Email Time! MTC - March 22, 2012

Well woohoo.  This week has been going well.  It's true, waiting can be a pain, but my mind focuses on the day by day.  Frankly, it doesn't really bother me, to wait for a visa.  My companions are a bit more antsy than I.  Since one of the elders that was in our room left to Rosario Argentina his previous companion became our companion.  So now we are a trio.  We're making do.  For the past week we've been with our teacher reviewing topics we wanted to talk about, that we could use some more help with.  This week, as of yesterday, we joined a new advanced district.  So we'll be jumping on with some native speakers in their MTC experience.  It'll be good to learn though it'll be a lot like nine weeks crammed into two and a half.  Because it is.  Elder Dallin H. Oaks talked to us on Tuesday.  His wife Kristen did too.  They were good.  Talked about teaching with the Holy Ghost and the Sacrament.  That makes 3 apostles that we've seen though- Jeffrey R. Holland twice.  I've been here too long.  I'm thinking about getting anxious for speaking with the native Spanish speakers in our class, because one of the elders was talking to me 10 minutes ago and I understood like 10 words of 30.  But he's hard to listen to in the first place, I think.  Doesn't speak very clearly.  I'll get by.

Matt - Maybe it's just me, kind sir, but you've always seemed to keep fairly late hours.  And about that wonderful food in Argentina.  I've been told by just about everyone I meet that the food will in fact be wonderful.  Not just about everyone, even.  Every single person.  Granted, I've only talked to 6 or so people who have actually been there.  But that's still some pretty good odds.  We talked with one of the teachers here who went to our same mission during lunch.  He told us not to step in the gutters, that we'd mainly be among the poor people.  There is a temple in our mission, though.  He said that the pick-up-rock dog-scare tactic actually works down there.  I'll utilize it well.  And I'll have to meditate on your analogy challenge.  It'll come.  And about words.  It's true.  I'll probably forget some.  So far I've only forgotten obscure words that are made up in books that I read, however.  I don't think I'll forget a ton though because Spanish and English are so similar.  Many cognates.  So I might mix it up that way.  And one interesting false cognate - to be embarrassed is not embarazada.  That, in fact, actually means you're pregnant.  I'll be avoiding that word.

Mom & Dad - Sad it was overcast there.  Sad I couldn't get some Lil' Piggy's and lounge in a Sky Chair thingy by the pier in that one nice shop.  Or play Ticket to Ride Asia with partners.  But y'know.  I'll survive.  Although I do expect to play some Ticket to Ride partners when I get back.  Maybe, no, definitely, more than some.  Count on it.  Sorry you had to drive through that nice little snowfall.  I don't believe I would've liked driving through it.  Thanks for saying a bit more about the blog.  It really doesn't matter if you share it with whoever you will.  At first I thought when you put Ward you meant the whole ward.  But then I realized it when I was rough drafting this letter.  Hah.  It's about what I thought it'd be.  Which is a wonderful thing.  I can't really view it, but I'll have faith you only hired the best to work out the layout and design.  And by the by, I'll probably send the SD card from my camera home and buy one here.  Then you can take the photos from it and perhaps eventually send it back.  Really, though, thanks for the blog.  It'll be a wonderful thing when I'm finished with the mission.  I'll have the opportunity to reread my emails and chuckle at the little jokes I crack, the ones that you people don't even realize are jokes.  I will continue having a good week, without doubt.  I pray that you all will as well.

Alexander - Attitude, young one.  Anything can be a drag if you let it.  For example, I didn't value very much the second talk that Jeffrey R. Holland gave here because I just wasn't feeling very well.  I probably had a little sore throat, but more my brain was just ugh.  And those talks you don't hear again.  So it's sad.  A wasted opportunity.  The earlier you stop the fret the easier it gets.  Yes, I want to erase that, although I am the one who just typed it.  I as well am excited for conference.  All in Spanish, baby.  The hardest thing is that when you listen to conference talks in a different language, you tend to pay more attention to the actual words rather than the message or more important as well the Spirit.  But I can overcome.  Enjoy practicing your missionary ways.  Study chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel.  It's what I'm doing today, and I'm thinking more or less throughout the week in bits.  Christlike attributes.  It'll rock.  And also, praying is good too.  And one last plea.  For all your emails till the rest of time, you may only use the word "crap" once more.  It's far too negative.  Uplift, yo.  I really have noticed here the power that comes to people when the use language that is good.  Not that crap is a vulgar word, but in context it can sound and be used the exact same way.  It changes the way you think, and definitely feel.  I kind of feel like I've lectured you now.  Hopefully you take it well.

And that's that.  Now I have some time and I might email Courtney with the time I have left.  3:30 minutes.  Time it.

