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