Week 12: Happy New Years, Cambio means change, Grande & Alto Familia

Happy New Years!!!! haha! Drink some sparkling cider for me tis week, will yea? 

Well, GREAT NEWS, I moved, switch companions. I don't know what to call it in english. In spanish its called Cambios. Combio means change. So yeah! I'm way happy about the change. My new companion is from St. George, her name is Hermana Jolley. I now live 3 hours away from Trujillo instead of 4. All I have to do it ride a bus for  3 hours, and I'm there. :) Its great! I feel a little bit bad because I am happy to leave my old companion, but I know its where I am suppose to be. I KNOW IT! I was way happy when I got the call last night, telling me I was going to Chimbote. Chimbote, has 2 chapels here, because there are so many meimbros. It's amazing! And in my area I have a baptism on the 10th of January. So it will be my first ever baptism in the mission. I didn't do anything for this person, but it's the first baptism I have ever attended while on my mission. Exciting! There are a lot of members here. Which means that there are a lot of people to teach, which there weren't in Casma. Chimbote is really big and my new area is only 1/6 of the city, maybe less. The members love missionaries. So I love them. That wasn't always the case in Casma. 

Because I got to my new area this morning, I haven't unpacked. So I don't have my cord for my camera. Sorry, I have a lot of photos I need to send. Haha. Sorry. Next week I promise!

I was very happy that we were able to figure out how to group Skype, and all! It was amazing to see all of you! Sorry I didn't really share many things. I was just glad I got to hear your voices and see how you have all changed. Speaking of change, I have changed a lot. When I show the photo from my farewell of your whole family, people first reaction is that I have a Grande (huge) family. Then they say that everyone is Alto (tall). Then they ask where I am. And they say that I am a completely different person. Completely different, haha. I thought it was something funny to share, but I also know that it is true! I physically and spiritually have changed. It's a good thing!

How was Christmas everyone? I would like photos!! :) Christmas here was a lazy day. We did service in the morning, and then had dinner as a zone Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we went to Chimbote, where I am now, and had a talent show with all the zones in chimbote. It was so funny. Visit the Mission blog and see for your self!! Haha. I sang in a group, but people said that you couldn't hear us, so it wasn't very good. But I sang! I Love singing! I sing or hum everywhere!

Dad, Justin, Lindsey... Zoey's kitchen you made is AMAZING!!!! Holy cow!!! Make one for me when I have kids! Zoey is so lucky!!! Jana & Spencer, thank you for visiting mom and dad. They are lonely without me! :) haha. jk. Brian, your house looks amazing and I can't wait to come stay at your house when I get back!!! Your boys are so adorable!

I will have a lot to write about next week.I promise! Thank you all for the Christmas wishes I got, and all the love and prayers in my behalf. You all are amazing! Everyone! My friends and Family, be safe, don't loose a finger during all the fun! 

The church is true. Always remember that! :)

Con Amor, Hermana Hansen.

P.s. This Cambio is for the better. I wasn't really happy in Casma. Casma was great, the members were great, and I had a great companion, but I wasn't happy. I just didn't fit! So ITS FOR THE BETTER. Im way excited, and great things are going to happen this week! Love you all.

Week 11: Decorate and Clean, Christmas Eve Party and Moroni 10:4

This week has all been about Christmas!!!! I got to decorate a meimbros (members) tree while the Elders cleaned her very very very dirty house. 

This week has had its up and downs for sure!!! Its been great! I got to sing in Trujillo this past weekend, and it was beautiful!!! You can find photos on The Mission Peru Trujillo blog online. 

This next week is going to be crazy also, because its Christmas!!! I'm having a zone party Christmas Eve because we can't proselyte after 6 pm here because they party way hard here... its what people tell me. So yeah, photos and stories for next week. I love you all, and I cry every time I hear from you, because I love you so much. It's not hard to read our letters so keep sending them!!!! jajaja!!!(hahahah in spanish)

Miracles this week!!! 

Investigator 1. She is a new investigator, we were in our 2nd city, Con Ella. Our lesson was solely on the Book of Mormon. It went great, amazing yeah! The whole shebang. When we were about to close the lesson my companion feels like we need to read something from B. of M.. She loves playing this game, where If you pray, and open your book of mormon, what ever number comes in your mind first, that verse will have your answer. So she starts to do this during our lesson. I start freaking out, because it never works for me... I don't know what is wrong with me but yeah.... So the investigator opens her book to the index in the back. We tell her to open it a little more and guess where she opens it. Moroni 10. Guess what verse she choose..... Vs. 4.... This verse goes perfectly with the introduction, which we had just read!!!! Haha!!! But it gets better. We asked her to pray because in the introduction it says, read, meditate, and pray to know if this book is true! So we get on out knees and she prays. It was an amazing prayer! Then after wards, she stayed kneeling for about a minute and we are just looking at one another, praying she it feeling the spirit we were feeling. When she lifted she head up and opened she eyes she said that she knew the book was true. She read one verse!!!! And she was a completely different person. She is about 45 years old, and she looked (after the prayer) and acted like a new person. Someone who had just shed years off. It was amazing!!!! I love it here. I love when we have an amazing lesson!!! Ah!!!

