christmas day

familia,

it was good to talk to all of you.  Even though it was just a short period of time, it was good to hear all of your voices and everything, it sounds like your all healthy, so that´s good.  my comp´s from heber city, Elder Besendorfer, so that´s cool that meagan and landon were there and everything.  But how is landon and maegan, I can only imagine the crazy things they do, haha, they funny, but that´s good.  oh ya, what is the 15 passenger van, I had´n´t heard anything about that?  or is it just the bus that grandpa has?  And also, the farm got a sprayer?  wow, thát´s crazy, but what kind of everything.  Anyway, i hope that you guys get some snow soon, it´s always a better winter with snow, or if the weather´s just perfect, thát´s fine too, with me. 

   But maybe this week Eluvia will get baptized, i´m not sure yet, she usually doesn´t like to say too much, but maybe i will have them call you or something, nah, haha, but we´re always trying to work with her.  Sounds like all the extended family is doing good too, so that´s awesome that everyonés good.  But did Richard end up going to the temple dedication? i can´t remember what you told me or wrote me. 

   With this pacakge that´s supposedly coming, i just gave about 50 bucks to the office 400 quetz, and i´m assuming they paid it via credit card or something, but i´m not sure.  I will have to talk with my zone leader, and then with the office.  But actually if you want, maybe you could call the office to make sure,  but i will let you know next week if i talked with them.  I´m not sure what we´re going to do for new years, i´m assuming nothing, but the past 4 days have been pretty slow, and I´m just ready to get past the holidays actually because nobody´s availabe, and nobody really wants visits anyway, haha.  I didn´t think i would ever say that, but ya, i´m just ready for the new year, and then maybe people will have goals that we can help them with.  Also, what is ryan stockin´gs email and david fennell´s.  And also my companion was in david fennell´s district in the mtc, and he knew jeffrey gomez in the ccm, but he was 3 week´s ahead of him.  jare´ds probably awesome at basketball, but just tell him to keep practicing and have fun, you can´t please everyone no matter what you do, so just might as well have fun at it.  But it´s awesome though, just to travel around anyway, and see all the kid´s from different schools.  55555554765  that was elder celus.  But anyway, i´m looking forward to this week.  And i hope that you all have a good one, and everyone be safe driving back.  like i said, elder hansen romney, is coming to this mission, that´s my prophecy, haha, that would be awesome.  in this mission, an elder in my group was trained by a kid in his stake, and they´re in the same grade, so that was pretty funny, so you never know.  Anyway, love you all and happy holidays.

Love,

Elder Hansen

Hey family,

how is everything going?  sounds like a good week, it was good for us too.  But first, I wanted to call you guys on saturday so that we could set up everything good for sunday.  But I was planning on calling at around 11 am on saturday, but if you guys aren´t there or if that´s not good for you, then i will call on sunday morning at like 7 or 8 like you said and everything.  But i´m gonna call you on saturday, and then you´ll call me back within 5 minutes just to make sure that the number and everything works and that everything´s good for sunday morning.  And also on saturday i will talk to you to see if it´s better that i use a phone card or what, or actually what would be even better is if you guys bought some saldo or minutes on skype and then called me back at my house.  But either way, wé can talk about it on saturday at about 11 am.  o and also, i´m predicting that you guys have news for me, like someone in the family is having a baby, but that´s my prediction.

    But ya, this week Eluvia got married, it was kind of a weird situation.  The guy who marries people does marriages for free if the person gets baptized within 24 hours.  But eluvia hadn´t decided yet, but the guy who married them didn´t know that, so we got there and he was all what! why aren´t you getting baptized and all this stuff.  But he collects 500 quetz if a person doesn´t get baptized, but he doesn´t want the missionaries to pay for the wedding.  But i told his secretary the day before that eluvia wasn´t going to get baptized till later, but obviously the word never got to him, and plus he changed telephone number so i could get ahold of him.  But anyway, it sounded like he wasn´t going to marry them when we got there, but then everything ended up being fine, and then he told me that he wasn´t going to collect money or anything for the marriage.  But i was really nervous and everything just that he would still marry them!  But if none of this made sense just tell me in the phone call.  And so we put a date with Eluvia for the next wednesday, we had actually put for the 7 of january, but yesterday she´s all can we do it before or after the 7th?  I said we sure can, let´s do it next week, haha, so we put that.  But i think we´re getting prety good investigators.

    I´m not gonna lie, it´s hard to get good investigators here, but í think we´re being blessed.  But one couple named walter and paula jst moved into our ward, and paula is the sister of a guy who is a member with a pony tail, named Byron Xutuc, haha.  But i wish you could know all these people, there are some really funny members here, haha.  But walter and paula are pretty positive. 

But like you said you thought people are poor here, there´s some people that do well in our ward.  But others really don´t have much, just their house, and a few clothes and everything, but they have enough for food for the missionaries.  But the food here is pretty cheap too, but the members are really generous.  Sometimes i don´t know why the people give us food, i feel blessed, but i think it´s because of the faith that they have, that they´re going to be blessed for what the do, and I think that they will be.  i´ll get my packages this thursday if i have any, because we´re going to xela to have a christmas conference as the mission. hae you guys been skiing, that´s one thing i miss right now, butnot too bad.  last night was probably 40 degrees, it was pretty cold.  so that blanket for sure will help, but theré was another thick blanket in the house, so it wasn´t too bad, but now i have 2 sheets and 2 blankets y me aguanto the cold, or i presevere through the cold, haha. 

   o that´s a good idea of what shane said, i don´t know if i read that, but we can offer to do that too.  But we just saw the dedication´s from the church also.  Anyway, i will call you on saturday morning or sunday morning depending on you guys, but good luck with everything this week, and i love you all. 

love,

Elder hansen

hay family,

sounds like you all had a busy week, but that´s good.  We had a pretty busy week, too.  We are working as hard as we can.  And i feel like i need to improve on alot of things, but it´s hard sometimes.  But ya, we have investigators and everything.  We challenged a kid who´s 18 to baptism last thursday, but i don´t think he´s giong to be ready, in time for this weekend.  His name is Estuardo and he´s the boyfriend of a member, so sometimes that´s good and bad, haha.  But we will have to visit with him.  Eluvia is going to get married on this friday.  They just barely told me last night, so i need to call the licensiado so that he can get everything set up for them.  The are so many things to do as a trainer.  I´m always calling people and everything, and since my comp can´t really talk yet on the phone, i can barely because it´s hard to talk on the phone in english, it requires some time.  But we are trying to get things organized in our area.  We don´t have a ward mission leader so that´s really great as you can imagine with 2 new gringos.  But we try and have lessons with members, and less actives, but that´s our goal for this week, to have more with less activies, but it´s so hard here to get appointments.  Everyone is always working it seems like, and then of course i only know a few phone numbers here of members, so it´s not like you can call someone to set up an appointment, haha.  But everything´s good i feel like.  I can pretty much understand everything, as long as it´s gospel related of course, haha, but the language isn´t too bad.  my companion is improving as well, and everything´s good I feel like. 

     But everything´s pretty good.  on saturday the 24 i´m going to call you guys in the morning probably at 10 or something so that you have my number, then you can call me back to make sure that the number works.  And then sunday in the afternoon, i will have you call me, or do you think it would be cheaper if i bought a phone card or something?  Idk, but i could buy a phone card and call  you, or you can call me, let me know in next week´s email.   but we only have about 40 minutes on sunday to talk.  And everyone´s going to be ther right?  If not, send me brian or mark´s or marissa´s phone so that i can call them separately for a little bit. 

        As far as good experiences, i haven´t been feeling so well healthwise this week, really nothing big just an upset stomache, i didn´t throw up or anything, so i had my companion give me a blessing, and that was really great and helped me alot.  And then I gave him a blessing, and that helped us a lot I feel like as a companionship.  It´s hard to train though, because everything is so much slower I feel like, but we´re progressing and I learn something new everyday.  But I hope i´m doing a good job, and i´m trying my hardest.  But i read shane´s letter that he sent, probably from last week, that was great when they knocked on that lady´s door and felt the spirit and everything.  We don´t contact too much, just because nobody really is interested, but I have felt guided as I talk to the people, and I just know what to say, and it´s really a good experience.  But also, we are teaching a youth named george in english, so that´s great.  He lived in la for 12 years and is a citizen of the U.S. but his dad got deported so they moved back down here.  But I think that we have had some pretty good lessons with him.  He´s actually going to be gone this whole week, so when big interupptions happen, it´s hard to keep someone focused on the lessons and everything.  But I didn´t really like teaching in english, i think I´m better in spanish, haha. 

