WEEK 53: Pictures

December 22, 2015

This week is christmas and it is going to be a hot one) I have heard about all the snow that is going on in the northern part of the state. IT CRAZY! Everyone be careful in what ever you do and where ever you go! :) 

I am very excited to see everyone on Thursday! :) I've been waiting to talk to everyone fora long time! :) 

My mind is honestly really plank, I don't know what to write this week.... Because I will talk to most of all of you in two days. 

This week we had 3 investigators in church, and 3 less actives. :) It was so amazing! Chabeli came with her mother, they were there before us. Her mother stayed for the second hour of church, like she promised. And during Gospel Principles we watched some mormon messages, and she ended up crying. We talked about the creation of the world, and the Love that our Heavenly Father has for every one of us. She felt that love, and the importance to live with him again after this life. I can see little changes in her, and everything that she is doing. :) Soon we will be able to rescue her and baptize  Chabeli. 

Today is our p day, and we have our ward christmas party tonight... so we aren't going to procilite today! :) A free day in the mission. :) 

Christmas is different, but it is amazing! I am counting the days until christmas. As sisters we are going to move our mattresses our into the family room, and sleep together. :) We have a tree and a few presents under the tree! :) Its as Christmas as it can get while your on a mission in Perú! :)

I love you all. I will see you all soon. Life is good. Please don't cry when we Skype  because I don't want to cry.... :) Make sure you all shower and smell/look good.

LOVE,

Hermana Hansen

Eating Pizza after our meeting with Elder Uceda as leaders in the mission.

All the Zone Leaders and Sister leaders in the mission, (Why am I always so tall) 

Meeting with Elder Juan Uceda, Area President of the 70. 

During Break time: us four live together now! :) 

P-day with President. I was goalie, and it was an intense game! :)

WEEK 52: Week 15 Of Training

December 14, 2015

Hello, Good Morning! :)

Today we are writing early because we are traveling to a castle in Chimbote, and the ride is an hour long. Then while we are there, we are going to play capture the flag as a zone! :) So we got special permission to write you all early today! :) 

This week was a good week. I don't remember a lot of what happened, but I know that I have seen the Hand of the Lord this week. 

Thursday and Sunday were the best days of the week! :) Thursday I had a melt done, and I talked it our with Hna. Rowley. I shared with her something that I have I don't think that I have ever shared with anyone, but today I will.... :) When I was little... I always wanted to be called Amber Marie Hansen. 1. Because I love the name Marie. And 2. Because it gave me the change to be a better me... a better Amber. I never wanted to change my name to be someone else, I just always wanted to be the better self... and thats what Amber Marie Hansen means to me. :) So Thursday we talked about I could be Amber Marie Hansen. What things I need to do, how I can change, and what I want for my future. :) And we wrote it all out, and I have it taped up on the wall to always help me remember who I am becoming.. :) 

That same day we have interviews with Pres. Rios, Hna. Rios, and the assistants. We got there at 5:30, and we got back to our area to eat at 8:45. :) Everything is good. The interviews were actually really funny, and I learned a lot! :) I could tell that they are still really knew, pres. Rios only has 6 months in his mission. They are just funny because they are still in a learning mode! :)

Sunday was Amazing because Chabeli and her Mother came to church. We cant baptize Chabeli until her mother is active... and her mother is taking a lot longer then we thought to become active... So Chabeli will have to wait a few more months until she can be baptized .. I don't think I will ever see her baptism, which is sad because she is my little sister. :) but they came to church, and her mother promised that the next week she would stay for the first two hours, because usually she leaves after sacrament meeting. 

Also, Sunday we meet with an investigator that we have, and she read the book of mormon... and she couldn't describe how she was feeling.... (the spirit) because it was something different and new to her. She said that she loves this feeling, and for that reason she reads and prays every day. She is amazing. I can feel that she is a "chosen one". The sad part is that this week she is leaving to live 4 hours away for the summer vacations  She lives alone, her husband works in USA, and all her family live up there... so she is going.. :( The sisters in March will have to find her again, and teach her. but She promised us that she is going to take her BofM with her to read during the summer. Wednesday we are going to pass by and give her photos of us with our names so that way we can keep in touch after our missions. I am really sad that she is going... 

