Week 56: CAMBIOS‏

Dear Everyone,

Guess what?  I had changes!  Wow, it was hard to say goodbye to Pancasan 3.  But I accomplished my goal, and I left with tears!  I learned so much there.

Guess where I am now?  Zona Masaya!  My area is called Las Flores 3.  The area is huge!  That means that we walk a lot more and take buses within our area (a big change from tiny Pancasan).  But it`s very workable, and I`m excited to be here.  Several other missionaries in the zone are people I`ve met and worked with in other zones, so that`s fun.

Hermana Chanchavac from Guatemala is my new companion.  She has 17 months in the mission, so that means I get to ¨kill¨ her at the end of the transfer when she goes home.  I`m so blessed to have her; she`s experienced, confident in the area, hardworking, etc.  We`re getting used to each other and getting along great!

I`ve been assigned to be the sister training leader for our zone.  It`s like being a district leader for sisters.  I`m still not completely sure everything that is required of me, but from what I understand I have to ask for nightly numbers from the five companionships of sisters, go on divisions, help them set goals to improve, etc.

The ward here is very strong (by Nicaragua standards) and guess what?  THEY FEED US DINNER!  Oh man, just when I was getting back to a normal size, I get assigned to one of the very few areas in the mission where there`s a dinner appointment every night.  :)

Oh, and another surprise: we`re getting kicked out of our house on Tuesday (that is, tomorrow) and have to find a new place to live.  Flashback to December and the most stressful days of my mission... No, let`s not relive that!  But we ran around knocking doors like only missionaries know how to do as we asked for houses to rent for two solid hours on Saturday morning, and now we have a few options.  Some are expensive, some are in questionable parts of the area, some are rather hideous, but I`m sure one of them will work out.  Going to check up on that again after we write.

Okay, I`m running out of time but I have so much more I could say.  I am exhausted from the change but happy and learning a LOT!

Much love,

Hermana Hansen

photos:

1) Goodbye to Manuela and Luis Alberto, some of my favorites!

2) Family of the recent convert kids that the former hermanas baptized in Pancasan.  Love them and all their animals!

3) With Hermana Chanchavac!  Horrible photo, taken after district meeting.

P.S. Last Monday, I let Hna. Ana Valle from Pancasan ¨trim¨ my hair, because she`d been begging me to let her clean up the ends.  Her interpretation of ¨solo las puntitas¨ must have been different than mine, because several inches of hair hit the floor.  I`m not against short hair, I just think it may have been better to try it when I have the time/desire to blow dry it daily. :)  But it was done with a lot of love!  That`s the story behind my new look!