Second week at the CCM

Quero Familia y Amigos,

This second week at the CCM just flew by! Everyone here kept telling us that once we made it to our first p-day that the days would just fly by and it is so true! I feel like I was just barely sitting at this same computer answering everyone's e-mails. I am already 1/3 of the way done with my stay at the CCM which is so crazy, because I still feel like I have so much to learn. I may have already told you this, but my Districto is amazing! And so is my companion. My companions name is Hermana Grow and she is so great and motivates me to be better every day. She is from Mesa, AZ. She took some Spanish in High School before coming so she has been a huge help when it comes to learning and applying the language. This week we finally gave a lesson (completely in Spanish) that we both felt really good about. It gave me a slight bit of hope that I actually am catching onto the language and that one day I will be fluent in Spanish. The gift of tongues is so real! If it wasn't real there would be no way that I could know and speak as much Spanish as I can now after only 2 weeks. All I can say is that God watches out for and takes care of each of his children here on the earth.

So the cool pass time here at the CCM is breaking apples in half with your hands. Our elders started doing it first and then we all made a goal to do it. Once everyone had accomplished that the new goal now is to be able to break an apple in half with only one hand.... I haven't quite mastered that one yet, but don't you worry because before I leave the CCM I will be a master at that too! Since I'm on the subject of food, the food here is actually pretty good. Occasionally they serve meat that we don't actually know what it is, but most of the time it's pretty good. Also in La Tienda (the little bookstore here) they sell Bueno's!!! And for those of you who don't know what those are they are a candy bar that I had while in the Turkish airport a while a back. Crazy enough they also had them a few select stores in Provo. They're like a chocolate covered crispy candy bar that has a hazelnut filling... I think it's hazelnut anyway. But that doesn't matter, because they are so delicious!

We had a few devotionals and church meetings and things this week and I want to share with you what I've learned. First off... one sister made a comment and said, "We only have a short time to serve, but we have an eternity to look back on it." This is so true! I only have 18 months to completely devote all my time to God and what he wants me to do. I want to go throughout my mission and have no regrets! But this doesn't just apply to missions. Live life to its fullest... we are only on earth for a short period of time and I do not want to regret any of my time. I want to be able to look back one day and say Ya I lived a good life! Don't take for granted the little things in life, because one day you'll look back and realize what a bit influence those little things had on the course of your life. While on my mission I want to give my whole self to god and be a tool in his hands to bring his lost sheep back to the fold. This goes perfectly with 1 Nephi 8. That is the chapter describing Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. We, like Lehi, know that the fruit of the tree is most desirable over any other and that we must partake in order in order to have true happiness in our lives. This is why it is so hard when we see family members and friends struggling with the church, because we know that if they would just partake of the fruit and come unto Christ again that they would have that true happiness in their life. This is something that motivates me to try to become the best missionary I possible can so I can help others find their way to the iron rod. I love you all so very much and think of you constantly. I know that I'm out here for a reason. Even if the only reason I can see right now is that I love God and want to serve him. The church is true.

 

Love,

Hermana Hansen