Week 7 //

Week two gone by already... santo gatos... But this week has been a lot better. Ive learned a lot about myself and this gospel just over these past couple of weeks. I love it. Im starting to settle in here now. Its definetly taken some getting used to and it still is but overall Im doing great. haha now when things get weird here, like when I butcher spanish or when some drunk guy is staring at you with the weirdest look on his face as he keeps drinking his wine, or when motorcycles sound like gun shots. I always find a way to laugh about it after. Because in reality it is quite funny haha. 

Argentina is great. The people are great. The foooood is soooo good. We taught a lot of lessons this last week and met with a lot of menos activos and have been working with them to go to church again. Theres this HUGE guy here who when I first saw him and Elder Bean told me he was a less active I wondered how the crap they got him to be baptized in the first place.... haha but this guy has a dreadlock mohawk, with shaved sides. The mohawk goes down to like mid back and the guy is pretty strong.  But he had the biggest smile and was so welcoming. aparently he used to be a bishop and even served a mission! He just had some problems with the members after he was bishop and he stopped going. So we are on his tail now and have made them promise us that they will come to church with us the sunday after general conference. Way cool guy. He and his family are one of my favorites. He always calls me the "grande yankee" (thats what they call white people down here, yankees) haha so funny. We have met some gold families who just dont go to church! its so frustrating! but they are slowly starting to come around...

Fast sunday,

Last sunday was fast sunday. I fasted, but Elder Bean didnt because he was pretty sick. Hes been sick for a few days now, but he seems to be feeling a bit better. so then we went to church and we were excited because we had had menos activos tell us that they were coming. I believe we had like 3 tell us that and only one showed up... but thats one life that is changing! So we dont even have a ward in our area! we have a branch! there were 14 people total on sunday including us 2... haha so everyone bore their testimony and then ended the meeting 10 to 15 minutes early. Then this is the best part... We all went to the kitchen and broke our fast together as a branch. Because lunch is so big here, we all had lunch together and talked! it was soo cool. And some of the old ladies (the realllllly good cooks) had already prepared all of the food. Wherever we go the old ladies always look at me before a meal and say "tu es muy flaco, tu necesita mas comida".... haha kills me everytime. I swear Ive gained at least 2 to 4 pounds in just 2 weeks. These people know how to cook!!

So Ive got some funny stories....

one is at the luncheon thing on sunday. we had a blind investigator come to eat after. one lady made these fried ball things. Like fried cake batter. best thing ever, I had like 10. But she is sitting there waving it in front of abraham, the blind guy... hahahaha just sitting there saying "coma" or "eat" and hes just sitting there staring straight not knowing what is going on... hahahaha elder bean and I and another member lost it... she was like "what is his name?" we all said abraham so she said "Abran, coma" soo funny

next,

we were waiting for a colectivo to come and these two homeless looking guys are waiting too. We start talking and find out real fast that the guy sitting down is just destroyed(super drunk) like roasted hardcore. and so he was saying that his mom died and stuff so we gave him a pamphlet about the plan of salvation saying like oh he will read it tomorrow when he is thinknig or something.. haha so then these 3 girls show up that were like 20s and he gives them this pamphlet... hahaha so we were like oh great, whatever, we tried. Got on the colectivo and it happens these girls were taking the same one. and about halfway through the ride I look over and they still are holding this pamphlet!! so I was like we gotta give them a number to call if they read it and want to know more. So elder bean writes our cell number on the back of a picture of christ and I did a little pick pocket and dropped it in a bag. haha soo cool and funny. turns out this guy was watching me the whole time and we made eye contact with this guy after and just looked at eachother for a solid minute... haha and then nothing happened. So who knows maybe we get a call sometime this week... haha imagine that conversion story.... way funny, yet kinda cool!

Anyways, Im adjusting and I am fine. I sent this to Mac, Its a little challenging everyday. I feel like crap one day? work harder. I think of home or something not mission work every now and then? work harder. I feel tired or want a break? Work harder. When I feel these I know these are the times where I can grow the most. I am so blessed to be out here on a mission at this time. I could tell you so many more stories of the humble people here. And I know that this is Gods work. I love him and Im so glad I have his name and my familys name on my chest all day everyday. Love you guys! Love this place! Thanks to everyone and their emails and kind words! I will write next week!

Elder Hansen