Translation

Actually, it is not for 1000 days. It is just that 3 years times 365 days plus June 27 through June 30, 2008 equals 1098 days, and that is way too cumbersome to convert into a blog headline. Futhermore, our release date will not be determined until May or June of 2011. Therefore, 1000 Days sounded just about right, more or less. Having noted all that, we are humbled and thrilled (Pres. Uchtdorf would refer to the feeling as "joyfully overwhelmed") about having this marvelous opportunity to serve in La Mision Mexico Veracruz.

Con amor,
Pdte. y Hna. Pete and JoElla Hansen

Thursday, November 20, 2008




Mom's first baptism is Hermana Luisa Jaoquin Alto. She lives in the pueblito Cosolapa Caracol, Oaxaca, near Temazcal. I don't know the meaning of Cosolapa but a caracol is a snail. Temazcal is a Mayan or Mazateco word meaning steam bath. That is a very fair description of the local climate. Hna. Luisa's daughters have all been baptized. She has been on the edge of the font for at least three months. We visited the very humble family home. Mom thought we should take them some food. The father died five months ago and they live on a little money they get from older sons-in-law. So, we did that. When Hna. Luisa saw us coming, she scurried out to the minivan to greet us. When she saw the unexpected food, she wept openly and warmly embraced Mom for a long time, and over and over, kissing and hugging her. The next week the elders called and said that she desired baptism. The first photo is Mom with the Temazcal Ward Relief Society President. Hna. Luisa does not speak Spanish. Her native tongue is a dialect, Mazateco. This sister translated for the elders as they taught Hna. Luisa. She also translated from me when I confirmed Hna. Luisa a member of the Church. The next foto is of Elder Martinez leading her into the "baptismal font." The last one is Elder Davis of Cedar City, Utah and Elder Orozco of Merida, Mexico preparing to witness the baptism. Thanks to Mom's charitable heart, the family is now all baptized and very happy about it.

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