GET THAT CORN OUT OF MY FACE!!ELOTES LOCOS!!!!!! Crazy corn! I found some people selling this corn from Nacho Libre and i asked the members to make it for me. I had diarreah since easters but it was totally worth it!!!!! WATCHAELOTES LOCOS!!!!!! Crazy corn! I found some people selling this corn from Nacho Libre and i asked the members to make it for me. I had diarreah since easters but it was totally worth it!!!!! WATCHA

ELOTES LOCOS!!!!!! Crazy corn! I found some people selling this corn from Nacho Libre and i asked the members to make it for me. I had diarreah since easters but it was totally worth it!!!!! WATCHA

The man is named Amadeo and he is so crazy! I always said that I would never leave this area without a picture with him hahaha.

WHOOOOO

April 30, 2013

Hello everybody.

Well this week was super wild. So wild that literally nothing happened!! It's starting to rain a little bit and that is crazy. When I say that it rains a little bit here, IT RAINS LIKE FREAKING CRAZY. The roads here just fill up with water like they are rivers. It's way sick but at the same time it's hard because no one wants to talk to us when it's raining. 

We are having a lot of trouble finding new, positive people to teach. We are teaching people like crazy but the people in this area really like to do nothing and gain nothing. It's hard because I feel like I'm working so hard, harder that I ever have in my life, and I'm not seeing the results right now. I want one more baptism before I leave. At least one more. We're fighting really hard. We're working so hard and trying to just have the faith that if we are obedient, God will work miracles. We have a man named Brigido that I had been teaching a lot and for a long time and then I dropped him and stuff for a while. I felt like we should go back and see what was up and he listened to us and came to church again. It's hard with him because he got baptized in another church and FIRMLY believes that it is valid haha. I have been so direct with him, and he still doesn't understand. But we're keeping the faith up!!

I'm so happy that you guys absolutely killed it in D Land. I wish I could have been there just to see Cars Land! That looks so dang sweet! Can't wait to get myself in there! Looked fun and I loved all the pictures! The plane ride looked so sick! Super jelly of the children!

My companion is still super annoying but I'm dealing with it. I'm learning so much from him but in I'm learning so much from him but in the ways that I shouldn't do and the things that I shouldn't say. It's so good to be able to look at every situation and be able to take something good out of it...

Nothing new really happened this week. Just been praying super super hard to have a miracle in these next few weeks. I'm learning so much about myself that it's crazy. I feel like I've already changed. The way I look at things is so much different and it makes me feel so much better and have so much more love for other people even when I know that they have done stupid stuff and know what's going on in their lives. My life is changing every single day.

I love you so much and am so thankful for you guys and all that you do for me. I'm just trying so hard to give at least 110% so that I can make up for the 50% that my companion is giving and I can say that I did all that I could. I love working so hard because that way I just forget about everything that is going on with everything else. Thanks for all the support and sorry that it was a little short this time!

Love Elder Hanson

OOOOOOliiiiiii!

April 22, 2013

Hey everyone....

Here come the answers to the questions!!!

Who are your Zonies and DL's? We have our zone leaders that are in Santa Lucia and I love them both. One of them is named Elder Flores and he's from El Salvador. The other is from Layton and his name is Elder Winmill, man is he a stud! He went to Layton High and played golf his senior year and the first thing that he said to me was "did you play golf for Viewmont?"

How often do you see them? Like once a month and no more. Like I've said before, we are so so so far out from them. We're about 2 and a half hours out of their area in bus so it's hard.

Do you get a chance to download to them a little? I love talking to Elder Flores because he was Elder Ucles' companion too and he knows how I feel but he was only with him for 5 Weeks!!

Do you have a rule of "no English" in the mission? NO THANK HEAVENS.  

What are the other areas in your zone. Sipa, La Gomera, Ceiba Amelia, El palmar, Santa lucia, Bilbao, Siquinala.  Are there sisters down there that you see sometimes? Yeah there are 4 sisters in La Gomera and they are in my district. They are all awesome. There is one sister from Ceder City that is super cool and we always talk about good mission stuff. It's nice to talk to someone in english haha.

How often do you communicate with the President? We actually had interviews with him this morning. We were the most successful zone in the mission his past month so we are going to have a super p day with him and his wife so that should be good. HE'S AMAZING. I am putting this on paper right now that he will be one of the 12 apostles.  Are you supposed to email him weekly? yeah we email him every week!

Well there you are folks! This week was so so so solid. Even though we didn't put any baptismal dates or anything like that, it was so much better. We just put our heads down and worked. I got in a little fight with my companion about something that he said to me that bugged me because it was so litle and I don't even remember what it was but it sparked this huge argument talk thing and we ust got everything out there in the open. It was super nice and relieving haha. Not saying that really anything has changed with him but it was so nice to just get it all off of my chest.