My computer died twice while writing this email, and I lost 15 mins waiting for it to turn on again!!! Love you all!!! Thank you for your time!!! Love you! I can't wait for Christmas Day! I made a countdown at the beginning of December, and we have 3 days left!!!! Hahahah!!!! Love you! Hope you are all doing good. The church is true!

Con Amor 

Hermana Hansen

Week 10: WATCH IT!, CCM roommates, No order and unfinished

10 Weeks in the Mission Field!                                              

This week we have been sharing the Navidad video from the church. EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH IT!!!! It’s so good. chirstmas.lds.org. Or Youtube, He is the Gift! It’s so good. I love the music! 

For 24 hours this past week I was on a companion exchange to Huarmey(guardmey) with a different companion. That was a lot of fun!! I enjoyed being around the other district there and I learned some cool things from my new comp.

This week I get to spend a whole day in Trujillo with my group that came on the same day. So I will get to see my roommates from the CCM!! I can’t wait!!! On Friday all the missionaries in the Peru Trujillo Mission are singing in Trujillo in the plaza there. All Christmas songs, I can’t wait. I heard that 3 thousand people came last year to hear the concert, and that each year it gets bigger. It’s going to be beautiful!!!

I’m realizing all the houses here are like Grandpa Q’s house. No order, and not completely finished. I also saw a mouse in someone’s house, so that’s way fun. But I’m not afraid of dirt or germs because of grandpa’s house. So I am grateful for that. 

This time of year everyone is busy so we usually end up walking all of Casma, which is great for my health, but terrible for missionary work.

MOM: I want Peanut butter, and mintos in my next package. So yeah! 

Nothing really new happened this week, so sorry. I will have a good story for you all next week! Love you all! Good luck in school everyone, and remember the TRUE reason we have Christmas.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE, and I know it, and will NEVER doubt it!

Love you all!

Con Amor,

Hermana Hansen

2 Month Mark: Christmas count down, street to street, LLAMA!

I have 16 mes mas!!! OH my. It's so weird. 

I made myself a Christmas count down chain, because it is December, and because on Christmas I get to Skype family!!! So I am way excited. Mom for Christmas I want peanut butter, and resses. And any kind of junk food you think will last 3-4 weeks in the mail. :) 

This week was sad because we just walked everywhere. These people cannot keep appointments, so we are constantly going from street to street. So that was fun. Also people weren't around because of the elections this week. There was a party every night by our house. I live one block away from central park, so that doesn't help either. 

This week was just crazy. And we always had to be on the look out. The locals called this past week "The week of the crazies". And it was partly true. But don't worry nothing happened, and we were protected at all times. 

I SAW A LLAMA!!!! Well, I actually saw two! They were in town for the parties, and they are short! I thought they were bigger. I kept my distance though because their saliva is poison, and they like to spit. I don't care if that isn't true, I don't care to be blind, so I took precautions. 

Its summer. I know you know that, because I tell you every week, but really, ITS SAINT GEORGE here. Everyday its between 24-28 degrees C. And I'm pretty sure thats about 60-100 degrees. Each day is different, and the weather is kind of weird. One day, 100, the next is storm looking clouds. But it has only sprinkled, and I mean sprinkled for 3 hours in my 3 weeks here. 

So I am totally losing weight, but I gain it back from the food. My favorite dessert I had this week was "Torta de thres(3) leches" So GOOD!!!! I love it. I would marry it if I could. It's so good!!!! YUM! I will write down the recipe for when I get back and make it for you!!!! AHA!! In 16 months you can try it for yourself!!! :)

If you haven't seen the new clip the Church has put out this Christmas season you need to watch it!!!! "He is the Gift" is so good. We are showing it to everyone here. I love everything about it! TOTALLY!! It's so good. And the people are really enjoying it also. It's my favorite lesson to teach! haha..... It's really the only lesson I can teach because we rely completely on promoting on the spirit. The people are so amazing. But anyway, WATCH IT!!! Watch it with your families and share it on Facebook, and everything!!!! The world, no matter the religion, needs to see this! 

I didn't get to watch the Christmas Devotional yesterday, so I was kind of bummed about that. I really wanted to watch it. I love this Devotional! Hopefully we will watch it this week sometime.

The CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS IT TRUE!!!!!!! Pray to know for yourself if it is true! You need your own personal testimony! Christ lives!!! 

Keep praying for me. I really need all the help I can get. Love you al! You are the best! I love reading your emails and hearing about your lives back at home! 

Con Amor

Hermana Hansen

Casma Peru Week 2: Thanksgiving Dinner, Baby, and First North American Female Missionary in Casma

Happy Thanksgiving!!!! Haha I forgot to say that last week. For thanksgiving a had a chicken sandwich. I asked my penchinista to make me a pie, but she made me chocolate cake instead!! And I got a huge piece of it too... but the next day! Haha.

Everything is good, other then the language barrier its all good. My companion is such a girly girl... haha.… And I am not. Its probably a good thing too because here I already stand out... If I put on make up makeup everyday I would really stand out, and I would sweat more... , etc., ha.

Im not sure if I said this last week, but last weekend, (my first weekend out in the field) We had a branch conference. President Marler, mission president, came and spoke and so did his wife. It was lovely. I understood the scriptures they read, but that was about it. But all this week people keep expressing thanks for the conference and all they learned. So I have learned a lot. 

