It's Never too Late to Change!

The mission life: P-days and the "Work and the Glory". Could I ask for more? I vaguely remember watching this movie back in the days before the mish.... and I don't remember liking it. But here in the mission...it's like the best thing ever to happen to P-days. THE THRILL. THE TREACHERY. BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER. It's better than the vampire diaries. Thank goodness it has 3 parts.... (we will be finishing up the third one today). Needless to say.... it just goes to show how desperate we are for entertainment.

Hermanas Hansen & Juarez with Hermanita A (baptism date...28 de feb) and recently baptized Hermano A

So I don't have a lot of time but this week was SUPER MEGA BIEN. Hermano A. got baptized! He really has lived a super hard life. I don't have time to go into detail. But the gospel was exactly what he needed.

He's 81, blind in one eye, and is the perfect example of how it's NEVER TOO LATE TO CHANGE. Never. God always will accept us with open arms.

Hermano A's baptism day

Hermana Juarez and I also completed the Normas de Excelencia. (weekly mission goals) Which means we WORKED FREAKING HARD. This is super hard to do and usually only about 3 companionships complete the Normas cada semana (each week) in the ENTIRE MISSION. But we did it!!! 

And we are happy, and tired. And glad for P-day. I know we were able to do it because we've been amping up our obedience. Trying to be exactly obedient in EVERYTHING. The Lord DOES hear our prayers, and HE DOES bless us for our efforts. 

This is BOLIS. It's ice cream in a bag that everyone and their dog sell out of their houses.....it may seem sketchy...but it's actually delicious! And like 5 pesos. Welcome to Chiapas.

Q&A with Hermana H

As a gringa senior companion still learning the language do you get to talk on the phone in Spanish?

Lol! Yes! I always talk on the phone in Spanish! It's usually not too difficult. The only problem is at times they can't understand me. But I can understand them! It's all good because when I don't understand...I just say, "Bueno aqui es mi compañera" (ok here's my companion) and she takes over.

What is your goal for weekly street contacts? 

The mission goal is 140 a week...so that's 20 a day. But our record is like 65 in one day! Haha! It's fun contacting all the people in the combis. There will be like 20 people crammed in there and I'm just like, "BUENAS TARDES SOMOS MISIONERAS DE LA IGLESIA DE JESUCRISTO DE LOS SANTOS DE LOS ULTIMOS DIAS". (good afternoon we're missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) Then we continue with passing out pass a long cards, taking down names, and sometimes even inviting people to baptism right then and there! Haha it's pretty fun. 

Do you participate in Ward Council on Sundays?  Who is your ward mission leader and how does that all work? 

 

Well our wards pretty inconsistent with that. We go when we have it. Mission leader? Haha we don't have one. Or currently a bishop. Hermano G. was our old ward mission leader, but now he's the secretary and they haven't called a new one. So it's all the 1st counselor, Hemano M. and the missionaries can do to just keep it running!! So it's a work in progress.

More photos from Hermana Hansen's week in Tuxtla Central...

Hermanas Juarez & Hansen with Hermano D (investigator) and his girlfriend Hermana A (menos activo). They are gonna get married but unfortunately couldn't get a date til April....we are trying to sniggle their date up sooner because I'm pretty sure I'll be gone in March

  

 Our favorite taquitos

We need to take Beckham to this playground

Gorditas....the best in the world!

Change Day, Fish, Warm Showers and Snail Mail

We're hoping you get to stay with Hermana Martinez...it's transfer day isn't it?  CAMBIOS HOY. Pero no se preocupe (CHANGES TODAY. But don't worry). I'm still with Mama Martinez in Central. Not a surprise because training lasts 12 weeks (2 cambios).

Yeah I know I still have a lot of work to do here in Central. NO WAY I'M LEAVING HERE. And I would be way sad if I didn't have Hermana Martinez with me every step of the way!  She is like my Mexican soul sister.

How is the food?  Are you loving it?  What do you eat every day?  What is your favorite?

So you eat most everything here with your hands or with a tortilla. Like that fish? Yeah. I ate the entire thing with only my hands. Sucked the meat off the bones and all. Not my favorite. Actually, I really hate eating fish whole. It doesn't taste too bad. It's so freaking creepy, and really hard to eat. But it's like a delicacy for some people here so they just love to feed it to us. But really that's the only thing here that I don't like.

I can eat everything here with hardly any problems. Every single other foreigner... even sometimes Mexicans from different states...get really sick from the food at the beginning. BUT NOT ME.

It's because I'm Chiapaneca. 