Love,

You dearest Elder Hansen

Letter from the Family March 22, 2012

ELDER HANSEN, 
Eulogy Nick, eulogy.  It is 12:19 AM as I write this. I seem to keep late hours nowadays. Sadly, due to daylight savings they will soon become even later. To match good ol' Australia I'll be going to work an hour later and getting off an hour later with the end result being less sleep time. I have been having a relaxed Spring Break though.  I went out to San Diego and wandered around for half a week. I even bought myself a wetsuit and a body board. The ocean in the States is too cold, but the suit helped.  Also, I visited the beloved Lil' Piggy's BBQ and had some tasty comida.  Hopefully there is some good food down in Argentina . Don't be afraid to try new things - just don't eat dog.  Kick dog if necessary, but don't eat dog.  I'm wondering how long it will take before it starts getting harder to remember certain English words.  Honestly, you aren't going to forget how to speak English, but you may have a harder time remembering words that you don't use commonly. Like crem
 ation - that one had my district stumped for half a P-day.  In consideration of this I shall give you a word of the week (unless I forget, which is pretty probable). This week the word is candor, which means the state or quality of being frank, open, and sincere.  And your fun fact: there is a type of wasp that invades ant burrows to lay its eggs.  The cool part is that the wasp emits a pheromone that causes the ants to fight amongst themselves and thus provides a way for the wasp to get deep enough to lay its eggs with the ant larvae and then escape  (it is your missionary duty to pull some awesome analogy out of that).  Anyways, I need to take a few online quizzes and get some sleep.  Show some candor and good luck with the visa!   
Señor Guapo 

******************************<WBR>************* 

Hola Senor Nico, 

We also went to San Diego.  Matt took up all the good weather.  When we went the first day was overcast.  We did the Mormon Battalion and Old Town S.D. and walked the pier that day.  Didn't really even get to the sand and the beach.  The next day it was raining seriously.  We went to Lil Piggy's, shopped a bit and then toured the battleship Midway.  It was pretty cool.  They wouldn't let us on the flight deck though.  Played games until early am though both days.  Taught Kevin how to play Ticket to Ride with Partners, and Carcasonne.  I lose that game every time I play anymore.  But I still love it.  Bill and Jeanne are doing well.  We left Sunday morning - had planned to pick up a Sacrament Meeting, but decided to leave earlier.  Was good we left.  We drove through a snowstorm - no a blizzard- on the way home.  Visibility horrible, speed down to about 30.  Glad Dad was driving.  Made the trip longer though.  Then back to the grind when we got home.   

So, your blog site has a couple of pictures and the letters you send to us.  I have thought about posting our letters to you, but haven't yet.  We've only given the site out to Bishop Ellingson, Ward, and family members.  That way if I forget to send a copy of your e-mail to someone they can just catch up on the blog.  Plus you will have a place where you can see your e-mails later. 

I'm praying for you often that your visa will come soon.  I guess you needed to bone up on your patience and that is the Lord's way of teaching it to you.  It's not easy, but it's better than getting pancreatitis like your dad.  Love you a ton, miss you still.  (our milk usage is to less than 2 gallons a week),  Have a good week, Mom (and Dad) 

******************************<WBR>** 

So it begins anew for the last time. The next schooling quarter progresses as my care of it digress in larger and larger quantities. There is a lot of crap that I have to do before I graduate though. New York trip crap, sing at baccalaureate stuff, get my service learning hours confirmed, clean my room, another choir concert, party it up, and pass all of my classes(which shouldn't be too hard right?). Life rolls on here though. I really need to get a job. Dag yo. anywho conference and missionary week and the musical are all coming up next week so that should be freakin sweet. maybe it will help me feel better about school and other such things. The overall thing I am having difficulty with is trying desperately to find out where I fit into this world. I mean religiously I am good, but I want to do something that I love for a living you know? I really want to make a big impact on someone or something. I guess I need to find my cause. My cause for getting up in the morning and 
 the cause for carrying on. I don't know. life has been bleh as of late. Anywho sorry I am not more uplifting. But at least I wrote to you.  anyway peace out brother. 
-Alex  

A Few MTC Pictures

 

Yup. - MTC March 15, 2012

And another day comes.  Currently just waiting for a visa, as you know.  Two of our Argentina elders, the only ones currently left, got theirs.  One got his yesterday afternoon and left this morning at five.  The other got his yesterday afternoon and will leave Monday.  For us, I expect when we get our visas we'll likely leave the next day, because we'll be going right to our mission in Buenos Aires instead of a different one like Rosario.  So it's basically just a waiting game right now.  I'll get through but it's a bother just not knowing and having no control.  Everything else is coming along.  Language is a constant work in progress along with teaching and whatever else there is.  But I'm improving. 

Tuesday we heard from an Elder Craig A. Cardon, who must have been related to Brother Cardon.  They just acted and looked similar, and he graduated from ASU.  The weather here is wonderful right now, things blooming.  But the exercise field just won't get open.  So I can't practice my soccer skills before going to Argentina.  I've met a bunch of people here from Mesa that I've never known before, as well as some I did know.  But there are a lot of people from Mesa.  But our district is getting through.  Three of us wait for visas, two to Buenos Aires West and another to Rosario.  We were renamed from District 48F, because another District F came in.  So now we are District X.  Los hombres equis (X).

