Thoughts and comments.........I hope they help.

Hey Family,
Thank you for the info. Your right....is that a fact or opinion? fact! I love how we always had to ask you that, Dad. I am actually realizing that the mission isn't as hard as I was making it. My companion Elder Pantoja is really funny and exactly what I need in this moment. He loves to be with the members....and not teach things....it drives me nuts sometimes. I have been a missionary robot for so long it was hard to really talk and socialize with people about things other than lesson 1,2,3, etc. ha ha. BUT I LOVE IT!!! The truth is my teaching is improving a lot when I teach more as advice to my friend than to an investigator.


Mexican Border Culture Class:
In the area of Tijuana Mexico there is a diverse range of culture based upon the attractive opportunities of being close to the border. People come from all over Mexico and also from other countries to either cross to the United States or take part in business opportunities. There is the extremely rich and also the extremely poor. This clash of different lifestyles and culture creates what we know as a "melting pot". :) I still remember that term!


Religion:
Everyone usually was, is, or was born Catholic. Recently, the Pope visited Mexico and there was a huge celebration. As I was checking out my groceries one P-day I saw a picture of him decked out in a giant sombrero. The Catholics are huge believers in the Virgin of Guadalupe. They have shrines, bumper stickers, and even widely known pharmices based on her.
There is also a big group with the name of "Christians". To be called Christian usually has the meaning of a religion such as Mormons or Catholics. The "Christians" are usually famous for the sanctions and other demonstrations of a marvelous nature. It gets a little difficult as we explain to people that yes we are Christians but no we aren't "Christians".
The other really big one is The Jehovah Witnesses. They are the only ones that really proselyte like we do and usually travel as families knocking doors in the morning and the only ones with Umbrellas for the sun. They are very similar to us as far as proselyting goes and have to explain that no we are not "the witnesses". One day I suggested to Elder Rico, another missionary on divisions, that we should contact every person in the street with an umbrella. ha ha. 


Well that's all I got for you guys. Love you all.
Elder Hanson

Wow! One year gone...

Hi Fam,
So this week in Mexicali we really started to feel the heat. There is a joke going around in the mission that all the bad missionaries get sent to Mexicali to be ironed out....by the SUN!!! We have found some really cool people and I am really starting to enjoy job. I was thinking about what it will be like in one year when I can't do this anymore and it really helps me to focus on the work. Mom and Dad, if I can get approved and and have the desire do you think that it would be alright to get an extension?
One of our investigators Miguel is awesome and really progressing. I had high hopes for him as he accepted all the commitments and invitations that we extended. He was going to be baptized last week but he is scared to get baptized without the approval of his wife who is really catholic. We are fasting and praying that this week he can be baptized.
I love you guys,
Elder Curtis Hanson

Dear Family,

I am getting along.=) My companion is really great and is helping me become better. He is finishing up his mission and only has 4 months left. crazy. I am also getting ready to cross a big bridge with completing one year in the mission on the 20th so we will probably throw a little party with some members.

I have also learned something really cool in my mission, how to study really efficiently. Right now I am trying to memorize a synopsis of basically every chapter in the Book of Mormon. It sounds intense when I say it in one sentence but it will actually take up to 6 weeks or more to complete. I just finished week one with 1 Nefi. I am really diving into the scriptures and finding all sorts of stuff out. I also studied about the Old testament. If you want you can ask me a question =) We have an investigator who only believes in the Old Testament and doesnt believe in Jesus Christ.

Well I will see you next week and love you so much!

Elder Hanson

GENERAL CONFERENCE POWER!!!!!!

Hi Family,

So I was really excited for the conference this weekend and I loved it!!! The spirit is so strong and it is amazing to use as a conversion tool. We had an investigator not only show up at conference but also give us a ride as we were hurrying to the stake center on our tired bikes. He pulled over and stated "running a little late aren't you" as we piled in a was grateful that God hears prayers from missionaries running late on bikes. We had planned on a ride but you have to be willing to pay the price if your investment failed and we were paying the price.

