Dear family and friends,
Wow. It`s Monday! Here`s the news... quickly!
-Divisions this week with Hna. Ordoñez! She`s from Nicaragua, from the northern part that`s not in this mission. Hna. Ordoñez is known for being very funny and bold. She finishes her mission this change, on August 5th, and she is definitely VERY conscious of that fact. Well, to be frank, the division was somewhat of a disaster. They basically don`t have investigators, so we contacted and contacted and contacted and found TONS of Catholics, evangelicals, and a few positive people. Hna. Ordoñez didn`t ever open up to me despite my best efforts to win her trust and help her feel my love. Eh, it happens. I tried not to let it destroy my confidence as a leader.
-Funny: I had an eye infection that got worse on Tuesday. I called the mission nurse and she told me to buy these certain eyedrops. So the next day we go to the pharmacy and buy the drops. At lunch, my companion put the first drop in my eye, and immediately I close my eye and yell, ¨It burns!!¨ Hna. Chanchavac: ¨I think that`s normal...¨ Hna. Karla grabs the bottle: ¨These are EAR drops!! Quick, wash your eye out!¨ Me: ¨Where! There´s no running water today!¨ I run to a garbage can full of stored water and start splashing water into my eye, laughing the whole time. Oh, my Nicaraguan life! The cool thing is that my eye healed, hahaha!
-On Thursday, we went to Managua for Hna. Chanchavac´s final interview and English test. It was great for me, because I got to write letters to my converts in Monte Fresco, talk to Hna. Beals (one of the senior missionary couples who is extremely sweet and wonderful), see Hna. Martinez from my district in Granada, read conference talks, and talk to Hna. Combs who used to be the sister training leader in Masaya (SO helpful!). Good day!
So, our investigators... Wendy disappeared to Matagalpa all week. We found out that Melba has been smoking three cigarrettes a day for the past 38 years. Other positive investigators we found now want nothing to do with us or didn`t go to church or are hiding. I know it`s all part of the mission and it`s going to help me be a better person, but the natural man wants results NOW and investigators in church and progressing baptismal candidates and external evidence that you ARE working.
It turns out that change is hard, and despite my best efforts to turn off the stress, I still ended up a complete wreck on Sunday night in a vortex of negative thoughts and feelings. My companion is great and helped me with some very direct, honest comments (ouch), accompanied by advice and love and support. I also read and prayed and had some moments of pure heavenly light poured out upon me. One answer to prayer was Elder Hugo E. Martinez´s talk, ¨Our Personal Ministries¨ in the October 2014 conference. (BTW, does someone want to mail me a May conference Ensign insert question mark.) Another was the words of the hymn, ¨Be Thou Humble¨ that came to my mind as I was on my knees. Not sure if I´m going to quote it right: ¨Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.¨
The gospel is so real. Heavenly Father loves us. We need to love each other and look for ways to lift and bless and encourage each day. Don`t forget why you`re here!
I love you lots! Have a great week!
-Hermana Hansen
Photos:
With Hna. Ordoñez... this is what I look like unshowered at 6:30 AM with an eye infection. Not afraid to send this atrocious pic!
Found a random couch, explained to my companion the act of couching, and we went couching together. The girls who took our photos are coming to church this Sunday.
Interview day! Bought that sweet used skirt in the middle of a busy Nicaraguan market for less than $3.00.
My fun P-day activity... washing a garbage can full of clothes by hand!
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