Merry Christmas!

So since we have Christmas and New Year's, emailing days are a little mixed up. So I get to email today and next Thursday and maybe Monday, I'm not completely sure. This week was pretty much surrounded by Christmas. On Christmas Eve the Glasgow and Paisley zone all got together and we sang Christmas carols in the middle of a huge mall and it was pretty amazing. We helped raise money for a charity and you could hear us through the entire mall and we actually sounded pretty amazing.  After we were there for a little while we took a break and two missionaries did a single song of "Just the Way you Are" by Bruno Mars for a man to help him propose to his girlfriend in the restaurant next to us and it was pretty cool because she said yes and cried a little and we were all there to watch it happen and I'm not sure but you might find it somewhere on YouTube maybe. 

On Christmas it was really nice because we got to wear normal clothes and we watched Tangled while playing risk with the Black's and they are all really fun then I got to Skype you all and that was amazing but it kind of felt like a dream so it really hasn't hit me that I really got to talk to you. On boxing day it was about the same story.  We went to the McGowin's and watched Harry Potter and it was funny because everything looked a lot more normal to me when I watched it. Then we talked with them a lot and then we went over to Ryan Warks at night and just had a blast over there and today its back to the work but its really hard because we are just a little mixed up.

Letter home arrived January 6, 2013
December 23, 2013                                                                             Airdrie Scotland
Today was an interesting Monday.  We don't have an actual p-day today because we are getting Christmas and Boxing day off.  Today was so packed that I didn't have time to email or shop.  We practiced our caroling that we will do in downtown Glasgow tomorrow and there was a lot of travel time today.  We had dinner at the Easton's and Br. Eaton is huge on conspiracies and about health care and what they put in your food.  So that's pretty much what him and Elder Edwards talked about because Elder Edwards is huge into conspiracies and 9-11 and voodoo stories like that so he enjoyed it a lot.  We had FHE at Jamie's and watched some of the "Joy to the World DVD.  It was good and very spiritual.

December 24, 2013
Today all the missionaries in Glasgow and Paisley gathered at a huge mall and we all sang Christmas carols for a charity and it was pretty good.  It was really cool when a man asked the conductor a week before, if we could have the singers sing a song while he proposed to his girlfriend while they were at a restaurant next to us.  She said "Yes".  It was pretty cool.  Later that night our building had a Christmas service.

December 25, 2013  CHRISTMAS
Today was an amazing Christmas.  We went over to Jamie's in the morning because we found out he was alone for Christmas so we watched "Singing in the Rain" with him.  Then we went to the Black's.  I got to Skype you Mom, and it was amazing.  I found out later that we could Skype for however long the members we went to were comfortable with so I could have kept going.  But that's okay, next time.  It didn't feel like Christmas but it was an amazing day!

December 26, 2013  Boxing Day
For Boxing Day it was just a chill day and we just ate and relaxed.  It was super weird.  I felt like I was doing something wrong.  We went to the McGowin's and the Warks and it was just nice.

December 27, 2013
Today was super tiring because my body had gotten used to not moving all day.  Right now I'm just trying to get back into things and get motivated.  It's hard with it being freezing and rainy/windy.  I need to keep pushing forward.

December 28,, 2013
So today was an interesting Sunday.  We only had Sacrament and no other classes because the heaters didn't work and Bishop had to call it early for health reasons because it was freezing.  That was the first time that has ever happened to me.  Also, I have discovered what I call the 'lawn mowing method".  So you know how much I enjoy doing yard work and mowing the lawn but whenever I am told to, I do't want to, mainly because someone is telling me to do it.  But I like doing it out of my own efforts but something switches when force of any small type appears.  Like chapping, or talking to people on the street, or any missionary work at all.  I love doing it and serving but the moment I am asked other than by the Lord, my desire to do it drops so this is something to overcome.

                                                                                     Highlight was Skyping home

                               We decorated for the                            Christmas party

 Christmas sweaters

A little snow

Elder Utley broke my bed!

Our Christmas tree

Elder Edwards and I got a wee bit wet

Christmas is Coming

There aren't many lights on the outside of homes.  Most decorations are on the inside of the house
I'm not sure if we have them in the states, they have crackers and they look like big candy roles.  They are having a ward Christmas party on the 20th and they want us to dress up like elves.  We sing pretty much the same Christmas songs.  We got a small Christmas tree for our flat. 

