right right ew ew

HIIII FAMILY.

First, thanks for all the crazy ridiculous love you showed me this week.  Even though my comp was очень (very much) exasperated that we went to the package office so many times I was grateful and it was really sweet of you.  I promise last week really wasn't THAT bad hahaha but I was really thankful for all the love.  Miss yous but know you're being taken care of and that all the thangs are good.  LIFE IS GOOD TODAY.

I feel kind of lame because this week was kind of uneventful (except for the fact that my bffs that I've known since day 1 of the MTC all left and I was очень (very much) sad face and my favorite member of the Branch Presidency that I seriously love SO MUCH got released and I JUST WANTED TO BE A BUM OKAY) and my USB drive thing isn't working on this computer so no photos and I think I just crossed the line from feeling lame to being lame.  Bummer.  I mean...it's not actually uneventful because every day has so much in it and I have to live every minute of it but I don't know what to tell y'all ya feel me.  However, there were a couple things that stuck out, aaand they were as follows:

- on Monday one of our new roommates left for the field (those English speakers.  hashtag still have a month here hashtag not bitter) and thought her time to report to the travel office was 5am but it was actually 3:35am so someone knocked on our door at 4 and told us she had to report сейчас (at the moment).  Sister Martin (who is honestly one of the most willing examples of service I've ever met) hopped out of bed and I went with her...partly bc she inspired me and partly bc I literally had to go.  We weren't wearing shoes or nametags or glasses and I looked hideous and it was 4am and it was rainy and a man literally laughed at us but it was a really happy way to start my day actually.  The love is real ya feel me.

- yesterday Elder Nelson of the 12

(Photo of Elder Russell M. Nelson courtesy of www.lds.org)

came again and it was a super super good devotional.  There was a lot that was said that related to me personally right now but probably the thing that stuck out the most was this phrase: "as you serve, please be happy.  Please smile.  If you look grumpy, who wants to look like you?" hahahah preaaaach good sir.  I needed to remember that.  But he also shared a scripture that was really good for me to read.  D&C 136:32:  

"32 Let him that is ^aignorant ^blearn ^cwisdom by ^dhumbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his ^eeyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear;" 

If we ever feel like we don't know enough (which I literally feel every. day. (nacho voice)) it's okay because we don't have to acknowledge it and die in our suckiness.  We can DO something about it.  We can humble ourselves and go to the Savior and because of Him, we can do it.  oorah! (this also looks cooler in Russian) (and sounds better in Brat Smith's voice) (whatever)

- my Russian IS GETTING BETTER!!!  Miracles are real!!

- baby missionaries are coming to our zone today!  plus we're the official oldies!  happy!

- I told a teacher that I'm a happy person and he said "I know" and it also made me happy so.

- favorite thing: Nephi rocks my world.  Between 1 Nephi 3:7:

" 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill goand do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I knowthat the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men,save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplishthe thing which he commandeth them."

 and 1 Nephi 17:50-51:

"50 And I said unto them: ^aIf God had commanded me to do allthings I could do them. If he should command me that I shouldsay unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if Ishould say it, it would be done.

 51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought somany miracles among the children of men, how is it that hecannot ^ainstruct me, that I should build a ship?"

I'm inspired.  I have so little to give and so far to go but because the Lord asked it of me, I KNOW it can be done.  So I'll go and do it.  I'll pull a Nephi and put my rocks together and make a fire.  And then together we'll make tools and this boat and all the things.  IT CAN BE DONE!!  It's not impossible.  It's necessary.  So let's do this.

Alright alright I totes have to go but I love you all lots and am praying for you in all the things.  I hope everything is going well.  It's all good here.  God bless America.

Luv ya! (ew) (I cringed at myself) (sorry) (kinda)

Sister Hansen

что значит брить? (English: What it means to shave?)

(heh heh heh.  I thought that was clever. #teamleggingsandboots4eva)

THIS WEEK WAS A WEEK OF MIRACLES.  Seriously.  It was one of the rougher weeks I've had here at the MTC (not in the bad way.  In the good way.  Just...it challenged me a lot ya feel) and it was also the best week I've had so far.  I don't even know where to start and my email time ends at 12:35 and LIFE IS HARD SOMETIMES OKAY.

Things:

- this week had so many goodbyes and it was actually the worst.  We lost two of our teachers, Sister Jackson (who's working in a different part of the MTC now) and Brother McKay (who's going to Jerusalem because he's a stud and we seriously love him), and they were ochen sad face goodbyes. We taught our last lessons with them and they were good and then they read us their last journal entries and bore their testimonies and oh man.  It was rough.  But inspiring.  And I'm super grateful for them.  Alsooo Elder Maylett left for Ukraine Monday night and I actually cried saying goodbye to him (in my defense I was way tired and I was actually really homesick that day...first time it's really hit me in the MTC and it was on a way way good but way exhausting day), aaand the rest of that original district leaves us Sunday and it'll be sad.  But life is good.  

