June 24, 2013 ~ Goiania Brazil Mission, Rio Verde ~ Week 22

Dear Family,

Well, this week was not the best of my life haha! We didn't baptize Nanyat (name change) :( what happened was we went to his house practically every day this week and he was never there! It was so stinking frustrating!!!! We sort of know now that he doesn't really want to be baptized because I think he wants to continue doing what he did before we started teaching him. I don't think he wants to change :/ but anyway, that's that.

Also Elder Lima went home on Friday :'(. It was super triste (sad in Portuguese) and I'll miss him like crazy. He really didn't want to go home haha. We had a super successful companionship with 8 baptisms in 7 weeks together! But now it's just me and Elder Di Giordano in Rio Verde (Bairro Popular lol) for now because his companion went home on Friday as well. We're going to Goiania today for the huge Conference with President Prieto since it's his last week being our Mission President. They said that two more missionaries will come back with us this week, so I hope they're not annoying hahaha.

I actually didn't hear about the missionary announcement that you guys told me about until I read your emails haha. They didn't allow the missionaries to watch the broadcast yesterday so I didn't hear that missionaries are to use Facebook, blogs and other social media to expand the the Lords work or anything about it. But, honestly I don't really want to use Facebook Haha. Maybe when I learn a little more about what we are going to do on Facebook then it'll be fine, but I don't know, whatever lol.

Nothing much else happened this week lol. This past week has been kind of a drag because we haven't had much success. We are still looking for more people to teach because the work has been a little flat this last week even though Rio Verde is one of the most successful areas in my mission haha. It's been frustrating but The Lord has a hand in everything and we need to trust in Him. One of Elder Di Giordano's investigators, is going to be baptized this Saturday, maybe. He was supposed to be baptized this last Saturday but it fell through. He says he wants to learn a little bit more about the Church before he's baptized, which is fine but he didn't go to Church yesterday! So weird!! We pray everything will go as planned and he will be baptized next Saturday.

 I heard about the Brazil manifestations in pretty much EVERY CITY in Brazil, but only because one of our recent converts was talking about it haha. If they hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have heard anything about it. We live in a bubble lol we never hear anything as missionaries. I honestly have no idea what's happening in the United States other than what you tell me.

K, Cooper is dominating his mission in Guatemala! Have you guys talked with Tyler or Kristin about what he's doing? He only has 9 months into his mission and he is already a trainer. Crazy! He taught 93 lessons this week. That's insane! I'm working my butt off teaching 30 to 40 lessons a week haha. I also sent a letter today to you guys haha even though I wrote it like 2 or 3 weeks ago lol. Sorry, I forgot about it :/!

Anyways! Love you guys! Keep going strong through everything. I pray for you guys every day and night! Have a good week!

Elder Hanson

June 17, 2013 ~ Goiania Brazil Mission, Rio Verde ~ Week 21

Dear Family,

Hey Family!!!! I hope you guys are doing well this week, HAPPY LATE FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!! Father's day isn't really big in Brazil haha I barely even heard about this week. Weird because Mother's Day is huge here!!! I hope you had a great Father's Day Meu Pai ;) Love you!!!

Anyways! We had one baptism this week, we almost had two but Anyat (name change), backed out literally at the last minute. He said something happened that day but he didn't want to say. Then yesterday at Church, he told Elder Lima what happened but I was talking to someone else at the time, so I didn't hear what happened. Yeah,  I literally have no idea what happened but he says he wants to be baptized before Elder Lima goes home. So we're hoping he'll be baptized this Friday!! Bom DEMAIS!!!!! We could use your prayers for him.

The BAPTISM that DID happen was this guy named Amaury ( Ah-man-dee lol). He was actually a contact that my zone leader had a few months back when he was in this area. This was before I came to Rio Verde. They taught him the lessons and were hoping to baptize Amaury. But apparently there were a few issues and so he couldn't be baptized. He really loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ so he always kept going to Church. Then, Last Sunday, he told Elder Lima and I that he wanted to be baptized this week! Everything lined up so we literally didn't do anything haha but he was Baptized!!! It was SUPER COOL because he wanted to be BAPTIZED MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD!!! It was Awesome!!!! The Spirit was so strong!!

Elder Lima, Amaury, Elder Colin Hanson

Cooper taught 90 lessons this past week in Guatemala!! Holy Fudge! How is that even possible?!?!?!?! It is our goal to teach 40 lessons every week. This makes me proud of Cooper and it makes me want to work my butt off and go hard as well! BTW! We didn't have the Big Conference this last week haha. No one knows why we didn't have it or when it will take place?! Elder Lima goes to Goiania and it is the end of his mission this Friday, which means that I will get a new companion this week :( I'm hoping it will be one of the Elders that's staying in the same house as us, Elder Di Giordano. His companion also goes home this week. Elder Di Giordano is an Italian from California, he is really cool, and I'm praying we'll become companions!

Portuguese.... I feel like I can have a decent conversation with people! But it depends on the people haha. There's some people that speak a different dialect of Portuguese haha so it's tough to understand all that they say. I'm still working on conjugating all the verbs properly but it's coming. Elder Lima understands everything I say so it's getting so much better! We haven't been robbed for forever because we've been smarter about everything!

Nothing much else has happened. I hope you guys are doing well and that Erik and his gurl aren't getting too serious (soulmates). I hope Noah isn't doing DRUGS hahaha!!!! I hope Mom & Dad are doing well lol. Love you all! OS AMO MUITO!!!!!

Elder Hancao

June 10, 2013 ~ Goiania Brazil Mission, Rio Verde ~ Week 20

Dear Family,

Hey! How are you guys doing? I hope this last week of school was great for you guys :) and I hope Noah had a crazy Birthday!!! Way to score awesome grades Noah, I'm proud of my little Brother.

