tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13313268480134249252023-11-15T08:54:52.372-08:00Elder Michael Gregory HansenChristie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-72423867883959614362014-04-29T14:44:00.000-07:002014-04-29T14:44:03.327-07:00My ankle is ripped!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey there. Thanks for the emails and letters as always! <br />
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Well this feels weird. Writing home for the 2nd to last time. H<span>mmmmmm</span>. Oh well. I don't like thinking about it.</div>
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This week has been awesome! We have been teaching a
lot and the members have been involved in almost every lesson. It has
been a blessing. We found another new person to teach! Her name is
Emily. She is very open to learning which is great. </div>
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Dylan is doing well also! He is going to be baptized on the <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_245193451" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">9th of May</span></span>!
Right before I leave. I am so happy for him. He came to the regional
conference yesterday down in Salt Lake City. We sat together on the 5th
row in the conference center. It was an awesome conference. Elder
Niel L. Anderson spoke. He is so inspired. He talked about faith,
diligence, and patience. It was great. Also Elder Arnold of the
Seventy spoke and talked about hastening the work! He used examples of
families that were taught by missionaries in our mission! There were
some pictures shown as well. It was cool. </div>
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The night before Elder Hawkins and I had the
opportunity to speak in the adult session of stake conference. It was
good! It was sad to think it was the last time I would get to speak as a
missionary, but it was awesome to be able to share some of the things
that I have learned about being a member missionary and hastening the
work after serving 2 years in Utah. The members here are amazing. I
hope they keep inviting their friends and helping the work to go forward
here. <br />
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Well. Other than that, I guess I should tell
you what really happened to my ankle. It is not just buff. I just
rolled it pretty bad playing basketball, but I am fine. I can walk
pretty well still and it won't hinder the work at all. Glad we have a
car though. :) Anyways, it is completely fine so don't worry about it
(mom... :) ) </div>
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Alright, Love you all!! The church is true. The
work is hastening! Keep inviting your friends and neighbors and doing
what you are supposed to. Jesus Christ is our Savior. I owe everything
in my life to him and the love he has for me and my family.</div>
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Love,</div>
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-Elder Hansen</div>
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Peak The Strategy </div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-45737394584057325822014-04-21T13:25:00.002-07:002014-04-21T13:25:54.089-07:00Miracles.<div class="ajy">
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Hey!
This week has been pretty good! We have seen a couple great miracles.
We have found 2 new people to teach. They are very prepared. I am
excited to continue working with them and helping them feel the effect
of the atonement in their lives.<br />
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Our greatest miracle this week was that <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1215854804" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday</span></span> afternoon we got a media referral (text) to go and see a man named Dylan Lines. Our appointment fell through at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1215854805" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">6:00 p.m.</span></span>
so we decided to visit this referral. We knocked on his door and he
said "wow, that was fast!" and let us come in. We got to know him and
his background and set expectations with him. He moved to Utah last fall
from Indiana. We went back <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1215854806" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span> and taught him about the restoration and invited him to be baptized. He said yes and is preparing for the <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1215854807" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">17th of May</span></span>!
I think he will be ready even before then so hopefully I can ask him to
be baptized before I leave. (Might be a little selfish, but I think he
will be ready before then!) Then we met with him <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1215854808" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span>
at the church and gave him a tour and showed him the chapel,
classrooms, elder quorum room, and the baptismal font. He said that he
talked with his father about it and he got very emotional and started
telling about when he was baptized and how great it was. He is very
happy for Dylan that he has decided to be baptized! Soo cool. :) Then
he came to church <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1215854809" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Sunday</span></span>
and stayed for all 3 hours. He is very prepared. The Lord sent him
here to receive the gospel. I know it. We are meeting with him tonight
as well. The Lord is blessing us. :)<br />
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The other miracle was meeting a young man named Tyler. He
moved from Delaware in January. A member took me there (Elder Hawkins
was with another member) and we started talking with him. His big
question was why there are so many different churches and why there
isn't just one church and one faith in God. So that was a great place
to start! :) :) I shared the restoration with him and we came back a
couple of days later and taught him again. One of his best friends was
killed in a car crash recently so he says it is hard but that it is
making him depend on God more. The Lord truly is preparing people all
around us to share the gospel with! We all need to be better at getting
over being scared and just be open about what we believe. <br />
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Well that is about all I have time for. I love you all very much! I will write more next week. </div>
God lives and loves all of his children.</div>
Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. </div>
Easter was awesome. I love sharing my testimony of Christ. Did you see that video "Because of Him" on <a href="http://mormon.org/" target="_blank">mormon.org</a>? If not, watch it!! Its good! <br />
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Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. He restored this gospel in its fulness. I am so grateful for what he did.<br /></div>
Love,</div>
-Elder Hansen<br /></div>
Peak the StrategyChristie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-29982346708134421702014-04-21T13:24:00.002-07:002014-04-21T13:24:16.528-07:00Crazy week!<div>
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Hello!! Well this week has been all over the place. It has been great though. </div>
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So
as you know on Tuesday I got transferred to Bountiful Stone Creek
Stake. On Monday before that I went to the temple with the missionaries
that were about to go home. It was really cool. A long session though
because there were so many people! It was because a lot of people
stayed an extra day after conference to go to the temple. I liked going
to those temple trips before when I wasn't the one going home because I
got to say goodbye to a lot of great friends and previous companions.
