Caminando en Chiapas: Zoo

Monday, February 23, 2015

It's true. I'm Mexican.

So you know you're a Mexican: when you actually start to like and somewhat even crave Mexican chocolate that you hated when you arrived; when you put chile on everything (even fruit); when you can eat from a taco stand in the street and it doesn't even phase you; when you can't eat a meal without a tortilla; when jaywalking across a busy street in the middle of the day doesn't even bother you because there's no such thing as crosswalks; and when you don't even notice the bugs in every single house that grossed you out when you arrived. Welcome to Mexico. Miralo vos (watch out), because this guera is officially a Mexican.

Hermana Salazar from Sonora and Hermanas Hansen & Juarez

This week was awesome because we had a multi-zone activity on Tuesday!! Which means I got to see a bunch of my friends from other zones, and I got to wear PANTS. Which was only cool until about 1 pm when I was blazing hot, uncomfortable, and wishing I had on my airy skirt to keep me cool and feel the breeze on my legs.

Hermanas Hansen and Coronado

All in all, I learned that skirts are way better than pants (triste (sad) missionary brainwashing.... whoever thought I'd say that?) The only thing pants are good for is for doing headstands. So, I did a lot of them. Unfortunately, I don't have any photo evidence because I was doing them spontaneously....but just know I'm practicing (just for you Hermana Bunderson!)

Remember the head standing Hermanas during those good old MTC days?

During our activity, we went to the zoo, played futbol on blazing hot turf, and watched 'Meet the Mormons' (in Spanish of course) which was freaking awesome!!

Hermanas Allen, Hansen & Juliana

When David Archuleta sang the favorite song of every missionary in the world at the end (Glorious), Hemana Juarez and I about died...and then we realized he was singing in Spanish and we both screamed and I dropped my camera. It was super awkward, and I'm pretty sure Presidente George along with all the elders who were sitting behind us were just shaking their heads. Hahaha. OHHHH GLORIOSO ES.

So I had a weird experience yesterday that really made me think about being a consecrated missionary, and how Satan tries to get us at the littlest things...because he knows we are smart enough to avoid the big and obvious ones.

Hermana Hansen, President and Hermana George, Hermanas Coronado & Juliana

Por ejemplo (for example)....yesterday we were teaching a new investigator. In the house right in front of us, they were watching MOCKINGJAY. I saw a flash of J-Laws face, went pale, and about died. To resist the temptation (because I could see the TV through the window literally right next to the head of our investigator), I stood next to our investigator across from my companion and turned my back to the window with the TV.

Hermana Dansie from Idaho

The lesson went great. As I was inviting her to pray, I turned a bit to look at her...and right behind her I caught another glimpse of FREAKING PEETA STRANGLING KATNISS! I hurriedly turned my back again and composed myself quickly. But, it didn't matter...woof the spirit was gone.

Luckily the spirit was still with her. She prayed great and no pasa nada (nothing happened). But, it really made me think about all the tiny things that Satan puts in our path to try to distract us.

As missionaries, there is two things that are our downfall. Disanimo (discouragement), and distractions. Mexico is full of the world. Billboards, music in the streets, media, just everything. And it's literally impossible to avoid every single form of worldly media when living in Mexico. But we can do things to keep us focused, to keep us from getting distracted. It's one thing to live in Mexico... and another to live of Mexico.

We (Mama & Papa Hansen) enjoy reading Elder Portlock's blog...they thought it would be funny to get a picture together...since Hermana H's parents are his "blog stalkers".

But, Satan tries to get us with the smallest things. He knows I'm a Hunger Games freak, and tried to get me. Even though the small glimpse of the movie was unintentional, it was enough to drive the spirit away and distract me for a small second. Distract me, as I'm teaching someone how to communicate with God. With their Father in Heaven. This is the LAST THING that He wants. And if we are not careful... not just as missionaries but as people in general, that's how he can get us.

Hermana Hansen saw her cousin from Idaho at the multi-zone activity

So that's my goal for this week...to be a more consecrated missionary. To completely focus myself in the work, in these children of His that he's entrusted me with. In this world, it's easy to get distracted. But, if we do things to constantly have the spirit with us and guide us, we can conquer Satan.

LES AMO MUCHISIMO.

Hermana Hansen

Letter Love!!

Thanks Petal!


Hermana Juarez's first letter in the mission (Thanks Beckham)

More Photos from Hermana Hansen's Week

La Hermanas de mi generation!

At the Zoo

So funny story. Right after we took this pic the freaking cat thing swiped me!! You can see it's paw moving in the pic! It was awesome.

Futbol squad... enjoying bolis after playing a hard game on the flaming turf.

Making our own weights out of sand....because we are poor and fat!

Making Potato Chips!!

Fried Bananas I hope you are all jealous

Hermanas Being Healthy

Monday, January 5, 2015

Intercambios, Chasing Butterflies and a Baptism!

Intercambios with the best Capacitadoras in el mundo (Hermanas Juarez, Hansen, Coronado and Juliana)

Dudes, tomorrow I turn 5... months. I don't want to talk about that actually, because time is passing way too freaking fast... so moving on.

We had intercambios (exchanges) this week and it was possibly one of the greatest experiences on my mission thus far. I worked with Hermana Coronado from Texas for a day and honestly it was a day that changed my mission life!

I learned so much. I feel like I can now be a more efficient missionary with UN BUEN ESTADO DE ANIMO (a good frame of mind). She taught me how to work hard but still have fun.

For example, while we were trying to find a reference we ended up finding a beautiful butterfly and chasing it down an entire street trying to catch it..until we lost it when it went inside a huge Christian "temple".

Pancake tacos cuz we are Mexican

When we turned around, we found one of our menos activos (less actives) in the ward staring at us... After which he waved and said, "Uh... buen dia hermanas" and ran inside. Hopefully he keeps coming to church even though we are weirdos... haha.

And Hermana Coronado is going to BYU when she gets back so the chasing butterfly madness doesn't have to end!

Hermanas Coronado & Hansen & cute Chicas

With mis chicas

This week I was able to witness a huge miracle. One of our old investigators got baptized! I say old because he's technically not our investigator anymore...but here's the story.

The former Hermanas de la Salle found Hermano A. and helped him start to change his life around. After they both got transferred, the new Hermanas de la Salle started teaching him...until they looked at their map and realized that he wasn't in their area. They assumed that he must be in ours.

All of the Hermanas who taught Hermano A

So we started teaching him. We fasted with him and helped him to STOP DRINKING! (He's been sober ever since the fast). We worked with him, encouraged him and taught him and everything! Only to realize that he wasn't in our ward...but the ward Juarez.

So they taught him for one more week and he was baptized in their ward. But through it all, it really doesn't matter where he was baptized. We really are just instruments in the Lord's hands.