     But anyway, the temple dedication was awesome, President uchtdorf spoke at all 3 sessions and it was so good.  He talked about how blessed the country of guatemala is, and he prophesied that many more chapels would be on the hills of guatemala.  Also, in the sessions, they talked alot about how the lamanite people is being blessed, and a lot of cool stories were told actually.  There are some really great members here, and I would love to see the church grow a ton because of the temple, that would be great.  But anyway, I had a good week, and I´m looking forward to this week.  We are going to try and throw fire.  But have a good week, and everyone keep safe, I love you all, and congratulations alysha on the nutcracker.

Love,

Elder Hansen
p.s. i had to pay 400 quetz for some package to get from guatemala city due to processing fees so i´m not sure what that means.  maybe there was electronics in it or something.  but it´s alright, not a big deal, It was just really random when i was told i had to do that to get a package.  But anyway, i haven´t gotten a package yet, because here they keep them all until christmas, all that have come in november and december, so i´ll let you know when i get them.

winter is here!

familia, how are you,

how is everything going for you, sounds like everything´s good for you. Elder Celus los quiere mucho.  anyway, ya, the other night it got pretty cold. I couldn´t fall back asleep cause it was kind of cold, haha, but it´s good.  but that´s cool that aunt jody is there in Guate and everything, when is she coming back.  And maybe we will have a conference or something with president uchtdorf, because he´s coming to dedicate the temple, but idk yet.  We never know alot of things haha, but I like this mission alot for alot of reasons, for example, just being with the latinos and everything is pretty funny.  But it´s really cool, for example, riding in the chicken buses.  That´s how we get everywhere, and all the ´corte´ practically smashed on top of you.  They wear cortes, those skirts that they make from the native material, and they never wash them and everything, but it´s a cool experience.  But everytime i ride to xela, i´ve been there about 6 times since the beginning of my mission, i get so tired, and my ride is spinning a little and everything, just because the bus ride is really curvey and everything, but it´s good. 

    Just the transportation here makes me life, I think that some missinaries wouldn´t be able to take it, haha, but it´s fun.  And also, it´s kind of funny the way things work here.  For example, there´s not really boundaries for the area´s.  there is, but nobody really knows where they´re at, you kind of just guess.  And places like momus the areas are gigantic, like it´s impossible to go from one side to the other in one day.  But places like xela and huehue are pretty normal. 

     Today we went to El Mirador, so that was pretty fun.  We also ate lunch at a chapel, one lady from another area made us lunch.  my companion is from heber city, he´s bigger than me basically, not taller, but wider.  So i don´t think that those clothes will fit him.  But wow i´m tired right now, and preparation days pass really fast, but we work really hard.  There´s been 2 maybe 3 nights where we have come home before 930. Other wise, it´s been more like 920 or 930.  But eluvia´s going to get married the 17th but idk yet about baptism.  SHe´s still thinking, but not really reading or praying i feel like.  But you never know, we´ll see if she accepts that same day to be baptized.  Also, there´s this guy named victor who seemed positive, but then last night I called him and he was drunk, so i don´t know.  We will pass by to seem him tonight.  But i feel sorry for alot of people here, but it´s that they don´t look in the right places.  We can only offer and testify and everything, but you can´t feel too bad if they don´t do anything to help themselves. 

  But for jared, just make sure to use the commas correctly.  With her, you use commas normally, but if the subject changes or if the subject is mentioned again,  between a dependent clause and an independent clause, then you use a comma, but if not, then you don´t.   for example´   jonny went to the store and bought candy.  you wouldn´t use a comma.      but with, jonny went to the store, and he bought candy.  you would.  That´s all i remember from her. 

     did i say already i watched the christmas devotional.  But in spanish, but i think i understood most of it.  it was really good.  but anyway, on christmas day i think i´m going to call the house.  But the president says just for 45 minutes, so we´ll see how that goes.  idk if i´m gonna be able to do it in that time, but i hope, so have ready what you want to say.  i´ll let you know how the dedication and everything goes, this week should be good, so i´m excited.  But my compaion´s good, and his spansih has already improved and so has mine.  But have a good week family and good luck with everything.  I love you all, and always have you in my prayers and everything. 

Love,

Elder Hansen

thankful for thanksgiving.

hey que pasó,

no, hey family how is everything going, sounds like for the most part it´s good.  More than anything, i went to a baby shower because i became a father.  In mission terms it´s training.  So my son is from heber city utah, and i went to xela on tuesday to pick him up.  He was the only white person that came in, at least in the elders, brand new, so i´m the only gringo training a gringo.  So that´s pretty hard, but everything is better than i thought it would be.  I feel like i can understand a lot more things now, and my spanish already has improved in this week.  Therés still alot of stuff that i need to work on in the language, there´s so much that´s involved, but i´m working hard on that.  But i was nervous at first just to talk to people and everything, but now it´s good.  But i hopw that everything goes well with that. 

  But like i said we ate with this owner of a restaurant and his wife is from the states and doesn´t really speak spanish.  But almost all the elders from the 2 zones went and ate, so at least 30 or 34 of us went.  It was so good, seriously, we had everything and more.  There was stuffing, sweet potatoes witht he cooked marshmallows on top, potatoes, etc.  pumpkin pie with eggnog, and i ate till i couldn´t anymore.  So we had a similar experience i feel like.  But i´ll have to send some pictures the next week.  I´ll have to watch for aunt jody i guess, haha, that´s cool that she and kathy are coming down.  ya, just let me know about richard.  oh also, my companion met jeffrey gomez in the mtc, so that´s pretty cool, i´ll have to look at the pictures that he has of him. And also, you can look on the ccm website and see my companion if you want, his name is Elder Besendorfer.  nobody here can say it pretty much, but he´s a good kid and he likes to work hard, so that´s good.  my driver´s license doesn´t expire until 2012 so don´t worry, but i think you can renew it now if you want, but it´s no big deal, because lonly the secretaries have one car.  So there are 2 cars in the mission, on e of the presiden´t and the other just for one pair of secretaries so the chance to drive for me is like 1 percent pretty much or less.

   BTw, Eluvia said that she and julio would get married by the next weekend, so that´s good and exciting, and then after that we´re hoping that she makes the choice to get baptized.  last night we taught her with this member that´s like 23 and it was a great lesson.  I learned so much from him helping us teach, and he helped bring the spirit alot in the lesson. 
the package hasn´t come yet, but don´t worry, and i´m doing good with everything, so don´t worry bout sending me stuff, everything´s good.  i´ll have to take a picture of our tree, also.  it´s pretty cold today, i would say like 55 degress or something, and can you send me the math equation on how to change farenheit to celsius, it´s bothering that i don´t know how cold it is here.  But that´s awesome that jared´s doing good with basketball, i hope everything goes well with him this weekend.

     yesterday i spoke in church.  i was a little bit nervous at first, but during it i wasn´t nervous at all.  it went good, i spoke about the book of mormon and just that it´s necessary that we have it so we can recognize what church is true.  i´m sure it wasn´t that great in spansih haha, but i thought it went well.  and just when i think that I know what i´m doing, something happens where I realize i need to learn a ton still, so i´m just doing my best, and it´s hard, but I know it´s always worth it.  Tell alysha good luck with the nutcracker, she´ll do great when the time comes.  Thanks for everything family, and i´l send some pictures the next week.  I love you all and thanks for your support and for your love.

    Love,

Elder Hansen

Thanksgiving just around the corner

Family,

how is everything going.  Que Calidad that Grandpa went to El Mirador.  That´s awesome. that´s great.  Ya, they should have come on over to xela to go through the temple.  It´s pretty cool.  You got the pictures right?  But when my camera gets full here in a few months i´ll put all my pictures on a cd or 2 and mail them up to you, that way you can have all of them.  But anyway, everything´s going good here.  But6 ya, i´ll try and send a message to that email tha tyou gave me.  Thlat´s awesome that Jared made the team, I knew he would, he´s going to have fun.  Just tell him to not stress too much, but enjoy it.  Who are the coaches this year?  But when is the nutcracker, you´ll havfe to ltake pictures and everything of course for me.  I didn´t get your package yet, but don´t worry.  There´s this guy named Enriques that used to live in the states, and he pretty much speaks fluent english.  Anyway, he owns a restaurant that all the missionaries in the 2 zones go to every p day. We only went twice just because we eat with members, but it´s pretty good food.  But anyway, he´s having a huge lunch for thanksgiving today at his house, only for the missionaries.  So that´s awesome, it´s going to be just like a dinner in the US, because he knows all about it and I think he´s rich, at least for here, so that will be good.  I´ll have to take some pictures.  But i´m sending some pictures today. 