But now being the one that is leaving soon it was different. It still
hasn't sunk in quite yet! On Tuesday the departing missionaries have a
special testimony meeting in the evening where they all invite member
families, past recent converts, and investigators and bear their
testimonies. Since I will be gone for the next one, I bore my testimony
at this one. It was a cool but kind of sad experience. The good part
was that I got to say that I am staying for another month or so! So
afterwards we went and taught a lesson to a less-active family! It was
great, but the meeting was so powerful. Hearing missionaries right
before they leave talk about what they learned and bear their
testimonies is something else. <br />
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Anyways, enough about that! After those couple rough days,
the week has been back to normal. Teaching and finding and doing the
Lord's work! We had a lot of cancelled appointments this week though.
It always happens. Im not sure how to get around it. But we are
meeting with some wonderful families that are progressing toward full
activity in the church. We are also teaching a few that are looking
toward baptism. I hope to see more success before I leave in helping
people participate in ordinances. <br />
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Well. Today we went hiking. Hiked up to the "V" in
Centerville. It wasn't a hard hike at all, but it was pretty fun. I'll
send a picture or two. Other than that we have just been moving
forward. Trying to help people make changes in their lives. Its a good
time :) <br />
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Love you all! Hope everything is going well and that you are all healthy and happy.<br /></div>
Godspeed.</div>
-Elder Hansen<br /></div>
Peak The Strategy<br />
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Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-21668676673243146032014-04-08T20:08:00.001-07:002014-04-08T20:08:32.067-07:00Transfers...<span class="hb"><span class="g2" dir="ltr" name="Rebekah"></span> </span><br />
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Hello!!!
Sorry I did not email yesterday. I was at the temple with the
departing missionaries for most of the day and then saying goodbye to
people for the rest. I got transferred. It was kind of disappointing to
leave with only a small part of my mission left. I wasn't happy at
first, but I know President wouldn't do it unless he felt a good reason.
So I know that there is someone here in my new area that I need to meet
and be in contact with. I am serving in the Bountiful Stone Creek
Stake in the farmington zone. It is a great place. My new companion is
Elder Hawkins from Washington. He is awesome. we have served around
each other a lot but never really talked a lot. But it will be fun to
work with him. He goes home just after I do. <div>
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Anyways,</div>
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General Conference was amazing. I
don't have time to write about it now, but it was cool. Saw some people
that I know from home and from the mission that have already finished.
Also we took Chuck our investigator to the priesthood session and he
loved it. And <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1613278461" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Sunday</span></span> afternoon we had really good seats. </div>
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On top of all that, we had a baptism!! Chase Clampitt got
baptized. It was so cool. It has been one of the coolest experiences
on my mission to be able to teach him and see how he accepts everything
and progresses in this gospel. He will be confirmed <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1613278462" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">next Sunday</span></span>
and also receive the priesthood. He will be going to the temple with
the youth to do baptisms at the end of this month as well. :) so great!
