Called to Repentance

Well I've been informed that I am slacking in my blog duties. I guess this is why I don't do blogs. For what it's worth, I wasn't intentionally keeping you in the dark. The reason we decided to do a blog in the first place, rather than just forwarding his emails, is because Brett doesn't have much of a filter and we thought it would be better if maybe I edited some of it. That has proved to be more difficult that I expected. His letter on Aug. 18th has a section in it about me, and I was a little uncomfortable posting all of it, so I hesitated until I had a chance to discuss it with my wife. Then I went into the hospital for a couple of days and it kind of threw the whole schedule off. Sorry. I promise to do better :)

Here's his letter from August 18th:

Hola mi Familia!

So things are going pretty great here at the MTC. This past week has been quite the experience. So both of our teachers went out of town this week, so we have had subs for the past couple of days. Its really nice to have a change up in teaching style, but still feel the spirit super strong. Something really cool that Hermano ______ taught us was to have faith in God and in our Spanish. When we doubt ourselves and our ability to speak Spanish, we are doubting the Lord. We doubt whether or not he is all mighty and all powerful, and that maybe he can't do anything. That doubt is completely and entirely false! I can do anything if Heavenly Father wants me to, and I know that I can speak Spanish if I have faith in Him. :) That being said, I'm not saying that my Spanish is terrible, I'm pretty proud of my Spanish, but sometimes I feel a little discouraged and I used to say that it wasn't very good, but I've repented of those fears and I really am doing a lot better.

So me and my companion finally figured things out on Monday. I was having my personal problems with pride, and he was having some personal problems as well, but we both realized that we were being stupid by being mad at each other. I can honestly say that I love working and serving with him. I enjoy spending time with him. We have grown really close these past couple of days, and the spirit has been multiplied by at least 10. It's amazing. I know that if we desire to have a Christ-like love for those around us, we need to ask for it and serve them. Love is service.

So I'm getting my flight plans later today, in fact, I'll be getting them in about an hour and a half. I'm super excited to see when I'll have layovers and when I can call you guys. :) Its gonna be sweeeet! I got to meet some other Elders that are going to my mission, and they are super cool! I am so excited to possibly serve with these Elders of God! Missionary work is the best! I love it!

So on Tuesday we had a devotional that was pretty cool. The speaker, Elder Evans, spoke on the nature of our Heavenly Father, and his role as our Father. It was a pretty sweet talk. So after every devotional we have a little district testimony meeting where we share our feelings about the talk. So I went up and was bearing my testimony about how my Dad was a good example to me and how he always wanted me to be my best. I used to hate it and I didn't like being pushed, so I pushed back. I called my dad a hypocrite, because he expected so much of me, but he wasn't perfect. It wasn't until I was older that I realized how great my Dad is. My Dad, just like my Heavenly Dad, wants the best for me, and won't let me settle for anything less. My Dad doesn't want me to make the same mistakes he did. My Heavenly Father doesn't want me to have to go through that either. I'm grateful for you Dad, and how you always want me to do my best. I know I'm not perfect, but I'm trying, and I'm doing my best.

So yeah, it was a pretty powerful testimony, and my writing doesn't give it justice. The spirit hit me like a tidal wave about 20 seconds into my testimony on Tuesday, and I was sobbing like a baby. The spirit felt pretty sweet, but I felt like such a dweeb for getting all emotional. I don't know if I should blame my Mom or Dad for me crying, but its one of your faults!!! Hahahaha, I'm just teasing :) But I love you all and I'm proud to say I'm the son of Keith and Lynne Hansen, and I am a son of God!

Love you all!

Elder Hansen
The semi-rusted bronze boy

The signature line he used comes from the moniker the boys gave Jared - for a variety of reasons including the fact that he was the first to serve a mission and he has blond hair, they refer to Jared as 'The Golden Boy'.

Here is what we received the following week, on August 25th:

Today is my last P-day in the MTC. It feels pretty weird to think that in a couple of days I'll be in Honduras. I am beyond excited to finally get there. The MTC has treated me well, and I enjoyed my stay here, but I think I've gotten just about everything I can from here.

These past few days have been absolutely amazing. Monday and Tuesday were phenomenal. Petersen and I have never gotten along so well and never been more in tune with the spirit. It was pretty freaking awesome. We taught some amazing lessons with the help of the Holy Ghost, and I loved every minute of it. The Spanish is coming along great, but I know that everything I think I know will be flipped upside when I get to Honduras. I'm more excited than I am afraid though, and I know that I can do all things through the Lord who strengthens me.

So I personally think that Dad's little hospital trip was supposed to teach him a lesson. Every challenge that comes our way has a reason, and maybe this challenge was to tell you that you should start exercising! God gave us bodies, and we need to take care of them. One of the main reasons we came to Earth was to get a body. Here at the MTC, they heavily stress the importance of exercising, and I know that its important. Besides, Mom could always use a walking partner :)  [Editor's Note: I had already started before being chastised by Brett - I was out running up and down the soccer field 5 days after leaving the hospital.]

