Week Seven.

Hey everyone!

This last week has been awesome.  On Friday, we went to the mission home in Montevideo (which made for a long day, with a four hour bus ride each way) to have a conference with all of the trainers and missionaries being trained!  I don't remember if I mentioned, but the new, inexperienced missionaries like me are called "oros" ("golds") in our mission, because of their bright faith or potential value or something.  Or how much they weigh down their trainers maybe haha.  But anyway President Armstrong was there and gave everyone some time to share the best things and the hard things about the missionary effort thus far.  It was a really neat experience.  And what's more, I got to play the piano!!!  I usually don't here, because the little electric one in the Varela "chapel" (a home with a nice yard, just for church meetings) doesn't work.

One of the other neat things about the conference was that Sister Armstrong, who had been away for several months in the States with health problems, was back and there to meet all of us!  She's just as amazing as President.  President Armstrong's message was about how difficulty and trial are natural prerequisites to spiritual growth--just as Nephi went from being a boy to a man, in his own words, after having faced the hard situation with Laban and his stubborn/abusive brothers.  Joseph Smith experienced the same before the First Vision, facing a dark and powerful force that preceded his revelation.  I know that as we strive to overcome and work through the challenges of this life, we, too, will have many testimony-strengthening experiences from the Lord.

So, Easter... It's not too big a deal here.  The Catholics all go out to mass, and there are a few chocolate eggs in the grocery store, but we didn't do anything special in church except for Christ-centered talks.  Church this week was great though--although we had the smallest turnout yet and the investigator, Perla, who we were sure was going to come was absent, the stake president unexpectedly came to visit.  He had such love for the members here and remembered them all and their families, even though he doesn't make it out to little branches like this very often.  He did warn, though, that if the members don't help to activate some worthy Priesthood holders in the next six to eight months, the branch may close.  That put the pressure on us for sure as well, and hopefully it will be some increased member assistance and cooperation in the weeks to come.

Well, today we helped pack Elder Griffin up to head back to the land of the brave, home of the free next week.  It's a bitter-sweet experience--I'm super happy for him and he deserves to bring the great service he's rendered here to a home and family, but it means I'll be missing out on an awesome trainer!!  Maybe it's selfish, but he's been an amazing teacher in and out of lessons, and we're pretty good friends.  Lots of laughing.

Well, we don't have a lot of time (in fact, I think Elder Griffin might be tapping his foot already for my slowness :) so I'm going to wrap up.  I love you all and know that the Savior does too.  I was comforted by the reminder this week that the Lord works in absolutes--He has All power, All knowledge, Perfect love, and lives Forever.  There is no exception unless we make ourselves the exception by sinning and distancing ourselves from Him.  I know that we will all rise again in the Resurrection with glorified bodies immune to the infirmities of this life.  What a comfort that is.

Good luck, and may the Lord guide you.

--Love, Elder Hansen