At the moment our investigators are progressing slowly but at least they still want to see and hear from us!

For Skype I'm not totally sure what we are going to do.  We have a couple options.  I can go on my email so we can figure it out then but the people we are doing it with said you can go on my Facebook and they can talk to you and get things organized through communication that way. What time do you want to do it at? We can probably do it around 3:00 or 4:00 pm (7:00 or 8:00 am) your time. We can figure it more out next week but if you we can call Skype you it would good. I'll also figure it out with the members we are doing it with.

This week was a long one just because it was moves week and things were a little off.  I made some handout cards for the ward Christmas party for the ward so they can invite there friends and loved ones.  We have actually been pretty busy but we are still doing a lot of finding and looking for the people we are meant to teach. Elder Davis said, "Can you believe you will be talking to your parents in a week?" and it blew me away because in a way it feels like I haven't been away for that long, but also forever at the same time.  We get to go in at 6 P.M. on Christmas Eve and we get Christmas and Boxing Day off.  It's weird because we don't have Boxing Day in America of course.
Love you all!

Letter home arrived Saturday, December 28, 2013

Dear Family                                                                                          Airdrie Scotland

December 9, 2013
Today was another weird P-day.  Because of moves we only get to email and shop.  But because the library we wanted to go to was closed traveling took a lot of time so we didn't get to shop.  We had dinner at the Blacks and we went with Elder Utley and Parsons to say good bye to Elder Parsons for the last time before he went home.  It was weird.  I'm actually going to really miss him.  You cold see so much joy in his eyes and it finally hit me that that will happen to me some day.  I just can't comprehend that.

December 10, 2013
Today was just one of those days that you want to get over.  It was a pretty hard and slow day.  We just kind of went through it because we just wanted it to be tomorrow.  A lot of walking and a lot of chapping.  I hate how the harder we work, the worse our numbers are.  That's why I hate numbers but I'll do whatever I need to do.

December 11, 2013
So we have P-day on Wednesday every moves week so it was pretty during because we already email on Monday so we pretty much just looked at stuff in stores and got Elder Edward's hair cut and we had dinner at the Davidson's and went to see Bill.  Nothing too eventful but I was just super tired all day so now I'm going to sleep!  Oh, and we a Christmas tree for our flat.

December 12, 2013
Today was a  pretty ordinary day.  Because of it being moves week the week has gone incredibly slow.  We chapped a lot of doors and it was funny because we went to Bill's and in the end of our lesson, he wouldn't let us go until we watched the end of "Grease" and he tried to sing along and I forgot how corny that movie was, they don't even say words and on our way out he gave us two bags of candy.

December 13, 2013
This morning we went on a mini exchange so I was with Elder Utley and it was really good.  A lot of it was traveling and walking.  Unfortunately all the people we went by were not in.  At dinner we had all four of us for dinner at our flat and to end off the night we gave a "Joy to the World" DVD to a potential investigator.  I've noticed that things are just hard for me, like the ability to enjoy doing the things we do, mainly chapping and I've also noticed just how hard these two years are going to be. The average missionary gets 1.4 baptisms during their whole mission here.  I know it's just a number, but it shows what I'm dealing with.

December 14, 2013
Today we volunteered at a charity shop and it was weird being behind a register again.  Across the street they were having a big blow out sale thing and they had a blow up Santa, a tooth fairy on stilts, and a clown.  So after we went to go check it out and it was this place where they have a bunch of small businesses and we talked to a guy that was selling guitars and we talked a lot and it was really good.  I also got a letter post card from Cemmy and when I got it, I told Elder Edwards about all the times I went home teaching at her house and about her birds and every time I went to church she would call me Ricky and it made my Day!  We also got post cards from the old ladies in our flat complex that just love us and one always calls us "Boys", so she wrote that on the Christmas card.

December 15, 2013
Sunday was really good!  I really love this ward.  They have so much love for us and you can tell they really want us around.  One thing we are focusing on is the members and just going to see them and spend time with them.  I also have noticed how much we can help this ward and make it stronger.  We went to go teach Shane today and he likes us around but it's just hard to see him progress because he likes us as friends more than wanting to hear the Gospel and I almost say to myself, 'I don't want to give up on him because I do see him slowly opening up to us', but it's just hard to not have people progress.


