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