This weekend was the stake conference, and the  broadcast from salt lake for all of Guatemala and parts of belize.  It was awesome.  Elder Holland spoke, and he gave his testimony in spanish!  haha, it was awesome though and really powerful.  But at the beginning he started off in spanish also, but his pronunciation was bad, ha, but it was understandable.  He was all, sería mas facíl si yo empezzzzo hablar en ingles, and everything, but it was good.  Also Elder Clarke spoke about pride and spending money wisely, mary cook spoke about the book of mormon and how we should study it, and then Elder uchtdorf spoke about tithing and about how we should study always, and that temples minimize the power of satan on earth, so that was awesome.

   But this week we did quite a bit of service, splitting wood, so i sent a picture of that.  The wife of rogelio is looking more positive, i hope in this change she can receive personal revelation.  Rogelio probably will become an apostle.  He is really a strong person, and hows one of the strongest testimonies that I have seen.  But he went to the temple, and wanted to know everything about it, how to get there, what to do, and everything to go.  so we explained some stuff, but it was awesome.  anyway, we have some really awesome lessons with his family.  the president of the mission sent him some brand new scriptures, so he was excited about that.  But there´s this other guy named Alan and his brother Erik who we taught last night.  theyr pretty positive, and Alan told us that he thinks the church is true, so i told them that somebody from his family will probably try and have him doubt, i hope not, but we´ll see how that goes.  anyway family, this week was good.  Is richard still planning on coming to the dedication?  ¨The place where the celebration is going to be is actually pretty small, because this other place wanted like 120,000 quetz to rent it for the celebration so that parts not going to be that big, but we´ll be able to watch it all and everything.  But anyway, we have changes tomorrow and Elder Rodriguez is leaving.  Idk where he´s going yet, but i´m staying here and i went to a baby shower with a couple of other missionaries this last friday, so ask mark or brian what that means in mission terms.  anyway, i hope that you all have a good week, and hope that you get my pictures.  Have a good thanksgiving and tell everyone hi for me.  But I thought jeffrey spoke spanish already? hhaa, why did he go to both mtc's?  but anyway he´s awesome.  And no the missionaries don´t work at the temple or anything, only the sisters from here and the retaluleu mission, but we were guides for the video part and everythign but only for one time.  So no, we didn´t work there, but anyway, have a good week and I love you all, i´ll let you know how this week goes and who my other companion is. 

Love,

Elder Hansen

Temple open house

Another week in the mission!

Hey family,

how is everything going back home, sounds pretty good, yet pretty sad at the same time.  I can´t believe that derek walker died.  That´s probably on eof the biggest shocks ever, and really random as well.  We were pretty good friends in elementary and middle school and everything.  After they moved we just kind of kept in touch with facebook and everything, but every time we saw each other we always talked and everything because we were friends.  But i can´t believe that, but what a tragedy, seriously.  I think that he´s been out for about a year in last september.  But wow, if you talk to their family, tell them that i feel really bad and am sorry.  They are really good people, seriously, and I always enjoyed talking to them and everything. 

    Hey, did jared have tryouts for basketball and if so how did those go?  and hope that all the practices with alysha are going well. This week we did go to the temple open house.  I´m trying to send some pictures but it´s not working too good right now. It was good though.  Ít´s kind of small, but it´s really nice inside.  There are alot of mayan symobls and everything and it reminded me alot of the twin falls temple actually.  But the baptismal font is right in front of the door.  We had some investigators go, including eluvia, and they liked it alot.  Idk about Eluvia, i think she´s progressing pretty good, it´s just hard to teach a good lesson with her.  But she´s pretty much married, they just need to have a ceremony, haha.  We found some other investigators too, but they´re not seeming too positive right now. 

     That´s cool about that guy that joined the church in the acequia 2nd ward.  If people read the book of mormon, usually they get baptized here.  But if they read it with real intent and everything, they´ll for sure get baptized, it´s just alot of people don´t know what they can find in it, and why it´s important.  I love explaining what the book of mormon is, and we explained to Eluvia that the profets who wrote it and stuff are her ancestors.  But she speaks mum too, haha, so that´s pretty cool.  We haven´t heard her speak it , but she teaches it.  It´s cool that people here just know other languages.  Rogelio knows like 3 languages, and then Alrio knows 5.  But he acdtually moved to Barillas supposedly and we haven´t heard from him for 2 months.  Anyway, the language is coming little by little.  Any extra time i have, i just read in the ensigns or in teachings of the prophets in spanjish, and i think that has helped.  But it´s still hard to express myself.  For the most part i understand everything.  Sometimes it gets confusing like who talked to who, or what happened with what, but it´s alright.  I´m getting alot of different vocab for my companion because he always tells stories.  his dad´s a butcher, and so it´s hard to understand when he talks about how to cut the meat and everything off a cow, and random stuff like that.  But anyway, i think that those pictures sent, and i hope that all of you have a good week.  Don´t worry mom, i´m always cautious and my companion is great to have because he knows all about what is safe and stuff like that.  So don´t worry, and everything is good here.  I know things like that can make you wonder what could happen, but this mission is pretty safe, and so it´s good.  But anyway, i love you all, and thanks for everything.  i don´t need any other addresses or anything like that.   

Love,

Elder Hansen

BTw, last p day i learned how to make kites, so we made some and i didn´t even get to fly mine, cause it got stuck in a tree, m`y compaion´s fault, ahha, but it was cool anywya.  <It was so windy, and it was on top of our house where we flew them.  Anway, love you all.  BTw, that would be a great date idea for jared or someone in the future, haha. 

    

pics

Love you, and give my greetings to everyone.

Hey family,

sounds like everything is going good at home.  Happy anniversary mom and dad on Friday?  I hope that everything goes all with that.  it will be 11-11-11 so that´s awesome.  I wish i could buy you a gift or something, but that´s alright, i´m sure that the rest of the children can manage.  Bowen makes me laugh, haha, i can just imagine him doing all that, so that´s good.  The work this week was pretty slow it seemed like.  I don´t know why, it´s just like that sometimes, but i hope this week will go better.  In our district i think there´s like 10 all elders, and in the zone there´s about 22 or so, with 4 sisters in the other district.  IN the mission i think there´s about 200.  The mission president´s good, he´s awesome, and before i came to the field i thought he would act all strict and be uptight, or perfectionist or whatever, but he is really cool.  He understands everything and he knows what the mission´s all about, so i´m excited to see how the mission changes in the next couple months.  President Lewis Bautista is his name, i forgot his wife´s name, but i think they´re from minnessotta, and he served in uruguay on his mission back in the day, he´s 63. 

   The weather here right now is like fall pretty much.  But it´s weird cause it does get pretty cold in the late night and more cold in the morning, but in the day it´s actually hotter than before.  I like it though, the air always feels good.  But it hasn´t rained for more than 2 weeks.  I don´t think it´s going to rain until april or something like that, cause it´s the dry season.  Elder Rodriguez is doing good.  I think we have changes on the 22nd, so i´m pretty sure we´re getting changed out, but they´ll let us know in a couple weeks.  On saturday we´re planning on going to the open house in the temple with the ward.  I´ll have to take pictures and send them to you, I heard it´s awesome on the inside.  

   Keep me updated on your cousin´s son, and when he´s coming and everything, that´s cool.  This mission´s great, and I know I haven´t even seen the start of it yet.  I´m proud of jared and glad that his was able to get his eagle, i´m sure it was great.  I hope everything goes well with him also this week for the basketball tryouts.  I remember how nervous and everything i was for mine, but just tell him to relax and have fun.  If he doesn´t make it he can ski all winter, but I think he has a pretty good shot at the team.   Wow, that´s crazy that shane already has a date to come home, that seems like a long time away, though, still, but i know it wil fly by. 

   Where is dad going this week, idk if you told me.  But this week, we have to progress an investigator named Eluvia.  She isn´t married to her boyfriend, they´re just called esposos here anyway, but they have a kid.  And her brother in law is named Neri Recinos and he lived in twin falls for a couple years, a couple years ago.  But we´ll see what happpens this week.  I´m trying to send this pictures but these computers don´t like to work sometimes.  Anyway, there´s some little things down here that are different in the church, for example.  A lot of men don´t know how to do ordanances, because for the confirmations they called rogelio and amilcar, 'hermano rogelio, etc.' so they have confirmed a lot of members with the name hermano or hermana, haha.  But i think that it´s understandable.  anwyay, i love you all and hope that you have a good week.  Thanks for everything, and i don´t really need anything specific in the packages mom, so thanks for sending those and everything.  Love you, and give my greetings to everyone. 

Love,

Elder Hansen

Great week.

