This Will Be The Last Post For the City of Camargo:
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Sister Janjua,
Yes, you are exactly correct. Yesterday Elder Hansgen had transfers. He will be in a new area called Villa Juarez 5, in the city of Chihuahua. Don't worry, I know how my Mom would react as well if she didn’t know where I was!
I hope that helped. If you have any more questions, just ask.
Thanks,
Elder Hoopes
Secretario Ejecutivo
614-161-1191
Misión México Chihuahua
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Sister Janjua,
Yes, you are exactly correct. Yesterday Elder Hansgen had transfers. He will be in a new area called Villa Juarez 5, in the city of Chihuahua. Don't worry, I know how my Mom would react as well if she didn’t know where I was!
I hope that helped. If you have any more questions, just ask.
Thanks,
Elder Hoopes
Secretario Ejecutivo
614-161-1191
Misión México Chihuahua
Everything Is Good Here:
Monday, May 5, 2014
Dear Family,
Everything is going good now. Yeah, President Chavez did make it down to visit us this past week. I was actually extremely surprised with what he shared with me and Elder Ante. It was just perfect. I’ll explain more in a little bit.
I am going to be on Skype this Saturday in the evening at 8:00 (for Mother's Day).
Today we are going to go buy food, get our hair cut, and have free time for once.
Elder Romero is actually alright, but he is still learning how things go so, sometimes, I feel like he has more trust in Spanish-speaking missionaries just because he is able to relate to them. He is still a little kid and that’s about the only way I can describe it.
President talked to us and it was great. Basically, he told us that he knows that we have leaders that need to learn a lot, and that’s why they are leaders. He said he was already planning on talking to them about not focusing on numbers, and even compared us two as 10's, and they are 6´s and 7´s. He told us to relax and work the way that we feel Camargo needs right now. So, we have been relaxing just a little bit and following what the Spirit says to us. It is driving Elder Vazquez (our District Leader who lives in the other house) crazy. His companion, Elder Warner, has been telling us that he calls President almost every day. THAT’S WAY TOO MUCH. I have never heard of an Elder calling President that much; so, basically, he is one of those missionaries who is more worried about the rules than the conversion, or helping of people.
Elder Bolivar (who was the companion of Elder Ante) has lived in Utah for a really long time, but is originally from Columbia. He got his citizenship his Junior year in high school and had problems with his Visa; so, he had to go back home because he was here illegally. He is going to come back, though, when it all gets sorted out.
This last week we visited Hermano Delfino, Maria de Los Angeles, Cecilia, Hermana Yasmin, Adela, La familia Holguin, and other people. When we visited Hermano Delfino(a less-active returning) we tied every single tie that he and his brother own. (Ha-ha!) It was pretty fun. They are two brothers that are older and have had surgery on their eyes due to a genetic problem within their family and their eyes.
We ate with Hermana Yasmin on Sunday. She is a less-active member that we are really helping out a lot. She is so cool. Her daughter added me on Facebook and has a couple of photos of us on there. Hermana Yasmin owns a Nutrologist shop in the Guerrero street in Centro.
This last week I had the sudden urge to just start reading the book of Job. I would highly recommend it. It was exactly what I was thinking the entire time when Elder Ante and I were going crazy; that we just needed to suffer through our problems and "drink the bitter cup" if you know what I mean.
I love you and hope that even though I'm not going to be in Utah for Mothers Day that the day will be super special for you. I can't wait to talk to you for Mothers Day, and I really hope that you like the letter I have in this package I want to send super bad. I wrote the letter like a month ago, but it's going to arrive late because I still haven't sent it.
Talk to you Saturday night.
Love,
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Muchísimas Gracias para su visita esta semana pasada. Aprendí mucho de lo que Hna. Chávez compartió con nosotros y de lo que usted habló también.
Esta semana fue rápido y lleno de Trabajo. Estamos ganando la confianza de muchos por el tiempo y enfoque que estamos dándoles. El barrio también esta viendo muchos regresando a la capilla. Poco a poco. Hubo 63 personas en la reunión y fueron 7 investigadores en total. Menos activos fueron algunas familias que no hemos visto en mucho tiempo.
Hay una manera diferente para trabajar aquí en Camargo y realmente me ayudo a ver que números no indiquen nuestro trabajo. En parte sí pero los números no hablan para el progreso del barrio.
Si nosotros seguemos lo que el Espíritu esta indicando a nosotros vamos a hacer lo que nuestro padre celestial quiere de nosotros.
Estamos teniendo éxito y vemos los frutos de nuestro trabajo. Otra vez muchísimas gracias para cada cosa que comparte con nosotros y todas de sus oraciones.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
Thank you very much for your visit this last week. I learned a lot from what Sister Chavez shared with us, and from what you said as well.
This week went by quick and was full of work. We are gaining the trust of many because of the time we have to focus on them. The Ward is also seeing many returning to the Chapel, little by little. There were 63 people in Sacrament Meeting, and there were 7 investigators in all. There were less-actives, and some families that we haven't seen in some time.
There is a different way to work here in Camargo, and it helped me to see that numbers don't show everything in our work. They do, in part, but the numbers don't show the progress of the ward.
If we keep following what the Spirit is telling us to do we are going to do what our Father in Heaven wants from us.
We are having success and we see the fruit of our labors. Again, thank you very much for everything that you shared with us, and for all of your prayers.
- Elder Hansgen
Monday, May 5, 2014
Dear Family,
Everything is going good now. Yeah, President Chavez did make it down to visit us this past week. I was actually extremely surprised with what he shared with me and Elder Ante. It was just perfect. I’ll explain more in a little bit.
I am going to be on Skype this Saturday in the evening at 8:00 (for Mother's Day).
Today we are going to go buy food, get our hair cut, and have free time for once.
Elder Romero is actually alright, but he is still learning how things go so, sometimes, I feel like he has more trust in Spanish-speaking missionaries just because he is able to relate to them. He is still a little kid and that’s about the only way I can describe it.
President talked to us and it was great. Basically, he told us that he knows that we have leaders that need to learn a lot, and that’s why they are leaders. He said he was already planning on talking to them about not focusing on numbers, and even compared us two as 10's, and they are 6´s and 7´s. He told us to relax and work the way that we feel Camargo needs right now. So, we have been relaxing just a little bit and following what the Spirit says to us. It is driving Elder Vazquez (our District Leader who lives in the other house) crazy. His companion, Elder Warner, has been telling us that he calls President almost every day. THAT’S WAY TOO MUCH. I have never heard of an Elder calling President that much; so, basically, he is one of those missionaries who is more worried about the rules than the conversion, or helping of people.
Elder Bolivar (who was the companion of Elder Ante) has lived in Utah for a really long time, but is originally from Columbia. He got his citizenship his Junior year in high school and had problems with his Visa; so, he had to go back home because he was here illegally. He is going to come back, though, when it all gets sorted out.
This last week we visited Hermano Delfino, Maria de Los Angeles, Cecilia, Hermana Yasmin, Adela, La familia Holguin, and other people. When we visited Hermano Delfino(a less-active returning) we tied every single tie that he and his brother own. (Ha-ha!) It was pretty fun. They are two brothers that are older and have had surgery on their eyes due to a genetic problem within their family and their eyes.
We ate with Hermana Yasmin on Sunday. She is a less-active member that we are really helping out a lot. She is so cool. Her daughter added me on Facebook and has a couple of photos of us on there. Hermana Yasmin owns a Nutrologist shop in the Guerrero street in Centro.
This last week I had the sudden urge to just start reading the book of Job. I would highly recommend it. It was exactly what I was thinking the entire time when Elder Ante and I were going crazy; that we just needed to suffer through our problems and "drink the bitter cup" if you know what I mean.
I love you and hope that even though I'm not going to be in Utah for Mothers Day that the day will be super special for you. I can't wait to talk to you for Mothers Day, and I really hope that you like the letter I have in this package I want to send super bad. I wrote the letter like a month ago, but it's going to arrive late because I still haven't sent it.
Talk to you Saturday night.
Love,
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Muchísimas Gracias para su visita esta semana pasada. Aprendí mucho de lo que Hna. Chávez compartió con nosotros y de lo que usted habló también.
Esta semana fue rápido y lleno de Trabajo. Estamos ganando la confianza de muchos por el tiempo y enfoque que estamos dándoles. El barrio también esta viendo muchos regresando a la capilla. Poco a poco. Hubo 63 personas en la reunión y fueron 7 investigadores en total. Menos activos fueron algunas familias que no hemos visto en mucho tiempo.
Hay una manera diferente para trabajar aquí en Camargo y realmente me ayudo a ver que números no indiquen nuestro trabajo. En parte sí pero los números no hablan para el progreso del barrio.
Si nosotros seguemos lo que el Espíritu esta indicando a nosotros vamos a hacer lo que nuestro padre celestial quiere de nosotros.
Estamos teniendo éxito y vemos los frutos de nuestro trabajo. Otra vez muchísimas gracias para cada cosa que comparte con nosotros y todas de sus oraciones.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
Thank you very much for your visit this last week. I learned a lot from what Sister Chavez shared with us, and from what you said as well.
This week went by quick and was full of work. We are gaining the trust of many because of the time we have to focus on them. The Ward is also seeing many returning to the Chapel, little by little. There were 63 people in Sacrament Meeting, and there were 7 investigators in all. There were less-actives, and some families that we haven't seen in some time.
There is a different way to work here in Camargo, and it helped me to see that numbers don't show everything in our work. They do, in part, but the numbers don't show the progress of the ward.
If we keep following what the Spirit is telling us to do we are going to do what our Father in Heaven wants from us.
We are having success and we see the fruit of our labors. Again, thank you very much for everything that you shared with us, and for all of your prayers.
- Elder Hansgen
Slow Down And Do Your Best...Find Enjoyment In Whatever You Are Doing:
Monday, April 28, 2013
Dear Family,
I need to write my Mission President first, and then I will explain everything. Things are better, but not all that new. I'll explain in a minute.
I have been here in Camargo for 4 months now, which is more than my time in Delicias. We eat with a member every day. We have lunch with them. We are in charge of our own breakfast and dinner.
President Chavez is going to come this week, but I don't know what day. We think he will be here tomorrow. We don't have to travel up to Delicias today, and we don't have to leave Camargo, either.
There is a sister who has grown up in the Church most of her life. She basically has been there because that's what her Mom said, and everyone else was always saying that this is the only true Church. She has had problems with tumors in her head and has some really big scars. She always wears a hat, or some kind of thing, to cover these up. She asked us one day if we could teach her daughter so that she knows what it is she is doing for her baptism. So, we started teaching both she and her daughter, and she told us one day now that she has started listening to us she now realizes that she has never really had a testimony of the Church, or known what a testimony really is. A lot of members are like that, too, and that is why I'm stressed out because all the work from the missionaries is being destroyed by the "not so strong members," so it was really good -- and she has a ton of confidence in us now.
Cecilia and her husband, Natividad, are a couple that we are visiting. The brother of Cecilia is a member, and he is the High Priest Group Leader, but he really doesn't have a testimony either. All he does is read directly from the manuals and, for talks in Church, he reads from "Gospel Principles." Anyway, Natividad didn't come to Church this week, so we went to visit them to see how he is doing. He had a bad leg that morning. We gave him a blessing and he stood up and was walking around the room again. Cecilia came to Church and is really ready to be baptized. She already has a strong testimony. Surprisingly, she is receiving help from the members in the Relief Society.
My "little" companion is a little tough to train. He doesn't like advice, so I can't really train him. I don't know how much I really trust him, either, because all he likes doing is talking to our District Leader because they are both from Veracruz. So, I just do what I can to help him, and beat him in chess every night.
I got to go now, but I just want to leave you with something. When I get back home, you better be ready because the things you shared with me about a certain family should be the example of what every family should do in every Ward, and I'm already that kind of person. So, ha-ha, I challenge you to really read Preach My Gospel to try and figure out what it is that specific family does different than all the other families. I have found it out, and I hope to share it with you and our family when I come home.
I got to go now. Talk to you next week. Bye.
Love,
-Elder Ian Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Hemos encontrado muchas nuevas cosas para nuestra área y Camargo esta semana. También estamos controlando más nuestro stress. Siento mucho mejor pero las cosas no están moviendo en este barrio.
Hay una Hermana que estamos preparando su hija para ser bautizado. Ella es un miembro del barrio y compartió con nosotros que, mientras está escuchando nuestras lecciones ella ha sentido que realmente no ha tenido un testimonio fuerte de la Iglesia. Ella ahora está reconociendo todas las cosas que no ha conocido del Evangelio. Hay mucho progreso con ella y quiere compartirlo con su esposo y otras personas.
Nuestra investigadora Cecilia esta casi lista para su bautismal. Tenemos su fecha para el 17 de Mayo, su cumpleaños. Ella está muy animada y realmente está preparada. Su esposo todavía no sabemos si ya es un miembro de la iglesia. Tenemos que marcar parral y checar. Ayer dimos una bendición porque él no vino a la Iglesia. Su pierna es teniendo problemas otra vez por culpa de un accidente en el pasado. Después el se levantó y sintió mucho mejor. Estaba caminando el cuarto fácilmente. Lo que él necesita es asistencia a la capilla ahorita y tenemos que ver si ya es un miembro.
Tenemos un buen de personas que todavía necesitamos pasar y visitar. Solo podemos encontrarles en la tarde, y no tenemos mucho tiempo para visitarles.
Muchas gracias Presidente,
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
We have found many new things for our area and Camargo this week. We are also controlling our stress better. I feel much better, but things aren't moving in this area.
There is a sister that we are preparing her daughter for baptism. She is a member of the Ward and she shared with us that, wile hearing our lessons, she has felt that she really didn't have a strong testimony of the Church. She is now recognizing all the things she didn't know about the Gospel. There is a lot of progress with her, and now she wants to share it with her husband and other people.
Our investigator, Cecilia, is almost ready for her baptism. We have a date for the 17th of May, which is her birthday. She is very excited and is really prepared. We still don't know if her husband is a member of the Church. We have to check and see. Yesterday we gave him a blessing because he didn't come to Church. His leg has been having problems again because of a past accident. After he stood up he felt much better. He was walking around the room with ease. What he needs is help to the Chapel, and we need to see if he is a member.
We have a good pool of people that we still need to go and visit. We can only find them in the evening, and we don't have much time to visit them.
Thank you very much President,
-Elder Hansgen
Monday, April 28, 2013
Dear Family,
I need to write my Mission President first, and then I will explain everything. Things are better, but not all that new. I'll explain in a minute.
I have been here in Camargo for 4 months now, which is more than my time in Delicias. We eat with a member every day. We have lunch with them. We are in charge of our own breakfast and dinner.
President Chavez is going to come this week, but I don't know what day. We think he will be here tomorrow. We don't have to travel up to Delicias today, and we don't have to leave Camargo, either.
There is a sister who has grown up in the Church most of her life. She basically has been there because that's what her Mom said, and everyone else was always saying that this is the only true Church. She has had problems with tumors in her head and has some really big scars. She always wears a hat, or some kind of thing, to cover these up. She asked us one day if we could teach her daughter so that she knows what it is she is doing for her baptism. So, we started teaching both she and her daughter, and she told us one day now that she has started listening to us she now realizes that she has never really had a testimony of the Church, or known what a testimony really is. A lot of members are like that, too, and that is why I'm stressed out because all the work from the missionaries is being destroyed by the "not so strong members," so it was really good -- and she has a ton of confidence in us now.
Cecilia and her husband, Natividad, are a couple that we are visiting. The brother of Cecilia is a member, and he is the High Priest Group Leader, but he really doesn't have a testimony either. All he does is read directly from the manuals and, for talks in Church, he reads from "Gospel Principles." Anyway, Natividad didn't come to Church this week, so we went to visit them to see how he is doing. He had a bad leg that morning. We gave him a blessing and he stood up and was walking around the room again. Cecilia came to Church and is really ready to be baptized. She already has a strong testimony. Surprisingly, she is receiving help from the members in the Relief Society.
My "little" companion is a little tough to train. He doesn't like advice, so I can't really train him. I don't know how much I really trust him, either, because all he likes doing is talking to our District Leader because they are both from Veracruz. So, I just do what I can to help him, and beat him in chess every night.
I got to go now, but I just want to leave you with something. When I get back home, you better be ready because the things you shared with me about a certain family should be the example of what every family should do in every Ward, and I'm already that kind of person. So, ha-ha, I challenge you to really read Preach My Gospel to try and figure out what it is that specific family does different than all the other families. I have found it out, and I hope to share it with you and our family when I come home.
I got to go now. Talk to you next week. Bye.
Love,
-Elder Ian Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Hemos encontrado muchas nuevas cosas para nuestra área y Camargo esta semana. También estamos controlando más nuestro stress. Siento mucho mejor pero las cosas no están moviendo en este barrio.
Hay una Hermana que estamos preparando su hija para ser bautizado. Ella es un miembro del barrio y compartió con nosotros que, mientras está escuchando nuestras lecciones ella ha sentido que realmente no ha tenido un testimonio fuerte de la Iglesia. Ella ahora está reconociendo todas las cosas que no ha conocido del Evangelio. Hay mucho progreso con ella y quiere compartirlo con su esposo y otras personas.
Nuestra investigadora Cecilia esta casi lista para su bautismal. Tenemos su fecha para el 17 de Mayo, su cumpleaños. Ella está muy animada y realmente está preparada. Su esposo todavía no sabemos si ya es un miembro de la iglesia. Tenemos que marcar parral y checar. Ayer dimos una bendición porque él no vino a la Iglesia. Su pierna es teniendo problemas otra vez por culpa de un accidente en el pasado. Después el se levantó y sintió mucho mejor. Estaba caminando el cuarto fácilmente. Lo que él necesita es asistencia a la capilla ahorita y tenemos que ver si ya es un miembro.
