Hello family!!
What what! Week one down. So weird. In some ways I feel like I've been here FOREVER, but in some ways it's crazy to me how fast is going by. More than anything though, I really hope you guys know I'm really happy to be here. I do miss you guys (the other day I had a hard time with that, but that's not important...heh heh) but I'm truly so grateful and so so blessed to be here and am SO GRATEFUL for your love and support and letters AND PHOTOS (p.s. Elder Maylett said to tell you you're all beautiful and Elder Brown made fun of me because Mum sent me the pictures of myself too...hahaha thanks mum) and for enabling me to do this. Mostly though, I'm grateful for the candy. FRUIT BY THE FOOT FOR DAYS. (except not bc yesterday I felt really bad about getting too competitive during volleyball (because one of the Elders in my zone--Elder Shumway--and I were pretty much killing it...even though killing it during volleyball at the
MTC isn't that much of an accomplishment. Heh heh. I love that kid though. He's good at volleyball too and we talk ball all the time and it makes me SO HAPPY. Ah man. I do miss that game.) so I handed some out to strangers...sigh. жалка (like sad or too bad).) (but really, thank you for everything. I love you so much and pray for you literally every day.)
OKAY SO. We only have an hour total for email time and it's pretty much the most stressful thing in the entire world because I just want to tell you EVERYTHING and email all my friends (holla at my people...aka you mum) and AH. I'll do my best though.
I LOVE THE MTC. Not necessarily the MTC, but the people I'm here with and the people I'm learning from and the lessons I'm learning and the spirit that's here. I seriously LOVE my zone and my district. They really have made it feel like a family and it's the best thing ever. My district has four sisters and two elders and we have like 6 more elders from our zone and we all get along so well, it's crazy. We've bonded a lot and most of them leave a few weeks before me and it's going to be hard to see them go. We're like brothers and sisters and I HATED SAYING GOODBYE TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. Really just so stoked to have the time I do have with them though. We all laugh and joke together, but I also learn so much from them and am constantly inspired by their examples. I would send some pictures but apparently in the MTC we need like a USB drive to send pictures because we can't plug the card straight into the computer. I have some really good ones though. If you could please send me a little one so I can share them with you I think you'd be super pleased ;) hahaha also. My teachers are SO DANG WONDERFUL. So far I've only met Sister Jackson and Brother McKay (he served in my mission! holla holla) but we get to meet our other teacher--who we haven't met yet because he's posing as our investigator--tonight and I'm super excited. It's unbelievable how much love is here. I feel so much charity toward those I serve and who serve me, SO much love and charity toward you and everyone at home, so much love for my Lord and Savior and so much love FROM my Savior. I thought coming here, I'd be needing a lot of comfort because missions are hard and I felt like I was leaving some things behind, but more than anything I'm learning how desperately I need to be humble. Pretty much I suck as a human being. I mean not really but kinda, you feel me? I feel so small and ill-equipped to do this work, but it's okay because this is not my work. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. I need to get over myself. We watched this talk by Elder Bednar called Characteristics of Christ (I've heard it's only available here at the MTC but if you can find it DEFINITELY read or watch it) and he basically shouted that at us for 20 minutes. But it's seriously the most beautiful thing. I am learning so much more about myself and my Savior than ever before and it can be hard and it's ALWAYS humbling but wow wow wow it is so happy. Today I woke up and was like "!! one week down!" and got happy and then I got sad because there are only 77 more weeks left to do this work that's literally changing me forever. I love it so much. Definitely not loving the food though...my stomach is handling it better than some other peoples' but it can still be rough. Do you not realize I have had diarrhea since Easters?? hahahah jokes jokes I wouldn't TMI you like that...heh heh...duh. But really really. Sorry that was so scattered and rambly but being a missionary is a privilege and I'm learning to cherish every aspect of that.