Hey family,

we had a great week.  I´ll tell you about it later on.  But that´s awesome that jared´s gettin his eagle.  I told him last week how great that was, because alot of kids in their lives don´t do much, don´t have goals, but that´s aweoms that he worked towards that and got it.  I am getting the third package on wednesday cause i know the zls have it.  But thanks for that, and like i said, don´t worry about the speed or anything of them getting down here, because they come fast.    Also, i don´t need anymore email addresses i don´t think, maybe garret mackay´s i don´t think i have his.  BTW we get an hour to write, so usually i have time to write to 2 or 3 friends or siblings. 

   This is my normal schedule, wake up at 630, exercise then get ready and at 730 have personal study, then at 830 we eat.  Then at 9 we have companionship study for 2 hours, because with the new traininig program, the greenis and trainers have 2 hours.  then we proselyte or whatever, if we have appointments it´s better, or we contact.  And then at 1 we eat lunch with a memb er everyday, then at 2 we have language study for an hour.  Then at 3 and onward we proselyte, and usually everyday we have 2 or 3 firm apointments, and the rest we visit inactives or members or other investigators that we don´t have an appointment with. Then we come back at 9 or 930, more like 930, and plan and eat.  We never eat dinner until we come back, which i like, because it gives us alot more time to proselyte and everything.  usually i just have like a ramen noodles or cereal for dinner. 

    But my apartments one of the nicest in the mission.  The bed is just fine, i´m pretty comfortable on it, and i don´t really wake up sore.  i take meltonin now because i just wanted to see if it worked, there was just a bottle in the apartment with like 20 pills, but i think that´s helping me sleep better, not that i wasnt before, but i think it helps, haha.  But at first i hated the apartment and everything, but now it´s pretty much home, so it´s good.  Also, moemoes tenango, an area in our mission, has the worst living conditions in central america for missionaries, so i feel fortunate now, haha. 

   That´s great that you went to the temple mom and dad.  I think we´re going to the open house on the 12th, we just have to bring 10 investigators, but the ward will pay for their passage and everything.  But some of those 10 can be R.C. so we should be able to go.  Changes are on the 20th so i may be able to go to the temple open house twice because the wards also going on the 22nd, so i´ll see what happens.  But the dedication noone has told us anything about that.  I´m thinking that we´ll just watch it from our chapel or st5ake hosue or something. 

   Anyway, i´m sending some pictures of the baptisms we had.  Ya, this week we had two baptisms!  That was great.  And remember how i said that the president came to an appointment with rogelio, he also came to the baptism.  I think that´s pretty rare to have the president go to a baptism.  It was a great service.  We were a little worried about Amilcar, the 17 year old kid that got baptized, because he smoked and drank a little and just had terrible friends.  We acdtually didn´t want to baptize him, cause we didn´t think he was ready, but he told us that he wanted to be baptized, and he actually changed a ton, you could just see it in him, and when you talk to him, how much he changed.  he´s still kind of a punk, haha, but that´s alright.  i´m pretty sure i told you about his family in the last letter, and that they live in the middle of the forest, but that´s alright.  Anywya, rogelio gave his testmiony and it was really strong.  He said he was just thinking one night or something about if god really existed.  And when he thoughtj that he just prayed really hard, and then felt the spirit tell him and testify overwhelmingly to him of the love of God and that these thing were true. It was a great testimony.  o, also, i baptized rogelio and Elder Rodriguez baptized amilcar. 

   As a missionary, i feel different than what i thought, because really we don´t do much.  Or in other words, we are always working hard, but if the investigator doesn´t want to change, they won´t we can´t force anyone to change.  Mostly, it´s up to the investigator, and in the case of rogelio, he searched long and hard, and pretty much had the book of mormon for 20 years, so he´s been on a long journey. Just as a missionary, we can be obedient and work hard, but it´s up to the investigator to choose.  It´s great though to see people change their lives, and it´s almost hard to believe.  It was a great week though.  Thanks for writing and i hope that everything goes well.   love you all and good luck with everything.

Love,

Elder Hansen

El Fotos

birthday week

hey family,

how are you all doing.  This week was great, i forgot about the birthday and everything that i had.  I will try and remember to send some pictures next week.  On tuesday, a family made me some cake, and then that same night we went to the bishops house and had dominos and more cake and popcorn and ice cream, so i only gained 10 pounds there.  I was so full, haha, but that was great.  Then on wednesday night, another family, the family mendez made us supper and made another cake for me! so that was great.   And then on thursday night, another family invited us to eat and we had dominoes again, so we were pretty spoiled this week.  Then on friday we went to xela for a conference with trainers and the new missionaries, my group. That was good, and then on saturday president bautista came to work with us as a companionship.  We gave a lesson to Rogelio with him, and challenged him to be baptized, and he accepted for this saturday! we were happy about that, and it was a great lesson. His wife and daughter though, don´t want anything to do with the church.  We wanted to do a service projecdt with Rogelio, but his wife won´t even let us come and do that.  He´s pretty poor too, cause he has no work right now, he´s from Barillas btw, but we´re trying to help him.  He´s probably the most humble and genuine person that i know of, and i know that the spirit has touched his heart.  Missionary works´different than what i thought, because really it´s all about if the person has a desire to know for themselves.  The missionary just kind of tells them  what they know to be true, but when the person looks and researches, that´s when they are converted.  Because really a 20 year old white kid doesn´t know much about life and everything, but it´s just if a companionship can bring the spirit into the lesson, that´s a huge part of it. 

    Also, another kid named amilcar that´s 17 said he would be baptized as well.  We think that he has some personal problems, lke smoking, but we hope he has stopped  completely.  I don´t think that i´ve told you about the Espital family, amilcar is the son.  But this lady named maria espital lives literally in the middle of the forest, about at least 2 kilometros and maybe 3 .  But she is a recent convert with 6 kids, 2 of which are baptized.  my companion and his old comp baptized them. But she is completely poor, because her house is just those sheets of plastic, ´laminas´´ they´re called.  But she sells random stuff 2 days a week, and i actually have no idea how she gets food.  They all shower and wash their clothes in a stream.  me and my comp bought those little hats from her, that she made, with strings on the side.  But amilcar doesn´t work and so we´re trying to help him get a job. He didn´t want to work before, but now i think he´s starting to change, cause he could help so much, if he worked.  But we have just been promising them that blessings will come, if they keep the commandments, and always go to church and stuff.  But I know that they are happy, and really it doesn´t matter how much money you have, it just matters how close your family is and that´s where happiness comes from.

     oh also, i´vwe had the chance to play alot more piano this week.  The last sunday, i played for the primary presentation so that was great, and now i always play for opening exercises for priesthood.  So that´s good.  About Elder Benche´s family, that is probably his mom, so idk, i guess maybe call them or something.  But ya, Elder Bench is in my mission, maybe if you sent him a package or even just an encouraging letter, that would be really nice. 

     spanish is pretty hard still.  I feel like i´m good at it, it´s just that i can´t say whatever i want cause i don´t know how to say it, haha.  But i feel like my comp is helping me alot, and i really try and talk as much as i can.  Other people don´t understand how hard it is to be fluent, and to get to the point to where you can understand almost everything, but i just think of mark and brian and evewryone else in the familoy that has learned a language, and i know i still have a ton of time to improve. 

     About el mirador, that´s just a word that means lookout or viewpoint, because it´s above the whole valley where you can see alot, pretty much like the mountain b y pomerelle.  But Al Mirador, just means to the lookout, that´s just the street sign. There´s no ruins or anything, it´s just a place that all the missionaries go and everything, just for a trip.  I hope colton homer does good on the mission, I think he´ll do great, and he has a good character and everything to be a missionary.  That´s great that you got done with the harvest of potatoes, so good luck with the rest.  This week was altogether great.  I don´t know what else to say about it.  The days are passing by pretty fast, and going faster with time.  I´ll let you know how the baptisms go and if we have any more investigators.  Mirna told us that she wants to be baptized, but not now, so one needs the urim and thummim to interpret what that means, hahah.  Sounds like brian and mark and marissa and jared and alysha are all good.  Wish jared good luck with the tryouts.  and that´s awesome about the minico football team, and hope they take state, and is perrigot still the coach?  i´ll pray for jared to do good on his assignment.  i´ll let you know if anything new happens this week and do the same for me.  love you all alot

Love,

Elder Hansen

p.s. that´s awesome about julian, i hope he´s happy with that job, and that all goes well with the family moving.

