Day 231 (Week 32) - A new missionary and a Christmas Request!

Since you asked, I will be completely honest..... the work is really going really slow right now, like molasses running uphill in winter time. We have not had any baptisms in this last change and we have a hard time finding new people to teach and almost no one wants to keep their commitments. With all our crazy madness of the last change, we unavoidably lost a lot of time and it was really discouraging. I was really stressed and tired and my hair was falling out really bad. There were several times that I thought I should talk to president about my stress problems. I prayed a lot for a change in the area, something that would get us excited again and to help the work move a long. Sunday night our leaders called with our changes. They told us that none of the missionaries in Poptun would be leaving, but that we would be getting a missionary coming here. We are now in a trio. Hermana Turley is our new senior comp. When I got the news I knew this was the answer to my prayers. Hermana Turley has 10 months in the mission and is a super hard worker.  I had met her before in Coban and she is super nice. I know she will be so good for our area and companionship. This change will be 8 weeks. It is funny that it will be this way because all of us will have birthdays this change. Hermana Turley´s birthday is Friday the 12. Hermana Cardounel´s birthday is the 7 of this month and mine is in January. 

 

About our investigators. We had a weird experience this last week. One of our neighbors approached me and told me that she wanted me to visit her 10 year old daughter and baptize her. We were really excited for this invitation. We have visited the mom and daughter once and they said they would think about baptism. We are going back to visit them today. Also, there is guy named Roberto. His wife is a member and we are helping him with his English. At first he thought it was just an English class. As time went on he became more comfortable and interested in our message. I really think he will be baptized at the end of January. His only problem is that he works Sunday mornings. We taught him about keeping the Sabbath day holy and he said he is going to pray abut what he should do about Sundays. Right now those are our really possibilities. Our area is really big, but I know that there is a lot of potential. I know that looking at this next change with a new perspective is really going to help me. 

 

This last Sunday was the Christmas devotional. We did get to see it and it was wonderful. The problem is that it made me miss home a little bit. Being really far away for the holidays is kind of a sad thought sometimes. the cool thing is the people in this branch are awesome. There is a family Quintania. They are the best. The wife is named Rosa and she loves us like we are her own family. They always want to invite us over and give us food. There is another family. Barrios Family. They are awesome too. The wife is named Karen and she just had a baby. 

 

I want you all to know that I think you are the best people in the world and I am super excited to talk to you on Christmas. I am sending letters but I know they wont get there until January. Please forgive me that they are late. but I am really excited. I am sorry that I have not been able to send pictures, it is because the Internet places here are super slowwwwww.

 

I have a special Christmas request for anyone that reads this to take a picture with your Christmas tree and send it to me. My email is katelyn.hansen@myldsmail.netAlso, I want all of you to go to Christmas.Mormon.org and watch the Christmas video about Christ is the first Christmas gift. It is fantastic. 

 

I´ll have a blue Christmas without you

I´ll be so blue just thinkin a-ba-ba-bout you

(this song works if we are thinking about the clear blue sky we are enjoying here) 

Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad

Hermana Hansen

 

Remember that this Christmas season is not about spending money or lights on the tree. It is not about the food and music. It is about Him. The Man who is more than a Man. The One who descended from His throne above to be born in a humble stable. The Creator of the earth and all things suffered for the sins of the world. The Son of God who was crucified by His own people. As President Thomas S. Monson teaches, to find the true meaning of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable and find that is it The Spirit of Christ. He did so much for us. So, I want you all to think in what you are going to do for Him this year? What is your gift to our Savior? Is there an old habit or a addiction that you need to leave behind? An enemy to forgive? Service you know you need to offer? Time to sacrifice? Think about it. Chances are you will know right away what you need to do or change. The challenge is not to just think, but to act. When you give your gift, there is a promise, that you will receive way more than you ever expected. A warm feeling of happiness will fill you. Maybe not right away, but a good gift never comes without a sacrifice. The peace will come and the joy will be lasting.

 

Christ lives and loves you. He is waiting to bless you. Give and you will receive.

 

John 3:16