Hermana Pazmino & Wonderful Memories!

WEEK 29 “The Day Dawn is Breaking & He is Shooting Himself in the Foot”

Dear Familia y Amigos! :)

Wow! This week has felt long in some ways and short in other ways. I know that the Lord has really helped me overcome some things though. I am still in Yerbal. Sad to say it has been a battle—and lately, every day to think, wow… 6 more weeks of Yerbal. There has been many a time when I have felt like I couldn´t go on...yet something inside of me said "hold on". When there are transfers it’s often a good time to make new metas, GOALS. You know me. I am so much my mother´s daughter... Goals! How can I improve? What lack I yet? Sometimes that list gets pretty long. Yet I guess that’s our way of saying, I am not perfect. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me whole. To which the master siempre (always) responds, "I will, be thou whole." First it is by our faith, our actions, and our diligence that we become clean, whole, and free from the sins that hang on our hearts and minds.

I AM SO FREAKIN EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!

This past week so many answers came…so many moments of comfort. I know that Yerbal is preparing me for different types of trials that I will have in my life. I know that the Lord is in His work and though my efforts are not shown in numbers or on paper I am changed. I love my companion and I have come to know the Lord in a way that is beautiful to me. 

This past Sunday I gave a talk that I call "Teach Me To Walk In the Light". Thanks be to the Lord that I was able to deliver a message about the Love of Christ and His light—which is a part of each one of us. I spoke about how we should forsake those things that are no longer worthy of light and put them in their place with the Love and healing power of Christ. (Romans 13:12 and The Light of Gods Love by: Dieter F. Uchtdorf). Teach me Dear Lord to walk in the Light.

A few nights ago I had the chance to walk along the streets. We were looking for an antinguo investigador. We came across this elderly man named Flor Pinto. He has had a tough life. He lives in the country to care for live stock and garden, yet recently moved back to the "city" (which isn’t really a city) to care for his health. He told us of his many experiences and openly admitted that he doesn’t believe in God. He talked with us and asked us "why do people suffer? Why do we go through things that are bad?" He kept talking. Finally he slowed down and took a breath... Then it went silent. We started to talk with him. My companion shared with him the Book of Mormon about opposition in all things. Yet he didn’t want to listen... Finally I felt the testimony grow within me. I felt such love for this man, and at the same time I was tired that he wasn’t even caring to hear the beautiful promises of the Lord. I know with all my heart that God is the God of the living and that agency is a precious gift of God. We are free to look on the positive or the negative. That will be moments in our life when it is dark and when it is full of hurt and pain, yet I know with out a doubt that there will always be light after the dark of night.

I told this man that if he desired to know for himself that this church was true to come and see for himself. I encouraged him to look and ask questions, to open his heart and let the Lord talk to his soul, because I always know the Lord has something to say to me when I do this. I told him about how God is patient. He is loving. He is the Lord of our souls and the author of our salvation. I know that today is the day that Flor can accept the gospel of Light and the Love of God. That he doesn´t have to sit in darkness, but to have a peace and the knowledge that his life has purpose. He looked at me with a lot of concentration. He didn´t blink, he looked at me. I saw such light enter his eyes. Then it happened and this scripture entered my mind…for the natural man is an enemy to God and has been forever and ever unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and putteth of the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ." HIS NATURAL MAN KICKED IN. He denied the spirit which I know testified to him of his divine origin.... It was quite frustrating... He started to talk again... about trials and suffering. I kindly invited him to pray and that if he wanted to know more we invite him to come and see... Only the Lord knows if he will or not

After this experience we went to a house of a member to see if they could accompany us to a lesson with one of our investigadors named Leonardo. Elias Goygochea came with us. It was at first a odd lesson.... lots of sarcasm… if Spanish has sarcasm.... lol. Elias had been told some background about Leonardo but not much. As we started the lesson, I was amazed at how calm Elias was. He sat and then rose to make a statement. He told of his dark past and how he had been alone, hurt, and made a lot of serious mistakes in his life. He invited Leonardo with such love and power of "every member a missionary" to come to church, to see what the church is and sealed this invitation with a solid testimony of the Church has changed my life. I have felt the Loving power of the atonement in my life and I know that I will forever be changed because of this knowledge. Come and See for yourself. 