The only thing that's difficult is the milk along with other things like mole are REALLY HEAVY and difficult for me to eat a lot of. But, all the food here is usually really good, always served with tortillas, and there's always a ton of it.

The drinks here are so different but sooo good. A lot of Americans dont like them, but I love them! Pozol is the best. It's like this amazing chocolate drink with corn and stuff. Like all the drinks have corn or rice or something in them but it's SO GOOD. And really only in Chiapas. It's a cool cultural thing.

The kids have been studying a little bit from "Preach My Gospel" in Sunday School. How often do you use "Preach My Gospel"?  That's so cool that you guys learn out of "Preach My Gospel". It's great! You have no idea how much we use it here on the mission. Seriously, I study it literally every day! It's amazeballs.   

Do you get to take warm showers? Of course we don't have warm water!! But, seriously, a cold shower is the only way to cool down here. So it's usually not too bad. Although lately, because of the rain, it's been cold (well not for me but for everyone else). But it's too cold to shower in cold water. So we've been heating up water in the tiny microwave and tiny stove thing we have (about 30 min per person)...and dumping water over our heads in the shower so we don't freeze to death.

How often do you get letters/packages from the mission home?  I got all of your letters on Wednesday! Looks like we get letters here every 2 or 3 weeks. THANK YOU! And Hermana Martinez was so happy for her letter! She never gets letters and thought it was the cutest thing ever!!  (Hermana Hansen's little brother Beckham sent Hermana Martinez a letter)

Wanna be a member of Hermana Hansen's snail-mail fan club? The easiest (and cheapest) way to write her for free is via the pouch at Dear Elder.com.

Just click on "Write a Letter" and select "Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez" from the drop down box.  Click on the "Write a Missionary" button and then fill in your information and Hermana Jordyn Hansen as the recipient.

Enter your letter in the space provided and click "Send Letter" - it's that easy.

Pouch letters are sent directly to church HQ where they are sent in bulk to the various missions once a week.

Nothing is a Coincidence

Mexico gets better and better every week! 

                                            

Los Chistosos

**The other day we made a contact. As we walked away, the guy we were talking to yelled, "Estoy soltero!" (I'm single.) Yeah. Not sure how interested he actually is in the gospel.

**There have been two earthquakes since I've been here. The first one was short, yet powerful, and apparently... somehow I didn't feel it. We were eating and everyone started freaking out. I didn't understand what was happening, because it was like my second week here and still didn't understand anything. So, I just continued eating my chicken. Suddenly everyone was looking at me and started laughing because I was just chillin' so calmly. Poor gringa.

The other earthquake was this week. We were laying in our beds trying to sleep when it happened. It felt like I was in a water bed. My bed moved like 6 inches. It was freaking awesome.

Hermana Hansen's trademark peace-sign-duck-face.

**I hit a car. No, the car did not hit me. I hit a car. And now have a gross bruise and cut on my leg that will probably scar.

**When I was getting out of the combi, I totally fell on my face. All the people in the combi (about 15) just stared at me. So I got up, gave them a peace sign duck face, and went on my way as Hermana Martinez stood in shock.

 

Tuxtla Gutierrez LDS Temple

So we had the opportunity to go to the temple this week!!! YES. THE TEMPLE. It was so freaking awesome. And all in Spanish!! Which was amazing. The gospel is the same no matter where you are... in Mexico or Utah. It's so awesome.

 

This week my testimony has grown even more about how the Lord has a plan, he prepares his people, and everything was pre-designed before this life. We found out this week that my first convert's (Hermana I.'s) dad, who lives in California for work, has accepted to listen to the missionaries. And guess who's teaching him? My friend from high school, Logan Passey, and his Mexican companion! QUE EN EL MUNDO! (what in the world!)

Hermana I.'s Baptism Day

 

Nothing is a coincidence.  I've also seen how God prepares his people...as I've seen people so readily accept the gospel and want to change. It's amazing. 

 

Does this mean missionary work is easy?  uh...no. We walk and walk for hours and hours and talk with countless people with no success some days. Lessons fall through... ya. But after a trial of our faith.. there are always milagros (miracles). 

Por ejemplo..(for example)...This week we didn't have much success. But at the end of the week, we contacted a reference, a young man, who is 18 years old. He's had all of the discussions before, but moved before he could be baptised. Well now he's back for school, and wants to change again and be baptised. He has such an amazing spirit! I can truly see the light of Christ in him.

We also found another family who's hearts are prepared to teach, and a muchacha who came to church ON HER OWN. Which never happens. The Lord really does prepare his people. And I love the people here so much.

