JULY 8 2015 MY VERY FIRST EMAIL!!!

JULY 8 2015
MY VERY FIRST EMAIL!

Hola Everyone!!

Wow.... All I can really say is wow. First of all I still cant figure out this key board so I apologize that this may not make any sense.  Our plane ride was great! We met up with about 32 other missionaries, all going to Peru, and a few going to Bolivia.  At some point we all started singing called to serve on the plane.  I guess thats just what you do when you are a missionary!  On my first plane ride, I sat by a nice couple on their way to some sort of religious conference.  They started asking alot of questions, and by the end of it, I had taught them the whole word of wisdom. We shared some scriptures together and had a nice little chat.   On the plane ride to Lima, I sat next to the tinest Peruivian grandma ever...i wanted to keep her. But she was seriously the nicest, and told me all about Cusco. The first day in the CCM was literally the craziest thing I have ever experinced.  My companion is Hna Morris from Nevada.  We actually had a class together at BYUI together! Niether of us knew we were even going on missions. We were super stoked, seriously LOVE her.  There are 5 of us total going to Cusco, 4 sisters and 1 Elder.  Also, can I say my district is literally the BEST! its only been a week, and i feel like i have known these people for forever.  People are truly put into our lives for a reason! Anywho, the first day we just did orientation all day and learned more about the CCM.  We also had our first and last lesson in English. Oof. The next day was go time.  I had no idea what anyone was saying. At all. Like all day. But guess what, later that night we were planning our first lesson!! what?! que en el mundo??? Super stressful. I was terrified. My companion speaks pretty good spanish, so that helped a ton.  Going into our first lesson with our mock investigator, I was so scared.  I had one day of spanish behind me, and I was about to go attempt to teach this person something about the gospel.  Then i remembered what my family had told me before i left, "you dont know everything but you know enough.  My companion and I went in there and bore our testimony of what little spanish we knew. One of my few times I had felt the spirit so strong.  I was forced to testify about the basics, and simple truths that i knew.  Sometimes simple is better.  A week in, and i have taught 3 lessons, and asked someone to be baptized! Whoop whoop!  Spanish is still crazy hard for me.  But I am learning a little more each day, and gaining more confidence.  I really am so grateful for the opportunity I have to study the beautiful simple truths of the gospel and testify about them every day.  For the Fourth of July, we ate hamburgers and french fries!!! We were soo stoked.  After rice and potatoes 3 times a day, we were all really happy to have a change.  Rice and potatoes 3 times a day is no exaggeration either.  Lovin the insane carb Peru diet.  This week we also did interpools, y migracions.  Both of which consisted of long lines and craziness. As a district it is one of our goals to try to hand out a Book of Mormon anytime we leave the CCM (which is not very often...so when we do, its like Christmas morning.) At interpools, we were standing in line, and started talking to a few of the people around us.  By the time we left we had given away 3 Books of Mormon.  Peruvians and seriously the best!  They just love to talk to you and love to hear what you have to say.  Right before we left, one of the ladies ran up to the Elders and gave him the biggest hug.  (his reaction was priceless) and then gave him her lunch.  She graciously thanked him for the book of mormon and the message we all shared.  They are so humble and gracious here.  In one of our devotionals, the speaker asked us what we were going to give on our missions.  In my head, I thought about well, my time, my talents, my love, yada yada yada.  Then she got really serious and said No. We give everything on our missions.  I want to be able to come home and say i literally gave everything for 18 months.  Today we were able to go to the temple!! I think we will be able to go every p day, which is so awesome.  It was exactly what I needed after a long hectic but awesome week in the CCM.  This really is hard. Spanish is hard.  Im tired....alot, and I eat rice and potatoes every day. But I have never been so happy in my entire life.  The spirit is always so strong in the CCM.  I have had to rely on my Savior more this week then I ever have in my entire life.  I love putting on my  name tag every morning, and knowing that I get to be a representative of Jesus Christ.  I know this email is wayyy all over  the place, and I promise I will get better at writing.  Thank you all for your love and prayers this week, I have for sure felt them.  I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Fourth of July!! Hopefully you lit off some fireworks for me :) ALSO! happy birthday shout of to Becky and Emy!! Love you both sooooo much!! I love you all and i love being a missionary!! Talk to you next week!

Love, Hna Hansen