Adiós Amigos!

Bueno pues..... aqui estoy en la casa de la misionnnn....I registered for my classes for spring semester at BYU last night but I dont have idea what to do for summer..... so we will see........ when I get home!! Haha.

I've honestly been feeling good about coming home until I woke up this morning. Luckily my companion is here with me because she will be following my footsteps and training at 3 months!! Esoooo!!!!

President gave us permission to wake up late since we were up until 1:30 am. So we woke up at about 8:30am.... and I just felt... chafa. Like on my old terms it's not even late. But I felt like I had slept the day away.

Then we said our companion prayer... and I said it..... and I thought about who we should pray for specifically.... and no one came to mind. Like... I don't have investigators... or members... or .... anyone. And then it hit me.... my mission was over. And I just felt without a purpose. So I finished the prayer and just started bawling. Haha! My poor companion. 

But I had just realized that every day in the mission you wake up with a purpose. It's all about others. And my purpose was to invite them to come to Christ. And now what? THE REAL WORLD DOESN'T HAVE PURPOSE...... Kidding! I know it does. But that's what I was feeling.

I do not regret anything I've done on my mission. Even the mistakes I've made... I've learned from them. NO regrets.. I've enjoyed every freaking second of it. I've learned to know God's plan for me. I've learned to really just love people. Discipline. To be humble. To rely completely on God. I've become a different and better person. I've become converted. And I've seen the gospel in action. I've been a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I know it's time to move on... even if it's hard and I don't want to. The only thing I'm counting on...and it's what is keeping me from going crazy...is that my mission doesn't end here. I can keep helping people, and preaching the gospel, for Him. 

Signing out for the last time,

Hermana HANSEN

I ❤ Apostles

Something I love about Chiapas is you could literally live in your house and never have to leave... (only to pay the light and water bill in central). People walk house to house, selling everything you could think of. If it's a woman, on their head, and if it's a man, over their shoulder. Mops, brooms, water, fruit, toilet paper, sponges, chicken, tamales, bread, clothes, hammocks, tortilla, toys,  EVERYTHING. They just walk down the street, yelling the names of what they are selling. Even the garbage cart comes right to our house, (a cart with wheels pushed by a guy who takes your garbage to who knows where...yeah garbage trucks no muy existe). 

This week was a good one, because we got to go to the re-dedication of the Mexico City Temple! (Well, by television in the stake center...but it was still awesome!) We completed with the normas secas de excelencia, so we got to go to two sessions! It was my first time participating in a temple dedication in Spanish, and probably my last time... so I cherished every moment! 

The best is that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland randomly spoke Spanish! It was super tender. He started out in Spanish, switched to English for his message, and finished testifying in Spanish. I LOVE HIM. We were able to watch and hear two of his addresses, and both were very powerful. 

His second talk was super amazing, and I will never forget it. He went off script. Completely followed the Spirit..even addressing a little boy in the audience! Since it's live and needs to be in Spanish, Elder Holland will say a sentence and his translator will then translate it for everyone who doesn't speak English. The translator usually follows the written script that Elder Holland should be following, so it's a pretty decent translation. But it was funny to see the poor translator try to keep up with the pure revelation that Elder Holland was speaking as he completely went off script... and it's safe to say that anyone who doesn't speak English got a pretty watered down version of what Elder Holland talked about. 

 Yes, his talk was powerful in Spanish... but so much more powerful in English! That's why it was awesome when he switched to Spanish at the end and testified in Spanish. It was the most powerful testimony I have ever heard. This experience really strengthened my testimony of the restoration that God loves us so much that He really does have living prophets and apostles to guide us, and who really do receive revelation directly from him. MAN, THIS CHURCH IS SO TRUE.

Another bittersweet experience we had was fasting this last week, We have a goal as a zone that every companionship can baptize 10 people this transfer...we have two so far....but we believe in miracles! So we have an eternal investigator, Hermana E., who has been going to church on and off for years. She is Catholic and thinks she doesn't need another baptism because God loves her... and yada yada yada you know... all of Satan's lies! 

