Week 69 - Loving Moravia

Hey fam!!

Another great week down and as always, I'm stuck struggling to remember what all happened, but if nothing else, just know it was good haha.

Moravia is awesome - I could see myself living here. The ward is great, the members are awesome. My companion Elder Garay is great, he came with Elder Hernandez and is actually from the same stake. He's my third companion from that same group haha.

On Monday after we wrote, we headed up to Coronado, the area of our district leader and played some soccer and made some french fries with sausage, which they had been promising to make us all week. But I think the budget was a little tight because we all got about 8 french fries and 4 pieces of sausage haha but it was still fun. 

Tuesday and Wednesday I honestly can't remember much but they were great!

Miracle of the Week!

On Thursday we had our meeting with the ward mission leader at 7 and he called us that morning to ask if he could come with us at 6 to visit one of our investigators. We got to the house of the planned visit, but he wasn't there so we started to walk away, but I noticed the lights on the house next door were on. Here in Moravia, knocking doors is incredibly ineffective, but I felt like we should at least try. So we knocked on the door and to our surprise a woman opened up with her two kids behind her and to our even bigger surprise they let us in and we had a really good lesson with them. If it hadn't been for our mission leader, we wouldn't had been able to go in and the best part was after when he told us that he had felt prompted that morning to call us and come with us that night. MIRACLES! 

But I gotta take off, sorry it's so short, but have a great week everyone! Love you!!

Elder Hansen

PS I'll send pictures next week - Promise.

Week 68 - First Week in Moravia

hey guys!!

Well one last shout out to my big sis for finishing her mission! So proud! It's weird to be the only missionary in the family though. Now I have to really pull through with the emails haha but anyway, this week was a great one. We saw a bunch of miracles and ate some of the best food of my entire mission. The members here are really good about giving meals so we've been set for the most part. I think this might be the area where I finally put on the missionary gut haha.

Well to start off, Monday night we were waiting for the truck to come drop off all the furniture for the new house. Usually when they open up a new area, they just bring stuff from another area that had recently closed, but when they opened up the back of the truck, we were greeted by new desks, new dishes, new beds, new mattresses, new everything (except the fridge) haha. It was amazing! 

Then basically the rest of the week we spent with the Sisters who are in the same ward as us and the other members, trying to get to know the area and all the members, less actives, and recent converts. The members here are really good. Active, friendly, and most of all, willing to feed us haha. The overall economic level here (does that make sense?) is a lot higher than in my other areas so it's some really good food haha. 

Two quick miracles because we have to go soon.

Thursday night we were walking around almost all night and not really finding anyone to teach and we were feeling a little bummed, but we kept walking and looking until about 8. I started feeling an urge to head back to the house, but, thinking it was my own disappointment, I ignored it. But after walking some more, I kept feeling like we needed to go home, so I told my companion and we headed home. In front of our apartment, there's a little store so we stopped in to buy something to eat. We were just walking in when a lady stops us and calls, ''Elders, how are you? I've been hoping to get to talk to you! My family and I live in front of you. We're members too! Are you hungry?" haha so she invites us up, we meet the whole family and they give us dinner. It turns out they're a less active family that had recently moved and were trying to get back into the church. But they live super close and we'll see how it goes!

Then Saturday night it was almost the same story just without the food haha. We had gotten back from the priesthood session of Stake Conference and we had headed up to contact some references. None of them were home, so we started heading back when a man calls out to us and comes running up to talk to us. He asks us to walk with him to his house because it's a little dangerous where we needed to pass and on the way he tells us about the missionaries he's met with before and tells us that he wants to meet with them again, with his whole family. We talked for a while outside his house and and he introduced us to a few of his kids and we set an appointment to come back tonight. So we'll see how it goes.

But this week I saw how much the Lord loves us because everyday, He gave us exactly what we needed. It wasn't when we were expecting it and it didn't come until after we had given everything, but He was always there for us. It's been a great first week in Moravia and I can't wait to see what comes next. Love you guys a ton! Have a great week!!

Elder Hansen

Week 67 - Transferred to Moravia

Hey fam!!

Well this week was super busy. We had a bunch of meetings because Elder Ochoa came. He gave some really good messages about how to become more consecrated missionaries. Then in our leadership meeting, he gave some really good advice about how to more personally help the missionaries. 

This week was changes week, and even though I really didn't think I'd have changes, I'm leaving El Carmen. I'm sad to go because this has been my favorite area in the mission and I feel like the time went by way too fast. I'm going to miss everyone here so much. Sunday was tough because they gave me some time to share my last testimony and I looked out at the little branch and just felt so much love for all of them. But from what I've heard where I'm going is pretty great too. I'm heading to open up a new area in Moravia, which is about 10 minutes from El Carmen haha so I'll still see the members here every once in a while. 

