So this has been a crazy crazy crazy week. President Berry
seems like a really nice guy and my comp Elder Pututua (Poo-too-tow) is really
awesome and he actually is going to play for the Utes when he gets back to the
real world. This is a whole different world out here. Ive been in rich rich
spots clear down to sand roads in other spots. I never really experienced
poverty until I came out here but I will go more into that on Thursday. So I
just got here and I have a baptism of Christmas eve, a wedding between to gators
(investigators) so that they can become baptized, and I have a new gator who is
really receptive and she's already committed to baptism just not a date (ON THE
FIRST LESSON!)
So my area is big. So big that it covers three towns. So big
that its a full car area. But we do ride our bikes in the morning so that we
can stay tuned and so that our bikes don't get dusty. Me and Elder P we
actually live in a pretty nice townhouse. Its nothing extravagant but we make
use of it. Its called Carmendy Square if you want to Google it. So in our area
there is a HUGE lake called lake Gryphon and it is truly huge. The three towns
that we cover are Lady lake(home base), Fruitland(we never go there) and
Leesburg (that's where our church is) and most of it is pretty nice but there
are spots we don't go down. We literally get fed here everyday. I have not have
a dinner at home yet because the members feed us every night and I have
actually gotten skinnier and im really confused about it. I actually met Clints
sister yesterday and im like AH MAH GASH! The members here are super helpful.
They will go with us to lessons, give us rides, feed us, give us food, give us
anything we need. Some of the members don't even have much but they still give
all that they can and its amazing.
Me and Elder P did service earlier this week and we
cleaned an apartment... I have never seen such purely awful living conditions.
Carpets are stained with who knows what, food left out in the room, trash
everywhere, clothes thrown everywhere, cigarettes thrown every where. I was
gaging it was so bad. But we were with the westerns and we actually cleaned the
majority of it. But She's a single mom with a special needs son who cant speak
or use the bathroom, lives on welfare, kids and stained mattresses with no
sheets, no money for Christmas, nothing to there name. And they are just the
sweetest little kids. Seeing this made me ask myself why I am
out in Florida doing this. But to see the joy in the kids eyes for them to
see the room clean and for them to see that they will have presents
(donated by the ward) made it worthwhile and reminded me about the simple
things in life and that no matter our situation we need to appreciate
them.
There's a senior missionary couple that's out here with us.
The Westerns. They are angels and they will do anything for any one. The family
that had the nasty apartment they got the boys new mattresses, sheets, pillows,
the carpets cleaned, Christmas presents, FOOD! They help so many people that
cant help themselves and they are just amazing. She actually asked me what kind
of cake I wanted for my birthday and she insisted that I have a cake for my
birthday. They are just saints.
So I am impatiently waiting to receive my Ipad and I wont
get it until the second of January so I am stuck with paper means currently and
it sucks. but good things come to those who wait. Also honesty time...I opened
all of my birthday presents before my birthday. If you were a missionary would
understand how bad the boredom can get when your done with the day. So sorry in
advance (im not really sorry) .
There's a saying once you get in the field "The Lord
recognizes the elders and sisters who are prideful and think about themselves
rather than others. Those Elders and sisters get sent to difficult foreign
missions to learn the lessons of humility and charity. Don't be like those
Elders and Sisters." To any youth or anyone who thinks that
missions are easy slap them. The MTC is hard. The Field is even harder. He will
struggle more than he has ever struggled. It happens to every missionary.
People will say they will write you. Some will, Most wont. He will learn all of
this.
Randi should stop getting sick. That's gross. Kyle's done
did good. (insert various other praises) SOOOO there are some things I require
=D. A GPS, missionary library, a camera cord or someway to get pics off of my
camera onto the computer for emails, a big flash drives, more music (we follow
the white handbook rule on music), more huckleberry stuff. ok so heres
something totally sucky. I CANT FREAKING FISH IN MY MISSION I MEAN WHAT THE
HECK! Apparently gators and water moccasins/cottonmouths have to ruin
everything. Also no airboats which I hate because I want to see the canals and
lakes. But oh well. So Spanish moss is awesome like for real.
Anyways I love you all. I love it out here and im glad that
I decided to come out and I cant wait to see you all on Christmas!
Love Elder Hanson
*Also I will be skyping at 3-5ish your time