On Tuesday I had my last devotional while here at the MTC. I've still got a Fireside on Sunday, but we already know that its not going to be an apostle, so we are kinda bummed that we never got a member of the 12 while here at the MTC. Anyways, Elder Zivic of the 70 gave an amazing talk on Tuesday that easily made 'top 5' talks I've ever heard. It was extremely moving and inspiring. I loved every minute of it. He even went over his allotted time, and I liked it. I wanted more. He said some cool things that I jotted down them down, and I figure you guys might like them like I did. Happiness comes from our circumstances, Joy comes from God. I know that this is true. Happiness and Joy are similar, but the difference is the source. We can always have joy in our lives if we are choosing the right. He shared a story of a boy and his father that went hiking in some mountains. The young boy shouted out into the mountains and heard his echo. He asked his father who the other person was who was in the mountains. The father explained that it was an echo. He compared our lives to echoes. We get back what we put in. The scriptures tell us that you reap what you sow. Elder Zivic said "Life is a reflection of our actions" and I know that is true. What do you see when you look at you're reflection? If you want a change, you will make it happen. Period. Diligence, hard work and perseverance are the real determining factors between the righteous and the rebellious. Everyone has to work at becoming better. He also said that success is achieved by those who try. You're never going to get anywhere unless you try. You have to trust in the Lord and do all that you can, and then he will make sure that things are all right in the end. He taught how to become a man. He said the way to become a man is knowing where you are, knowing where you are going, and making the effort to get there. You have to give it your all. 100% effort, every time. He also taught that faith + work = miracles. He taught a cool story of how two missionaries were teaching a man, but the man said he could never be a Mormon because he couldn't go without his coffee. The missionaries challenged him to go 24 hours without coffee, and promised him that he could do it through faith in the atonement. So the man did, and they came back that next day, and extended the same invitation of going 24 hours without coffee. He accepted, and the following day they returned. The man was astonished that he was able to give up his coffee for 2 days and at the strength he received from the Lord when things were hard. The man never again drank coffee and was baptized a week later. The missionaries later told their President that they had fasted for both of those 24 hour periods. They went 48 hours without food or water because they believed. They put in the work and they had the faith, and a miracle happened in the life of a child of God. He challenged us to make a list of things we want to change in our lives; a list of bad things we want to leave behind, and a list of good things we want to start doing. He told us to write this list down, and on the upcoming fast Sunday to fast to Heavenly Father to help you change, to purify you and strengthen you. I challenge you guys to do this same. The wonderful thing about this life is that we always have the opportunity to change. Make it happen.

(I'm too lazy to type in the accents)

Yo se que Jesucristo es mi salvador y redentor. Yo se que El es mi amigo mejor. Jesucristo murio por nosotros y a traves Su Expacion, podemos llegar a ser limpio de nuestros pecados. Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta y a traves Jose Smith el Evangelio y Iglesia de Jesucristo fue restaurado en la tierra. Yo se que el espiritu santo es muy poderoso, y tiene el poder cambiar las vidas de cadas personas. Yo he visto este, y he sentido este. Yo se que quando nosotros oramos a Dios, Dios contestara nuestros preguntas. Dios nos escucha, y Dios nos ama. El quiere que estamos feliz. Yo se que estas cosas es verdadera, y yo digo este en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Elder Hansen

I was tempted to correct some of his grammar, but I thought better of it.

On August 30th he was in the Atlanta airport for 4 hours. I was quite tempted to drive down and wander through the terminal, but since I've been harping on him about how he will be blessed for following the rules, I decided against it. In all honesty, I think he was expecting to see us. But it was fun to talk to him on the phone. We didn't get a letter from him that Thursday, as his Preparation Day is now Monday, so we had to wait until Sept. 5th for his next letter. I was a little nervous when I realized that it was Labor Day. Jared always had trouble writing to us on holidays because the libraries were always closed. Then I remembered that it wasn't a holiday in Honduras. Duh.

Here is his letter from September 5th:

Hey guys! Hola from the Grand City of Tegucigalpa! I have been assigned to work in the County Zone, in the 21 de Febrero District. Yes, the town is called the 21 of February. Its one of the 5 zones in the City, and there are 4 zones that are out in the country. As for the mission boundaries, my mission is the areas of Olancho, Francisco Morazon, Comayagua, La Paz, and Intibuca.

