So we got transfer calls and we're staying!!! :D I'm sooooo happy! Sister Brown and I also have been called to be Sister Training Leaders over 3 sister companionships. MLC (Mission Leadership Council) is this week and we're excited :)
The women's broadcast was really powerful and uplifting!! I loved how the theme was to remember who we are and what we stand for :) It was such a fun night being with sisters in the ward, having dinner, and feeling the Spirit. I'm so excited for GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!! This week is just gonna be filled with awesome experiences!! I hope you all have been able to think of questions to ponder and study! ;)
We also had exchanges last week with the Glenville sisters. I stayed in Watervliet with Sister Johnson. It went well! We were tracting and a black lady let us in. She said she had cancer and wanted us to pray with her. So we all held hands in a circle and took turns praying haha. After a little while she couldn't breathe very well and wanted us to take her to the hospital. Her husband was going to be home in like 10 minutes, so we just helped calm her down by singing hymns :) He then took her to the hospital. We hope she's okay and we'll go back soon. Hopefully we can start teaching her or help her!
Oh yeah! The other day we were OYMing (open your mouth) people and talking about the gospel on the streets. We saw this guy who was walking fast from his apartment to his car. We wanted to get his attention before he went inside, so I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind haha. I was like, "I LIKE YOUR MUSTACHE!" Hahahaha. He then stopped and talked to us for a while, he had a pretty sweet mustache! So now we have that as an inside joke. Every person that we see on the street we mentally say, "I like your mustache!"
Today for fun we're going to the HUGE Wal-mart in Albuny. It's 2 stories high and everyone says it's awesome. It should be an adventure :) The weeks have been flying by. Each time it's Monday again I'm like WHAT?! In the moment it's slow, but at the end of the week it feels like it's only been 2 days! I LOVE the members here and LOVE spending time with them :) I love young families. Our investigators are slowly progressing and we're still trying to find more. You know... the usual... It's like doing missionary work or something ;)
Here are some quotes!
"Everyone learn to budget your money. If you eat at a restaurant, get the stuff on the dollar menu, not any of the Super Sized Super Dippedy Dopper Doof stuff!" -President Wirhlin
*at church* "Ugh... I don't feel like being social." -Elder Geminert
"Don't worry, I kept my cool.... even in a van." -Sister Hansen
Hope ya'll have a great week ;) The sun is actually SHINING here.... it's a miracle! Hopefully spring will come soon haha. The gospel is true, everyone keep being amazing! :) Love you!!!!!
Love, Sister Hansen <3
Monday, March 31, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Missionary Fun
First things first. URGENT: There is a new Sister Hansen coming into our mission. So make SURE to write Sister KARLI Hansen on my letters so that they get to me and not her haha :)
Anyway, this week was pretty awesome :D We had "Return and Report" when all the trainers and trainees go to Utica and have training. It was fun staying at the mission home and training was great too! I LOVED the testimony meeting. I just wish testimony meetings would never end haha, I love when the Spirit is so strong!
This week we also conducted a "Mini MTC Experience" for the girls in the stake ages 8-11. We had them come in, and just like the MTC we pinned their badges on :) Then they received a "mission call" and we had a bunch of different rotations and activities. It was SO cute! I loved being able to help teach them about how to be a missionary :) Ahhh, I just love missionary work. I hope a lot of them are able to serve in the future!
Transfer calls come this Saturday. I feel like I'm going to stay, but ever since Owego I'm ready to take anything haha. I love this ward so much though... I really really want to stay. Hopefully I will... but I guess we'll see! The work has been a little slower because people cancelled on us, but we're still doing our best! We were able to teach a couple lessons though.
We just barely got done bowling with our district :) SOOOOO much fun! :D I bowled like an 87, it was hilarious. Luckily I wasn't the lowest score! I felt like a normal person for a few minutes while wearing jeans and having normal music playing... it was really weird. I felt guilty but happy but skeptical but excited all at the same time... I still don't quite know how I feel about the whole thing haha... but it was a blast :) I'll send pics if I have time to upload them all!
Oh yeah, the past few weeks I've been having scary dreams at night and haven't been able to sleep. I don't know why I've been dreaming so much lately... Anyway, I was constantly tired and could barely stay awake, so I had Elder Geminert (Zone Leader) give me a blessing. Ever since the blessing, my dreams have stopped and I've been sleeping better :) It was a cool experience and I'm grateful for worthy priesthood holders!