Letter mailed home that arrived along with another letter on the same day - January 6, 2014

December 16, 2013
Today was a pretty ordinary p-day.  We went to Motherwell to email because our library is too small and doesn't have enough computers.  We had to travel to Motherwell by bus to get there and today we finally found out there is a big library in Coatbridge which is only like a 10-15 minute bus ride and we just found it out.  I also bought a cool moose sweater for the ward Christmas party.  We watched the Christmas devotional at FHE tonight and it was pretty good.  

December 17, 2013
Today we had district meeting and then we practiced singing for a missionary caroling activity coming up.  Later in the night, we went to go help set up for the ward Christmas party and they had me put up a lot of high things.  It was funny, they kept calling me the 'tall one' and they were very thankful for my work and they said, "Oh Elder Hanson can figure this out."  But everything was pretty easy.  It was a fast busy day in Airdrie.

December 18, 2013
Today was a really good day.  It started off a little slow but at the end of the night we went to the Mathisons and they are amazing.  I've always felt that I wasn't meant for chapping doors all the time and I think Heavenly Father has been telling me that.  Something that a lot of missionaries forget to do is just see the ward members and bring the spirit in their homes with a little message and the result is that they will want you to teach people they love.  If they don't know you, they won't want to trust you with a task like that.  My new goal for this little while is, yes, I will chap and talk to people on the street, ,but the goal is to have the entire ward know me and just have me over for a small message and get to know them and hopefully that will be my way of feeding His sheep because it is crazy how much better missionary work goes when the ward brings people they are close to and then we teach them.

December 19, 2013
Today flew by.  We did weekly planning and saw that my bed frame had snapped because Elder Utley sat on it wrong or something because it must have been super cheap.  Then we all had dinner at the McGowin's and finished the night with a missionary caroling concert and it was amazing.

December 20, 2013
Today we went to see some widows in the ward with Jamie and got to just keep them company and it was really good.  We had dinner at the Black's and finished the night off with the Christmas party.  They gave us green Santa hats and we were Santa's helpers and it was a really good night and a lot of fun.

December 21, 2013
Today was a really good day.  We taught a bunch of lessons and we made a lot of good ground with people.  Bill is trying to change his life and not drink.  Shane has stopped smoking and we stayed pretty busy today.  On another note, there were huge puddles everywhere and there was one that was at least a foot deep and a car actually swerved so it would splash us and it was the grossest water ever and I was soaked but I just laughed it off because it was funny.

December 22, 2013
Today was a pretty amazing Christmas sacrament meeting, lots of music, and lots of talks about the Savior.  After church, we waited to go caroling because it would take to much time to travel back to the flat and back for lunch.  We were starving and we ate a box of chocolates a member gave us and I got a can of tuna from the Relief Society room and Elder Davis and I shared this one can, huddled over it and he said, "I feel homeless."  Then we went caroling at the local old folk's home and you could tell they loved it and when I shook the old people's hands, half of them were old ladies that called me 'Handsome'.  Afterwards we went to the Munklands hospital to visit a member's wife in the emergency care ward and it was amazing to see her husband standing over her with tears on his face singing with us.  I later found out that she was sent to the hospital a few weeks ago with only a few hours to live but got a Priesthood blessing and is still going.  I went to get a little closer to shake her hand after and Elder Utley stopped me and later I found out she hates missionaries because she had a set of "Hammer Time" missionaries that ruined her view of missionaries.  I knew exactly what he meant.  "Hammer time" was a thing they had in this mission years ago and what it was is the zone leaders would randomly search your flat to find anything and they would constantly call you to make sure they knew what you were doing.  The problem with that is it made some crazy missionaries that would demand referrals and call members to repentance and it has destroyed this country's view of missionaries to this day.  At the end of the night, all four of the Airdrie missionaries had dinner together and it was good.

Has it been six months already?!

