Tyler Hansen's Mission to Argentina

One of my pair of walking shoes after a year. Time to buy another pair.

Hola Fam!

Thanks so much for the letters this week! Truly looks like you guys had an amazing week, so happy to hear. What a blessing family is eh. Just to see you guys so happy and together makes me happy, there really is nothing better. Seems like things are going good and getting ready to start another school year! Crazy it has past by so fast hey, I can't believe we are in August already! I really enjoyed the pictures you sent me of the family reunion.. definitely meant a lot to me. And Ryan's note of no tapping gave me a pretty hard laugh! Tell them I say hi and love them, and thanks for everything :)

1 year! So wild eh. I seriously can't believe it has come and gone so fast. So happy that I still have one year left, to make the best of every moment. I have been looking back and thinking on this past year and there is lots of stuff I know I can do better, but I feel like I did all I could and worked as hard as I could. I had a pretty neat experience today. I went with my companion to the airport to drop off some missionaries who are heading home, and it was the first time I have entered the airport where I came just 1 year ago. It was crazy to ponder back on the moment when I arrived and just the feelings I had, and how much things have changed. It made me really realize just how FAST the time passes! What a privilege to have another year to work and apply all the things I have learned, I can't wait to get started. They always say the 2nd year flies by which scares me.. so there officially is no time to waste! Thank you so much for the support you guys show me, I really couldn't be happier.

This past week in the mission was the week of "ojos rojo" in the offices (the week of red eyes) because it was transfer week. There is definitely a ton of responsibilities that we have here in the offices which causes us to lose a couple hours of sleep each day haha. It definitely lived up to it's name but it was a great week! The transfer meeting is something special for everyone because it really does get them excited about the work and having a new companion. We got all the new missionaries on Tuesday and it was so crazy to see them.. they were excited to work but also a little lost because of all the things going on haha.. and the overload of Spanish. Elder Healey is staying in the CCM for 4 weeks more. It was fun to be apart of it in the office. There was also a couple surprises for us as well. Because we now have 8 missionaries in the offices President Robertson decided to make us our own Zone! It's the 6 secretaries and the Assistants.. and to my surprise in the transfer meeting I was made the Zone Leader here in the offices. I was definitely super surprised. It is a pretty big honor and will be a good challenge. The offices are always looked at as the missionaries who do the paperwork and don't really work a lot in the field. But President wants to change this and have us out there working and baptizing as much as possible. So I will be trying to help as much as possible.. but in reality all the missionaries here are fantastic and they are all great examples and leaders to me.

We found a new family this week and they are great. The little girl (12 years old) got baptized by herself a couple months ago but we really want to work with the family and try to help them all participate in this happiness together. The dad is a little tough but with our Savior nothing is impossible. We aren't exactly sure what happened to Gaston, we think he might have moved. Sometimes here in Argentina if the people find a job they will just move without telling anyone. We are praying that we will be able to get in touch with him some way to know how things are with him.

Being in the offices is definitely different, but after this week I understand why I'm here. I think the Lord wants me to learn true charity. Charity to the point that I am willing to sacrifice and give up everything to help and serve others. I think this is something that is hard for us as humans, but I know that charity is the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we have this love for others we truly will understand better just how much our Savior loves us. It's not always easy, but being here has helped show me that no matter what happens I can choose to be happy and serve others because I love them.

I hope that you guys are doing well. I pray for you guys everyday. I was reading a talk the other day in the September Liahona and it was talking about Missionary Work. It used the example of the sons of Mosiah. He offered all 4 of his sons the opportunity to be king and ruler over the people, but instead they chose to serve. Sometimes in our lives we are offered things that seems of great worth, but we need to look and understand that there is a greater happiness waiting for us. I hope that we can be like the Sons of Mosiah and look beyond those things of the world, and really care about the well-being of all those around us.

Thanks so much for everything you do.

With all my Love,

Elder Hansen.