Tenemos un buen de personas que todavía necesitamos pasar y visitar. Solo podemos encontrarles en la tarde, y no tenemos mucho tiempo para visitarles.
Muchas gracias Presidente,
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
We have found many new things for our area and Camargo this week. We are also controlling our stress better. I feel much better, but things aren't moving in this area.
There is a sister that we are preparing her daughter for baptism. She is a member of the Ward and she shared with us that, wile hearing our lessons, she has felt that she really didn't have a strong testimony of the Church. She is now recognizing all the things she didn't know about the Gospel. There is a lot of progress with her, and now she wants to share it with her husband and other people.
Our investigator, Cecilia, is almost ready for her baptism. We have a date for the 17th of May, which is her birthday. She is very excited and is really prepared. We still don't know if her husband is a member of the Church. We have to check and see. Yesterday we gave him a blessing because he didn't come to Church. His leg has been having problems again because of a past accident. After he stood up he felt much better. He was walking around the room with ease. What he needs is help to the Chapel, and we need to see if he is a member.
We have a good pool of people that we still need to go and visit. We can only find them in the evening, and we don't have much time to visit them.
Thank you very much President,
-Elder Hansgen
Things Are Going Alright Here
Monday, April 21, 2013
Dear Family,
I don't know how much time I have to write. We have to go to Delicias in a little bit. I don't have any photos either.
We are carrying a lot of work on our back right now. Our Zone Leaders called us this morning and told us to come to Delicias without planning anything beforehand. We have things to do here, and now we won't be able to complete what we needed to do. Basically we are cleaning up the Ward, going a little crazy from the heat, and receiving a lot of stress.
Everything is fine, though. I am learning more and more this past week about sacrifice and suffering.
All I want to do is keep going on.
Everything will go well. Thank you Mom. I love you, and tell everyone things are going alright here.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Monday, April 21, 2013
Dear Family,
I don't know how much time I have to write. We have to go to Delicias in a little bit. I don't have any photos either.
We are carrying a lot of work on our back right now. Our Zone Leaders called us this morning and told us to come to Delicias without planning anything beforehand. We have things to do here, and now we won't be able to complete what we needed to do. Basically we are cleaning up the Ward, going a little crazy from the heat, and receiving a lot of stress.
Everything is fine, though. I am learning more and more this past week about sacrifice and suffering.
All I want to do is keep going on.
Everything will go well. Thank you Mom. I love you, and tell everyone things are going alright here.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Another Week In Camargo
Monday, April 14, 2014
Dear Family,
I have been working with Elder Romero and he is really good in the lessons, but he has kind of a shy personality. He is one of those small-type of kids; kind of shy, and learns really fast. I can’t really compare him to anyone. He is a really good companion though. I just have to teach him what he can and cannot do.
My letter explains more about what we have been doing here, but we have basically been trying to find, teach, and clean up Camargo. There was a little problem with what went down here in Camargo, and the history shows that there are a lot of inactive and less-active members; so, we decided to start the ward up and get them to work on the work of salvation. The bishop actually understands his responsibility now, and also his duty. We passed the video of hastening the work to him, and we watched some of it in Priesthood. I really think that now we are going to be receiving a lot more help from the ward, and Camargo is going to turn around. A lot of our new converts are struggling, and it’s because the members aren’t retaining anyone; then the missionaries leave, and their new members go inactive. So, we actually brought a family back, and also another Hermana this past Sunday, and the ward was super happy. This is our focus right now, along with all the new people we have been finding. We just need to have more visits with members, and have them come to visits with us.
Alright - I love you, bye.
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Esta semana fue buena. Nosotros hemos encontrado muchos y también El Barrio esta poniendo metas para hacer la Obra de Salvación.
Estamos apoyando el Barrio con sus menos activos. Es un gran problema que está aquí en Camargo. Muchos de los miembros están desanimados por los inactivos en el barrio. Nuestros Recen conversos están batallando un poco también. Ahora el Espíritu esta indicando que necesitamos encontrar una manera para trabajar con los miembros y yo pienso es por medio de los Menos activos y Recen conversos. Si nosotros empezamos a trabajar con ellos con sus amigos y también los inactivos, podemos empezar a trabajar con ellos y nuestros Investigadores.
Estamos poniendo todo nuestras fuerzas en está barrio porque está impidiendo el progreso un poco aquí. Si nosotros no ayudamos los miembros a aprender como trabajar y visitar, vamos a ver muchos más menos activos e inactivos. Tenemos muchos Investigadoras que vivan solas entonces necesitamos trabajar con los Elderes o mejor con los miembros.
Yo siento que el barrio está reconociendo por fin lo que es su responsabilidad y está pidiendo por ayuda. Yo también siento que Camargo en los próximos 4 meses va a crecer y ver muchas buenas cosas pasando aquí.
Muchísimas gracias para todo presidente. Estoy bien aquí en Camargo. Me encanta todo el Trabajo que hay aquí y para empujarme con mis esfuerzos.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
This week was good. We have found many and the ward is also setting goals to do the work of salvation.
We are supporting the ward with their less-actives. It is a big problem that we have here in Camargo. Many of the members are discouraged because of the inactives in the ward. Our recent converts are struggling a little as well. Now the spirit is indicating that we need to find a way to work with the members, and I think that it is through the less-actives and recent converts. If we start to work with them, with their friends, and also the inactives, we can start to work with them and our investigators.
We are putting all of our efforts in this ward because it is impeding the progress a little here. If we don’t help the members to learn how to work and visit, we are going to see many more less-actives and inactives. We have many women investigating that live alone, so we need to work with the Elders or, even better, with the members.
I feel that the ward is finally recognizing that it is their responsibility and they are asking for help. I also feel that Camargo, in the next 4 months, is going to grow and see many good things happen here.
Thank you very much for everything President. I am good here in Camargo. I love all the work that there is here, and I am going to push myself with my efforts
- Elder Hansgen
Monday, April 14, 2014
Dear Family,
I have been working with Elder Romero and he is really good in the lessons, but he has kind of a shy personality. He is one of those small-type of kids; kind of shy, and learns really fast. I can’t really compare him to anyone. He is a really good companion though. I just have to teach him what he can and cannot do.
My letter explains more about what we have been doing here, but we have basically been trying to find, teach, and clean up Camargo. There was a little problem with what went down here in Camargo, and the history shows that there are a lot of inactive and less-active members; so, we decided to start the ward up and get them to work on the work of salvation. The bishop actually understands his responsibility now, and also his duty. We passed the video of hastening the work to him, and we watched some of it in Priesthood. I really think that now we are going to be receiving a lot more help from the ward, and Camargo is going to turn around. A lot of our new converts are struggling, and it’s because the members aren’t retaining anyone; then the missionaries leave, and their new members go inactive. So, we actually brought a family back, and also another Hermana this past Sunday, and the ward was super happy. This is our focus right now, along with all the new people we have been finding. We just need to have more visits with members, and have them come to visits with us.
Alright - I love you, bye.
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Esta semana fue buena. Nosotros hemos encontrado muchos y también El Barrio esta poniendo metas para hacer la Obra de Salvación.
Estamos apoyando el Barrio con sus menos activos. Es un gran problema que está aquí en Camargo. Muchos de los miembros están desanimados por los inactivos en el barrio. Nuestros Recen conversos están batallando un poco también. Ahora el Espíritu esta indicando que necesitamos encontrar una manera para trabajar con los miembros y yo pienso es por medio de los Menos activos y Recen conversos. Si nosotros empezamos a trabajar con ellos con sus amigos y también los inactivos, podemos empezar a trabajar con ellos y nuestros Investigadores.
Estamos poniendo todo nuestras fuerzas en está barrio porque está impidiendo el progreso un poco aquí. Si nosotros no ayudamos los miembros a aprender como trabajar y visitar, vamos a ver muchos más menos activos e inactivos. Tenemos muchos Investigadoras que vivan solas entonces necesitamos trabajar con los Elderes o mejor con los miembros.
Yo siento que el barrio está reconociendo por fin lo que es su responsabilidad y está pidiendo por ayuda. Yo también siento que Camargo en los próximos 4 meses va a crecer y ver muchas buenas cosas pasando aquí.
Muchísimas gracias para todo presidente. Estoy bien aquí en Camargo. Me encanta todo el Trabajo que hay aquí y para empujarme con mis esfuerzos.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
This week was good. We have found many and the ward is also setting goals to do the work of salvation.
We are supporting the ward with their less-actives. It is a big problem that we have here in Camargo. Many of the members are discouraged because of the inactives in the ward. Our recent converts are struggling a little as well. Now the spirit is indicating that we need to find a way to work with the members, and I think that it is through the less-actives and recent converts. If we start to work with them, with their friends, and also the inactives, we can start to work with them and our investigators.
We are putting all of our efforts in this ward because it is impeding the progress a little here. If we don’t help the members to learn how to work and visit, we are going to see many more less-actives and inactives. We have many women investigating that live alone, so we need to work with the Elders or, even better, with the members.
I feel that the ward is finally recognizing that it is their responsibility and they are asking for help. I also feel that Camargo, in the next 4 months, is going to grow and see many good things happen here.
Thank you very much for everything President. I am good here in Camargo. I love all the work that there is here, and I am going to push myself with my efforts
- Elder Hansgen
No Pictures This Week...Sorry!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Dear Family,
I’m online right now, but I didn’t get to take very many photos. Actually, I didn’t get any with my new companion yet because my camera had a dead battery.
Here are three of my favorite scriptures. They aren’t really in any order, but they are three that I have found here in the mission which really help me out sometimes. I just shared these with one of my friends.
1) Alma 17:25-32 This is a scripture that we are still trying to follow here in Camargo. I found it one day and it really was an answer for Camargo. Ammon=Missionaries; King=God; Servants=Members; Sheep= Less Actives, Inactives, and Investigators.
2) Moroni 7:33 This is the one that is on my mission plaque.
3) Words of Mormon 1:4-8 This one is just one of my favorites because we are actually fulfilling this promise. Nephi and Jacob actually have the same desire; also, Enos and Lehi. Here in México we are literally teaching the Lamanites.
Questions and Answers:
1. Tell me all about your Conference Weekend. Conference was great. It was amazing. The talk I want to share with you all was from Elder Ballard. Read what he said about Preach My Gospel and tell me if that is what I have been telling you all along.
2. Tell me about your favorite talks. I still have to review my notes. I marked all of my favorite talks and made notes for each speaker.
3. Please tell me all about your new companion. Who is he? Where is he from? How long has he been serving his mission in Chihuahua? He is Elder Romero. He is from Veracruz and only has this week in the mission. I am training him like Elder Wiscombe trained me.
4. Please tell me all about Elder Ante's new companion. Elder Ante´s companion is from Orem. His name is Elder Bolivar. He went to Timpanogos High and already knows Spanish.
5. Who are the other two "new" missionaries who are serving in Camargo in the house you arranged for? Elder Vazquez and Elder Warner. Elder Vazquez was in Delicias when I arrived and Elder Warner is from the generation of Elder Loveless.
7. Who did you visit with this week? Please tell me about the people you visited with this week, and also if you ate at anyone's house for dinner. We really didn’t visit too many people because of the changes, but we did find some new people to teach, so everything is good.
Hey, I’ve got to go now. I hope that this week is a good one and that everything goes well for everyone. I love you all.
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Esta semana fue un poco duro por los cambios. Pero todo ha tranquilizado y estamos en rutina. Elder Romero es un buen misionero.
Martes regresamos a Camargo pero ya estaba tarde entonces no hicimos mucho trabajo. Compartimos a cerca de nuestros Investigadores y dormimos.
Miercoles ayudemos los otros Elderes con su casa y finalizamos todo de esto.
Jueves Empezamos a trabajar con un horario fijado y encontramos algunos antiguos que sentimos que es su tiempo. Invitamos muchos a la conferencia y compartimos a cerca de profetas modernos.
Viernes mas lecciones y visitas para introducir Elder Romero a algunos de nuestros Investigadores y miembros. Tambien hablamos con una familia joven que tienen una tienda en un parte de nuestra area. Son nuevos y vamos a ensenarles.
Sabado La conferencia general fue buenisimo. No puedo esperar par alas revistas a llegar. Fue mucho que aprendemos y tenemos a aplicar en la obra y nuestras vidas. Me encanto.
Domingo. Pasamos con una de nuestras Investigadoras despues de la conferencia y ella esta teniendo dificultades. Su Novio, que supuestamente fue a quedar en Chihuahua, esta viniendo para vivir aqui. Es una problema porque ella es viuda y no puede casarse por los pensiones. Tenemos una leccion planeado para Martes especificamente para los 2 de ellos para ayudarles a entender la importancia de la familia, matrimonio, y obedeciendo Dios. Su novio solo quiere seguir al mundo y ella tiene muchos deseos a seguir la Iglesia y ser bautizado.
Muchisimas gracias par alas reuniones y todas las cosas que hace para nosotros aqui en Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
This week was a little difficult because of transfers, but everything has calmed down and we are back to our routine. Elder Romero is a good missionary.
Tuesday we returned to Carmargo but it was late, so we didn't do much work. We talked about our investigators and sleepers (less-actives).
Wednesday we helped the other Elders with their house and finalized that.
Thursday we started to work with a set schedule and we found some old investigators that we feel that it is their time. We invited many to Conference, and we shared about modern prophets.
Friday we had more lessons and visits to introduce Elder Romero to some of our investigators and members. We also talked to a young family that has a store in our area. They are new and we are going to teach them.
Saturday General Conference was wonderful. I can't wait to read them when they come. There was a lot that we learned and that we have to apply in the work, and our lives. I loved it.
Sunday. We spent some time with one of our investigators after Conference and she is having problems. Her boyfriend, who was supposedly going to stay in Chihuahua, is coming to live here. That is a problem because she is a widow and cannot get remarried because of her deceased husband's pension. We have a lesson planned for Tuesday for both of them to help them understand the importance of family, marriage, and obedience to God. Her boyfriend only wants to follow the world, and she has a strong desire to follow the Church and be baptized.
Thank you very much for the meetings, and for everything you do for us here in Carmargo.
- Elder Hangsen
Monday, April 7, 2014
Dear Family,
I’m online right now, but I didn’t get to take very many photos. Actually, I didn’t get any with my new companion yet because my camera had a dead battery.
Here are three of my favorite scriptures. They aren’t really in any order, but they are three that I have found here in the mission which really help me out sometimes. I just shared these with one of my friends.
1) Alma 17:25-32 This is a scripture that we are still trying to follow here in Camargo. I found it one day and it really was an answer for Camargo. Ammon=Missionaries; King=God; Servants=Members; Sheep= Less Actives, Inactives, and Investigators.
2) Moroni 7:33 This is the one that is on my mission plaque.
3) Words of Mormon 1:4-8 This one is just one of my favorites because we are actually fulfilling this promise. Nephi and Jacob actually have the same desire; also, Enos and Lehi. Here in México we are literally teaching the Lamanites.
Questions and Answers:
1. Tell me all about your Conference Weekend. Conference was great. It was amazing. The talk I want to share with you all was from Elder Ballard. Read what he said about Preach My Gospel and tell me if that is what I have been telling you all along.
2. Tell me about your favorite talks. I still have to review my notes. I marked all of my favorite talks and made notes for each speaker.
3. Please tell me all about your new companion. Who is he? Where is he from? How long has he been serving his mission in Chihuahua? He is Elder Romero. He is from Veracruz and only has this week in the mission. I am training him like Elder Wiscombe trained me.
4. Please tell me all about Elder Ante's new companion. Elder Ante´s companion is from Orem. His name is Elder Bolivar. He went to Timpanogos High and already knows Spanish.
5. Who are the other two "new" missionaries who are serving in Camargo in the house you arranged for? Elder Vazquez and Elder Warner. Elder Vazquez was in Delicias when I arrived and Elder Warner is from the generation of Elder Loveless.
7. Who did you visit with this week? Please tell me about the people you visited with this week, and also if you ate at anyone's house for dinner. We really didn’t visit too many people because of the changes, but we did find some new people to teach, so everything is good.
Hey, I’ve got to go now. I hope that this week is a good one and that everything goes well for everyone. I love you all.
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Esta semana fue un poco duro por los cambios. Pero todo ha tranquilizado y estamos en rutina. Elder Romero es un buen misionero.
Martes regresamos a Camargo pero ya estaba tarde entonces no hicimos mucho trabajo. Compartimos a cerca de nuestros Investigadores y dormimos.
Miercoles ayudemos los otros Elderes con su casa y finalizamos todo de esto.
Jueves Empezamos a trabajar con un horario fijado y encontramos algunos antiguos que sentimos que es su tiempo. Invitamos muchos a la conferencia y compartimos a cerca de profetas modernos.
Viernes mas lecciones y visitas para introducir Elder Romero a algunos de nuestros Investigadores y miembros. Tambien hablamos con una familia joven que tienen una tienda en un parte de nuestra area. Son nuevos y vamos a ensenarles.
Sabado La conferencia general fue buenisimo. No puedo esperar par alas revistas a llegar. Fue mucho que aprendemos y tenemos a aplicar en la obra y nuestras vidas. Me encanto.
Domingo. Pasamos con una de nuestras Investigadoras despues de la conferencia y ella esta teniendo dificultades. Su Novio, que supuestamente fue a quedar en Chihuahua, esta viniendo para vivir aqui. Es una problema porque ella es viuda y no puede casarse por los pensiones. Tenemos una leccion planeado para Martes especificamente para los 2 de ellos para ayudarles a entender la importancia de la familia, matrimonio, y obedeciendo Dios. Su novio solo quiere seguir al mundo y ella tiene muchos deseos a seguir la Iglesia y ser bautizado.