Well I don't have much time so I need to wrap this up. I hope you're all staying strong and remembering that you need CPR to stay alive (Church, Pray, Read)! :) I love everyone!!! Have a good week!!!!!!!!!! The gospel is true and God loves you! :)
Love, Sister Hansen <3
Anyway, this week was pretty awesome :D We had "Return and Report" when all the trainers and trainees go to Utica and have training. It was fun staying at the mission home and training was great too! I LOVED the testimony meeting. I just wish testimony meetings would never end haha, I love when the Spirit is so strong!
This week we also conducted a "Mini MTC Experience" for the girls in the stake ages 8-11. We had them come in, and just like the MTC we pinned their badges on :) Then they received a "mission call" and we had a bunch of different rotations and activities. It was SO cute! I loved being able to help teach them about how to be a missionary :) Ahhh, I just love missionary work. I hope a lot of them are able to serve in the future!
Transfer calls come this Saturday. I feel like I'm going to stay, but ever since Owego I'm ready to take anything haha. I love this ward so much though... I really really want to stay. Hopefully I will... but I guess we'll see! The work has been a little slower because people cancelled on us, but we're still doing our best! We were able to teach a couple lessons though.
We just barely got done bowling with our district :) SOOOOO much fun! :D I bowled like an 87, it was hilarious. Luckily I wasn't the lowest score! I felt like a normal person for a few minutes while wearing jeans and having normal music playing... it was really weird. I felt guilty but happy but skeptical but excited all at the same time... I still don't quite know how I feel about the whole thing haha... but it was a blast :) I'll send pics if I have time to upload them all!
Oh yeah, the past few weeks I've been having scary dreams at night and haven't been able to sleep. I don't know why I've been dreaming so much lately... Anyway, I was constantly tired and could barely stay awake, so I had Elder Geminert (Zone Leader) give me a blessing. Ever since the blessing, my dreams have stopped and I've been sleeping better :) It was a cool experience and I'm grateful for worthy priesthood holders!
Well I don't have much time so I need to wrap this up. I hope you're all staying strong and remembering that you need CPR to stay alive (Church, Pray, Read)! :) I love everyone!!! Have a good week!!!!!!!!!! The gospel is true and God loves you! :)
Love, Sister Hansen <3
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Miracles
SO many small miracles have happened the past few weeks! Sister Brown and I have been trying to be as diligent/obedient as we can, and we've seen blessings come from it :) Heavenly Father has led us to 4 new investigators and 3 pretty solid potentials that we're going to follow up with!
One of them is Bill. We talked to him on the street and he said he's been looking for a church that he feels comfortable at. He's been searching for a year, but still hasn't found it (NOW HE HAS!!!) ;) haha. We talked with him briefly, testified, and left him with a BOM. Later when we were driving back that way to go home, we saw him on his porch reading it!!! :D That was so cool!
Also one of our investigators is Jamaican haha! She's great and she's really interested in the priesthood and prophets. We're teaching her next week and she wants to come to church! We visited a less-active family this week too. They have young kids so we watched the new Mormon Message about bullying with them. The Spirit was really strong and they loved it! We talked about being Christlike, it was great :) They invited us back again!!
Oh yeah, the other day I was leaving a voicemail on someone's phone and at the end I almost said, "In the name of Jesus Christ amen." but luckily I stopped myself right before and then just said bye really fast hahahaha.... and another embarrassing thing was that I pulled into the parking lot at our church for ZTM and President Wirthlin was walking in. In our mission, President Wirthlin is trying to help us learn how to get good at backing our bars into parking places. He was like, "Sister Hansen... I want to see you back in!" ...... OH GREAT. I've been backing in my whole mission and I'm STILL horrible at it haha. Lets just say I made a food of myself... but it was fun :)
I've had so many interesting dreams lately. Last night it was this one: I was driving a car full of missionaries. I was following my GPS and it was NOT taking us the right way. We were going on long windy roads and I started to get frustrated. We stopped the car and went to sit on a bench by some grass. We sat down on the bench and everyone was like, "Lets role play!" I was still trying to figure out my GPS, so I sat down away from the group on the grass. My GPS was taking us a MUCH longer way to get home and I didn't know why. Clearly on the map there were TONS of other short roads that could've gotten us home. I started crying after a few minutes haha. Then someone came and sat by my side. I still don't know who that person was... but he said something that I'll never forget.
"OFTEN GOD KNOWS THERE'S AN EASIER PATH... BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO TAKE THE TOUGH AND LONG WAY."