Alex - Oh, sleep.  Here I am constantly tired.  Especially because Sunday we had to set our alarms back an hour for Daylight Savings Time.  Thank you, Arizona, for rebelling against random sleep loss.  Then on Tuesday we had to wake up 30-45 minutes early for service.  So a double dose of less sleep.  But y'know, I'll survive.  Your question...  Blind faith in God.  Faith is things hoped for and not seen, Ether 12:6.  Essentially, I could write you a long explanation that could be nice.  But I think it'd be nice to send you some chapters to study.  So here they are:  Alma 32, Ether 12, and Moroni 7.  They are wonderful chapters on faith.  Faith, hope and charity.  Faith really doesn't depend on sight though.  My teacher demonstrated an activity that I liked.  He had someone do a trust fall.  So the first fall, you really don't know whether the person will catch you.  You fall because you believe that they'll catch you.  They probably told you that they'd catch you.  So you fall and are caught.  Then you do the trust fall again.  The catcher steps back a little.  The person falling is asked to fall again.  Because he's seen the results of falling the first time - being caught- he has more trust he'll be caught.  However, it's still scary.  And more than that, you're caught a little further back.  Repeat this, stepping back each time.  For faith you have to trust and then you will see results.  It'll get harder to trust in as it goes along but easier at the same time.  And since God is all-powerful, you can believe he won't drop you.  But that's part of it.  Read the chapters too.  They rock.

Grandma - It'd be interesting to talk to all the snowbirds and see where they're from and everything like that.  And I think you're having more parties and get-togethers than I've ever had, that's for sure.  Your letter to me where you talked about Mary Elizabeth Knight was delayed until just last night, so I finally read it.  I really had no clue about that at all.  Thank you for sharing the story with me.  It's good that David Palmer's home.  Only a few months, therefore, until Logan Groscost is also back.  That's crazy.

Sam & Matt - I've never thought of evergreen leaves on plants before.  Weird.  Also, you should like your ground on fire before planting your plants to give it the best environment possible.  How the pros do it.  And I, like the  Agapanthus, have adapted to survive the fynbos.  I'll be waiting to hear word of a Ticket To Ride World coming out.  The one that you have seems interesting.  I very much like their double sided board idea.  Perfect for their games.  I don't know why, either, I have no clue what an orange tree looks like when it's blooming.  Weird because half the neighbors have orange trees.  I'm inept at basic seasonal observation, it appears.  I'm sad you couldn't find the Mistborn word.  I know there is one, a general one.  I think it was in the newest book though.  Maybe not in the actual reading, but I thought so.

Mom - San Diego will be fun.  Also, thank you for avoiding the topic of poop.  Nice that Alex won't be a lone fish at San Diego.  Sea World could be fun.  Fish and all, y'know.  One of our teachers got engaged at Disneyland since we've been here.  He organized it and it turned out quite well, actually.  I do think Sea World would be cool, I was being sarcastic when I wrote fish and all.  Hopefully you knew before I wrote this, but that might not be true.  Over here, something special will happen for Easter.  Possible there'll be an MTC choir at conference.  But more a conjecture than a fact for now, so don't count on it.  And the fact that I'll be gone by then makes it that much more unlikely that you'll really care.  I did get Bryce's email address.  The letter I sent right when I entered the MTC was answered.  He sent it all in Spanish, not quite grammatically correct or spelled correctly.  But he probably wins in actually speaking it.  And the allegory of the olive tree.  I'll see if I can wrangle up a thought.

Tyrel - Muchas gracias por la cancion.  That needs an accent.  But I've explained this once before.  You just had to choose that one for the ending.  Goodness.  Nice to see you're in focus mode.  It helps when something comes into view, into a close view to put your all into it.  Concentration.  But you'll do awesome.  Funny you said I should read Moroni 10.  I'm almost done with the Book of Mormon.  Read to Moroni 8 today.  The end of the Book of Mormon really is awesome.  I need to notice more the doctrines I can learn from these last chapters.  Especially 10, as it's the last one.  Then it'll be el Libro de Mormon and New Testament for studying.  I remembered just now I didn't reply to your old mail because it arrived the day I sent off my email.  But I don't have it nor do I remember what it says, very much.  But it was good.  I'm out of time, but I really do enjoy your letters.  They are wondrous.

Weekly Letter - MTC - March 8, 2012

Sweet subject title, eh?  Coincidentally, last Thursday night we got our travel plans.  So I had to wait until Preparation day today to write you about them.  All appears well.  Visa is a go.  I'll be going on Delta, flight 80, from SLC at 9:40 am to ATL Georgia, where I'll arrive at 3:25 pm their time.  Then, a 4 hour layover until 7:45 pm, where I'll board Delta flight 101 going to Buenos Aires Argentina (EZE), in which I'll arrive at 6:55 am.  Woo hoo!  I'm planning on calling from Atlanta, some time after I arrive.  So keep those four hours relatively free.  If you want me to call at a different time, just say, but say it to me before Saturday at 2pm, because that's the last chance I'll have to get mail from you.  I don't really want to leave a long phone message.  I only keep five minutes of talking available at a time.