I'll send a picture.</div>
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I don't have any more time to write, but I will send you some more pictures next week to make up for it. </div>
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Love you all!! The church is true!</div>
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Godspeed.</div>
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-Elder Hansen</div>
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P.S. Here is my new address - 1040 West 600 North, West Bountiful, Utah, 84087</div>
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Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-67819279000856425112014-03-31T18:27:00.002-07:002014-03-31T18:27:15.405-07:00Zone ConferenceHey everyone! This email is going to be pretty short because we have to go to lunch in a couple minutes.<br />
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Thanks for your emails and letters! They brighten my day. Especially the pictures from my nieces and nephews! :)</div>
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Well this week was a little rough. A lot of our
appointments cancelled and some people just decided that they didn't
want to meet with us anymore. It was hard, but things are still going
okay. The end of the week was the beginning of spring break so hardly
anyone was home! But we still met with a few people and had some great
experiences.</div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1793973797" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday</span></span>
was Zone Conference. It was a looong day, but it was very good. We
talked a lot about teaching with the pamphlets and practiced. Elder
Kuck and I gave a training on teaching the Plan of Salvation. It was
pretty good I think. We also found out about our mission goal for the
month of April. It was a great zone conference! Sad that it was my last
though.....</div>
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This morning we got to go to the temple. We saw a
lot of missionaries from the East mission that we know well that are
heading home <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1793973798" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">tomorrow</span></span>.... It was sad to see them go and it is scary to think that it is coming fast for us too. But it is okay. </div>
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General Conference is coming!!! We have tickets to 3
sessions. We are bringing 2 or 3 investigators and 1 less-active
family. It is exciting! I love general conference. Here is an awesome
quote from Elder Robert D. Hales about conference - </div>
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" I promise that if you will listen, you will feel the Spirit well
up within you. The Lord will tell you what He wants you to do with your
life. In conferences we can receive the word of the Lord meant just for
us."</div>
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Love it. I know we can find answers and gain more spiritual knowledge at conference. </div>
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Well that is all I have time for. I hope everything is going well! Love you!</div>
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The church is true!</div>
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Godspeed.</div>
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-Elder Hansen</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-21451209443142181782014-03-25T15:08:00.001-07:002014-03-25T15:08:29.092-07:00Marianne's Baptism!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hola! This week has been great. We had some great miracles and had a
baptism! Marianne was baptized and confirmed. She is so awesome. She
wants so badly to follow the Savior in her life. I am grateful that we
got to teach her and help her on the path to eternal life. I will send a
picture from her baptism. A lot of missionaries taught her over the
last 6 months so they came back to see it. So yeah. Nothing better
than baptisms. I love it.<br />
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Well what else? I will send another picture from a week
or two ago. So we were in this apartment complex called rose cove
(where Marianne lives) and we see this dog running around. A lady came
outside and said that it had ran inside her house through the back door
and took the bone from her dog!! ha ha so we went over to try to catch
it and after a couple tries we caught the dog. We found a phone number
on the collar and called it. They asked if we could bring it back to
them (they lived a couple of miles away!) and so we got the dog into our
car and drove it to their house! ha ha it was awesome. We were hoping
that they would be non-members or at least that they would be
less-active, but they were active members. So we talked for a bit and
asked them how long the dog had been gone. They said he only got out 1
hour ago! It ran quite a long way. And it was kind of wet so we assume
it went through a creek or pool or something. It was an adventure! </div>
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We have been teaching a good amount this week, but
one of our investigators moved out without telling us.... and then
another person dropped us. So that was lame. But the work moves on and
we keep moving forward. We are still teaching Chase and getting better
at teaching with the pamphlets. I love it. I like the way it can
become so interactive as we ask the right questions and keep them
involved. </div>
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We found a new person to teach this week. His name
is Kendall. He is a handyman. Like the one I used to work for with
Wade and his brothers. He is awesome. We talked a little about the
atonement and he is pretty receptive. He has awesome kids and
grandkids. We can't wait to teach him more this week. It is going to
change his life a lot if he lets it! </div>
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Well I know this is short-ish but we are running
around today doing a bunch of stuff. We played sand volleyball a bit
today. It was awesome. This week we have zone conference <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_681172941" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Thursday</span></span>. So that will be fun! I am excited for what we will learn and talk about. Anyways.</div>
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The church is true! </div>
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God lives and He loves us.</div>
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Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.</div>
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Godspeed.</div>
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-Elder Hansen</div>
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Peak the Strategy</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-52184452672661536842014-03-14T20:39:00.002-07:002014-03-14T20:39:53.227-07:00Birthdays!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey! I don't have a lot of time to write today because we have been
doing a lot. Thanks for all your emails. I love reading them. :)
Happy Birthday Jennie! <br />
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So this week has been good!
