Tuesday, October 21, 2014

10 - 20 / Day 94 The Time is Accelerating




I don't know where to begin... as usual, right?!


How about I start with this, I went to check my mail box this morning and in it I found our departure paperwork to fill out. I wanted to rip it all up and scream, "NO I won't even LOOK at that!" hahah.

This week has been busy, nothing to too exciting happened. I'll share one cool experience though...

Ben (recent convert) texted us on Tuesday morning saying he had a friend he wanted to bring to the square for us to teach. Where do I begin....  His friend Johnny is so sweet and open to guidance and goodness. He grew up in the Presbyterian church in North Carolina, but goes to school at the U now and is trying to make right and good decisions in his life. He came to Utah for the first time 2 years ago, visited Temple Square and felt something so different here.  It was a super long lesson, so I don’t even know how to include it all in one little journal entry,  but the spirit was super strong the whole time. We started our lesson just sitting on the couches and getting to know him. He really wants to make the right decision in his life and get on a better path. We took him to the NVC basement and taught him about Prophets, The Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith. He had a lot of great questions! Ben gets soooo excited while sharing about the Gospel and loves Johnny a lot, it’s pretty cute actually.  

After talking for a while in the basement and answering some of the questions he had, we took him to see Gods plan. Alright, let’s just say there was NO way I was getting out of the presentation without bawling.  Just a side note, this was the first time I’ve been through God's Plan with Ben since the first time one year ago which was when he knew he was supposed to get baptized. The spirit was so strong and touched Johnny’s heart a lot. He sees so much goodness in the church and is sincerely interested in coming to know if it’s true.  Listening to Ben at the end bear his testimony and tell him his conversion story, literally made me want to cry my eyes out.  I tried my hardest to compose myself, oh my let me just say… that was a hard one for me. Haha. It is the neatest thing to see someone who’s been through so much bring a close friend of his to us to teach and to help. I hope more than anything that we can help his friend Johnny find goodness and light in the teachings of Jesus Christ as he learns more about the things that we believe. I just LOVE being a missionary and I don’t know how I’m ever going to enter back into the normal world. I feel so protected and happy cause I’m just consumed by the spirit every day. So many good things to come these next few months in the field! I'm just continuing to learn and grow.

We had President's interviews this week. That was nice :) I love President sooooo much. Our new transfers start next Wednesday so this week we're going to be in the office again 24/7 making schedules and getting everything ready. I'm pretty sure I'm going to train for my last 2 transfers. We'll see. I'll know in a few days what's happening. I'll be excited if that happens, but also a little nervous. It has it's pro's & con's for sure.

I love you all.

Sister Hansen

PS.  David Archuletta's Fireside Pic:





Tuesday, October 14, 2014

10 - 13 / Day 101 A Week of Surprises!



Here's to an amazing week at Temple Square! :)

Our Asian visitors are so super interested in EVERYTHING. Quite hilarious!

Tuesday October 7th:

We were busy with office things most of our day. After lots of work we got to call Myriam. Remember her? She was baptized back in January. She's finally doing good again after being less active for a while. She really loved Conference and is actually talking about serving a mission again. We will have to see what happens there. I'm really happy for her! She's been studying her Book of Mormon everyday again!

We’ve gotten some new investigators this week too. All people we’ve met here in Temple Square, which is awesome!


Wednesday October 8th:

It’s been an interesting day today. We literally spent 4 hours straight in our office changing things in everyone’s schedule because President wants the Sisters to be spending more time in the Teaching Centers (phone centers). Our brains were literally fried after changing everything. While in Guest Services (where we book tours) we did a little Conference Catch up since calls were slow. I love watching Conference! There was a lot of powerful messages. The sick bug that’s been floating around the mission has finally caught me! My throat feels like its going to burst! We’re also getting forced to get flu shots. Umm, heck no! At least I’m sick so that will post pone mine a little while. I don’t understand the point of flu shots… let me just go get a painful shot that’s going to make me get sick so I don’t get the flu?  What?  I don’t know if any of your remember, but I got the flu BAD in Fresno, and we were forced to get flu shots last year. Yeah, that shot was pointless! haha. I’m just a li'l biased to flu shots, but I will be obedient and get one I suppose.

Thought I'd share -- This is a report we worked really hard on.  It shows the massive amount of visitors that come to Temple Square.  (This is just the organized tours.)



Thursday October 9th:

Oh happy day! Every time we’ve had Map desk assignment this transfer we’ve seen a miracle and talked to awesome people. We got 2 new investigators from Puerto Rico. Their friends with them were nice also. I talked to Luis, who was really impressed with everything he heard & saw during their visit.  He said, “ You people are so happy.   You can just see it.  I’ve never seen anything like it.”  They all took Books of Mormon & I gave Luis our number. I really hope he calls! I LOVE sincere people.  We got his friend's, Myrna & Rafael’s number. Gosh dang it for my mother not teaching my Spanish! The square was beautiful weather today too! We had planned to do office stuff, but just couldn’t because we wanted to enjoy the outside & talk to people. I can’t believe we start week 5 on Monday. I’m nervous to see what will happen next transfer. I’ve had the best companions since I’ve been back. I assume it will just continue, at least that’s my hope!