I love you all! Everything is good. Christmas time is amazing, and I love this time of Year! :) I cant wait to see you all. 

and Mom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRIDAY!!!!I hope all goes well! :)

I love you all.

Hermana Hansen. 

Next year I will send photos... I want to be a surprise for christmas... I've changed a lot! :) I love you all!

Hermana Hansen

WEEK 51: Week 14 Of Training

December 7, 2015

Good Afternoon! AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Ah, it's a wonderful time of year!

Today after studies, we went and played soccer with two other zones. It was cloudy, and lovely! But sadly  I got FRIED!!! My penchanista gave me sliced tomatoes to put on my face to suck out the heat. All the North americans are bright red today! :) but I enjoyed playing soccer with the Elders. We played on a small court, 6 vs 6. Every team had 2 sisters. Haha  And at the very end, all the sisters played against each other . I got put on the team with Hna. Ragsdale(sister in my zone) and 4 Latinas that HATE soccer... so yeah we lost... But I enjoyed it, and I ran and played really hard. :) The Elders are always really surprised that I play! :) 

This week we moved rooms, and we  now we live together with the other sisters in the ward. It is AWESOME!! We decorated one of the walls in the house that we have, with a Christmas tree, and ornament globes. We have decorated our house to be as christmassy as we can make it here in Peru! :) Every day we listen to Christmas music, when we are working out in the morning, getting ready for the day, after lunch, and after planning at night. :) I love it! 

The weather has gotten hotter, and I think that we will have a hot Christmas  One day this week it rained. The whole day it rained! :) It was amazing! I actually enjoyed the cold. It felt like spring time in Utah! :)

This week we changed penches and now we have two. :) We eat breakfast and lunch with the sisters, and then we eat dinner with a family in our area. The family knows how to make the sisters happy, and they give us a lot of good food and desserts. Also this family knows hows to make Cheesecake, and it is soooo good! :) We ate it twice this week! :) I am so happy that we now eat with members. Our last pench, wasn't that great... so I am way happy! :) 

Last week i tried to send photos, and when i connected my camera to the computer.... a virus deleted ALL my photos from my sim card... so the few photos that i sent to you all, enjoy them! :) But now that my camera has viruses .. i think i will send a lot more photos... because it can't get any worse! :)  So next week i will set time apart to upload them to the computer to send them! :) 

I am really enjoying this christmas Spirit, and this special time of year! :) We are sharing the churches video, ¿a savior is born?.(I think that is what it is in english...ha) We have the goal to knock on one new door between appointments  :) We have giving out like 30 cards this week, and have gotten to know a lot of people. It's a great time of year! We got to watch the Devotional Yesterday... and we only saw the first part, because the internet went down and the sound didn't work for like 15 mins.. So we missed the talk from Elder Bednar and Elder Uchtdorf. But the music was beautiful, as always! :) Next year I will be able to watch the devotional in English... and I am WAY happy about that! :) 

Well, today I completed my 14 month mark in the mission, and I have no clue where the time went! I am enjoying it through and through! A member said that I hardly have an american Accent when I speak... so I think that means that my Spanish is getting better! :) 

I love this time of year, and I am enjoying my time here! I love you all. I hope that everyone is safe and warm during this time of year! I LOVE YOU ALL! MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Until next week! 

Love you all to the moon and back!