10/17

hey mom and family,

thanks for writing, sounds like everything´s going good at home.    The apartment is nice, we actually have two bathrooms so that´s great, but still no warm water, but it´s no problem. Also, the water here runs out sometimes because all the water comes from like a spring or something, but comes to all the houses in tubes.  The tubes are no more than an inch thickk, but there´s got to be about 10 million miles of it here.  Alot of times, they´re not even covered, the tubes are just on the ground, so it´s sketchy.  But if a tube breaks somewhere up the line, then that part of the people doesn´t get water, so that´s why sometimes it runs out.  I think it comes like once a week or something, and every single house has a tank on top, i´ll have to take a picture and send it.  i´m sending some pictures now, of an overlook of a part of hue hue, and then me and my companion when we went to el mirador.  It´s kind of a weird picture with the flowers and the fog and everything, ahhaha, but don´t judge, i think it´s awesome haha.  My companion´s pretty funny, it´s just alot of times i don´t understand his stories, but that´s alright haha.  I usually have him tell them again until i can understand them.  I am also trying to help him with english and i think that´s going alright.  Alright, there´s another elder in my district from utah, but he´s half mexican so that´s why he looks brown, but he didn´t speak spanish before the mish  Where is colton homer ghoing again? That´s awesome that he´s going, i hope he has a good time. 

Also, i haven´t seen my zone leaders for about two weeks, and they´re the ones who get the packages and everything from xela, so i think i might get a package today, just in time for my birthday, that would be great.  Our bishops pretty awesome, he told me to come over tomorrow night for some cake and everything, so we´ll do that.  personally i don´t like to make a big deal out of that stuff for myself, ahha, you know me, but i really want cake. i think my comp told him cause he wants cake haha, nah it´s great though.   i remember is the good times just driving you around in the car, haha, and asking for your advice in everything.  That´s what i try and think of whenever things are difficult, just thinking how you and dad would have me do things.  I was a pretty impatient child i feel like, but thanks for having patience and faith in me. 

  I feel like my spanish will always be bad.  I think it´s an illusion though, cause that will help keep me pushing to improve my spanish.  I hear about 100 new words everyday, and try and write as many as i can.  Also, i think it would be wrong to try and bribe people to come to the open house, but i really want to go. at the ccm, one senior coupe that was there told me that they went through and there´s mayan designs and everything, it´s really cultural i guess. i also just wanted to ask, are there garments that i spandex? when you have some time, just ask about that.  also, my comp in the mtc elder bench, told me that his mom died.  i couldn´t even believe it, and i felt awful and didn´t know what to say.  He stayed on the mission though, and saw his mom´s funeral through skype or something, which i guess is the first time ever that a missionary´s done that.  I hope he´s doing better, he seemed pretty down when i saw him like 2 and a half weeks ago.  i was just wondering if there´s something you could do for his family, like send something, idk.  But let me know what you think, and maybe i´ll get his home address.  But it just helps me appriciate my parents and all they´ve done for me so thanks. 

We have an investigator, Rogelio, who may be baptzied, it´s just his wife is really cathlic, but we´re hopeing for him.  And mirna said she doesn´t want to be baptized yet, so we have no idea when she´ll be ready yet.  Other than that, the works going pretty good. I think that´s about it for this week, and i look forward to your letter next week.  Good luck with the harvest. i´ll be doing my part here.

Love
Elder Hansen

Some Footage

Some Fun Pics

I Love Guatemala

Hey fam, what´s going on,

it's good to hear from you.  For dad, sounds like the harvest is going good, but i hope that all will go well with that.  Hope that the weather will allow you to finish and everything.  I can´t even imagine that there´s snow, because here, the weather´s always exactly the same basically.  Maybe try and send me a picture of the new  tractors you got too, if you can, or if not, just wait till mark comes up or brian and they´ll do it for you.  I was actually thinking of brian the other day and how hard czech must have been for him, or for anyone.  spanish, alot of words are the same, and it´s easier to understand then talk, but czech, i can´t even imagine, but he´s way sharp so i´m trying to follow his and marks´example.   Mom, i´m jealous that you´re going to grandma camp, that´s awesome, though, ahha.  And when you say that you are having withdrawals, can you imagine my withdrawals, haha.  nah, it gets better as it goes, so i know that you´re taking care of my sobrinos, (nephews, but not necessarily masculine, it´s like hermanos is for siblings), and that their favorite uncle will be returning in a few short 21 months.  But anyway, this week was great, guess what, we had two baptisms!  One girl named gabriela is nine years old, and her mom is mirna, so hopefully mirna follws next, and then a man named Alrio.  He´s 70 years old, and is alone, and lives in the house of his nephew who said if he got baptized he would kick him out, so we´ll see how that goes this week.  We´re going to visit him tonight, and bring him to a fhe, so if he has any problems, he´ll let us know. I baptized alirio because he asked me to, and then Elder Rodgriguez baptized Gabriela, it was a good experience.  Also, for the baptismal font, we had to fill it up before, so it got filled pretty good, but then the water ran out.  It does that here, i´ll explain later, so it was raining and we figured that was a blessing from Heaven, so we got the garbage can and the mop bucket and filled it with water running off the roof, and then dumped it into the font. I love Guatemala, we told the bishop after and he just laughed haha.  But don´t worry it was sanitory, it´s better than baptizing in a river or something. the water was pretty cold, but everything was alright. 

    I´m sending some pictures and a video of the house.  Today, as a district,  we went to El mirador, or a spot on top of a mountain, so that´s where a few of the pictures are.  and also, i´m sending some of the baptism as well, there was another girl that got baptized but she´s a written member so her dad baptized her, that was good too.  About our ward, it´s great.  It´s pretty much normal there´s about 150 members that attend each week, or less depending, but it´s great for missionary work.  The bishop is awesome, and is really responsible and everything.  I just feel kind of like a member of the congregation, and no i haven´t talked yet, and usually for fast sunday, we just give time for the members to talk.   we have amission leader, and ward missionaries that help us too, so all of that funtions pretty good. i asked my comp about halloween. and they don´t have it i´m pretty sure, but i think they celebrate day of the dead on the 2 and 3 of november, but i´m not actually sure, so i´ll let you know when it happens.

  i don´t feel that old, so i can´t believe i´m turning 20, also that´s awesome about colton homer, where´s he going again?  let me know how everything goes this week, and thanks a bunch mom for everything you do, i´m looking forward to the package.  Life here is just normal, and i usually forget i´m in a different country altogether.  Lovew you all, and tell everyone hi for me, i´m praying for you all and hope you´re doing the same.

Love,

Elder Hansen

October 3

Hey family,

it´s good to hear from you.  Conference was great.  We watched it at the stake cent, Brasilia, in english.  And i watche dwith 6 other north americans.  It was way good.  I liked elder cook´s talk too, and elderHales, i think, where they t5alked about God knows the intent of your heart, and he´s always on our side, so it doesn´t matter what else happens, as long as we´re trying our hardest.  I really liked those.  It was fun, it really was like the super bowl, probably better actually, cause it was sort of a vacation day, so it was good.  We watched all 5 sessions, it was great. I have a picture, so i´ll try and send that, i hate these computers though.  We use them at an internet cafe, and they´re pretty good, it´s just hard to send pictures and everything.  Everything here is going good though. The daughter of mirna and this other guy might get baptized this week, so i´ll let you know how that goes.  Alriro, the other guy, is 70, and is kind of senile, but i think hearing the missionary discussions has helped him.

  Our apartment is pretty nice i feel like.  It has a stove and microwave and sink and everything, but the stove doesn´t really boil water, cause it doesn´t get hot enough, but it´s all good.  It has two bathrooms, which makes it nice, but i´ve been taking a cold shower for more than 2 weeks, cause the heater thing on top of the shower burnt up, and then the mission hasn´t bought a new one yet, and all this. It´s good though, i actually think that i burnt it up because nobody told me how to use it, but that´s alright haha, i´m paying the price now.  oh ya, on my fb page, i meant write that i am able to email anybody i want, because the mail here is so bad the president said that we could.  In most missions, they can only email family, and write letter to everyone else, so that´why. But what is the email of cheri and romney, so i can email them next week, o and also the email address of natessa. 

  i saw a picture of malea the other day, haha, what a cutie, but i´m sure she´s growing up fast.  Sounds like all is going good at home, and that harvest is good as well.  I hope bowen and hallie get feeling better, that´s no fun to be sick, haha. But i haven´t really been sick here, the food hasn´t affected my stomache as much as i expected so that´s good.  The language is going good too, i´ve realized i will never be able to speak perfect spanish like i thought, haha, but i´m still gonna work hard at that.  my comp aqt the ccm was named preston Deuel, so if you have time or whatever to look him up, that would be good.  usually on p day, we play football right after email, so we´re going to do that in a little bit.  I ´ll try and send pic tures, idk when, but ya, it´s probaly better just to mail me hard copies, i think that would work better.  Thanks for everything family, and you´re always in my prayers. it´s fun serving,  We have choppped wood, and last night we pushed out a car that got stuck in the middle of the street, because the roads have huge pot holes in them, kso that was fun..  one more email, Garrett Mackay´s haha.  I´ll try and write more next week, as well as send pictures, it´s just hard to get them on here and everything.  i´m working hard, and it gave me comfort to know that my whole family was together watching conference at exactly the same time as me and feeling the same feelings that i was.
Love,

Elder Hansen

September 26

Hey family,

how is everything going.  This week was good.  Noone got baptized, it was just too quick for this lady named Mirna, but i think later she will be ready.  This week was good, it flew by pretty quick.  That´s awesome that dad got a new pickup, hope all goes well with that, haha.i´m excited for jeffrey.  That´s awesome that he´s serving, and it´s hard, but i think a mission is the only place we can grow this fast spiritually. I also am looking forward to general conference.  It´s going to be great, i know it. 