Friday October 10th:

Where to begin. Today was hilarious & super busy. First Ben came to the square. He was going through a pretty rough time & basically ignored me for like a month! Now he’s back on track though. We decided to have weekly visits. We’ll see if he keeps his word there. He set 6 steps to success to help him. 

1. Read the Scriptures 
2. Pray daily 
3. Monthly Temple Visits 
4. Apply what he’s learning 
5. Include God in his choices 
6. Look for blessings! 

I think we should ALL apply these 6 steps to success. 

Then we met with Jerrica.  She’s a returned member Sister Asay taught. She’s soo funny & is preparing to go to the Temple. After her lesson, I found out that Jenna (my like bff/mother who is a Temple Square RM) brought two Nigerian ladies to the square for us to meet & take around. Oh my, they were literally hilarious!! First of all they literally took pictures of EVERYTHING & thought Jenna was famous because she’s so gosh dang pretty. We shared a few things with them, then they wanted to take just about a thousand pics. So we did and instead of saying, “Cheese” they told us to say “JESUS!” Then while Pauline took pictures of Ene sitting by the Christus, she said “JESUS, Save Us!!!” hahah. No way right now.  Reverence right out the window. Before leaving, Jenna sang "Amazing Grace."  They LOVED it & made us all join in at the end. Yup, def people were looking… 2 missionaries, Jenna, & 2 Nigerians singing Amazing Grace in the middle of the square. What an interesting day. I’m getting sicker and sicker by the day, but whatevs. Dumb colds.

Saturday October 11th:

It’s amazing what a cure sleeping is. I woke up feeling like junk today so I slept till 9:45! I was feeling a ton better, the rest of the day we just had a normal day of missionary things. By the end of the day it’s sooo hard for me to focus and study. Having fun roomates doesn’t help either. We get super distracted by each other. Sister Ferguson & I lost it, had a laughing attack for a good 30 minutes. Everything was funny. We were talking about how fat we’ve gotten & were just making the best jokes EVER. I need to quarantine myself to my room when I get home so we can actually study & not distract each other. It was a good stress reliever though. I will repent!

Sunday October 12th:

What a spoiled mission we have. David Archuleta came & performed for us. It was more of a fireside setting though, kinda like Q & A. He talked about experiences he had on his mission and everything that he’s done in his life to get through trials. A sister asked him what’s the most important thing that’s helped him keep his spirituality up since he’s been home. He said attending the Temple weekly. He told a story about how when he was on tour he made a commitment to Heavenly Father that no matter where he was or how busy he would go to the Temple every week. That’s pretty awesome to me. I thought about this same goal for myself after the mission and then thought to myself “woah, that might be hard” yeah right! It’s totally possible. It just comes down to how committed you are. He sang a few songs, they were all amazing. His voice was UNREAL. I wish he would have sung a little more though. But with his stories and stuff there wasn’t much time at the end since every zone got to take picture with him & actually meet him & what not. Pics coming soon! Haha. Anyways it was just a really cool experience to hear him bear such strong testimony about what’s helped him in this life. He’s so committed to the Gospel & so above the things of the world. Doesn’t want to go back to the “FAME WORLD” because he doesn’t want to feel like “A chicken running around with it’s head cut off” in his own words! Haha.


Today is Sister Asay's 22nd Birthday. I told Heavenly Father that I knew he had a sense of humor & that while we were doing grocery shopping today, he should make the song 22 by T-swift come on. haha! We'll see what happens there. I remember when that song was sooo cool before I came on a mission... probs is super lame now. But we keep holdin' on! hahaha.

I love you all! Thanks for putting up with me and reading my emails.

100 days left... I wore black today cause I'm in mourning. :( 

Love,
Sister Hansen


OHH!  P.S! (Sandra got her patriarchal blessing on Sunday. I am so excited to hear how it went for her. Yayyy.

I also forgot to tell you all about meeting President Utchdorf in the Tabernacle the day before Conference. We were in there just standing by the door and in walks President Utchdorf with his freinds visiting from Germany. He talked with us for a few minutes and then shook our hands. It was super neat. Second time meeting him... Check! haha)

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

10 - 6 / Day 108 Conference!

It's been a crazy week here in Temple Square. Conference time is the best. So many people to talk to 
:)



It was weird seeing so many people I knew though, you love it and hate it all at the same time. After Conference was over the square was just dead and it made us want to cry! haha. The buziness and hustle and bustle is so fun, everyone is always so so happy. Last night after Conference we got to watch Meet The Mormons. It's such a good movie. I hope everyone goes to see it when it comes out in Theaters this week. 

Here's the preview link! 

My mind is cloudy today so I don't know what to share. Just know I'm doing good & super tired! 
I'm looking forward to reading all the Conference talks. That's the one down fall of being a Sister missionary on Temple Square during conference, you don't get to watch it. But talking to everyone is always really awesome. I can't believe next Conference I won't be here. That kind of breaks my heart a little bit. It will never be the same, that's for sure. 

Love you all! 
Have a wonderful week. 


Sister Hansen