Muchisimas gracias par alas reuniones y todas las cosas que hace para nosotros aqui en Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
This week was a little difficult because of transfers, but everything has calmed down and we are back to our routine. Elder Romero is a good missionary.
Tuesday we returned to Carmargo but it was late, so we didn't do much work. We talked about our investigators and sleepers (less-actives).
Wednesday we helped the other Elders with their house and finalized that.
Thursday we started to work with a set schedule and we found some old investigators that we feel that it is their time. We invited many to Conference, and we shared about modern prophets.
Friday we had more lessons and visits to introduce Elder Romero to some of our investigators and members. We also talked to a young family that has a store in our area. They are new and we are going to teach them.
Saturday General Conference was wonderful. I can't wait to read them when they come. There was a lot that we learned and that we have to apply in the work, and our lives. I loved it.
Sunday. We spent some time with one of our investigators after Conference and she is having problems. Her boyfriend, who was supposedly going to stay in Chihuahua, is coming to live here. That is a problem because she is a widow and cannot get remarried because of her deceased husband's pension. We have a lesson planned for Tuesday for both of them to help them understand the importance of family, marriage, and obedience to God. Her boyfriend only wants to follow the world, and she has a strong desire to follow the Church and be baptized.
Thank you very much for the meetings, and for everything you do for us here in Carmargo.
- Elder Hangsen
Changes In Camargo:
Monday, March 31, 2014
Dear Family,
I really don’t have any pictures from this week, but Hermano Holguin had a $100 dollar bill and I’m not sure if it’s real. Did they come out with a new one? If not, he already cashed it and it was fake. Ha-ha!
I will be watching General Conference next weekend here in Camargo at the Church. It will be in Spanish, though. Ha-ha!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot; tomorrow we have to go to Chihuahua because Elder Loveless and Elder Ruiz are transferring. Elder Ante and I are staying, and we are going to train new Elders. Also, an additional two more Elders are going to be coming to Camargo. We will have a total of 6 missionaries in Camargo now. The two new missionaries who are coming will be living in a different house. We already got the house all ready for the two new missionaries. We talked with the lady and paid the rent.
We didn’t really do much this week as we were preparing a house, going to Delicias, and Elder Loveless was sick yesterday. We did talk to Mercedes. They have been in Parral for 2 weeks. Her daughter changed houses, and had a baby, so they are spending a lot of time down in Parral now.
I’m going to take a ton of pictures with Elder Loveless today and tomorrow. We really haven’t done that yet because he was sick yesterday.
This next week should be filled with a ton of new stuff to share with you all. I probably won’t have time for it all next Monday.
Adiós,
-Elder Hansgen
From the Mission Office: This past week some Elders were working and recorded a video to invite people to see General Conference. Here is the link for this video. We hope you can share it with members, researchers, and families.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zGCTkhofbI
Monday, March 31, 2014
Dear Family,
I really don’t have any pictures from this week, but Hermano Holguin had a $100 dollar bill and I’m not sure if it’s real. Did they come out with a new one? If not, he already cashed it and it was fake. Ha-ha!
I will be watching General Conference next weekend here in Camargo at the Church. It will be in Spanish, though. Ha-ha!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot; tomorrow we have to go to Chihuahua because Elder Loveless and Elder Ruiz are transferring. Elder Ante and I are staying, and we are going to train new Elders. Also, an additional two more Elders are going to be coming to Camargo. We will have a total of 6 missionaries in Camargo now. The two new missionaries who are coming will be living in a different house. We already got the house all ready for the two new missionaries. We talked with the lady and paid the rent.
We didn’t really do much this week as we were preparing a house, going to Delicias, and Elder Loveless was sick yesterday. We did talk to Mercedes. They have been in Parral for 2 weeks. Her daughter changed houses, and had a baby, so they are spending a lot of time down in Parral now.
I’m going to take a ton of pictures with Elder Loveless today and tomorrow. We really haven’t done that yet because he was sick yesterday.
This next week should be filled with a ton of new stuff to share with you all. I probably won’t have time for it all next Monday.
Adiós,
-Elder Hansgen
From the Mission Office: This past week some Elders were working and recorded a video to invite people to see General Conference. Here is the link for this video. We hope you can share it with members, researchers, and families.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zGCTkhofbI
Eight-Month Mark Today!
Monday, March 24, 2014
Dear Family,
There is so much revelation coming to us here in Camargo. It’s crazy how much of a bomb just went off in the work here.
I’m going to be super busy explaining a lot of stuff and trying to find the time to explain and write everyone. Everything is in my letter to Presidenté.
I had an experience the other day when we were talking to Elisabeth and her boyfriend. I was thinking about how many addictions they have, and how hard it will be to actually have them accept the Gospel. Elisabeth already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. She also believes that we are messengers; then it came to me, as I was thinking of how Christ would work in the situation, there is always going to be agency. We can’t force the people to see that their lives would be better if they would listen to our message. What we offer is gigantic, and life or death, but we can only offer it. People will always have to choose, no matter what we do, and if we aren’t there to offer it to them, then who is? I was thinking about giving up on them, but I know that she has the seed planted, and she didn’t reject it. If we don’t return, then who will? We, as members, have something worth more than anything you or I can think of. Our responsibility is to share with others in every moment. If we don’t, then nobody will, because they don’t have it.
The thing I miss the most about Utah is snowboarding, and the snow. I have been thinking about it for a while. It was really weird going through a Winter without snow. Driving is something, too, but not so much.
Jesus Sanchez Holguin is a kid in the Ward. He is from the family “Holguin.”
Hermana Chávez has a bunch of new rules about fitness and health in the mission. I guess there are a lot of missionaries who are getting fat or something, so we are eating super healthy and working out a lot.
Original:
Presidenté,
Está semana ha sido uno de los mejores semanas en la Misión. Tenemos muchos milagros para compartir y también algunos Pensamientos a cerca de la obra aquí en Camargo. Mucho de que tengo para compartir es a cerca de viernes.
Lunes: Tuvimos nuestro actividad de districto y decidimos a subir la Montaña aquí en Camargo. Algunos Miembros (La Familia Holguin) se fueron con nosotros. Está Familia son algunos de los miembros que están apoyando el Barrio a andar en pie aquí. Sin ellos muchos de los recen conversos no se quedan asistiendo. Ellos nos ayudan con Noches de Hogar y Rides a la capilla cada domingo.
Martes: Estamos teniendo clases de inglés otra vez en la capilla cada martes y jueves. Una miembra tiene el llamamiento de La Autosuficiencia y enseña Inglés. Ella está ayudando muchos miembros con la programa de “Pathway” para BYU Idaho. Nosotros estamos con ella para ayudar a todos los avanzados.
Miércoles: Muchísimas Gracias para la reunión que tuvimos en Delicias con usted. Hemos aprendido muchísimo y estamos aplicando lo que aprendemos en nuestro Estudio personal y de Compañero.
Jueves: Fuimos a un Hospital para dar una bendición a una Hna. Del barrio. Estamos teniendo más confianza de los miembros del Barrio.
Viernes: Tuvimos Muchas visitas y nuevos este Día. Encontramos nuestros Investigadores Pedro, Mercedes, y Gerardo (Una Familia). Ellos estaban en Parral por algunas semanas visitando familia. Gerardo está compartiendo El Libro de Mormón con toda su familia. Es Fantástico. Encontramos muchas personas y tuvimos La Familia Holguin ayudando nosotros. Fuimos a algunas casas para bendiciones y era muy bien. Hablamos con una Hermana y ella y su madre no eran confirmadas hace años. Ella, su madre, su esposo, y sus nietos y yermo son los que vamos a bautizar y confirmar. Total: 7 de esta familia. Su vecino también hablo a nosotros y dijo, “Envía a ellos aquí después que terminan hablando.”
Sábado: Un miembro tiene su hermana que cambio casas aquí de chihuahua y ya tenemos una fecha con ella.
Domingo: Enseñamos a cerca de la importancia que tenemos, como miembros, para compartir el Evangelio con TODOS. Todo el barrio estaba y fue nuestro tiempo para enseñar de Predicad Mí Evangelio.
Estamos bien Feliz aquí y es un poco chistoso que no queremos cambiar está próxima semana. Camargo está en una buena posición para levantar en este momento. Hay muchas Hermanas que están dispuestas a salir por visitas pero no puedan porque somos misioneros. Estamos trabajando con muchas fuerzas para levantar todo el Barrio y Limpiarlo. Es un buen tiempo para ser misionero en Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
This week has been one of the best weeks in my mission. We have many miracles to share and some thoughts about the work here in Carmargo. Most of what I have to share is about Friday.
Monday: We had our District activity and we decided to hike the mountain here in Carmargo. Some members (the Holguin family) went with us. This family is some of the members that are supporting the Ward to walk on its feet. Without them many of the recent converts would not be attending. They help us with Family Home Evenings and rides to the Chapel every Sunday.
Tuesday: We had English class again in the Ward Building. We have these every Tuesday and Thursday. A member has a self-sufficiency calling and teaches English. She is helping many members with the "Pathway" program from BYU Idaho. We are there to help with the advanced students.
Wednesday: Thank you very much for the meeting that we had in Delicias with you. We learned a lot, and we are applying what we learned in our personal and companion studies.
Thursday: We went to a hospital to give a blessing to a sister in the Ward. We are gaining more trust from the members in the Ward.
Friday: We had a lot of visits and new investigators on Friday. We found our investigators Pedro, Mercedes, and Gerardo (a family). They have been in Parral for a few weeks visiting family. Gerardo is sharing the Book of Mormon with his whole family. It is fantastic. We found a lot of people and we have the Holguin family helping us. We went to a few houses to give blessings and it went well. We spoke with a sister, and she and her mother weren’t confirmed a few years back. She, her mother, her husband, her grandchildren, and son-in-law are all going to be baptized and confirmed. This is a total of seven (7) from this family. Her neighbor also spoke with us and said "send them here after they are done talking."
Saturday: A member has a sister that moved here from Chihuahua and we set a date with her.
Sunday: We taught about the duty that we have, as members, to share the gospel with EVERYBODY. The whole ward was there and it was our turn to teach from Preach My Gospel.
We are very happy here and it is a little funny that we don’t want to get transferred this next week. Carmargo is in a good position to rise up at this time. There are many sisters that want to go out (and work/serve) with us, but we can’t because we are Elders. We are working hard to lift up the Ward and clean it. It is a good time to be a missionary in Camargo.
- Elder Hansgen
Monday, March 24, 2014
Dear Family,
There is so much revelation coming to us here in Camargo. It’s crazy how much of a bomb just went off in the work here.
I’m going to be super busy explaining a lot of stuff and trying to find the time to explain and write everyone. Everything is in my letter to Presidenté.
I had an experience the other day when we were talking to Elisabeth and her boyfriend. I was thinking about how many addictions they have, and how hard it will be to actually have them accept the Gospel. Elisabeth already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon. She also believes that we are messengers; then it came to me, as I was thinking of how Christ would work in the situation, there is always going to be agency. We can’t force the people to see that their lives would be better if they would listen to our message. What we offer is gigantic, and life or death, but we can only offer it. People will always have to choose, no matter what we do, and if we aren’t there to offer it to them, then who is? I was thinking about giving up on them, but I know that she has the seed planted, and she didn’t reject it. If we don’t return, then who will? We, as members, have something worth more than anything you or I can think of. Our responsibility is to share with others in every moment. If we don’t, then nobody will, because they don’t have it.
The thing I miss the most about Utah is snowboarding, and the snow. I have been thinking about it for a while. It was really weird going through a Winter without snow. Driving is something, too, but not so much.
Jesus Sanchez Holguin is a kid in the Ward. He is from the family “Holguin.”
Hermana Chávez has a bunch of new rules about fitness and health in the mission. I guess there are a lot of missionaries who are getting fat or something, so we are eating super healthy and working out a lot.
Original:
Presidenté,
Está semana ha sido uno de los mejores semanas en la Misión. Tenemos muchos milagros para compartir y también algunos Pensamientos a cerca de la obra aquí en Camargo. Mucho de que tengo para compartir es a cerca de viernes.
Lunes: Tuvimos nuestro actividad de districto y decidimos a subir la Montaña aquí en Camargo. Algunos Miembros (La Familia Holguin) se fueron con nosotros. Está Familia son algunos de los miembros que están apoyando el Barrio a andar en pie aquí. Sin ellos muchos de los recen conversos no se quedan asistiendo. Ellos nos ayudan con Noches de Hogar y Rides a la capilla cada domingo.
Martes: Estamos teniendo clases de inglés otra vez en la capilla cada martes y jueves. Una miembra tiene el llamamiento de La Autosuficiencia y enseña Inglés. Ella está ayudando muchos miembros con la programa de “Pathway” para BYU Idaho. Nosotros estamos con ella para ayudar a todos los avanzados.
Miércoles: Muchísimas Gracias para la reunión que tuvimos en Delicias con usted. Hemos aprendido muchísimo y estamos aplicando lo que aprendemos en nuestro Estudio personal y de Compañero.
Jueves: Fuimos a un Hospital para dar una bendición a una Hna. Del barrio. Estamos teniendo más confianza de los miembros del Barrio.
Viernes: Tuvimos Muchas visitas y nuevos este Día. Encontramos nuestros Investigadores Pedro, Mercedes, y Gerardo (Una Familia). Ellos estaban en Parral por algunas semanas visitando familia. Gerardo está compartiendo El Libro de Mormón con toda su familia. Es Fantástico. Encontramos muchas personas y tuvimos La Familia Holguin ayudando nosotros. Fuimos a algunas casas para bendiciones y era muy bien. Hablamos con una Hermana y ella y su madre no eran confirmadas hace años. Ella, su madre, su esposo, y sus nietos y yermo son los que vamos a bautizar y confirmar. Total: 7 de esta familia. Su vecino también hablo a nosotros y dijo, “Envía a ellos aquí después que terminan hablando.”
Sábado: Un miembro tiene su hermana que cambio casas aquí de chihuahua y ya tenemos una fecha con ella.
Domingo: Enseñamos a cerca de la importancia que tenemos, como miembros, para compartir el Evangelio con TODOS. Todo el barrio estaba y fue nuestro tiempo para enseñar de Predicad Mí Evangelio.
Estamos bien Feliz aquí y es un poco chistoso que no queremos cambiar está próxima semana. Camargo está en una buena posición para levantar en este momento. Hay muchas Hermanas que están dispuestas a salir por visitas pero no puedan porque somos misioneros. Estamos trabajando con muchas fuerzas para levantar todo el Barrio y Limpiarlo. Es un buen tiempo para ser misionero en Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
This week has been one of the best weeks in my mission. We have many miracles to share and some thoughts about the work here in Carmargo. Most of what I have to share is about Friday.
Monday: We had our District activity and we decided to hike the mountain here in Carmargo. Some members (the Holguin family) went with us. This family is some of the members that are supporting the Ward to walk on its feet. Without them many of the recent converts would not be attending. They help us with Family Home Evenings and rides to the Chapel every Sunday.
Tuesday: We had English class again in the Ward Building. We have these every Tuesday and Thursday. A member has a self-sufficiency calling and teaches English. She is helping many members with the "Pathway" program from BYU Idaho. We are there to help with the advanced students.
Wednesday: Thank you very much for the meeting that we had in Delicias with you. We learned a lot, and we are applying what we learned in our personal and companion studies.
Thursday: We went to a hospital to give a blessing to a sister in the Ward. We are gaining more trust from the members in the Ward.
Friday: We had a lot of visits and new investigators on Friday. We found our investigators Pedro, Mercedes, and Gerardo (a family). They have been in Parral for a few weeks visiting family. Gerardo is sharing the Book of Mormon with his whole family. It is fantastic. We found a lot of people and we have the Holguin family helping us. We went to a few houses to give blessings and it went well. We spoke with a sister, and she and her mother weren’t confirmed a few years back. She, her mother, her husband, her grandchildren, and son-in-law are all going to be baptized and confirmed. This is a total of seven (7) from this family. Her neighbor also spoke with us and said "send them here after they are done talking."
Saturday: A member has a sister that moved here from Chihuahua and we set a date with her.
Sunday: We taught about the duty that we have, as members, to share the gospel with EVERYBODY. The whole ward was there and it was our turn to teach from Preach My Gospel.
We are very happy here and it is a little funny that we don’t want to get transferred this next week. Carmargo is in a good position to rise up at this time. There are many sisters that want to go out (and work/serve) with us, but we can’t because we are Elders. We are working hard to lift up the Ward and clean it. It is a good time to be a missionary in Camargo.
- Elder Hansgen
We Hiked The Mountain!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Dear Family,
This week was a busy week. I’m pretty tired right now writing this letter. I am going to explain a lot in the next couple of minutes and hopefully be able to have enough time to send the photos that I want to send.
Well, here it goes.
Monday: We had an activity with our Zone that wasn’t really the best use of our time. We were going to hike the mountain in Camargo, but it didn’t work out. The activity wasn’t really that well-planned, but it was still pretty fun.
Tuesday: We found some new people, and some that were baptized but not confirmed. I think that we are going to be working with them a lot in the next couple of weeks. After that, we had a dinner with a less-active family whose son is wanting to go on a mission. He is 20 years old.
Wednesday: Elder Loveless and I were a little sick this day from the dinner the night before, so we tried working and had to return to the house a lot. (The Vermox was something that Hermana Chávez wants everyone to take every 6 months, it wasn’t because we were sick.)