Thank you Mom, all of those scriptures brought clarity into what I'm doing.  This week just flew by.  We were very busy because of the Christmas season and it has been really fun. It is getting to be the last week of another fast transfer. I have seen so much and I have learned so much. I have been out for 6 months and it feels like I've been out for one.  I just can't even comprehend how fast it has gone and it's only going to get faster. tTomorrow 
Tomorrow is Elder Parson's last day before he goes home, I'm really going to miss him. He gave me a couple of his ties and that was pretty cool.  His replacement will be Elder Davis back from Aberdeen. (he was a zone leader when I was there) and Elder Edwards and I are staying companions which is good because we really get along well. 
I'll probably get the package on Christmas Eve because in December they save packages until Christmas Eve and then the assistants go around delivering them.  Also, I'll get to Skype you on Christmas!
Love, Elder Hanson

Slide show of my first pair of shoes.  (The ones I
wore at home for a couple of months before I left)

Letter home, excerpts from December 2-8, arrived Friday, December 20

Dear Family                                                                         Airdrie Scotland

December 2, 2013
Today for P-day we just had a really calm day, just to rest, so we just went around shopping centers and did some things around, nothing too exciting.

December 3, 2013
Today was really good.  We had zone meeting that pretty much took up the day.  Then we went to an Indian restaurant with the zone and that was super fun.  When we got back, the Blacks made us Thanksgiving dinner a week late.  But it still counts.  They made us Haggis!  It's not bad at all, it's actually really good!  Afterwards we helped set up Christmas thing in the gym for the ward for an activity they are having.

December 4, 2013
Today was a really good lesson with Bill.  I got to share with him a really good scripture and just expound on it with him.  After the lesson, Jon, Bill's friend gave Elder Edwards just heaps of candy and we said we would be okay but they insisted and just filled Elder Edwards backpack full.  It's funny how much respect they have for us like they can tell we just aren't ordinary people.

December 5, 2013
Today we had a flat inspection and did really well.  It's easy to keep a flat clean regularly then just cleaning it randomly.We had dinner with Bishop Poorie and it was really good.  You can tell that he was a good missionary and a good man.  I've had so much Indian food since I've been here, they have poppadoms, they are like a tortilla chip thing.  I would have thought I'd be eating corned beef and cabbage every day.  I wonder what food I will eat when I get back home.

December 6, 2013
Today we went on exchange and I was with Elder Parsons.  I love the guy, it's sad that this is his last transfer and I won't see him again.  We went with Jamie, a member, to visit a bunch of the widows in the ward.  It was amazing how just visiting them is so important to them, you can just see it in their eyes.  It makes me remember being a home teacher with Dad, like when we would visit Sister Rushkie and the other lady and how much they just loved me visiting them and it really opened my eyes.  We had dinner at Ryan Waric's home and they had originally cooked for Elder Utley, Elder Parson's original companion, so they were holding off on a pie they were going to make.  So when we opened the door, Br. Waric said, "We could have had apple pie!"  Because Elder Utley is a little picky and he wouldn't eat pie.  When I sat down I instantly started playing with their two year old daughter that looks exactly like Zoey and they walked in and said, "That's weird, Miya never likes the missionaries, she must really like you."  So that was really cool.  They made homemade buttermilk biscuits and they were amazing!  I miss some of the most basic foods.

December 7, 2013
Today one of the Elder's got a letter from a sister missionary that his mom told her to write him so that was a pretty interesting way to start off the day seeing him freak out.  Today we volunteered at a charity shop and organized stuff.  Then all the Priesthood had a huge game night, then we all got pizza and told stories and jokes and it was just a great time.

December 8, 2013
Today was a pretty good normal Sunday in Airdrie.  Sacrament went well and Elder Parsons gave a farewell talk.  It was about 'by small and simple things'.  He talked about how we don't need to lift mountains, just our covers.  We need to be willing to get out of bed and say our prayers and read our scriptures.  We forget how simple things can be.  When we go to the flat we just took a sick day because I wasn't feeling good, so it was super boring.

Onward

This week I've just learned a lot about myself and who I want to be and a little about how I think I'm going to get there.  I've also been thinking about how I'll be in a year in a half.  The work was pretty slow this week but the good thing is we stayed busy and had a lot of things to do. We are teaching Bill currently and we showed him the restoration video and it was pretty good for him. He is a movie buff and he picked up on so many good things. He noticed in the end that they baptised exactly the same way John the Baptist did and all I could think of was "exactly".  We sat with him and I pretty much just said, "Why would I want to baptise you, why do you think we do this? People naturally want to share good things with people like walking up to someone and saying 'Oh did you see that movie, oh man you have to see it!" People want people to experience what they have and that's just natural so that's one of the reasons we do this."

