVIN' IT!!!!!!! Have a great week! I love you all!!!!

Love, Elder Hanson 3

Za Nigua

February 6, 2013

HEYYYYYYYY YOUUU GUYSSSSSS

First of all don't ask me what Za nigua means, because I have no idea at all... Neither does my companion hahaha. My district leader just always yells it. 

I'm still lovin' the packages and the stuff that you guys sent me! It really gave me a little boost in the temporal side of things. I'm still enjoying it and I'm still learning a lot from Elder Diaz and jsut hoping that we can have a baptism before he gets changed. I can see the frustration a little bit with him sometimes because he's not used to this happening haha. I'm really praying hard for a miracle for him. I have emailed Colin a couple of times and just to say something, The nickname ''Chode'' can't even escape him in the MTC! You seriously have no idea how proud I am! He says that the language is way weird and that the Spanish that he took in school is really messing him up haha. Also that the time is going by really really fast for him! It's crazy how the time flies out here.

This week we reencountered Abdias in the street and he has been reading and praying like crazy and is changing his schedule of school so that he can be able to go to church and be baptized!!! WHOO!!! That won't happen for a couple more weeks but I'm really hoping for that and praying like crazy. Also we have this little hermanita that is looking at having her baptism on the 17th. She has gone to church a bunch of times before and has always had the desire to be baptized but she hasn't been able to talk to the missionaries for a while. She came to church this week and loved it! She says that she's ready to do it on the 17th and I'm really hoping it can happen because that's right before Elder Diaz would leave. We're working really hard with her because she doesn't really understand way quick, but understanding isn't the requirement, it's to have a desire to do it!!

One of my baptisms, Maribel, She was pregnant and this week she lost her baby...she only had like 10 more days until he was due. It was really hard to see them in the pain that I've felt. I remember walking into the room and just feeling like ''I recognize this feeling.'' It's so hard because even now I have no idea what to say to people that go through these things. I just try to say what I can and it's even harder in Spanish. But we had a lesson with the family last night and she wanted to know where the babies go when they die and of course we read Moroni 8. It was a really spiritual lesson and I know that Gabe was there helping me to be able to say the words that I needed to say to this family. Things happen for a reason. And our Heavenly Father knows why. He knows why Gabe had to go a year and a half ago and he knows exactly why I'm here right now. It's amazing to know that we have a Heavenly Father that loves us and is aware of us in every single situation. I love this Gospel and I'm so happy to be a missionary and serving me Heavenly Father. I LOVE YOU ALL and am so thankful for everything you're doing for me.

Elder Hanson 3