Hello everyone!
I just so turns out that today is P-day, so on my second day here I get to email you. But next week that will change and p-day will be on Monday. So you'll hear from me again then too!
It was very hard to say good-bye to my district in the MTC, but we had a wonderful last few days together and all promised to keep in touch! I know that it's time for me to leave and I'm super excited, but a little nervous. Through it all, I pray the Lord helps me to have faith and to be able to speak in Spanish.
So, I made it to Tempe yesterday and it was all wonderful! Being on a plane for the first time in fifteen years was amazing! I loved it and I love being here. Yesterday after we got back we met President and Sister Howes and we headed back to the mission home. There were 13 new missionaries in our group-4 sisters(3 spanish speaking and 1 english), 9 elders (4 spanish-3 waiting for visas for Peru-and 5 English. We then spent all day together. They had a wonderful lunch prepared for us and we took some time getting to know each other. I already love it! I heard it before, but now I really know, the members here are amazing and so willing to help the missionaries. I know they are going to help further the work a lot. After the lunch we did a lot of training with the mission president and meeting the rest of the staff. They are all so sweet! Then we had dinner at a member's home and then we were taken to other members' houses to stay the night. We didn't do any real missionary work the first day, which was surprising to me, but such a blessing because we were all so tired. And I definitely got a good night's sleep last night!
I love Tempe area a lot. It's a lot greener than I expected, which I am so happy about. It kind of reminds me about the area where Uncle Paul and Aunt Carol live in California, but a little bit newer. This morning we found out who our trainer/companion was and we were super nervous. But then we met them and all seemed just perfect. Mine is named Hermana Norton. She is a sweetie! She's super nice and super understanding. She's only been out here for 7 1/2 months, but I know this is right. I'm serving right here in Tempe, very close to the mission home. We split a Spanish family ward with some Spanish elders. It will be wonderful!
Ever since coming here yesterday this has felt right. I have felt the Spirit confirm to me many times that this is where I am supposed to be. I love the President and Sister Howes so, so much! They are so understanding and so sweet, but also so ready to go out and serve and love the people. They talked to us a lot about giving our all to God and then He will make the miracles happen. I want to give my all to God and to forget about how scared I may be or how little I know Spanish. I still haven't done any missionary work yet, but I can't wait to get started. Tonight we start on that. I'm not sure all we're doing, but we do have a lesson. Also, Hermana Norton told me that we have a baptism on Saturday! I can't wait and I'm very excited. I don't know why the Lord has blessed me already with so much, but boy am I grateful!
Now that I'm in the real world, it's a little bit harder for me to feel the Spirit like I did before, but I hope that I'll be able to find it and to be able to share the Spirit with others. Oh man, this will be great! I have a favor to ask-could you all pray for me that I will be able to get over my fears and be able to share the truth with the people I need to? And also that I will be confident in myself? Thank you, thank you, thank you!
One more thing that I would love to share. This last week we had an opportunity to find a scripture that really touched us in the Book of Mormon. In my searching I came across Ether 6. It is an incredible chapter and one that I think describes the cycle of trials or tender mercies in disguise. I don't have the scriptures here with me, but I'll do my best to share with you what I remember. In this the Jaredites are sailing towards the promised land and tells of how the Lord leads them. In one of the verses it says that the wind, though rough, never ceased to blow towards the promised land. I relate that to to Lord and how He never ceases to blow us towards the destinations He wants to take us, whether that is a real place or just a better spiritual place. Then in another verse it talks about how no creatures of the sea could stop them no matter what. God also protects us in our trials. They may be hard and they may be long, but as long as the Lord is leading us, Satan can not hurt us. Then once they get to the promised land in safety, the first thing they do is to fall on the ground and thank the Lord for the goodness He has given them. This is how we should approach our trials. We must see that through the rough times, there are so many, many blessings and that the Lord will lead us to the place that we need to go, so be grateful for the many blessings that you are given. Lastly, once they made it to the promised land, the next thing they did was to start working. This is what the Lord requires of us-to use the blessings He has given us for good. I love this passage and hope that you can also feel of the goodness that comes of it too.
Love you all! Family, it was just perfect to be able to talk to you yesterday! I don't know if you could tell, but I was just crying out of joy on the other end! I loved to hear your voices and I love you all so much! Thanks for your support and encouragement.
Con Amor,
Hermana Hansen
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