Dearest family and friends,
Woohoo, I`m on a spiritual high from this week! General Conference, of course, was excellent. We also had a multi-zone in which the Spirit (through our leaders) instructed us abundantly. Let me tell you about it! Sorry if it`s jumbled.
WEDNESDAY: I got to play the piano! My companion and I went to the church early in the morning so that I could practice for the multi-zone, which they advised me I`d be accompanying in the day before. I hadn`t touched a piano in months due to a dysfunctional cable in Masaya and the fact that people in this branch can play. AH, it was heaven to play hymns again!!! Thank you, Margaret, for teaching me! And thank you, Mom, for making me practice!
Also on Wednesday, Luis went to the ¨fellowishipping night¨ that we have at the church each week!
THURSDAY: The first spiritual feast! In the multi-zone, President Russell gave a detailed talk based on ¨The Fourth Missionary,¨ that famous talk by Elder Corbridge. He spoke on the attitudes and behavior of each type of missionary as far as study, P-day, schedule, after the mission, etc. etc. etc. I`m not explaining this very well, but it was SO good! I noticed a lot of things that I can improve to become a more consecrated missionary. But the funny thing is, I also noticed how I have changed and grown in the mission, and that I`m actually doing better than I give myself credit for most of the time.
Anyway, we also had several workshops and then played Minute to Win It games to finish. I came away from the multi-zone so inspired! The Lord needs more out of each of us, and consecration makes us supremely happy! We each received a copy of ¨The Fourth Missionary¨ to study, and I could write a whole other email about that, it´s so great!
SATURDAY: The first day of conference! Nobody could come in the morning, so we did the weekly planning we had missed on Thursday for the multi-zone. In the afternoon, we pass by first for Rosa (investigator). She´s not home, but her 20-year-old son Cristian answers the door. We`re like, ¨Hey, do you want to go to conference today?¨ He answers, ¨I`m not ready yet.¨ We answer, ¨Okay, we`ll be back in 30 minutes.¨ Don`t forget, it´s raining all this time. We scarfed down a quick lunch and hurried back. The door was closed. In Nicaragua, that means 1) nobody´s home or 2) they`re hiding from you. But we knocked, and miraculously, Cristian opened and he was ready to go! We hop in a mototaxi and go to Zoyla and Rudy´s house. The mototaxi with Cristian inside waits at the top of what they call ¨the hole¨ which is a small canyon where they live. In the pouring rain, we hurry down to their house to find... that they`re not ready. Zoyla is cooking beans and says she can´t leave. We start talking and remind them of their commitment and do all we can to motivate them, and after almost half an hour, they finally come with us! Luckily, the mototaxi waited, as did the microbus at the church with about ten wonderful members inside, and we made it to the stake center only about ten minutes after the session started! And our investigators took notes on the papers that my companion gave to them, and we were only slightly shivering from being drenched and from the fans in the room. Ah, heaven!!
SUNDAY: Ah, I´m running out of time! The morning session: Luis passed by before we even got to his house with his bike and his five-year-old... ¨We`re going to conference!¨ Angela also came. Pedro and Johnny came through, and it turns out they`re already friends. It was a little hard to pay attention because we were sitting in the back of the stake center and there were a lot of kids, but the Spirit was unmistakable and I`m excited to read the talks in the coming weeks!
Well, I can´t describe all the wonderful and difficult things that have happened, and I can´t cause you to feel what I feel. I love being a missionary! I know that God´s plan for each of us is perfect, and He will help us to grow! Remember that you are never static, but always changing. What kind of person are you choosing to become? Can the Lord count on you? Go read ¨The Fourth Missionary¨ even if you`re not a full time missionary! It applies to us all!
One final quote that I loved from reading in April conference, in Elder Kevin W. Pearson`s talk ¨Stay By the Tree:¨ ¨Enduring to the end is a hallmark of true discipleship and is essential to eternal life. But when trials and challenges come our way, we are often told to simply, ´hang in there.´ Let me be clear: to ´hang in there´ is not a principle of the gospel. Enduring to the end means constantly coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him.¨
Much love,
Hermana Hansen
Photos: I`m a princess! Mosquito-proofing with our new gear from the multi-zone.
My little friend!
Breakfast of champions! Open-faced sandwiches made with 1) bag of refried beans and 2) bag of jam with peanuts.
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