It has been hard because we have not had a lot of lessons, but
Marianne accepted a baptismal date! She is preparing for the 22nd! We
are excited! There are a couple others that seem to be getting close
for the weeks after. I love serving in this area. It is an awesome
place. I love this work. </div>
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Also this week we spoke in a sacrament meeting. It
was great. The fire alarm went off just as my companion started his
talk!!! It was loud and the Bishop said to just keep going... ha ha so
he tried to talk over it and finally it got turned off. We don't know
who pulled it, but it was the first time that has ever happened to us!
It was funny. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Elder Ballard came on Tuesday and spoke to us! It
was awesome! He talked mostly about treasuring up the scriptures and the
lessons in PMG and then teaching for understanding. It was awesome!
He also brought along Elder Bill Marriott! So that was a treat! He
spoke to us as well. He talked about how to be successful missionaries
as well as some ways to be successful after our missions. I learned a
lot! I feel so lucky to have heard from so many awesome people on my
mission. It has been such a blessing. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well that is about all I have time for! Sorry for cutting it short this time. I love you all and miss you! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh
and last thing. Today we hiked Flag rock! (again) So that is the third
time I have hiked it!! It was fun. We had the whole zone come! I
will send a picture. It was awesome. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Love you!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The church is true! </div>
<div>
God lives and loves us.</div>
<div>
Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak The Strategy</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-27412939784920659572014-03-05T15:20:00.004-08:002014-03-05T15:29:47.485-08:00:)<div class="ii gt m1448990db815df9c adP adO" id=":o4">
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Hello
all! I am so excited to hear about my new niece!!!!! The pictures you
sent were awesome. I am excited to meet her! I am happy that Jennie,
Paul, and Ruth are healthy and back home. I hope this email finds
everyone doing well and happy!<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
Well It is official, I came to Farmington on Tuesday! I
am serving in the Farmington Oakridge Stake. It is a wonderful place to
be. There is a lot of teaching and work going on. I love it here. It
is good to be back. I was released from my last assignment and am now
serving with Elder Kuck as a zone leader. He is awesome. He is from
Atlanta, Georgia! He is a Braves fan like us! We are very similar and
it is awesome to serve with someone who has been out the same amount as
you. We both go home in May. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This week has been a little rough because 13 of our
appointments cancelled or rescheduled! But we still taught quite a bit.
I got to see some of the people that I taught 6 months ago that were
baptized! It was nice. We had a pretty awesome miracle this week. We
set up a lesson with a lady named Connie. She did a mission for her
church a while back and she hosts a bible study once a month at her
house. She has studied the bible for +40 years. She is way cool. We
had our first lesson with her and taught the restoration. She was so
open and already believes in almost everything. She stopped us near the
beginning and said, "I don't mean to offend anyone, but I want to tell
you that I believe that God and Jesus Christ are two separate beings."
