I Didn't Spell Check This at All

I'm sure some of you might be intrigued on the adventures of Nicosia Cyprus and what it's like serving in the branch here. After all, it is on the border of an occupation resides in an area that-- quite frankly-- I'm surprised is not better documented by the press. Tensions are high and situations, often, dire.

But I'm not going to start there.

I skipped a week, so now I have some catching up to do. As I've said before, this email is quite frankly more for me than anyone else. But it's a heck of a lot easier for me to motivate myself to write something down if I anticipate this will be available to others. Soo, here we are! Start this email all the way back in Athens. Which feels like eons ago when in fact, it was one week.

"Day feels like a week, and a week feels like a day!" And it appears this time, a week feels like a MONTH. We have an adventure ahead of us.

At the start of two weeks ago (at least that is when I can recall this story occurring), I had the wonderful opportunity of imploring, "How do I get a new metro card if I've lost mine?" As must as I wish this question was asked in a state of curiosity, it was asked in a moment such as this;

Stepping off the Green Line Train, decending into the metro, reaching into my pocket, and finding it empty.

"Crap."

I lost my metro card. Quite frankly, I'm surpised it's taken me this long to loose it. I'm very good at dropping it. But dropping something on the Green Line is essentially lost to the void. It will be stolen.

We get home that night, and begin the usually nightly routine. I was just thankful it wasn't my wallet or phone.

WELL I GUESS I OWE THE GREEKS MY THANKS.

I get a notification someone has requested to send me a message. Typicially code-word for someone is trying to spam you or something.

"καλησπέρα! νομίζω βρήκα την κάρτα σου για τις συγκοινωνίες στα Άνω Πατήσια.αν όντως την έχεις χάσει την έχω αφήσει στο σταθμάρχη στη Βικτωρία"

**Cause I'm too lazy to word for word translate this*** This lady, random woman, found my metro card. Instead of stealing it, she took it to the next metro stop after the one I disembarked, looked me up on Facebook, sent me a message (yes Dylan Hansen is a common name in USA but I guess it's pretty particular here), sent me a message and informed me how to get it back. Two days later, I retrieved it from the Victoria metro stop (which that is a a whole story in of it's self, but we don't have that kind of time!)

What a kind person! I felt disapointment in myself for assuming right off the bat it would be taken. It was a safe assumption to think so, but it simply was not the case in this situation.

Sometimes, I hear people say some pretty, in my opinion, horrible things about the people here in Greece. I try my very best to dispute those things as I hear them, but at times it is difficult. After all, we missionaries particularly well in the regard of religion. I'm refering to this specifically here in Greece and occasionally Cyprus. Some ways I've been treated, and heard others treated makes it hard sometimes to feel this love for the people.

It's like a singular dot on an impeccably white paper. Man, does that spot stand out. Maybe you even check if you can erase it with the top of your pencil. I mean, how can you write an essay on this prestine white paper with something like that?

Yet we are forgetting there is an entire sheet of paper still there. Why focus on the spot on the paper when there is so much more to that paper than a single spot.

I will acknowledge that spot of imperfection while I reside here in Greece. I will even take precautions to protect myself and friends from it. But that will not dictate my words of this wonderful place I have called home-from-home.

I think of this situation, with my card returned thanks to the kindness of stranger. To condemn a people with unkind words is a disservice to those that live there.

I love the Greek people. The kindness they have shown me is unfathomable. I try to repay that by sharing the most important thing I know. And reciprocating the kindness.

Enough on that tangent. I was going to share this in our "Sunshine Chat" that we have in this mission, but I'm not really that kind of person to share these kind of things in those kind of settings. So here we are.

Elder Bartsch and I had my last lesson I will have with David, the man Elder Crossley and I helped to baptism, for a while.

I only wish he could understand how much his example has been a blessing for me. His progress has been slow but sure and yet progressed into a man feasting upon the word. He was baptized only a few months ago, has nearly concluded the Book of Mormon, and studies for hours on the weekend.

"You're showing us up, David!" I laughed as he told us his study plans. He laughed and expressed how much he's thankful for our meeetings.

Honestly, it was hard to say goodbye. This second round in Athens was one of the more influencial times of my mission, and I can't help but remark about it on occasion. And David is the star. He showed me it was possible.

I had to fly over to Cyprus a weekend early from Transfers because I needed to be sustained as the new Branch President of the Nicosia Branch. Solo flight again! It is, particular as always, flying as a missionary, but particular yet again being the only one. I've hit flight number 31 as a missionary! I'm fairly confident I have surpised the number of flights I've taken prior to my service. It's an odd feeling.

I stayed with Elder Wahl, my current companion now, and President Pettitt, the prior Branch President. I must say, I haven't laughed that hard in a number of weeks. It seems the Nicosia apartement carries a form of tradition as such to invite that kind of laughter.

The next day, I was sustained as the Branch President of the Nicosia Branch. For your information, young missionaries do not need to be set apart of these callings. They already have authority to do so, under the delegation of the Mission President. Pretty cool.

That Monday, we went up to the North side of Cyprus and visited some sites. It was a bit funny, since I was expecting to do my Zone Conference P-Day in Greece. But here I was, "Hanging around, monkeying around even" (You're welcome, Ana)

The Zone Conference was interesting since, I wasn't officially transferred down there, and yet there I was. But I was still particularly thankful for the efforts made to be inclusive despite the my not-so-far-in-advance anticipated arrival. Thanks for that, those that did that. It was simple, it didn't need to be accommodated, but it was.

After Zone Conference, Elder Wahl and I aided in getting the missionaries flying out to the airport. It was honestly a hoot and a baptism by fire moment. The best solution was Elder Wahl and I taking the van to the airport, and "split driving" to the apartment in Larnaka. Elder Wahl driving the Van, I was driving the Sisters' car.

Well, I can successfully say that I readjusted to driving on the left again. Haha!
Well, it seems I didn't manage my time perfectly this evening, given I'm coming up on the time I need to head to bed. So maybe some of the rest of the stories will come in the next email. I will say this however:

It's been refreshing to be teaching so many gospel discussions down here. At times, we are even teaching up to 5 a day. It's awesome and tiring. Trying to balance that and Branch work is the true trial. But I will prioritize care to those I am assigned to, which is those in the boundaries of this branch. I just hope I can do everything I can.

I'm nowhere near qualified to do this. Not on my own, at least. I'm sure I'm not alone in that thought. And I am so thankful for the help I have gotten from the Savior in this new responsiblity.  I'm looking forward to growing as a person.

I couldn't do this without the Savior. I couldn't do this without the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I think back to this last week and say to myself, "You just did that? How?"

Αλλά, έγινε. Μέσο την δύναμη του Θεού.
But it happened. Through the power of God.
"This is Rosario (mom), you are welcome! I translated this one for you, ha ha ha!!)

Love you all, and hope the best for you and through your trials. You're not alone, okay?

For those who might need to hear it and to quote General Conference,

"You are doing better than you think."

You are are a good person.

You are a good missionary.

Keep trying your best. Don't get discouraged by your own or others' imperfections.

Why?

"He lives!"

Πρεσβύτερος Ντίλαν Χάνσεν

And a surprise! Elder Jenkins (Dylan's previous missionary companion) visiting our family in Pleasant Grove!