Happy birthday, btw, mom and alysha, i forget the dates, one is on the 25th I think.  But hope all was well with that, and that you both had a good birthday.  The same goes with Romney and uncle Gary, I didn´t know his birthday was in september.  Sounds like Jared and Alysha are doing good, so that´s good for them.  I heard about the crash with the semi truck, that´s too bad, i feel bad about that.  I feel like right now for language, my spanish is bad, and my english is worsening, so i can´t wait for the day that i understand better and speak better, but i know this stage is necessary to improve.  This week was pretty good though, as far as that goes. 

  Also, can you send me some pictures that i took at mirador, and just some pictures of a tractor or combine or something, so i can print them off and show them to whoever wants to see them.  Also, mom, did you change my facebook page that has my addresses to say that anyone can e'mail me? If not,when you have time, just change that if you would.  That´s so funny that britanny is in the same ward as brianna, and also that´s cool that she got a new car, i wish i could see it.  i don´t think i have much else to say, but that i´m trying, sincerely, as hard as i can.  I know that the Lord will bless me, and it´s sometimes hard to see those blessings, now and later, but i have a testimony of this.  I´m trying to change and be better in everything to be more christ like.  a mission helps you realize your weaknesses though, haha, so that´s good i guess.  i´m trying to love the people, and i have felt this love for them.  Thanks for everything, and i´lll try and send some pictures to yáll.  Btw we eat lunch with memebers every day, so that´s great.  Thanks for all, and have a great week, i look forward to reading your email next time.

Love, your elder

Elder Hansen

SEPTEMBER 19

Hey family,

how´s everything goind.  Right now i´m trying to send my pictures, but none of these adaptors are working, and i brought the wrong adaptor, fr my camera, which isn´t a problem, because i can use other stuff, but it would just be easier witht he adaptor.  I talked to alysha about her part for clara, that´s so awesome, and i´m proud.  Who did jared go with to the football game?  and i´ve realized how much you helped me mom growing up and everything, so thanks for being such a great mom, your family´s successful because of you.  I also do have brigham´s address, he sent it to me, so i´ll try and write him, i bet he´s doing pretty good.  thanks for keeping me up to date with the family and stuff, i love hearing all that, even though i don´t have time to reply to all of it.  i hope brianna´s doing good, is she dating anyone yet? haha.  Also, me and my comp can go to the temple open house if we get 10 investigadors so we´re trying to invite everyone we can.  This week flew by it seems like, or at least time is going by faster, and everyone night, i can´t believe it´s night already, so that´s good.  The hardest thing for me is eating with the members sometimes, and that´s only because they talk to me and i don´t know what they´re saying alot of the time so i feel bad, like i´m shunning them or something, haha, but i think they all understand.  I just try and be happy all the time, and that´s the best  solution. 

My companion´s great, he´s so friendly to everyone, and he loves talking to people.  Also, it seems like he has an answer for every question, so i´m trying to learn all that i can from him, especially how to talk to people, how to get return dates, how to interact basically.  He´s good at those kinds of things, and at not being intimidated by other people, that´s mostly probably cause he speaks spanish though, haha.   he´s a funny elder though, and that´s funner than being with someone that´s dead serious, but he is also serious when it comes to the gospel and those kinds of things.  Mirna said she wants to be baptized, but said this saturday is too soon for her, but we´ll see today when we meet with her.  She also has a daughter who´s nine, and she said she would be baptized as well, so hopefully that works out, otherwise we may have to wait two weeks for them to baptized, after general conference, so we´ll try and work that out. 

There are some funny sayings here, like if somone doens´t know an answer to a question they just say  saber´ which means to know, but translated as who knows i guess, and que le vaya bien, which is travel safely basically, everyone says it, and of course provecho for meals and everything.  There´s others, o ya, people say hombre alot regardless of gender, they´re just like, si hombre or calidad hombre, even if it´s a woman, haha.  And calidad means quality, but they use it to mean cool, but everyone says it, even grandma´s.  Can you imagine G'ma saying something like ´that´s cool man´ cause i can´t, but that´s what they say, so it´s great.

Thanks for everything, i´ll try right now to send pictures, good luck with everything, and i look forward to hearing from you next week.

Love,

Elder Hansen

SEPTEMBER 12

Hey family, how is everythinjhg going.

This week was pretty good.  My pday is monday, the food here is amazing, and I haven't had a sketchy meal yet.  Our ward is so good, so we eat lunch at a member's house everday.  We eat breakfast with a lady named zoila vasquez, the bishops mom, but we pay her monthly for breakfast and for rent.  This morning we had hot chocolate that was so stinkin' good, probably the best i've had, haha.  But the apartment where we live is on the 2nd floor more or less, it's different because the streets are up and down and everywhere pretty much here, so basically is on the 2nd floor, and the building i think is four floors.  The city here is kind of similar to guatemala city it seems like.  Just hilly, and cement like houses everywhere,  But most of the houses we have been in are decent, and aren't dirt poor.  I don't really know what people do for work, just the normal stuff i guess.  IN the area where i'm at, its all city, and it's not a huge area, so we haven't ridden buses everywhere, we just walk.  I'll have to ask someone if they know where santa eulalia is.  That's cool that it's pretty close, and also I think Barrias is close, or whatever it's called where Ramos was from.  But that might be closed to missionaries because it's dangerous, idk.  Things here are really mild though, at least where i'm out, because there's never any incidents, or drug people, or anything that we have run into.  Idk of anyone that's been robbed here either haha.  In the ward i'm at there's like 4 missionaries serving from that ward, and 3 more got there calls this past week, so they are a strong ward.  I think the hardest thing about the language is just trying to understand the members and stuff when we're at their house eating and stuff.  And also, i have a hard time remembering alot of people's names, because i'm not use to them, so i'm working on that.  I hope we have a baptism soon, i feel like we might.  There's this one youth named jordy that could be baptized, another older lady name Mirna, and maybe another kid named Margarito, but who knows.  Anyone, we're working hard, and i'm starting to enjoy it more and more.  It seems like my eyes are opened everyday, because at first when i came here, it's just surreal because everything is so new and stuff, but now i'm starting to get more used to it so it's good.  that's so funny that they call jared bruce junior, haha, It seem sweird to hear my name, cause i don't feel like a bruce anymore, elder hansen is just normal now, haha. It's great though, I hope all goes well with marissa and the baby, and especially with aunt colleen, tell her sienta mejor, from Bruce.  I hope all goes well this week, and give everyone my best.  Also, could you do me a favor, if you don't have time it's alright, but  i want the emails for ferny, kris, and Zach, and bryce, just because now i can e'mail them,and i 'm not sure what their email is exactly.  Thanks for everything, and have a good week.  Thanks for the prayers.  Love you all, good luck with harvest.

Love,

Elder Hansen

SEPTEMBER 5

Hey family,

how is everything going.  This week was kind of crazy being the first one and everything.  I'm serving in Huehuetenango in the area Brasilia and ward Calvario.  My companion is latino we speaks no english, and his name is Elder Rodriguez.  He's from San marcos in Guatemala.  He's good, but i feel like he's still not sure what the mission is all about, which is pretty understandable because he hasn't been a member that long, but he does have a strong testimony. He got in a bible bash with a lady, and was really confrontational with her, and I felt so uncomfortable in the lesson.  But that's not what the gospel is all about, it's about them feeling the spirit, and them desiring to hear more, not bashing on other people's relgion and everything.  But I think the rest of the time has been pretty good.  Time is kind of slow, so you know what that means.  Dont' worry though, i'm doing good, and all your support helps me so much, just to think that you want me to succeed and are rooting for me.  I hope i can grow during this time, and that I can learn spanish, and work as hard as I can to share this with others.  Anytime we don't work, everything feels slow, and I am seriously anxious to just go work.  Coming from the farm, as well as the CCm, i'm not used to just chatting with people.  I'm glad everything is going good at home.  I'm happy that Malea was able to be blessed this week.  I do have everything i need, and my bedding is fine, i think i just left the bed sheet or something, which i don't need anyway because i have two flat sheets.  The food here is so good, and we usually have lunch and dinner everyday with a member.  I feel spoiled because we haven't cooked once, but that's good though. The trip to xela was about 4 hours, we rode a little bus over there with about 15 of us then we got to the mission home, chatted, and then stayed the night in a hotel.  The next day, we got up and then had a meeting, and then rode a chicken bus for about two and a half hours to huehue.  the whole day was pretty fun.  You probably finished up grain harvest today, so that's awesome, good luck with potatoes, and I hope all goes well with that.  I have  testimony of this work, and am trying my hardest every day to understand how it works, and to understand the what i need to do.  Thanks for everything and for your support, and I know that this church is true, and it's message is powerful. Love you all and I hope to hear from you next week. 