Jealous of the trip that you are going to take this week! In plane??? Come on!!! We didn't go in plane as a family one time!!!! But I will never forget the time that I got to go with Eliza and we hung out on the plane and were in the limo. That was a really solid cousin memory. I love all the memories that we had in california. Good times! Try not to have fun at all without me!

I'm trying to just keep my head up and work hard. President Brough told me today to just keep working and this next change I'll be out of here. He told me that I don't have much time left in Sipacate so I better baptize haha.  So I'll have the great privilege to talk to my family from the same place two times! I was hoping that wouldn't happen but IT'S ALL GOOD!!

I haven't gotten the package that you guys sent me latest but I'm pretty sure that it's in the office. I called the office and told them that I don't want it until the change meeting because if there is good stuff in it and I get it in this area and just have to leave, I'd end up leaving a lot of stuff in the house in Sipa Flow. I had to give a little ring a ding to my boy up there in the office as secretary to President Brough, Elder Diaz! This freaking chambon is just getting fatter and fatter in the office now hahah love that guy!

I hope everythin is going super good and I hope that you guys can have fun in Cali! Send me pictures!! Things are looking up and I'm not going to just stop working here because literally the only reason that I'm here is to baptize. That's what I have been called to do here and that's what I plan on doing. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I love being a missionary and teaching these people what I know to be true. Even though we get rejected all the time, I don't care because it doesn't compare to what Jesus had to go through. I love you all so much and you are always in my prayers!!!

Love, Elder HAnson

April 8, 2013

Hi family,

I got a package the other day from the family with my gel and with the face wash and just jam packed of candy and LOVED IT!!!!!! The hair stuff is exactly what I wanted and Exactly what I asked for! So Thank you so so so much!

It's a little weird because the day to email changed on us a little bit and I hardly heard from anyone! I hope everything  is super solid for all of you.

First of all, if you're gonna send me money, just put it into my card! That is so much easier and I get the money way faster! Thank you!! (Kristin's note:  This would be his personal debit card. If you want to give money to him, just give it to me and I will put it in his account and we can send him a note)

I'm having a little bit of a hard day today. Conference is always a little hard for me because it reminds me a ton of the family and especially Gabe and all the memories that we have with him at the Priesthood Session. I wrote in my journal a couple days ago about when we were at Red Iguana with Paris and Gabe and dad and Gabe ate that Jalepeño hahahahaha That ws so so funny. I had a tough week looking ahead today, Gabe's birthday, and just waiting and thinking a lot about it. On tuesday night I had a dream where I picked up the phone and talked to Gabe for like 5 seconds, I remember hearing his voice and he hardly said anything. I woke up that morning and just cried because I felt super alone. I'm feeling really alone right now because I just feel like with my companion I can't share any of this with him because he doesn't care what I say or at least pay atttention. But I am so grateful for PRAYER. I love being able to just stop and pray whenever I feel like crap and just want to cry. I'm working hard and trying to do all I can to build God's kingdom here. It helps me to focus and keep my mind on what I know and what I believe.

I loved General Conference! We watched it in English, The Gringos, and that was a blessing in and of itself! I was a little frustrated after the sessions on Saturday because I had been praying really really hard to have something especially for me and I really didn't feel anything like that in the first day. So I prayed like crazy that night and sure enough my prayer was answered with the first talk in sunday morning by President Uchtdorf. I loved that talk so much about the Light of Christ and how we're all entitled to have it no matter where we are and no matter what circumstances we are in. That helped me a lot to just put it all into perspective. One of the things that I loved more than anything else was what President Packer said "There are few things more powerful than a faithful mother praying." That just threw me to think of my mom and knowing how faithful that she is and I know that she is praying for me always. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE MY MOM. I love President Monson so much. I know that he is a Prophet of God. I can't even see him without holding back tears because of the love and Spirit that I feel coming from him. He said, "The mission is a family matter." Love that quote because the mission totally is a family matter. The family is totally with me 100 percent. Something that also just reminded me of my mom so dang fast was something that Elder Falabella (de Guatemala!) said, "A child that sings, is a happy child." Mom always said that I was singing when I was little and can always tell if I'm happy or sad if I'm singing or not. I'm trying really hard to keep singing through these hard times. And when Elder Christofferson mentioned Les Mis and Jean Val Jean. Loved it!

I heard that My boy Felix got his call the New York!! So happy for him. I have always had a special love for him and have always loved how he is. I'm super happy that we could become such good friends in senior and junior year of high school. Also I heard that Brianna got her call to New York and leaves super super soon! Super proud of her and the decision that she made! She's always had that personallity that just touches people. She'll be a great misionera.

