March 14 2016 MOTHERHOOD ISN'T TOO BAD! :)

March 14 2016

Well I made it through my first week as a mother! She seems to still be alive, so yeah feeling acomplished this week :)

My companion is Hermana Bayona from Chosica Lima.  She says the change from Lima to Cusco is pretty drastic. Poor girl is freezing all the time. It doesn't help either that she hasn't an ounce of fat on her. This week we had one of our classic Cusco down pours.  She just about got washed away. We will just plaster on a few llama sweaters. :) But wow she's just a darling  sweet little Peruvian  She came in with a huge desire to get right to work, and work hard. Which is all I ask, so Im a happy Momma.  This week we had interviews with President in our houses.  Not going to lie, it was a little weird having President sit on my bed and give me an interview...but hey I love interviews with Presidente!  They really come in the time that I need them.  SOOOOOO grateful for President and Hermana Harbertson.  

One of our older investigators showed up at church this Sunday! AH I was SOOOO happy!  Little miracles.  We haven't been able to teach him for awhile because he works outside of Cusco.  I have been super sad about it because we had had some great lessons with him and was ready to progress!  But wow he just showed up this Sunday like nothing had happend. Hadn't skipped a beat.  I have heard many times that miracles happen while you are training. I can definatly see why they say that.  

Random Side Note:  I just want to apologize that I cant spell to save my life in these emails. I couldnt spell before my mission....and now...ugh its a true struggle. 

Also....  There are an outrageous amount of spiders in our house.  One of which was in my bed last night.  Those of you who knew me before the mission, know that I HATE killing spiders, and that I had the habit of just putting a cup on top of them and wait for someone else to kill them.  I hope you are all very proud of me in knowing that I have become an expert spider killer...well any large weird peruvian insect killer for that matter.  #blessingsofthemission.

"Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those obsessed with themselves, the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others." 

Gordon B. Hinckley

I cannot tell you all how true that really is.  I really have never been so happy in my entire life. And sometimes I have wondered why?  Having fleas in your bed 90% of the time and being chased by dogs all day may not sound ideal.  I am missing birthdays, babys being born, friends being married, being with my family.  My feet are burned black from the sun and lets me honest eating rice twice a day isnt doing me any favors. BUT IM SO HAPPY!  Why? Because I am learning to love my Savior, and in turn learning to love others.  And that just brings happiness. Its simple people.... it truly is. 

I love you all VERY VERY much.  Thank you all for everything! You are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep on Keeping on. 

Con Amor,

Hermana Hansen

ALSO Happy Birthday shout out to KATIE!!

                                                 SAYING GOOD BYE TO MY DEAR HERMANA FRAME

                                                        MEET MY HIJA!!   HERMANA BAYONA!

RAINING RAINING AND RAINING

HERMANA MORRIS AND OUR DAUGHTERS

                                                 OUR 1ST NIGHT CONTACTING IN THE PLAZA DE ARMAS

I HELPED KILL A GUINE PIG...I'M GETTING SO USED TO PERU IT'S RIDICULOUS....

March 7 2016 I'M EXPECTING!!! I'M GONNA BE A MAMA!

March 7 2016

Well first of all so you dont all get worried about the title of this email...its a missionary term. Fear not.

Welp, this week is changes, and changes we will have indeed!  I will be staying in San Jeronimo for the next little while, and training a new missionary.  In the mission, our trainers are called our mamas, and those we train are called our hijas....therefore....IM EXPECTING!!!! GAHHHH!!!!  Im feeling  flooded with emotions.  Sooooo excited for this oportunity to train.  Training won't be easy, and I feel super duper inadequate, however I know our God is a God of miracles.  I am so blessed to have this opportunity to learn and grow, and hopefully help another sister missionary fall in love with her mission like I have.  Hermana Celan will have a change to Quillabamba, and she will have a mini missionary as her companion. (That's a young person from the area waiting to leave in a mission).   She is going to a VERY beautiful part of the mission....also full of mosquitos...I will be sending all my bug repelant with her.  

Well this week we had Leslys baptism! Its the best way to spend a Saturday :)  While she was getting ready, she kept saying, why do I feel so happy, why do I feel so happy! haha She was super cute.

