Saturday, November 29, 2014

11 - 28 / Days Left, 55 Week of Events



It's been a pretty eventful week so let me just take on great event at a time:

DEPARTING TALK & CRAZINESS:

So much happened today. Let’s start with first things first. I gave my departing talk in church, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014.  It actually went really well. I spoke with Sister Asay, Gee, Khoa, & Yeung. Everyone gave me the nicest compliments all day on the things I shared. That was really sweet! 

It’s also Carlos’ 1 year mark of being a member of the church. Wow, I am so grateful for his strength in the gospel and everything that he’s learned & accomplished. He told me today that he’s turning in his mission papers by late January/early February! Which means I can be on skype!  And, he’s also applying to BYU-I so he can go after his mission. AMAZING. 

As far as current investigators go, I feel like I’m in the Sahara Desert. All the good potentials won’t answer their phones & David our investigator on date has started drinking & smoking again, didn’t even go to church because he was hung over! Today was also weekly planning. So that means companionship inventory. S. Jarrett basically said that she didn’t care about anything anymore that she’s checked out. She thinks that because we don’t have anyone progressing and nothing perfect happening for us that nothing matters anymore so she’ll just continue to go through the motions these last 2 weeks of her mission. She completely contradicts herself by saying the only thing she cares about is God and that she loves him. I think if you truly love God you do His work in His way, with your whole heart, mind, might & strength just like he’s asked us to.  

Since Sis. Jarrett has to have weekly meetings with  President Poulsen, I asked her if she was sharing how she's feeling with him. She responded that she hasn't.  The one good thing in this situation, is that I have learned that living obediently to the gospel is also trusting in the people He has called to fulfill certain callings.  If we love God and truly have a broken heart and contrite spirit, we are always open to change, in the name of progression, so we must trust those he’s called to help us do that. He’s called President to guide us when we need direction & when we’re stuck, not being able to figure out how to move forward & become better. 

I asked her what we could do to be better & to finish the transfer strong. Her answer was, “Keep trying & doing what we’re doing.” 
I said, “Isn’t that what we have been doing?"….
"Yes"....
"And where has that gotten us so far?” 
Then S. Tiritilli kind of pitched in a comment since she was sitting right there. She said “The definition of someone insane is when you keep doing what you've always done expecting different results” AMEN! It doesn’t matter how much we want to be better, how much we want to serve God until we are actually willing to do something about it. You simply cannot say one thing and do another. What a challenge it is to be trying to work this way.  I’m not here to endure this transfer & say every day, that’s okay only 17 days left, 16 days left all the way down to 0! I just want to do Gods work in His way. That’s what I’m here for & that’s what I promised Him I would do.


DIRKMAATS VISIT: 

Well Nate's family came to the square this week! President Poulsen let me take them on a tour. It was fun to see them. I was SOOO happy, you can only imagine :) Check out the pics:







THANKSGIVING:

We got to go to a families house for Dinner. We went to the Rasband family in Bountiful. They were super nice & it was yummy. My stomach has been realllly bothering me lately, so I didn't eat that much & didn't have dessert or anything. I hope it gets better soon cause I've been nauseous and had no appetite for like a week now.


The Christmas Lights turn on tonight! That should be fun.


They changed the whole entire North Visitors Center. It looks AWESOME! We are freaking out about it cause it's been the same exact thing for the past 16 months!


Everyone go to Mormon.org/Christmas and watch He is the Gift. It's an amazing new video the church put out for Christams! They've done soooo much work on it. I could go on and on telling you about it.

I LOVE YOU ALL!
Sister Hansen

P.S. (This is Mom -- don't think Emily knew, at the time of this writing, that older brother Blake's employer, Sansom Media was the company commissioned to produce He Is The Gift.  So Blake was very involved with the production and his sweet girlfriend Emily and her cute bulldog, June, are in one of the beginning scenes, haha. Who knew!?)

Friday, November 21, 2014

11 - 21 / Day 63

It’s been another week full of challenges and lessons to try and learn.


I forgot to share last week that I was able to meet Myriam (who was baptized last January). She was visiting Salt Lake City & of course stopped by Temple Square to meet me. She’s sooooo sweet. Wrote me the most tender card. She’s thinking about serving a mission! Wooohooo. Talked to her bishop about it and everything.

Carlos was able to participate in the Cultural Celebration for the dedication of the Phoenix AZ Temple. His brother Ricardo (the one he baptized) even got a high five from President Monson. Pretty cool!