But I'm gonna have to cut this a little short (well, shorter than usual) because we have to get the house set up. But I'm doing great, loving life. Happy that I still have time to serve, unlike someone who is going home this week. Super proud of my big sister. Everyone give her a big hug for me! Love you all so much!

Elder Hansen

"With Henry, who will be baptized in two weeks"

"With the best ward mission leader ever" 

"With David y Josue"

Week 66 - Basketball, Divisions, and Lasagna

HEY

Well good week this week, even though not a whole lot happened. 

Monday was a great, normal pday.

Tuesday we had some great lessons, then went to a meeting with the stake president and President Hayes. It's always interesting because President usually gives us a heads up on the changes even though he always tries not to haha. After he gave us a ride back up to our area to go see where our house was and we stayed outside just talking to him for like 20 minutes, but I could've stayed out there all night. Love that man.

Wednesday. District meeting. Good visits.

Thursday. Weekly planning. Had some good lessons. Got to play basketball that night and I actually played decent this time. I've never been a huge fan of basketball, but I'm getting a little better haha.

Friday we went on divisions with the assistants. For divisions now we both got to their area and work with them. Elder Macias, my old comp, is going home the same time as Maren so I spent most of the time bugging him about going home and trying to guess who the new AP is going to be haha. I got to work with Elder Adams, who was my zone leader when I was in La Loma, who I never had the chance to work with while I was there so it was fun to catch up and finally get to work with him.

Saturday we worked super hard to get people lined up to come to church and to make up for the time we lost on Friday.

Sunday was a great day as always. Had some great investigators in church and then ate the best lasagna I've had since I've been here. Almost as good as moms. Almost haha.

And then we come to today. Gonna be a good pday. We're going to go buy some food and then maybe play some soccer. Or just sleep. Not sure which still haha.

Love you guys a ton!! Have a great week!!

Elder Hansen

Week 65 - The Temple and Carl's Jr

Hey guys!!

Another great week! I know I say that a lot, but this week was just full of good times. And don't worry Dad I'm not just sugarcoating it haha.

Well, last Monday, we had a pretty boring pday, basically just slept, but it was just what we needed. After that, we had a few lessons and met with our ward mission leader. This guy is a total stud. He was baptized almost a year and a half ago and is one of the best converts I've ever met. Loves the gospel and loves to help the missionaries. He always brings us up to his house, gives us dinner, and then helps us with anything we need in the branch. And then drops us off again at the house. Love that guy.

Tuesday was a pretty normal day, nothing too special.

Wednesday. Where do I even start. So last week, the branch president gave David and Maureen temple recommends to go do baptisms for the dead and President has given us permission to go with our converts the first time they go to the temple, so we all piled in the car and headed for the temple Wednesday night. We made a quick stop at the temple store (a missionary's favorite store) and then went to go do baptisms. Luckily, we were the only ones there so there was no rush and they each got to do like 10 names. Maureen went first, and like we expected, came out crying from the font. After David finished, he came walking slowly up out of the font and I thought at first he was just wiping the water from his eyes, until I saw how red they were. I got to do the confirmations and when I finished he gave me a huge, soaking wet hug haha after we had all changed, we went outside to take pictures and all of the sudden President Hayes comes walking out of the temple. Biggest surprise. The best part was seeing David's reaction, because President had also been at his baptism, so he was super pumped up to see him again haha we stayed to talk to President while they went to pull the car around, and after waiting a little, we decided to just go meet them by the car. When we got close, we saw David and Maureen standing by the car hugging and crying. Best moment of my mission. Almost got me to cry. Haha almost. Then on the way home, they took us to Carl's Jr - best day of my mission. 

Thursday, was pretty normal too, but we had a visit with one of our investigators that blew us away. We had left a pamphlet with him earlier in the week and when we asked if he had read he got super excited and started showing us all the things he had marked and not only had he read everything, he had answered the questions in the back, which is something I've seen only about three times in my mission. We were pretty pumped up after that haha.

Friday, another great day.

Saturday we had a conference with Elder Cook with both of the missions. Which was awesome because we got to see an apostle and everyone from the other mission. Got to see my dad!! Missed that kid. 

With his "dad" Elder Duran, who is now in the West mission

Elder Cook gave a really good talk, but the best part was at the end when he bore his testimony of the Savior. He told us that they try not to share too many of the spiritual experiences they have as apostles, but he told us that he knows His voice and His face. No one in the room could deny that testimony. Incredibly powerful.

Sunday was another great day. A drunk guy gave me a little rock to help me feel better, really touched by that one haha. 

And so far today, we went to help the sisters in our district move and then went out to lunch. At Carls Jr. Again. Haha it's not the only restaurant here, it's just the only one we ever end up going to.

But anyway, just a really good week. Love this mission more than anything. Have a great week everyone! Enjoy the pictures, sorry it's been so long.

Elder Hansen

"Nieto!" - [grandson - Elder Sandoval]

"Elder Lemon, from my MTC group"

"Templo!"