Week Twenty-seven.

Hey!

  This was the week of the infamous anual tempest, the Santa Rosa.  We have heard in hushed tones and whispers, almost certainly accompanied by a shiver of dread, for months now... seven uninterrupted days of relentless rain and a downpour of pure evil which would cause even the most weather-hardened missionary to tuck his tail between his legs and plead for an ounce of warmth or hope from any neighbor brave or merciful enough to open the door to him.

  Ok, so it wasn't actually that bad.  :)  It came late this year so the actual storm wasn't so rough.  It rained all week, which was gloomy, but our habit of yelling "Whoo!" and thrusting our umbrellas (I'm on my third for the mission) triumphantly up at the skies each time lightning strikes has kept the motivation levels high and a pair of smiles on our faces.  Because of the torrential attack from on high, we only had 18 people (instead of our usual 50ish) in church on Sunday, but I was struck by how that was the exact number of Maximum turnout to the chapel in my old area, Varela.  We're very blessed here.

  Florencia's mom, Lorena, accepted a baptismal date for the 13th of October!  Her husband José is a little more skeptical and hesitant, but he told us it wasn't because he didn't want to join the Church, but rather because he wanted to be able to commit 100%, without allowing old weaknesses like his trouble with the Word of Wisdom to come back and tempt him after his baptism.  We'll be working with both of them to help them access the changing and impelling force of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  In time I know that family will come to be a strong source of good in this world.

  I've been really pushing myself to be obedient in my thoughts and desires as well as my actions, to be converted into a true disciple and representative of Jesus Christ and demonstrate the depth of my testimony in Him.  It isn't easy.  But it is ever so rewarding, fulfilling, and worth the effort.  I know that the Gospel of Christ is true and that as we take the necessary steps to come unto our Savior, making and keeping sacred covenants, we can be saved and eternally happy together.

  I love you all,

  Elder Hansen

Week Twenty-six.

September 9, 2013

Hello hello!

GREAT WEEK!  First, Elder Zeballos, a Chilean from the First Quorum of the Seventy visited and we talked about a little bit of everything-- I especially loved how questions I had had for the longest time about random Gospel topics were answered by the Spirit as I carefully listened.  He especially stressed the importance of finding complete families to teach.  Speaking of which...

Florencia´s whole family came to Church this Sunday!  Even her dad, José, who had been a little hesitant before.  It was such a joy to see them all sitting together in Sacrament Meeting.

In addition, another very promising investigator of ours, 18 year old Jorge (or "Lolo" as his whole family inexplicably calls him) has been coming to Church too.  He moved here to live with his sister, a very faithful member, and to turn his life around.  He's eager to be baptized.

Elder Alder signed his residency papers today-- we went to the huge central bus station in the city called Tres Cruces.  It's such a tourist trap haha.  And even busier than the airport...

Lots of love!  I know that the Lord answers prayers and responds to our individual doubts.  And sometimes it's waiting and searching for those responses that teaches me the most.

Elder Hansen

Week Twenty-five.

Mis queridos,

  How's things and stuff?  This week was what we call in Spanish "ahí" or "más o menos"; we really enjoyed it but didn't see as much success as we would have liked.  It's tough to spend weeks like this one where we only teach around twenty lessons even though we're trying every day.  It reminds me of the slower pace of little Varela, my first area.  Hopefully the warm weather will draw people out of their homes to be trapped--I mean, taught :)--in the streets.

  The good things, though?  Lorena, Florencia's mom, came to church for the third time in a row!  She said she had spoken with missionaries almost thirteen years ago and taken the lessons then, and that at that time she didn't feel ready or comfortable committing to be baptized.  But now, she says, lots has changed and she wants to try preparing herself again!  And better yet, her husband has also been taking the lessons with us and asking really good questions, even though he hasn't come to church since the day of Florencia's baptism.  He said he had a dream the other night in which we as the missionaries had told him he needed to stop smoking and he's trying to leave off now: without us having as much as mentioned the Word of Wisdom to him (we taught him the importance of that commandment later, of course)!  It's really evident that the Spirit is inviting him to do that which is good and uplifts and edifies.

  We have a couple other really promising investigators.  As always, the classic Uruguayan problem is that we are literally the last priority on people's lists--if we have a time set up to pass by and teach a lesson, and anything else arises (like their dog needs to go for a walk or they run out of milk and go to the store), they drop everything and stand up the missionaries.  It's kind of frustrating.  Elder Griffin, my trainer, used to say, "One of the hardest things to do in Uruguay is to find a really promising new investigator and have a strong, spiritual lesson with him or her.  But the Very Hardest thing to do here is find that same person again and teach them a second time."  haha... I wish that were less true...

  But I know that it's nothing personal against the missionaries, much less against the Lord--the people of Uruguay are really wonderful and accepting.  I come to love them more every day; I know I'll have a hard time leaving this branch when I finally do.  Our other really powerful experience this week was meeting our new mission president (a Fortune 500 businessman from Florida) and his wife.  They are incredible and stressed the importance of developing that sincere love for people.  I realized how much I need to improve.  "At the end of the day," said Sister Newsome, "We will not be judged by which areas or callings or jobs we served in, rather by how well we have loved our spiritual brothers and sisters who surround us."

  Thank you for always having showed that love toward me,

  Elder Hansen