From my journal on Sunday:

I got to attend John’s baptism. Sister Marsh & I met him together our first time in the Swahili ward. He’s so sweet & awesome. I was very grateful to be able to go and see my Swahili family again! I always LOVE it there. Every time I see someone enter the waters of baptism my heart feels so peaceful. President said as John was lifted out of the water “That’s a happy sound.”  It just strengthens my testimony in the priesthood and the power that is held in the Church. 



I truly do know that we have the authority to baptize in the way that is approved by God. I know Heavenly Father is so proud of John and his decision to enter in the waters of baptism to become a member of Gods true church here on earth. The spirit was ever so present as he made this essential step.  Sister Burton gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and at the end she read a letter Peter (John's friend that is serving a mission now) wrote to John. It made my eyes get all watery. The love that is in that ward is so strong. Peter bore his testimony about how much God loved John and how grateful he was that John decided to be baptized. He talked about how he has never regretted the decision he’s made to be baptized with Gods authority. I was so grateful that President also came to the baptism, I thought that was really sweet of him to take out time from his busy day to come and support John. He truly does care for his Sisters so much and always goes out of his way to make sure we know it and to make sure we know that he’s proud of the work we’re doing.
We also got to attend Savior of The World. I love that production so much. If any of you have the opportunity to go, you should. It builds my testimony on the Savior every time as it teaches us of the most monumental times of his life, his birth & resurrection. It is literally like living scripture. It touches on so many principles of the gospel, obedience, love, service. I am grateful to be a disciple of my Savior Jesus Christ.

For Relief Society this week Clayton Christensen came and spoke to us. If you don’t know who that is. So check this out:  In 2011 in a poll of thousands of executives, consultants and business school professors, Christensen was named as the most influential business thinker in the world. He’s also the author of “The Power of Everyday Missionaries” (great book, highly recommend it!). Anyways, as you can see it was an amazing privilege to have him come speak to us. Another evidence of how much President Poulsen LOVES us (he’s got the hook ups). He spoke to us about how important it is for a society to have religion at it's base because then everything falls into place. He also talked about how essential the Book of Mormon is in answering our investigators questions! The spirit was soooo strong and it was a really good meeting. His wife also spoke and something she said really hit me "I am grateful to have married someone who never left the mission field" because Brother Christensen is so missionary centered in every thing he does. That's definitely a goal for me!

I mentioned that there was some “awfuls” to my week. Well, without getting into too much detail and sharing too much personal information. Things have been more than tough with Sister Jarrett. She’s struggling REALLY bad with depression and some other issues. I’ll be totally honest, it’s really hard for me. Negativity and pessimism is like the DEVIL to me. Those truly are the tools he uses against us. I’m learning that those things over take everything, literally consume you. Really they do… our thoughts, our desires, and when those things are affected it goes into our actions. So I’m just trying to do what I can with trying to teach her obedience out of love for our Savior not just because “we’re supposed to”. And trying to give her crazy motivation since she only has 3 weeks left of her mission.  I found a quote the other day and it really resonated with me 

“On this mortal journey we must never think that our choices affect only us.” –Larry S. Kacher. 

Especially as a missionary when you’re surrounded by someone 24/7 except in the shower (that’s celestial time for sure). I know that I’m never supposed to let someone else determine my happiness, but it’s hard to just go about missionary work on your own when your companion is on their own planet. So like I said, learning and growing every day. Sister Hansen doesn't have patience for irrational thinking and actions! Haha. Trying to learn it though.

There’s my week full of Lovelies and Awfuls. At least I’m still always able to see things I’m thankful for. Let’s all remember what great blessings we’ve been given this week with Thanksgiving coming up… even though I know we all go through some awfuls every once in a while there’s ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

Love you all,

Sister Hansen


Friday, November 14, 2014

11 - 13 / Day 70 Weekly Hellos

Alright Alright... 
Nothing too exciting happened this week. Just the same ol' same ol'.  

After some major health challenges with Sister Jarrett, things are slowing improving, I'm grateful for that. The missionary work is just going right along.  We have a few people on date and a few meeting with local missionaries now. So all is well. 
We're prepping for our crazzzyy Christmas season over here. I AM SO EXCITED. But also scared cause the second those Christmas lights turn on time is going to fly. I remember how fast it went by last year. 

I'm excited for this Sunday, I get to go back to the Swahili ward for John's baptism. Someone Sister Marsh & I met when we were together. 

Oh, and I so want to share about Carlos this week.  He emailed me the SWEETEST email this week... I just have to share part of it cause it melted me little heart! 

"You are almost done with your mission! I seriously I am sooo happy, yet sad that you are done! Hopefully we can still be friends and still talk to each other after your mission! It weird, to be honest, we are good friends while you are still serving your mission. Most missionaries don't talk to the people they convert afterwords. I am the lucky one! Anyways, I am about to turn 1 year being a Mormon. Man, thats crazy. I didn't know the church could change my life. I still remember talking to you for the first time! Now that was funny.I1 year of ups and downs. Only been 1 year and I still do my best to help the church and the people around me! 

