La Ultima Vez (The Last Time)

Hola friends and family,

This week I have been so blessed. Many wonderful experiences happened and I've felt the Spirit so much. I also been blessed with tangible things too-I've recieved many letters and two packages. One from Grandma and Grandpa Hansen-thank you so much! I loved the candy and the goodies. And the other from Malissa Evans. It was incredible- thank you all for taking the time to think of me. I know you all have so much on your plate, so thanks again and again.

I got my travel plans last thursday night and it was awesome. Hermana Farley and I leave on tuesday morning to head off to Tempe. Oh my goodness! I'm so excited and just a little bit scared. I already love the people and I KNOW this is where I need to be! And I know I'll be horrible at Spanish at first, but I am going to continue to do my best at it and not to be uptight when I make mistakes. This life is to enjoy and I've been given this awesome opportunity for such a special adventure. And here I come...

4 more days of life here at the MTC. I'm really rather sad, but very excited at the same time. It's such a bittersweet time for me. I will miss this place so much! This week I've been reflecting a lot on my time here and the things I've done and learned. I've learned so much about obedience, about the Spirit, about loving people, and about giving myself fully to the Lord. I hope the Lord feels like I'm ready to teach real people. I know now some of the reasons that I am supposed to be on a mission. It's amazing how much the Lord really does know us better than we know ourselves. He can see weaknesses that we have and find a way to refine us to overcome that (or those many) weakness(es).

I love the experiences and memories that I have from here. I love the people. I have a new love for teaching that I never thought I would have. I feel the Spirit more in my life now than I ever have before. I have such a desire to learn more about the Savior and to know all I can in order to be able to teach the people in the way that will best help them come to Christ and know their Savior. I am so, so glad I listened to the promptings of the Spirit and decided to go on a mission! What a blessing.

I'm really going to miss my district, my teachers, and my zone. I have had a lot of memorable spiritual and funny experiences here, especially with my district. The five elders have been so wonderful. They are all so good and I have learned so much from them. They are all such sweethearts. And I'll really miss Hermana Reyes too! She is such a wise, patient, sweet, beautiful sister and I can't wait until I get to spend more time with her in Hawaii after the mission. We've all planned to have a party after the mission at Hermana farley's house in Frezno.

This week we had an amazing fireside. It was perfect for me. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the seventy came and spoke to us about three things we could do to have the spirit with us more. Basically he talked to us about being worthy in our thoughts and how much that would help us. Through this fireside I felt the Spirit speaking to me and helping me realize that at times I am very selfish and don't give my thoughts fully to the Lord. Sometimes I get distracted easily or I don't focus as well and I know that is just me being selfish. This week I've been trying to overcome that and I know the Lord sees my efforts. Even though I'm not perfect yet, I know I am improving. And that's all the Lord asks, is that we improve and have those righteous desires.

Before I finish my email today, I want to bear my testimony in Espanol one more time. Hopefully this will help you all to see that I have made some progress in the language, even though there's still so much to learn. Here goes...

Yo se que esta iglesia es una iglesia de el amor de Dios. Tambien esta iglesia es la unica verdadera iglesia con la atoridad de Dios. Yo se que Jesucrist es my mejor amigo y mi Salvador. El expio para me y para nosotros. Se qu Dios nos ama mucho y su mano es en todos vidas. Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y es my favorita libro porque tiene mucho bueno historias y mucho escrituras que ha ayudado me mucho. Yo se que Dios tiene un plan para nosotros y familias son eterna. Yo se que Dios contesta oraciones y es muy poderoso y muy amoroso. Yo amo mi Padre Celestrial. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.