I finally translated all of this (in our visit)... By the time I did I felt an overwhelming love of God for Elias, for my sisters, for my life that I have, for the knowledge and for the answers of Hope that I have received. I was amazed and I felt the redeeming power of the Savior flow through me like a gentle waterfall. I did get emotional. The spirit hummed throughout the room... it was silent. It was clear, my words were of encouragement and a second witness of the truth to what Elias had testified.

Yet when all was said and done, Leonardo stated frankly that he had no desire to attend church. I looked at him in surprise. His obstinacies were negative... I felt a little perturbed... I was thinking to myself, this is kind of like you are shooting yourself in the foot. The Heavens are open unto you, Leonardo, and I know not more what you need?! I felt frustrated yet full of such pure love for this man and desired him to put down his defenses, pride and social status and come to the Lord God. I felt like the lesson ended well though. The Lord is in this work. He testified to my soul that He has a plan. This deep knowledge has brought me closer to my Lord and Savior. Though Yerbal be like a millstone around my neck, may I constantly remember the Lord God, may I forever be an instruments in his Hands. Though I be but a mortal woman, I know the Lord gives and the Lord takes (and He has given me mucho).

2 Thes. 5-24 has really helped me this week – Look into it! 

THERE IS ALWAY SUN IN THE MORNING, NIGHT HAS NO POWER. The DAY DAWN IS BREAKING!!!!

Hoy Es El DÌA!!!!

Hermana Kaitlyn Hansen

With Friends & the Savior

WEEK 28

Dearest Familia y Amigos,

There are so many people who have emailed me this week! WOW I feel loved! It was at first hard for my brain to switch over to English and wow... I have been able to write many people and have found so much strength for the coming week.

Mom, to answer your question, there are areas to print of things, if you send me a link to another area that is not in the LDS web page we have been asked not to open it, if the talk is in the email I can print it out for later. We are not using the social network things yet. Uruguay is behind in the technological sense.

Uruguay is going well!! My area is good. I feel like this week has flown by. Quite frankly there are so many different things to write and so little time. Recently I went to Chuy, which is right on the border of BRAZIL and Uruguay. It was sweet! I went to Brazil this past week too. We did an Open House for the church and wow, amazing things happened!

The Casa Abiertas “Open Houses” are for the people who don´t know much about the church and would like to learn more. There are a lot of things that we teach and discuss at these. The first 3 lessons in “Preach My Gospel” are taught and we do what we can to help bring the spirit. I have so many amazing stories I could share. There was this couple that came in near the end of the night. Raul is an Atheist and his girlfriend was very religious. There was a special spirit in the Sacrament room. I saw Camilla take the hand of Raul and a few tears entered her eyes. I felt like angels were softening the heart of Raul and that we were perhaps the answer to many silent prayers of this devoutly religious woman. They were from Santiago, Chile and this was the first time that they had heard the gospel. 

We might be having a baptism next week! I am so excited. Her name is Shirly. Wow! She is so prepared. We have had so many people fall through, yet not this one. She herself personally set the date for her baptism. She has a strong love and faith for God. I know that He has prepared her for us.

Thank you, Daddy, for your words about faith and being able to change a whole city. I think that is exactly the difficult road the Lord has called me to bare here. I feel overwhelmed at times. The salvation of so many is waiting to be done, yet there is peace in knowing that the Lord’s plan will always succeed. I know the Lord is God. That he will always help those who trust in him and who are exactly obedient. I know the Lord lives and that he Loves His missionaries. The more I am out here in the field the more I love and am strengthen by the counsel of the Prophets. I AM SO EXCITED FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE!! My poor Liahona… it is so battered and worn... lol this is not good, but I know conference will help!

