God is ALWAYS Looking Out For Us

HOLA!

Life in Mexico is loud as always! Music everywhere, people shouting gringa or guera (white girl or blondie) at me everywhere, traffic noises, dog and bird noises.... EVERYWHERE.  City life is fab. 

Traffic here is absolutely insane. There are no rules. You just GO. Seatbelts are usually nonexistent, along with lanes, crosswalks, and speed limits. So, when we cross the street, it's in the middle of traffic...dodging cars and buses and combis. (Mom, you would die. hahaha) It's SO FUN. 

Our area is huge and we walk miles and miles every day. It's insane. When we need to, we either take the bus, or more commonly combis. These are little van-like things that a bunch of people cram in...to scramble around from place to place (Again mom, you would die).

You would think the cat calls and American comments would stop after awhile...but no! But don't worry... it's all positive....sorta! 

This week:

People who stroked my hair = 9

Commented on my blue eyes = 11

Stroked my skin = 6

Shouted gringa, guera, or something else at me = too many to count.

The only bad response I've gotten was yesterday.....I've debated sharing this story because I'm pretty sure mom's gonna have a heart attack but....it shows that God really does watch out for his missionaries and I'm just fine so..... HERE WE GO.

Yesterday, as we were walking through Central to eat at a members house I felt like someone was following us. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed this short man in an orange shirt who seemed to be looking at me.  

So, I started walking faster. And so did he. 

I said to Hermana Martinez, "Mas rapido"(faster).  She was confused. But, as we started walking faster...he noticed and started screaming things at us.

Hermana Martinez looked alarmed and said, "Don't worry." When she speaks in english, you know it's serious...because she doesn't speak much English....and only does when she doesn't want other people to understand her. 

So we crossed the street...probably when we shouldn't have...dodging cars...and started running to the member's house. He got caught up at the road. We started knocking on the members door. But, as we were waiting he caught up to us.

He screamed, "No quiero gringas aqui!!!" (I don't want gringas here!!) And raised his hand in the air....like he was about to hit me! 

We just stared at him in shock. 

Then, the weirdest thing happened. He just lowered his hand, looked confused, and walked away. For no reason. It had to have been the spirit! It honestly was like God put His hand forward to stop his hand. I'm not kidding. I swear there was like a wall between us. 

God is always looking out for us. What a miracle! 

There have been other miracles that I have seen here. I know God prepares His people for us. 

The first week I was taking a picture of this ginormus chicken when a lady walked out and just randomly invited us in. She was indiginous, and when we asked her why she invited us in she said because I was so smiley, a gringa.... and we all just looked so happy. She is now a progressing investigador! 

Another time, all of our lessons fell through. So, we were just walking around with a member...when we stumbled upon this house of inactive members that no one knew about, along with two new investigators. One of the inactive members said we were an answer to her prayers! She prayed to have the missionaries come to her door if the church was true, and we showed up the next day. 

I know God prepares his children!!!

So in our mission an investigator has to attend church 5 times before baptism because there are a lot of less actives or in-actives here.  But, if all goes as planned we should have 3 baptisms this week! Woohoo!!

Love you and miss you all a ton!!!!! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Hansen


(Note from parents:  Jordyn wanted us to pass along thanks for the many emails / letters she has been receiving.  She doesn't have time to respond to everybody each week but know that she loves and appreciates the prayers and support)

SI PUES

No mas Si mon...SOLO SI PUES. Porque? It's the Chiapan way!!

I knew I was in for it the very first day when I waved and smiled at the car full of scary looking Mexican men that honked at me..... 

 Hermana Martinez & Hansen

NAH CHISTE.  (only joking)

This is not a horror story where the dumb, white girl gets kidnapped because she's literally the only white girl in Tuxtla Central. But seriously. I really am the only white girl here. The only other white people are albinos.

I'm the first gringa in my area in a looooong time. And I think the only blond girl ever. So cada dia, cada dia, (every day) people stare. Everyone.

It's hilarious, and great for contacting people. People will listen because the white girl speaks Spanish!... well.... bad Spanish.

Everywhere I go, Mexican men shout things at me. Mostly in Spanish, sometimes in very bad English. I understand some of it....but not most of it.

Hermana Martinez says she's glad I don't understand a lot of it... hahahhaha but don't worry! I'm fine. They just literally have never seen blonde hair before and think it's like the most beautiful thing in the world.

Ah I love my companion!! She's awesome! She's from Puebla. And so loving and awesome. She speaks a little bit of English...but not much. So it's Spanish all day every day! (But she usually understands my Spanglish!)

  They seem like perfect missionary companions for each other!

Mexico is so different... AND I LOVE IT. I LOVE EVERY FREAKING MINUTE OF IT.

But yeah, the first couple of days were a culture shock for me. Kids running around the streets washing cars windows for money, trying to sell stuff... anything to get by for that day.

Sometimes people just live in like these cave like structures. Others live in cement and cardboard apartments with aluminum roofs.

We live in a pretty nice apartment and there's still bugs everywhere. Every. Where. No joke.

 Creepy little bugs...everywhere!

We live across the street from a bar so LOUD MUSIC ALL NIGHT LONG. Everything's loud and colorful here: the people, the music, the buildings, everything!

 Looks like Hermana Hansen has found heaven in a Mexican style pizza.

I love it. My type of people. And most people are super friendly. But yeah, totally different from America. But, I totally love it . 

Laundry time

I'm wet all the time. Literally, it's so humid here. And hot. And green and humid. I'm always sticky. I usually never had my hair down because its too hot (and it attracts more attention to me).

Yeah, people have nothing here. It's humbling! But, I love everything about the city and Tuxtla and Chiapas.

It's hard to understand the Chiapan accent a lot of times, because its like... a wave. Up and down, up and down. Haha! It's so cool. 

 Study time 

I love being a missionary!! I'll have more time next week to tell more.

 Mexican cats (for her sister Savannah...now Sav wants to know if they meow with accents).

Lo siento for the short and scrambled letter!!

Love you and miss you all!!!

Hermana Hansen

Hermana Hansen's Apartment Tour

 

 Study area and kitchen

 Stairwell to their apartment

  Bathroom & Laundry room

 This is the sink where they wash their clothing. What a culture shock this must've been for Hermana Hansen...as she just barely figured out the settings on the washing machine at her home in Draper.

Traveling to Tuxtla

 Here are some pictures of Hermana Hansen's travels to Tuxtla Gutierrez last Monday.

Hermana Hansen and Elder Hunt got to travel in first class the first leg of the trip
(SLC to Atlanta)!

Hermana Hansen and her favorite MTC companion, Hermana Baker! These two were the only Hermanas traveling to Tuxtla...with bunches and bunches of Elders (I think like 20).

 Hermana Hansen wrote her testimony in a Book of Mormon and gave it to a gentleman she had been visiting with during their trip.

 So grateful these cute Hermanas had each other 
on this long trip to Tuxtla!!

Loading all these amazing missionaries luggage on top of the vans.

They have arrived! First few minutes on Mexican soil. Watch out Tuxtla!  
These Hermanas are coming for you!

 

Bienvenidos!!!!

 First glimpses of life in Tuxtla Gutierrez

Chiapas Unites Us!!

 

Arrival day included a trip to the Tuxtla Gutierrez temple

 

Hermana Hansen with President and Sister George!

  

Transfer time..... (at the mission home?)

 

 Goodbye for now to her fab MTC companion Hermana Baker

HOLA to her new official 'madre' in the mission, Hermana Martinez!