WEEK 13—“That God Sent an Angel to Watch Over Me”
Dear Dearest Family & Friends!
Honestly I would not have it any other way, you guys inspire
and uplift me every week. I feel so honored to know such great people and to
feel of your love. Honestly you guys are the greatest!
This week has presented a whole lot of new challenges. We
have a new addition to our little house. She is an oro, a new sister
missionary, and she was in the MTC for only 4 weeks, but “WOW!” Her spanish is
good! This is probably because her mom is a Spanish teacher and she has spoken
it for 8 years already. LOL Still, I am amazed at her language skills and have
tried not to get down on myself for still not knowing the language very well.
She really is such a sweet girl and I see so many similarities in the both of
us. At first I was trying to relate in every possible way with her and then I
decided to just be my own person and not compare and she then began to try and
relate with me in every possible way. This has been interesting. I am trying my
best to love her and not compare our different missionary experiences—it is
best this way.
This week we had two awesome activities! A fiesta with Kiko
and an outdoor service project. The first, the fiesta with Kiko…LOL he is
CRAZY! I invite you all to look him up on Youtube. My companion, Herman
Calderon, says that Kiko is identical to the original Juan Carlos and he is a member of the church. He agreed to
come and throw a party for us! It was great fun and I was pretty embarrassed
when he called on me to be a part of his act. Before I knew it I was puffing my
cheeks up and sticking out my tongue… BAHAHA! My companions died laughing. I
did too, even though my face was tomato red. But, we gained a lot of references
from that party and we had a lot of positive experiences with non-members! Another
bonus is that we unified our ward more with this fiesta!
The other service project was helping an elementary school
with gravel, some yard work, and taking down trees. Seriously! I helped take
down a tree mom! Lol. I loved the hard labor. My body wasn’t use to it, and
haha I feel like someone hit my entire body with a baseball bat, but its all a good
kind of pain. I really enjoy hard labor, being outside, and serving. My
companion dislikes the country side and labor in general. And yes, she has
agreed to walk for hours on end in the mission routes we are assigned and yet
she really is such a city girl and doesn’t like to get her hands dirty. I have
found I am more of a “lets get dirty and get things done” kind of girl. It is nice
just to work and give of yourself in service. There are reflective moments for
thought and it is stress reliever too because you can concentrate on something
other than your normal thoughts. I really enjoyed this experience!
I have been reading the words of Elder Ballard in his book,
"Our Search for Happiness". What a great book. It talks a lot about
the fundamentals of our gospel and how to see our gospel through new eyes. I
have found much to ponder on and powerful person revelation has come through gleaning
from the knowledge of his words. I feel such a desire to change and to grow. It
has also blessed me with an added desire and urgency to read and apply the
scriptures more in my life.
Time for the little philosophical me... lol I have really
been pondering the 6 weeks here in the mission field (and the 13 since I left
home). To be honest, I am not really enjoying the "stressed-out,
emotional, exhausted" Kaitlyn that has come out to play too many times.
The rawness of my “true character” has unfolded in this very challenging
environment and there is no hiding my true self here in the mission field. I am
an open book and have found the person that I truly am when all is said,
tested, and done is a good person, yet I have so many flaws. The rawness of the
things I don’t really want to admit, or look at in myself, like perhaps not
being as kind as I could be, where my thoughts really focus on, and/or am I
selfless or selfish? I am taking a closer look and I feel a bit boiled down—in
a raw sate, or as Ustice commented in “The Voyage of the Dawntreader”, with each
paw slash from Aslan I began to feel more raw and more real. But the good thing
is that the root of the problem is more evident and I know that I can only go
up from here.
Mom! I received your package! As I read your words and the thoughtfully
picked out card I cannot help but cry. Tears came to my eyes before I finished
reading it. Oh, the emotional love and tenderness I have for you, dearest mother!
Oh how I LOVE YOU. I had this song that Sis. Broyles had us memorize back when
I was 12 that came to my mind after reading your letter & looking through
my package, "She stood by my cradle through long sleepless nights. She
taught me to live with the Lord by my side...and because of my mother I still
believe, that God sent an angel to watch over me". You have been a central
part of every part of my life. The place that you have in my heart, my prayers,
my life--cannot be described. I love you dearest mother, forever and for always.
May God protect and provide for you all. He is here! I feel
him so strongly around me and I know He loves me, even though I am not perfect.
I love the hope that comes through understanding and embracing the atonement of
Christ.
Good luck on your adventures back east (in DC)!! "Wise
men still seek him!" :P lol. Thank
you so much for sharing with me the things that are happening at home. Sounds
like great adventures are happening! Please send photos :) in emails!! They are
way fun to receive news from home.
I love you all,
Hermana Hansen
No comments:
Post a Comment