We showed up with him at the conference where we all sat together. In the mission, Genereal Conference has had a lot more meaning for me. I realized this as I explained that the men who were going to talk were prophets and apostles of the Lord just like in the bible. It was then that it really hit me how blessed we are to hear from them formally two times a year when this man has been on a search for Christ and God most of his life. He has studied with Jehovas Witnesses, was born catholic, and studied with his friends. The majority of the Christian world only uses the bible in there quest for Celestial Happiness. This man was no exeption and as we watched I realized the grand importance and opportunity we have to learn of God's Plan of Happiness and also to live it through not only other revealed scripture but also the words of modern revelation from God. As we left I invited him to pray to know the truth of what he heard. He responded that he already knew it was true. He said that you can just feel those things as he gently motioned with his hand to his heart.

We were blessed to be born with so much knowledge of all the questions of the soul and spiritual hunger. Let your light so shine! An example I use in my teaching sometimes is the question: if you take an english class but never speak why did you take the class? Being born in such a rich abundance of Gospel knowlege I feel is not only Godly aproval but a Godly responsability to learn and to live all the blessings of the gospel and to share it with others. Be an example. Fulfill your responsability. Recieve the blessings. Bless lives.

Will you do it?

You can do it and God will help you as you seek him. Like mom said it's through Christ that we truely grow. These things I share in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Hanson

Just Another Manic Monday!

Hello Family,

So the awesome news from this week is that my spanish is pretty awesome and I am learning a ton. We are finding some great people that are really prepared for our message I just hope that I will have the information and everything to really help them to make this change in their lives. To be honest, the mission is pretty crazy. I dont have much time but guess what!? I AM 20!!! Weird.

Love you guys,

Elder Hanson

WOW!

This week has been awesome. I am really enjoying the time that I have with Elder Coreas and being in Villas de Rey. The ward is incredible, its like walking into a well lubricated machine and the first week or so you kind of bump into people as you try to get used to how efficient and awesome they are. This ward is the most effective and mission active ward that I have seen im my mission. Its probably because of our awesome Ward Mission Leader.

Right now our problem is finding people to teach. They are there but we just aren´t having to much success. In the past I have noticed that the greatest happiness in baptism and the more secure they are to continue being active is if they are friends or family to people that are members. This week we are really going to take it to the Family Mission plan. I am hoping to visit families and give them a plan to contact there family and friends to give them a piece of the wonderful gospel that they enjoy every week.

As for me. I am really getting an upload on everything that I should have learned along time ago. This week I studied the books of Moses....AWESOME!!! I loved them and was amazed with how great it all was. It has the convenents of God to us as his children and part of the 12 tribes of Israel. The promises and blessings change lives. I am so grateful that I am of one of the tribes of Israel and I am grateful to know of my obligations as part of that tribe.

I am going to give you all a challenge this week.

• First, start with a prayer asking earnestly for understanding,
• read the blessing that was given from God to Abraham, the grandfather of Israel,
• then locate what tribe of Israel you are part of
• and if you dont have a patriarchal blessing talk with your Bishop,
• think about what this relationship that you have with Abraham has to do with your relationship with God and all the blessings you can have,
• then read the blessing given to your specific tribe and reflect upon the significance for you
• that you can find in Genesis or probably in the Bible Dictionary in English
• End with a prayer
• Can say thank you
• Ask for more understanding
• Etc.

If you do those things a new light and idea of your eternal purpose and destiny will come into your life and the spirit will testify to your heart in such a way that you will feel that it is true. Soak it in and find out what your purpose is.

LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Hanson

Kickin' A Rock

Hey Fam,
So my sector is really awesome and big. Right now we are in the
process of finding people. When I showed up we didn't have much
information in the Area Book and we had to start from something else.
Luckily, we had some missionaries in the past do a car wash or
something and recieved a lot of references that they never contacted
and as we cleaned up a little bit we found them (thanks mom for
teaching me how to clean up my room). We tried contacting a lot of
them with little success but God works in mysterious ways and we are
starting to find a lot of people in the way to finding the references.
I am really trying to be a better missionary that also works with the
numbers. I am really good at being a robot with how I calculate
numbers and analyze the lessons and things. I am now trying to apply
charity to the mix and am so glad that the instructions for Charity is
just praying for it (Moroni 7). It really makes a world of a
difference when you have charity, the other option isn't so great.
My companion is teaching me a lot. He is from Salvador and from a
pretty rough part of town. We have a lot of different views from one
another which helps me to see my faults and to find the better
solution. I am his second companion which is sometimes hard because
one becomes acustomed to their first companion and the change is
sometimes difficult. I really hope that I can help him become a better
missionary.
So my area is big and unorganized with a lot of different names. It
was a bit of a challenge for me but with the help of Google maps and a
couple different maps we have placed a big map of our sector on the
wall and a program for locating the different side streets and what
not.
I am learning and growing. I remember when I was walking home from
church one Sunday in Utah and kicking a little rock. I had the
distinct impression that I was that little rock. The rock wasn't very
pretty and was really rough small and rather ugly but as I kicked the
small little rock I had such a profound love for it and even when it
left the side walk I would search in the grass until I found it and
put it back on the cement. I made sure that that little rock made it
all the way home and I am sure that with all the kicking I did it
probable felt pretty beaten up but I was only doing the best thing for
the little rock. I feel that God has that kind of love for us. We
aren't even close to perfect and we leave our little path so many
times it's not even funny but he will always search for us and help us
reach our heavenly home.
So remember when you feel beaten up and kicked around that it's only
leading you back to your heavenly home and it's a lot better than
being lost in the grass and lost to God. Life is hard sometimes
especially when you can't see every reason why but we should all
strive to gain the eternal perspective and also help those people who
don't have a clue to know why they feel kicked around at times. Pray
for the opportunity to give a little knowledge to a darkened mind.
I love you guys,
Elder Curtis Hanson

Baptized and Confirmed

WE HAD A BAPTIZM!!! She is really cool too! She has changed so much from the first time that we met her. She is really spunky and has three little kids and could not keep focused a lot of the time. I will have to tell you about her later.

Love you guys,

Elder Hanson

Question Week

Hey Mom and Fam,
Here are the answers to your questions this week:

So how are things in Mexico?

Things in Mexico are fantastic, I love the people here and am so blessed to have the ability to speak another language.

Is it warming up?

Yeah, it is warming up and here in Mexicali it gets pretty hot I have heard.

Where did your old companion end up getting sent?

My companion is still in San Luis with Elder Stott who was in the same generation of missionaries that I was in from the MTC. I was moved from San Luis to Mexicali in the ward Villas de Rey

So you have a new companion?

Yes, his name is Elder Careas from San Salvador, Salvador

How is that going? Tell us all about him.

Good we just got here so its hard to tell right now. I am his second companion in the actual Mission Mexico, Tijuana.

How was your conference?

It was really good. The highlights were how to work with the ward and also on how to ask good questions and use the scriptures.

What ever happened with Mary and Karla? Are they still progressing?

No, they arent progressing at this point in time but they still could. Elder Gaspar will have to continue to work with them.

When does Mary move?

I dont really no.

We still have not received the CD's you sent - hopefully they will come this week. We are really looking forward to getting them.

I havent had the chance to send them yet so you dont really have to expect anything. Its hard to send things from where I am at.

It is almost your birthday!!! Is there anything specific you would like us to send?

Anything you need?

Um...YES! My mission President wants one of the little Preach My Gospels in Spanish. He asked me to ask you if you could send one and he is willing to pay for it. How much did it cost? I was looking at one of them and I think that you made it Mom. If thats true I dont know what we can do.

