Notice the street sign!

My companion took this picture

June 24 - Email

   I am still in the same area with my same companion :) The sister who was suppose to come here got sick or something. I am learning to love Yuma a lot more! The Colorado River is here, everyone goes and hangs out on that. There is Mexico and their wonderful beaches, two hours away. San Diego is two hours away. The mountains are two hours away and they have sand dunes right here. It's awesome...well, if I could actually do any of that stuff, haha. Okay, guess what one ward did for girls camp? They went to Newport, California and stayed in a beach house!!! Oh my, what kind of girls camp is that?!?! I am so jealous!
   Did you watch the broadcast last night? It is such a blessing to now have the church doors open all the time! They would not give us a key here and we always are by the church which is totally across town and we always want to go in there to get out of the heat or use the bathroom or give tours or something. Also, I knew the technology was coming because the sister training leaders and the missionary assistants to the president all have Ipads and Iphones. It is great about how soon everything is happening! It is amazing! These are the last days!!! It is such a privilege to be a missionary at this time!
   Guess what?!! We have probably at least three people getting baptized in one ward in July :) Yay!!! The Lord is blessing us for our work! Hey, remember to share the gospel. :) It helps so much to have the members help!

June 17 - Email

   Big News!!! I am being transferred this Wednesday. I will still be in the Yuma area, which I am so pleased about, but not in the exact same area. I love change here! It is so fun! I was so excited, it was like Christmas   finding out if we are transferring or not! haha

   Personal weaknesses become so much more noticeable on a mission. This has been so hard for me because I want and feel like I need to be perfect, so I can teach those people that the Lord has prepared. I also have been praying and seeking diligently to retain and remember all the information I am learning. That is one weakness that is shining above all, on my mission. It drives me crazy because I study so hard and still can't remember all the language and gospel teachings. During Relief Society on Sunday, we were singing "Lead Me into Life Eternal." In that song, a phrase stood out and touched my heart. "Give me faith, the greater knowledge." I was inspired that the Lord wanted me to know that having faith is the greater knowledge.

Poem by Kayla (probably her favorite)

Mirror Image

Look at the person staring back at you.

Recognize who they are.

Recognize that they are a child of God.

Recognize that they once lived with their Father.

Look at the person staring back at you.

Realize who they can become.

Realize the gifts that God has given them.

Realize the ability they have to overcome the world.

Look at the person staring back at you.

Remember why they are here.

Remember that their sins are atoned for.

Remember that Jesus Christ is their Savior.

Look at the person staring back at you.

Notice that this is you.

June 5 - Letter

   Remember how I thought it was going to be hard to go to sleep at 10:30 pm and wake up at 6:30 am? Well, it is the easiest thing on the mission, so far!
   On P-day we cleansed the entire house, took forever! So our trailer is finally nice, clean, and peaceful. Remember in the MTC when I said, "Oh, I love elders, they are so great!" Well, I definitely take that back after cleaning a trailer that has only had elders in it for years! Nast!!! There were socks everywhere, a box for a remote controlled car, nerf bullets, just tons of junk! This lady in the Mesa Del Sol Ward offered to come and help. She is so nice. She was a huge help and we couldn't have done it without her!
   It is HOT here! And everyone says it just gets worse! Oh, boy! Which makes our job hard to find people outside. Even when the sun goes down and we are walking, I am sweating. We have an orange tree in our back yard. It is really yummy! And a pomegranate tree, but those aren't ripe yet.
   Oh, this is so funny! It is also so awkward, when we knock on a door and a guy answers without a shirt on. Let me tell you, sometimes I want to turn around and puke. But other times, my companion and I just freeze up and can't talk because it is so awkward! Haha We always laugh about it!

Notice the temperature!!!

First baptism, but really we can't take credit for it because we only taught her once.

We just reviewed everything, pretty much.

Poem by Kayla

A young girl in a big old world

Searching for truth, searching for God

Lost in a place full of evil and sin

Knowing this isn't the hearts way of desire

To start all over, to start again,

may be the hardest thing she has ever done

Turning her life away from family and friends

She tries to avoid the thought, in doubt, in fear

Paving the way before her is God the Father and His Son

A young girl found, with an open heart and a way prepared

Having faith in Christ and giving all she's got

God's love is shown, God didn't forget, His daughter

Setting an example to all of those nonbelievers

June 3 - Email

So everyone always says I sleep talk. Well, my companion said that the other night I was asking different questions (like missionary contacting questions)! haha  And last night, I woke up while I was sleep talking. I was doing a role play lesson by myself. Here we do so many role plays that I'm beginning to hate them, but they help us practice what we need to say in a lesson. Apparently, I think that I must need a lot more practice because I continue to do them while I sleep. haha  I always wake up and think "What the heck am I doing? Just go to sleep Sister Hansen!"