Week 41 - Birthdays and Mother's Day

Our zone with Elder Duncan last week

Happy Birthday Mom and Erik!!

Hope it was super great! Elder Lopez and our cook had birthdays this week, so we threw a little party for them Friday night. Then Saturday was Mother's Day so we went around all day wishing people a happy Mother's Day. Felt weird because Mother's Day already passed for me, but it was fun. A little bummed I didn't get to call home though haha.

Well this week was a pretty good one. On Monday we found a super sweet family with one of the chubbiest babies I have ever seen. I'm not kidding, he's like the dough boy but 5 times chubbier. They're a super nice family, planning on getting baptized in September. Also one of our recent convert families gave us fish for dinner. But not like a filet, an actual fish, eyes and everything haha it was really good though! The eyes were a little gross but hey it was something new.

On Tuesday we did divisions with the district leader in Limon. His companion came to work with me in our area and that was interesting. I'm still not completely familiar with everything so I got lost twice, but it led to finding some new investigators so like a champ I just played it off like I knew what I was doing haha.

Wednesday, more divisions and found some super great families.

Thursday we had a lesson with one of our newer families which turned into a disaster. We were super excited about teaching them and then it just went all wrong. Not really sure what happened, they just all of the sudden asked some questions and got super off track and then the lesson didn't make much sense and they got really confused. And they went and bought us something to eat after and brought iced tea, which made everything worse haha. 

Friday was super fun. Had some solid lessons in the morning and then that night we had a little party for Elder Lopez and our cook. We all chipped in to buy a cheesecake, which I was super excited for. It turned out being basically hardened yogurt though.... super disappointing. But it was fun to celebrate.

Birthday cheesecake with Elder Lopez and our cook

Saturday, Mother's day. Really good day.

Sunday - it was a miracle. We left early to go pick up some investigators for church. By about 8:30 they had almost all cancelled but when we got back to the church there were 4 investigators already there and halfway through sacrament meeting 4 more showed up. Then we finished the day with some really good lessons.

Well love you guys all so much! Have a super great week!

Elder Hansen

Mission leadership council

Week 40 - Elder Duncan and a baptism

Hello Family!

Hope you're all doing great. This week was super super good. As usually, and just like Maren, I forget everything that happened as soon as I get here to write, but I promise things are actually happening, we're not total bums. 

So, I'm feeling much better - the virus only lasted a few days, and I'm feeling fine now.

Elder Kevin R. Duncan
Area President, Central America

Well this week Elder Duncan was in town and we got to go to a multizone conference with him. He taught us a ton about how to teach our investigators better and to work more with the members. President Hayes also talked to us about having more faith and dedicating ourselves more to the work.

On Friday I had my first leadership council which was super cool because Elder Duncan came to that to help us out a little more and teach us a little more personally. Super super cool. Got to talk a little one on one with him, which was so amazing. Really humble, genuine man. The only bad part was that I had heard a ton about how awesome the food is that they give us for these meetings, but all we got was pinto and some tortillas, stuff we eat almost every day haha but oh well, it was fun. 

We had a baptism this week! This super sweet lady named "T" who has been coming to church the last 2 months even though she lives really far away. We actually had never been able to teach her, just over the phone or really quickly after church, but she kept coming and last week finally decided she wanted to get baptized. We had it this saturday and she was so happy and left with the biggest smile I've ever seen haha Love those moments as a missionary.

Anyway, hope you guys are doing awesome. Love you all so much! Sorry it's so short!

Elder Hansen

Week 39 - Chikungunya

Hey fam!

Hope you all had a super week! Sounds like you guys are really stepping up in the family adventures, thanks for starting after we left haha. But this week sure was a good one. Not a whole too much happened, but it's still super fun to be here in Siquirres. Not gonna try to go through everyday because as you've seen I'm not all that good at remembering what happened but here's some of the highlights.

We had a baptism! Well technically it was last week but I forgot to write about it haha sorry.

I went on divisions and stayed alone in the area! Only got lost like 2 times but it was an adventure.

I ate sugar cane for the first time! It was super weird, but I liked it. You bite off a piece and chew on it until all the water has come out and then just spit it out, kinda weird, but hey it was something new.

We should have a baptism this week too! One of our investigators finally came to church and we finally got to talk to her about her baptism and she accepted. Praying a lot for that.

I've got chikungunya! It's some disease transmitted by mosquitoes, also called dengue I think. Anyway it's the worst. I was walking around yesterday and started to feel kinda hot, which was normal because it was baking hot, but then I stopped feeling hot and started feeling cold and my head was killing me and I just wanted to throw up. We stopped by a member's house for some water and some pills which really helped but then by the time we got home, I just felt like dying. I think I slept a lot of it off but last night was a struggle haha.

