Hermana Hansen: Week 51: Good things come in twos!‏

BUENAS!

Wow, is it Monday already? Here are the good things that are happening in my life!

-Marlon and Konny both got baptized! Ah, it has been such a joy to see Marlon progress. He stopped drinking, he feels happy, he goes to church faithfully on his own. Konny was a miracle: she got baptized several years ago in Mexico but never was confirmed. Now that she´s trying to get employment help from the church, she couldn´t find a membership record number and had to be re-baptized. So they both got baptized on Saturday!

-Norma and Julio! They´re our baptismal candidates for this week. Norma needs to get married to Alberto, but we´re going to take care of that on Saturday before the baptism. She made us dinner on Tuesday, woohoo!!! And Julio! He is about 50 years old and rather serious. He sews for a living and uses one of those old metal machines with the foot pedal that goes back and forth. Actually, there are a ton of those here. Anyway, he has stopped smoking by substituting candy instead. He reads his assignments! And he prays for the attendance at church to be higher (you and me both, buddy!).

-Julisa and Braulio! Julisa is 12 and Braulio is 10 (I think.) They love us, and we always teach them with their homebound grandparents and their Catholic mother present. The good news is that their mom has already given permission for them to be baptized. They read all their pamphlets and are working on giving up coffee.

And the best news for last... We have a new mission leader! And guess who it is? MARIO!!! Mario the miracle is now Mario the mission leader! (Actually, his name is Alejandro, but he´s always been Mario to me. Hermano Rocha, to be more correct.) He officially has three months since his baptism and is still the most faithful, energetic, converted member I know. Oh, I could write an entire email about that man. He was at the church when Marlon arrived for his baptism, and when he heard that he was getting baptized that day, he breaks out in this huge grin, gives him a bear hug, puts his arm around his shoulder and walks him into the church. ¨You´re making the best decision of your life!¨ With his help, we´re going to reactivate and baptize all of Pancasan!

Not sure what else to write... I got some type of throat infection that started on Friday and made swallowing super painful all day on Saturday, but it seems to be going away now. Don´t worry, Mom! ;)

Time is up! I love you lots! Thanks for your love, letters, advice, prayers, everything!

-Hermana Hansen