2 - 07/01/13

Man, this week has been AWESOME!

I´m pretty stoked about going home. I miss my family.

And yes, I´m still working, and I´m only a little baggy or trunky

We started the week off with surprise interchanges with the other elders. They aren´t doing their job, so I took one and the ZL´s took the other companion, and we left and worked with them for 2 days straight. They don´t get along, they are opening an area, they aren´t studying or planning at night, and they don´t have any progressing investigators. They aren´t finding any new investigators, so pretty much they´ve wasted these past 4 weeks. We told Pres that it might actually be better to take them both out and white wash the area again. I was sad, but its the truth. I talked alot with them both, and took them aside, and tried to teach more with my example than with words. I made sure that we had 2 really spiritual days full of work, and we did. It was good, but in the end, they returned to their bad habits. They´re obedient when they have someone babysitting them, but without the babysitter they return to their bad habits. Maybe one day they will understand the Doctrine of Christ.

I mentioned to "DM" that I was leaving in 2 weeks. He didn´t know. He told his cousin that he wants me to baptize him. His cousin is in the District Presidency, and he told me to go and challenge him to be baptized. He accepted, and this Saturday he´ll be baptized.

He came to church for the first time on Sunday. I had to get special permission from Pres Fortuna to baptize him, but he says to go for it. He knows more than half of the members because his wife and children are members for years, and his cousin is a leader in the church. It was really cool, and its nice to know that I´ll be finishing the mission with a bang. We´re going to baptize a family! Woo Hoo!

I realized that my mission is a lot like the morning jogs that we do at the field by our house. Its always hard to start, and you start off with a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Afterwards, it starts to hurt, and you have to pace yourself and get into your rhythm. Once you get in the rhythm, it starts to feel really good, and you like it alot. Whenever I get on the last stretch of the jog, I always go all out and sprint the last part. I feel like when I started my mission, I was super excited to be here. It was hard to get into my groove, and painful at first, but in time, it felt good. Now I feel like I´m in the last bit of the sprint. The end is in sight! I´m so close, and I know that even though its hard, I´ve gotta give it my all.

Well, I love you all, and I´m excited to see you in 10 days.

Elder Hansen