So we were planning, and Hermana Ortega said, "If only we could do a 40 day fast for Hermana E. so she can get baptized! Well maybe we can't fast for 40 days...but maybe two!" 

I said, "Or maybe we could do two consecutive  fasts...fast one Friday until Saturday, eat a meal Saturday, and then fast Saturday until Sunday." 

We felt the Spirit testify SO STRONG that it would work! So we fasted specifically for her, that we could find her in her house right in that moment, sing her a hymn, talk about the Book of Mormon. Then the next day she would attend sacrament meeting (she hadn't been to sacrament meeting in a long time.) Then the next week we would do the pre-baptism interview. She would have felt the Spirit strongly in one of these events and have a mighty change of heart and the desire to be baptized! 

We promised we would do everything possible and be obedient. We put our faith in the Lord and we were sure it would work! So we did it all. We fasted for two days, and Hermana E. CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!! We were so excited, sure that God was responding to our prayers! 

So we were nervous, but we went to her house on Wednesday, and did the baptism interview. We were there for almost 2 hours, and it was a spiritually exhausting experience....which led us to the sinking conclusion that she is not ready for baptism by any means. We walked out, feeling beaten. Seriously, how could the Lord let us down if we had faith and did everything? We did our part! In the Book of Mormon theres stories of thousands of wicked Lamanites having a mighty change of heart and are baptised in the same day! WE ARE ONLY ASKING FOR ONE PERSON HERE. Needless to say.... I was a little discouraged. 

But my oh so wise companion, Hermana Ortega, comforted me. She said, "Well I think our fast was answered. We fast to know the will of the Lord, not to change it. He wanted to see our faith, and because of it, he prompted Hermana E. to go to church on Sunday. A little miracle, because He loves us.  But He knew, and He wanted us to know, that Hermana E. is not ready for baptism at this time. But she will be one day, just not with us. He just wanted to see how far we would go to serve Him, and we did our part. But it just wasn't in His plan... yet."

I know, my comp rocks.

Love, Hermana Hansen

  Our Home

I'm His servant and I love it

It's been one of those "Like que paso esta semana?" kind of weeks. It's been full of 2 six-hour bus rides, planning meetings, 10 hours of conferences, frappozol, taco parties, selfies, iguanas en la calle, miracles, and much much more....

Like I can't even remember what happened.

We had the super consejo in Tuxtla on Tuesday. This meant Hermana Ortega and I spent all Monday afternoon in our old area, Central (where we were both born) visiting the members!! It was awesome! 

 Hermana I. and Family

We got to see Hermana I. and her family, Mama C., and some others! Everyone was so happy to see us, and they were all amazed at my Spanish (Not that it's amazing now. But since I was born there...I hardly spoke the language when they all knew me). It was super fun :) 

 Mama C and crew!

Tuesday was a game changer, because it was the LAST SUPER CONSEJO DE ELDER BRASS. And it was honestly the best super consejo I've been too. In this consejo, we give a report to the President and the assistants in front of all of the other zone and sister training leaders about our zone, what we improved on and what we need to improve. 

And....just as it turns out, our zone was the Zona Bautizadora and the Zona de Honor, which means we had the most baptisms and did the best overall. As we were giving our report about all we've done with the rescues and everything, the look on Presidentes face was the best! He was just so happy! 

 

Then we presented our plan on what we are going to improve upon...new investigators. We have a goal to have 2000 new investigaros this month. New investigators that are golden and that are going to improve and get baptised. We came up with a plan to do this. It's called SEGUIDME.

We ask the question to everyone, the missionaries, then the members, then the recent converts and less actives, and then the contacts in the street, "Que espera Jesucristo de usted?" It's an inspired question, which causes them to think. We then read with them 2 Nefi 31:10-11. If it's a contact we invite them to baptism in this moment. This plan has been given to us inspired by the Lord to help us find new investigators. 

 Hermana Baker and Hansen reunited as Sister Training Leaders in Tuxtla...

after being companions in the MTC one year ago

But something I've learned during my year as a missionary, is that it is NOT about the numbers. Yes,we strive to have high numbers. Of course, we want to be the best in everything we possibly can. But not for our own achievement or recognition. For HIM. 