But anyway that's about all I can remember from this week. Love you guys! Hope you have a fantastic week!

Elder Hansen

Week 38 - A Ward in Siquirres!

Hey fam!

Well it's been a pretty crazy week. Kinda sad to say goodbye to La Loma, but I'm pumped to be back in Siquirres. The best part has been to see people's reactions when I tell them I'm back. To get to our house, we have to pass by our cooks house and when we were bringing our suitcases by, they came running out yelling "Hansel!" (yes hansel, like Hansel and Gretel, my official nickname by all Ticos haha). But on to the week.

So Monday we had changes and I got to head out and get to know a little more of the area. It's super weird because I've been to that area a lot before, I just have to figure it out again. 

Tuesday we worked just like normal. It felt super weird waking up there again and the whole day I felt like we were on divisions haha. It was Elder Macias's birthday and we had two visits back to back where they gave us more food and cake than we could eat.

Wednesday we got to go visit some of the recent converts that I had gotten to know pretty well and it was so fun to get to talk to them again and to see that they actually remembered me haha.

Thursday, got to know a few more of the investigators and a little more of the area.

Friday more of the same good stuff.

Saturday I went on divisions with Elder Hernandez for a baptismal interview and it was so fun to work with him again. We got to relive some of the glory days and visit some of the people who were baptized when I was here before. We stopped by Carlos and Lijia -- she wasn't home, but when Carlos opened the door, the biggest smile lit up his face. It just made me so happy to see him again and talk to him about his life and family and everything. I really want to go to the temple with them. Also with one of the families we visited, they had killed this huge snake and they let us take pictures with it haha, I'll try to get them for next week.

Sunday we had stake conference because they were going to divide the stake and make a new one just for Guapiles, Siquirres, and Limon. We were all pretty much expecting that, but then they announced that Siquirres is now going to be a ward! One of the best feelings in the world. We had been working super hard for that and I was a little bummed when I left because I didn't think I was going to get to see it, but here I am! God has a plan for everything, right?

Other than that it's been super fun this week. We go to the gym in the morning for exercise, which I hate because it's basically everyone's time to get after me for how skinny I am, but it's fun. Haha feeling super sore, but when I get home I'm gonna be huugggee. But love you fam! Hope you're all doing awesome!

Elder Hansen

Week 37 - Transferred back to Siquirres!

Hey Guys!

Well this week was pretty great. Got in some super good memories and really bonded with Elder Maldonado. I love the mission because in just a few short weeks you can become such good friends. But anyway into the highlights, or what I can remember.

On Monday we had pretty normal pday and when we went to go buy groceries we ran into the family from Meet the Mormons! Elder Adams has the picture but I´ll get it from him soon. But it was super cool and they were super nice. And then that same day Elder Adams got the movie in a package so we watched it and naturally freaked out when we saw them again haha.

Tuesday we had some awesome visits and all that good stuff.

Wednesday we had zone conference and that was super fun as always. But while we were there, President came and told us an Elder had passed away that morning. I didn´t know him all that well but he was Elder Duran´s cousin and I know that was tough for him. President was pretty shaken up but he really took control of everything and got us all inspired again. The man is just amazing.

[Click here for an article on the passing of Elder Magdaleno]

Thursday I went on divisions with Elder Olson again for more baptismal interviews. They ended up falling through, but it was fun to spend more time with him. I made the worst mistake of my mission though. So they have this little tiny toy suction cup thing and I found out it sticks to your face. So being the mature and grown-up missionary that I am, I stuck it to my forehead. And then forgot about it. And after about ten minutes it had left a fat purple mark right in the center of my forehead. And it´s still there as I´m typing this. 

Friday I got to suffer through a ton on comments about it. Eventually we had to go home and put a bandaid on it because it was drawing too much attention from people. One person asked me what it meant, as if it was some kind of religious symbol. Yeah. It was a long day haha

Saturday was a good day too, not too much happened but hey I´m loving it.

Sunday we had church and then went to the memorial service of the elder that passed away. It was a pretty sad service, his family was pretty shaken up, but they were really loving to all of us and just told us to keep moving forward. His companion came with us that night and I was really impressed by how well he was doing. He wasn´t sad or depressed, he was just hopeful for the future.

Oh and we had changes today. After just a short six weeks in La Loma, I´m taking off again for guess where?? haha Siquirres!! Got a call from President last night and he said he´s gonna send me back to Siquirres, this time as zone leader. Another one of the big surprises of my mission haha. The crazy part is that I´ll be companions with my old zone leader Elder Macias from Mexico, and I´ll be neighbors with Elder Hernandez and Elder Sandoval haha I had a feeling I was going to be heading back to Siquirres at some point in my mission, I just didn´t know how soon haha. But I´m excited, it's a lot of pressure, but it's gonna be a really good learning experience.