I love you all! I feel so much strength from you all! This church is true. I hope to grow a lot this Transfer.

I love this work!
Hermana Hansen

Gettin' a Little Crazy!

Montevideo, Uruguay Mission Zone

WEEK 27 “Agency, Light, and Moses' Great Example”

Hello Familia y Amigos!

There is such a strong sense of why am here and where I am going. As I have reflected and thought about how I care about doing things right. So often I think one feels they come short and too often we feel inadequate. Yet, I love the promise in Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with you, whither so ever thou goest.”

Agency has been a principle I have come to know well.  It is something I have come to understand and to feel very strongly about throughout my mission. Agency is a powerful principle of maintaining personal righteousness. Agency--it is something that can make or create, ruin or destroy. Something I love about agency is that through the atonement—there is the ability to change, to progress. And what is even more important is the ability to be forgiven. This is that part that wraps around agency. It frees the sin bound soul and heals the heart wrenched man. It is important to remember that each one of our examples matters! My agency is what I can control.

We have had very little progress here. The people here are quite rude, yet THERE IS hope smiling brightly before us!! We know that our works are not in vain. The Lord is a God of mercy.

Prayer is a constant companion for me. I find that both the Lord and Satan are sending me promptings. Yet I look to the light and it filleth my understanding (see Romans 13:12 and 1 Cor. 4:6).

I LOVE THESE SCRIPTURES! Here are some insights I have found this week:

• Moses:1 Do you have your scriptures close? vs. 2-- the Glory of God is intelligence, that He promises to illuminate our minds and fill them with light
• 1 Cor. 4:6-- also endure His presence & cross reference to Moroni 7:48, 1 John 3:1 vs13-15.
• The Lord gives Moses
• 1.) a deep knowledge of who he is. Which reminds us that Satan has no power when we know who we are.
• 2.) Gives Moses an experience to compare with the false glory of Satan.
• 3.) God allows Moses to be tried and tested, because through our trials we are proven worthy of much more. We will be given more blessings and trials that will shape us and create us. WE ARE TESTED to the same degree as our experience.
• 4.)Look to God and Live --Mosiah 4:19-21, cross reference D&C 10:5 and Luke 22:31, also see vs. 24 after we have stood firm, and yes it took effort (3X) Moses was rewarded. He is not only had a testimony his heart was converted to the Lord (2 Nephi 31:20).  Vs 25 The Lord returns…which reminds us that He never forsakes us. From all of this He now has a servant who will be steadfast and immovable. He is a great example of the Believers and an instrument in the Hands of God. It has helped me to remember the mission and example of Moses. With his people did they all look to God and live? Were they ready for the higher commandment? Did all follow Moses? Do all remember God? Did not Moses perform miracles for the Lord?  So many valuable lessons to learn from him.

Be happy! Learn to rely on the Lord and know that the Lord is in His work. I DO so testify, the Lord is my light. I may not have very good numbers with contacts and I may not know what to do at times, but I know that I shall not be dismayed, nor shall I be afraid, the Lord my God is with me.

Love you all!

Hermana Hansen

Hermana Peterson, Me, & Lotsa Sistas!

WEEK 26 -- “Leonardo, Lamoni, Lightning, Laughter, & Lame Companions”

Hello Dearest Family & Friends,

Es un placer para mi hablar y escribir con ustedes hoy. Es un poco dificil para mi cambiar mi mente a ingles pero... :D yo puedo. It is a pleasure for me to speak and write with you today. It's a little hard for me to change my mind English but ... : D I can.

This past week has been full of such different types of trials. I am so grateful for the time I have been given to contemplate life, the reason I am in the mission, and learn to be more self-less in this divine work of the Lord.

I have seen miracles as I have devoted myself to the work. I feel much better than I have in a long time. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

I experienced an amazing scriptural experience the other day! We were in the house of this unique lady, named Blanca. Up until last Saturday I didn’t know she had Alzheimers (the illness Zeke had). Many “choice” experiences occurred with her...Lol! Her son, however, is such a strong figure. He has so much knowledge and takes care of his mom in her old age and his name is Leonardo.

