Week Three

All right, some quick notes before the update.  So it looks like people can send things to mom or dad, for you to forward to me so I can actually read them as an email--I can do the same, sending stuff to you guys to be distributed.  But since I only get half an hour a week on the computers, it would be more effective to send things through the other email (1-2 weeks longer for me to get them) or snail mail (3-6 weeks).  

A reminder for if you ever send me packages-- declare low costs, and "missionary supplies." Speaking of sending me things... The thing I could really use is stamps.  That way I could send free mail through the Church to be sent out from Salt Lake headquarters.  All right, so this is my first real P-Day!  I'm in a little internet cafe in nearby city "Treinta y Tres" (literally, the number 33 :).  This is where we meet as a district, buy more than the basics, et cetera.  Pretty neat place--I really like it both here and in Varela.

So the Varela branch has a pretty small Church-going crowd.  We started meetings yesterday with eight people and had maybe fifteen for Sacrament meeting.  And they're all old people--mostly old ladies.  So it's a little tough for us to really get the members involved in the missionary work, even though they're all friendly and willing to help, health doesn't always permit.

We came here as a "white wash," where neither missionary had served in this area before the transfer.  It meant kind of a clean slate--no investigators, references, et cetera, leaving us to find them anew!  So the first week has been a little rough, but now things are picking up some.  Hopefully everything will continue to be on the rise.

The food's pretty good, we just don't have a ton of time to eat during the day.  Glad I brought my spicy sauces though!  Nothing is seasoned quite to my specifications :)

Elder Griffin is awesome.  Like you saw, he's a really tall redhead.  He actually served in Varela several months ago, and has been AP in between then and now.  A great role model I can look up to in more ways than the one I am obligated to.

So I don't have too much time today for a message--I'll keep it short and sweet.  There is always something we can be doing to help the work of God progress!  Share references with the missionaries, or testimonies with less-active members, reach out to befriend others in the ward, even just attend a visit with the missionaries so they can enter a single woman's house.  We can have such a big part in spreading the Gospel and finding joy in that service--both for ourselves and for others around us.

I love you all.  God has a wonderful plan for each of you!

Elder Hansen (i.e., McKay)