This weekend was my real church experience. I got to bear my testimony in sacrament meeting, and I called myself a baby, I was trying to express that I know nothing spanish wise, but now every member calls my a baby when they ask me a question and I have no clue what they are saying... So thats fun I guess. (smile face). We ended up having an investigator come for 2 hours of church which is AMAZING here. We also taught sunday school on the spot. So that was fun. Luckily I didn't have to do anything.

Next weekend we don't have church. Here in Peru, when they have Government elections, it's a law that no church or religion can hold meetings. So we get to study all morning and then go out and teach like every other day. (Smile)

My companion is amazing, and tries to be my mother. She loves to sing English songs.Which is funny because she doesn't know the correct words.… Haha. She just says the sounds. I love it. Makes my day every day.

I started to listen to Christmas songs the day before Thanksgiving like usual. Oh it's going to be weird to have a HOT, and I mean HOT christmas. It is about 90-95 degrees F here everyday here. So hopefully I lose some weight. I am grateful that I lived in St. George, because I could be worst. And I'm not that uncomfortable. Im kind of used to sweating now. (smile) :) haha. I figured out how to do a smelly face on this keyboard. Haha.

Something I found out this week is that I am the FIRST NORTHERN AMERICAN FEMALE MISSIONARY in Casma Peru.  

Spiritual experiences:

My favorite investigator is an old lady. She is so funny, and repeats almost everything we say so she remembers it. She is going to be baptized this month. Im so excited. I've really been struggling feeling the spirit during our lessons. But this one lesson, I could lightly feel it. It was awesome. The MOST AWESOME part, was when she said the closing prayer, I started crying because it was so strong!!! I know she felt it to, because of how strong it was, and because she said she felt it when we asked her about it. :) It was awesome. This week my mission became real!!!

Also this week my testimony of the Priesthood on the earth grew 10x more this week. One of the members here is having family problems and all her children that have left her home are not on so good terms. She called us bawling one day, and her only son that was living with her, gathered all his things and left. So yeah. We called the elders and they gave her a blessing. I was bawling before hand because I felt so bad for her. All she does is love, and rarely receives is back. So sad. And I wanted to comfort her, or do something but I couldn't. I had no words for her in spanish. Not knowing spanish SUCKS!! Especially when you are in Peru. During the prayer I lost it. I love the priesthood. You can always feels Heavenly fathers love during a blessing.

I was also reading about Joseph Smith. READ Joseph Smith History! It's amazing. He was such a strong Human being. AH! I love him.

All is good. The church is TRUE people! Pray to know that it is true!! Heavenly Father loves us and we can do anything through Him! 

Please pray for me. I could really use it with this spanish stuff! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Hansen

Casma Peru: Companion, Candy and Opening Prayers

My first area is Casma Peru. This week has definitely had its up and downs!!!! Casma is half way point from Trujillo and Lima, so it's a pretty big city! We took a 3 hour bus ride to get to the closest city the first night, and then spent the night with some other sisters. Then Wednesday  we got up and rode a van for 1 hr.

My companion is HERMANA MAZZEI from Argentina  She is 21 years old. She just finish her training, and now she is my trainer. She has been out on the field for 3 months. It's really hard because she JUST finished... and a lot of the stuff I have, material wise, is different. So sometimes I feel like she doesn't completely know what we are doing. But everyday, we learn a lot, and have fun guessing what the other is trying to say!!! It's a great game!

Right off the airplane, I was greeted by President Marler and Hermana Marler. I love them already!!! We got on a bus, and they showed us the temple  here. Its 3 times bigger then Lima, so it's really big. And in 2-3 weeks we will know the exact day it will be opened, and all those fun dates! I can't wait!!!

My new Hogar, home, is the size of my room in St. George. The bathroom is very small.... Hahah. My knees hit the wall then I go to the bathroom small.... I sleep on the bottom bunk, and the bed is way nice. I sleep like a baby every night. I almost  have everything in place. Its hard because I am to big for my desk and all the chairs here, and the desk itself doesn't have a lot of space, so I am still deciding what I really need each day and what I should put away.

I have two Penchinistas, well 3. One feeds us in the morning. She is a less active member. And then one feeds us lunch and dinner,and she owns a restaurant, so the food here is very good. They eat things we eat here, just in the wrong order.... I had a chicken on a roll for breakfast, and a fruit salad for dinner.… In America they are switched.... So it has taken me time to wrap my head around that. And the 3rd only cleans our clothes... So all is good.

My lessons this week were mostly about the importance of going to church. I bear my testimony about it every time, and I ALWAYS get called on to say the opening prayer. SO that has been fun. I've had some hard times when it comes to lessons. I just struggle. And its hard to communicate my feelings because I don't know the words... HAHA: Thank goodness for my dictionary!!! It TRUELY is my best friend! Really though, its sad how much we use that thing.

Another thing I struggled with was one of the first things my companion would say to everyone I met, that I was learning spanish. I spoke spanish very well but that I only understood when people spoke slowly... People here don't speak slowly. So they don't talk to me. And they ask questions about me to my comp. Its even more difficult when I understand the question but I have to think about the answer... and by the time I figured it out, my comp answered for me and they are talking about something completely different. But I did talk to her and she only does it every once in a while.... Its great!