Thursday: We had interviews in Delicias with the Assistants, Hermana Chávez, and Presidente Chávez. This took up a lot of our day, so we returned and had a few visits.
Friday: We talked with Elizabeth because we found her, and lost her, and found her, and lost her about 4 or 5 times now. We hope that she doesn’t get lost again. After this, we had a Noche de Hogar (FHE) with the Family Holguin. They are the best.
Saturday: The other Elders had a baptism, so we helped them out with that a lot of the time, and basically nothing much happened the rest of the day.
Sunday: We had Church, then went and ate, then started visiting people. There was a devotional later that night for a couple that got married, so we had plans to go to that; then we found Elizabeth again. She was drunk, but we talked a long time and brought her with us. We took some photos so she could remember her experience and the Church. She has come one other time.
Monday (today): We climbed the mountain with the District. The Elders from Saucillo all came and we hiked here in Camargo. We are now writing really quickly and will probably finish tomorrow. I have a couple of photos that I want to send, but the computers we are using really are not that good, so tomorrow.
Everything is fine here, and I hope that I have a couple more questions waiting for me tomorrow. Adios for now.
Love you,
-Elder Hansgen
Monday, March 17, 2014
Dear Family,
This week was a busy week. I’m pretty tired right now writing this letter. I am going to explain a lot in the next couple of minutes and hopefully be able to have enough time to send the photos that I want to send.
Well, here it goes.
Monday: We had an activity with our Zone that wasn’t really the best use of our time. We were going to hike the mountain in Camargo, but it didn’t work out. The activity wasn’t really that well-planned, but it was still pretty fun.
Tuesday: We found some new people, and some that were baptized but not confirmed. I think that we are going to be working with them a lot in the next couple of weeks. After that, we had a dinner with a less-active family whose son is wanting to go on a mission. He is 20 years old.
Wednesday: Elder Loveless and I were a little sick this day from the dinner the night before, so we tried working and had to return to the house a lot. (The Vermox was something that Hermana Chávez wants everyone to take every 6 months, it wasn’t because we were sick.)
Thursday: We had interviews in Delicias with the Assistants, Hermana Chávez, and Presidente Chávez. This took up a lot of our day, so we returned and had a few visits.
Friday: We talked with Elizabeth because we found her, and lost her, and found her, and lost her about 4 or 5 times now. We hope that she doesn’t get lost again. After this, we had a Noche de Hogar (FHE) with the Family Holguin. They are the best.
Saturday: The other Elders had a baptism, so we helped them out with that a lot of the time, and basically nothing much happened the rest of the day.
Sunday: We had Church, then went and ate, then started visiting people. There was a devotional later that night for a couple that got married, so we had plans to go to that; then we found Elizabeth again. She was drunk, but we talked a long time and brought her with us. We took some photos so she could remember her experience and the Church. She has come one other time.
Monday (today): We climbed the mountain with the District. The Elders from Saucillo all came and we hiked here in Camargo. We are now writing really quickly and will probably finish tomorrow. I have a couple of photos that I want to send, but the computers we are using really are not that good, so tomorrow.
Everything is fine here, and I hope that I have a couple more questions waiting for me tomorrow. Adios for now.
Love you,
-Elder Hansgen
I Bought A Chess Set!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Dear Family,
I didn't really take too many photos this week. I bought a chess board to play with the missionaries. Look at the checkmate I had with Elder Loveless. It was only like a 3-minute game.
I’m still working on sending something. There is a Hermana who is going to the U.S. soon, so I’m going to try and send a package with her. Her name is Hermana Del Real. She will probably just send it in the mail when she crosses over the border.
I have gotten the hang of the Luna Stix you sent me pretty well, actually. I’ve never really had a problem figuring stuff out.
We are in Delicias today and I think we are going to have some kind of Zone Activity. I’m not entirely sure, yet, what we are going to do, though - probably just play sports or something.
Nothing really big happened this week. We tried to stop by for Pedro, but his family went to a funeral. We haven’t been back to their house. There are a million people that whistle at us and say "Guapos Gringos," and a few of our investigators clearly have a thing for us. It’s so weird. Everyone either doesn’t like us, or thinks we are beautiful. Most people just try to speak English to us. We have been helping out the other Elders and finding more people to teach. The Escogidos (chosen family) are actually really awesome. Their kids went to some kind of youth activity in Delicias. They came back the next day with all this EFY stuff. The family is having family home evening with other ward members, too.
Oh, we gave talks in Church yesterday. I forgot to mention that. It was awesome. I have my notes, but it’s not really written up like an actual talk. We are trying to get more help from the Ward right now. There are a few members that help us out, but very little of them do.
I’m moving a lot of files around on my memory card. I have to go now. We are all in the cyber shop and it’s time for us to go. I got a lot of music from Elder Ante and I’m working with the files right now.
Got to go. Love you.
-Elder Hansgen
ORIGINAL:
Querido Presidente,
Hemos tomado nuestro Vermox esta semana. Entonces estamos en bien salud para trabajar. Estamos trabajando mucho, encontrando Nuevos y trabajando con los menos activos en barrio Camargo.
Hemos tenido Noches de Hogar con nuestros conversos y algunos miembros. Están hermanándoles muy bien. Los Hijos fueron a Delicias por la Actividad de jóvenes. Todo esta bien con esta familia y están Feliz. Ellos han comentado mucho a cerca de los bendiciones que han visto.
Discursamos en Domingo y era bien suave también. Los miembros escucharon y estamos esperando que pueden actuar con las palabras que compartimos con ellos.
Estoy muy feliz con las cosas que estamos mirando en Camargo. Está levantando poco a poco y las raizes están cambiando.
Gracias para esta experiencia a servir aquí en la misión Chihuahua México.
-Elder Hansgen
TRANSLATION:
Dear President,
We took our Vermox this week, so we have been healthy and good to work. We are working a lot, finding new people, and working with the less-actives in the Carmargo Ward.
We had Family Home Evenings with our converts and some members. They are doing a great job fellowshiping. The kids went to Delicias for an activity for the youth. Everything is good with the family and they are happy. They have said a lot about the blessings that they have seen.
We spoke on Sunday and it was really easy. The members listened and we are hoping that they will act on the words that we shared with them.
I am very happy with the things we are seeing in Camargo. Things are getting better little by little and the roots are changing.
Thank you for the experience to serve here in the Chihuahua Mission.
- Elder Hansgen
Monday, March 10, 2014
Dear Family,
I didn't really take too many photos this week. I bought a chess board to play with the missionaries. Look at the checkmate I had with Elder Loveless. It was only like a 3-minute game.
I’m still working on sending something. There is a Hermana who is going to the U.S. soon, so I’m going to try and send a package with her. Her name is Hermana Del Real. She will probably just send it in the mail when she crosses over the border.
I have gotten the hang of the Luna Stix you sent me pretty well, actually. I’ve never really had a problem figuring stuff out.
We are in Delicias today and I think we are going to have some kind of Zone Activity. I’m not entirely sure, yet, what we are going to do, though - probably just play sports or something.
Nothing really big happened this week. We tried to stop by for Pedro, but his family went to a funeral. We haven’t been back to their house. There are a million people that whistle at us and say "Guapos Gringos," and a few of our investigators clearly have a thing for us. It’s so weird. Everyone either doesn’t like us, or thinks we are beautiful. Most people just try to speak English to us. We have been helping out the other Elders and finding more people to teach. The Escogidos (chosen family) are actually really awesome. Their kids went to some kind of youth activity in Delicias. They came back the next day with all this EFY stuff. The family is having family home evening with other ward members, too.
Oh, we gave talks in Church yesterday. I forgot to mention that. It was awesome. I have my notes, but it’s not really written up like an actual talk. We are trying to get more help from the Ward right now. There are a few members that help us out, but very little of them do.
I’m moving a lot of files around on my memory card. I have to go now. We are all in the cyber shop and it’s time for us to go. I got a lot of music from Elder Ante and I’m working with the files right now.
Got to go. Love you.
-Elder Hansgen
ORIGINAL:
Querido Presidente,
Hemos tomado nuestro Vermox esta semana. Entonces estamos en bien salud para trabajar. Estamos trabajando mucho, encontrando Nuevos y trabajando con los menos activos en barrio Camargo.
Hemos tenido Noches de Hogar con nuestros conversos y algunos miembros. Están hermanándoles muy bien. Los Hijos fueron a Delicias por la Actividad de jóvenes. Todo esta bien con esta familia y están Feliz. Ellos han comentado mucho a cerca de los bendiciones que han visto.
Discursamos en Domingo y era bien suave también. Los miembros escucharon y estamos esperando que pueden actuar con las palabras que compartimos con ellos.
Estoy muy feliz con las cosas que estamos mirando en Camargo. Está levantando poco a poco y las raizes están cambiando.
Gracias para esta experiencia a servir aquí en la misión Chihuahua México.
-Elder Hansgen
TRANSLATION:
Dear President,
We took our Vermox this week, so we have been healthy and good to work. We are working a lot, finding new people, and working with the less-actives in the Carmargo Ward.
We had Family Home Evenings with our converts and some members. They are doing a great job fellowshiping. The kids went to Delicias for an activity for the youth. Everything is good with the family and they are happy. They have said a lot about the blessings that they have seen.
We spoke on Sunday and it was really easy. The members listened and we are hoping that they will act on the words that we shared with them.
I am very happy with the things we are seeing in Camargo. Things are getting better little by little and the roots are changing.
Thank you for the experience to serve here in the Chihuahua Mission.
- Elder Hansgen
Escogito (Chosen) Family And Their Baptismal Service This Week:
Monday, March 3, 2014
Dear Family,
This past week we baptized the family of five, and the other Elders baptized the girlfriend of the missionary here from Camargo, Cesar. Her name is Wendy and she wants to go on a mission too. I did the baptism of Hermana Alma, the mother of the family. We also dedicated a Book Of Mormon to a guy (Pedro) who we are teaching. He and his family are awesome, and they are super cool to us.
Well, this past week was a lot of preparation for our baptism. Monday we returned from Saucillo, our district meeting, and basically that was it for the day. Tuesday we went to Delicias to have a meeting with the President. He shared with us that we are finally growing in baptisms and the work is progressing with the hastening of the work. March will even be better because we already have 5 confirmations in March. Wednesday was when we had our interviews with our family for their baptism. Thursday was all the prep, and the Zone Leaders came to Camargo to help us. On Friday we filled up the font with water and had the baptism at 4:00. It was great! The family was happy, and their niece wants to get baptized too. Their niece is the girl I talked about that wants to marry me. She isn’t in the pictures. (We went to visit the family one time and their niece was there. The next time we visited they told us that she liked us, and especially me. The next time we went, their niece was there, again. They teased her and talked about marriage and stuff. It was all a big joke.). At the baptism on Friday there were some testimonies from Wendy and Manuel (the father). Alma (the mother) gave the closing prayer and cried in the middle of it. They are already doing things in Relief Society, and in Sunday School. They are going to do great in this Ward. Saturday we visited people in our area and the area of the other Elders. There isn’t much more that happened besides preparing for the baptism this week.
Stephanie (the single mother who has a 2-year-old son) has been working this week, we think. It’s hard to get a hold of her. She lives far away and when we call it’s always busy. We are still trying to find her and see what happened. (This is in response to questioning why Stephanie was not baptized this past Friday as Stephanie had committed to baptism as well).
The picture of the hand-written letter is actually a message I wrote in the back of a Book Of Mormon dedicated to Pedro. Pedro is this really cool good guy who was deported for some reason and went to prison for who knows what. He was the only one who could read the Bible without stuttering, and who had a voice loud enough for the other members of the prison. He speaks English perfectly and we are basically his best friends. He has a family in Idaho and he is living with his Mom and Brother here in Camargo. His mother (Mercedes) is just as awesome and loves having us over to her house. She wants to eat with us this week. Pedro’s brother (Gerardo) was shot 8 times and can’t use his legs anymore, but he reads a ton. He knows about Joseph Smith from the TV (nothing bad, surprisingly) and is starting to read in the Book Of Mormon.
I got both packages. Thank you so much for all of the stuff. I have everything now. Snickers are the bomb, and I love the Muddy Buddies. The people at the border open all of the boxes/packages to check for drugs so they sometimes accidentally cut a little too much. The box that had the cereal was a little packed and they cut the bag because it was where the line was. I’m wearing the new tie you sent right now. I think I can only wear it with my grey pants because it’s way too brightly colored. I did like the Valentines everyone sent, too.
También hasta luego.
Love,
Elder Hansgen
Translation from message to Pedro inside of the Book Of Mormon:
Pedro,
I want to testify to you that this Church is the true and restored Church. There was a time in my life when I found God. I know that He testified to me that I am His son, and we are His "work and glory.” The Earth has been created for us, and our purpose here is to find God, and to know Him, so we can do His will. One of the greatest blessings I have received, aside from my family, is the Book Of Mormon. It is my treasure, and we want to share it with you and your family. This book testifies of Jesus Christ. It also testifies of the restoration of the Gospel. If this book is true, everything we have is true. It is our challenge that you read this book and pray to God to know for yourself. We love you and we are your friends.
-Elder Hansgen
James 1:5
Moroni 10:4-5
Carta A Presidente (Letter to President):
Original:
Presidente,
Tuvimos nuestros bautismales y confirmaciones esta semana. Cinco de Nosotros y la Hna. Wendy de los otros Elderes. Era un bien servicio.
No hicimos mucho durante esta semana porque estábamos preparando para el Bautismal. Pero Encontramos una familia de tres personas quien están muy interesados en nuestro mensaje. Ellos han preguntado y prácticamente enseno sus mismos. Están leyendo el Libro de Mormón Ahora y siempre están atentados.
Estamos teniendo también algunas Noches de Hogar con una familia del Barrio. Ellos están ayudando muchísimo con la obra. Trayendo las personas a la iglesia, Ayudando a hermanar, y mucho más.
Tenemos mucho éxito en frente de nosotros y vamos a cumplir nuestras metas con las personas que tenemos. Vamos a encontrar más personas preparadas.
Muchísimas gracias Presidente,
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
We had our baptisms and confirmations this week; five of ours, and Sister Wendy that the other Elders taught. It was a good service.
We didn't do much this week because we were preparing for the baptism, but we did find a family of three who are very interested in our message. They have asked and practically taught themselves. They are reading the Book Of Mormon and have always been very attentive.
We are also having some Family Home Evenings with a family in the Ward. They are helping us very much with the work. They are bringing people to church, they are helping fellowship, and much more.
We have a lot of success in front of us and we are going to achieve our goals with the people that we have. We are going to find more prepared people.
Thank you very much President,
- Elder Hansgen
Monday, March 3, 2014
Dear Family,
This past week we baptized the family of five, and the other Elders baptized the girlfriend of the missionary here from Camargo, Cesar. Her name is Wendy and she wants to go on a mission too. I did the baptism of Hermana Alma, the mother of the family. We also dedicated a Book Of Mormon to a guy (Pedro) who we are teaching. He and his family are awesome, and they are super cool to us.
Well, this past week was a lot of preparation for our baptism. Monday we returned from Saucillo, our district meeting, and basically that was it for the day. Tuesday we went to Delicias to have a meeting with the President. He shared with us that we are finally growing in baptisms and the work is progressing with the hastening of the work. March will even be better because we already have 5 confirmations in March. Wednesday was when we had our interviews with our family for their baptism. Thursday was all the prep, and the Zone Leaders came to Camargo to help us. On Friday we filled up the font with water and had the baptism at 4:00. It was great! The family was happy, and their niece wants to get baptized too. Their niece is the girl I talked about that wants to marry me. She isn’t in the pictures. (We went to visit the family one time and their niece was there. The next time we visited they told us that she liked us, and especially me. The next time we went, their niece was there, again. They teased her and talked about marriage and stuff. It was all a big joke.). At the baptism on Friday there were some testimonies from Wendy and Manuel (the father). Alma (the mother) gave the closing prayer and cried in the middle of it. They are already doing things in Relief Society, and in Sunday School. They are going to do great in this Ward. Saturday we visited people in our area and the area of the other Elders. There isn’t much more that happened besides preparing for the baptism this week.
Stephanie (the single mother who has a 2-year-old son) has been working this week, we think. It’s hard to get a hold of her. She lives far away and when we call it’s always busy. We are still trying to find her and see what happened. (This is in response to questioning why Stephanie was not baptized this past Friday as Stephanie had committed to baptism as well).
The picture of the hand-written letter is actually a message I wrote in the back of a Book Of Mormon dedicated to Pedro. Pedro is this really cool good guy who was deported for some reason and went to prison for who knows what. He was the only one who could read the Bible without stuttering, and who had a voice loud enough for the other members of the prison. He speaks English perfectly and we are basically his best friends. He has a family in Idaho and he is living with his Mom and Brother here in Camargo. His mother (Mercedes) is just as awesome and loves having us over to her house. She wants to eat with us this week. Pedro’s brother (Gerardo) was shot 8 times and can’t use his legs anymore, but he reads a ton. He knows about Joseph Smith from the TV (nothing bad, surprisingly) and is starting to read in the Book Of Mormon.
I got both packages. Thank you so much for all of the stuff. I have everything now. Snickers are the bomb, and I love the Muddy Buddies. The people at the border open all of the boxes/packages to check for drugs so they sometimes accidentally cut a little too much. The box that had the cereal was a little packed and they cut the bag because it was where the line was. I’m wearing the new tie you sent right now. I think I can only wear it with my grey pants because it’s way too brightly colored. I did like the Valentines everyone sent, too.
También hasta luego.
