September 15 - Email

    I am freaking out, for real! I don't think you can understand how nervous I am. Every time I see an airplane I get so much anxiety and just look away. Not good because we live right by an airport... 

Don't get me wrong, I am really excited to see you and everyone, it makes me really happy how close it is to see my family and friends again. 

   It was really cool because we went to a home of a less active/ active family yesterday. Right after we shared our testimonies about Christ and we were finishing the lesson, the husband(active) of the less-active lady turns to us and says "It is really amazing that you came and shared exactly what we needed at the exact time we needed it. This shows me that you truly have the spirit with you." This family has gone through a lot lately and they are really pushing through the best they can.

  This month I have been fasting and praying for it to be the most spiritual month I have ever had. A few days ago, I received some amazing personal revelation that has changed a lot of the way I view the decisions I am making. The future is kind of a scary thing to think about because it is unknown, but I am excited and I need not fear if I have the Lord with me. 

   We have a baptism this next Friday for Pablo, he is 15 years old, and of a part member family. Also, this Saturday Elder D. Todd Christofferson is coming to our mission along with some other general authorities. I have truly been so blessed, I can not believe it. 

My first pedicure in a year and a half.

Notice the missionary tan lines

Having fun in Phoenix

September 8 - Email

   I told my companion that I wish that being a missionary could be a career because that is what I would do!! A lot has been hitting me lately too, just a lot more stress because of all the decisions that are coming up. It is stressing me out, but it is okay because I am working hard and trying not to think of those things. I have been preparing for those hard moments and those tough decisions by making my choices now, of which way I will choose, and who I want to become.

   Haha ,oh man, you will all be probably so sick of me by the first few days. It is just that during this transfer, I have really realized how weird I am, haha.  Seriously, it is because I've noticed in lessons it has become harder for me to relate to people because I have been out of the world for so long. I just always accidentally say random missionary stuff, when I am trying to say normal things. Who knows I am crazy, whatever. I'll just be more awkward, it is fine.

   The last couple days it has rained so so much, it is crazy!! Everywhere is flooded. Kind of cool though, I love the rain here. It is like a record-breaking rain, though! It rained all night and I woke up because I sleep right by the window. It was so loud, the thunder and everything. All the sisters were angry that I didn't wake them up for it, because they slept right through. There are cars that are totally underwater, it is crazy!! But we are safe no worries! Today, we got pedicures, it was so nice. My feet were nasty, though. I felt so bad because I hadn't taken care of them for a year and a half.

   Ciana and Junior were baptized on Saturday!! They are the cutest!! Because they are kids, I thought the water didn't need to be so high and I put it like 6-8 inches lower than it usually is... Well haha, when they got in the water it was like mid-thigh. It was so funny. But all worked well, they were baptized, even though it was three tries for Junior. Elder Norton, the one that was baptizing him had to step on his feet to keep his legs in the water. Also, 20 minutes before the baptism, our ward mission leader calls us and says that he wouldn't be able to make it. He was conducting. He then told us the bishop wouldn't be there either, he was the one that was going to baptize Ciana haha. It was a mess. But it is how Spanish wards are, and they are use to everything being last minute.

   We had a Zone meeting this week and it was weird not being the one training. But, it was really nice. I learned a lot. We talked about how instead of planning what we do, plan who we want to be. We talked about the difference between to do and to be. It really helped me understand how important these choices will be in who I become in my life. Well, that is about it this week I think. Sorry so boring.

September 1 - Email

   I'm not feeling too well, so sorry if this is short again, but everything's okay. I just have had a bad headache. And I was emailing President Toone, and it is Labor Day so we are emailing on our iPads which is more difficult. But anyway,this week was great! We moved into our home, It was the elders' house, so it was gross nasty but whatever, I like to clean :) We were so dead tired from moving and cleaning everything, it was crazy!!

   On Thursday, we had a mission conference thing with Elder and Sister Schwitzer. He is from the quorum of the seventy. It was so amazing!!! I received a lot of personal revelation. Elder Schwitzer also interviewed a few missionaries, I asked President Toone, as I was waiting to be interviewed, how he chose whom he was interviewing. President Toone said that he gave Elder Schwitzer the missionary book full of all the missionaries with their photos. And Elder Schwitzer just pointed to some missionaries and said "I want to meet with them, and them..." And that is how I was chosen.