Here is good.  Last gym yesterday.  No gym on P-day.  Friday is in-field orientation.  Saturday is the day, to pack and get everything ready.  Monday at 6 am we'll leave.  That's nice because that's around when we usually wake up instead of 2 am or 4 am.

It'll stink to say goodbye to the district.  At 3 weeks you already talk to them all the time and know them well, so at 9 weeks it just gets harder.  I'll be with my companion and another member of my district, who's going to Cordoba instead of Buenos Aires for the flights.  But we go where we go, and we can meet up afterwards if we want.  It's exciting.  It's true, basketball will be missed as ultimate frisbee has been.  We might play basketball down there, but for sure I'll be a soccer star when I return.  Leo Messi for sure.

So basically, this week is to prepare to leave.  We're training the new zone leaders, the sister in our district, who is the coordinating sister, is training the new coordinating sister.  It's good.  Things are happening.

Alex - That'd be nice.  Good job performing.  I'm not sure why I wrote that'd be nice either, but you can check your last email and infer.  But about that play, like I started to say.  Good job.  Although those scenes are so cheesy I more or less want to curl up and cry.  And shudder, as I just did.  But yup, I thought you'd like them.  And with school and all?  Keep going.  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.  Finish high school and then keep going.  Get a job.  Or more than one.  Just do work.  It's a good thing.  If I could I'd poke you with a cattle prod to make you.

Sam & Matt - It'd be cool to have hummingbirds.  Also, I'm not calling it a hibiscus anymore, but  Bunga Raya.  Far more regal.  And I'll always remember the five Rukun Negra.  And if you're hungry, or performing a science experiment...  You can test your pool with them!  Free pH indicator!  You people are geniuses.  Well thought through.  I'm not sure, but I think it's spelled genii.  Weird, I know.  Maybe I'm just wrong.  I'm excited for your nebulizer, dear sister.  I imagine it's some kind of space weapon.  Just makes you disappear if you're hit by it.  I think it's a bit weird to use it on yourself, but maybe it's fine tuned.  What's the name of the expansion for Ticket to Ride?  I very much miss playing partners in the Asia one.  I didn't burn myself out on it before I left.  Oh, woe is me.

Mom - How dare they!  If you'd like a I can write you a letter telling them to stop stiffing me.  About Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Bill, I think it's funny they came from San Diego, a large city, to Mesa, and still spend a day shopping.  I was going to ask you to send me info on how Courtney is doing, but she decided to do that herself.  Very nice of her.  Sumamente so.  That's Spanish, but there is an English word on the tip of my tongue that's basically the exact same thing.  Bleh.  We, one of the elders in my district and I, wondering what it was when a person has both Allomantic powers and Feruchemical powers.  No Hemalurgy involved.  There's one name, a general one.  So if anyone can answer it, or even google it, please do it.  And about the play.  Beauty and the Beast had to be better than Joseph, if only for the inherently poorer quality of the music of Joseph.  I mean, goodness.  Beauty and the Beast is a good movie, which I really want to watch here.  Please feel free to send me the lyrics to some of the songs in it.  Like seriously.  It'd be cool.  Nice to know that you're still quilting away.  I miss my nice blanket.  And oh, the glory of yardwork.  I would enjoy it much more than the service here, which I still enjoy.  It's actually fun to do yardwork.  Especially taming the villanous Bougeanevillea.  I'm so close.  Incredibly so.  Ty sent me the right spelling, but I only looked at it once, and I'm not sure if I have it quite there.  But it's really close.  Good to know things are moving at the house.  It'll be a relief once things settle down, but as it is now, just read your scriptures, pray, pay tithing, and do what's right.  It's good to have a few constants in your life, neh?  And about the truck, it's awesome.  Splendiferous.

And about your lesson.  I'll kind of connect it to your paragraph, because it's your lesson.  And it looks good for my mom to have the hugest paragraph out of the bunch.  Hugest likely isn't a word, but you know.  Back to it.  2 Nephi 26-30.  How in the world are you going to teach 5 amazing jam packed awesome chapters in only fifty minutes.  I could just study those chapters for hours.  But I'll focus on one thing right off, and that thing is prophecy from prophets.  Nephi is there, 2600 years ago, prophesying events that will occur in 600, 850 about, 2400, 2600 years.  Even into these days.  Into the future.  The coming of Christ, the falling away after the fourth generation, the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, missionary work spreading the Book of Mormon to the descendants of the Lamanites, and what hasn't happened yet, the Millenium.  And even some more that I'm not completely sure about.  Crazy.  This teaches me that the value of a prophet today is nigh insurmountable.  He has the ability to receive revelation as Nephi did, for us.  And we know that Nephi's vision came true, which definitely gives some backing.  We need so much more to give heed to General Conference.  Read the BoM daily, and listen to General Conference.  When driving is a good choice.  All the talks are given for our benefit.  Even the ones from the sisters with the bothersome voices that only talk about Primary.  If I need to, I'll only read those ones, without a picture of the sister.  But find a way to make yourself read them, listen to them.  We have sustained these people to teach us.  So we need to back up our hands with our actions.  God has given us the opportunity to listen to these talks.  Write down what this reason is.  Then pray about it.  Make it something you can do in your daily life.  Making goals to become better is a form of repentance, changing who you are to become more in accordance with Him.  I accidentally typed Jim at first.  That'd be awkward.  Value your prayers, say them at least twice a day, hopefully more like ten times or so.

