September 29 2014

My Dearest Family,

   This week we had inter-cambios again and this time I got to stay in Country and Hna Ludlow came to visit me for a day. It was super fun and I didn't realize how much I've missed speaking English until she came. I learned a couple things from her, 1. The time passes by so quickly on the mission so we have to take advantage of every moment and enjoy it and use the time we are given wisely and 2. In the mission I've learned to have a different idea of what is clean and what is dirty. For example in the morning sometimes I pour out my cereal and find ants in, but we've found that the best solution is to just pour in the milk wait about 6 seconds for all the ants to run out and then enjoy the wonderful, nutritious bowl of cereal.... Ya, I don't think I ever would have done that at home, but you do what you gotta do in the mission.

   Also, we had a baptism this week!!! His name is Diego and he's 9 years old. His mom is a recent convert also, but they were super wonderful and supportive in his baptism. His dad, Orlin, spoke and shared a brief, but powerful testimony about the temple and the desire he has to go there with his wife and family someday. It was a  beautiful heart-touching testimony. Watching one of your converts get baptized is one of the most rewarding things that can happen on the mission.

   My companion and I have also learned this week that it is better to be direct when teaching rather than beat-around-the-bush. The scriptures tell us (in 1 Nephi) that the wicked will take the truth to be hard, but in D&C it tells us that God's chosen will hear word and accept the invitation to repent and be baptized. So when we teach directly we are able to find out if the people we are teaching are chosen or if it isn't quite their time yet. I really love being a missionary and love sharing the gospel with others everyday. Sometimes it's a little frustrating and we have our low times, but the baptisms and high times more than make up for those rough days. I love you all so much!

Con Amor,

Hermana Hansen