Hey Family,

I have not recieved a letter as of yet but I am also in one of the farthest cities from Tijuana so it may be in the offices, this week we have a conference so I will have to check with President.

This week I want to talk about the my experience this week. Tuesday was the day where Elder Gaspar was put in charge of leading the missionary work. I pretended to be a new missionary from the US, Elder Han (yes I know that I am extremely creative). We visited a lot of diferent people and I was able to see how Elder Gaspar worked as a Trainer. The rest of week we used to help him learn those things and try to fill in the gaps in the problems he was having so that he could learn and become better as a senior companion. We still have a lot of different things to work on but I have some great hopes and prays that he will become a truely amazing and fantastic missionary. I learned about charity, diligence, obedience, patience, priorities, parenting, humility, pride, repentance, forgiveness, prayer, hope, planning, teaching, working with leaders, and everything inbetween. It would be near impossible to put this experience into novel let alone a email.

I have some desire to become a trainer of trainers so that I can help future missionaries become better. We will have to see what happens in the future.

Elder Gaspar has helped me grow in so many diferent ways and has seen how I struggled and stressed to be a better missionary for the Lord. We have learned together and I will never forget the many things that I have learned during this 12 week experience, we only have one more week together. I hope he can learn from the good and from the bad and that both of us can accept the Atonement of Jesus more fully in our lives.

Elder Curtis Hanson

Yo he intentado y fracasado

Hey Fam,

So I was trying to upload a video to send you but it didn´t work. WOW!! What is happening in the world!? All of my friends that are girls from the ward are getting married. Let´s count shall we...Quinci, Heather, Sara.....if I were Heather and Karly I would keep a lookout. I really wish I could aprove of them but I am in Mexico. If they are listening, I send them my best, all the hopes and dreams for a happy future, and my congratulations. I was really blessed to know (conocer) everyone of them.

So this week I had a really weird time and it´s hard to explain but one of the highlights was when I went with Mary and Karla. We were going to visit a sector of houses and we were running late as we were cruising along on our bike I had the impression that we should pass by with Mary and Karla we passed by and something had changed, they weren´t angry or yelling. They were rather happy. We talked with them for a while to see what had happened because they had been experiencing some problems and everything was a little bit chaotic before. We found out that nothing had change besides their demeanor towards life and that Mary had been praying and she wasn´t drinking anymore. So we naturally invited them to church.

THEY CAME! and had a great time in church. When we went to visit them in the nighttime we found out a lot more things including the desire of both Karla and Mary to be baptized. We are excited for them and we hope that everything goes well this week so that Karla can be baptized, Mary can´t because she is still living in the same house as a guy she isn´t married to. We will strive to prepare her for her future baptism in Alabama. Those missionaries are really in for a treat.

The craziest part though is the story of this woman and her daughter. They both have been through so much in their lives and I feel that my mission up to this point has been in preparation for the teaching of Mary the gospel. It´s hard to explain but I just want to follow them around for the next couple of years to see what they do and to help them live the gospel. I am nervous to see what will happen in the future with them. God really works in mysterious ways and I am just in awe when all these trials and tests come to a head and we find out there was a purpose for them and we are so grateful that we have kept the faith and moved forward in the face of opposition.

Elder Hanson

Curtis' Grandfather Passed Away

Curtis' paternal grandfather passed away on January 30th, 2012 and we notified him in his e-mail on February 6th. The following e-mail was sent to us right after he received the news and he was at a loss as to what to say. Losing a loved one is always hard and although Grandpa Hanson was not well, not being able to say "goodbye" makes it even more difficult for Curtis.