Someone told me that there were a lot of dogs, and I see a different dog everyday!!! EVERYDAY! And I'm walking the exact same path everyday to breakfast.… It blows my mind.

Food here is delicious. My favorite is the candy here. The have this chocolate cream thing called; Serenata de Amor. Garoto is the company that makes it. So good! It's the closest thing I have to a recess peanut butter cup! The weather is warm. It never rains here, and never a cloud in the sky. Its great!!!  I love it here. I truly do!!! 

All I really have to say is that teaching english is hard. My companion has to learn english. And I have to teach her... Its hard...

I know that I have improved because the other day, I was sick of praying in spanish, because I had said it at every lesson during the day.... Surprise! (smile face) ha. So I said it in English. It was really difficult to think of the words I wanted to say. I kept thinking the words in spanish first. So I was happy to figure that out. I've improved, even if it is a little. All in all.

I love my president, and his wife. The people are funny here. Men always whistle at me because I have light hair and I'm from USA. The women tell me I'm beautiful. The food is wonderful. I work on my tan everyday I'm outside... Im going to have some really bad tan lines after 1.5 years... ha.… I'm loosing weight because I sweat... kind of a lot.... Hehe. And I love my companion. It's going to be a great 3 months here. Its all good!!!

Love you all a lot!!! I miss you all!!! I didn't have time to read all your letters, but I printed them out. So I will read them today and then respond next week! Love you all. Hope the world is treating you well. Attend the temple this week, will you? Tell someone you love them. Miss you all. You are the best. Keep praying for me, because I definitely need it! 

Love Herman Hansen

P.s. My p days is now on mondays. And I will email almost every week around 10-11 am on mondays. Love you!!!

Week 5: Last Week in the CCM, Second in Command, Sister Leader

Next week I will be done with my time sentence at the CCM. But really though, I only one week left here, and I feel like I am in a prison!! Buts at least they have flowers, to make it look like a nice prison!!! Haha. or how people spell, ha!!!

How is everyone? I feel like I haven't heard a lot from family lately. Tell me whats going on!! Thanks for the letters I have received so far! If I didn't respond I'm sorry. I promise I read them. I take pictures of all my emails to read later as well! I just didn{t have time to respond in my 1 hour of emailing time!!! Mom tell me how the ward is!? Kadin, talk to all the basketball girls and see how they are doing!!! How are all my nephews and niece doing?!?!

It is defiantly summer here. I have gotten sunburned twice already, and I only sat in the sun for 20 mins... I PROMISE!!!! The flowers are all out, and there are bugs and birds everywhere. Today, while we were in the city, there were so many people EVERYWHERE!!!! It was nice to actually see so many people but it made everything a little bit more difficult to do. There is a nest here, that's in these trees that don't get any bigger then me, but there is a lot of them in one place. So its like a mini jungle for the animals. Anyway, We have had the opportunity to watch 3 or 4 baby birds hatch this week. They are so cute!!!

Yesterday, my district started writing in each others transfer journals. A transfer journal is a journal that every transfer on your mission, the missionaries in your district or area can write quotes or inspiring messages in. Or they can write their personal email in it and tell you how much they have enjoy being are you and they want to meet up with you. So it's really sad that we started writing those yesterday, because I'm not really ready to say goodbye to my little "Familia" here. I love the elders like brothers. It's so sad!

This Sunday, we have the opportunity to have a guest speaker from Sacrament meeting. Elder Evans is coming. He is on the Church Board of Missionaries. He is second in command, under the two prophets that are on the comity so its kind of a big deal. All week we have been practicing "I Need the Every Hour," in Spanish. It's going to be a really pretty song, and I can't wait to preform it when he comes.

I hope that I don't have to speak with him. One hermaña and one Elder are most likely going to speak with him. And our Presidente told us that it will most likely be one of the sister leaders and one of the zone leaders. So I have a 50% chance of speaking. And I know very little Spanish. Oh, and we are all combined, latinos and all. Usually, we have sacrament and sunday school separate, and then Relief Society we are combined with the latinos. So it will be interesting.

Today was my last Wednesday P-day. I spent a lot more money then I thought I was going to... sorry mom. I NEEDED everything that I got though, so don't be to upset.

My hair has grown like an inch or maybe even two since I've been here. I was looking at pictures we took in the airport, the last time I had straight hair, and when I pull a curl straight, my hair is longer now then in the picture!!! Guys, my hair is growing.... My hair NEVER grows. It made me happy. Also I cut my nails every week. I should cut them more for how fast they grow, but I don't because I just don't have time. I cut my nails every P day. It's so weird!!! But I love it.

Being a sister leader is fun. Hermaña Gonzales has only gotten mad at us once for someone not following the rules. So it's way good. It has its perks, but the main one is that I have to carry my Sister Leader Binder where ever I go.... No Joking. But really it's an awesome experience!!! We have to interview all the girls, and just talking to a few of them, my eyes have been opened. Some districts are REALLY WIERD... I won't go into details, but it has made me be a lot more grateful that my district liked each other from the very beginning and that we have never had any problems. I just love my district even more now!!!

I wanted to share a quote with all of you that my companion shared during our district testimony meeting on sunday. Im not sure if she made it up, but I still love it. And I love her for sharing it. "Jesus Christ was born a carpenter so he would know how to fix broken things. We are broken people, we all have broken lives. BUT, through the Atonement we can all be fixed." This quote is verdad(true). I LOVE IT!!!