Things are going pretty freaking awesome right now. My trainers name is Elder ______. He is from a small town near Rexburg Idaho. He actually grew up about 5 minutes from Elder ________, my District Leader in the MTC who is also in my district, so I get to see him a lot. Poor guy has been [ill] for the past couple of days. I talked to him a few minutes ago and he says its getting better, which is good. Elder ________, another nuevo elder, has the same problem. I´m curious how many of us nuevos are sick with the ¨double dragon¨. I´m grateful that I haven´t had any problems whatsoever adjusting to the food or climate. I love the food! It is amazing! Its not too spicy, but it definitely has flavor, which I am a big fan of. Its different than what I´m used too, but I like it a lot.

The people here are amazing too. The majority of them know who we are and respect us for it. The members take amazingly good care of us, we always have meals. The living conditions here aren´t as bad as I thought they would be, but they are far from what I´m used to. Its literally little shacks built on the mountains with 1 large room separated by a curtain. A family of 10 could live, and most do, in a house that is about as big as our family room. They don´t have much, but family is extremely important here, as well as religion. We don´t have trouble finding people to teach, because everyone is so religiously based. Getting people married is probably our biggest obstacle. It costs about 500 Limps, and it takes alot of paperwork, so most people just live together without making it official. Limps, or Limperas, is the currency here. The ratio is about 18 limps to every american dollar.  You can buy just about anything for under 25 Limps as far as food goes. They give us 3k Limps a month, which I think is a ton. Rent is only 59 Limps a month, so yeah, I can buy just about anything. They have these little shops on every street corner where you can buy all your neccessities. I was expecting this to be harder, but it really isn´t all that bad. I actually really really REALLY like it here. I have no complaints whatsover. The Lord has blessed me with good health and positive investigators.

So you have to send all mail to the Mission Office. They don´t really have addresses here. Our contact book is rather hilarious, because there aren´t any addresses so you say they live near the big rock next to red brick house. But yeah, since all mail goes to the mission home, and you only go to the mission home about once a month, I will only get to send/recieve mail once a month. I´m not sure when that is, but when I find out I´ll let you know. [He's not exaggerating - the street address to the Mission Office is "Plaza America building, next to Sears, in the corner of the Mall, 3rd floor."]

I´m not sure what else I should write. I´m sure you have a kajillion questions, so feel free to ask away. I only have an hour every Monday to email, we email at the church building. My Spanish isn´t too great, and understanding is hard, but I´m getting there. I Love you all, and I Love this gospel!

 His letter this week answered a number of things we had asked about. He sent a box home from the MTC, including his temple clothes that he didn't think he would need. I asked what he planned to wear while baptizing someone, since he sent home his white pants. 

Here is what he wrote yesterday:

Hola! Okay, that's about all I've got. Hahahahaha, just kidding! I AM SO STINKING HAPPY!

Okay, that being said, I guess I'll answer some of your questions.

Yes, I need my baptismal pants por favor. I feel pretty dumb for sending them home. We have 3 baptisms on Saturday, so we will see how that goes.

The mission home address is in the packet that I sent home in the box. I don't know it off the top of my head, and I don't have access to it right now seeing as I'm at the church. But if you still can't find it, I'll bring it next week. Packages generally take about 3-4 weeks, and despite what I've heard, they don't really break into them too often at the post office, which is a relief to hear.

Give Gram a hug for me. I got sunburnt today, so hey! We can both be pink together. Everyone looks better in pink, right? :) 

So this week was pretty sweet. I don't think I've ever been so exhausted spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally. Sleep comes extremely easy for me. We lost 2 of our investigators this week, and we also had to postpone 10 baptismal dates. So yeah, that was slightly depressing, but the good news is that we still have all but those 2 of our investigators and we found a new family of 5 that has a lot of potential. Our numbers are a bit ridiculous right now. My companion told me "You're numbers are as big as you want them to be" and we want them to be gigantic, so they are. We work hard, we pray hard, and we study hard, but still I think we don't deserve the blessings the Lord is giving us. My companion and I just sat back one day and we both agreed that we are being blessed, and we don't know what we've done to deserve it. I'm grateful for it though, and I'm loving being a missionary. Its pretty much the greatest thing on the planet.

So the spiritual thought for the week is about answers to our prayers. Heavenly Father is in fact our Father in Heaven. He knows what we're going thru, and he wants to help. He also knows exactly how to help us, and he has a plan for all of us. Often times he answers our prayers and needs through others around us. I've seen his hand in my life, especially this week. My companion is an answer to prayers. Our investigators are answers. The spirit testifies truth to me, and through the small things I've seen how God is guiding me and leading me. He cares about us. I am constantly learning, constantly growing, and constantly loving every aspect of life. That is not saying that I'm not having my struggles, because trust me, I have them. But the difference is how you take your hardships. Attitude and perspective are everything. When things are tough, you just have to realize that everything will be alright, and try and think why God knows that you need to experience this. That being said, I know that God loves us, and he always will. 

I love you guys. Be of good cheer! 
Vaya bien!

Elder Hansen