I was also talking with Elder Edwards and I was talking about how I haven't gotten a single baptism or even had a person that wants to be. He told me about a talk that one of the presidency gave and how he said missionaries are like the cookie monster: What does he do?  All he wants and looks for and thinks of is cookies and that's it.   He's missing so much because all he thinks is he needs cookies, but we as missionaries need to let things just happen and not focus on baptisms."  God wants people to be baptised more then I ever could but I just need to keep going.

Letter sent home, received Saturday, Dec 14, 2013

Dear Family                                                                                Airdrie Scotland

Nov 25, 2013
Today for P-day we went to the Celtics football stadium.  Last week we went to the Rangers and they are sworn enemies and people are very into soccer here.  There is a history between the teams.  One is Catholic, the other Protestant, and Airdrie is pretty much divided in the same way.  Other than that, it was just a good day to recharge batteries.

Nov 26, 2013
Today was Elder Parson's last time teaching district meeting.  We watched the Restoration DVD then did role plays on having an investigator see that and how to teach them through it.  We also went to a door almost in the middle of nowhere and we had a lot of time on the way back so we went on an adventure on the way back taking a bunch of trails exploring some places and then got back and had a pretty good lesson with Bill and he is progressing.  I can still tell it will take time but I know he will make it.

Nov 27, 2013
Today we chapped on a Scottish/Indian woman's door.  It's really weird seeing an Indian person and hearing a thick Scottish accent come out.  We talked with her and things went really well.  She has a little boy and a baby girl and her husband is from Aberdeen.  We hope to keep teaching them!

Nov 28, 2013
Well today got interesting.  We took a bus that we thought would take us close to our investigator's home but we were on it for a while and noticed we didn't remember any of the roads we were passing so we thought, 'No problem, we would keep riding it until it turned around to go back to town.'  Well time passed and it kept on going so we kept thinking every ten minutes, 'Okay, it should turn around any minute now.  We were on the bus for about two hours!  It turned out we had gotten so lost we made it all the way to Motherwell - Hamilton - Eastmans-East Kill Bride.  So we had to take a train to Glasgow and then from Glasgow to Airdrie...at least we made it to the flat by 9:00.  It was all one pretty crazy adventure.

November 29, 2013
Today we went 'Liahona finding'.  Last night I got a big map and prayed long and hard about what street to chap.  Sadly today we had no success, but on the bright side, we didn't get through all the doors in the street so there is still hope.  Also, the ward put on a Christmas dinner for all the Relief Society and all the men of the ward helped and all the missionaries helped be servers.  Over all a good day.

Nov 30, 2013
Today just flew by.  We went to see Bill tonight and it was actually pretty good.  We talked about the pre-earth life and he agreed with everything.  He is just so set in his ways. That is how it is with a lot of people here.  They will admit and know it's the truth but they are set in their ways.

Dec 1, 2013
Today was one of the best Sundays I have had on my mission.  I really am starting to get along with the ward and I can feel their love.  Every one's testimony involved Christmas and putting up decorations.  It is just so crazy it's already Christmas season.  I'm actually really excited, everything just has a good feel.
Love, Elder Hanson

On the bus

Saying good-bye to Elder Parsons

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm glad Devin had fun at the Turkey Bowl.  I really miss flag football.  Have a good Thanksgiving, we don't have that here.  I'm really sad to hear about your boss's Grand-baby.  I'll be praying for him.  Yes, Monica and Bryan told me that they are having a boy and that they will be living in idaho so that will be cool because I'll see them all the time when I go to BYUI. This week was a pretty good week.  Nothing too interesting happened, just been working.  That's all you can do sometimes. Sorry my weekly letter may be a little late this week and might also just be a little later in this area because of how the mail system works down here. I have noticed that I have gotten the hang of things here and everything is starting to feel normal with the whole being in another country thing. However, I still see that I have a lot to improve on and work on.

Letter home, arrived Dec 3, 2013                                         

Dear Family,                                                      Airdrie Scotland

Nov 18, 2013

P-day is always a good day.  We visited shops and went by the Rangers stadium and just looked around it and Elder Parsons wanted a football scarf.  We also went to see some little parts of town and had dinner with the Poories (They had all four of the Airdrie missionaries over).  Elder Parsons gave a really good spiritual thought about how we over complicate things and forget the basics, read and pray, and we will be successful always if we just follow those steps.