Um

Hey Family,
So I didn't have a subject to put because my emotions are a little
fried every since I got in the mission I think. So...ya I don't know
what to say....I need to study a little bit more about the details of
the Plan of Salvation. Don't worry I am fine I just need to sort it
all out in my head. I just read the news and my brain processor is
running a little slow right now.
So in the meantime I will tell you guys other news. To celebrate your
birthday, mom, and also to save my mission from the death of coming
back to the house tired I have decided to start a video diary in
addition to the written diary. The purpose is to have a quick easy way
to record my days in the mission and that I will also maybe have the
chance to send to you guys. I am using my camera, memory cards, and
dvds. I will be sending the dvds back to the house to store them. The
only problem that I can really see is that I may not be able to record
the somewhat more interesting things that happen in the mission if I
send them and also I don't know how much it will cost. These two dvds
that are coming to the house you guys can see them and view them all
you want.
I also am really loving Preach My Gospel and having a great time in
the Mission. This week I really started focusing on the Investigators
and it opened a whole new world to the mission that I had been missing
for different reasons. But I love it and I will strive to enjoy it the
rest of my days in the mission.
Well, I love you guys and I hope all of you guys are doing well in the
house. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help from
Mexico in this time. Please give Grandma Hanson a big heartfelt hug
from me. Really. And also Dad, my uncles, and everyone else that wants
one.
I love you all and am so grateful for the knowledge we have in this Gospel.
Elder Hanson

Happy Birthday Mom E-mail

Because it was my birthday last week, Curtis sent me my own special e-mail rather than one to the group. He is doing fine and we hope to have more information when he writes tomorrow. thanks! Lisa

MOM WHERE ARE YOU!?

Hey Fam,

So I didn't get an email from mom.....MOM....ha ha. So I have learned this week to appreciate your emails a little more. Thanks for the update with some of the other guys from the ward. I would love to hear more about what is going on with them. CONGRATS CHRISTIAN!!! SUBIDO!!! DULCE!!! I honestly cant wait to talk with those guys about the mission....in spanish ;). How is Alex? How is Trevor? How is Rusty? How is Jacob?etc.

So this week we are doing pretty good but Satan was hitting us really hard. Everyday we had some great plans but something always happened like having to pay the bills for our house in central.

AWESOME NEWS!!! We got a couch a dining table, it's legit. Our house is fresada(strawberried) or in other words really cool. So I love PMG.

Oh, we found an awesome family but it was really hard and a little sad. We received the reference from Salt Lake which is really rare in and of itself. They are a young couple. We contacted them and the Sister is really sweet and really pregnant. We visited with them and their three little girls in the front room, where there was only a small book shelf and two tires in the corner, until the lights burnt out and then we went to the kitchen. We entered the kitchen to find a small table and about 4 chairs was all that was in the room. We talked with them and found out that he doesn't have a job and she is working at a restaurant. They also don't have hardly any food and three little girls ages 6, 3, and 2 I think. I am seeing a whole new side to life. We stopped by a grocery store before our next and bought two bags of pastries and 6 bananas. We dropped them off at there house and later that night we met up with him as he was going to buy some milk to celebrate the pastries with his daughters. They are so sweet and I can't believe how much faith they have. As we sat down for our first visit I told them that I could see in the future a room filled with food and lights and pictures of Christ and more importantly a feeling of strong fortified faith and love. The wife told me that's exactly what she wanted. We read the scripture in Mosiah 2 about being blessed both spiritually and temporally and this time the scripture had even more meaning to me.... I wish the whole world could have the opportunity to serve a mission in Mexico Tijuana.

Love you guys,

Elder Hanson

Sorry Again Blog Followers

As you can probably tell by now, I am not very good at keeping up Curtis' blog. So here are the last three month's worth of e-mails all at once. It has been a very busy holiday season. Hope you are all well and hope to do a better job of keeping this up from now on.

Lisa

Hola Familia,

Wow, your week was kind of exciting.

