we must be llamas

title this week is thanks to something anz boscan said on tuesday night during evening devotional. it's golden. just wait for it. 

anyways! this week was solid! last friday we had our last lesson with Gennaro because Fratello Sloan wanted to switch it up and give us a new investigator for our last week. we taught him about the word of wisdom and totally rocked it without ANY notes. how bout that! unfortunately, it was our last lesson. and even though he wasn't a "real" investigator, it was all real to me. i'm going to be honest it was sad. i almost started crying during the closing prayer of the lesson with him. the love of God is REAL. not just for us, but for his other children. the best thing of all is that we can feel his love for them. i don't know who all i'll be meeting in italy, but i already love them with all my heart. that, to me, is a miracle in itself. 

also....FLIGHT PLANS! woot woot! we got them last friday and because i've been demoted (not actually demoted. pres Taylor always says to remember this isn't a corporate ladder, and i've taken that to heart) to district leader, i got to go and get them! ahh my heart was beating so fast! we're leaving monday morning at 3:50 AM! yay for early mornings. 

me and Anz Ridd in front of the temple last week

Sorella Crandell and Sorella Dustin plus me and Anz Ridd in the back. 

friday was also the day that the elders in our district received 5 bags of chips and 5 bags of salsa. our mothers love us too much. 

sunday night we had a musical devotional from the BYU mens choir! that was really fun to listen to. however we did have to say goodbye to the Thai elders. sad day. they're doing a good work, but they're going to be missed.  

me, anz Ridd, and Elder Dugquem [(who's actually half Thai) going to Thailand], 

who told me that he'd date Anela when he gets back. 

He played volleyball in college and he's 22 rn, so uh, who knows? 

me, Elder Earl (going to Thailand) and anz Ridd

gonna miss these guys.

not much else happened on saturday or sunday, but i did get to teach priesthood on enduring to the end. that was such a cool experience for me because as i was teaching, i had all these thoughts that just came to my head and started guiding me and telling me which way to go. the lesson that i had actually planned wasn't even used. i learned just as much as everyone in priesthood did, and afterwards, pres Taylor told me it was the best lesson he's ever been to. #tryingnottobrag

really though, it's ALL about following the guidance of the spirit. and this actually leads in perfectly to the experience on tuesday. i can't remember who gave the devotional, but it was AWESOME. he talked a lot about being bold and not being afraid. this gospel is a message that will LITERALLY save their souls. and if i truly love them, i will not be afraid of talking about this gospel. he also talked about how we cannot be hirelings. we must be shepherds. we must sincerely love them, and we MUST follow the spirit. only then will they know that is is the voice of the Lord, and not our own, calling them back to the fold. love love love that. that night in our district devo review, we talked about who we really need to be, and anziano boscan made a point of saying "we can't actually be shepherds because there's only one perfect shepherd, but we can't only be sheep. therefore, we must be llamas. because when wolves come, llamas don't run away. they charge." bahahaha. i thought that was hilarious. 

me and sorelle smedly e anderson.

  aaaannndd also my comp in the background pretending to be a dinosaur.  

we also got new italian missionaries yesterday! ahh they're so fun. i remember when i was in their shoes a few weeks ago, haha. one of them actually speaks fluent italian because he lived in italy for 6 years, but he's from the Philippines. he also speaks three other languages, including english. cool kid. 

here's me and anz ridd being too cute hahahaha

besides that, i was reminded of some cool scriptures this week. Romans 1:15-16: 

" 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

 "16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

 how glad i am for this opportunity i have to serve the Lord in such a beautiful country. may your roads be valleys of peace for all the days to come. 

the glory will ever be to God. 

all my love. 

Anz Hansen

P.S.

Excerpt from his personal email to us:

"Devo was also really cool. i talked about it a lot in the group email, so i won't explain too much more, but going there and listening to him really brought me back to the basics. love the people. be diligent. lead by the spirit. and all the way back to loving the people. that's really what it's all been about for me. LOVE. serve because of love. preach the gospel out of love. try for love. i'm downright scared of trying to speak this language, but i KNOW that the Lord will magnify my efforts. and like i said, if i truly love the people, i will be willing to do anything for them. and that's what i'm going to do. 

last night though i was feeling COMPLETELY overwhelmed with the language. we did a district language study last night, and we tried talking about past subjunctive stuff and it was literally going straight in one ear and out the other. NOPE. i tried keeping it all happy and stuff and staying focused, but i was on the verge of tears. that's when Sorella Dustin reminded me of my mission scripture. Alma 26:12. 

" 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boastof my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

no, i don't know everything. no, i don't know how to speak the language. i don't even know how the lord will help me understand all of this, but i have complete confidence that he will make it work somehow. i don't know how or by what means, but in his strength, as long as i give it my best, i can do all things. that brought me peace. good times, good times.

may the glory ever be to God

anz hansen"