Nov 19, 2013

Today was just fast.  We stopped by the Cummings and just wanted to see if they needed service or anything and in turn they invited us in and had hot cocoa and one thing I noticed is that in Airdrie they are huge on making yourself at home and if you don’t, they’ll tell you to.  Sister Cummings told us about how she grew up in the Catholic church and just explained some things and it just really opened my eyes.

Nov 20, 2013

Today just showed me how much I hate staying in the flat.  We had to wait for my bed and they gave us no specific time so we just had to wait and I was bored out of my mind.  Thankfully it arrived around 1:00 today so we didn’t have to wait too long.  Other than that we got out and just did some good work.  We also talked with Mohson and just learned a ton about Muslims and I learned a lot but we still have a little work to do.

Nov 21, 2013

Today we met with Shane and his girlfriend and had a pretty good lesson with them.  But part way through our lesson his mom called and found out we were there and she said they can’t see us anymore or she will kick them out of her house.  So it just sucks getting kicked out but it’s okay because they still want to see us, we just can’t teach them at that house.

Nov 22, 2013

Today was one of those at the end of the day just sit down and just know I did my best and tomorrow is another day.  Today involved a lot of walking.  I’m still using my first pair of shoes.  I’m trying to make them last at least six months.  I always wonder to myself what my mission would be like without tracting all the time.  It probably means I’ve been doing a little too much chapping when my knuckles are sore.  We didn’t have any success but we had a good view on the way.

 Nov 23, 2013

Today we went to see Mohson and it was good.  He’s pretty stuck in his ways so I know we have a lot of work on our hands.  He isn’t against anything we say but Muslims are very hard to teach in that way.  I have noticed people are very set in their ways.  They are brought up with a religion that some are active in and know about but so many of the people we talk to were just brought up with it by their parents and they know nothing about it but they are still very stubborn.  The difference with me is I had the freedom to choose and I could see it was correct first hand and I know what I’m actually talking about.  It would be nice to just get into a discussion with someone that actually read the bible and knew what it says.  I know people’s faith more than they do and it’s frustrating when they just close the door on us because they don’t like being told, “Oh, you really aren’t supposed to smoke and drink yourself to death.”  All I know is they don’t know what they are missing and the one to let us in will be very lucky.

Nov 24, 2013

Today church was really good.  The other missionaries brought an investigator to church that’s just golden and is a really nice lady.  I have noticed my studies are amazing compared to before my mission and I can tell it will really help me with college.  My thoughts also are just more deep and meaningful because I’m constantly thinking and learning all the time.

Train on P-Day

Got to take time to laugh, I'm sure I said something funny.

My tag's on my backpack, I forgot to put it on.  King at the BK

Because it's so humid cold here, it gets frosty, this car has a cool frosty design on it.

On P-day we walked and looked around the stadium.

Scotland!

We drink a lot of milk and eat a lot of chicken

(Mom says, "Where are the veggies?")

We use Nando's Sauce on chicken, it's so good!

Christmas already?

Airdrie is great!

This week was really good, we are getting things moving along.  We have gotten at least a couple new investigators a week since we have been out here.  I'm having so much fun and just figuring out that I need to be myself, but my BEST self.  We chapped on the door of a young man and his girlfriend and his younger brother.  They like having us over and say to stop by whenever we are around. They are very promising and we get along with them really well.  They are also just funny to be around. His girlfriend is religious but he is not, but his girlfriend is actually really interested and agrees with everything we have said. I know that I have a lot of work ahead of me but I just need to keep pulling along. 

Yeah! I got the package on Tuesday and its amazing.  It made me so happy.  I almost forgot that I could get packages.  I looked at the socks and thought they were cool, then I noticed the logo and freaked out that they are Shaycarl socks and they are amazing and the beef jerky was super good! 

I only have the two sweaters that I went out with, the brown one and the black one, and I can't wear the one with the design unless I have a jacket over it.

Love, Elder Hanson 

It's getting really cold here.  A member gave me this coat.
It is really thick.

They have a lot of graveyards here and some are really spooky.

I love my socks, I call them my flat socks because I put them
on as soon as I get back to the flat at night.

I think we will be okay with sweeties (candy) for a while.

Letter home, received November 27, 2013

Dear Family                                                                                                                                 Airdree Scotland

November 11, 2013

Today was an awesome p-day.  We went to Glasgow Queen Street with the Airdrie elders.  Our actual name is Drumgoloch...I think.  Then we went to Glasgow stake building and played chair football and dodge ball and got to meet a lot more missionaries.  It was so much fun!