Love,
Elder Hansgen
Translation from message to Pedro inside of the Book Of Mormon:
Pedro,
I want to testify to you that this Church is the true and restored Church. There was a time in my life when I found God. I know that He testified to me that I am His son, and we are His "work and glory.” The Earth has been created for us, and our purpose here is to find God, and to know Him, so we can do His will. One of the greatest blessings I have received, aside from my family, is the Book Of Mormon. It is my treasure, and we want to share it with you and your family. This book testifies of Jesus Christ. It also testifies of the restoration of the Gospel. If this book is true, everything we have is true. It is our challenge that you read this book and pray to God to know for yourself. We love you and we are your friends.
-Elder Hansgen
James 1:5
Moroni 10:4-5
Carta A Presidente (Letter to President):
Original:
Presidente,
Tuvimos nuestros bautismales y confirmaciones esta semana. Cinco de Nosotros y la Hna. Wendy de los otros Elderes. Era un bien servicio.
No hicimos mucho durante esta semana porque estábamos preparando para el Bautismal. Pero Encontramos una familia de tres personas quien están muy interesados en nuestro mensaje. Ellos han preguntado y prácticamente enseno sus mismos. Están leyendo el Libro de Mormón Ahora y siempre están atentados.
Estamos teniendo también algunas Noches de Hogar con una familia del Barrio. Ellos están ayudando muchísimo con la obra. Trayendo las personas a la iglesia, Ayudando a hermanar, y mucho más.
Tenemos mucho éxito en frente de nosotros y vamos a cumplir nuestras metas con las personas que tenemos. Vamos a encontrar más personas preparadas.
Muchísimas gracias Presidente,
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
We had our baptisms and confirmations this week; five of ours, and Sister Wendy that the other Elders taught. It was a good service.
We didn't do much this week because we were preparing for the baptism, but we did find a family of three who are very interested in our message. They have asked and practically taught themselves. They are reading the Book Of Mormon and have always been very attentive.
We are also having some Family Home Evenings with a family in the Ward. They are helping us very much with the work. They are bringing people to church, they are helping fellowship, and much more.
We have a lot of success in front of us and we are going to achieve our goals with the people that we have. We are going to find more prepared people.
Thank you very much President,
- Elder Hansgen
Seven Month Mark (Today) and Upcoming Baptism For This Friday:
Monday, February 24, 2014
Querido Familia,
Things are pretty great here in Camargo. We are going to sixtuple our number of baptisms this week. We have planned for six people (Elder Loveless and I) and the other Elders have another one, which makes a total of seven here in Camargo.
This week has really just been a lot of preparation for the baptism, but we have found some new people to visit. We are planning on seeing them this week if we don’t change (get transferred). There is a “secret” change this week because some of the Elders and Sisters were delayed a little bit. I am pretty sure I will be staying here in Camargo, though.
For P-Day today we are going to go to Saucillo to play soccer and vollyball.
Our next investigator that we are focused on is Stephanie. She is 19 years old and has a 2-year-old son. She will also be baptized this Friday. She works a lot, but she has been extremely interested in the Church for a while now. Her son’s name is Mario. She is here in Camargo with her family right now.
I have a sunburn by the end of the day every day now and it is gone every morning when I wake up. I think I’m almost just naturally red because of the heat. It’s kind of funny because Elder Ante calls me “Pinky” – ha-ha. It is getting really hot. I’m almost not looking forward to June.
Hope that you all have a good week and I’ll talk to you later.
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Tendremos un Servicio bautismal este viernes para La Familia de 5 y también una hermana Stephanie. Nosotros estamos trabajando con ellos muchísimo para que pueden tenerlo perfecto.
Todo esta planeado y Hoy tenemos una reunión con nuestro Líder Misional para hablar con él.
No mucho ha pasado esta semana. Encontramos más pruebas pero todo este bien.
Encontramos nuestra investigadora Elisabeth. Ella todavía tiene un testimonio del Libro de Mormón pero no podemos ayudarle cuando esta borracha. Creemos que muchos de sus problemas vienen de su novio. Drogas, alcohol, ley de castidad, pero nosotros estamos hablando con ella para ayudarle a conquistarlo.
Nuestros nuevos investigadores ya sienten como miembros. Cuando hablamos con ellos sentimos que son muy espirituales, solamente necesitan el Evangelio. Estamos trabajando con muchos Escogidos y nosotros estamos cuidándoles.
Muchísimas gracias para todo Presidente Chávez.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
We have a baptismal service this Friday for the family of 5, and a sister named Stephanie. We are working with them a lot so they can have everything perfect.
Everything is planned and today we have a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader to talk with him.
Not much has happened this week. We encountered more problems, but everything is good.
We found our investigator, Elisabeth. She still has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but we can’t help her when she is drunk. We believe many of her problems come from her boyfriend, (drugs, alcohol, the law of chastity) but we are talking with her to help her conquer those.
Our new investigators now feel like members. When we talk with them we feel that they are very spiritual; they only need the gospel. We are working with many chosen people and we only need to take care of them.
Thank you very much for everything, President Chavez.
- Elder Hansgen
Pictures Posted Below:
Our Elder did not have any pictures to send this week. However, it is worth noting some of the events happening right now in the Mexico Chihuahua mission. Elder Ian has mentioned to us in the past that "music" is highly encouraged by his Mission President. As a matter of fact, his Mission President has told all of the missionaries if they play any kind of instrument that he wants them to use their musical abilities during their service as missionaries. Elder Ian told us quite a while back that he would be purchasing a new guitar while in Mexico in order to use it during his service as a missionary. Elder Ian has told us when the people of Mexico hear the missionaries sing they are "blown away" to hear them sing Church Hymns "in tune" and when they "harmonize" together as a group. The pictures below are of a YouTube video that the Mission has put together and posted on YouTube, as well as on Facebook. If you have a Facebook Account you can access the mission page at "Mision Mexico Chihuahua" as the Mission Home makes posts regularly and you can follow and keep up with the ongoings of the mission if you would like. The rest of the pictures are of Missionaries attending radio stations, TV stations, and a City Auditorium while using their musical capabilities as they are serving their mission in Chihuahua. Impressive!
Monday, February 24, 2014
Querido Familia,
Things are pretty great here in Camargo. We are going to sixtuple our number of baptisms this week. We have planned for six people (Elder Loveless and I) and the other Elders have another one, which makes a total of seven here in Camargo.
This week has really just been a lot of preparation for the baptism, but we have found some new people to visit. We are planning on seeing them this week if we don’t change (get transferred). There is a “secret” change this week because some of the Elders and Sisters were delayed a little bit. I am pretty sure I will be staying here in Camargo, though.
For P-Day today we are going to go to Saucillo to play soccer and vollyball.
Our next investigator that we are focused on is Stephanie. She is 19 years old and has a 2-year-old son. She will also be baptized this Friday. She works a lot, but she has been extremely interested in the Church for a while now. Her son’s name is Mario. She is here in Camargo with her family right now.
I have a sunburn by the end of the day every day now and it is gone every morning when I wake up. I think I’m almost just naturally red because of the heat. It’s kind of funny because Elder Ante calls me “Pinky” – ha-ha. It is getting really hot. I’m almost not looking forward to June.
Hope that you all have a good week and I’ll talk to you later.
-Elder Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Tendremos un Servicio bautismal este viernes para La Familia de 5 y también una hermana Stephanie. Nosotros estamos trabajando con ellos muchísimo para que pueden tenerlo perfecto.
Todo esta planeado y Hoy tenemos una reunión con nuestro Líder Misional para hablar con él.
No mucho ha pasado esta semana. Encontramos más pruebas pero todo este bien.
Encontramos nuestra investigadora Elisabeth. Ella todavía tiene un testimonio del Libro de Mormón pero no podemos ayudarle cuando esta borracha. Creemos que muchos de sus problemas vienen de su novio. Drogas, alcohol, ley de castidad, pero nosotros estamos hablando con ella para ayudarle a conquistarlo.
Nuestros nuevos investigadores ya sienten como miembros. Cuando hablamos con ellos sentimos que son muy espirituales, solamente necesitan el Evangelio. Estamos trabajando con muchos Escogidos y nosotros estamos cuidándoles.
Muchísimas gracias para todo Presidente Chávez.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
We have a baptismal service this Friday for the family of 5, and a sister named Stephanie. We are working with them a lot so they can have everything perfect.
Everything is planned and today we have a meeting with our Ward Mission Leader to talk with him.
Not much has happened this week. We encountered more problems, but everything is good.
We found our investigator, Elisabeth. She still has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but we can’t help her when she is drunk. We believe many of her problems come from her boyfriend, (drugs, alcohol, the law of chastity) but we are talking with her to help her conquer those.
Our new investigators now feel like members. When we talk with them we feel that they are very spiritual; they only need the gospel. We are working with many chosen people and we only need to take care of them.
Thank you very much for everything, President Chavez.
- Elder Hansgen
Pictures Posted Below:
Our Elder did not have any pictures to send this week. However, it is worth noting some of the events happening right now in the Mexico Chihuahua mission. Elder Ian has mentioned to us in the past that "music" is highly encouraged by his Mission President. As a matter of fact, his Mission President has told all of the missionaries if they play any kind of instrument that he wants them to use their musical abilities during their service as missionaries. Elder Ian told us quite a while back that he would be purchasing a new guitar while in Mexico in order to use it during his service as a missionary. Elder Ian has told us when the people of Mexico hear the missionaries sing they are "blown away" to hear them sing Church Hymns "in tune" and when they "harmonize" together as a group. The pictures below are of a YouTube video that the Mission has put together and posted on YouTube, as well as on Facebook. If you have a Facebook Account you can access the mission page at "Mision Mexico Chihuahua" as the Mission Home makes posts regularly and you can follow and keep up with the ongoings of the mission if you would like. The rest of the pictures are of Missionaries attending radio stations, TV stations, and a City Auditorium while using their musical capabilities as they are serving their mission in Chihuahua. Impressive!
The Work Continues...
Monday, February 17, 2014
Dear Family,
There isn’t much from this week. The other Elders brought home a stray dog to give to the Escogido family (chosen family), but it got lost again when we left the same day. We ate some small bananas at the house of a member, and then we had another “camptime” experience here in Camargo. The food was super good! Our first “camptime” experience was in Saucillo. I don’t have too much time to explain the things that happen.
We don’t have too much time because we have to go to Delicias for an activity today, but everything is awesome right now. We changed the date for the baptism of our Escogidos (chosen family) for next week because they didn’t come to Church this week.
Elisabeth is going through a rough time and we aren’t entirely sure all of the things that happened, but we think it is the alcohol. She is still firm in her faith, though.
The other family that you are talking about is a family that is Catholic because of “tradition.” This means they are a little ignorant and really don’t know why they are Catholic, but we are working with them little by little with the other Elders. (Here is a copy of the question I asked regarding this family: “I would really like to ask you about the family you mentioned a couple of weeks ago that you said are "similar" to your "chosen family." You said you "found" this family when a guy said "Hola" to you and your companion. You said you thought to cross the street and shake his hand. You said you met both he and his son and started talking to them. Before you knew it, his wife came out, and then a car pulled up and had their sons and a daughter. I guess even some more people walked to their house from the street, or something. I believe you said you counted about 10 people who were over the age of eight (8). Who is this family??? Are you still in contact with any of them??? Please give me an update -- I would really love to hear.”).
Well, for all of the success that we are having here in Camargo, there are also a lot of hard things and trials happening. I am personally happy for everything that is happening, but I think Satan is attacking hard because of all the good things and success we have here. It’s hard and also worth it right now.
We are going to Delicias for our Zone activity today. We have changes (transfers) tonight. We were supposed to have them last night, but they changed it to tonight. I think the Zone Leaders want to get together one last time and have a fun time. We are probably going to play sports and have a water balloon fight, or something. It’s really hot again, and it is only going to get worse in June, July, and August.
Well, looks like I have to go. I love you all. This week should be a good one. Read my letter to the President and you will understand more. Bye!
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Mucho ha pasado esta semana. Algunos cosas que no pensamos y son raros para nuestros investigadores.
Primero, Nuestra investigadora Elisabeth. Ella todavía tiene un testimonio del Libro de Mormón, pero ha tomado y luchado con su madre, Novio y ahora esta de nuevo con su novio. No sabemos la verdad de la situación pero el mejor tiempo para hablar con ella es cuando esta tranquilla. Ella es fuerte con su creencia en El Libro de Mormón y solamente necesita ayuda con sus adiciones.
Nuestra familia, Manuel y Alma, No ha asistido este domingo porque fueron a delicias para ver su hermano en el Cárcel. Sentimos mal porque no tuvimos nadie en la capilla.
Tenemos mucho planeado para nuestros Investigadores esta semana. Para hablarles y prepararles. Solamente necesitamos visitarles.
Muchos de nuestros Investigadores son Hermanas que vivan solas y no podemos entrar a su casa. Trabajamos juntos a veces para vencer este problema pero estamos buscando para la manera para involucrar los miembros. Están empezando a ayudarnos poco a poco.
Muchísimas Gracias para todo Presidente. Estoy muy Feliz aquí en Camargo y las pruebas que tenemos no son grandes. Solamente requiere esfuerzas y Tiempo.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
A lot has happened this week -- some things that we didn't think would happen, and that are strange for our investigators.
First, our investigator Elisabeth. She still has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but she has drank and fought with her mother, her boyfriend, and now she is back with her boyfriend. We don't know the truth of the situation, but the best time to talk with her is when she is calm. She has a strong belief in the Book of Mormon and she only needs a little help with her addictions.
Our family, Manuel and Alma, did not attend this Sunday because they went to Delicias to see her brother who is in jail. We felt bad because we didn't have anyone in the chapel.
We have a lot planned for our investigators this week to talk with them, and prepare them. We only need to visit them.
Many of our investigators are sisters who live alone and we can't go into their house. We work together sometimes to get over this problem, but we are looking for a way to involve the members. They are helping us little by little.
Thank you very much for everything President. I am very happy here in Camargo, and the problems we have aren't that bad. We only need work and time.
- Elder Hansgen
Monday, February 17, 2014
Dear Family,
There isn’t much from this week. The other Elders brought home a stray dog to give to the Escogido family (chosen family), but it got lost again when we left the same day. We ate some small bananas at the house of a member, and then we had another “camptime” experience here in Camargo. The food was super good! Our first “camptime” experience was in Saucillo. I don’t have too much time to explain the things that happen.
We don’t have too much time because we have to go to Delicias for an activity today, but everything is awesome right now. We changed the date for the baptism of our Escogidos (chosen family) for next week because they didn’t come to Church this week.
Elisabeth is going through a rough time and we aren’t entirely sure all of the things that happened, but we think it is the alcohol. She is still firm in her faith, though.
The other family that you are talking about is a family that is Catholic because of “tradition.” This means they are a little ignorant and really don’t know why they are Catholic, but we are working with them little by little with the other Elders. (Here is a copy of the question I asked regarding this family: “I would really like to ask you about the family you mentioned a couple of weeks ago that you said are "similar" to your "chosen family." You said you "found" this family when a guy said "Hola" to you and your companion. You said you thought to cross the street and shake his hand. You said you met both he and his son and started talking to them. Before you knew it, his wife came out, and then a car pulled up and had their sons and a daughter. I guess even some more people walked to their house from the street, or something. I believe you said you counted about 10 people who were over the age of eight (8). Who is this family??? Are you still in contact with any of them??? Please give me an update -- I would really love to hear.”).
Well, for all of the success that we are having here in Camargo, there are also a lot of hard things and trials happening. I am personally happy for everything that is happening, but I think Satan is attacking hard because of all the good things and success we have here. It’s hard and also worth it right now.
We are going to Delicias for our Zone activity today. We have changes (transfers) tonight. We were supposed to have them last night, but they changed it to tonight. I think the Zone Leaders want to get together one last time and have a fun time. We are probably going to play sports and have a water balloon fight, or something. It’s really hot again, and it is only going to get worse in June, July, and August.
Well, looks like I have to go. I love you all. This week should be a good one. Read my letter to the President and you will understand more. Bye!
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Original:
Presidente,
Mucho ha pasado esta semana. Algunos cosas que no pensamos y son raros para nuestros investigadores.
Primero, Nuestra investigadora Elisabeth. Ella todavía tiene un testimonio del Libro de Mormón, pero ha tomado y luchado con su madre, Novio y ahora esta de nuevo con su novio. No sabemos la verdad de la situación pero el mejor tiempo para hablar con ella es cuando esta tranquilla. Ella es fuerte con su creencia en El Libro de Mormón y solamente necesita ayuda con sus adiciones.
Nuestra familia, Manuel y Alma, No ha asistido este domingo porque fueron a delicias para ver su hermano en el Cárcel. Sentimos mal porque no tuvimos nadie en la capilla.
Tenemos mucho planeado para nuestros Investigadores esta semana. Para hablarles y prepararles. Solamente necesitamos visitarles.
Muchos de nuestros Investigadores son Hermanas que vivan solas y no podemos entrar a su casa. Trabajamos juntos a veces para vencer este problema pero estamos buscando para la manera para involucrar los miembros. Están empezando a ayudarnos poco a poco.
Muchísimas Gracias para todo Presidente. Estoy muy Feliz aquí en Camargo y las pruebas que tenemos no son grandes. Solamente requiere esfuerzas y Tiempo.
-Elder Hansgen
Translation:
President,
A lot has happened this week -- some things that we didn't think would happen, and that are strange for our investigators.
First, our investigator Elisabeth. She still has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but she has drank and fought with her mother, her boyfriend, and now she is back with her boyfriend. We don't know the truth of the situation, but the best time to talk with her is when she is calm. She has a strong belief in the Book of Mormon and she only needs a little help with her addictions.