Every person we contact, every person we help to baptism, is one of His children. It's a soul. As missionaries we help others reach their full potential through the atonement of Jesus Christ. A soul, a child of God, who then can help countless other children come unto Him. Return to Him. 

We are not doing our Seguidme Inictiative to be proud of what we've done as a zone. Or have the goal of 2000 new investigators for our own glory or achievement. It's because if we really do all this, think about all the souls we can help. That we can save. Our goals are high because salvation is high. And as we are all striving to reach them, as a zone, we become more like Him. Because he was completely focused on others, and he wanted the best for us. That's why He died for us. So if anyone doubts, or asks why we have these goals, remember it's for Him, not for us. 

Ether 12:4  Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety, hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Love you all. I've got 6 months left to tear Chiapas apart and find every single person who wants to come unto Him. I'm His servant, and I love it.

Hermana Hansen

 Thanks Hayley & family for the package! You saved us from hunger!

Frappozol

Pizza at 8 AM!!

A Marvelous Work!

FELIZ DÍA DE PADRE!!

It has been an interesting week to say the least.

First off.... WARNING: THE DOG REPELLER DOESN'T WORK. In fact I think it just makes mad dogs madder. And calls dogs. Because as always, we had an incident with the crazy missionary eating dog, but this time it broke through the barrier. Not so luckily I pulled out my nifty (cough cough SUPER CHAFA) dog repeller just in time..... to call out 2 more dogs that were inside the house.

Our missionary eating dog was constrained by a chain, but the 2 other dogs WERE NOT. And so I officially receive the award as "worst companion ever" or maybe better put... "Triste Gringa". Because I just stood there safely at the top of the stairs frantically pressing the button on the dumb dog repeller as the two smaller but equally as feisty dogs tried to eat my companion. Luckily my companion was wearing boots and was able to somehow avoid the teeth of the wild beastly things... just as one of the kids ran out and calmed them down. She's fine. Just has teeth marks in her boots and a dumb companion as evidence that it all went down. Word to the wise: DON'T TRUST SKETCHY DOG REPELLERS. THEY WONT DO YOU ANY GOOD IN YOUR TIME OF NEED. 

Second, as we were heading back to Tuxtla from intercambios with Chiapa de Corzo, we got caught up in terrible traffic from the triste maestros manifestaciones. Our taxista was like, "Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm heading back to Chiapa." 

We were like, "Uh no way. we have to get to Tuxtla and you said you take us there!" So he ditched us on the side of the freeway, telling us that we would only have to walk like 1 or 2 kilometros to get on the other side of the teacher bloquade. LIES. We walked for like 1 kilometro and we were like okay... we are nowhere close.

 Ditched on the side of the freeway because the maestos had blocked off the way to Tuxtla

So luckily we found a random combi headed to Tuxtla to take us. But with all the traffic, it took us 3 hours to get there!! It was so hot that we ended up giving out pamphlets to all the passengers to fan themselves (mwahaha missionaries in cada momento). Many of them started reading them because they were so bored and asking us questions. So we ended up teaching a lesson about the restoration to everyone in the combi. Woo! 

Now, for the miracles.

We had two baptisms this week!! Hermana P and Hermana R! Both were completely prepared and golden investigators with miraculous stories. I´m more and more amazed by just how much God prepares his children every day.

So, Hermana P. We found her about 3 weeks ago. Our zone leaders had set a goal and made us a promise that every companionship could help 4 people to the waters of baptism this transfer..if we all strived to be consecrated missionaries...and if we exercised all of our faith in the Lord and completely relied on Him. We took their promise to heart, and got to work. We started praying specifically for these miracles. We put our faith into action and dropped all of our investigators that weren't progressing...even though it was hard and we loved them. And, the most important, we strived to be exactly obedient.

 

So we did all of this, and randomly after sacrament meeting the Hermanas de Palmas come up to us super excited, "We have a super escogido reference for you!! She´s been to our ward 3 times but she lives in your area! And she wants to get baptized ASAP!!" And that's how we found Hermana P.