This week blew chunks big time. We didn't have a baptism this week because our investigators are struggling. We're teaching this kid named Nanyat (name change) (15) and he's cool but he is kind of a brat to us haha. He is a good friend of a member of the ward and so we began teaching him. He says he really wants to be baptized but he won't go to Church and he is afraid that he's going to have to "change" after he is baptized. We asked if he wanted to be baptized on the 8th of June and he was like "no I want to be baptized on the 15th of June" so hopefully he'll be baptized this week. Kind of frustrating haha!!!

We have a conference in Goiania this week because President Prieto and Sister Prieto are ending their missions at the end of this month. The whole mission is going to be there! It'll be fudging crazy. But I'm worried because Elder Lima is ending his mission on the 22nd of June and he's thinking that he'll be sent home early because of this conference. It's expensive to travel from Rio Verde to Goiania by bus, so he thinks that he'll end his mission this week :'( I really don't want another companion haha because he has been so Awesome!!!

We're also teaching this other family. I can understand most of what they say haha because they're from São Paulo and they speak clearly and they don't speak as fast as the people in Rio Verde. They're pretty sweet and they love to talk and talk, so it's hard to get a lesson in haha when we visit them. They made us mad yesterday though because they didn't go to Church! So dumb! That honestly is the hardest part of the mission is getting people to go to Church. Our area is big, so people have to travel a long distance to go to Church, but still. GO TO CHURCH!!!!!

Nothing much else happened this week. My Portuguese is improving every week now and I'm understanding what people are saying to me most of the time. Usually the only times I don't understand somebody is if they use a word that I don't know. Which is just about every other time I talk to somebody haha. Anyways, I'm feeling a lot better about the language and about teaching. I really love all the members and the investigators so I'm having more fun.

 My favorite scripture of all time is Ether 12:27. "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." I think that scripture has helped me out so much in my life and on my mission. I'm so hard on myself and this scripture just brings me so much comfort with everything. I have many weaknesses but God gave me these weaknesses so that I will be humble. I know that someday, these weaknesses will become strengths. When I go to members houses to have lunch, we share a message as well and I love sharing this scripture with them. I feel like this scripture was written just for me haha.

Anyways! You guys know that I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true Church. This work is Awesome!!! I know that it will be hard but it will be so worth it. Love you guys! Tchau! Ate a proximate semana!

Love Elder Colin Hancao (this is how the Brazilians pronounce my name)

June 3, 2013 ~ Goiania Brazil Mission, Rio Verde ~ Week 19

Hey Guys!

What's up??? Haha this week was really good. We finally baptized Mateus and Marcos!! Bom Demais!! (Too Good!! thumbs up)? It was so cool and WE TOOK PICTURES! My testimony on fasting also grew this week like crazy.  We were struggling with Mateus and Marcos because they kept saying that they didn't want to be baptized. I think it was Wednesday or Thursday, Elder Lima and I fasted all day for them and for other things as well. But that night, we went over to their house and they were super excited and said that they wanted to be baptized! It was so weird, I have no idea what happened but I know now that fasting helps make miracles happen lol.  Before I had always questioned fasting, no not really, but I've always hated it! lol

Clarisse' mom, Clarisse, Elder Lima, Mateus, Colin, Marcos

Anyways, as you can tell, my English is rapidly declining. I seriously can't remember how to correctly put words into sentences and you guys are probably reading this and saying, Wow, we seriously raised a brilliant son, Not :/  I seriously am really worried haha because right now I'm speaking Portuguese but not amazing and so I hope I don't get stuck somewhere in the middle of English and Portuguese mode haha. I honestly don't know why I'm telling you this :/

By the way! I got your packages a few weeks ago haha I just keep forgetting to tell you guys.  Thank you so much!!!! I almost started crying when I got new G's because my old ones have sweat stains and are basically yellow :/ it's awesome. I don't really think I need you to send me anything else yet, I'll let you know if I think of anything.

We are walking so much! I seriously think that we walk like 10 miles a day at least. Our area is ginormous!!! We found a cool abandoned city haha yesterday but I didn't have my camera with me :( . I can't bring my camera with me everywhere because I'm afraid that one guy who assaulted us will steal it. Then we found this cool little forest with a pretty waterfall and everything.  It was really cool!!! But you'll never see it because I didn't take any pictures.....lol

I'm going to write a handwritten letter today and explain everything about what's going on here in Brazil because I really don't have very much time to email haha.  Let me know when you get it. I feel so bad for the Barnetts!  They are like the nicest family in the world but all these trials keep happening to them. Tell them that I'll be praying for them. I'm happy Grandpa's surgery went well, I didn't even know he had to have heart surgery again. You need to tell me things.

Congrats to Cody and Sharwan on graduating! I can't believe it was only a year ago since I graduated, it seems like 5 years ago haha.  Sharwan going to BYU Hawaii is Cool. I figured Cody would go to USU but whatever haha.

FELIZ ANNIVERSARIO NOE (Noah in Portuguese) ESTA QUARTA-FEIRA! VOCE E MEU MELHOR AMIGO E EU TE-AMO DEMAIS! EU ESPERO QUE VOCE E SUA NAMORADA TEM UM DIA LOUCO KKKKKK (Haha in Portuguese). AMO VOCE BICHA! English Translation: Happy Birthday Noah this Wednesday! You are my best friend and I love you too. I hope you and your gurl have a crazy day. HAHAHAH. Love you Dude!

Anyways! I don't have anything else to say.  Tell Grandma, Jacque and Dave that I'll email them next week because this computer that I'm using is so retarded and I don't have very much time to email. Oh one more thing, I understand what Dad goes through with the Jepperson's now!!! I hate dogs more than anything in the entire world now.

Love You!

Elder Hanson