Our family, Manuel and Alma, did not attend this Sunday because they went to Delicias to see her brother who is in jail. We felt bad because we didn't have anyone in the chapel.
We have a lot planned for our investigators this week to talk with them, and prepare them. We only need to visit them.
Many of our investigators are sisters who live alone and we can't go into their house. We work together sometimes to get over this problem, but we are looking for a way to involve the members. They are helping us little by little.
Thank you very much for everything President. I am very happy here in Camargo, and the problems we have aren't that bad. We only need work and time.
- Elder Hansgen
We Had A Wedding!!!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Dear Family,
Well, I will do my best to try and describe how it is going down here. Our area has really turned around. This week was quick and full of a lot of things.
We found this lady who is golden. We were walking through the street one day and her daughter asked us if we had a book for her mom. I think she was a little scared to talk to us. She told us that they were talking and trying to figure out who we were. She has never accepted any religion in her life before because she doesn’t believe any of them are true. So, we gave her a Book of Mormon and set up an appointment two days later. When we went to her house she said that she had already read the entire Introduction up to First Nephi. She had questions of all sorts. It was fantastic! We visited her a different day and she shared with us that everyone is against her now; her husband, her mother-in-law, her neighbors, and even her own mother, but she told us it didn’t matter because she had felt something, and she wants to continue with it. She is seriously so awesome - it is powerful! Her name is Elisabeth.
We had a wedding the other day because the Registro Civil was marrying people for free. The Escogidos (chosen) are finally married (Manuel and Alma) and can be baptized on February 22 now. They are the family I explained a couple of weeks back (chosen family).
I got to go now - we are out of time. Right now our focus is on these people – it’s fantastic here in Camargo right now.
Love,
Elder Hansgen
Monday, February 10, 2014
Dear Family,
Well, I will do my best to try and describe how it is going down here. Our area has really turned around. This week was quick and full of a lot of things.
We found this lady who is golden. We were walking through the street one day and her daughter asked us if we had a book for her mom. I think she was a little scared to talk to us. She told us that they were talking and trying to figure out who we were. She has never accepted any religion in her life before because she doesn’t believe any of them are true. So, we gave her a Book of Mormon and set up an appointment two days later. When we went to her house she said that she had already read the entire Introduction up to First Nephi. She had questions of all sorts. It was fantastic! We visited her a different day and she shared with us that everyone is against her now; her husband, her mother-in-law, her neighbors, and even her own mother, but she told us it didn’t matter because she had felt something, and she wants to continue with it. She is seriously so awesome - it is powerful! Her name is Elisabeth.
We had a wedding the other day because the Registro Civil was marrying people for free. The Escogidos (chosen) are finally married (Manuel and Alma) and can be baptized on February 22 now. They are the family I explained a couple of weeks back (chosen family).
I got to go now - we are out of time. Right now our focus is on these people – it’s fantastic here in Camargo right now.
Love,
Elder Hansgen
Continuing To Help Train And Serve In Saucillo:
Monday, February 3, 2014
Dear Family,
Well, it was a great week, but I really don’t remember too much because for 2 days we were in Saucillo again. We went there to help them out and to "clean up" Saucillo. We returned to Saucillo because they needed more help. Their (Ward) Mission Leader fell back into alcohol. He is a huge drunk now. We also played on the rope swing in the Lugar Secreta (Secret Place). It was sweet.
We had a meeting on Thursday with Elder De Hoyas, and he is a member of the Quorum Of The Seventy. It was good, but my stomach was bad, ha-ha, but my stomach was fine by that night.
We found a new lady that has already read the entire Introduction in one day, all the way to First Nephi. Nobody reads here, so it was super weird to have her say that, and to have all these questions for us. It was the bomb. That is basically what has happened this week.
Oh, ha-ha, we passed by a house... This is actually really funny now that we look back on it. It’s so weird down here. Anyway, we passed by a house that Elder Loveless and Elder Ante contacted while I was in Saucillo. The lady wasn’t home, but her in-laws were. They were stuffing the insides of the doors of their truck with little boxes. Yup - they were drugs. They did it so casually, too. It was super strange. Anyway, we left and decided to return later when the lady was there. Ha-ha!
I just remembered another thing, but it was over a week ago. We got a text message from one of the other Elders’ investigator. It said a bunch of stuff about the Mexican in Texas that was put to death (a prisoner who arrived at his execution date) and said “If you love Mexico, kill a Gringo.” Also, there were others that said “Send home the Americans that represent the Bestia (beast).” It wasn’t good. We packed everything up and went to Delicias and President had a meeting with all the missionaries that day. So, we talked and moved back into Camargo because he called the Church Headquarters, and they told him these things happen all the time and nothing ever happens. So, we are still here in Camargo.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Monday, February 3, 2014
Dear Family,
Well, it was a great week, but I really don’t remember too much because for 2 days we were in Saucillo again. We went there to help them out and to "clean up" Saucillo. We returned to Saucillo because they needed more help. Their (Ward) Mission Leader fell back into alcohol. He is a huge drunk now. We also played on the rope swing in the Lugar Secreta (Secret Place). It was sweet.
We had a meeting on Thursday with Elder De Hoyas, and he is a member of the Quorum Of The Seventy. It was good, but my stomach was bad, ha-ha, but my stomach was fine by that night.
We found a new lady that has already read the entire Introduction in one day, all the way to First Nephi. Nobody reads here, so it was super weird to have her say that, and to have all these questions for us. It was the bomb. That is basically what has happened this week.
Oh, ha-ha, we passed by a house... This is actually really funny now that we look back on it. It’s so weird down here. Anyway, we passed by a house that Elder Loveless and Elder Ante contacted while I was in Saucillo. The lady wasn’t home, but her in-laws were. They were stuffing the insides of the doors of their truck with little boxes. Yup - they were drugs. They did it so casually, too. It was super strange. Anyway, we left and decided to return later when the lady was there. Ha-ha!
I just remembered another thing, but it was over a week ago. We got a text message from one of the other Elders’ investigator. It said a bunch of stuff about the Mexican in Texas that was put to death (a prisoner who arrived at his execution date) and said “If you love Mexico, kill a Gringo.” Also, there were others that said “Send home the Americans that represent the Bestia (beast).” It wasn’t good. We packed everything up and went to Delicias and President had a meeting with all the missionaries that day. So, we talked and moved back into Camargo because he called the Church Headquarters, and they told him these things happen all the time and nothing ever happens. So, we are still here in Camargo.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
What I Have Learned So Far On My Mission:
Monday, January 27, 2014
Dear Family,
Okay, where to start... Well, my entire experience here in Camargo has been difficult and rough. When I arrived, all I heard were negative things about the Ward, the Members, the Missionaries, and the People here. Everyone complains and focuses on the negative. It is engraved in their hearts.
I had two very hard weeks until Elder Ruiz arrived and we decided to start with ourselves. We wanted a "clean" Camargo, so the four of us cleaned the crap out of our house. We were reading in Jacob 5 about the roots of the vineyard, so we compared it to Camargo. We are seriously tearing up and up-rooting the bad roots and, basically, establishing a new Ward.
Nothing positive has ever been said here until we started to work and talk with EVERYONE. This way we won’t miss a single person that has been prepared before us. We talked and talked with everyone in our line of sight, sharing that Christ came to the Americas (showing pictures and everything). Finally, we started to see people actually opening their hearts to us. The investigators we had, and the ones that were older, we started visiting again. Not only that, but we have been finding people who are super prepared, and then the Ward actually started to be positive.
One day Elder Ruiz and Elder Conklin were walking around talking with everyone and not finding people who were really prepared for our message. They saw a man and his son sweeping the streets and decided to just go and help them. They talked, swept, and actually bought juice with them and said we could stop by. They lived in our area, but we decided to visit them together. So, he and his son make two; then we met his wife, three, and the next time we stopped by we asked how many people were in their family. "Well there is me and my husband, my son of 14, and another son of 12, then my daughter of 8. Oh, and my brother lives here with his wife.” That makes 7 people in their family. Not only that, but the area that they live in is where we feel the Spirit the strongest, telling us that we should work there. This is why they are called the “Escogidos” (chosen).
Just yesterday we also found another family similar to them. A guy said “Hola” to us and I looked at him and thought to cross the street and shake his hand. We met both he and his son and started talking. After this, his wife came out and we greeted her. Next, a car pulled up with their sons and a daughter then, finally, some more people walked to the house from the street. We counted 10 people over the age of 8.
We are seriously seeing too many miracles here and I can’t even begin to describe all of them to you guys. There are at least two or three things that fall into place every single day while we are working.
I have learned here in the mission reading El Libro de Mormon (The Book Of Mormon) in Spanish that the promise of El Señor (The Lord) to his people here in the Americas is definitely true. I have no doubt that these two continents are sacred ground. The people here are hearing these things for the second time and they really are descendants of the Lamanites. What other reason is there for how easy it is for them to accept Christ?
I have also learned that in Jacob Chapter 5 the fertile ground (Camargo) that supposedly cannot have any growth, to the Lord is where he plants his roots. We are turning this area around, and doing so with force. I also really like what it said in Alma (Chapter 5, verses 17 through 32) that I already shared with you. Before I came to serve here, the Ward and the Missionaries were so focused on the negatives that all of the work in Camargo was “sleeping.” We just woke up and, like Ammon, we are starting to show our “power” (the Lord’s power within us) to all of the Ward, and Camargo.
I’m not sure what else there is to say, other than there is work were you are sent.
Anyway, I’m really loosing my English. It’s hard for me to form sentences, and I struggle explaining things sometimes. It’s great. I have almost gotten to the point where I am even "thinking" in Spanish.
The people here make it everything. I’m having trouble trying to describe it, though, because my English is bad, and the “experience” is hard to describe. It’s crazy out here, and also one of the coolest experiences.
The poor areas are my favorite areas to talk and just “visit” people. It’s amazing! Humility means something different to me now.
Anyway, I have to roll. I hope you have a good week ahead of you.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Monday, January 27, 2014
Dear Family,
Okay, where to start... Well, my entire experience here in Camargo has been difficult and rough. When I arrived, all I heard were negative things about the Ward, the Members, the Missionaries, and the People here. Everyone complains and focuses on the negative. It is engraved in their hearts.
I had two very hard weeks until Elder Ruiz arrived and we decided to start with ourselves. We wanted a "clean" Camargo, so the four of us cleaned the crap out of our house. We were reading in Jacob 5 about the roots of the vineyard, so we compared it to Camargo. We are seriously tearing up and up-rooting the bad roots and, basically, establishing a new Ward.
Nothing positive has ever been said here until we started to work and talk with EVERYONE. This way we won’t miss a single person that has been prepared before us. We talked and talked with everyone in our line of sight, sharing that Christ came to the Americas (showing pictures and everything). Finally, we started to see people actually opening their hearts to us. The investigators we had, and the ones that were older, we started visiting again. Not only that, but we have been finding people who are super prepared, and then the Ward actually started to be positive.
One day Elder Ruiz and Elder Conklin were walking around talking with everyone and not finding people who were really prepared for our message. They saw a man and his son sweeping the streets and decided to just go and help them. They talked, swept, and actually bought juice with them and said we could stop by. They lived in our area, but we decided to visit them together. So, he and his son make two; then we met his wife, three, and the next time we stopped by we asked how many people were in their family. "Well there is me and my husband, my son of 14, and another son of 12, then my daughter of 8. Oh, and my brother lives here with his wife.” That makes 7 people in their family. Not only that, but the area that they live in is where we feel the Spirit the strongest, telling us that we should work there. This is why they are called the “Escogidos” (chosen).
Just yesterday we also found another family similar to them. A guy said “Hola” to us and I looked at him and thought to cross the street and shake his hand. We met both he and his son and started talking. After this, his wife came out and we greeted her. Next, a car pulled up with their sons and a daughter then, finally, some more people walked to the house from the street. We counted 10 people over the age of 8.
We are seriously seeing too many miracles here and I can’t even begin to describe all of them to you guys. There are at least two or three things that fall into place every single day while we are working.
I have learned here in the mission reading El Libro de Mormon (The Book Of Mormon) in Spanish that the promise of El Señor (The Lord) to his people here in the Americas is definitely true. I have no doubt that these two continents are sacred ground. The people here are hearing these things for the second time and they really are descendants of the Lamanites. What other reason is there for how easy it is for them to accept Christ?
I have also learned that in Jacob Chapter 5 the fertile ground (Camargo) that supposedly cannot have any growth, to the Lord is where he plants his roots. We are turning this area around, and doing so with force. I also really like what it said in Alma (Chapter 5, verses 17 through 32) that I already shared with you. Before I came to serve here, the Ward and the Missionaries were so focused on the negatives that all of the work in Camargo was “sleeping.” We just woke up and, like Ammon, we are starting to show our “power” (the Lord’s power within us) to all of the Ward, and Camargo.
I’m not sure what else there is to say, other than there is work were you are sent.
Anyway, I’m really loosing my English. It’s hard for me to form sentences, and I struggle explaining things sometimes. It’s great. I have almost gotten to the point where I am even "thinking" in Spanish.
The people here make it everything. I’m having trouble trying to describe it, though, because my English is bad, and the “experience” is hard to describe. It’s crazy out here, and also one of the coolest experiences.
The poor areas are my favorite areas to talk and just “visit” people. It’s amazing! Humility means something different to me now.
Anyway, I have to roll. I hope you have a good week ahead of you.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
First Investigator Baptism!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Dear Family,
I want to share about Camargo. We are changing a whole city, starting with the “bad roots” of the ward. Arturo, who was baptized this last Saturday, is actually homeless and doesn’t have family. He usually stinks pretty bad, but that doesn’t matter. We have been finding people that have been spiritually prepared by angels left and right. Our first was the family I have been talking about, “Nuestro Familia Escogida,” or "Our Chosen Family." It’s going great here.
I started marking a Book of Mormon in Spanish about a month ago and I am in Alma now. I found a hard back that I’m going to keep and mark, then send the other one home to you guys.
I found a funny sign that I took a picture of with Elder Loveless. It’s only funny because of all the drug problems people have down here – It’s ridiculous, especially alcohol.
Questions and Answers:
1) What is the weather like in Mexico right now? From your last pictures I can see you are wearing short sleeves again. Are you wearing sweaters anymore? I don’t wear sweaters often and, if I do, it’s in the night before we return to the house.
2) Speaking of sweaters, did you receive the two sweaters I ordered and had sent to you from Old Navy yet? Have you worn them? Have not gotten them yet.
3) Did you ever wear your coat, or your zip-out jacket from inside your coat, this Winter? Yes, in Delicias when it rained three times.
4) What about your boots? Nope, not once.
5) What is the best food you have eaten so far in Camargo? What kinds of food do you eat in Camargo? What do you usually eat for each meal of the day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)? Well, this is going to sound a little weird, but beans and tortillas de Arena, flour tortillas. There was one time where we had these and we used the tortillas as spoons, but it was amazing.
6) How many dinner appointments do you get in Camargo? Not very often do we ever have dinner with people; probably once every 2 weeks.
7) How are your clothes? Good.
8) How are your shoes? Alright - they stink every once and a while.
9) How are your socks? Good, but more would be appreciated - dark ones.
10) Where is Elder Ruiz from? How long has Elder Ruiz been on his mission? Is he a life-member or a convert? Elder Ruiz is from Leon. He has the same time in the mission as Elder Loveless, but 2 weeks more. He is a convert from the Catholic church since he was 14.
11) What do you usually do on your P-Day in Camargo? Travel. By the time we are done with the things we have to do we usually have to go to a meeting somewhere.
12) Do you still have to wash your clothes on a wash-board? Yes.
13) Do you do any service? If so, what kinds of service do you do, and how often? We are doing service all the time – that’s our job right now -- haha.
14) How many investigators do you have currently? About 14.
15) Tell us what it is like going grocery shopping (describe it to us). What sorts of things do you usually buy when you go out shopping? Is there a Wal-Mart, or anything else "familiar" to us folks back home? There are stores like Smiths and Macey’s. We just buy stuff that we can cook fast, though, because we don’t have too much time to cook.
16) Are you traveling by bus a lot these days? How do you usually get around to places? Yes. We probably travel the most out of anyone in the mission. It’s by bus everywhere, but nice buses.
17) Tell us about Elder Loveless. Is there someone that he reminds you of? Tell us what he likes and what he doesn't like. What do you know about him? I don’t know. He is just a really calm, funny guy.
18) Tell me, or describe for me, what you are learning so far on your mission. That is a question to answer when I return. It would be better for my talk.
19) Describe for us what you do while teaching discussions. Repeat for us some of the things you have said, then bear your testimony to your family using the words that you use while teaching your investigators. Everything can be found in chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel. The rest is just my own words and testimony about the principles and scriptures.
20) Describe for us what you do while teaching discussions. Repeat for us some of the things you have said, then bear your testimony to your family using the words that you use while teaching your investigators. Nothing really -- just that reading the Book of Mormon is really funny to me sometimes. I notice so many things in Spanish that are more easily explained. It’s different in Spanish, but the same.
Spanish Version:
Presidenté,
Nuestro plan esta en progreso. Estamos empezando a ver los frutos de nuestra obra. Camargo va a ver muchos cambios en estas proximas semanas.
Tuvimos un bautismal del Hermano Arturo (Antonio Morales Duran). Él fue confirmado en domingo tambien y esta recibiendo mucho amor y ayuda. Estoy muy feliz para su decision a bautizarse.
Nuesto Familia Escogida esta tambien recibiendo mucho amor del barrio. Ellos digeron que sienten feliz y bienvenidos, pero creen que algunos asisten por compromisos y no buenas intenciones. Explicamos la palabra convertido a ellos y todo esta bien ahora.
