BLUEFIELDS!!!!!!!!

Bluefields is like a Caribbean city.

What up Familia y amigos,

Let me tell you this week has been super crazy. Let me start with the fact that I had cambios.  They called us at about 12 oclock on Tuesday so I started packing and everything.  We said goodbye to all of my converts there in Jinotepe, and I got in bed.  In the call at 12 oclock they told me I was going to be training, but we got another call at 12:30am from Collado and he said I wasn’t going to be training.  He said there was a big surprise coming, so I just went to bed and everything.  When I got to cambios (transfer meeting) in Managua, Elder Benson the other AP came up to me and asked me if I was ready for what was going to happen.

Anyway I got my cambio (transfer) and I am in Bluefields!  Bluefields is the farthest area from the mission home and only has 5 elders right now.  From Managua it’s a 4 hour bus ride to Juigalpa, the area of the ZL, then another 4 hour bus ride to Rama, and then a 2 hour boat ride here.  After cambios I left half my stuff in the office house in Managua, and then got to travelling here.  It’s super far and it’s like a Caribbean city.  The houses are a lot different and the people speak Spanish, English, Creole, and Mosquito.  I’ll send some pictures here so you can get a feel for what it’s like and everything.

My companions for the moment are Elder Roney, who is from California, and Elder Peña from El Salvador. They are both super awesome, and we are working hard here in our super huge area.  The other two Elders in our house are Elder Rodriguez from Belize and Elder Soifua who went to Alta. Elder Rodriguez grew up speaking English and Creole in Belize and is learning Spanish here. 

We had a baptism on Saturday, and it was great.  The pila (font) was filling up super slow, so we had to use 5 gallon buckets and carry water in from another place.  I was super soaked, and you can see my tie is wet in the picture.

The branch here is a very strong one.  It is a branch of about 200, they have enough people for presidencies in the organizaciones auxiliares.  It’s super awesome.  And they all want to work with us which is a huge change from Jinotepe.  Asistencia (attendance) this Sunday was 150!  The members here are awesome.  Elder Collado told me it’s the best branch in the mission.  I love it here!  It’s completely different and the people are super receptive and actually complete their commitments.

We have a couple investigators, one is named Alfredo.  He is super positive, and I love the guy.  He came to church yesterday and the members gave him a book about the teachings of Ezra Taft Benson.  He was so excited that the book was his.  He and his wife will get baptized the 7th of February.

I don’t have a lot more to say.  I think Nate Hank´s son was here in this area because his name is written on one of the closets with the other Elders’ names.  I hope everyone is doing well, and I love you all!  Have a great week!

Elder Hanson

It is so pretty here!

The houses near the water are on stilts.

Elder Pena, Elder Roney and me with the girl we baptized.

Bluefields is on the Eastern Coast, a 10 hour travel from Managua.