Week 1 - August 5, 2016 - MTC

Okay, so I'm just gonna start off by saying how AWESOME the MTC is! It's been pretty crazy these past few days but they keep you really busy so that helps a lot! And the Spirit is always so strong! And it's awesome to see all these missionaries because we all have a common purpose!

Anyway, I said in my last little email that I didn't know who my companion was. But I do now! Haha! His name is Elder Carlton and he's so awesome! My very first question that I asked him was if he liked Harry Potter at all. And his answer was, "It doesn't interest me in the slightest." Soooooo that's cool. But he LOVES The Office so I mean that's pretty sick because we just quote it all day long (when appropriate). So blessed. He is really cool though. He's from Lehi and he was in the marching band. He's a little quiet at times but the spirit that he brings when we plan and teach is incredible! And he understands all of my sayings like "GG" (good game) or "Salty" and stuff like that so I don't have to hold back lol.

I absolutely LOVE my district! We call ourselves "District Watinia" because we have people going to Washington, Spain, and West Virginia (obviously lol). We all get along so great and it's awesome! I don't have any sisters in my district. Just 12 elders! 4 elders are going to my same mission, Elder Carlton, Elder Sandlin, and Elder Wilson. 6 (I think) are going to Washington. And 2 are going to Spain! And I'm not our District Leader! I was really scared I would be because we had a little interview with the Branch Presidency and they said right before I walked out the door, "A district leader needs a smile like yours and spirit obviously but mainly your smile." After that I didn't know what to say so I just walked out the door without saying a word haha. I know I'm dumb but nothing I can do about it now! 

Literally this place is like a much more spiritual version of Viewmont High School! I've seen Elder Barnett, Peterson, Huber, Thiel, Riley, Gerber, Dixon, Olsen, Cooper, Morris, and so many others!  Elder Barnett saw me and went "Come on buddy. Give me the good stuff." and gave me a hug haha! Now my roommates always say "Elder Hanson, give me the good stuff" whenever I walk into our room at night. And, being my awkward self, never know what to say so I just say "Lolz no." Anyways, enough about that. Oh! Fun fact! My roommates and I managed to lock ourselves out of our room on our 2nd night here! We all forgot to grab a key inside our room. It was pretty awkward actually because Elders would walk by and kind of laugh at us newbies just standing outside of our room haha. But it's fine! We got it figured out! 

I taught my first "lesson" yesterday to an investigator named "Kaitlyn". We taught her about putting God first in everything you do and how everything would fall into place. It was really, really cool actually because my companion and I planned a great lesson beforehand but we probably said a total of 2 things that we had planned. Everything else that we taught was by the Spirit! No doubt about it! I even got to share a personal experience about my 8th grade self and how I decided to put God first my 9th grade year. Everything else just seemed to work out and make me happier. It was an amazing first lesson! 

Okay, and I'm so sorry but I forgot to bring my camera to the computer lab so I don't know if I'll have pictures this week! I will try and get them to you by today but it might not happen! But don't worry, I have been taking pictures!

That's about it for these past few days! So much has already happened and I cannot wait to experience many more awesome things! I know this church is true and I know that God lives! He loves all of you and so do I! 

2 Nephi 31: 20

-Elder Hanson

"Watinia District"

Elder Carlton and Me

Proud to be a Missionary!