Kind of amazing because the other missionaries I was standing by were missionaries that I knew have been working hard and are amazing missionaries. I thought the interview would be some hard questions or something, but he asked me questions that were nothing about my mission. He did tell me to make sure I get a calling when I get home. At the end of the interview, I remembered something that Elder Holland said one time. He said that when he shakes our hands, he interviews us. That is all they need to do to understand who we are and to know us. Just from a handshake he can tell who is struggling, or anything, he can tell who we are. So I am sure just from those short interviews that were nothing about the mission, told him everything. I was honored to be there, but I think I blew the interview.

   We went to the visitors center on Saturday, it was with Ciana and Junior and Franke and their grandma. It was really great!! Ciana and Junior are getting baptized this Saturday!!! :) It will be my companions first baptism :) And today we just cleaned all day as well.

August 27 - Email

AAAH I am so so sorry I don't have too much time to talk even though I have like a million and one things to say....This week has seriously been insane!

   Okay I am now starting to get really excited to see everyone, but I have to hide it so other missionaries and members don't know or they will start getting homesick and all. None of the members in this new area know that I am going home soon, which is good because than they start asking a lot of questions that will make me way too trunky. I am not trunky at all, really. I am trying to keep it cool and give it everything I got because I know I still have some refining to do for myself and for the people I serve. 

  It has been raining a lot here, twice this last week :) We played in the rain haha.  We also went to the visitors center this week with some investigators, it was awesome. I love the visitors center. We are going there when I get back. Oh my name tag was eaten by a dog... 

We put a few more people on date for baptism this past week. This ward is seriously so awesome!! So missionary minded, I am sad I only get to be here for a short while. 

I met probably my biggest role models ever, the Wikle (rhymes  with Michael's family). OH GET THIS>>> I ate Menudo for the first time... it didn't taste bad but the texture was nast!! (Menudo is the intestines of a cow) yeah...

Well, sorry for the short and nothing really letter!

August 18 - Email

   HEYY!! I am in Phoenix South now, just the ghetto no big deal ;) haha but you know I am really safe, don't worry. Our area is more safe than where the elders are and I am pretty sure my companion can protect me from anything. My companions name is Hermana Finau. She is from Hawaii, she is Tongan and she is a bunch of fun! This is only her 3rd transfer so she still has that greenie fire, it is really awesome. She is a hard worker! The first day we were together, she went and kind of laid/jumped down on her bed and it broke right in half it was the funniest thing ever!! I laughed and laughed, like the box spring broke. Ever since then she has to be really careful laying down on it. Then the next night we were getting ready to scare the other sisters that we live with, and I was so ready, but than my companion barked and I screamed because she scared me! She thought it was so so funny. Haha. We get along well, still warming up to each other slowly but, it is good. She has a temperament, which is different than what I am used to, but I just laugh at her. She left her Chapstick in the car during church and then opened it right after and it was pure liquid. It spilled all over her skirt! She was really mad and I just laughed at her and it cheers her up. It was so funny. 

   It was hard saying bye to everyone this week in Chandler, but it went well. Bishop Ferre and his family is so cool, they are such huge examples to me! I didn't get to say bye to Claudia (the one that got married just barely) because she was in Mexico with her daughter, but I said bye to her husband Fernando. And everyone else like Pedro and Ana and the Venezuelan Family. 

   Guess what, on Tuesday, Sister Savage, Sister Rogers, and I got to go to the Indian Reservation with Sister Lewis. It was so cool!! Sister Lewis is the senior couple that is on their mission here. She is so funny!! We were riding with her and there was a little creature in the road, like a little squirrel or rat thing but I think it starts with a 'p', I forgot. Anyway, she totally swerved in the road and then looked back and said "yes! I got it!". It was so so funny, we were all laughing so hard.  We got to try real "Indian fry bread" and the lady that made it, sang to us in some Native American language. It was real pretty. The work on the reservations is so different, kind of like the Spanish work, but still is so different. It was fun to learn from Sister Lewis and from the people there. That evening it rained, I loved it! 