Okay, so here is how my next week is going to go down. I fly out Tuesday morning, really early in the morning. I think I leave the CCM at like 3 AM! So that's this coming Tuesday. I heard that I might be able to send a quick email to you when I get to the mission home, but I would't quote me or the person that told me on that. So don't get your hopes up... Sorry. I won't be able to email you until the next Monday. So I won't hear from you for a 1.5 weeks. Sorry. But once I have my first P-day in the actual field, I will be able to send you photos. So If you didn't get the ones I sent last week, you will get them again. Last week the computer was struggling sending pictures out, and then my time ran out, so I wan't to resend some. So sorry. I really hope that you got them because It is so pretty here!!!

I love you all. I know that I am supposed to be here right now!! I know that Christ lives, I know that we will be with him again. I know that the gospel is restored on this earth again. I know that the Book of mormon is another testament of Jesucristo. I know all of these things to be true and correct!!!

I love you all. I miss seeing you. Look on the bright side. Only 17 month left, and then I get to ride on 3 really long airplane rides and see you again! I won't ever leave again, so don't worry. Soon it will be 16 and .5 months left and before you know it Christmas will be here and we can hopefully Skype!!!! That's going to be fun! I Love you, again. I love hearing from you and seeing the pictures you send! ILOVEYOU!!!

Con Amor(with love)

Hermaña Hansen

P.s.- I don't remember if I wrote this already, but we are no longer aloud to send pictures out from the CCM, so sorry. But soon. Again love you!!

Week 4: Humbled, Rainy Days and the Smells of Home

I am way happy that you will be able to see my life in pictures. Its been a weird 4 weeks and the time flew by! Please enjoy the pictures. The CCM is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I really enjoy it here. In less then 2 weeks I will be out in the real world speaking spanish with my new companion!!! It's so crazy to think that I only have 2 more weeks here. I am kind of ready to leave because we do the same thing everyday and I've gained weight with all the sitting we do in class. But I defiantly need more time here, language wise... 

Every P-day I am humbled. I think I can speak spanish because my week has been muy bueno... But then we go to the temple. You know how people LOVE missionaries in the US?... Well shocker they love them here too. So of course people try to talk to me. And of course my brain freezes up at that exact minute as well, so I have no clue what they are saying. NONE!!!! No intende!!! No, I do not understand.... At least I am humbled.

It actually rained a few times this week. And when it rains, you can never see the actual rain drops, because you are in the clouds.... You just walk outside and everything is a little damp. Just a little.. 

This week goes as follows: My district Elders all made a rap about everyone and then rapped them to the whole district. Don't worry, "all good things, all good things"... Please say that last sentence as Olof from Frozen... haha. 

We had halloween. But not really.. because halloween is a worldly holiday, so we just ate candy during class. It was nice. 

On Sunday, it was fast Sunday. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to share my testimony. I shared a quote I found in my scriptures.... God doesn't call the qualified....He qualifies the called. I LOVE THIS QUOTE because I am worthy to serve a mission, but I don't think that I am qualified enough to do it justice. So I am very grateful He is there to help me in every step of the way.

In class we are learning about Perfect vs. Imperfect. All I have to say is that my mind is blown and I still don't understand it. This is not very good. All you spanish speaking people that will read this will understand. Thank you. 

I am now an advancado, and I disliked saying goodbye to the last group of sisters. It was hard. Oh I am also one of the Sister leaders now. My companion and I are. It's a nice little thing we do here. I am basically everyones mom, and all I REALLY have to do is interview every sister at least once during two weeks. I already love it. Yesterday I made little signs for the 14 new hermana's that got here this morning. We also gave them some casinos, which a cookies that are delicious!!! SO GOOD!!!

The only thing that I miss are the smells of home and hugs. No one is tall here, and I can't hug Elders that are tall... so I am hug less... Which kind of sucks. Yesterday they mowed the lawn in the CCM and the smell of fresh cut grass took me back to living in AMERICAN FORK UTAH!!! Oh how I miss those days. I am loving life!!!

In class we talk about the atonement a lot. Which might surprise you but it's true. There is a clip that I want to try and find. Title: The atonement and missionary work by Elder Holland and Elder Eyring... Holy crap I cannot spell... My English gets worst everyday... which might be a good thing. But anyway, It is such a good clip, and I cry every time we watch it.

I am very grateful for the love of Jesus Christo. I am even more grateful for the atonement and his life and example that he is to me each and everyday! I love this gospel! I am so very grateful for the opportunity I am having out here in Peru! I feel Gods love out here and the love you send from home. I know this Church is true! The Book of Mormon is true! READ IT and Heavenly Father will speak to you! I know he does. I love this gospel and the Church is true! If you don't believe me pray about it for your self. I love every single one of you! I miss every single one of you. I pray for you every night, and think about you during the day!

-Hermana Hansen

P.s. Pictures are going to be in a different email!

Week 3: Temple & District, Bedtime, & Peru's Mail System

O Me Gato (Oh my Cat),

This week has been a lot better!!! I love the temple. Because I was struggling, when I went to the temple I prayed really hard to the Lord. I love the temple now more then ever because it has been a way better week. Being able to go to the temple every week is a huge blessing as well and we are very blessed here at the CCM!!!