We were like, "no that is great, we believe that too!" She grew up
Catholic but she always thought that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
were separate. It was cool. She is soo prepared. She said that her
son became a Mormon and she always wondered why he did. She raised him
to be Christian and then he converted and she said now it is time for
her to see why he joined! We committed her to read the Book of Mormon
and pray. She said she would. We are excited to go back and talk with
her more. She is an awesome person. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well not much else crazy happened. I will send some
pictures this week. Some from the baptism a week ago. Danielle was
baptized. She is great. Then one we where Elder Williams, Elder Olsen
(the new ap) and I were just messing around. :) ha ha </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Once again I hope you are all doing well! I love
you tons! And I miss you! I promise to be more consistent in writing
now that I should have the time. :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Love,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak the Strategy</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P.S. Elder Ballard is coming to speak to our mission on Tuesday! :) don't tell anyone. ha ha I will write about it next week. </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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</a></span>Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-54317082650370019302014-02-22T17:43:00.001-08:002014-02-22T17:43:10.149-08:00Transfers!Hello everyone! So I don't have too much time so I am just going to hit the major points of what has happened lately. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-We
finished up transfers and I am getting released and going to a new
area. We are about 99% sure that I will be going up to Kaysville to
serve as a zone leader. I will be serving in one of my old areas!! I
served there for 5 weeks right before I came here. It is going to be
awesome. I am so excited to have the opportunity to focus on the work
and on a zone to try to lift and bless and motivate and just help them
see success and be happy. It is going to be a great opportunity. So I
will leave <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1998413868" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Tuesday</span></span> for the new area.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-My companion's birthday was <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1998413869" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span>
and we had a very good day. We taught 5 lessons and worked on
transfers and he got some presents from some of the office staff and the
people we teach. It was fun. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-We finally found one of the people we have been
teaching after losing her for a week and a half. Her purse was stolen
(with her phone inside) and so she couldn't contact us and she went to
park city with her family for a while so we could never find her. But
she got a new phone and then we got in contact and have been teaching
her again. She is preparing for the 1st to be baptized. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-We had another couple lessons with Josh who I told
you about last time. He is awesome. He is almost done with the
doctrine and covenants and when we met last time we talked about the
doctrine of Christ. At the end we asked him how he felt, and he said
"well my plan is to finish reading the doctrine and covenants and finish
the lessons that you teach me and then I want to be baptized." It was
sooo cool!!!! We were about to invite him, but he already had the plan
and has been praying about a time in march for baptism! I have never
taught someone as prepared as he is in my life! He will be such a
strong member of the church. Usually most converts are converted by the
way they feel when they meet with missionaries, when they read the Book
of Mormon, or when they come to church. It is interesting with Josh
though. I believe that he was converted solely because of the doctrine.
He knows the doctrine of the Church to be true, which is very good for
someone who just started reading 2 months ago or less. Granted he did
read the whole triple. Anyways, he is praying about the 8th. It was
such an awesome miracle and great experience to get to teach him. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-We have a baptism today at 2:00pm for a girl named Danielle. She is also very prepared. It should be a great day! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-We
hit all of the Standards of Excellence this past week! It was kind of
hard to have that many lessons and be able to do everything else, but it
was definitely a successful week. :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Lastly, we met with President to work on transfers
and he invited two future mission president to come watch. It was
interesting! One is going to Dallas Texas and the other to the
Philippines! We just talked about how a transfer works and what we do
to find out where each missionary should go and who should do what. It
was fun to talk to them about it and see how excited they were to go to
their own missions and work with the missionaries there. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well this was longer than I thought, but I have to go. We are going to go fill up the font. I will try to write again <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1998413870" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday</span></span>. Love you all!!! Miss you a ton. Hope all is well there and that everyone is getting better!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Love,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak the Strategy</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-75616605209849821012014-02-16T20:47:00.001-08:002014-02-16T20:47:53.887-08:00Happy Valentine's Day!<div dir="ltr">
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Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to say, valentine's day in a YSA ward as a missionary
is not the best day to get things done. Ha ha not many people want to meet with you.
And all the members are out on dates so they can’t come to lessons with
you. So tonight will be an interesting
night! Ha ha anyways, it is good to have
a couple minutes to write you. I am
sorry that it has been so long. I have
been getting all of your emails and letters and I truly appreciate the updates
on everyone! It gives me comfort to know
what is going on even when it is not the best news. I hope and pray that everyone continues to
recover well and that there will be fewer problems in the future. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life has been pretty great out here! I am finally
better from being sick! I wasn’t even that sick compared to what is
going on back there! I hope the
pneumonia goes away quickly since you caught it early. The work has
really picked up though. We have been teaching a lot more and they are
bringing their friends to appointments too!
Also we got the coolest referral I think I have ever received on my
mission! His name is Josh. He grew up in a home with Catholic and
Christian non-denominational backgrounds.
He didn’t know what was right, so he has been searching. He moved out
here for work and his family
came for military. He works as a
pharmacist at the LDS hospital. He was curious about the LDS faith so he
got a
copy of the Book of Mormon and just started reading. He read at a very
quick pace and wanted to
get a feel for it before meeting with missionaries. He finished the
whole Book of Mormon in 6
weeks! He said that at the beginning he had a lot of questions but as he
read
the Book of Mormon all of his questions were answered and he believes
that it
is true!! So epic. His friend from Ogden
got him a nice set of scriptures (a quad) and he just wanted to keep
reading!