Algunos miembros estan empezando a animarse y quieren ayudar nos. Los primeros pasos estan en progreso.
Tenemos una cena figado con nuestra familia escogida en martes y vamos a tener una noche de hogar con ellos.
Estoy Feliz con el Éxito que estamos mirando alreposar nosotros. Muchisimas gracias Presidenté.
-Elder Hansgen
English Translation:
President,
With our new plan of progress we are starting to see the fruits of our labor. We think we are going to see a lot of changes in the next few weeks. We had the baptism of Brother Arturo (Antonio Morales Duran). He was confirmed on Sunday and is receiving a lot of love and support. I am very happy that he decided to be baptized.
Our chosen family that we found is also receiving a lot of love from the Ward. They said that they feel happy and welcome, but they feel that some people help them out of obligation (because they have to, or they are supposed to) rather than out of sincerity. We explained to them what it means to be converted to the Gospel and things are going well for now.
Some of the members are becoming friendlier and are starting to help us more now. We are going to have a dinner with a family that we found on Tuesday, and we are also going to have a Family Home Evening with them.
I am happy with the success that we are seeing and I am looking forward to having more success.
Thank you very much, President.
-Elder Hansgen
Monday, January 20, 2014
Dear Family,
I want to share about Camargo. We are changing a whole city, starting with the “bad roots” of the ward. Arturo, who was baptized this last Saturday, is actually homeless and doesn’t have family. He usually stinks pretty bad, but that doesn’t matter. We have been finding people that have been spiritually prepared by angels left and right. Our first was the family I have been talking about, “Nuestro Familia Escogida,” or "Our Chosen Family." It’s going great here.
I started marking a Book of Mormon in Spanish about a month ago and I am in Alma now. I found a hard back that I’m going to keep and mark, then send the other one home to you guys.
I found a funny sign that I took a picture of with Elder Loveless. It’s only funny because of all the drug problems people have down here – It’s ridiculous, especially alcohol.
Questions and Answers:
1) What is the weather like in Mexico right now? From your last pictures I can see you are wearing short sleeves again. Are you wearing sweaters anymore? I don’t wear sweaters often and, if I do, it’s in the night before we return to the house.
2) Speaking of sweaters, did you receive the two sweaters I ordered and had sent to you from Old Navy yet? Have you worn them? Have not gotten them yet.
3) Did you ever wear your coat, or your zip-out jacket from inside your coat, this Winter? Yes, in Delicias when it rained three times.
4) What about your boots? Nope, not once.
5) What is the best food you have eaten so far in Camargo? What kinds of food do you eat in Camargo? What do you usually eat for each meal of the day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)? Well, this is going to sound a little weird, but beans and tortillas de Arena, flour tortillas. There was one time where we had these and we used the tortillas as spoons, but it was amazing.
6) How many dinner appointments do you get in Camargo? Not very often do we ever have dinner with people; probably once every 2 weeks.
7) How are your clothes? Good.
8) How are your shoes? Alright - they stink every once and a while.
9) How are your socks? Good, but more would be appreciated - dark ones.
10) Where is Elder Ruiz from? How long has Elder Ruiz been on his mission? Is he a life-member or a convert? Elder Ruiz is from Leon. He has the same time in the mission as Elder Loveless, but 2 weeks more. He is a convert from the Catholic church since he was 14.
11) What do you usually do on your P-Day in Camargo? Travel. By the time we are done with the things we have to do we usually have to go to a meeting somewhere.
12) Do you still have to wash your clothes on a wash-board? Yes.
13) Do you do any service? If so, what kinds of service do you do, and how often? We are doing service all the time – that’s our job right now -- haha.
14) How many investigators do you have currently? About 14.
15) Tell us what it is like going grocery shopping (describe it to us). What sorts of things do you usually buy when you go out shopping? Is there a Wal-Mart, or anything else "familiar" to us folks back home? There are stores like Smiths and Macey’s. We just buy stuff that we can cook fast, though, because we don’t have too much time to cook.
16) Are you traveling by bus a lot these days? How do you usually get around to places? Yes. We probably travel the most out of anyone in the mission. It’s by bus everywhere, but nice buses.
17) Tell us about Elder Loveless. Is there someone that he reminds you of? Tell us what he likes and what he doesn't like. What do you know about him? I don’t know. He is just a really calm, funny guy.
18) Tell me, or describe for me, what you are learning so far on your mission. That is a question to answer when I return. It would be better for my talk.
19) Describe for us what you do while teaching discussions. Repeat for us some of the things you have said, then bear your testimony to your family using the words that you use while teaching your investigators. Everything can be found in chapter 3 of Preach My Gospel. The rest is just my own words and testimony about the principles and scriptures.
20) Describe for us what you do while teaching discussions. Repeat for us some of the things you have said, then bear your testimony to your family using the words that you use while teaching your investigators. Nothing really -- just that reading the Book of Mormon is really funny to me sometimes. I notice so many things in Spanish that are more easily explained. It’s different in Spanish, but the same.
Spanish Version:
Presidenté,
Nuestro plan esta en progreso. Estamos empezando a ver los frutos de nuestra obra. Camargo va a ver muchos cambios en estas proximas semanas.
Tuvimos un bautismal del Hermano Arturo (Antonio Morales Duran). Él fue confirmado en domingo tambien y esta recibiendo mucho amor y ayuda. Estoy muy feliz para su decision a bautizarse.
Nuesto Familia Escogida esta tambien recibiendo mucho amor del barrio. Ellos digeron que sienten feliz y bienvenidos, pero creen que algunos asisten por compromisos y no buenas intenciones. Explicamos la palabra convertido a ellos y todo esta bien ahora.
Algunos miembros estan empezando a animarse y quieren ayudar nos. Los primeros pasos estan en progreso.
Tenemos una cena figado con nuestra familia escogida en martes y vamos a tener una noche de hogar con ellos.
Estoy Feliz con el Éxito que estamos mirando alreposar nosotros. Muchisimas gracias Presidenté.
-Elder Hansgen
English Translation:
President,
With our new plan of progress we are starting to see the fruits of our labor. We think we are going to see a lot of changes in the next few weeks. We had the baptism of Brother Arturo (Antonio Morales Duran). He was confirmed on Sunday and is receiving a lot of love and support. I am very happy that he decided to be baptized.
Our chosen family that we found is also receiving a lot of love from the Ward. They said that they feel happy and welcome, but they feel that some people help them out of obligation (because they have to, or they are supposed to) rather than out of sincerity. We explained to them what it means to be converted to the Gospel and things are going well for now.
Some of the members are becoming friendlier and are starting to help us more now. We are going to have a dinner with a family that we found on Tuesday, and we are also going to have a Family Home Evening with them.
I am happy with the success that we are seeing and I am looking forward to having more success.
Thank you very much, President.
-Elder Hansgen
Everything Is Fine:
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Dear Family,
My favorite thing right now is what we are doing and I found it the other day reading in Alma 17:25-32. We have been working extremely hard here and it is awesome right now. Here is what I said to Presidenté. I hope that this can help explain a lot – ha-ha, but it’s all in Spanish. (A Huge thanks goes out to my nephew, Josh, for the translation you will find afterward).
Spanish Version:
Presidenté,
¡Todo de esta semana fue el Mejor! Nosotros hemos encontrado la manera a trabajar aquí en Camargo. Yo quiero compartir mucho con el Tiempo que tengo.
Lunes: Nosotros dimos una bendición a un menos activo del barrio y ahora él quiere regresar a la capilla y casarse en el templo. Él nos compartió que ha sentido un malo espíritu en su familia y también de una familia de amigos. Compartió también algo acerca de brujas. Nosotros dimos una bendición y también hablábamos acerca del Espíritu Santo y el Sacerdocio Aaronico que él tiene. Yo creo que toda será bien con esta familia.
Martes: Tuvimos la primera visita con miembros en meses. Una Familia nos acompañado a un visita con su vecina que es nuestra investigadora. Fue muy bien para tener miembros en nuestra lección.
Miércoles: Empezamos a trabajar y encontrar muchas personas. Hablamos con todos en Camargo. Tambien encontramos una antiguo que puede bautizar en enero si nosotros contactamos ella.
Jueves: Limpiamos toda nuestra casa y trabajamos los 4 de nosotros en Camargo. (Elder Loveless y Yo, Elder Ruiz, y Elder Conklin.) Nosotros encontramos muchos escogidos de las dos áreas. Vamos a bautizar muchísimos en Febrero. Muchos son familias de 3 o más personas.
Viernes: Tuvimos nuestro consejo del barrio y también animamos ellos para ayudar sus menos activos y también inactivos. Estamos ayudando ellos con esto.
Sábado: íbamos a Conferencia de Estaca.
Domingo: uno de nuestros investigadores asistió conferencia de estaca con los miembros. Es increíble porque Camargo es lejos de Delicias.
Lunes: Fuimos a Delicias por nuestra actividad de Zona y Tuvimos nuestro reunión de Zona.
Martes: Regresamos a Delicias otra vez para ayudar personas a encontrar y hablar con todos. Conquistamos nuestro miedo a hablar con todos como zona.
(Hoy) Miércoles: Tuvimos un hora atrás una entrevista con Arturo, nuestro investigador que asistió conferencia, y el va a bautizar este sábado. Tenemos muchos personas aquí que estamos trabajando con y también que van a bautizar en Febrero.
Ahora es un buen tiempo a trabajar en Camargo. Estuve leyendo en mi estudio personal y una escritura explica todo que estamos haciendo aquí.
Alma 17:25-32. Esta escritura es que paso cuando Elder Ruiz llego aquí. Y ahora nosotros 4 no somos los siervos del Rey, todos somos Ammon, y vamos a Limpiar Camargo juntos.
Muchísimas Gracias Presidente por todo el Revelación que tiene para nosotros y también por esta excelente oportunidad de trabajar en Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
English Translation:
Presidenté,
This week was the best! We have found the way to work here in Camargo. I want to share a lot with the time that I have.
Monday: We gave a blessing to a less active in the ward and now he wants to return to church and marry in the temple. He shared that he has felt an evil spirit in his family, and also in the family of a friend. He also shared something about witches. We gave him a blessing, and also talked about the Holy Ghost and the Aaronic Priesthood which he has. I think everything will be okay with this family.
Tuesday: We had the first lesson with members present in months. A family accompanied us to visit with their neighbor, who is our investigator. It was great to have members in our lesson.
Wednesday: We started working and finding a lot of people. We talked to everyone in Camargo. We also found an old investigator that we can baptize in January if we can contact her.
Thursday: We cleaned our whole house and the four of us worked in Camargo. (Me, Elder Loveless, Elder Ruiz, and Elder Conklin). We found many chosen people from the two areas. We will baptize a lot in February. Many are families of three or more people.
Friday: We had our Ward Council and we encouraged them to help their less active and inactive members. We are helping them with this.
Saturday: We went to Stake Conference. (Side Note: This was a special area-wide Stake Conference for all of Northern Mexico. It was a special transmission from Salt Lake City with Elder Craig C. Christensen, Hermana Neill F. Marriott, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, and Elder Robert. D Hales).
Sunday: One of our investigators attended Stake Conference with members. It is amazing because Camargo is far from Delicias.
Monday: Went to Delicias for our Zone Activity, and we had our Zone Meeting.
Tuesday: We returned to Delicias, again, to help people, find people, and talk to everyone. We conquered our fear of talking to everyone as a Zone.
(Today) Wednesday: An hour ago we had an interview with Arturo, our investigator who attended Conference, and who is getting baptized this Saturday. We have many people here who we are working with and they will be baptized in February.
Now is a good time to work in Camargo. I was reading in my personal scripture study and found a scripture which explains everything we're doing here.
Alma 17:25-32. This scripture is what happened when Elder Ruiz came here. The four of us are not the servants of the King; we are Ammon, and we will clean Camargo together.
Thank you very much, Presidenté, for the revelation that you have for us, and for this excellent opportunity to work in Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Dear Family,
My favorite thing right now is what we are doing and I found it the other day reading in Alma 17:25-32. We have been working extremely hard here and it is awesome right now. Here is what I said to Presidenté. I hope that this can help explain a lot – ha-ha, but it’s all in Spanish. (A Huge thanks goes out to my nephew, Josh, for the translation you will find afterward).
Spanish Version:
Presidenté,
¡Todo de esta semana fue el Mejor! Nosotros hemos encontrado la manera a trabajar aquí en Camargo. Yo quiero compartir mucho con el Tiempo que tengo.
Lunes: Nosotros dimos una bendición a un menos activo del barrio y ahora él quiere regresar a la capilla y casarse en el templo. Él nos compartió que ha sentido un malo espíritu en su familia y también de una familia de amigos. Compartió también algo acerca de brujas. Nosotros dimos una bendición y también hablábamos acerca del Espíritu Santo y el Sacerdocio Aaronico que él tiene. Yo creo que toda será bien con esta familia.
Martes: Tuvimos la primera visita con miembros en meses. Una Familia nos acompañado a un visita con su vecina que es nuestra investigadora. Fue muy bien para tener miembros en nuestra lección.
Miércoles: Empezamos a trabajar y encontrar muchas personas. Hablamos con todos en Camargo. Tambien encontramos una antiguo que puede bautizar en enero si nosotros contactamos ella.
Jueves: Limpiamos toda nuestra casa y trabajamos los 4 de nosotros en Camargo. (Elder Loveless y Yo, Elder Ruiz, y Elder Conklin.) Nosotros encontramos muchos escogidos de las dos áreas. Vamos a bautizar muchísimos en Febrero. Muchos son familias de 3 o más personas.
Viernes: Tuvimos nuestro consejo del barrio y también animamos ellos para ayudar sus menos activos y también inactivos. Estamos ayudando ellos con esto.
Sábado: íbamos a Conferencia de Estaca.
Domingo: uno de nuestros investigadores asistió conferencia de estaca con los miembros. Es increíble porque Camargo es lejos de Delicias.
Lunes: Fuimos a Delicias por nuestra actividad de Zona y Tuvimos nuestro reunión de Zona.
Martes: Regresamos a Delicias otra vez para ayudar personas a encontrar y hablar con todos. Conquistamos nuestro miedo a hablar con todos como zona.
(Hoy) Miércoles: Tuvimos un hora atrás una entrevista con Arturo, nuestro investigador que asistió conferencia, y el va a bautizar este sábado. Tenemos muchos personas aquí que estamos trabajando con y también que van a bautizar en Febrero.
Ahora es un buen tiempo a trabajar en Camargo. Estuve leyendo en mi estudio personal y una escritura explica todo que estamos haciendo aquí.
Alma 17:25-32. Esta escritura es que paso cuando Elder Ruiz llego aquí. Y ahora nosotros 4 no somos los siervos del Rey, todos somos Ammon, y vamos a Limpiar Camargo juntos.
Muchísimas Gracias Presidente por todo el Revelación que tiene para nosotros y también por esta excelente oportunidad de trabajar en Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
English Translation:
Presidenté,
This week was the best! We have found the way to work here in Camargo. I want to share a lot with the time that I have.
Monday: We gave a blessing to a less active in the ward and now he wants to return to church and marry in the temple. He shared that he has felt an evil spirit in his family, and also in the family of a friend. He also shared something about witches. We gave him a blessing, and also talked about the Holy Ghost and the Aaronic Priesthood which he has. I think everything will be okay with this family.
Tuesday: We had the first lesson with members present in months. A family accompanied us to visit with their neighbor, who is our investigator. It was great to have members in our lesson.
Wednesday: We started working and finding a lot of people. We talked to everyone in Camargo. We also found an old investigator that we can baptize in January if we can contact her.
Thursday: We cleaned our whole house and the four of us worked in Camargo. (Me, Elder Loveless, Elder Ruiz, and Elder Conklin). We found many chosen people from the two areas. We will baptize a lot in February. Many are families of three or more people.
Friday: We had our Ward Council and we encouraged them to help their less active and inactive members. We are helping them with this.
Saturday: We went to Stake Conference. (Side Note: This was a special area-wide Stake Conference for all of Northern Mexico. It was a special transmission from Salt Lake City with Elder Craig C. Christensen, Hermana Neill F. Marriott, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, and Elder Robert. D Hales).
Sunday: One of our investigators attended Stake Conference with members. It is amazing because Camargo is far from Delicias.
Monday: Went to Delicias for our Zone Activity, and we had our Zone Meeting.
Tuesday: We returned to Delicias, again, to help people, find people, and talk to everyone. We conquered our fear of talking to everyone as a Zone.
(Today) Wednesday: An hour ago we had an interview with Arturo, our investigator who attended Conference, and who is getting baptized this Saturday. We have many people here who we are working with and they will be baptized in February.
Now is a good time to work in Camargo. I was reading in my personal scripture study and found a scripture which explains everything we're doing here.
Alma 17:25-32. This scripture is what happened when Elder Ruiz came here. The four of us are not the servants of the King; we are Ammon, and we will clean Camargo together.
Thank you very much, Presidenté, for the revelation that you have for us, and for this excellent opportunity to work in Camargo.
-Elder Hansgen
Learning And Becoming A Little More Familiar With Camargo:
Monday, January 6, 2014
Dear Family,
I’m doing perfect. The mission had “cambios” today, which means changes, and the only person that left Camargo was Elder Norris. He is from Orem. He was our District Leader for 4 weeks and is now a Zone Leader in Chihuahua.
I got the recorder you sent and I’ll try to send the song we sang to you. It sounds a lot better in person, though. We know how to sing all the parts so it is harmonic and everything in the 2nd verse. One recording is of us talking this morning, and the other is the song. (Disclaimer - The attachments did not upload properly. I will ask Elder Ian to re-attach and send them again next week. Sorry!)
