Recogiendo La Cosecha - March 11 letter

Hey Ya'll,

 

How goes the world? Good? I hope so. Cause life is good here. I really like Juarez. All of the trees are beginning to bud with leaves, and everything is a lot more pretty. I thought Juarez was just always ugly, turns out not really. It has its ups and downs.

 

This week has been a good one.

This last monday, we got to play sports again with all of the missionaries in Juarez. I played about 6 games of basketball. My calves and buns were so sore for the next three days, it really made proselyting just that much more miserable. Ha, and after we played, we were headed back to the house, and a sand storm started. And we were just standing there waiting for the bus, with the sand beating our skin, and one of the American elders next to me said, just nonchalantely,  ''El Cielo...llegamos.'' Haha. I died laughing. haha. Still chuckling about it. ''Heaven...we arrived.'' Wow..that isn´t as funny in english...what a joykill. Still grand. Also, we went to costco and ate pizza and hot dogs. I felt like i was in the USA for a bit. We also went to walmart S'mart, and Soriana. It was just a day full of stores.

 

This week we met a man who has been praying for heavely messengers to come help him. And then we showed up. But he is still trying to make things right with his Pastor (they had a dispute). But he is excited to read the book of mormon. His name is miguel. And he is a weekend drinker.

 

On tuesday, we were visiting the Montes family to prepare them for their baptisms, and Angie told us a story about Adela that happened that morning.  She was making a pot of coffee, and her daughter angie ''9 years old'' walked in, and said ''Mom! We made a promise with the Lord, and with the Mormones. We dont drink coffee!'' Ha. So great. But the coffee wasnt for her, it was for her son. She told us about how she hasnt even had the temptation to break the word of wisdom. People have been offereing her stuff, but she doesnt´have the desire anymore. So grand.

 

Oh, and on monday, Adelas drunk friend walked in during the lesson, with a sippy cup of beer. We began teaching towards her, and she threw her beer into the bushes, and said that she is going to change.

 

On wednesday, we had intercambios, and i was working in Aztecas again, and the same thing happened. We walked up on one of their investigators who was smoking and drinking. I began to talk to him. While the elder from that area, was talking to his friend. We talked for about 5 minutes, and it ended up with him pouring his beer out into the dirt, and writing down his plans to quit drinking. He was really sad when he found out that i would not be returning, but it would be other missionaries. he said that he likes the way i talk. It make him feel peaceful. Just had to teach him that it wasnt me, it is something all of the missionaries do. It is the spirit, and the message. But it was a really cool experience. The elder from that area Elder Abad, was just talking to the friend of their investigator, and then looked over to see his investigator dumping out his beer. haha. He was so pumped.

 

Oh, and Elder Abad, is from Guatemala. He is from the Vista Hermosa ward, and says he knows you Dad. Do you know the Abad family in that ward. And he was in the Don Justo ward when we lived there. We were in the same ward for a wee bit. Small world. He knows Aimee and Casey Robertson and all that. And the Justice family. It was cool to be working with him.

 

We have found like 3 families this week just because people who want to learn how to tie a tie have been asking us to teach them. That is cool.

 

And it was just really fun to be working with Adela and Angie before their baptisms. It was a really special experience to be with them in that baptismal service. The room was packed, standing room only. And it was something really special. I love the mission. Missionary work is the best. The church is so true. And i love the chance i get every day to learn a little more about my Father in Heaven, and about His Son.

 

I have such an amazing family. I do miss you all once in a while. Well always, but luckily i am always so occupied that i dont have time to think about that.

 

Oh, mom, i got your package that had the hawaiian men, and the chocolates! :) You sure do know how to make a missionary laugh, and very very happy to be eating chocolate covered macadamians. You are the best. I love it. And i still dont have that address. Almas dad, Armando, whom we recently reactivated, has been gravely ill, and it isnt the moment to be asking for them to be my mail delivery service. Sorry. But he seems to be doing better. He has been leaving the bed for the last few days, And even was walking in the street one day. Doing really well.

 

Haha, poor Elder Bruce Hansen, assistant. Poor guy probably doesnt sleep. Unless that is just the poor assistants in our mission, who go to bed at 11 and wake up at 4. He should probably sin a little more. heh heh.

 

Well, thats all folks.  Have a grand week. Enjoy some sunshine. It is pretty strong here. My tan lines are back. And wont be leaving any time soon. Read some scriptures. We have been studying in the scriptures about how ''Cry'' can mean ''Pray'' or also ''preach'', so we have been crying to the lord all day, and also crying to the investigators. The word in spanish is Clamar. Using great scriptures like Alma 34, Enos 1, Ether 12, or even the fact that the book of mormon is a ''voice 'crying' from the dust.'' And we fast every sunday. We will have the harvest.

 

Love,

 

Elder Romney Hansen

 

 So, we did have a baptismal service this week. 6 people were baptised in our district, between the 2 areas. We baptised Maria Adelita Montes Manriquez, and Angela Montes Manriquez. And the Elders from Chapultepec 1 baptised Luis, Yolanda, Jorge, and Sandra. As missionaries, we four sang Mas Cerca Dios de Ti, and it went pretty well if i do say so myself. Little angie had a scratch on her fourhead, and didnt want to have pictures taken, and put all of her hair in front of her face. haha. I love this family. I met them on Christmas. And i dont know why we kept teaching them so long. But it paid off. :) We didnt ask them who they wanted to baptise them, because everyone asks me to do it, because i am a gringo, so I just told Elder Pantoja to bring his white clothes. He was most content.

 This is Adelita and Angie. They live very humbly. And their past life has been crazy!!. Ha. The best way to describe it is just to say that we baptised a former drug dealer...i wont tell you which of them did it... ehh. But they are so sweet. And Adela cried last night because she doesn´t want me to have transfers. Even though as of right now, i still dont know if i have transfers. I dont think i do.

 WOOHOOO. 6 MONTHS. Well, a little more, but i do everything late. no stress.

 Finally burnt my tie to commemorate the conclusion of 6 months in the mission. It was slow to burn at first, but in the photos i will send i a minute, you will see that it finally caught flame. (still sporting my charly brown shirt. So boss.)

 Yeah, that babyburned for like 30 minutes. Super slow. So we decided that enough pictures were enough. We even stuffed it with paper, and it still burned slow. Chale.