  Hermana Celan and I were walking around in an area that we were not to familiar with looking for a reference.    We had been walking around for a long time, with zero success.  Well, who drives past us, Presidente Harbertson.  I know for a fact that I had the face of "I seriously have no idea where I am."  Super.  We tried for a different route and continued our search, about 20 minutes later, Presidente Harbertson drove past again, this time laughing.  You two look a little lost he said.  Haha well what can you do.  I am 3 changes here and still getting lost in this huge sector.  We shall see how this training goes :)

My heart is truly full of gratitude today.  I am so grateful for the tme I have had here in San Jeronimo with Hermana Celan. We have grown so much together in the time we have had.  I am very very sad to see her go.  However, I am SO excited to meet my hijita!!  I love this mission, and I am anxious to see what these next few months have in store! I love you all very much! Talk to you all next week! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Hansen

Jacob 5:72 "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them..."

"

I STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO"

                                                                             LESLY'S BAPTISM!!

FEBRUARY 29. 2016 HAPPY LEAP YEAR DAY!!

February 29 2016

Well...here we are...Monday...once again.  I hope I dont make it sound like I dont like writing and hearing from you all every week.  Because I do! But its a little unfair how fast these weeks go by.  Not fair at all. 

Sorry this email is going to be lame again this week....I keep thinking I will get better at this emailing thing, but its certain that I am getting worse.  

1.  Gonzalo came to church!! YES! We had a super great lesson with him the other day.  We started talking about the love of God, when he stops us and asks if he can say something.  He then begins to explain that all his life he has suffered from anxiety and fear. He said that he has a hard time ever being alone.  After our lesson, he returned home and no one was there. Instead of feeling that anxiety and fear that he has felt all his life, he said he felt a peaceful and warm feeling.  He said, " for the first time in my life,I didn't feel afraid.  I dont think this is a coicidence. "     Well, I dont think so either. :)

2.  The other day people offered us lunch 4 times.  Anyone who knows me knows that I have an unusually large stomach.  One of those moments where I knew, that God was preparing me for my mission way before I even knew.  

3. Our sweet grandparents that we adopted, Margarita and Ernestino (Ernestino is 82, and a recent convert.)  They will be traveling to Lima in 2 weeks to be sealed for time and all eternity.  And there just simply isnt anything more beautiful then that.  The other day we went over to help clean and cook.  Margarita was sooo excited.  Then proceeded to explain that Satan was working hard on them.  I asked why what was going on. She then said, I cant find my pants to travel to Lima!  Dang it Satan.  She assured me that he wouldnt get the best of her. That a girl Margarita.  

4.  Went exploring today for Pday!  I am just too in love with Cusco.  I love that I get to serve in an area with so much connection to the Book of Mormon.  I love that book.  And you should too.  

This week for personal study I have been reading in the first few chapters of Mosiah, which really have become my favorite.  Mosiah 5  12  13, it talks about having the Savior written on our hearts.  I have decided that these verses have become my mission motto, and my life motto.  I hope to live my life in a way, where I can truly say that I have Christ written on my heart, mind, and mouth.  I want to honestly and truly come to know the Master whom I am serving.  So when the day comes to return to my heavenly home, I will be able to say that I truly know the Savior whom I have served, and He will know me.  

Mosiah 4  10  And if you believe all these things see that ye do them.  Christ doesnt just want believers. He wants doers.  Let us all strive a little harder to truly come to know our Savior, Redeemer, and Master.  Let us all strive a little harder to have His name written on our hearts.  Let us all strive to become the doers that He needs us to be.

I LOVE you all. I cannot thank you all enough for everything you have done for me.  I hope you all have a great week!

Con Amor, 

Hermana Hansen

WEEKLY PLANNING WITH HERMANA CELAN

A LITTLE BIT OF MORNING PERSONAL STUDY

                                          A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MY MISSION!

                                                      EXPLORING CUSCO ON P-DAY

                                     

 

OUR ENTIRE CUSCO PERU MISSION :) --ELDER HOLLAND'S VISIT

FEB 22 2016 COME TO THE EDGE WITH ME AND FLY...ELDER HOLLAND

Well, simply put, this was one of the best weeks of my mission. And I just really couldnt be happier.  So heres a little week in wrap. 

Tuesday.  Us, and the Elders traveled to Urcos to do a contacting activity with the other Elders in our District.  Finally got to see the end of our HUGE sector.  Roadtrip!

Thursday.  We had divisiones in Vista Alegre with Hermana Robinson and Hermana Minaya.  Hermana Robinson was super sick, so I stayed in with her and played doctor for the day! 

Leslie is accepted a baptismal date!!  YAHOO!  She has had a hard time recieving a for sure answer.  But last night she said that she was 100% ready to go!   Also, Hno Porfilio came to the special conference with Elder Holland!  Hno Porfilio is the only non member in his family, and has been super cold with us.  He doesnt want to attend the church or get married. Just being difficult. Anywho after the conference we had a noche de hogar with their family.  We talked about how he felt during the conference.  We asked him if he knew that this was the true church...and he said yes.  Then we asked him if he would get married....and he said YES! Pure happiness.  

