The Beginning of the End

Well things are about to change in my life as if they haven't already changed enough. People are moving away that I care about a lot but I'm happy for them because they are moving on to something new. Even though I'm left behind I know that God has his plan for them to make them the most happy. Nicky has always been a good friend to me through a lot of years but I'm happy for her because I know she likes school and will enjoy it up there quite a bit. I wish the best for Sloan for when she moves up there and starts school. She has always been a good friend and I'm glad I got the opportunity to get to know her in this life. We won't be seeing each other very much anymore but hopefully we'll see each other at least once a month but at least she has Nicky and Connerie to hang out with and to make her happy. All of this stuff will be the biggest change for me because I'll have less chances to hang out anymore but yeah I knew this day would come sooner or later.

At least I still have Laura here. She is the only one who can be there for me in case of an emergency. I really need a friend who can be there for me this year otherwise its going to be a very long year until my friends come back next summer but I'm sure Laura and me will stay close and hang out quite a bit. Thank goodness we started being good friends again at this moment in time. It is a true blessing because now I have at least one person here while everyone is gone and across the globe. It's a very sad day for me and I'm not sure what's going to be of my future at all. I'm glad I have my mission to keep me somewhat distracted by all these bombardments of trials and changes with my family and friends. I will not deny though that I all of the sudden feel very lonely. I feel very lost and just plain confused. I wish that God would take all of this away but I know in the end that it is for my good and that's the only thing that keeps me going in times like this or otherwise I would have 2 disorders not just one. I would like to say that I'm going to be strong and can be tough but I'm not. I'm a very tenderhearted person and am very sensitive to things like this even though I've been through a lot of things that should have made me completely numb to pain but no, i'm not at all. I still feel it very much.

I really hope things will begin to start being better with everything because I really need it to. Its hard to stay positive in times like these but I really am trying but I also don't want to act and pretend I'm happy when I'm not. Well this truly is the beginning of the end and the start of the beginning of a new beginning and it all started when my service mission started but now it is becoming more fulfilled. I miss being a kid when my pain was being grounded for not cleaning my room...

Lows and Highs

Life is full of highs and lows as we all know. I've been experiencing a lot of that lately for some reason. I'm not bipolar I swear It's honestly just because life has been crazy as of late. I mean I just started my mission after being off my mission for a year so obviously that's going to generate happy and anxious feelings. I'm also very sad that my friends Sloan and Nicky are going to be leaving college soon in 9 days from now. It's going to feel like I'm losing a lot of comfort and support even though they will only be a text away but texting doesn't cut it sometimes. I really like sloan quite a bit and I wish her the best at college even if she does find someone else, I really want her to be happy because she deserves to be and I mean that with my full heart. Of course I would be very very sad about that if that did ever happen but yeah like I said before, she deserves to be happy and I care about her a lot. I also worry a lot about Nicky. I know she has a lot of stress in her life and with Parker just moving to Cali, I know that that is really really hard. Not only that, but she is going to logan and moving away from her family for the first time and that takes some time to get used to but I know she will be great and make new friends really fast. She's been so awesome and a great friend throughout high school up to now and I am so grateful for that and so I will miss her quite a bit.

Sports is what's going to keep me going once all of this change starts. That and the gospel honestly. Everyone knows how much I love the Jazz, the Patriots, and the Aggies and so that's what I'm going to turn to happiness for awhile. I know that's sad but its true. I love my mission and everyone is so nice and so that will help as well, along with the support of the Lord. I will look forward to Sloan visiting me on the weekends to watch Jazz games and to just hang out. I hope Nicky visits as well and doesn't get lost in all of her school work lol. My health problem is very good some days but terrible others and I really hope that gets more steady as my mission progresses and i get used to the change because change affects it quite a bit if any of you guys didn't know. The gospel always keeps me going in times like these and I'm so so so so so so blessed to have it. I would be so depressed and lost without it seriously. I'm so happy to have it and to have a good testimony of it. I'm glad I am where I am because it's exactly where i'm supposed to be in life to help me get stronger. One day all of my struggles will be worth it and make me become the best, full, and true Erik Hanson. Thank you everyone for being great. Cya

Elder Hanson

Update on life

Hey everyone! I hope everyone has been doing good. I can't believe I am almost done with 2 weeks of my mission. I remember that I was only in the MTC for 2 weeks and I have almost reached that point! I just can't believe that honestly. It is really weird to think about for sure. It's been going great and everyone here is just great and treat the elders well. Elder Peck who was just released 2 weeks ago is a great help to me. He gives me stuff to do and also teaches me how to do everything and has a lot of patients with me because i'm not that great at apple computers. The other elders here, Elder Hinkson & Elder Anderle, are great missionaries as well and are pretty computer literate. Elder Hinkson makes me laugh with all his sayings and mannerisms. I can relate pretty well to Elder Anderle with slang and games haha. So things are becoming a little less stressful as I have gone along so far but time and work still drag on for a long time but I guess that's just a natural thing for a mission.

On other news, Heidi Hendricks, my good friend in high school is getting married today and I think that's pretty crazy but I am really happy for her and am glad that she found somebody that she loves. I wish her the best in her life because she really deserves to be happy. I'm so glad that I was able to be her great friend. I can't believe though of how many people my age and younger are getting married these days. I think it's absolutely crazy but hey, I guess when you are in love you are in love and there is nothing that can stop Heavenly Father's plan for all of us that's for sure. I mean who would have known that I would be serving in the metro building as a full time service missionary? I totally would have guessed that I would be in Belgium right now preaching the gospel in french to those great people who need it. But hey, Heavenly Father wanted me to be here so that's where I am and I wouldn't change it for the world. So thank you Heavenly Father:)

I'm so proud of my friends, that they are serving missions right now all over the globe. In Italy, Oregon, Texas, Brazil, and Florida they are teaching the gospel to those who need it and whose hearts are in the right place and partake of something that we have taken for granted for the most part for our entire lives which is constantly having the gift of the holy ghost and being comforted by being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I'm so happy that all of my close friends including Sloan, Laura, Elise, Miek, Matt, Connery, and Nicky are all great LDS members and are very close to our Savior. I'm going to miss Sloan as she goes to college because she has stuck with me through these hard times and she has been a literal angel to me and I know that I can always count on her. I'm also going to miss Nicky because she has also been a wonderful friend and has always been there when I needed someone to talk to. I mean she is sometimes hard to get ahold of;) but she is still awesome nonetheless. I know that they will be watched over when they go to college and be protected and comforted when they need it.

Well I'm very glad to know you all and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for everything everyone. I'll post later!

Sincerely, Elder Hanson