It's a lot of work, every day is a challenge. Most wards have 4 missionaries and ours only has 2... us. So our area is twice the size of every other missionaries area. So yeah... a lot of walking. But on the plus side my calves have never looked better! They are perfect, besides the bug bites!

 (In the picture above) See that tiny little white skyscraper right in the middle in the distance? That's the end of our area. There is even more behind me. It's insane. MUCHO CAMINAR. (much walking)

What do you love most about your companion?

Freak she is awesome. Everyday I realize more and more that she is the Mexican version of me... except she can belly dance. Although if I were Mexican I'd probably know how to belly dance tambien (also). So yeah.

But she is so patient with my terrible Spanish and helps me so much. I learn so much from her everyday!

I also help her with English. She can understand me usually when I talk English to her. And she knows a bunch of English phrases now so it's hilarious when she talks English to me in her cute little Mexican accent. She serves me all the time and honestly is just amazing. She's like mi mama!!

Anything you're really glad you packed and brought with you now that you've had a month in the country?

Hermana Hansen and Martinez's study area.

Actually I wish I would have packed less. I have way too much crap. And I wish I wouldn't have bought anything nice or expensive. I don't wear it anyways because I don't want to stand out more and once you see how you wash it you realize it's gonna be ruined in a month anyways.

SO yeah, advice for anyone going to any place like Mexico?  Pack only what it says on the list.  Seriously.  You'll probably want to buy stuff here anyways.  But bring more garments then listed.  You can never have too many garments.


I love you all!! 

Hermana Hansen

The Lord's First Baptism During My Service!

Woohoo!!! First baptism!! Hermana I. has helped me feel so at home here. It's been a long process to help her accept the gospel (mostly the doing of Hermana Martinez and her missionary comp before me).  But watching her change of heart has been amazing.  I can testify that baptism really does change people.
 

 I love this!! (By the way, after this picture...I put my hair back up.. because the amount of cat calls I get triples when my hair is down. Plus, it's freaking hot.)
   
What is your typical daily schedule?



6:30am - wake up, exercise

7:00 -  get ready, eat 

8:00 -  personal study

9:00 -  comp study

10:00 -   language study

11:00 -   training

Noon - 2:00 pm - proselyte

2-3:00 -  eat with member

3-9:00 or 9:30 -  proselyte 

9:30 -10ish - plan

10ish - eat

10:30pm - sleep

What was your first Sunday in Tuxtla like?  How many members attend church?

About 60 members attend church....but nobody is on time.  We always are the first ones there.   The first Sunday only one new investigator came to church and 3 older ones.  But, the next Sunday we had 7 investigators at church!!   Also, I gave a talk.... in Spanish.... haha....about repentance!   It was scary but a ton of members came up to me and said my Spanish was very clear and very good.  But probably only because Hermana Martinez edited it for me..... hahahaha.   But yeah it was good!  We also teach a gospel doctrine class which is fun.

Have you had to use your Pet Parade Dog Repeller to fend off any stray dogs?

I haven't been carrying it with me but I probably should because the other day we had two perros (dogs) follow us for awhile... but yeah there are literally hundreds of dogs in the calle (street) but they are friendly unless you have food.  It's actually really sad.... Sav would cry (Hermana Hansen's sister) - lol.    

How are you feeling physically (adjusting to the food, headaches, shin splints, etc)?
 

Physically adjusting to the food I've been fine. Guess it was all that sushi, Indian and Thai food during college ha ha (thanks Tiff, Alicia and Andy!)  But once I drank some bad water (it was supposedly filtered... but no way) and yeah I was super sick for a week.  But, I was still able to work so that was good.  

I get headaches a lot I think because of the heat...but I drink a lot of water from a creepy filter that works fabulously that the MTC gave me so that's rad.  

I've only had to stay in one day and it's because when I woke up I couldn't move the upper left half of my body. No joke. It was all tense. I was able to finally move my arm but not my neck or head. It was just all tense. I think it's a combination from the stress from my bag and my tendonitis (Jordyn battled shoulder tendonitis during her swimming days).  So we called the doctor and my comp now has to give me massages with this creepy gel every night! hahahahaha.   

But yeah it was kind of horrible because I couldn't move -  but on the bright side I got to watch 17 miracles (and see Savanna Lewis die... which I sobbed during) and study the scriptures all day.  (Savanna is our neighbor who played a character in the movie)   My neck still hurts and I don't have full range of motion. But, I know what to do for it because of all my tendonitis probs and PT training so it's all good. But yeah, I'm glad my bag turns into a backpack!  

Did you get to watch General Conference? 

Yeah conference was fab! I got to watch the first session in Spanish....but didn't understand hardly anything. But, I got to watch the rest with English subtitles.