Hermana Hansen

WEEK 50: Week 13 Of Training

November 30, 2015

Good morning!!! I haven't said that for a while! :) I miss you all! :)

The weather here is trying to decide if it will be cold, and snow for winter of blistering hot... Everyday it changes! :) Somedays it's really cold, in the nights the wind picks up a lot and blows the cold to the very bone... And then there are days when I am looking for the next store that has ice cream! :) Its crazy here! :) 

This week there was an earth quake in the middle of the night. It lasted for like 15 sec. Hna Rowley didn't wake up so we couldn't leave. But nothing bad happened. I just got scared, and prayed really hard to go back to sleep. As far as I know, there wasn't damage. Everyone just felt it. :) Living in Peru has helped me check off things on my Bucket List. Like feel an earth quake. :) Check! 

This week with Elder Uceda was Amazing! He helped me so much, and he is truly a servant of the Lord. The power that he has testified of that. He talked about Obedience. In everything we do, we have to be obedient  There aren't rules as a missionary that apply "Some of the time," its all the time. And it's the same with the Commandments.  He also Talked about being True missionaries. Missionaries that aren't superficial. Missionaries that teach people, not lessons. And he explained how we can do it. He told us that if we wanted people to come unto Christ, there are three things that we have to have them do everyday, to truly be converted. OLA(hola)=Orar(prayer), Leer(read), y Asistir(attend church). He promised that if we verify that our investigators are doing these three things, they will progress and they will be baptized. 

Hna Uceda shared a survey that the church did a few years ago, What a mother hopes for her Missionary. I would like to share the results with you. 

1. That her missionary will always be obedient. To EVERYTHING. (Never means never, and always means always)

2. Work Hard.(That we will always have a plan, and that we will work hard with the Lord on our side.)

3. That she will be a good Companion. (not that she will have good companions, but that she will always be a good companion).

4. That she has a testimony of the Book of Mormon.(How can we share the BofM if we don't have a testimony for ourselves?) 

5. The she writes every week. (It's not important if our family doesn't write us every week  it's a rule that we have to write them. A letter helps our family feel part of my mission)

Thursday I did get our Thanksgiving dinner. It was really good. The mash potatoes were my favorite. :) Yum! This week, the same member invited us to eat sloppy joes with his family... we are still deciding if we can or not... 

Monday I got food poisoning from the lunch that we ate. I now understand why we have rules, and how painfully food poisoning is. It was terrible! I threw up 10 times, and didn't sleep until 2 am. I felt bad because Hna. Rowley didn't know what to do, and she couldn't sleep either. So we were both zombies Tuesday  But I am all better. I have completely recovered! :) Don't worry. 

This week we are changing rooms. We are going to live in a house with the Other sister in the Ward. It is going to be AMAZING to live together. I am really excited. We also found a sister in our area to give us dinner, so we can eat at 6 pm, and not 9 pm. Because we don't live in our area.  Its a little hard to explain. :) But because we are moving, we have to change our pench. Magda, the lady that we will with, has been giving pench since the area opened in March. I had to tell her yesterday that we are moving, and I cried... Im happy that we are leaving, but I am sad because she is an amazing person. Her family, husband, drink to much and we have rules that protect us. So we HAVE to move. :) But we will visit her during the month. The house that we are moving into is huge! And we can sleep together with the sister for christmas Eve without breaking the rules! :) This morning we started packing all our things. I just have to pack all my books and the things in the shower and I am good to go.

Today we are going to the mall to eat lunch and then we are going to watch a christmas movie! :) Our p days are really big here... we always play soccer with the members. And the members are always really surprised that I play well for being a girl... They are so sexist here. Its ridiculous! 

This week I pick Alma 34:41 as my ponderize scripture. 

 41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.

I like the word Hope. In the True to the Faith book, it says that Hope is sure, unwavering and active. I really don't know why I picked this scripture, But I really enjoy it! :) 

I am very excited for December. For our Black Friday we started listening to Christmas Music! :) I love christmas, and I am glad that I have one more here in Peru. But I am even more grateful for the Video Skype call that we will have. :) Start figuring out what day works for you. Christmas Eve or day, in the morning, or Afternoon. You guys pick the hour and I will make it possible. I would love to see everyone this time! :) 

I love you all, and I hope that you enjoy this time of Year! Remember the Christmas Devotion is this Sunday! I'll be watching it with you! 