  The name Drumgelloch actually refers to the train station east of Airdree.

November 12, 2013

Today was a long day of walking all over, going by people and on our way to a place we saw a cool looking grave site so we looked at a bunch of the decorations and flowers and things for people's graves.  Then we had dinner at Bishop Purie and his wife made some of the best curry I've every had and some Indian food.  It's funny, Bishop is Indian but born in Scotland so he has a full Scottish accent and same thing with his wife but she is from Spain.

November 13, 2013

Today was really good.  We had zone meeting and got to learn a lot of things and I also got a package from Mom today! Thank you Mom.  It took me a while to notice that they were Shay Carl Socks, then I freaked out!  They are so awesome and I'm wearing them right now and eating beef jerky while writing this.  They made my date and week!

November 14, 2013

The work has been going amazing.  We were chapping and after the second door we met Shane, an 18 year old kid and his brother and he's really into video games and was real interesting in what we had to say.  He said that "You are actually pretty normal."  Considering he believes that if you believe in vampires then you can go to either vampire heaven or hell...that's another long story but they said come by anytime.

November 15, 2013

Today was really boring.  We had to wait in the flat all day waiting forr the delivery of our beds said it would be in anywhere from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.  So we just waited because they told us we need to be there but the night ended strong with a dinner with the Cummings and a lesson with Bill.  We said two prayers and gave him a Book of Mormon!

November 16, 2013

Today we went over to Stephan's.  He is a father of three children and plays the accordion on the bridge of Asda.  We had dinner with him and it was amazing.  if you ever stopped eating for a second he would yell at you, "Eat!"  No matter how much you eat, Ha, and it was just a ton of fun.  Every time our glass was empty he would fill it and say, "Drink!" So yeah, I'm pretty full.  Also, every time he said a joke he would wink and it was super funny.  We are also finding while looking for exercise equipment because the mission home told us we need to get some for our flat.  I am in the best shape ever!  I want to get really good with morning workouts even when I get home.

November 17, 2013

Today's sacrament meeting went really well.  It was the primary presentation and a lot of less actives showed up and it's always super cute to watch.  Tonight we went by Shane and his brother's again and had just a really good discussion that turned into an even better lesson.  Then we also went by Bill's again and I just got to know him and he's just a really nice guy.  he relapsed again and it's just so sad to see his life fall apart because of alcohol.  He honestly wants to stop but doesn't believe he can truly do it.  That's why the Lord has lead us to him.

We're working on it

All of that is really true about the boundary changes. It’s crazy that we are going to be divided from so many families. It’s almost like I’m not even going home to the same ward any more.

I know that things could be way worse here and a lot harder and Aberdeen was amazing to me. I know that what I am doing is true. It’s still hard but things are looking up. We have a couple of people to teach, it’s just really hard to start everything from kind of nothing. I can’t believe I’m already almost a 4th of the way done with my mission, That’s crazy it has flown by, but I know it’s because I’ve been busy and been working hard and I have loved every minute of it.  Next Friday we should be getting our beds but until then it looks like some more nights on the couch. We also only have one pan that we are going to be using like crazy this week. But I love it.  I love all the dodgy stories and all the things I’m doing because I know in the end everything will be ok. 

If you buy sweaters make sure they are plain and don’t have a design. Also dad has sent me some emails but they don’t go all the way through and I just get like bar codes and stuff.



Airdrie at twilight

Our NICE new flat!

 

Elder Parsons fixed lunch

Elder Utley is ACE

Sweet letters from the Condies:

October 27, 2013

Dear Elder Hanson,

Oh what a great joy it has been to serve here in Aberdeen with you. You are a special young man and it’s been good to see you sharing your testimony and the gospel. You’ve been an example of Christ like attributes as you have served with your companions. I am glad to know this will not be the last we see of you as I expect a visit from you to Springville when you return home!

I want you to know I have a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. I’m thankful to Heavenly Father for His plan and the opportunity of being a mother and grandma of 34 grandchildren. I catch a better glimpse of His purposes and reasons for families and the gospel plan as I serve this mission and study the scriptures and associate with you special young missionaries.

I have read The Book of Mormon many times now and continue to learn life lessons and the experiences of these people have helped me in my personal life situations and raising my family. I know it is true. It truly is another witness of Jesus Christ and reading it daily on my mission has helped me be closer to Heavenly Father.

