Week Twenty-one.

Good morning, America!

This has been a pretty fantastic week--we've done a lot of work with incomplete (part-member) families and the weather was randomly warm and sunny for like four days in a row.  The branch here is finally getting excited to get involved in the missionary efforts, giving us references of people to visit and coming with us to teach lessons.  I gave a talk this Sunday about responding spiritually to Jesus' instruction, "Feed my sheep" instead of just feeding missionaries.  I told them I would trade in my lunch for help in our proselyting and finding situations :) so we'll see whether I starve next week from getting too much member participation... haha.  Well we had a good few days, is the general idea of things.  So I'm going to close up and try to send some pictures.

Lots of love,

Elder Hansen

Bridge over the Olimar river in 33

The business complex near our house in Prosperidad

Montevideo Temple

Same thing as before. But at night. 3.68 times as cool. :)

Week Twenty.

A soggy hello to the lot of you!

This week has been pretty cold, pretty wet, and pretty great.  An investigator of ours we've been working with since I arrived in the area, Ezekiel, finally came to church!  It was really gratifying and more than made up for the dismally drizzly day.  In addition, we've been able to contact several former investigators in the area who had been very near to baptism in the past and now view the idea of giving it another go with gusto.  We're excited!

I've also done some things I never expected this week-- for the first and hopefully last time, I mopped a ceiling (with bleach to remove mold that has been there since before I have), microwaved my socks (to dry them after a few days when nothing else does), and worn six layers of long-sleeved clothes at the same time!  Trouble is, it's not any warmer inside the house than out (forty degrees this morning, for example).  You just have to bundle up and pray to hold the frostbite at bay!  :)  haha it's a load of fun.

We're both feeling really confident about the work and progress here in Prosperidad.  Stay tuned for next week's episode...

Thanks for the support and for keeping in touch!

Elder Hansen

A picture of me and my mission president and his wife for the last time before they take off.  I forgot to mention in the letter that we had interviews with him and he told me I should be an attourney... I don't know whether that's supposed to be a good thing, haha. ;)

Week Nineteen.

Hey howdy!

This was a busy week!  We had transfers (everyone here calls them "changes" which I think sounds funny and pubescent, but if I ever use that word without thinking at least you'll know what I meant to say), and I met my new "oro"--"golden" new missionary, my little greenie Elder Alder!  Say that ten times fast, right?  At least it's easy for everyone here to pronounce--basically just Elder twice.  Whereas my name gives them some trouble.  The closest help we've been able to give people so far to say my name is "you know, like Hansel (Hansen) and Gretl," which seems to work pretty well for an only-slightly-distorted last name.

Anyway, Elder Alder-- a native of Boise, Idaho, Elder Caden Alder also attended BYU before the mission, speaks Spanish with a surprisingly good accent for having so little time out in the field, and sings like a bird.  His favorite is Michael Bublé--but Elder Alder makes Bublé sound like an amateur.  He has a really impressive voice.

Well, this week was the first of the real winter.  I think I've said that a few times now but this time I hope I'm right.  When you start seeing your breath indoors, you start to wonder just how much colder it can get... haha.

I haven't got a lot of time today, but I was really glad to see some progress this week with inactive members--some are beginning to come to church and have some youth that were never baptized before their parents inactivated.  We hope to see some great movement along the strait and narrow for them in the weeks to come.

I have begun a study of church history, chronologically, this week.  I'm reading the Doctrine and Covenants in the order and timing they were received, alongside the Joseph Smith History and the book Our Heritage.  It has confirmed and reconfirmed my testimony that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restored Church of Jesus Christ for this dispensation, and that he received the Priesthood authority from God.  I was able to exercise that same Priesthood this week by giving blessings to a couple of sickly members (in Spanish--yikes!).  I felt its power, and know that it is not mine, but rather Heavenly Father's, and that He acts through chosen servants to guide and direct us today, and to bless us with His love.  How great are our privileges as disciples of the Lord.

Christ lives and loves us.  We can live forever as perfectly happy families through Him.  May we each take more steps toward Him as He ever invites us,

Elder Hansen

Week Eighteen.

Hello, to the miscellany of family and friends out there who willingly subject themselves to the bore of reading my letters from time to time.  The few.  The proud.  The Young Elder Hansen Advocates of America (YEHAA! Like a cowboy).  I salute you and thank you for your support.  :)

This has been a great week.  This Sunday we were able to view a retransmission of the missionary broadcast--it really helped the members feel excited about the work here in the Prosperity branch.

Then last night the Zone Leaders called to tell us about transfers--''The doctor called,'' says my companion after hanging up the phone.  ''Congratulations.  You're pregnant.'' After a fit of histeric laughter I asked him what on earth he meant.  It turns out that a trainer on the mission is sometimes referred to as ''Dad'' and the trainee (new missionary, greenie or ''Oro'' as they call them here) is the ''Son.''  So, when Elder Trejo told me I was expecting, he really meant that I'll be having a baby missionay to train this next transfer. That's a pretty overwhelming prospect!  But I'm excited.

We don't have a lot of time this week because we're getting Elder Trejo packed and ready to head out.  But I'll let you know all about my new companion next week!

With love,

Elder Hansen