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