I FREAKING Love my district. The Elders are my basically my brothers, I just can't touch or hug them like I do with my regular family. We get along really well and we truly are like a family. I am very blessed to have them here with me. We are all on different levels with spanish, but we all help each other out, which most districts don't. Other districts are way more competitive and everything is a game. I am way glad that I have my district and we are all very kind and loving (in a missionary way) towards one another.

I've never talked about the weather here. Its been cloudy and chilly most days. Its just starting to warm up, and I love the sun!!! The flowers are all blooming, and I wish I had drawing or painting supplies with me. I would just paint or draw for hours if I could. Its so pretty. Half the time I have my camera with me, so I can take a picture, and the other half of the time I just have to take a mental picture. But it is beautiful!!! DAD, MOM, if you come get me, you will be so amazed!! The food is way different here, and they try to make American desserts, but Peruvian style, so they taste a bit different, but I am happy that they try and I get jello or pudding every now and again.

I would like you tell all of you that I happily get up at 6 am and go to bed at 10:30 pm every night, (Amber was the most lazy morning person you could ever meet, so this was our family joke for so long. Especially between her and Justin) and rarely am I tired. I love the schedules here. When we get up, the sun is already up, and it sets at like 6 pm. Which is so weird. There are no stars here, and every once in a while we will see the moon. Other then that the weather is beautiful!!! 

My hair is freaking curly, and I have finally given up on doing anything else with it. I'm very glad that I didn't bring a straightener though, because it has forced me to embrace my natural beauty and I really like my hair now. It's me. And it is way easy!!! haha. 

My turf burn on my knee is now a scare, and it healed really fast and well. So I am really glad. I still play soccer because I can't sit around and watch some dumb american destroy my position. I still get my butt handed to me by the Latinos and the Americans that actually know how to play. But I have improved since arriving so that is a plus. Soccer is crazy here, and the Latinos are FREAKY good!!! Holly cow. 

On Sundays, and Tuesdays we have like 4 to 5 hours of study time, so they have become my favorite days. In my personal study time, I have started looking up all the attributes of Christ in PMG and marking them in my scriptures. I've made a color code for them too. So that has been nice, and I also have learned a lot. Tuesdays we always have a devotional, so we don't have afternoon classes which is way nice because it makes it seam like P-Day starts on Tuesday!!! 

This group of Latinos that we have right now are all way tall!!! Which is way weird. Only a few are from Peru, and most are from Colombia or Ecuador. ha. But yeah. so thats fun. They don't speak English. I teach them a word in English and they teach it to me in Spanish. Usually stuff at dinner, like spoon or fork. Things like that. Its way fun and I love talking to them. 

This past Saturday, some of the surrounding stakes came to the CCM for a tour. We saw so many little kids, and they loved us!!! They lit up when they saw us and many of them took pictures with us!! They were so cute, and it was the prefect energy boost I needed at the time. I love Peruvians already. 

We have fake investigators. Our teachers are them and they are playing the role of a friend that joined the church or someone that they actually taught on their own missions. Its so weird, because these people are our teachers, but they act completely different for that 20 min lesson. But it's gotten to the point where they are real. I actually pray for Blanca or Sophia. I enjoy teaching lessons, although I am still learning how exactly to teach them. I definitely feel more comfortable now then I did a few weeks ago. And my teachers are always way impressed, and they tell me everyday how I am improving. Which I am. 

I figured out this week how to be more grateful. I have improved and I'm doing way better. Once I say a pray full of gratitude, I no longer feel stressed or upset. I feel love from my Heavenly Father. Spanish is still way hard, but I'm learning to look at it in a different light and it's helping. When life is hard, I can always find at least one thing i am grateful for.  haha. 

We don't get to celebrate Halloween here, which is sad. It's a worldly holiday and we are missionaries so it makes sense. 

MOM or DAD, please update me on all the stuff that happens in Peru. Did you know that the Peruvian mail system is on strike now? Because it is. WEIRD!!! No clue how your going to send me anything now. Sorry. But really keep tabs on Peru. It's an interesting country. 

Only 3 more weeks here and then I get on my last plane to Trujillo. It's so weird. I was trying to write down things to tell you peeps, and it really does feel like 2 days ago was p day. Not a week ago. It's so weird that the new people have been here for a whole week. I struggled remembering what happened this week as well. 

We can now send photos from the CCM. It was a rule before that we couldn't, so I am going to try and send some. I'm not exactly sure how to but next week for sure I can!!! And will. So you will get to see my beautiful face and Lima. ha. I love you. It's been a good three weeks, and I can't wait to actually get out of the CCM. It will be hard but it will be nice. 

Love you all, and the CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!

-Hermana Hansen

Week 2: Priesthood Blessings, Spanish and the Hunger Games

Holly crap!!! This week has flown by!!! Its kind of sad. First of all I would like to say that this keyboard is in spanish, and has some weird keys so sorry for miss spelled words, but you should understand the gist of what I am saying!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

I got a blessing from the Elders in my district because I was struggling way hard with the language, and I was worried my knee turf burn was infected, and I didn't want to catch any bacteria on the field that could send me home. The blessing basically said that God loves me, and that the challenge of this language is here for me to grow as a person, and to really make me work hard. I was very grateful!!! I don't think that I have every cried or laughed so much in one week. Crying is a daily thing for me now... which sucks because I hate crying and I look so ugly while doing it.... hah. 