I love you all.  I need to hear more about this mysterious blog you created for me.  Just tell me something about it, or everything.

Elder Hansen

Letter from the Family 3-6-2012

Yea yea so you didn't get transferred. That was bryce's letterin which he told of how he was transferred and such. It sounds like he is doing well. I forwarded his and your letters to kevin. So He knows about stuff and might actually write you once or twice. So i performed the musical from tuesday to last night. Pretty crazy. We sold out every night and then we oversold some nights. Which hasn't ever really happened before. Performing was legit. Standing ovations and such. it really was a great show. The last night they added some funny stuff to it like they made the beast's (Joeseph Speakman) voice from a low rumbling voice to a high pitch mickey mouse voice and he had to clear his throat and mumbled 'Hairball..' Or when he was showing belle the castle he gave directions to the bathroom and told belle its clogged up and that she could thank Cogsworth for that. Over all it was the best experience at Mesa High school 
 so far. It was wonderful . Anywho it sounds like your having fun. Keep it up little bro.  
-The Best looking Hansen. 

______________________________<WBR>______________________________<WBR>______________________________<WBR>______________________________<WBR>______________________________<WBR>____________________ 

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, known colloquially as the Chinese hibiscus, China rose and shoe flower, is an evergreen flowering shrub native to East Asia.  It is widely grown as an ornamental plant throughout the tropics and subtropics. The flowers are large, generally red in the original varieties, and firm, but generally lack any scent. In the subtropical and temperate Americas, hummingbirds are attracted to them on a regular basis. 
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was named by Carolus Linnaeus.  Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia, called Bunga Raya in Malay. Introduced into the Malay Peninsula in the 12th century, it was nominated as the national flower in the year 1958 by the Ministry of Agriculture amongst a few other flowers, namely ylang ylang, jasmine, lotus, rose, magnolia, and bunga tanjung. On 28 July 1960, it was declared by the government of Malaysia that the hibiscus would be the national flower.  The word bunga in Malay means "flower", whilst raya in Malay means "big" or "grand". The hibiscus is literally known as the "big flower" in Malay. The red of the petals symbolizes the courage, life, and rapid growth of the Malaysian, and the five petals represent the five Rukun Negara of Malaysia. The flower can be found imprinted on the notes and coins of the Malaysian ringgit.   
Hibiscus flower preparations are used for hair care. The flowers themselves are edible and are used in salads in the Pacific Islands. The flowers are used to shine shoes in parts of India.  It is also a pH indicator. China rose indicator turns acidic solutions to magenta/dark pink and basic solutions to green. It is also used for the worship of Devi and especially the red variety takes an important part in tantra. In Indonesia, these flowers are called "kembang sepatu", which literally means "shoe flower".  Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is considered to have a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology. 

I hope that is a sufficiently descriptive plant portrayal.  We actually planted four varieties of hibiscus, orange, yellow, red, and white.  So far the white and orange are not looking so hot.  I'm excited because all the bulbs we planted in the front flowerbed are starting to pop up.   
We haven't been up to too much.  I visited the lung doctor and I should be getting a nebulizer so I can give myself breathing treatments at home.  Otherwise I get to go back at the end of the month and breathe for the computer so it can analyze everything.   
Matt and I both got Friday off for Matt's birthday.  We didn't go mini golfing like we planned but we did run around and get him some more plants and Matt used his birthday money to get doodads for the air compressor I gave him and he also got a Ticket to Ride expansion (similar to the Asia one) that is for two to four players so Matt and I can play without having to try to find other people to play with us.  Sadly, Matt did not win any of the times we've played, Dad won once, I won once, and I think Bill or Jeanne won once.   
We finally posted the hot tub on craigslist and we've had a couple calls but haven't sold it yet so Matt will probably drop the price and see if we can get rid of it.  Anyways, enough from me.   
Matt and Sam 