So he read all of Moses and all of Joseph Smith History. He started
reading the Doctrine and Covenants
and is already at section 44. At this
rate he will be done with all of the standard works by May! He sent
himself as a referral on LDS.org. And then we got the referral from
some sisters
in the mission when they received it!
How cool is that??? He is one of
the most prepared people that I have ever taught. I love being able to
work with people who
actually want to learn and grow and are sincere about finding the truth.
I am
so grateful for the miracle it is to be able to teach him and help him
come
closer to the Savior. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hmmm what else has been going on… We had a lot of meetings
lately. We had an MLC and Leadership
Training. Both were great. They might have been some of my last meetings
that I will get to attend. We have been
working on transfers and I will most likely leave this transfer. I might be a Zone Leader, or maybe a District
Leader. It is all up in the air, but we
worked on it a lot yesterday and I think I have a couple ideas of what will
happen. Either way I am excited. By this time in my mission I have learned
that the Lord will put me wherever I can be the most effective and wherever
both myself and those around me can be lifted and grow to become what He needs
us to become. It is a good feeling to
know that because now the changes I go through are not as hard. And that also translates to life in
general. Life is full of changes. And even though I do not prefer to go through
so many, I can always be confident that the Lord has a purpose in it for me and
that I will become what he needs of me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well that is about it.
We had some other sweet miracles.
A girl in the Capitol Hill ward who thought she was a member turns out
not to have records. So she already
knows everything and she can’t really remember being baptized so we have
started teaching her and she will be baptized in the next week or two. She is awesome. Also we have started meeting
with a girl in the Westminster ward that has come a couple times. We went to temple square with her and had a
great time talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ and sitting in front of the
Christus. It was an awesome
experience. She is prepared as well. She also is full of desire to know the
truth. What a blessing it is for us to
be able to work with these people. I am
so grateful for the success that the Lord shows us as we put forth our faith
and act as true Disciples of Christ. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to go, but I hope you all know how much I miss and
love you!!!!! Keep healing and keep me
posted. You are all in my prayers. I love you so very much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have a terrific week with school and work and all that!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peak The Strategy</div>
</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-26406417658559334532014-02-04T19:06:00.004-08:002014-02-04T19:06:55.808-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello everyone! How are you doing? I am happy to hear that the surgery
for Becca went pretty well! She has been in our prayers out here a lot. I
am also happy that Grandma's went well too! I hope they both continue
healing well this week and that they know how much we love them. Please
keep me informed about how Karen is doing. I miss her and I wish I was
there to be able to see her. I was happy to talk to her for a couple
minutes on Christmas. She is so wonderful. Let me know how she is
recovering. They are all in my prayers regularly!<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
Well this week was good. We had some wonderful lessons
and started teaching a couple new people. Monique is one of them. She
really wants to learn and understand what she should do in her life. It
is cool to find people with that complete sincerity. We are excited to
teach her at temple square this week. We also taught Hannah at temple
square. It was fun! We saw the movie "God's Plan." Then we went to the
temple model and talked a little bit about what goes on in the temple. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am going to keep this pretty short, we have some things to get done for our meetings <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2079960506" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">tomorrow</span></span>
and the next day. Oh! But first I have to tell you about a couple
things! One of our missionaries named Elder Webb had to go home this
week for medical reasons. He is such an amazing man. I'll tell you his
whole story another time. Basically Elder Clarke (the one who did our
mission tour and that we went teaching with) wanted to personally thank
Elder Webb for serving. So President Hansen had us set up the timing
and we got to accompany him to go see Elder Clarke! (Once again Elder
Clarke is from the first quorum of the seventy) Anyways, we went and he
let us come in while he talked to Elder Webb. It was a very special
experience. He thanked Elder Webb on behalf of the prophet and on
behalf of the Lord. He also gave Elder Webb a couple of assignments. I
can't find the words to describe the spirit that was there. It was
amazing. Then he asked Elder Webb what his favorite food was and Elder
Webb said "Steak." So he gave us a couple of assignments as well.