Please keep in touch with us. You hold a special place in our hearts as one of our most special “mission kids”.

Till the work is done….

Love ya,

Sister Condie

Dear Elder Hanson,

I say “ditto” to everything Sister Condie has said. You are a great missionary. I feel you have a special spirit that can touch the hearts of many people as you talk to them and share your testimony.

There is a special spirit in serving with you in this mission. You’re one of the Arabian Horses that responds to the call of the Master’s tent. Keep up the good work.

Keep in touch with us as Sister Condie said.

           

I know the Lord is mindful of you and will strengthen you each day. Pray to Him often and don’t stress. All you have to do is your best!

Love,

Elder Condie

Another sweet letter from Elder Howie:

November 11, 2013

Brother and Sister Hanson,

   Your son is so very proud of you two, he talked often of your deeply rooted testimonies and rejoiced and treasured your conversion story Brother Hanson, He loves you so deeply. The mission brings different struggles to each of us, but your son will be a favored servant and is a favored servant in the Lord's hand, as he lets the molding happen he will be made strong! It was indeed a blessing to serve alongside your son, I love and appreciate him and certainly do miss him and think about him often. Your letters to him are so precious to his heart and soul. You must be proud :)

   Have a great week Hanson family!

       -Elder Howie

Aberdeen with the Condies

Letter home, received November 19, 2013
Dear Family                                                                                                          Airdrie
Nov 4, 2013
Today was an awesome p-day.  We went to Glasgow with the other Airdrie Elders (Parsons & Utley) and just went around looking at the city.  It's crazy that they already have Christmas things up.  Today the four of us just pretty much hung out and had fun and went shopping for random stuff.

Nov 5, 2013
Today we had district meeting in Glasgow.  We got to take the train so that was pretty cool.  We take the train a lot here and I went on exchanges with Elder Parsons and that was a lot of fun.  He has taught me a lot with just how to act.  We also all had dinner at the Bishop's house and he is amazing.  Then we did a lot of chapping to end off the night.  We were walking at night and saw a bunch of fireworks and Bon fires in backyards.

Nov 6, 2013
Today was just a really hard sore day.  We are doing a lot more walking here and a lot of tracting but it's good.  It builds character.  It never has been easy work.  My legs feel like they are going to fall off, ha ha. We had lunch with a member in the ward, Shawn, he's a little off, but I love him.  Over all, just a simple day today.

Nov 7, 2013  (Adam's birthday)
Today we went shopping to get stuff for our flat like pots and pans and other stuff we need.  Then we had dinner at the McGowan's.  They are an amazing couple and really funny.  It's super fun to have four missionaries instead of just us two because it's always exciting.  I'm also starting to get the hang of things and I really like it.  My mind isn't racing 100 miles an hour because this is starting to be all I know.

Nov 8, 2013 
So today we went on exchanges again and I was with Elder Utley from Colorado, Elder Parson's trainee. He's a really cool guy and is really nice to be with, a little green, but good.  We went with Jamie, a man in the ward to just share a message with the widows in the ward and he got us lunch at McDonald's.  It's a lot of fun.  We also went to see Bill tonight and he's actually trying to stop drinking because he has seen how it has destroyed his life and it is just making him really tired because his body isn't used to being without it.  Even though he was a lot more alert and with it tonight.

Nov 9, 2013
Today went by super fast!  We went to charity shops to see if we could volunteer on Saturday and then we did service at Br. Smith's who is actually losing his house so we helped him move and throw away stufff and it was really hard to see because he's just a really nice guy.  You can still hear the fireworks that people have for Bobby Burns Day.  I've also been wearing a poppy flower, the last couple of days because everyone wears them here to help support the troops.  It's like 4th of July or Memorial Day.

"A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, sometimes also known as Robert Burns Day (or Robbie Burns Day) or Burns Night, although they may in principle be held at any time of the year."  -Wikipedia

Nov 10, 2013
We went to church today and had some really good talks.  I also got to just stay and talk with and get to know some more  about the ward.  We had dinner at Sister Dougherty's and it was really good.  We learned that a couple of years ago she was one of the last senior Sister missionaries that went proselyting just like young missionaries do.  She served in Australia and a couple of her companions were 21 and she was like 40, but she had companions that were even older than her and she just has a strong passion for the Gospel.
Love, Elder Hanson