I am so grateful for you teaching me a year ago, and know we are friends still!  If I could I would have let you baptize me. You called nearly every single day and taught me so much and never gave up on me even if I was sorta of challenging person to teach! I learned so much from you and I still do! Its awesome what you experience and go through.  You deserve an award.  I got to know a good amount of missionaries during this past year and you beat every single one of them. Thanks so much for inspiring me and helping me understand the gospel. You aren't just a missionary, I know,  but a good friend. You always have something to teach me. Thanks for that."

Sincerely,

Carlos

This, my friends, is why I am so grateful for the choice I have made to come serve my Savior. What great joy & lasting happiness it has brought to my life to help in God's work & help bring his children back to him. It's emails like those that make every trial, every struggle, every complicated companion totally worth it! I just continue to pray that I will be able to find more souls like Carlos' that are more than prepared to receive this wonderful gospel. That I will be guided by the spirit to know what to say to those that I speak with! 

Tomorrow is also a year since the first day I met Ben. Wow... how much the Lord has done for Ben & Carlos this past year & for me as well.

I love you all... let us all remember the things that we are thankful for this Thanksgiving season.
Have a wonderful week everyone! 

Sister Hansen

Pictures....
Pretty Fall Leaves!






Thursday, November 13, 2014

10 - 30 / Day 84 I'm Back!

Well 2 pdays in one week... this is interesting! 
I didn't think I would have much to share since I just emailed, but I was wrong. 

This morning we had a desk assignment.  I was sitting there, and I had this random thought "Something great is going to happen today." 10 minutes later some Sisters texted me and told me that Ben was here. He came to introduce his cute new girlfriend Megan to me. Well, of course he asked to see Gods Plan with her.  I don't know if you remember the other week what happens when I watch Gods Plan with him, but it's a TOTAL tear jerker for sure. 

The gospel just means so much to him, and he can't help but get emotional every time he watches it. I wish I could express in words how amazing this kid is and how GREAT the talks we have are. Words just can't express, especially over an email. But what I've learned is that when we put the Lord first, we truly are blessed. In tremendous ways! I know that I was suppose to come on a mission so that I could meet Ben.  He says that if it weren't for me he wouldn't have been baptized. Well that just made me cry my eyes out!  I truly cannot express how much serving a mission has meant to me. I am so eternally grateful for the experiences I've been able to have so far, I'm even grateful for the trying times because that's when I've learned the most. 

I love being a missionary SO MUCH. And let me just tell you how amazing it's been to be out of the office! I loved serving there, but there is nothing like just being a regular missionary and that's all you have to do. I caught myself thinking yesterday "okay, what do I need to get done today. Who's schedule do we need to fix. What report do we need to start working on!" Then I realized... Sister Hansen you don't have to do ANY of that. All you have to do is focus on the work.  Focus on those you're teaching.  Focus on your testimony. It's the BEST :) I think I'm just on FIRE to work & work & teach & teach.  I think I spent as much time on the square yesterday as I did the whole entire time I was in the office combined. haha. People probably thought I was so weird cause I was just soooo happpppyyy. Anyways, I'm done rambling now. 


Until next time! 

xoxo 
love you all 

Sister Hansen

10 - 27 / Day 87 Rough Week

Here goes today.


This week has just been full of challenges and trials to be completely honest. I'm learning how to count my blessings more than I count my "disasters"! It's a work in progress that's for sure.

One thing I'm grateful for is the opportunity to serve as a regular missionary. I think that's where the real heart of the mission is. Just working your hardest every second of the day & having nothing else to accomplish but your missionary purpose. Not to say that working in the office was a bad thing, I loved it & learned so much from it. But I know that all I want to do in these next 12 weeks is WORK work & WORK.

I have always talked about going home with no regrets! So with that in mind I know I need to just take advantage of every second I have left. Don't worry though, I will take one day out a time. It's all about daily diligence. I think of Mosiah 4:27
"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order."

I am trying so hard to keep my life in order with the things that the Lord expects.

Also, my new companion starting Wednesday is Sister Jarrett from Hawaii. She's in her last 6 weeks so this should be interesting. I'm praying & praying that we can just work hard & not really talk about home too much.

I love you all,
Sister Hansen

P.S. Even with a rough week, we sure found some funny spots!

Companionship Study ... aka Companionship Snuggle While watching "The District."
Dying Laughing


Our Favorite Movie, "The District."

This is what we do Every night!