Love Hermana Hansen 

Week 49: Week 12 Of Training

November 23, 2015

Okay, well I wasn't really keeping track of time, so I'm sorry if this week is short! Ah! I found this picture from the mission website, and if you look at the page for a while, you will find photos from last week, consilio  and I'm in a few of them. After concilio we went to the beach to play soccer. :) So enjoy the picture there! 

This week when by really slow, but I feel like I time is RUNNING BY now. :) 

More then anything this week we taught a lot of people, and they said that they were going to go to church, but they didn't .... So I have learned to rely on prayers a lot more, and enjoy the little moments that Heavenly Father gives us. 

One day, Hna Rowley started giving me half of her cookies, and at the end of the day, she said that she would give me one every hour, to help give her a little extra boost to keep going. Sometimes she shares her cookies with me, but this day she said that she shared half of everything because she could see that I was having a bad day, and wanted to see the light in my eyes as I ate my half of the cookie.... When she first told me that I was felt a very grateful feeling come over me, and then I felt fat... because only a cookie could light up my eyes and keep me going! :) But I was very grateful, because she keeps me going. She truly helps me in every way! 

This morning, and 10:00 exactly we started to play p day music, and the first thing she put on was Enya.... We started rocking out and "dancing" to that song for like 5 mins... mainly because thats how long the song was and because we enjoyed it so much! I am looking forward the good times that are coming our way. 

This week we might eat a thanksgiving dinner as well .. There is a brother in our area, that knows how to cook American Food, like peach cobbler  and mash potatoes  and things for Christmas and Thanksgiving, and invited us to come over and eat... So I am hoping that it actually goes through!:) 

We taught Chabelu this week, and she told us that she knows that baptism is right for her, and now she is asking in pray when she needs to be baptized  :) Her mother is a less-active and now we are working on rescuing her as well! :) 

All is good here. The heat comes and goes. But I am enjoying life as a missionary! Its hard. don't get me wrong, but I am learning how to enjoy it! 

I Love you all! I hope that all of you take pictures of your weekend, and send them to me! :) I want to see the colors of the leaves and the snow... if there is snow! :) 

Love,

Hermana Hansen 

XxXxOoOo

WEEK 48: Week 11 Of Training

November 16, 2015

Good morning family and friends! I hope that this letter get to you with love, and goodness in your lives

Well, what can I say. This week went by really fast. But I had an amazing time. I had my leaders meeting with President Rios, and I learned a lot about the way the Lord works. The world is always changing. A lot of times we always think that change is a bad thing, because it starts the path to the things that we don't know. But the Leaders talked about how change is what the Lord wants of us. We have to change and find new ideas to find new people to teach. If we don't change, we will always get the same result... Christ asks us to change our hearts, turn them unto him, and do His will. He asks us to follow His example, and help others. We all have strengths and weaknesses in this life, but it is possible to CHANGE them, make them stronger, and change who and how we are. Its possible because it is something that the Lord asks us to do, and like Nephi says (1 nephi 3:7) He wont command us to do anything, unless He is willing to help us achieve it. I really enjoy these reunions. They help me be grateful for the Gospel in my life, and the Faith that I have! :)

I Learned that the Area President of the seventy is coming to visit the mission next week. He get here on the 23, and leaves Saturday  I am really nervous for this visit.... It will be very interesting. As leaders we will have our very own meeting with him on Thanksgiving Day. I don't know how to prepare myself for these meeting, but I am very excited to have one on one talk with this servant of the Lord. :)

My ponderizing scripture this week is: Mosiah 5: 8-10

8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

 9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.

 10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the lefthand of God.

