Week 8 //

How is everyone doing? I was able to watch conference live as well... in english!! waaaaaaat!  Me and Elder Bean both didnt want to go at all to watch in in castellano so we went into the bishops room and pulled it up on the computer, plugged in my JBL flip thing and watched it. Really cool to be able to do that! I was mad about missing ablesceevers and scones.... buut elder bean felt the same about his family traditions at general conference time. So we made some fancy french toast in the morning.... and bought snacks and stuff for conference. I bought a kilo of pepas (jelly cookie things) and animal crackers!! So conference was a success! Oh I saw Eric in the choir! The human mess!! haha I was telling Elder Bean all about him... hahaha really fun to see him again!

To answer some questions... Dad: we meet with the zone every tuesday, eat breakfast, split into our two districts and someone teaches a lesson! I love my zone and district! I dont see him much. Like everyother transfer we have an interview with him. I interview this thursday I believe... haha I dont know the days are mixing together!! But hes a way cool guy!! There are approx. 180 missionaries in my mission! Bigger than I thought!! 

Mom: we have twin beds. We expand our sleeping bags into blankets. But my head and feet touch both ends at the same time... thats great hahaha but the beds are rocks and ya! haha thats about it with that!! Our area theres not a lot of members... or active at least. Active there are 12 i think... But we eat a meal with the members about 4 times a week if that.... other areas you eat about every meal.... so ya, we do alot of cooking and elder bean is a good cook so we are doing fine!

Im glad you told me about brandon! He didnt tell where he was going! he told me he got his call but not where to!! So thank you! Its crazy to think that I will be gone almost 6 months by the time he goes!! Time is flying here! days are mixing! Im really starting to love it here! I stick out soooo bad for my height and cury hair haha but its a good conversation starter!!

Now I want to say a few things before I forget... haha Theres a kid here I ran into while I was staying the night in Quilmes, for paperwork, that I met. I stayed at his pension. His name is Collin Smith and he grew up in American Fork. Hes like 20 and really big and tall. I was talking with him and turns out he knows the Blakes! Hes like "Are you freaking kidding me, I know your brother way good! I even Played some football with him and the other Blake!" Small world! Way cool guy and awesome missionary.

Other thing. I took out some personal money for some stuff, so I just wanted to run that by you.

Mondongo.... Mondongo.... mondongo... No me gusta... hahaha right before conference on saturday we went to Marias for Almuerzo. She pulled out this weird rubber flabby thing and slammed it on the table and cut it up into bite sized peices... yup its the cow stomach! haha she put it in this stew and it was like chewing gum with these weird rubber appendages on it. No joke. I looked at elder bean after a few minutes into the meal and he was half done!! haha I was like what the heck? I ate it all. haha somehow and just pounded a ton of bread with it! It was the only way to get it down! Anyways mark that one off the list.

I also bought a mate cup!! It is soooo sweet I will send pictures! But Its way sweet! 

As far as what I would like in that package... hmmm haha anything! Something that I can munch on for a while! Just whatever you would think I would like! I dont remember a lot of candy and stuff from the states already... haha so as dad would say "surprise me"! Thanks for doing that!!

Anyways, it was a really good week. One thing that Ive tried to do more is be thankful in general in my prayers, but also for the tiny things in life. Something really small that day that blessed my day or made my life a little bit better. I have found that through this you are able to feel Gods love more, and you are blessed with more of those moments throughout the day. I love doing that because it helps me focus more on what I say and ask for. I want to challenge you back home to do this. Family prayers and personal as well. At least do it for this week. Another thing I do is before I leave, throughout the day, and when we come back I repeat in my mind, "have more faith than fear" This has helped me a ton too. Being able to manually control my thoughts by this phrase. I already have stories written in my journal about how this phrase has helped me in every moment throughout the day. 

I love you guys a lot! And Im so grateful for the knowledge I have that I can live with you guys forever. I get to share that with this people! How cool is my job! I finished 3 Nephi last week and I love that book. I encourage you guys to read it and mark it up. God is so great. He is everything, and everything to me. His mercy and love is always there. How cool is it that in any moment of the day we can talk to the greatest person there ever was and is. and he HEARS us. He cares about all even the ones with metal roofs and cement floors here... How cool is it that I can share that with conviction and a firm belief in that. 

Love you guys! I will write next week! Thanks for all of the emails each week! They help alot!!!

Love,

Elder Hansen