When he said that, I knew it was true. Even though our paths in life can be difficult and can seem long at times, there are lessons we never would've learned if we took the shortcut. There are things we never would've seen or felt if we took the short road. I'm grateful for that dream. It helped me know that God is aware of the path I'm on, and He's helping me understand more and more each day :) I love receiving answers through dreams!!
Anyway, the new March Ensign is REALLY good. You all should read it! Also, I hope everyone has a fun St. Patrick's Day :) We got ice cream cones for 50 cents at Stewarts for wearing green :) I'll end my post on a funny note by writing some of the quotes from my week :) Enjoy!
"We're trying to have more fun like elders. So we're embracing our inner elder!" - Sis Brown
"Adidas stands for- All Day I Dream About Shoes. It should be Adidaj- All Day I Dream About JESUS!" - Elder Holt
*choosing a random pamphlet to leave at an unanswered door* "Let's see what we got here... AH! Luck of the draw.... these lucky people get chastity!" -Sis Hansen
*during his testimony* "You know what? I just love being weird. I'm weird.... and being weird makes me happy!" -Elder Houggard
Haha well, I hope everyone is happy and healthy :) The weeks are starting to go by a lot faster now :) Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love, Sister Hansen <3
One of them is Bill. We talked to him on the street and he said he's been looking for a church that he feels comfortable at. He's been searching for a year, but still hasn't found it (NOW HE HAS!!!) ;) haha. We talked with him briefly, testified, and left him with a BOM. Later when we were driving back that way to go home, we saw him on his porch reading it!!! :D That was so cool!
Also one of our investigators is Jamaican haha! She's great and she's really interested in the priesthood and prophets. We're teaching her next week and she wants to come to church! We visited a less-active family this week too. They have young kids so we watched the new Mormon Message about bullying with them. The Spirit was really strong and they loved it! We talked about being Christlike, it was great :) They invited us back again!!
Oh yeah, the other day I was leaving a voicemail on someone's phone and at the end I almost said, "In the name of Jesus Christ amen." but luckily I stopped myself right before and then just said bye really fast hahahaha.... and another embarrassing thing was that I pulled into the parking lot at our church for ZTM and President Wirthlin was walking in. In our mission, President Wirthlin is trying to help us learn how to get good at backing our bars into parking places. He was like, "Sister Hansen... I want to see you back in!" ...... OH GREAT. I've been backing in my whole mission and I'm STILL horrible at it haha. Lets just say I made a food of myself... but it was fun :)
I've had so many interesting dreams lately. Last night it was this one: I was driving a car full of missionaries. I was following my GPS and it was NOT taking us the right way. We were going on long windy roads and I started to get frustrated. We stopped the car and went to sit on a bench by some grass. We sat down on the bench and everyone was like, "Lets role play!" I was still trying to figure out my GPS, so I sat down away from the group on the grass. My GPS was taking us a MUCH longer way to get home and I didn't know why. Clearly on the map there were TONS of other short roads that could've gotten us home. I started crying after a few minutes haha. Then someone came and sat by my side. I still don't know who that person was... but he said something that I'll never forget.
"OFTEN GOD KNOWS THERE'S AN EASIER PATH... BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO TAKE THE TOUGH AND LONG WAY."
When he said that, I knew it was true. Even though our paths in life can be difficult and can seem long at times, there are lessons we never would've learned if we took the shortcut. There are things we never would've seen or felt if we took the short road. I'm grateful for that dream. It helped me know that God is aware of the path I'm on, and He's helping me understand more and more each day :) I love receiving answers through dreams!!
Anyway, the new March Ensign is REALLY good. You all should read it! Also, I hope everyone has a fun St. Patrick's Day :) We got ice cream cones for 50 cents at Stewarts for wearing green :) I'll end my post on a funny note by writing some of the quotes from my week :) Enjoy!
"We're trying to have more fun like elders. So we're embracing our inner elder!" - Sis Brown
"Adidas stands for- All Day I Dream About Shoes. It should be Adidaj- All Day I Dream About JESUS!" - Elder Holt
*choosing a random pamphlet to leave at an unanswered door* "Let's see what we got here... AH! Luck of the draw.... these lucky people get chastity!" -Sis Hansen
*during his testimony* "You know what? I just love being weird. I'm weird.... and being weird makes me happy!" -Elder Houggard
Haha well, I hope everyone is happy and healthy :) The weeks are starting to go by a lot faster now :) Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love, Sister Hansen <3
Friday, March 14, 2014
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
To start out I want to mention the scripture D&C 84:114. "Go to the city of New York... and also the city of Albuny." It mentions my area in the scriptures!!! ;) I thought that was pretty cool haha. Anyway, this week we've seen some progress. We've been receiving Head Quarter referrals for people who want to know about the gospel, so that's been a HUGE blessing. Hopefully we can meet them and start teaching soon!