So we started a lesson with his mom Saturday night and we sang a hymn and then entered Leonardo. He immediately told us his experience with the missionaries... it was pretty negative, but we talked with him some more. I felt prompted to start talking to him about the pre-mortal world and to help him gain an eternal perspective. We talked about our purpose here on earth, the gifts God has given us, and how agency is such an important and huge part of why we are here. The spirit was so strong as I testified.

Leonardo openly admitted that he did not believe in God, only a grand spirit. Instantly a part of the scriptures entered my mind, Alma 22. This is when Aaron and his brethren are amongst the Nephites. Aaron is teaching the father of King Lamoni. This was seriously an incredible lesson. Everything that we had taught him so far was in correlation with this scriptural text. He believed in a great spirit, he believed in prophets of old and had read the Bible. He wants to believe and with what faith he has--he gave to us! I was amazed. We just changed up the names--I was Aaron, Leonardo was the king, and Hermana Pazmiño was Ammon! lol It was incredible how everything worked out! It was incredible to me how Leonardo felt the spirit of what we were sharing with him. I felt the words coming as we talked about the things of our heart.  The promise that we will not be confounded before men is a real promise!! 

He said we gave him a lot to think about and that he desires to know more. Near the end of the lesson I testified that no matter how far you think you are from the Savior, He will always take your hand and walk with you every step of the way. He will never leave your side. The spirit testified of this reality. I know this is true, that the Savior will walk every long, dusty, and perhaps difficult road because He cares for us. I know the Savior is my dearest friend and I know the Savior came to be with us as we taught Leonardo that day. 

"The difficult path you are called to bare may in fact be your only path to shine!"

The other night there was a huge rain storm!! It was amazingly strong. We thankfully were in our house. Yet water was leaking through the window. We have this storm protector curtain on the outer parts of our windows (we live in an apartment) and well me being supposedly "smart" Ha!Ha! NOT. Opened up my umbrella and was like “okay, I can handle a little rain and close the storm curtains at the same time”. I opened the window and it was like nothing I have ever experienced before. Haha! With my umbrella open I still faced this huge amount of rain!! Dad, it’s like that one time at 5^th year girl’s camp when it rained.  It was JUST LIKE THAT! 

So I soon realized that it was way more than I could handle and I start screaming! Like a man scream...HaHa!  And all I can do is yell... I am in shock. My companion looks at me, like "what the--!!!! Are you Crazy!!!?? AHHH I need to help her!" So she ends up sticking her whole self out the window behind my umbrella and closing the storm curtains. Haha!!! We both shut the windows soaking wet and laughing so hard. I can honestly tell you it was HILARIOUS!! Lo Maximo!

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is learning to dance in the Rain".

We had a short-plaza stay with us this past week, named Katherine. Corto plaza- is the equivalent of a “Mini-mission”. She has been a member of the church for only 4 months. The trials of the mission are really hard for converts... There are so many doctrinal questions and wow there is still a lot to learn, but SHE is incredible! The reason we have her is because Hermana Peterson has a hurt ankle and it is getting worse. She has been out for the whole change.... IT is really sad. Oh my dear companion! She might have to go home. The advice of Dr. Allen gave me before I left has been so great--stretch every day!! It really does make a difference. I have lost 14 pounds in the mission... it is weird. Yet is all good!

There are many stories I could share about drunk investigators, lesbians stocking us, and crazy moments of Spanish, but know it is all still good here mom. Don´t worry! We are being safe, learning SO many new things, and learning to be a light in the darkness!!! :D I truly believe that this mission is like Jonah and the Ninevehites... Haha! Not every one likes to be told to repent...yet just like Nineveh, all of YERBAL will be converted one day!! 

I LOVE THE OBRA MISIONAL! (Mission Work!!)

Love you guys,

Hermana Hansen