______________________________<WBR>______________________________<WBR>______________ 

Well Nicholas, 
It seems you were stiffed by a couple of people this week.  Sort of a boring letter for you I guess.  Sorry.  We had Bill and Jeanne here this weekend.  Didn't really do much with them.  They got here Friday night after I had left for the play, and on Saturday they were gone shopping most of the day.  Saturday night they had a wedding and we went to the play.  We did play come ticket to ride both nights though.  It was fun.  Jeanne and I didn't win the partners Asia game, but we did well communicating and getting lots of cities.   
Although I didn't think the play was as good as Joseph, it was very well done.  Especially Kier Ashby as Lumierre.  Be our guest was amazing.  Used everyone in the play sort of like the GoGo Joseph scene last year.  Lots of energy and really fun.   
Sunday Dad and I went out to John and Allison's house.  They blessed their baby.  Matt made it to that, but we didn't.  We just went to the open house thingy - and didn't stay too long either.   
I came home and helped Sam with her denim circle quilt.  I've now safety-pinned over 500 squares onto the circles and my fingers are still a little sore.  I also finished Sam's quilt that I unpicked over Christmas.  It looks so much better this way.  I mailed it off yesterday to the quilt lady.   
Matt took over your favorite job of spraying the weeds.  Took him most of the afternoon.  Alex will be mowing lawns later today.  Also cleaning the fireplaces.  I know how much you miss the chores.  We're hoping that the next place will be minimalist in that way.  Another family is coming through today.  They went to church on Sunday and are planning on making an offer.  Hamilton Crocketts parents came through last week twice and they have placed an offer.  Plus there is another one already.  So, things are moving along.  It will be good to finally have this settled.  Dad has been really weak lately and having to go to bed as soon as he gets home.  I'm convinced it's stress.   
So, we teach our lesson this week.  It's 2 Nephi 26-30.  I'm just glad the Isaiah chapters skipped us.  Love teaching about Nephi.   
Not sure how it came about, but Matt & Dad got some diagnostic computer from one of the auto stores and they replaced a fuse in the truck, and after it's driven and certain maneuvers are done, it should pass inspection.  No more money needed.  Now, that is a huge blessing.  Dad and Alex have had a hard time juggling cars for the past couple of weeks.  If Alex starts working it will just get harder and harder. 
So, your time there is getting pretty short.  I can tell from your letters that you are anxious to be off and running on the next stage.  Still so happy for you and praying for you.  Have a good week.  Love Mom (and Dad) 

Why is a subject necessary? How about: Weekly letter from your favorite missionary!

Things go well here, more or less, more than less.  I had my first experience hosting new missionaries right out of the cars.  The whole drop-off scene, slightly dazed new missionaries.  It wasn't bad.  They had hot chocolate.  For us, but I imagine the new missionaries could have partaken of it if they so noticed and desired.  We just led them to get some stuff, where their residence hall is, their classroom.  Good stuff.  Talking about hot chocolate, it has been slightly more chill this week.  More snow, and it just feels not quite as good.  Too much chill, brrr, cold.  I like me some sunlight and warmth.  On a separate topic, Jeffrey R. Holland came and talked to us on Tuesday.  It was pretty sweet.  Occasionally awkward, occasionally funny, occasionally the opposite of both.  Also, another separate topic, I should get my flight itinerary.  In layman's terms (not Laman's, as I thought for several years) this means my travel plans.  Then should I know if my visa went through.  I believe it will.  I'm excited.  I want to be in an environment where there is Spanish all around, where I can learn how people actually speak the language, all the little things you can't really pick up in a classroom.  And I have this pretty sweet message I want to share with them.  Double bonus for me.  I'm really excited, like ooh boy, yeah yeah yeah yeah excited.  I remember some episode of Avatar where someone was excited and said something similar, but I can't remember which.

Matt & Sam - That is a veritable plethora of plants.  My favorites as of my first glance were Camellia Sasanqua because it kinda sounds like Sasquatch, and Gladiolus grandiflorus, because it sounds like a name from a book that Alex or Ty would read.  Good to know you're going to fix your reactive airways also.  I had some trouble with those things some time back.  Just ask for advice if you need it.  And fun fact, the word lung in Spanish is pulmon.  With an accent over the "o" but I couldn't quite get the keyboard to do that.  So a pulmonologist, or whatever you said it was.  Have fun.  Eat some brownies for me.

Matt - You probably knew that I would ask this as soon as you wrote the word, but what in the world is a ugoogley?  I'm a bit short on dictionaries in English here and Google is offlimits.  I did greatly enjoy your comment about Alex writing your obituary.  In fact, I'm still enjoying it, and will continue to do so.  I also agree with it.  Ha.  And boy oh boy.  You went all hoity toity.  Blew up your piggy bank on that little escapade.  It did sound good.  I want some lobster leek potatoes now.  I also just want to find a restaurant that has some class, but that isn't crazy overpriced, and the food is good.  And wingapo.  No wonder.  Never saw Pocahontas a ton.  Talking tree creeped me out a bit.  And the fact chart needs to go deeper.  I've known the platypus fact for a few years now.

Alex - Transferred, really?  I don't even think I mentioned that word.  It does help to read things before responding...  But hey, to each their own.  And service learning.  I should have done something like that.  I could have for drafting, for drafting an old house, I forget the actual term, but just remembered it, historic, but my teacher didn't quite follow through on it.  But it was fun and good experience.  You are one eager beaver.  You have like three months of school left.  You're only 16.  You have like 60 days left of school, perhaps more.  You've got time yet in the good old school system.