My comp Cectpa Larsen is the best. I love her so much and learn heaps from her every day. We've been teaching an "investigator" in Russia (his name is Sasha, but he's actually a teacher we haven't met yet posing as one of the investigators he had on his mission) and I'm learning soo much from it. It's kind of daunting sometimes to feel so bad at Russian AND at being a missionary in general but life is a good wave. It's amazing though because having the Spirit is honestly so much more important than knowing Russian or even having perfect lessons. The other day my comp and I just had a really rough day so yesterday I asked one of my favorite teachers, брат McKay, about how to have the Spirit in a lesson where you're reading literally like 4 paragraphs total and it takes 30 minutes because you're so slow at Russian (even though Russian is actually coming along--albeit super slowly--and it's the coolest thing ever. I love this language. Fun fact: it's actually gorgeous. who would've guessed...heh heh) and he had us make a list of everything that invites the spirit. He then read off the list like this: "do you have to speak perfect Russian to believe what you're saying? do you have to speak perfect Russian to have charity and love for those you serve? do you have to speak perfect Russian to have faith or exact obedience? Do you have to speak perfect Russian to have humility and rely on the Lord?" and did that with our whole list. Then he said something that I'm pretty sure will stay with me my whole mission: "you're going somewhere full of people who speak perfect Russian. They don't need more people who can speak perfect Russian. They need people who can bring them the spirit." I pretty much felt my entire soul burst into the Hallelujah chorus and shook his hand super heartily (because WE CAN'T EVEN HIGH FIVE HERE...life is hard. Being obedient to some of the rules is so hard sometimes because it's so easy to feel like they're needless. BUT I'm learning a lot about obedience. We don't do it because we understand or even because we want to. We do it because we love the Lord and because we believe He gives us these things because He loves us. duh.) and then we had THE BEST DAY EVER. Seriously. We were so happy and had THE BEST lesson ever (even though it was ridiculous. hahahah we did it in broken Russian and pretty much don't know any of the basic words to construct a proper sentence so we had to use the whiteboard to show how concepts were connected...we laughed through it but the spirit was strong and we were happy) and seriously just had the best day in every way possible. Ah man.
OKAY I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME SO I'M JUST GOING TO DO SOME SCATTERED BULLET POINTS AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
- Tia: there are definitely some cute boys (and even teachers) here but that's not important because the Lord is the only man in my life right now...*laughs* *cries* but yes. I totally cried during your letter and it broke my heart so thanks for that. :| seriously though, I love you and am so grateful for you and really hope you're doing okay without your WAY COOL older sister. Also fun fact: I cried talking about you yesterday so that's embarrassing.
- BROTHER McKAY HAS THE SAME LAUGH AS GRANT LaMONT. It gets me every time.
- Dad: my companion's favorite gen authority is Elder Scott and it made me laugh a little bit. Sure love you pops. Your letter made me cry too, but I'm happy to be here and to be doing what I'm doing. I know the rest of it won't quite be like this, but I'm grateful for the start.
- Mark: hahahaha I love you so much. your letter also made me sad but also happy and I hope you're doing well. OH! I also hope finals are going well for you guys! I put all your names on the prayer roll at the temple today so I hope that helps. I'll definitely be praying for you all too.
- Tay: what the ritz. last night I was just complaining to some of the Elders that my siblings are too good looking and that I hate that people are interested in you all. Ew. (Jimmy Fallon voice obvs) but that's so fun. I'm really happy you're doing well. Pretty much I just brag about you all all the time. You're such good examples to me in every way so thanks for making that easy on me.
- Mum: thank you so so much for all the notes and packages and for the photos and for everything. Thank you for the cake and thanks for the love. Last night I was talking to one of the branch presidency member's wives and asked her if it gets easier as a mum and she said it does but I'm still praying for you and for all of you. I have like this weird feeling like I'm at Elevation and I keep feeling like "so when do I get to go home and share all these CRAZY LESSONS with my family" and then realize I still have 18 months left and the emotions are mixed. But I really am happy here and feel so so close to you all and am grateful for that.
- p.s. last night we sang Far far away on Judea's plains and seeing temple square and watching the broadcast Sunday night reminded me of you guys and made me kind of sad. I really do miss you all. But more importantly, I love you and really truly believe we all won't just be okay, but that we'll be better for this experience. IT'S ALL GOOD IN THE HOOD.
- oh. my. heck. IS AMANDA CAMPBELL SERIOUSLY ENGAGED!!!?as>e$kaw>?#ka>RKW I actually screamed when I found out. I am SOOO happy for that girl!! Oh man.
- lastly: I'll probably try to write you guys more letters while I'm still here because email time is so sparse, but my favorite phrase hands down is не будь лапшой [Note: Leah here. Checked it out on Google Translate. It means, "Do not be a noodle."?? :)]. You say it after someone sneezes but I basically just say it to myself all the time because daaang relevant. Also I can totally read Russian now and it's the coolest thing. The language is slow but it's coming and the blessings are real.
Sorry I didn't get to get to everything and that I'm probably forgetting a lot, but I truly just hope you know how grateful I am for each of you individually and collectively and for everything you have done and are still doing for me. I love you and appreciate you and pray for you all the time. I hope you're super happy and at peace about things and I hope you know that I'm just fine. :) I love you! I'll write soon!
All my love,
сестра Hansen
p.s. also don't let me forget to tell you about the time my comp and I got locked out and had to run across campus in flip flops without our tags bc it was embarrassing. we have a good time. hahaha
LOVE YOU