First to go get some steak for Elder Webb for lunch! ha ha :) Then to
make sure that Elder Webb's travel arrangements were complete and that
he had transportation from one terminal to another for his layover in
Dallas. He said that if we had any problems we should call him. It was
cool to see how a man as busy as him would be so willing to help. Elder
Clarke called Elder Webb's parents and stake president the night before
as well. It was just a sweet experience. I will tell you more about
it another time. We got a picture with them while we were there so I
will attach it. Also Elder Martino from the second quorum of the
seventy stopped in to meet him. And the man in the picture is Steve
Peterson from the missionary department. On the way out Brother
McConkie (Elder McConkie's son) came to meet him. It was so cool. I
will always remember the smile on Elder Webb's face as we walked to our
car. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There were some other things that happened this week, but I can't remember them at the moment.... Oh well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love you all soooo very much and I hope you can feel my prayers for you. </div>
<div>
God lives and He loves us.</div>
<div>
Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.</div>
<div>
The church is true.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak the Strategy</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-42497027565694663602014-01-14T12:23:00.000-08:002014-01-14T12:30:53.739-08:00Transfers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello Family!!! I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to write!!
I keep telling myself that I will be better about it, but then other
things just keep coming up and every time I sit down at a computer to
write an email I find 5 other assignments that we need to get done by
the end of the day or sooner. Still, there are no excuses. I hope you
know how important you all are to me! I love you and miss you so much.
I read your emails and enjoy hearing about what is going on in your
lives! (even when things are not the best sometimes) <br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
That being said, I am going to take about 10 minutes more
to write you a quick note and let you know what has been happening
lately! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The greatest things that have been
happening lately were two baptisms! One was the first week in January.
That was Marlen Olmedo. I believe that I have told you a little bit
about her before. She has had a very wonderful experience learning
about the gospel and although it took about a year and a half from start
to finish she was finally baptized! She said the whole reason that she
started listening to missionaries in the first place was because I
sister missionary from temple square came into the store where she works
and she felt the spirit that she brought with her. She could see and
feel a difference! She started being taught and then was off and on for
about a year. Then we got the referral and started teaching her with
the sister from temple square. It was a group effort along with the
efforts of the friends in the ward that were so incredibly supportive of
her that helped her feel a sense of belonging and gain a testimony of
the gospel. The cool thing about Marlen is that she has already been
interviewed by the bishop and last week she went and did baptisms for
the dead with the 3 YSA stakes in Salt Lake City! How sweet is that?? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The other baptism was the other day (second weekend
of January). It was Justin Palmer! He has a similar story. He was
taught by elders from the family ward about a year and a half ago and he
kept reading and going to church and then the referral was passed to
us! It was my second week in the area when we started teaching Justin.
He has grown so much and was prepared for his baptism. He also wants
to do baptisms for the dead. He wants to bring his mother's name to the
temple and be baptized for her as soon as he can. I am so excited for
him!!! So both of these were highlights from the last 2 weeks and I
will attach pictures as well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Other than that we had Zone Conferences last week!
It was a long week. We didn't have a preparation day either. We had a
zone conference every day Monday through Thursday. We traveled to each
zone and the conference went from about <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1326561140" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">8:30am to 4:30pm</span></span>.
It was fun though! We gave some trainings. I would love to send you a
slideshow that we made for it as well and you can watch it sometime.