Mom - Real bacon.  They have it here, but it's usually well crisped to something past real bacon.  I think it's funny how you were able to receive all of Ty's messages like that.  For months.  I'm also quite surprised I haven't heard sooner.  I think I might have heard a tidbit once.  I probably still get texts for FHE from Matt on my number.  Working 5 in a row is a lot.  It was weird reading the word "hammered" from you.  I didn't laugh.  I was slightly disconcerted.  It is quite applicable to the circumstance, but it sounds so weird coming from my mom.  My mind is still in the process of being boggled.  Even hearing about a bed like that is scary.  I would not like that.  Terrible situation.  Shudder at that bed.

Dad - Typing "not much to say" and leaving it at that is a wonderful understatement.

Ty - Schedule schedule.  It'll be tough to organize everything.  I've got no clue how you fit it all in.  I've been learning to appreciate time better since my assignment takes away from some of the language study and personal study we have.  It's harder to prepare for our investigators as well, but it's good experience for the field, where I likely won't have much time to plan then either.  And ward clerk.  I typed wark at first, which is also an interesting word.  If it is really a "word."  For some reason it seems weird to me that that's a stake calling, because you're a ward clerk.  But it is nice to know you paid attention enough to write things down.  I've been trying bit by bit to listen to everything that is said, even if it's something I hear often.  Por ejemplo, prayers.  I wants to be able to listen to a prayer well enough so that afterwards I can state the points that they prayed about, more or less.  Something I need to improve on.  Maybe it'll help me remember people's names better.  And six hours of video.  Good luck.  I have little clue how you'll pack that in with all your other responsibilities.  But you can do it.  I also greatly thank you for remembering to send the spelling of bougainevillea.  I didn't even have to look at the paper again to spell it.  It means you're reading my letters.  And that even a little question counts.  Because I was very interested in how to spell it.

If there is one big thing I've been thinking about since Tuesday, more or less, it'd be about living the gospel.  Like living it, for real.  It's been apparent since I've been here the importance of being obedient.  Because once I take the first step of being obedient, I can have the Holy Ghost with me.  And the Holy Ghost is what really makes me better.  Like happier, when I act, how I feel day to day, the good stuff.  When I look at the scope of an entire life, it seems like a huge commitment, to obey each day.  But it helps me not to look at that, but to focus on living the commandments day by day.  Less stress, more clarity of thought, which I greatly appreciate.  It means giving up less important things, for sure.  But I can deal with that.  If I can repent daily, set goals to change daily for the better in small manners, I can become better.  I need to use the Atonement daily to improve.  Change change change.  In a good way.  Love you all, I think about you occasionally.  Not sad, still glad I don't have a girlfriend.  But until next.

Love again,

Elder Hansen

Letter from the Family Feb 28, 2012

To:  The Boy (Mom's phrasing) 
From:  Matt and Sam 
A list of the plants we planted.  We haven't gotten around to a description of each one.  Maybe you'll get one description each time we write.  Hibiscus rosa-sinensis X, Agapanthus africanus 'Cobalt Blue', Clivia miniata, Gardenia jasminoides 'Veitchii', Camellia Japonica or Camellia Sasanqua ( I can't remember which) Hemerocallis fulva , Freesia, Zantedeschia aethiopica, Gladiolus grandiflorus, Dahlias, Violas, Aquilegia, Lupinus, Clematis, Ixia, and Convallaria majalis.  We'll also probably buy some annual flowers in a flat and plant them but we haven't done that yet.  Budgetary constraints of living within your means...   
Anyways, I've landed in Urgent Care yet again this week.  I definitely like the second one better than the first.  They took x-rays and decided that I'm having problems with "reactive airways", their term for" we don't know why you feel like you can't breathe but we'll give you the benefit of the doubt and pretend you're not making it all up".  They did give me a different medicine that seems to help though and I'm all set to see the pulmonologist on Tuesday.   
Matt's birthday is on Friday so we both took the day off and we're going to go mini golfing or bowling and then go out to lunch.  Just hang out and do something fun.  He wanted brownies instead of cake so I'm gonna make these peanut butter cheesecake brownies.  They've got a layer of brownie, then cheesecake with reeses pieces, then a chocolate layer topped off with chopped reeses peanut butter cups.  It looked really good.   
Matt has got a new schedule at work.  He works Sunday afternoon/evening and then Monday through Thursday on a regular shift.  Not his preferred choice but he does get Fridays off so he's been scheduling his interviews for a new job on Fridays.  He's hoping he can change jobs and possibly work a second job to pay off some student loans early or save money for the bigger house projects.   
Enough from me, until next time. 