Our teachers here are also our investigators. We have meetings with them daily, and they play investigators very well. This hour of the day is the hardest for me. I don't know hardly any words in spanish. I don't know what they are asking or what my companion just said to them. My companion is way smart, so she will usually turn to me when she has been talking for a while and will translate. Once I know what we are talking about, I know enough words to bare a testimony, and talk about it a bit. Its freaking frustrating.... Having everyone around speak spanish and literally talk around you.. I've been told by many of my teachers that I need to open my mouth and talk to them. They explained why.... simply, Peru people will think that I am being proud by not talking to them. Which is completely opposite... I have learned that I get way frustrated way easily, and that I have really high hopes for myself. It's hard to let those standards go and just accept whats going on, and not get frustrated by not know a word or two. My actual teachers [don't?] think that I am dumb. I completely understand the lessons and the activities that we do in class. Again, I just don't know how to talk to actual people once they stop. It's way hard.... 

In case you were wondering!!! But I am learning a lot about how to teach and prepare lessons. Our first lesson was terrible!!!! I cried about it for an 1.5 hrs. I am starting to love my companion, and we get along really well with each other now. We are both weird in our own ways, but we talk, laugh, and joke about those things and then move on. So life at the CCM is way nice. But at the same time I feel like I am on a roller coaster. One really good day, two bad ones, one really good morning, a terrible evening. I bad morning, and great 2 days after wards. I seriously have no clue how this next week will be....

Once a week, we get together with a Latino class and we teach each other different lessons. THEY TALK SO FAST HERE!!!! Its so scary. I always have to ask them to slow down.... haha. But it's way good practice, and for the most part they understand what we are trying to teach them!!! ha.

SUNDAYS. I feel like I am in the hunger games. We don't know who is speaking until they announce it. So every week we have to prepare a talk... Which is awesome. And no one really cares if it is in spanglish!!! haha. Yesterday, the advancados, the older girls, people who have been here 4 plus weeks. They left this week. I cried. Monday night we skipped personal quiet time and just sang in the hallway for 20 minutes, and then cried our eyes out with each other. It was so sad! I met a sister from American Fork and I actually had a class with her before we moved. So I will defiantly be talking to her after my mission. I Love her companion, Hermaña Frame. I miss them already.. And it's only been one day!!!

Last but not least, SPANISH and ENGLISH suck. English has so many words for things. I can't think of an example.... but in spanish, you explain or describe with what you are feeling, or seeing, or want. So its taken me some getting used too.... haha. Also they write their sentences backwards. It's weird. You can totally tell we are greenies, because we put the words in the wrong place.

We went to the temple today. It was beautiful as always. smilie face. The sisters in the temple try their hardest to speak English to us, so we know what they are saying... haha. Afterwards, my district and I went to all the places we are aloud to shop at. Last week we only had time to go to a store that reminds me of Target, called tutus. Its way nice, and has a lot of stuff. Anyways, the other stores are gross stores like Walmart, metros and garages... can't spell.... But grajess is garage doors, that have individual shops. I bought 2 jerseys from a lady today and it was wonderful. My legs hurt because we actually had to walk somewhere today and not sit in class for 8-10 hours a day. ha. But its all good. 

I love you all and I can't wait to here from you. Again, if you want anything from Peru, tell me soon, so I can get it in Lima!!! LOVE YOU ALL! Hope your week is going great, and everything is well with you.

The church is true. I know it is. I wouldn't still be out here if it wasn't!!! The spirit is so strong out here, and I love it. It's a grand feeling. I'll send a lot of pictures my first week out of the CCM. We can't send pictures from the CCM, if I didn't tell you that already. Again, LOVE YOU LOTS AND MISS YOU!!!

-Hermaña Hansen

Week 1: Potty Talk, Soccer and Desserts

Hello! This week has flown by. I am so happy that I get an hour to actually write everyone! I love you all. I found the letters you all sent me on Saturday! I finally needed to look at the binder for my oils. haha.... I love you all. I cried and used like 5 tissues  ha.

haha... wrong button... continued...

The airplane ride was way fun, but sooo long! I didn't go pee once, or even stand up because I was so sacred of flying. ha. thanks dad.

The first actual day, no one told us anything. We had no supervision, and no one spoke English!! It sucked. When we finally started to have class, our teachers act like they have no clue what we are saying in English, and they only speak in spanish... Lets just say that I am way frustrated because I have no clue how to speak in spanish... My companion was like a spanish genius, so I hate being her companion because she is way too smart. But I am good... All is good, and I haven't gotten sick from the food yet! I love my companion. She is Tongan, so we are completely different, which makes it hard because we do everything different.... EVERYTHING!!! But I have a lot to learn from her, and I am looking forward to the next 5 weeks here. The first things that I learned was how to say a prayer and testify in spanish. I'm still memorizing the phrases to actually do it, but I'm getting there. In class we wrote down our testimony, and then got to share them with the Latinos that are here for two weeks. Even thought I had no clue what everyone in my district was saying, I felt the spirit so strong. I was balling!!! Way embarrassing. But it was good.

