I was supposed to post this week, not mid-week last week, but I'm going to do a 2nd post in a row....man look out! Truthfully, I was unsure if I'd have time this week as much was planned, but things have calmed down for me. I thought I'd take a moment to describe a bit about my missionary experiences from a bit of a different point of view, what I learned from each companion. For those of you unaware, when serving as an LDS Missionary, you serve in a companionship, usually in pairs. You know, the guys riding bikes with suits or white shirts and helmets who knock on your door. I had 16 of these companions, and I learned from each one. I thought I'd go through them and list a bit of the knowledge gleaned. The purpose? To show we can learn from anyone and there is a reason some are in our lives'.
1. Elder Poole: My trainer was a funny and witty guy from Blackfoot, ID. He had found his testimony while serving, and had caught fire for the work. We did a lot of it, and it was hard, yet fun. I pushed the poor guy into the ground, due mostly to my green zeal coming from home and wanting to touch everyone I spoke to and see them baptized. We did not do too badly, and I learned much from him about how things worked in the mission field. He and I have stayed in touch, and he is a great man who buoys my spirits when I think about our month together and talk to him.
2. Elder Vester: He was a missionary who was not high strung, and though he was nearing the end of his time, he taught me I must always keep my focus on the work and do my best with what I had. I could have gone down the slacker path here, but did not (I think). Good hard work always pays off even if the "numbers" were not there.
3. Elder Segovia: He was a tranquillo kid that still worked hard. That helped me move forward. He was also a Native Chileno, and that forced me to speak Spanish all the time, as there was nobody to speak English with, that immersed me in the language and started me along the path of gaining confidence in my abilities to speak and understand the language.
4. Elder Southwick: He was a very very laid back Elder but worked really hard. He helped me to remember to stay positive, as I was struggling at this time (probably with a bit of depression as I look back now). He and I worked hard with the Spirit, and it resulted in great success, we set our goals high, and God sustained the efforts.
5. Elder Johnson: Happy kid who was determined and hungry to show he belonged in the field. He was a great motivator and helped me along my path to "recovery from pessimistic thinking". Good man and a patient one with me.
5. Elder Alvarez: Seemed very able to find people to baptize, very focused. Though he and I did not get along well, we still managed to work through things, also a native Spanish speaker, so I was speaking little English, enhancing my language skills.
6. Elder Heslop: He and I are like brothers. He taught me to grow my love for the people of Chile, even if we did not baptize 256 people, if we loved them, they would feel it. I have not enough good to say about how I feel for this man. I stayed at his house last month as I was driving from my home to visit family in UT. Still the great man I knew with a family that is equally amazing.
7. Elder Zamora: A man who was great at finding the elect. He was a free spirit, but loved all he worked with.
8. Elder Crocker: I spent 3 months with him. He actually helped spark my apologetics interest, and he was an incredible encouragement. Very patient with me and saw in me what I did not always see in myself. He helped me remember that God sustained my efforts despite my shortcomings, as we were engaged in hthe work. Still in touch with him through email.
9. Elder Parrington: He was a good organizational leader. We were not together for very long, but he was a good calming influence for me in a troubled time of my mission.
10. Elder Rui-Diaz: He worked as hard and as fast as anyone I ever saw, he just about wore me out, but I rally appreciated his urgency for the work. He loved and appreciated the love shown to him by me and by other members.
11. Elder Franco: A good man from Colombia that had a good testimony and a good feel for the balance of work and how to enjoy it. He taught me a good deal about the proper order of leadership in the field and working hard to learn the things needed to be a good missionary.
12. Elder Barnard: Good with members and patient with my sometimes over bearing desire to abide by every rule to a fault. He was good with the members and took his shortcomings in stride, making up for them with his love and desire to improve.
13. Elder Garcia: Enthusiastic kid from Colombia who seemed to develop almost instant rapport with the investigators, he was able to reach hearts that had long been untouched, good man and loving as well as patient with me.
14. Elder Kinsler: A convert that was very good with the language for as young as he was in the field. He often struggled with me and my shortcomings, but was there as a good example of wanting to learn the ways of the church while helping others to do the same.
15. Elder Christensen: A great companion to end the mission with, he was faithful but loose in his manner, giving me room to relax and be jovial. We had success that didn’t blossom in the area under our watch but came later. Great guy, we have had some contact over the years.
1a: Elder Hintz: He was my MTC companion, we learned what it meant to work through things, he helped me and pushed me hard with the language, as we both excelled, he did not let me slack off. We were two similar personalities, and that could be hard at times, but it also turned into great growing and bonding chances. We saw each other my last day in Chile as I visited the temple in Santiago, it was a sweet reunion that brought my 24 month adventure full circle.
Much more good could be said of these brethren, but time prevents this epistle from growing any more. I love these men and thank them for all they did for me.
Justin Hansen
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