We had another cool experience! We knocked on a lady's door named Rebecca. She let us in and we taught her about the Restoration. She received it well and was really curious about what we believe. She then told us that she felt like she knew us, that we seemed very familiar :) We were excited to hear that! :) She agree to read and pray, so we'll see what happens there! We also met a guy on the street named Alfonzo who might be interested too!
Oh yeah, someone that we talked to the other day told me that I look like I'm 14 years old... I wonder if I'll ever start to look older haha. I had another funny dream the other night. I was sitting in sacrament meeting and I started to get really hungry. So I started SHOVING my face with food hahaha. I was trying to hide my face, because I didn't want people to see that I was eating during the meeting. It was hilarious! I think I like food a little too much haha.
Sister Brown and I are getting to know each other more, but we still haven't completely connected yet. It's been brought to my knowledge that she has a "red" personality in the Color Code. That explains A LOT haha. It's a work in progress, but we'll get there! SO many members here have gone to school at USU :) It's really fun to be able to talk about Logan! I love the members!!
The other night we were listening to the talk called, "Finding Joy In the Journey" by President Monson. He mentioned a story about a father who was in prison or something in another country. He was allowed to write his family, but using only 25 words. So I thought about that and wondered what I would write to my current family or my future family if I only had 25 words. Here's what I came up with!
Cherish family. Be Christlike. Serve. Remember your worth. Faith. Keep covenants. Worthy mission. Pray. Laugh. Trials are blessings. Love deeply. Smile. Patience. Humility. Cherish moments.
What would all of you say??? ;) There's actually not much else to report about. It's been a good week though. Slow but steady things are going to pick up. I know this work is true and I'm grateful to be meeting people and helping them change their lives! I love our Savior and I'm grateful for the Atonement :)
I hope everyone back home is doing well! Love and miss you more than you know!!!
Love, Sister Hansen :)
We had another cool experience! We knocked on a lady's door named Rebecca. She let us in and we taught her about the Restoration. She received it well and was really curious about what we believe. She then told us that she felt like she knew us, that we seemed very familiar :) We were excited to hear that! :) She agree to read and pray, so we'll see what happens there! We also met a guy on the street named Alfonzo who might be interested too!
Oh yeah, someone that we talked to the other day told me that I look like I'm 14 years old... I wonder if I'll ever start to look older haha. I had another funny dream the other night. I was sitting in sacrament meeting and I started to get really hungry. So I started SHOVING my face with food hahaha. I was trying to hide my face, because I didn't want people to see that I was eating during the meeting. It was hilarious! I think I like food a little too much haha.
Sister Brown and I are getting to know each other more, but we still haven't completely connected yet. It's been brought to my knowledge that she has a "red" personality in the Color Code. That explains A LOT haha. It's a work in progress, but we'll get there! SO many members here have gone to school at USU :) It's really fun to be able to talk about Logan! I love the members!!
The other night we were listening to the talk called, "Finding Joy In the Journey" by President Monson. He mentioned a story about a father who was in prison or something in another country. He was allowed to write his family, but using only 25 words. So I thought about that and wondered what I would write to my current family or my future family if I only had 25 words. Here's what I came up with!
Cherish family. Be Christlike. Serve. Remember your worth. Faith. Keep covenants. Worthy mission. Pray. Laugh. Trials are blessings. Love deeply. Smile. Patience. Humility. Cherish moments.
What would all of you say??? ;) There's actually not much else to report about. It's been a good week though. Slow but steady things are going to pick up. I know this work is true and I'm grateful to be meeting people and helping them change their lives! I love our Savior and I'm grateful for the Atonement :)
I hope everyone back home is doing well! Love and miss you more than you know!!!
Love, Sister Hansen :)
Monday, March 3, 2014
I Love Mormons
It's been another good week in Watervliet! I had a dream that President Wirthlin transferred me AGAIN after only being in Watervliet for one transfer haha. I hope SO bad that I can stay here for a while. I guess we'll see what Heavenly Father has planned though... Oh and I also had a dream that at General Conference, President Monson announced that sisters could serve for 3 years instead of 18 months.... uh yeah, probably not gonna happen haha. Can you tell I'm excited for General Conference though?? :)
In our district we have 7 sets of missionaries, including a senior couple. They're awesome, and they make us lunch each week after district meeting! We have a fun district and we're all trying to work hard. We've had dinner with a lot of great families too :) As far as investigators go... we have none... So it's back to square one... finding. The first few days were a little rough, because my GPS always acts weird whenever I change areas haha, but after my GPS started working, things got better.
