Week 42 - Trips to Limon, and Pipas Frias

Hey guys!

Really good week this week. Got to go on divisions to Limon to do some baptismal interviews. Limon is interesting because it's built for tourists but at the same time one of the more dangerous cities in Costa Rica. You've got a ton of stores and attractions and the beach right there, but some of the sketchiest people you'll meet in Costa Rica. It's not all that hot just incrediby humid, but it was cool to be close to the beach for the first time in a long time. 

Monday wasn't too special, just had a family home evening with some recent converts and a few other lessons. 

Tuesday I was in Limon and I don't really remember a lot of what happened, but it was a good day. I remember that.

Wednesday, more divisions. We went to go do some interviews and on our way back we stopped to get something to drink. When we were leaving this guy stops us and asks/demands that we buy him something. We both didn't have enough money so we had to turn him down, but then he just got upset and half threatened to rob us, but we explained to him that we're just missionaries and that he didn't really want to do that (jedi mind trick style). After that he calmed down and started telling us his life story about how he lost his job and family and everything to drugs, so we shared a scripture with him and then took off. Gotta love Limon.

Thursday I did divisions with another area in Limon and it was me and Elder Greene, the only other gringo in the zone. It was super weird to be with a gringo companion for the day, but it was fun because he understood all my jokes and references which is something that doesn't happen a lot haha.

Friday I headed back to Siquirres and had a great day.

Saturday we had a conference with President Nelson. He was in Honduras and they transmitted it to us. He shared a really good message on how to treat our investigators and just made us all feel super special.

Sunday we had church, but they were working on the power lines outside so they had to cut the power and that was the worst. No air conditioning on one of the hottest days. It was rough haha. We had some great lessons during the day, but one of the best was our last one. We had just finished a lesson at about 8:30 pm so we wanted to squeeze in one more. There were a few people close by but we felt like we needed to go visit one of the families that had come to church that day. We stopped by and when we had sat down the wife told us that she had been praying we would stop by. She and her husband told us how happy and peaceful they feel whenever we come by to teach them. It was so heartfelt and kind of them to say because they're really making an effort to change and to hear that we were helping them just made me feel like I'm really making a difference here. It's one of the greatest opportunities I've had in my life to come here and to see people really change and see the differences in their lives. I was thinking a lot about that, about how much my Heavenly Father loves me to give me this chance to be here, teaching the gospel and helping people come closer to Christ. It's pretty special when you think about it.

Today for pday we went to Limon again to go to the beach. Played some soccer and drank some pipas (I think that's how you spell it). [Pipas frias - coconut water] I took a lot of pictures, but of course this computer doesn't want to wrk with me today so it'll have to wait until next week. Sorry, dad. But hey love you guys! Have an awesome week!

Elder Hansen

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