June 8, 2015

Elder Marple, Elder Winzenried (our roomates) Elder Schoonover (mi hijo!) it's pronounced scew-no-ver

Dear family and friends!

Well as you can see I am once again writing on Monday. My second stint in the office has come to an end and I am once again back out in the mission field! It was weird to leave the office again but I feel like it was time. Elder Belloli and I had a fantastic transfer and we gave a lot of ourselves to the mission. Will definitely miss the Robertson's like always but I am super excited to be out in the mission field... I'm out in General Rodriguez .. it is like 15 km from Lujan! It's an awesome area. Super calm and we have bikes and everything... my legs are killing from these past couple days. Boy am I out of shape!

So we entered the area in a "white wash" which means the 2 others elders left and we came in brand new. I'm with Elder Schoonover.. he's a greenie! So I have the privilege of training him, but the truth is he came pre-trained. He is such an awesome kid and missionary. He is from Saint George Utah and is 18 years old. We get along great and have been having a great time here in Rodriguez so far.

The other day he invited his first investigator to be baptized and it was a super special experience for him. He also said the first vision the other day pretty much by memory. He has so much faith. In church yesterday they didn't tell us we had to bare our testimonies, but when they opened the time to the congregation he was the first one up there to share his testimony! Was incredible, I'm excited to be able to work with him for this transfer!

Things so far in Rodriguez have been great. Like always trying to adjust to the mission life again but it has been going pretty well haha. The area is large and since we are both new we have had some struggles trying to find where we are going haha. But we just ask a lot of questions and I love it. I feel like in life, the church, and the mission that the Lord never allows us to feel comfortable.. and in that way makes us stretch, grow, and learn. This week has been the first time I have opened and area, plus doing it while training has been a challenge. Trying to plan and trying to use every minute effectively has been a challenge but I have learned sooo much about trusting in the Lord.

We have really been focusing on trying to win the trust of the ward leaders. We have already met with all the leaders and spent time with them, trying to show our sincere desire to help them. I had been praying about it a lot and I really felt that this was the way that we should go about things. Instead of directly going to the members and leaders to ask for references, we have been focused on asking who in their respective quorums need some help. We have seen some amazing results. The Relief Society President told us to go visit a recent convert who was struggling and who lives REALLY far away. After we left the President's house we contemplated it but we thought we didn't have time and said we would do it another day. But as we thought this one of the bikes broke, and our appointment called us and canceled. So we had to spend some time repairing the bike.. and when we were done our plans were pretty much ruined. So we decided to go visit this recent convert. We went, had a great lesson with her and tried to bring our love and support. She then gave us a reference, and looking for that reference we found a different married family who is very religious but has been looking for something else in their lives! It was incredible. It was a very humbling experience for us. Showed us that everything happens for a reason, and that we really are here to serve the ward. I know that doing so we will be blessed.

We do have some really good investigators that we were working with that the Elders before were working with. We are working really hard to try to help Maria get baptized this month. She has a date for the 27th but has a couple of doubts, but she came to church yesterday and continues to progress well. There is also a couple Andrea and Oscar who are going to get married in July. Today they are supposed to go and set a date in order to be married in July, and then baptized after. They are sweet. We are working hard to try to get to know all the investigators as quick as possible and trying not to miss a step. I feel like it is a great way to keep us lost in the work! Always something to do.

Well just want to thank you all for your support and your love! Life in the mission is great as always. Don't even know how to explain it. It is just such a joy to wake up everyday and be able to serve the Lord. Hope you never forget that we are all His servants, and that he loves us. Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Hansen.