On a particularly stressful day, we were walking down the street. I was silently praying about everything that I was feeling. Ahead of us some little kids got dropped off by a school bus. 2 cute black kids started running down the street to go home. Right before they passed us the little boy all of a sudden ran up to me, randomly gave me a big hug, and then ran off haha. It was the sweetest thing EVER! I felt like it was God's way of giving me a hug and letting me know that I need to stop stressing haha. It was an absolute answer to my prayer and I'm really grateful for that!
Each day I'm reminded of how blessed I've been with the family life I have. Families out here and even the family situations with some of my companions are just falling apart and are really sad. I'm more and more thankful each day for my family and the life I've been able to live. Love you all sooooo much!
Oh yeah, we have a car and the zone leaders have a van. Sometimes we switch and drive the van to pick up the elders for church. We needed to know where the zone leaders lived, so we texted them and asked for their address. Our texting conversation proceeded by us joking back and forth, giving references from the white handbook haha. To other people this might not be funny, but hopefully missionaries will understand.
Here it is:
Sisters: Hey, can we get your address for driving tomorrow?
Elders: That is classified info. Page 46 of the while handbook. "Do not give your address to non-members or make your address publicly known."
S: Page 57. "Leaders should be sensitive to the needs of others..."
E: Page 62. "My loyalty is first to the Lord, then to the mission president, THEN to the missionaries."
S: Page 59. "Leaders should also recognize that they can learn much for the missionaries they serve. "
E: Page 62. "A leader should never tolerate or take part in inappropriate activities."
S: Romans 14:10, Mark 9:22.
Haha it was great! We ended up winning the "texting battle" and they gave us their address. IO love the funny jokes that we have as missionaries and inside jokes as Mormons. I just love Mormons :) I love being a missionary!! I better wrap up things though. I hit my year mark in 3 days... crazy!!! I'm thankful for my mission and what I've experienced in the past year. 6 more months!! :) Thanks for everything! The gospel is true, and I love all of you! :)
Love, Sister Hansen!
In our district we have 7 sets of missionaries, including a senior couple. They're awesome, and they make us lunch each week after district meeting! We have a fun district and we're all trying to work hard. We've had dinner with a lot of great families too :) As far as investigators go... we have none... So it's back to square one... finding. The first few days were a little rough, because my GPS always acts weird whenever I change areas haha, but after my GPS started working, things got better.
On a particularly stressful day, we were walking down the street. I was silently praying about everything that I was feeling. Ahead of us some little kids got dropped off by a school bus. 2 cute black kids started running down the street to go home. Right before they passed us the little boy all of a sudden ran up to me, randomly gave me a big hug, and then ran off haha. It was the sweetest thing EVER! I felt like it was God's way of giving me a hug and letting me know that I need to stop stressing haha. It was an absolute answer to my prayer and I'm really grateful for that!
Each day I'm reminded of how blessed I've been with the family life I have. Families out here and even the family situations with some of my companions are just falling apart and are really sad. I'm more and more thankful each day for my family and the life I've been able to live. Love you all sooooo much!
Oh yeah, we have a car and the zone leaders have a van. Sometimes we switch and drive the van to pick up the elders for church. We needed to know where the zone leaders lived, so we texted them and asked for their address. Our texting conversation proceeded by us joking back and forth, giving references from the white handbook haha. To other people this might not be funny, but hopefully missionaries will understand.
Here it is:
Sisters: Hey, can we get your address for driving tomorrow?
Elders: That is classified info. Page 46 of the while handbook. "Do not give your address to non-members or make your address publicly known."
S: Page 57. "Leaders should be sensitive to the needs of others..."
E: Page 62. "My loyalty is first to the Lord, then to the mission president, THEN to the missionaries."
S: Page 59. "Leaders should also recognize that they can learn much for the missionaries they serve. "
E: Page 62. "A leader should never tolerate or take part in inappropriate activities."
S: Romans 14:10, Mark 9:22.
Haha it was great! We ended up winning the "texting battle" and they gave us their address. IO love the funny jokes that we have as missionaries and inside jokes as Mormons. I just love Mormons :) I love being a missionary!! I better wrap up things though. I hit my year mark in 3 days... crazy!!! I'm thankful for my mission and what I've experienced in the past year. 6 more months!! :) Thanks for everything! The gospel is true, and I love all of you! :)
Love, Sister Hansen!
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