Well that´s about it but just want you guys to know I love you a ton and I hope you have an awesome week!

Elder Hansen

"Found a super cool button in a discount shop, didn´t buy it"

Week 36 - Temple trip and Pokemon

Hey Fam!

Well not too much happened this week. Had a super normal week but it was fun at the same time. Don't remember a whole lot but some of the highlights:

We got to go to the temple!!!! They gave us permission to take some recent converts to go do baptisms and it was the greatest temple trip I've ever been on. II was thinking about how many times I've heard people talk about how amazing the temple is and how strong of a spirit you can feel there and I've never fully appreciated it until I got here. Honestly it's the greatest blessing we have in this world. 

Also another cheesy moment. On Sunday I was sitting in church next to a few members just thinking and looking around at everyone there and I had this warmest feeling of peace come over me and I felt so happy to be there and to be a part of the church. I couldn't help but just smile and think about how grateful I was to be there. Good times haha.

Also Elder Olson had bought some Pokemon cards and brought them on divisions this week so I decided to give it a shot. Never thought I would be here playing Pokemon, but it was good finish to kinda a long week. 

Last night, we brought our mattresses to the zone leaders' house and had a sleepover. Not too exciting but for us it was fun haha everything is more fun as a missionary.

Well those are some quick updates of my week. Hope you liked it haha have a great week you guys! Love you so much!

Elder Hansen

Week 35 - First Week with President Hayes

Hey team!

Pretty crazy week this week haha. Monday was the official split of the mission. The new presidents arrived and President Wilkinson left and it was officially San Jose Costa Rica East and West. But other than that it doesn't feel too much different. I've spent all my mission on this side of the country so I don't feel too out of place unlike the missionaries who have spent most of their time in areas like Guanacaste or somewhere in the west. But anyway on to the week.

Monday was a pretty normal pday again.

Tuesday we had district meeting and then I went on divisions with Elder Nuñez, one of the zone leaders, while my comp and Elder Adams, the other zone leader went to go do a baptismal interview for us. 

Wednesday we got in a solid day of missionary work.

Thursday we had interviews with President Hayes. He started out by introducing us to his family and then teaching us a little about how to feel the spirit more in our lives. He was so fired up and just told us how excited he was to be there and how much he already loves us and it was impossible not to just love the guy the moment you met him. After interviews we had to go to the church and do another baptismal interview for the zone leaders and then finished it off by visiting some recent converts. 

Friday we had another great day of work.

Saturday we had two baptisms! "K" and her daughter "K". The story is actually really funny because when we first met "K" she had brought pastors from her church to try and convince "S", one of our recent converts, not to get baptized haha. She let us stop by to visit her though and one day we passed by "S" and "K" was outside talking to her. When we got closer she got really excited and said she had gotten an answer that the church was true and that she wanted to get baptized haha. She didn't miss a single Sunday after that and got baptized with her daughter this weekend. And the best part was that President and his family came! Apparently it was the first time in the history of the ward that a mission president has come to a baptism so the bishop was pretty fired up haha. President gave us all nice big hugs and said he's going to try to come to every baptism we have. He's a pretty busy guy so we'll see if he can, but it was so nice to hear. 

Sunday -- church was great, we had to go pick up some investigators and got there a little late and missed the confirmations of "K" and "K", but they seemed so happy and excited afterward. After church one of our families invited us for lunch and made some amazing pulled pork. I've missed that so much haha. After that we had another baptism, this time for the zone leaders. It ran a little late so we had to run over to make one last quick visit to "S" and her daughter and when we got there it was clear something bad had happened. They let us in and told us that one of her grandaughters was having some problems and wanted to commit suicide. I was feeling a little confused because everyone was yelling and it was hard to understand everything, but Elder Maldonado was a solid rock and calmed everyone down and started to speak with such authority and spirit that everyone could feel it. I've never seen someone exercise so much of the spirit to make an incredibly delicate situation, calm and spiritual. It was an amazing testimony to me of the power we hold as missionaries and priesthood holders. After that, we had to run home to drop off an extra mattress to a family who had been kicked out of their house and were going to sleep in the chapel. We gave the dad a blessing and then helped them get all set up for the night. It was one of the most spritually charged nights of my life. 

So all in all it was a really good week. Hope you all had a great week and that this week is even better! Love you guys!

Elder Hansen

PS: Some really cool birds we saw this week.