I'm trying super hard to just be so positive and jsut look at everything as good. It really helps with everything. I love you all so so much and I hope that everything is going good and that you all got something special out of Conference and could feel the Spirit like I did. Keep praying for me! I'm needing it right now for sure.

Love Elder Hanson

ISAIAH!!!!!! FELIZ CUMPLIAÑOS ESTE MIERCOLES!!! ESPERO QUE TENGAS UN BUEN DIA LLENO DO REGALOS Y TODAS LAS COSAS QUE TU CORAZON DESEA! SIEMPRE HAS SIDO UN BUEN EJEMPLO PARA MI Y TODA LA FAMILIA! Espero que estes trabajando bien duro en la escuela! Te amo cuate! Yo se que Gabe es muy orgulloso y que esta mirandote de los cielos con una gran sonrisa!

I love you bud and hope that you have an awesome day!!!!!

This picture is so awesome because I bit into this bread and almost cried because it tasted EXACTLY like mom's rolls haha but seriously I almost cried.

ME QUEDO 6 SEMAMNAS MAS??? DEVERAS??? A LA GRAN!!!!

April 2, 2013

Hello everyone....

Well this week was full of a million surprises! Whoo!! And not really one of them ended up to be super good....lol

First of all Dad I want a list of your areas to see where you were!! I have heard that the zona 12 reformita is awesome! An Elder in my district was there. Also I'm so freaking stoked to hear about Daisy!!!!!!! That is awesome. I wish that I would have had the guts to do something like that! I never wanted to because I was always scared that I wouldn't win. And if you know me, I always have to win... lol. One thing that made me a little bugged is that Colin can't email me! That sucks so bad because I loved that and being able to talk to him. The thing that I don't get is that the whole church changed the rule and now we sould be able to email to whatever person we want! AHHHH I need to talk to ma boi chode!

Well I'm staying in Sipacate for another 6 weeks with my annoying companion...pray for me. When the next change comes, I'll almost have 9 months in the mission haha it's pretty crazy. I'll talk to the family also on mother's day from Sipa once again. I can't tell you that I was super excited that I am going to stay here, but I know that the Lord has a plan from us and tht I'm staying here for some reason. I finished the Book of Mormon for the second time in the mission and this time I loved it so so so so much! I went to start it over again and started reading in 1 Nephi about how they had to go back and get the plates from Laban. It was then that I realized that I am here for a reason and I just need to be obedient and work hard like I'm doing and just never let up. I0'm trying hard to just work hard. One of the hardest things is that I've been here so long and so I literally know every single person in the area and have tried to visit every single one. It's hard to recontact houses that just totally shut us down the first time but that's what I need to do in this area at this time and I know that I'm going to find someone that needs and is ready for this gospel. I'm killing my companion day in and day out haha. I'm walking so fast all day and all night so that when we get to the house, we plan, and then after, he's knocked out on his bed within 10 minutes haha I'm enjoying that...I've really learned a lot from him just by watching how he is and watching what he does, and then doing the opposite. I figure that that's the way to go. I'm trying to be patient but sometimes it's really hard. The thing is that he is super nice and stuff but he just thinks he's the funniest person in the world and never shuts up and that's wearing super hard on the members too. Almost no one ever has time to visit with us now...But I'm working hard!!!

I loved reading the Book of Mormon so much! My testimony of the Book Of Mormon has grown so much. I learned so much this time around, but the thing that I payed attention to the most was the promise that The Lord makes in just about every single page, If we keep his commandments, we will prosper in the land. I love that so much and that's what I'm practically teaching to these people that if they will just come to church on sunday then they will be blessed and I know that's true! I loved learning that and I know that I am going to base the rest of my life on that principal and that I am always going to put God first. That's what I'm trying to do right now with the hard times that I am having and I feel like that's going to help me so so much!

I feel like this week is going to be a little bit tough for me. It's Gabe's birthday on Monday and I don't know how I'm going to handle that. I'm hoping that we can just get that day overwith. It's also Natalie's birthday on thursday and then Isaiah's on the 10th. It's weird to miss these days with my loved ones but that just means that one more and that's it haha. Easter was boring for me. I thought a ton about Gabe and it was kind of sad. We jsut went to church and then worked the rest of the day. It's mostly a Catholic thing here and that's weird and I really don't like it that much because there is a lot of stuff about the Crucifixion and all that. It is so dang hot. You wouldn't even believe. I walk around soaking wet with sweat and it is so gross but there is literally nothing I can do about it. At least I don't stink when I sweat! LOL

I love you all so much and am so thankful for everything you do for me always! Have a great week and you are always in my prayers!

Elder Herson!!!!