And....ELDER HOLLAND CAME!!  I could really write a 3 page email about all the things I learned and really just how outstanding it was. But none of you want to read that and I dont want to write it.  So just know that it was absolutely perfect and more.  Saturday was the conference with the missionaries.  For the first time in 3 years the whole mission got together! Ah it was sooo great to see everyone! Everyone from my group, and my zone in Abancay!  Anywho when Elder Holland walked in, he said that he wanted to greet all of us. We were all able to shake his hand, tell him our name and where we were from.  It took everything I had inside me to not just hug him. But yeah no worries I refrained. Mostly because he had a very large body guard.  Anywho, he talked to us a little about not missing our Apostolic Moment. And its so true. This is such a priviledge, for this short time that I have, I get to serve as one of His servants.  We really have no right to waste a sinlge second of this time.  Then he read us  poem that went something like this.  

' Come to the edge with me, he said.  No I will fall.  Come to the edge with me he said, No...I will fall. Again, come to the edge with me he said, so I went to the edge, and he pushed me.  And I flew.'

He said most of us dont fly because we dont go to the edge of our miracles.  

Sunday we had the special conference with Elder Holland for the Inti Raymi Stake.  His talk was specifically for the youth.  He asked the youth, that just like tithing, I was 10% of your life.  From age 12 to 22, I want all your dedication, and after that you could do whatever you want with your life.  But he assured us, that if we do just that, we wont have to worry about the remainding years of our lives.  I thought about that alot.  How important those 10 years are. We truly are making decisions that will impact our eternity in those short years.  Words cannot express how grateful I am for my decision to serve a mission.  It has already changed my life, and continue to bless my life forever.  

All in all, love is lovely.  The church is restored.  Our Father in Heaven loves us, and well simply put, I am just really happy.  Remember to love your Savior. And also remember, that with his love and grace we can go to the edge, and fly with Him.  I love you all! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Hansen

MY GIRL NAT RUT!  SHE REMINDS ME OF 

KATE AND LIV.NOT HARD TO LOVE HER!

                                                                                            HLR---CHOOSE THE RIGHT

                                 

                     

DIVISION!!AND GRANADILLA

                           

ELDER HOLLAND CAME TO CUSCO!!!  IT WAS SOOO BEAUTIFUL TO BE WITH EVERY MISSIONARY IN THE ENTIRE MISSION,ALONG WITH THE HARBERTSONS!

                                      

             HERMANA MORRIS
                                        
       
                                        I ONCE AGAIN FOUND HERMANA FRAME

                                         

MY GROUP FROM THE MTC

ZONA ABANAYYYY!!

                                                                                                                                                                             

                   OUR MOTHER AND HER
DAUGHTERS.THAT MEANS OUR TRAINER                   MY "MOM" HERMANA COOPER

                             

                                                         OUR TRIP TO MORAY

 
                     
                   


                      

I LOVE PERU!!!!!!

February 15 2016 TUT TUTT ...IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN

Tut Tut another rainy week here in the grand ol city of CUSCO!

Sorry this email is going to be a little pathetic this week. 

1.  For P day today we hiked up the mountain Picol!  Which included a few near death experinces, getting lost in the Sierra Mountains, and of course enjoying a beautiful morning seeing some beautiful things.  I love these crazy p day adventures!

2.  Found some golden people this week! Fiorella, is a single mom with the greatest desire to know the truth.  And Erene, shes the only non member in her family.  She says she is ready to listen!!  #findingtheprepared!

3.  Carnival was this week! Which also included lots of drinking, water ballons, foam, and cutting down and giant tree like a pinata.  Things were pretty festive here in Cusco this week. 

4. They have Romen Noodles here. Its called Aji no men....and its delicious. 

5.  We get to spend 2 days with Elder Holland this week!! Soooo excited!! :)

The work is going forth here in Cusco!  I love being a wittness of the miracles of God every day!! 

1 Peter 2:9   We are a chosen generation, a peculiar people....

A peculiar and happy people we are! I love this gospel and I love my Savior!! I hope you all have a super fabulous week! Stay warm! Oh and Happy Valentines Day! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Hansen

                                                     ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A MISSIONARY!!

                 

HIKING THE MOUNTAIN PICO!!

MI MEJOR AMIGAR

(BEST FRIENDS):)

CARNIVAL IN CUSCO PERU

THE GIANT TREE PINATA---SWEET!