The Latinos are crazy good at soccer. We have a turf field to play on during activity time and P days. Yesterday I got a turf burn on my knee because I was goalie, and I saved the shot from going into the goal!!! I was happy. But now I can't wear pants, and my knee is always pussy. But I've cleaned it really good mom, and it's just working on healing and creating a scab.

I love my roommates. We all flew over together, so we got really close on the plane rides. Even with the Elders too. I love my district. I sleep on the top of a bunk bed with my companion. It sucks, and the beds are way creaky, so when ever you move an inch it wakes everyone up. But we are all starting to get used to it so we can sleep well.

I've had so many weird experiences that have gotten me out of my comfort zone so much!!! And my companion knows all about my bowel problems. We really have to go everywhere together.... I don't really like it. On Monday, I had a fabulous experience with the toilet in the girls stalls. I had to pee so bad, but I was also hungry after the day was done. RIGHT. So I hurry and ate a snack and then bolted into the bathroom. Well I had held it for way to long.... So I just pulled down my pants, and went for it. Well I forgot to check it the seat was up.... and it wasn't. I realized this while I was peeing because the sound wasn't the same.... So long story short, I peed all over the floor in my stall. I cleaned it up of course, but now everyone gets out of my way at night if I am heading to the bathroom so I don't do it again... It so funny. And of course everyone knew about it the second it happened.... so I just had to deal with it, and laugh at my self because it really was funny!!!! DAD, you were right about the toilet paper... I would have never thought that people would throw their toilet paper in the garbage can in the stall instead of just in the toilet.... These people live weird lives here, and do everything so different. The water in the bowl even circles around in the different direction. IT'S weird....

The food here is really good. I should say the desserts are really good. We eat eggs and bread for breakfast, chicken and rice for lunch and dinner. We eat ice cream a lot for dessert, but it so good. THEIR CHURROS are so good. I don't think I spelled that right. The bread that's thin and long and has a butt loud of sugar all over it.... YEAH THEY ARE GOOD!!!!

CHURCH. I love church.... I love Sundays now. The bishop calls on people to speak right after sacrament meeting. They do this just so we can learn to always be prepared with a talk. We literally don't know who is speaking until they announce it!!! Its so scary... And even if I did get called on, I would just bear my testimony in Spanish, but say my talk in English!

I'm learning a lot, and the spirit is so strong here. I love it! TODAY is my P day. We get to go to the temple, and shopping afterwards on p day mornings. I loved it today! The temple is so small, but it was so beautiful!!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!

OH. PS. I can't upload pictures onto the computer at the CCM or MTC. So you won't get to see what I look like now with my crazy curly hair, or what I am doing till i get out in the mission. Oh speaking of my mission, there is talk that the temple will be dedicated in April or May on 2015, so i will be there!!! I'm so happy!! and excited.

If anyone wants a soccer jersey, or cool Peru tie, I can get them for so cheap here. MOM put more money on my card.... like $50. please. Soules, are weird. But really, let my know what team you want for the jerseys and I can get them for like $10 US dollars. You won't get them for a year and a half, but I will have them for you when I get back!!!! AH!! One week down peeps. ONE week. There is a saying here at the CCM. Days feel like weeks, weeks feel like days. It so crazy that I've been here for a week!! But at the same time each day is sooooo long!!! ha. Well lots of love. I miss you all! Your in my heart. I will try and answer all your questions, but I only have one hour each week to write, so I will TRY!!!

-Hermaña Hansen I love Peru!!!

Sorry for the spelling errors. haha.. I am trying really fast!!!! again, LOVE YOU ALL

I MADE IT

Her flight left at 6:37am from St. George to Salt Lake. She then flew from SLC to Atlanta Georgia.  From There she sent to the Chile airport, the Lima Peru airport where the MTC is at. Hugs from everyone, even Kadin, and Zoey didn't want anything to do with her at that moment unfortunately.  Amber looked and seemed very ready and calm with what was ahead of her.  She will be missed but I know that she knows what she is doing is right and Heavenly Father is watching over her.

Farewell for 18 months-- Off she goes on her adventure!

Here is her first of many emails home::

I have 5 mins to write this. I made it!! AND I have my name tag! Im so excited. The flights were long, and I am way tired. I got an isle seat on the first 2 flights, so I didn't sleep on plane. When I got a window seat on the last flight, I couldn't sleep, because I wasn't tired. I got 3.5 hours of sleep last night, so I am kind of all over the place. My P-days are on Wednesday, so I will be able to write you a longer email in a week! I'm here for only 6 weeks, which is weird for some reason. I thought that I would be here for 2 months. Time will go by so fast! I looked at the schedule for next week and we get to go to the temple!!!! I cant wait! EVERYONE here speaks spanish..... No one from administration speaks English so communication is hard right now. I am rooming with 4 other sisters, all of who I flew over with, so that is fun!Love you lots, and I am already starting to miss you!LOVE YOU!!!!

Hermana Hansen

Called to Serve.

Sister Amber Hansen has been called to serve in the PERU, TRUJILLO mission

She will report to the Peru MTC on October 7, 2014

For those of you who would like to attend her farewell it will be

September 28, 2014 @ 9am at 3680 Pioneer Parkway Santa Clara.  directions here

Following her talk feel free to come by the Hansen home to say some goodbyes

Hansen home: 2090 Blake Dr. Santa Clara. directions here