  Hermana Savage got her trainee on Wednesday, she is the girl that commented on my blog that she wants to be companions with me, I don't know if you ever saw that. But I am excited for Sister Savage to be with her, her first name is Alexis, but I forgot her last name. It was weird at transfers because we were like the oldest sisters there, not in age wise but in mission age. I never thought I would get to this point so fast. At the beginning I looked at those old sisters and didn't even understand how they were already so far along. It is crazy to be one of those sisters. I almost got away with my new companion not knowing how long I have been out, but another girl that we live with (Sister Stirm) somehow knew it was my last transfer. Hermana Finau didn't know for about 4 hrs, so that was pretty good. I hope none of the ward finds out though because then they will mention it all the time, and I don't like to think about it. We also live with Sister Dourus, she is so cool! She reminds me a lot of Erin so I feel right at home, I felt like she was already my best friend before I even met her. She is really chill and funny! She is from Utah like West Jordan I think. 

   I got super sick, the beginning of the week my throat was really sore, but I thought it would go away, nope. I also got a super awful cold/sinus infection. I am getting better slowly. My companion made me rest, like all of Friday, which was probably good for me. I just felt bad coming to a new area and being all gross while meeting so many new people. Not a good first impression haha. I just wanted to get out to work in this area and then I got stricken by sickness... sad days but I am getting better! I am ready to work as hard as I can for these last weeks because you know what, I can rest later! 

   On Friday, for weekly planning with the zone, well it is weird because I don't know very many people in the zone. I know the zone leaders and the sister training leaders and that is about it, that I know. But it is really fun to get to know new people!! Well I know my district leader, too. Anyway, on Friday, we were doing introductions and one of the questions we were to answer was an embarrassing moment on our mission. It comes to my turn and Elder Vorkink says "Alright Sister Hansen we have 20 minutes for your embarrassing moments..." haha oh man, my reputation of just being an embarrassing  awkward and clumsy person just never fails hahaha. 

   On Saturday we Skyped into a baptism that my companion taught, he is one of her friends that she taught through Facebook. I thought it was so so cool! My companion is really good at working on Facebook, it is a lot harder for me, I just would rather be in person I guess. 

   The church building here is so different, it has a little outside court yard in the middle and has a downstairs, it is strange but cool! A lot hotter. I think I am really going to like this ward, everyone is super friendly and super missionary minded. It is a pretty big ward and a lot of active members. 

Last night we went to the mission president's fireside and brought some investigators. They are from Guatemala and I seriously want to visit Guatemala now!! haha I had a full on 20 minute conversation with them in total Spanish on the way there and back, 40 minutes!! Can you believe that! It is amazing to notice the growth I have had. And I just realized I dreamt in Spanish last night!! What the! haha that's cool! 

The fields are ready to harvest!

August 11 - Email

  I am going to pack because I am sadly leaving Chandler/Gilbert to another place in the Lord's vineyard. I thought I was going to stay, so I am really sad. For most people, 4 transfers in one area seems like a long time, but I feel like I just got here. I am also stepping down from being a sister training leader to do a "special assignment" to help a companion that is struggling. President Toone said that she has just finished being trained, but wasn't trained very well, and she is really struggling to learn Spanish. When he said this, I honestly don't know how I can help a sister learn Spanish when I don't know it myself. But, I have gone through the same issues as her, but I don't know how much hope she will have from being with me. This week has been kind of really hard, personally. I feel that the adversary has really been playing with my mind and I have been feeling so much doubt in myself, in my teaching skills, in my Spanish, in my personality, in everything. No one knew I was struggling but it was really holding me back. I feel like I don't know any Spanish, so to get this call last night was extremely hard for me. But, I had to hold it together because my companion broke down. We wanted to stay together and she is training and feels inadequate as well, so I had to hold myself together and comfort her. This last transfer is going to be the best transfer of my whole mission. I know it. I am going to work hard! I am going to give it my all and I will not give in or give up. I am strong and I know that this transfer will also be trialing, I know that Satan is going to want to crush me right before I go home and Heavenly Father is going to want to try me and perfect me to be strong enough to be in the world again.

We made a fort last night with the other sisters that live with us.

We changed a woman's day on Thursday and maybe her life. Her name is Terry.

We had hot dogs with our zone on Friday

Gilbert Rocks!!! Our zone... I am the long shaped Tiffany blue and orange necklace one and my companion is the purple one right under.

Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders

Rocks made of President and Sister Toone