I was talking a lot with Hna Rowley yesterday, and we started saying that there are a lot of people that we are finding that are ready for baptism.... We just haven't invited them yet... I know I am a terrible missionary, but this transfer we are going to have a baptism! We both could feel it, and we now know the work that is in front of us.  So today during studies I started looking for scriptures about baptism to memorize this week. And I found A lot! The Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God. I know it, and testify of it. I found so many amazing scriptures that talk about the blessing that we receive when we are baptized. We Accept change, and we leave behind Sin. We are spiritually new people. We have the change enter the kingdom of God, and we can live with Him again. There are actually a lot more but I just cant remember them right now... :) haha... But I would like to invite you to read "True to the Faith, Baptism". This is where the magic started and helped me appreciate the calling that I have to Invite Others to come unto Christ, through Baptism. :) This is a great calling, and I know that it is important! 

TRANSFERS: No one in the zone is changing, so I get to stay 6 more weeks with Hna. Rowley in Garatea! :) I am so happy! This change is going to be great.

Today we are eating French Toast for Lunch... The penchanista thinks that we are crazy, but we enjoy eating breakfast for lunch! :) Ill take lost of photos, and send them next week! I found a way to now get viruses on my sim. :) 

I hope everyone is doing great. Remember Reading the scriptures everyday is a commandment, and we receive blessings every time we are obedient! :)

LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana Hansen

WEEK 46: Week 10 Of Training

November 2, 2015

This week was filled with a lot of ups and downs, but I had the opportunity to see the Lords hand working in His work, and at his time. :) 

Monday: P-day... I cleaned my room, got rid of the mountain of clothes that were on my suitcases, and Hna. Rowley cleaned the bathroom. .:) After, we met up with the other sister, and played the card game UNO for almost 2 hours. Sis. Rowley and I were the only ones that ever one.. :) It was funny. After we had FHE with one of the families that we are working with and we talked about Faith. We shared the story in Mark, about the women the touched the clothing of Jesus, and she was healed.... She had so much Faith, and she knew that what she had to do was little, but she knew that she would be saved! Ah.. I love sharing that story with people. :) 

Tuesday: We had an appointment with the same family, and this appointment was terrible... we sit down the mother starts telling us how terrible her children are, and how they need to be more responsible, and all that good stuff... It was so awkward, because I'm not a mother, and I don't have children, and she wanted advice.. So I told her to read the proclamation to the family to get help. :) 

Wednesday; We visited a less active, and I made some cute little signs to hang in her room to help her read, pray, and attend church. She was very grateful  because she has the goal to go to the temple and do the baptisms for her grandparents  So I am hoping that this Sunday she starts coming to church. :) 

Thursday: Ah. This day was terrible. I had to go on exchanges with one sister for 24hrs. Its part of my calling as a sister leader. I have to do it ever change, with every sister. Ah. It was terrible. My first exchange alone. I defiantly learned a lot  and the sister told me some ways that I can get better as well. So all in all we both learned something... 

My favorite scripture and story in the BofM is 1 Nephi 3:7. The faith of Nephi, and his willingness to do the Lords will is amazing! This week I had a lot of opportunities to share this verse, and it brought a smile to my face every time! I really truly love the Book of Mormon. 

Time is flying. My investigates of learning a lot  and I am loving this little fishing town that I live in! :) And the best part about where I live, we don't smell all the fish factories that are near the shore line! :) 

These people are amazing, and I am afraid that only have a few more weeks left in this little town. I don't want to leave... ahah!!! I know my heart will break! :) 

My scripture to ponderize is Moroni 7:47. 

I felt impressed to study it this week. I need a lot more of it in my life, and I know that I need to better develop this attribute of Christ in my life, as well! 

 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endurethforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

I hope that all is well. That everyone had a good Halloween, and that everyone is happy! :) 

I know that this Church is True, and I am Proud to be a full time missionary at this point in my life! All is well, and all will be well in the end. Just remember, the sun will come out tomorrow! :) and yes I have had that song in my head all week! :) hah! 

LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART MIGHT MIND AND STRENGTH.

Hermana Hansen