So we have just completed half of the training program for Elder Gaspar and I still wonder if I am doing alright. We had interviews with the President this week and he told me that Elder Gaspar is right on track but that I need to learn how to enjoy my mission more. ha ha. You know it's true when the President of the Mission has to tell ya. I loved his counsel. He gave three things that are basically in my mind the key to life:

1. Be obedient

2. Learn the Doctrine

3. Work

I loved it and I am begining to be excited again. The thing that I have noticed that I don't really like in my mission is confusion and not having the ability to do something. So when I get direct counsel that I just apply to my life it becomes a source to put all my frustrations.

So this week we also had the Stake Conference. It was a broadcast for part of it and included General Authorities. My companion and I were waiting outside for some investigators and missed the excitement. But it sounded like there was a bit of counsel and planching regarding a drop in our duties as saints of God. I can't believe how much the mission is connecting with every phase of my life. I feel that with the skills that missionaries obtain in their missions they could have a great foundation for anything if they applied it when they got back.

Well that's about it,

Elder Hanson

Another Gringo In Mexico!!!!

Hey Family,

So I found a Gringo in Mexico the other day. He came up to me and asked haaabla engles? so naturally I said yes....in spanish. ha ha. It turns out that he is trying to teach Spanish (I think he meant English) here in Mexico. I gave him a few tips for when I was trying to do the same thing in my first sector. I then connected it somehow to the Apostacy of the church and we talked about the bible. It turns out that he has been interested in the Mormons for quite sometime and was actually trying to find God. It was really cool but as we left I didnt expect what happened at church a few days later...

We showed up at church and found that our members we had asked to pick up our investigators... didn´t find them. So we were a little bummed. We left church early to go contact people in the street. When we returned one of the sisters told me that some gringo was trying to find me and couldn´t speak spanish. I literally jumped up and down. We later found him in a christian home where he is staying and talked about the Apostacy some more. It´s a really good thing that I had been reading Jesus the Christ because I used alot of James E. Talmage. He is really excited and interested in his really quiet sort of way. When I asked him if he would be baptized when he feels that this message is true he said...irrmaaaakeeee....or in other words he doesn´t know BUT I have alot of hope for him because he absorbed James E. Talmage like a sponge and seems like he is spiritually intune. We will see him Tuesday so I will try to keep you guys updated. My companion is also learning spanish (I think he meant English) and said I like to preach about Jesus Christ....I was proud (=

That´s all for now,

Elder Hanson

Be Nice To Angry People At Work!!!

Hey Family,

So I love my job even when it is really hard. My companion is really helping me out and I am really improving in all aspects as well as starting some others. We have had a lot of emotion this week. This last week we had an expectation of 6 or more people in the church...we got one. BUT HE IS AWESOME!!! We hope that he will get baptized this week. I think he had been using drugs for 15 years and he really wants a new start. We passed by to pick him up on Sunday but couldn't find him. We were a little disapointed and headed to church in a van full of invisible investigators. We looked into the chapel but didn't see anyone so we visited one of our investigators across the street from the church but he was leaving so we headed back to church empty handed. As I walked in the front doors I looked into the chapel as they were passing the bread....WAALLAAA....there he was sitting next to our Ward Mission Leader. He was dressed up, clean shaven, and looked ten times better than we did. Aparentely he had walked to church and was the first person there. He lives about 30 sandfilled blocks from the church!!! YEAH!

One of our investigators this week described to us how she is fighting someone inside her to be a good person. She described instances at work where she just couldn't hold it in and just let out anger. She is an amazing person with a huge desire to do good but I am sure that to many of her coworkers she could be labeled as that "angry person". The thing she really needs is help, concern, and the Savior. I thought about how easy it is to be mad or frustrated with an angry person when really they are the ones who need the most love.

One thing that has been a treasure for me in my mission is these three questions: What? Why? and How? What is usually really simple it could be the problem the person or the idea, why is the reason behind the problem, person, or idea, and how is the application, what we can do to help or maybe the actual action that the subject is doing.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, be nice to the grouch! They could be in the prayers of some missionary.

I love you all tons! but I need to go

Elder Hanson