Oh yeah, it’s actually warming up a bit here. I liked one of the little books you sent. The others are just a good read.
I am sending some pictures. There is one with all of us and Cesar, who is a member leaving for his mission tomorrow. There is a picture of me in the farthest South you can go. Elder Loveless is pointing on our map where it was. I have sent other pictures of the area here in Camargo. At night just about every trash can has cats in it. I picked up a young one from off the street.
There aren’t too many kids here, but there are some families that we go to that have a lot of kids. You, honestly, sent me way too many Tootsie Rolls. I hand them out, but there are too many for the small amount of kids we know.
Well, basically, we have been trying to learn the area because I don’t know it. We have about 10 people that we focus on, but everyone here in Camargo has a strange schedule. We have been inviting a lot of people to church, but they just can’t, or don’t, show up.
The reason we don’t bring the Church to them is because that’s the way it used to be before the new building 10 years ago. Now we need the members to unite and give rides to each other. There are 280 members and 30 come to church regularly, so we are focusing on the ward, too.
We went in early on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. We also got a ride from two gangsters that were drunk and driving, but it was fine because we got their address.
We teach English classes with Hermana Kika, but hardly anyone comes. We had Menudo for 2 days in a row. Menudo is cow stomach with a pigs ankle. It still had hair on it. You should look up what this is.
We have given a few blessings, and also made people cry when the four of us sing, but that’s only because everyone in Mexico is “tone deaf” so, when they hear us sing, it’s actually the best they have ever heard.
We have just been focusing on the important people we have.
Anyway, thanks Mom - got to go. Bye.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Monday, January 6, 2014
Dear Family,
I’m doing perfect. The mission had “cambios” today, which means changes, and the only person that left Camargo was Elder Norris. He is from Orem. He was our District Leader for 4 weeks and is now a Zone Leader in Chihuahua.
I got the recorder you sent and I’ll try to send the song we sang to you. It sounds a lot better in person, though. We know how to sing all the parts so it is harmonic and everything in the 2nd verse. One recording is of us talking this morning, and the other is the song. (Disclaimer - The attachments did not upload properly. I will ask Elder Ian to re-attach and send them again next week. Sorry!)
Oh yeah, it’s actually warming up a bit here. I liked one of the little books you sent. The others are just a good read.
I am sending some pictures. There is one with all of us and Cesar, who is a member leaving for his mission tomorrow. There is a picture of me in the farthest South you can go. Elder Loveless is pointing on our map where it was. I have sent other pictures of the area here in Camargo. At night just about every trash can has cats in it. I picked up a young one from off the street.
There aren’t too many kids here, but there are some families that we go to that have a lot of kids. You, honestly, sent me way too many Tootsie Rolls. I hand them out, but there are too many for the small amount of kids we know.
Well, basically, we have been trying to learn the area because I don’t know it. We have about 10 people that we focus on, but everyone here in Camargo has a strange schedule. We have been inviting a lot of people to church, but they just can’t, or don’t, show up.
The reason we don’t bring the Church to them is because that’s the way it used to be before the new building 10 years ago. Now we need the members to unite and give rides to each other. There are 280 members and 30 come to church regularly, so we are focusing on the ward, too.
We went in early on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. We also got a ride from two gangsters that were drunk and driving, but it was fine because we got their address.
We teach English classes with Hermana Kika, but hardly anyone comes. We had Menudo for 2 days in a row. Menudo is cow stomach with a pigs ankle. It still had hair on it. You should look up what this is.
We have given a few blessings, and also made people cry when the four of us sing, but that’s only because everyone in Mexico is “tone deaf” so, when they hear us sing, it’s actually the best they have ever heard.
We have just been focusing on the important people we have.
Anyway, thanks Mom - got to go. Bye.
Love,
Elder Ian Hansgen
Hola From Camargo!
Monday, December 30, 2013
Dear Family,
Camargo is extremely tough. It is one of the poorest places I have been in all of Mexico. The people work all day and are hardly ever home. It’s awesome, though. Basically, we are battling against “distance,” “the help of the ward,” and “the statistics of Mexico.” The church is too far away for them to attend, and the ward is really a tough one. They can’t really attend church because it’s too far, they work, or they don’t have money for a bus (5.50 Pesos). The statistics are that there are 1,300,000 members in Mexico, and 200,000 are active members...so that should explain a lot. That is 15% of all members. It’s pretty bad here, too, but it is worthwhile. I will learn a lot of things here (and I already have) that will help me for the rest of my mission in other areas, and for the rest of my life. I’m excited, but also super sad for all the problems we have here. It’s great – ha-ha.
I hope that everyone is having a good time. I have gained weight, but it was good weight. I’m also getting buff so I can be in good shape when I get back.
I might buy a guitar soon. I really hope that I can learn some songs to play to people, and some hymns or something.
Here are some answers to your questions.
Questions:
1. I forgot the names of your other missionary roommates. I believe you said Elder Norris, and the other was Elder ?? (something with a "C"). Where are they from? Elder Loveless, Saratoga Springs; Elder Norris (District Leader), Orem; Elder Conklin, Indiana (Colorado and New Mexico also).
2. Do you have any current investigators? I am not sure if there is any truth to this, but I have heard that Camargo is supposedly the "toughest" area of the Chihuahua mission. We have investigators and, yes, this is one of the toughest areas in the Mission. I’m extremely happy to work here, though, because it will really prepare me for everywhere else I go.
3. Would you like another sweater? I’m looking for another sweater that is thicker and better. Funny story: Elder Loveless was waiting in the bus station when we were changing companions and a lady came up to him and gave him a sweater because she thought he looked cold. She insisted he take it and called him “Guapo” afterward. ("Guapo" means "handsome").
4. Are you guys heating your water for your showers yet? Yeah, Elder Norris broke down and bought gas.
5. Describe one thing you have learned or thought about this week. That my mission won’t get any worse than Camargo...ha-ha, but that’s fine. We still have success here. I really need to explain that more for you guys so you can understand.
6. Describe getting to know other "Elders," or "people" that you really admire and appreciate. Well, there are people everywhere we go that are awesome and interesting to meet.
7. Describe what is "in the news" or happening/going on in Camargo, or Mexico, right now. We don’t watch the news or anything. We really don’t know what goes on unless someone tells us. I still think the coolest thing we heard was from the Presidente. The Pimas have ancestors, and one is named Lehi, but they don’t know the significance of it. There are so many temples and things in Mexico that seem to come right out of the Book of Mormon. There are 130+ Pimas ready for baptism right now.
Love,
Elder Hansgen
Hope this explains a little about my situation in Camargo (see letter below).
Original Letter:
Presidente,
Camargo es algo que no fui en mis expectaciones. Es bien diferente aquí. Pero nuestro éxito es un poco diferente también. Estoy acostumbrado a mí compañero y estamos tratando a visitar muchas personas. No conozco la área hasta ahorita, es un poco difícil a aprender pero casi tengo lo.
Encontramos una familia que sentí que necesitamos enfocar en y tenemos un plan para hacerlo. Ahora, Yo pienso que la cosa que Camargo necesita es un barrio. Sí, tiene, pero no es muy fuerte. Los cuatro de nosotros estamos empezando a cambiar y ayudar el Barrio. Primeramente si el Barrio no es fuerte, ¿que es el propósito de bautizando personas? Estuve pensando en los números que Elder Oaks compartió con nosotros. 1.300.000 Miembros en México, y 200.000 son Activos. Eso es 15% de todos. Es algo que Pienso Camargo necesita. Un fuerte Barrio que quiere cambiar estos números.
La situación con nosotros ahora es estamos visitando personas para que Yo puedo aprender y conocer este área y personas. Estamos también contactando personas para que podemos tener más personas a enseñar. Es bien difícil pero el evangelio es para todos. Nosotros solamente necesitamos ayuda para compartir con MÁS personas. Todo esta bien conmigo y ya me gusta Camargo. Solamente necesito aprender como trabajar aquí y ayudar el barrio mucho. Gracias Presidente por esta oportunidad.
-Elder Hansgen
Translated Letter:
President,
Camargo is something that was not in my expectations. It's very different here, but our success is also a little different. I am accustomed to my companion and we are trying to visit a lot of people. I don't know the area history right now. It is a little difficult to learn, but I almost have it.
We found a family that I felt we needed to focus on and have a plan to do so. Now, I think that the thing Camargo needs is a ward. Yes, it has one, but not very strong. The four of us are starting to change and help the ward. First, the ward is not strong. What would the purpose of baptizing people be? I was thinking about the numbers that Elder Oaks shared with us: 1.3 million members in Mexico and 200,000 are active. That is 15%. It's something that I think Camargo needs -- a strong ward that wants to change these numbers.
The situation with us now is that we are visiting people so that I can learn and know the area and people. We are also contacting people so we can have more people to teach. It's very difficult, but the Gospel is for everyone. We only need help sharing it with more people. Everything is good with me and I already like Camargo. I only need to learn how to work here, and help the ward a lot. Thank you for the opportunity President.
-Elder Hansgen
Monday, December 30, 2013
Dear Family,
Camargo is extremely tough. It is one of the poorest places I have been in all of Mexico. The people work all day and are hardly ever home. It’s awesome, though. Basically, we are battling against “distance,” “the help of the ward,” and “the statistics of Mexico.” The church is too far away for them to attend, and the ward is really a tough one. They can’t really attend church because it’s too far, they work, or they don’t have money for a bus (5.50 Pesos). The statistics are that there are 1,300,000 members in Mexico, and 200,000 are active members...so that should explain a lot. That is 15% of all members. It’s pretty bad here, too, but it is worthwhile. I will learn a lot of things here (and I already have) that will help me for the rest of my mission in other areas, and for the rest of my life. I’m excited, but also super sad for all the problems we have here. It’s great – ha-ha.
I hope that everyone is having a good time. I have gained weight, but it was good weight. I’m also getting buff so I can be in good shape when I get back.
I might buy a guitar soon. I really hope that I can learn some songs to play to people, and some hymns or something.
Here are some answers to your questions.
Questions:
1. I forgot the names of your other missionary roommates. I believe you said Elder Norris, and the other was Elder ?? (something with a "C"). Where are they from? Elder Loveless, Saratoga Springs; Elder Norris (District Leader), Orem; Elder Conklin, Indiana (Colorado and New Mexico also).
2. Do you have any current investigators? I am not sure if there is any truth to this, but I have heard that Camargo is supposedly the "toughest" area of the Chihuahua mission. We have investigators and, yes, this is one of the toughest areas in the Mission. I’m extremely happy to work here, though, because it will really prepare me for everywhere else I go.
3. Would you like another sweater? I’m looking for another sweater that is thicker and better. Funny story: Elder Loveless was waiting in the bus station when we were changing companions and a lady came up to him and gave him a sweater because she thought he looked cold. She insisted he take it and called him “Guapo” afterward. ("Guapo" means "handsome").
4. Are you guys heating your water for your showers yet? Yeah, Elder Norris broke down and bought gas.
5. Describe one thing you have learned or thought about this week. That my mission won’t get any worse than Camargo...ha-ha, but that’s fine. We still have success here. I really need to explain that more for you guys so you can understand.
6. Describe getting to know other "Elders," or "people" that you really admire and appreciate. Well, there are people everywhere we go that are awesome and interesting to meet.
7. Describe what is "in the news" or happening/going on in Camargo, or Mexico, right now. We don’t watch the news or anything. We really don’t know what goes on unless someone tells us. I still think the coolest thing we heard was from the Presidente. The Pimas have ancestors, and one is named Lehi, but they don’t know the significance of it. There are so many temples and things in Mexico that seem to come right out of the Book of Mormon. There are 130+ Pimas ready for baptism right now.
Love,
Elder Hansgen
Hope this explains a little about my situation in Camargo (see letter below).
Original Letter:
Presidente,
Camargo es algo que no fui en mis expectaciones. Es bien diferente aquí. Pero nuestro éxito es un poco diferente también. Estoy acostumbrado a mí compañero y estamos tratando a visitar muchas personas. No conozco la área hasta ahorita, es un poco difícil a aprender pero casi tengo lo.
Encontramos una familia que sentí que necesitamos enfocar en y tenemos un plan para hacerlo. Ahora, Yo pienso que la cosa que Camargo necesita es un barrio. Sí, tiene, pero no es muy fuerte. Los cuatro de nosotros estamos empezando a cambiar y ayudar el Barrio. Primeramente si el Barrio no es fuerte, ¿que es el propósito de bautizando personas? Estuve pensando en los números que Elder Oaks compartió con nosotros. 1.300.000 Miembros en México, y 200.000 son Activos. Eso es 15% de todos. Es algo que Pienso Camargo necesita. Un fuerte Barrio que quiere cambiar estos números.
La situación con nosotros ahora es estamos visitando personas para que Yo puedo aprender y conocer este área y personas. Estamos también contactando personas para que podemos tener más personas a enseñar. Es bien difícil pero el evangelio es para todos. Nosotros solamente necesitamos ayuda para compartir con MÁS personas. Todo esta bien conmigo y ya me gusta Camargo. Solamente necesito aprender como trabajar aquí y ayudar el barrio mucho. Gracias Presidente por esta oportunidad.
-Elder Hansgen
Translated Letter:
President,
Camargo is something that was not in my expectations. It's very different here, but our success is also a little different. I am accustomed to my companion and we are trying to visit a lot of people. I don't know the area history right now. It is a little difficult to learn, but I almost have it.
We found a family that I felt we needed to focus on and have a plan to do so. Now, I think that the thing Camargo needs is a ward. Yes, it has one, but not very strong. The four of us are starting to change and help the ward. First, the ward is not strong. What would the purpose of baptizing people be? I was thinking about the numbers that Elder Oaks shared with us: 1.3 million members in Mexico and 200,000 are active. That is 15%. It's something that I think Camargo needs -- a strong ward that wants to change these numbers.
The situation with us now is that we are visiting people so that I can learn and know the area and people. We are also contacting people so we can have more people to teach. It's very difficult, but the Gospel is for everyone. We only need help sharing it with more people. Everything is good with me and I already like Camargo. I only need to learn how to work here, and help the ward a lot. Thank you for the opportunity President.
-Elder Hansgen
Just Arrived, Via Transfer, In Camargo, Mexico:
Monday, December 23, 2013
Mom,
I’m on and my keyboard is really crappy…
Basically, in very small words because I can’t type with these keys, I am in a new area called Camargo and my companion is Elder Loveless. These keys are really stiff.
Elder Loveless is great. I found out the night of our meeting in Chihuahua (Saturday) that I was going to transfer and had one night to pack.
Here in Mexico during transfers we carry all of our bags to the bus. Camargo is an hour south from Delicias, and Delicias is an hour south from Chihuahua.
The transfers happened because the President needed them to happen. They don’t just happen every 6 weeks. Elder Wiscombe and I also had an interview with the President last week, so I think he thought I was ready to help out Camargo right now. Our meeting in Chihuahua was on Saturday night, and I was all packed by Sunday morning, but the exchanges were this morning instead of yesterday.
Elder Wiscombe is in the same area we had before, which is Delicias, Poniente.
I have only been in Camargo for 3 or 4 hours right now.
When we email our families on P-Day we go to a computer shop, or cyber shop, to use their computers – ha-ha! Everything is great here.
“Estoy muy agradecido a estar en una nueva área y ayudando en la manera que necesito. Presidente tiene mucho confianza en mi y creo que seré un asistente al presidente un día. Necesito trabajar muy duro aquí en Camargo y tener mis primeros bautismales. Les amo mucho y Les veo en miércoles. Tienen una fantástica semana.
Adios,
Elder Hansgen”
Translation: “I am grateful to be in a new area and helping in the way I need. President has much confidence in me and I think I will be an assistant to the President one day. I need to work very hard here in Camargo and have my first baptism. I love you a lot and will "see" you all on Wednesday. Have a great week.
Bye,
Elder Hansgen”
Monday, December 23, 2013
Mom,
I’m on and my keyboard is really crappy…
Basically, in very small words because I can’t type with these keys, I am in a new area called Camargo and my companion is Elder Loveless. These keys are really stiff.
Elder Loveless is great. I found out the night of our meeting in Chihuahua (Saturday) that I was going to transfer and had one night to pack.
Here in Mexico during transfers we carry all of our bags to the bus. Camargo is an hour south from Delicias, and Delicias is an hour south from Chihuahua.
The transfers happened because the President needed them to happen. They don’t just happen every 6 weeks. Elder Wiscombe and I also had an interview with the President last week, so I think he thought I was ready to help out Camargo right now. Our meeting in Chihuahua was on Saturday night, and I was all packed by Sunday morning, but the exchanges were this morning instead of yesterday.
Elder Wiscombe is in the same area we had before, which is Delicias, Poniente.
I have only been in Camargo for 3 or 4 hours right now.
When we email our families on P-Day we go to a computer shop, or cyber shop, to use their computers – ha-ha! Everything is great here.
“Estoy muy agradecido a estar en una nueva área y ayudando en la manera que necesito. Presidente tiene mucho confianza en mi y creo que seré un asistente al presidente un día. Necesito trabajar muy duro aquí en Camargo y tener mis primeros bautismales. Les amo mucho y Les veo en miércoles. Tienen una fantástica semana.
Adios,
Elder Hansgen”
Translation: “I am grateful to be in a new area and helping in the way I need. President has much confidence in me and I think I will be an assistant to the President one day. I need to work very hard here in Camargo and have my first baptism. I love you a lot and will "see" you all on Wednesday. Have a great week.
Bye,
Elder Hansgen”