Nicholas, 

I have an important question for you that has been no small debate amongst us. I am wondering who you would like to write out you ugoogley and obituary. I know you are a young whippersnapper and probably haven't thought much about it, but I think it's good of me to encourage you to plan it out nicely. Myself, I am going to be buried on the moon, there will be bagpipes of course, and I'm thinking Wildflower Bread company will be catering (they make some delicious breadbowls). Ty gets my car since he called dibs some time ago. I'm thinking Alex will write my obituary and you can write my ugoogley. Nothing flowery now - say it straight and clean. I expect Alex to make the obituary like some dramatic Facebook post, although Sam will probably have to edit it for the sake of clarity. Of course this is all very preemptive of me since I'll probably outlive all of you and perhaps your children. Nevertheless! It is good to have it all planned out.  
Now I'm all hungry for a breadbowl.... I went and saw Wicked yesterday evening. I even went out to a fancy restaurant beforehand and had myself some filet mignon with lobster-leek mashed potatoes with some with brown sugar something something else glazed carrots and sauce on top. It was delicious. The starter was a cheese and fruit plate, of which 3 cheeses were quite tasty and 2 were much less so. I wish I knew what cheeses they were so I could tell you, but I have no clue. They were however quite diverse and of varying consistencies. Overall, the food was respectable enough, but intensely overpriced. Considering how much the tickets cost it was a rather pricey date, but hey - I had to do it right.    
Just finished processing my taxes and they are looking very lovely. Like 2 paychecks lovely, and I get paid bi-weekly so that's okay indeed. I'm saving up my dollars so that I will have something to live on when I take out my buttload of a loan here in a while once I find a nursing program to get into. I'm thinking it'll be 2013 simply because I have prerequisites and junk to get out of the way and it just isn't something you can make happen magically. Dumb bureaucracy. There had better be little of that in the hereafter or I'm in for a bad surprise. Anywho, I'll be slow getting to the end of the school race, but I'm going to get there. 
And by the way....wingapo. Think Disney. Think native american. Think 'Wingapo Father!'  Yeah, that's right. I can sing with all the colors of the wind. Your fun fact for the week is that the male platypus is the only mammal that produces poison - in their hind leg spurs in fact. So don't go petting any platypuses without due caution.  Also, learn the power of the mighty flashcard awesome way to mass memorize vocab. Also, you should dedicate at least one page of your planner to words you want translations for as they come up. If not you'll end up forgetting when you try to go back and remember.  
Alas, I must now close mine letter. I will do so with this sage advice: 'Maintain good blood circulation in your butt so that thou mayest not develop sitting sores from overuse of thy plushy nether region.'  Wisdom! 
 - Your future dictator and wiseman,  
Mathias. 

   
Have not much to say. 
Dad 


Hey man. Hows life in the MTC I heard you got transferred or something. But I will read that email after I send this one. Life here is good. Been keepin busy. Really busy. I am almost done with high school bro! That is crazy!! The musical is this week and it will be one of the best ever. Uhmm... Oh I can turn in all the hours I have put into the musical and get service learning hours. I have like 110 or something so far and I need only like 20 more to get a gold seal on my diploma. That's about all I got in terms of anything to offer colleges, but it is better than nothing right? So life slowly rolls on. I haven't heard from Bryce yet. Kevin is still a beast and it appears Matt can still beat me up when it comes down to it. But yea man. I miss you bro. We had to do some long multiplication problem tonight and no one could answer it for a while. It's gonna be good to have our human calculator back in a few years. When ya get back try not to get married to fast. Because I hafta
  approve of the girl. But do what your there to do nick. There are people who need what only you can give them. You make us proud. 

- the youngest and best looking Hansen brother. Ever. 

Hello Nicco, 

Miss you.  So, today is AIMS testing and Alex doesn't have to go this am.  Instead he's making waffles and bacon for his friends.  At least attempting to make bacon.  We'll see about that.  Somehow Ty managed to put my phone number in on his church records as his when he was at BYU.  For months I've been getting messages about FHE meetings and such.  I thought it would all end when he went to Boston.  Not so.  I was called by a member of this bishopric when they wanted him to speak there.  Then this week I was called by someone in the Stake Presidency when they wanted to talk to him.  They woke me up out of a dead sleep.  They thought I was his sister.  I only hope I sounded coherent.  Anyway, they called him to be the ward clerk.  I thought that was a good job for him; at least he could change his phone number that way... 

I just finished working 5 in a row.  I'm a little hammered right now.  The last 3 nights I only had 1 patient though.  A 46 year old guy who in January was minding his business hiking in Prescott and came down with bronchitis and achey legs.  They did some tests and he has Leukemia.  Came to my hospital for chemo which toasted his lungs.  He ended up on the Rotoprone bed.  Yup,  it turns him upside down for 4 hours then 1 hour on his back.  He breathes better that way.  Still not a good story.  Outcome will be pretty touch and go for him.  Lesson,  appreciate that you are healthy because it can be gone in a heartbeat. 

Speaking of health, Dad has been weak lately.  You know how much he hates that.  Especially when the dumpsters came today.  He drug Matt out to the sheds to shed ourshelves of more junk.  Grandpa's ancient welder went in.  So did the plate glass doors/windows that Dad was saving for a greenhouse.  I don't know what else (and probably don't want to know).  You just have one more reason to be grateful you are where you are.   

I'm off to quilt.  I need to finish Sam's quilt that I was unpicking before Christmas.  I also have some other projects started.  Have a great week.  Love you lots, Mom