- last Wednesday it was 12 degrees colder here than it was in Novo :') 

- FIRST EMBARRASSING LANGUAGE SLIPUPS: We were teaching Артём (aka Brother Smith aka "our first investigator" aka the teacher I said I would marry (jokes jokes obvs) aka the only of our original 3 teachers we still have aka a way cool teacher that I love that also served in Novo yeeehaw)   this week and had a way good lesson...and then in the prayer I accidentally thanked Heavenly Father for её (her) spirit and desire instead of его (His)...hashtag failure.  And then the next day we taught Кирилл the restoration and he asked my comp if Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon and I caught on too late and she was like "da, da" and then we got into something else so basically we're corrupting people and it's the best.  Buuut things are getting so much better with the language and with my ability to listen to the Spirit and my understanding of the doctrine and life is a good thangmashang lately.

- the other day I was super frustrated because I felt so much love for my investigator and I wanted so badly to bring a spirit that would just change their lives and it didn't happen like that.  I asked Brat Baum (one of our new teachers.  Seriously rocks my world.) about it and he directed me to Jacob 4:18 

" 18 Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you."

and I kind of feel changed forever.  I've been learning a lot about what it means to have faith and about how sometimes, all we can--and should--do is prepare, thank the Lord for what we have (EVEN if it seems small...like my Russian) and smile bc we trust that He will allow it to be enough.  Like the fish/bread and the multitudes.  BUT faith is also expressed as we are still.  Sometimes we just have to be still and continue to give our all even when we're not sure we're actually enough.  And even though that's hard and humbling, it is so happy.  Missionary work is SO HAPPY.

- my comp and I have started getting up between 5:30 and 6 and exercising and it's the best.  Running still sucks but I feel sooo much better.

- 4 new girls moved into our room last week and I was bothered at first because we didn't know they were coming and even though they're really sweet and so good, they're noisy and don't really understand the concept of quiet time or lights out or cleanliness, AND they aren't even going to our mission...I am a bum.  sozzz.  BUT.  I also don't believe in coincidence and am really grateful we've met them.  They're lovely and so sincere and I'm learning a lot.  Also they're hilarious and I'm happy.

I'm seriously out of time but I am learning SO MUCH and even though I'm a bum I'm slowly getting where I'm supposed to be.  I know I know I know.  and I am so so so thankful for all your love and support and everything.  I've been thinking about you a lot lately and it's made me a little bit sad.  Most homesick I've been probably.  But the work is a glorious privilege and getting down and doing it is the best way to fix things, I've found.  And I am happy.  Hurrah for Israel.

Sorry I can't respond to individual emails and that the email I did write was probs just rambly and pointless, but know that I love you with my whole heart and pray for you all the time.  I hope your individual needs are met and that y'all are the happiest even though you have early morning soccer...suckers.  hahaha

I love you!  Have a good week!

Sister Hansen

-  #sadllama

- Zone

 

thangmashangs from the hood

HI LOVELY PEOPLE.

this week was pretty neato.  It's really crazy to me how fast time is starting to move.  I've already been here for a month.  In 17 months I'll be HOME.  And while that's really long, I also feel like time is flying on wings of lightning and it's очень страна.  Life is good though.

(Photo courtesy of my comp's old comp)

OKAY I STILL STRESS OUT TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING INTO THIS AHH

Things: 

- THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGES.  Oh my gosh.  The steak was the best thing ever.  Elder Maylett said to tell dad that he loves him and that he's doing barbecues at our house when we're all home.  Also the chips and salsa made my day and also everyone wished me happy birthday when they saw my bag so that was nice.  Thank you all for taking such good care of me.  I love yous so much.

- I have a new comp!  Sister Martin.  She's the other one going to Kazakhstan and she's the best.  I love her so much.  Except we're like an old married couple because we're both super sarcastic and real and we were also the ones in our last companionships that held the door so now we just race each other to the door and bicker over whose turn it is.  She's seriously so wonderful though.  I love her heaps.  We're learning so much together.  We both feel like we have so far to go in the language and as missionaries and as people but we're doing it together and I love that so much.

- please tell Natalie happy birthday!  And Jessica too!

Natalie

Jessica

(Photos courtesy of Facebook, thanks, Ladies!) 

- Please tell Kaytlyn Phillips I said hello!  Been thinking about her a lot lately.

- David Archuleta 

came on Sunday night and it was seriously the coolest.  We got to sing him HBD bc it was his birthday and he is just the cutest human.  Best ever.  I really miss music and am SO STOKED for that to be a thing again in 2 years.

- A BOY CALLED ME CUTE.  It was so нельзя (not allowed.  PS a boy on crutches was standing in front of me the other day and I shouted that bc I was joking with C. Larsen and we say that always and he thought I was yelling at him and apologized and moved and I felt so bad.  But now we're mad homies so it's all good.  

Being a missionary is hard sometimes but it really is the best.  I'm so lucky and blessed to get to be here.  I feel so weak and insignificant and just sucky sometimes and it's hard.  But Ether 12:27:

"27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them."

is my jam lately.  It's so beautiful to realize that if I'm better understanding my weaknesses, it's because I'm drawing closer to my Savior, and it's even better to realize that because of Him, I don't have to be weak forever.  There IS hope, I CAN be better and THERE IS A WAY to be happy on that journey.  Come what may and love it, you feel me?

Anyway.  I love yous heaps and think about and pray for you every day.  I hope you're all doing well and have a happy happy celebration tonight.  I'll think about you as I crawl into bed super early.

ONE MONTH DOWN!

все будет хорошо! (it'll alllll be good)

All my love,

Sister Hansen

P.S.  Soz I don't have time for photos today but here are some from my comp's old comp.  Love yous!