Love,

Elder Hansen

AUGUST 29

family,

how is everything going.  Sorry for writing right now, i wasnt sure when we would be writing, but seriously no worries, maybe you can dear elder and it will arrive this week, but if not, that's alright, i will read last week's letter and it will still serve me good.  The days seem long so i can't remember what i did in the morning, let alone what i read in the letter last week, haha.  No, i enjoy hearing from you, and i hope that everything is going good.  All the latinos left today, except for a couple that are going to serve inside guatemala.  It was pretty emotional for all of them it seemed like, and we had a good departure devotional.  I really got to be close with acouple of them, and they were awesome.  They helped me out alot with espanol.  This week has seemed to be kind of slower for me in spanish though.  I think because alot of other things were going on, so i didnt have as much time as i would have liked to study spanish and stuff, but it's alright, i've heard that in the field it's alot easier and helpful to learn spanish, even more than the mtc.  It's hard to tr4ack your progress in the ccm, just because you don't have a moment to reflect as much, but i know i've come a long way in everything, so it's good.  I'm not worried about spanish, i'm just worried about learning the gospel and everything else.  i have written in my journal quite a bit, probably every two or three days here, but there's not much time, but i'm gonna try and write more in it. 

    I had a good experience with my companion Elder Lund when we were teaching in what is called CRE.  i can't remember what it stands for, but it's basically practicing teaching, and usually it's with a teacher who plays a role of someone they knew, or someone they know.  But this week, one of our teachers invited her friend, cousin, and sister and stuff to volunteer for this.  My and my companion taught her friend, he is really active in the church, so we taught him about prayer, the importance of reading the scriptures, and the atonement, and it went really good.  He said he felt really good, and thanked us, but that was my good spiritual experience for the week.  BTW, kind of how the CCm works, is there's three groups of people, the nortes viejos, nortes nuevos, y latinamericanos.  The latins leave always with the old nortes.  The way they have it now is any sisters serving in centroamerica come here after three weeks in provo, and any Elders serving in GUATEMALA come here after three weeks in provo.  I think they're starting to change that next month or something.  I think now they will have any elder or sister serving in all of centroamerica will come here after three weeks in provo, so that will be really exciting.  I think i've come to be really close with mostly everyone in the old norte group.  We're all going to serve in either Quetzaltenango or retalhuleu.  Tomorrow i think we're leaving at about 8 in the morning after we eat breakfast, so i'm packing right now, and my bags weight a ton, so im glad that i dont have to fly, like some do to go to panamá or to salvador and everywhere else.  i like living off nothing, cause all the clothes i have to pack are just some church shirts and pants, and a couple of t'shirts, so that's good.  I'm really not nervous right now, just anxious to see who my companion is and to see what the mission is actually about.  It's seemed like a long two months ( yes, today is my two month mark), but at the same time looking back, idk where the time went.  Where heard a talk by Elder Holland called no regrets, and as always, he made me feel guilty that i need to be working harder and need to pick up and not let a moment of the mission pass me by.  I want to work the best i can, and change the most that i can. 

   i'm excited for the temple dedication, although it is a ways off.  It's on dec. 11, and i heard that it is so beautiful. It's up on a hill and at night you can see it from everywhere, so that's cool.  The first area i want to go, honestly, is Quiche, i think that would be awesome.  Hey, you should forward me shane's e'mails when you get them, i would like to read them also.  Everything is good here, though, and i think i'm as ready as i could be.  It feels like every place i go is like home, so it's hard to leave everyone and everything for just one companion, but i'm excited to leave this couple hundred square yard area or whatever it is haha.  Let me know how everything is with harvest and if you got done.  I just realized it's two days or whatever until september, so good luck with potato harvest.  Tell me how romney, jared and alysha are and anyone else you can think of.  I know this gospel is true, and hope that i will have strength and faith to share that with others.  I've realized it's all about faith, but not only in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, but faith in yourself.  The days i think i can't do it, it's true.  I know it's kind of a cliche saying, but it's a different thing to try and put it into action, but it makes life easier when you do.  Good luck with everything, and thanks for the candy and postcards and pictures.  I gave the postcards to these two lationos, and they love especially the potato one haha. Life's great, and have a good time and enjoy this week. Adios, y disfruten todos que hagan.  Se que esta semana irá rapido, y espero oir de ustedes proximo semana. 

Love,

Elder Hansen

that was when I realized I could understand spanish...

hey family,

it's good to hear from you all.  i didnt get that package yet, but im sure it will come this week.  if not dont worry about it because 4they said that they would forward anything that came our way after we left... i think, haha.  But i think my p day is probably next wednesday, im not sure though, but ya im pretty sure i'll email you on wednesday, or so because im leaving tuesday in the morning probably around 8, thats when the last group left anyway.  i just got a haircut today, so thats exciting, the guatemalan barbers that they have come here are really fast haha.  it rained quite a bit too.  We're driving to quetzaltenango.  im pretty sure that the mission presdient drives up or something and gets us all.  i heard it was only 4 maybe 5 hours drive from the city.  Its really not that far, it's just that its up in the mounatins, so im sure some roads are rough or something.  i'm glad to hear that grain harvest is going good without me, haha.  Driving combine and everything is fun.  i hope jared and alysha had a good first few days.  thats so crazy that they started school already.  this past month has flown by, i think alot faster than the first month.  im excited to go into the field and anxious to see who my companion is and everything.  on monday we went out contacting again.  We werent sure if we were going to, but we ended up going to a place a little ways away called camp marte, Aunt jody may know it.  I think we talked to about 5 people, and we got three referalls.  One guy let us into his house and we talked to him.  He just said he's happy with his church and is glad that we're out teaching the gospel and stuff.  I asked him if he had a family, and then told him that in our church, families are able to be together forever.  I think the spirit was there, so maybe he will have some interest in the church.  Idk, im still new at this, haha, but i'll eventually get a grasp on things.  This week was really good for language.  A primary group came, they do every two or three weeks or something, and a couple of latin missionaries talked to them, and i understood almost everything that they said.  That was when i realized i could understand spanish.  It was great, and ever since then, i've been able to understad alot of what the latinos say.  In church and everything, or when President Steimle talks, I can understand almost everything they say.  I seriously need to widen my vocabulary though, and i know that that will come with time, but as far as gospel stuff and in class, i can understand alot.  That doesnt mean i can speak it though, its just getting used to structuring some sentences and how to put words together that i need to work on.

     When we went contacting, it was just me and my companion Elder Lund going with each other, so that was a little nerve racking at first, but i knew that i would have help.  He's still working on his spanish, and he's a great companion to have.  President Steimle had a friend come over and tell his conversion story to us last night in a meeting.  He was from Argentina and he and his wife talked.  President Steimle read out of his journal a part where he baptized a family, and one kids name was Carlos.  They guy that was there last night was Carlos, and he and his wife are going to serve as counselors or something, idk, for the costa rican temple. It was cool just to see how long friendships can last aftr a mission, and how much good that Carlos had done in his life because of his conversion. 