We visited her in her house the first time and immediately knew she was totally prepared. There were trials for her. Her step dad wouldn't allow us to visit her in the house because he doesn't believe in religion.

But, she was determined to learn more, so we ended up teaching her in the house of different members. She progressed so rapidly, she even started coming with us when we were proselyting. She even came to a district meeting with us! She always dressed up in her cute skirts or dresses (all totally modest) and so all the members thought she was a missionary!! They would ask, "Oh! So you´re in a trio now? Where are you from Hermana?" Haha it was super funny!!

Next, Hermana R. Along with all of this other stuff we started doing a BUNCH of service, and trying to gain the Bishop's confidence. I wrote about this story in another email, about how because we gained the bishop's confidence through service he presented her to us.

She also had a super fast and amazing conversion. We had a really powerful moment with her when we invited her to be baptized. The date was for last Monday (because it's the only day her husband doesn't work and she wanted him to be there). She was super scared to be baptized, so we invited her to kneel down with us, right then and there, and ask God what she should do. It was one of the most powerful prayers I have witnessed in my whole mission. So sincere we were all practically crying.

 When we asked her what she felt afterwards, she said, "Well, I honestly don't feel like I should get baptized Monday. I'll get baptized Saturday. Hopefully my husband can get work off." We were so happy! The power of praying in the moment really is amazing. 

The baptismal service was amazing. Both of them were crying almost the whole time. We sang "Daughter of a King". Haha it wasn't very good but the spirit was super strong. 

The next day when they were confirmed, the spirit was equally amazing. Hermana P's confirmation was more like a public patriarchal blessing...haha the Hermano giving it said that she should go on a mission two times! And said that she would be sealed in the temple. It was awesome. I really can see that these investigators have had a true conversion. Just like in Mosiah 5:5 "And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a neverending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God."

I'm not worried about them. These are converts that really will endure to the end, serve missions, and get sealed in the temple. I can feel it. And it's all because God prepared them. 

 Aún mas es que we miraculously were able to complete with the Normas de Excelencia. We tried something out this week that I honestly don't know if I've done my whole mission.... 20 contacts daily. Usually I just think of it as we need 140 contacts every week... it doesn't matter how we get there...even if it's 15 one day and 30 the next. But we really tried to get 20 every day this week.. and we saw miracles. According to Elder Diaz, there's a promise in this mission made by an apostle that if we contact 20 people every day we will have a baptism every week. So we did it. And we had not one baptism, but two, and miraculously 4 investigators in sacrament meeting. 

 

Sunday morning, we stopped by to pick up Mario and his son, only to find that he had gone to run an errand, which meant his son couldn't come either. As we were walking back, we found another investigator who was supposed to come with his two daughters drunk in the street (Seriously....worst part about being a missionary... is seeing the people you love and pray for fall back into addictions and bad habits.... heartbreaking). His friends then cat called at us as we walked past...triste borrachos. 

 
But, Hermana J. came!!!!! POR FIN. Unfortunately, her son was sick and couldn't come. So we walked in with 1 investigator instead of the 6 we had planned on. Luckily, Hermana A. showed up, along with a random joven who doesn't want to listen to us...but likes the church and has friends there so comes pretty frequently. But we still only had 3, and the meta is 4 por lo menos. I honestly had lost hope, like there was no way it could happen, and it really sucked because we had all of the other goals President had set. Then suddenly I look to my right, and there sits Hermana J´s dad!! He had come to church to surprise his son for Fathers Day! QUE GOZO LA VERDAD.

I now know more than ever without a doubt that when we try our hardest, God completes. D&C 82:10 "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." 

I know this promise is real and oh so true. Although we weren't perfect, we tried. We tried to be obedient. We tried to have as much faith as possible, and we contacted 20 people each day. And God completed with His promise.

God is a God of miracles, and I'm loving being a part of this marvelous work.... you should all be jealous you aren't here in Chiapas doing the same!!! ;)

Love,

Hermana Hansen

Delcious fruit!

 Best meal ever!

Full taxi in teacher protesting traffic on intercambios with Chiapa de Corzo... 

craziest elderes in our zone hahahah