     Today i went to the temple and it was good, the last time until quetzaltenango gets dedicated, which i believe is on the 11 of december, this Elder from San Marcos told me.  So i found a new love here, and that's candy haha.  This little store comes to the ccm every week and sells lots of stuff along with candy, and it's like i have a sweet shortage or something because it's the only thing on my mind when prep day comes.  But the food here is seriously really good, and i have ice cream every meal, except breakfast, so i dont know why i feel like i'm lacking on sugar, but i guess i am.  i dont know if i have gained weight, my jeans are a little tight, but that's probably the last thing on my mind anyway.  But ya, just a random though for you about my life haha.  Thanks for sending me those addresses and i hope you were able to add elder deuel as one of my friends.  One more address, what is shane's, i feel like i should write him more than one time as he's on  his mission, so that would be great.  I think everything is good here, once i get to quetzaltenango, i'll try and send you some pictures of the ccm and stuff, and the view from my classroom and bedroom.  i hope i can be a good missionary, and help people understand the importance of this work.  I know that it's true, here in the mission that's all i think about is the gospel, so i'm always looking for answers, and for ways i will be able to help investigators.  Love you all, and good to hear about the teachers that jared and alysha have.  I love bowen and hallie, and it's so fun to hear about them, i hope my spanish can be as good as his english.  Have a good week, and next time, which is weird to think about, i'll be writing from the field hopefully.  Thanks for your supports, tell everyone hi. 

love yo uall,

love,

Elder Hansen

the CCM

Hey family,

sounds like everything's going well for you.  The ccm is good, the weather has been the same.  not much has happened i guess.  The new elders came in, so that was good.  They all seem young, even though they're the same age, but i feel like there's a difference.  my companion is from gunnison utah, and i think their family ranches or something.  his brother just got finished with his mission in mozambique, and his parents went to go pick him up, so i feel bad that he's mission out on that, but he wants to ask the president if he can skype him or something.  his name btw is elder sage lund, and he's going to the retalhuleu mission.   I saw pictures of Malea (I think that's her name, please, please, forgive me tanner and marissa if thats wrong haha, so many things go on here, i cant remember what i did an hour ago sometimes haha)  I was able to print them out, but her hair is so thick, that's ridiculous, but im excited for them. 

     So we moved classrooms finally.  We had one upstairs with no windows that was probably the size of the piano room.  Being in there for like 4 hours a day was almost depressing haha.  But we moved downstairs, and from my seat i just look up and can see the angel moroni on top of the temple, so it's awesome.  Idk if i told you but we got new cooks, and the food is pretty good.  im always hungry after i eat for some reason, haha, maybe im gaining weight or something, i feel fat, but im gonna lose weight in the field probably so thats alright.  Im super excited to go into the field right now.  only 13 days left, and im ready to go wherever.  i cant believe its almost here though.  It doesnt really feel like im on a mission right now, just because im studying all day and everything, which is good and important, but im excited to get to the real deal full time.  Last night we heard a talk from Elder Holland that basically made me feel really guilty, haha.  It was so good though, he gave it at the Mtc last year, and he just talked about how important this work really is, and the power that we actually do have as missionaries, and it was a great booster to me.  I think im going to waterproof my shoes next prep day, but idk if i can waterproof my church shoes, and i might have asked you this already, so just let me know in the e'mail next week and ill read the directions for sure on the waterproofing bottle.  One more thing, you sent me the mission home address (and is that for packages, letters or both) but whats the pouch address too?

I was able to print off your letter beforehand so i have some time to think for a little bit haha.  I dont think i really miss those chores, especially in such hot weather.  But at times it would be nice to go and pull some weeds in the yard or something, but i did enjoy it even if it seemed like i didnt hah. oh ya also, in the letter you said you gave them your address, was that dear elder or who, haha, i wasnt sure, but no big deal.  I feel bad that Jeffrey Gomez has to wait so long, but he's gonna enjoy it i think.  Remember my friend Fernando Perez from BYU? hes goingto guat south, but i think he's coming in a day after i leave, so thats a bummer, but he might not actually come to the CCM because he already kind of speaks spanish, but i would have loved to see him anyway.  Im sorry jared and alysha that school is starting soon.  But please enjoy it, especially you jared, i liked high school.  just enjoy where you're at, and life will be great.  Be sure to let me know who your teachers are and everything.   I knew that romney was staying where i was, i pretty  much told him to, but i hope he has a good time, I did for sure, he'll be really good friends with everybody on the floor. 

   Practicing teaching and everything is going good.  I dont have all the lessons learned good enough to teach in spanish, but im working on it.  Me and my companion have pretty good teamwork, so our lessons go well.  Jared can honestly just read preach my gospel.  Its such a good book, i wish i would have studied it more and gain a stronger testimony of it, but he can read that and do what he knows is good, and be happy, hahah.  thats something everybody needs haha.  i think taking spanish in high school helped, so tell him to work hard at it next year when he takes spanish, and that would be fine just to take it junior and senior year, unless he wants to take it this year, that's when i took it anyway.  the trip to guat. helped some, and that was fun too, i m glad i went.  Well family,  everything is going good, and im still trying to figure things out, but i keep pressing on.  When i think about the family back home supporting me its a big help.  Everyone have fun, and im glad that the wheat harvest is going well.  I miss driving combine and truck right now, but i dont see how that could be better than missionary work.  Thanks for all your help, and for being such a good family, especially you mom and dad.  Im trying to do my best, and i miss you all but love you all.  Tell anyone you see hi for me.  And try and help the missionaries out in the ward with refrences or anything, sit in on a lesson with someone, and i think that will help alot. 

love,

Elder Hansen

Week of the 9th

Family,

how's everything going.  i feel bad that i wont receive your email, but i have alot to share with you, so its alright.  its been a pretty active week.  first off, my companion went home. i dont really know what for, he just told me a family emergency, so it was kind of mysterious, but no big deal.  he felt bad, and so did i, but he said he was gonna come back when he could, so i hope he can.  do me a favor, will you and add him on my FB.  do you remember my password and username? if so, his name is Preston Deuel, (yes de u e l) and hes from payson utah.  just add him, and then he can look at my pictures and stuff like that. 

  also, the CCM has a website.  I believe that it is  guatemalaccm.com  if not, then maybe google it or something, and get on and look at the pictures and stuff on there.  I am also in a video, the song is something like the la luz de something, idk, but im playing the piano, even though you cant see me, and its with a bunch of missionaries in front standing and singing, so get on and see if that works, that would be cool.  So this computer keeps freezing, ill try and get everything.  Next you can dear elder to the mtc down here for free i believe, just send it and they print it off here, so you can tell everyone that, and i receive those thursday.  you can also, i think, dear elder to my mission, but i think it costs the cost of a stamp to go to salt lake, and then pouch down to my mission.  Also, be sure to send me my mission home address. 

    You should look up a few things on the internet.  First,hear aboutthe elder that got his arm bitten or something by a lion, down here in Guatemala, i think few weeks ago, but im not sure, and also look up whats goin on with the election down here, ive just heard stories and stuff but idk whats up.  Today we went to the museo flores, because all the other elders and sisters left today, so theres only about 30 or so of us at the CCm right now and so today was my prep day.  Tomorrow, new elders are coming down, so that will be cool.  BTW the museo flores was cool and we went to the mall in guat city.  it was gigantic, one of the biggest malls ive been in,  so it was cool to see that right in the middle of guatemala city.  before that though, we went to the relief map, which is a gigantic map that's to scale of the whole country of guatemala, idk if you have seen it, but its pretty cool.  its about 20 yards or so acros, and 25 the other way.  after that we went to central market, and i just bought a jersey, cause i know that im gonna be able to buy a bunch of stuff in my mission.  it was weird to be back there, cause it seemed like i was  just there.  it was also weird because when we went, we saw the missionaries, so it was cool to be the missionary this time.  We also saw other missionaries, one set was going home and wednesday and the other set had been out for a year. 

    Today i pulled some money out of the atm, so will you just check on my bank account and make sure my money hasnt been laundered or something.  Will you also ask aunt jody if you can wash those hand knit sweaters that are so popular down here.  i think landon got one last year, im just wondering because an bought one today, and he didnt know if he could wash it or what.  im liking the CCm alot.  It seems like the spanish is off and on sometimes, but if i talk alot and hear alot of spanish, then its easier to understand and everything.  today i didnt really talk alot, because i was with gringos all day, but when the next latinos come, it will be better.  idk what else is up.  my companion and i are now the zone and district leaders, and the other two elders, my old compa Elbench and his comp kekayoha o something are the assistants to the pres.  im excited to go to my mission now, i know that the ccm time is going fly by, so im gonna try and take advantage of it.  i think im only going to be emailing two more times from heree and the third time will be in my area.  one more request, will you send me 4 pictures of el mirador that i took last year.  they will be on my external hard drive which should be in one of my boxes.  the'll be stored under guatemalan pictures or something like that.  i really want the picture of the 'swimmer' that was carved on the side of a wall, technically its a ditch, but just looks like a wall.  so if you could send 1 or 2 of those and then 2 or 3 more, that would be awesome.  Well, tomorrow im going to the temple, so im excited for that.  if you wanna send a dear elder this week instead of an email that would be awesome, but no biggee if you cant.  i dont have a mail box number or anything, i think my name should just be located on there or something.  thanks for yor support and love.  im having a great time and hope to make it better.  btw we got new cooks, and i think they are better than the last ones, so im excited for that, i love you all and hope everything is going good at home.  Jared and alysha have a fun rest of the summer and take advantage of it, go swimming and boating, but be careful, especially jared while you work on the farm.  love you and tell everyone hi for me and that im doin good.

love you all,

love,

Elder Hansen