It has great music to it. </div>
<div>
Then we finished up work on the transfer! Lastly, I found out that
I am staying here. I will still be in my current assignment with my
current companion, in our area. We are both staying. I thought for
sure that I was going to move, but President and the Lord must have
thought otherwise. I know it is because I still have so much more that I
need to learn here from everyone that I am serving around and with. I
am grateful for the time that the Lord has given me here to learn and
grow and try to become the missionary that I need to be. I love the
work, and I love the Lord. And I love you all! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Alright, that was a little more than ten minutes. Oops. I have gotten a little faster at typing than I was before though! </div>
<div>
Have a terrific week!! I hope you know that you are all in my prayers!!!!! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Love,</div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak The Strategy</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P.S. Here are the first pictures. More to come in another email!</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-38503237943609342512013-12-22T20:55:00.000-08:002013-12-22T20:55:30.486-08:00Merry Christmas!!!<span style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Dear Family,<br />
Hey there! How is everyone?? Thanks for the letters and packages you have been sending! And Merry Christmas!!!! :) I can’t believe that it is already Christmas again... So weird. It feels like just yesterday was last Christmas! I don’t know where the whole year went. But I am happy to be able to share the message of Christ’s birth as a missionary during this time of year! It is amazing to see how much the life of an individual can change because of our Saviors life. I love being able to invite people to make changes in their lives to be able to be more like Christ and use his atonement. So yeah.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well these past couple of weeks have been nuts. We have been taking time to plan meetings for the mission ahead for the next year or so…. So just some calendaring things and working on meetings that are this month. We had a Leadership Training with all the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, and District Leaders. It was a cool meeting. We talked about how to help individual companionships work toward and achieve their goals. Just increasing a little bit every transfer. We aren’t asking for impractical things, but as we just set our goals a little bit higher than before we will be able to see some great things happen in this mission. So it was a good meeting. Right afterward we had a meeting with all the newly called leaders and talked to them about their roles to lift, inspire, bless and help the missionaries in their districts and zones. <br />
<br />
<br />
The other day we had 4 new missionaries come to our mission! The MTC just told us a week or two ago that they were sending them to us in the middle of the transfer. So we had a mini transfer with all the trainers involved and had a couple trainings. It was a fun day. I love being with new missionaries! They are so eager to work and to help people. Full of fire. It helps me remember what I wanted to do when I came out and just puts all of this into perspective. I feel so blessed to be able to serve and serve with the missionaries in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission. <br />
<br />
<br />
As a fun test the other night my companion asked if I could name or write down the names of all of the missionaries in our mission without looking at anything. So I got out a piece of paper and started writing by zone. It took me about an hour to do it, but I remembered all 216 missionaries and where they are serving. I don’t think that I could quite tell you the names of each stake (there are 67) but I could probably get a little over half. It is so cool to see how the Lord has been able to help me and enlarge my memory and mind to be able to remember all of these missionaries and areas and housing and cars and just everything! I am not sure that I told you this but when President Hansen called me and we were talking and he asked me to serve the missionaries with him he gave me a blessing. He blessed me with exactly what I have seen happen. An increase in mind, understanding and memory to help serve these missionaries and that I would have all the necessary means to do so. I feel so blessed to see the Lord work in my life and help me to be able to bless others. I truly love this work.<br />
Well I will email again on Monday and probably tell you when I am going to want to call (or skype / google hangout) on Christmas. I hope you are all being blessed during this time of year and have opportunities to share the gospel with your friends! I also hope and pray that you are all travelling safely in the weather!! <br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks again for everything. I love and miss you all! Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!! :) <br />
<br />
<br />
Godspeed.<br />
-Elder Hansen<br />
<br />
Peak The Strategy.<br />
<br />
</span></span>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-71229074264345239452013-12-09T19:17:00.001-08:002013-12-09T19:17:33.018-08:00Hello! These past few weeks have been pretty good! Thank you Paula and
Brian for the package! We already ate all the cookies, they were
delicious!! I shared them with some of the office staff, my companion,
and President Hansen. He said to tell you that they were great! ha ha
Also Mom I got the two packages for Christmas but I haven't opened them
yet because I think I will wait till either Christmas day or a little
earlier. I appreciate all of you for emailing me and sending me letters
and things. They always seem to come at the right time. When things
aren't going so well or our missionaries are doing not the smartest
things and it is frustrating - that is when I receive your emails and
letters and it really helps, so thanks!<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
So. Its been forever since I wrote last... Thanksgiving
was great! We ate at President and Sister Hansen's house. Some other
elders joined us. President bought a Foosball table and put it
downstairs in the mission home so we played a lot of Foosball and just
talked and had a good time. Then the rest of the evening we worked on
transfers... We finished everything up early this time and everything
went pretty well! I am still with Elder Williams in our same area. It
has been hard lately. We haven't had as much time to work as we would
like to and then when we do it is hard to find anyone home. We set up
appointments with new people and they just keep cancelling. And with
finals coming up our work is going to be almost halted..... but we are
still working with some people like Marlen, Justin, Gio, and some
others! The Lord is blessing us for the work we do and I am so grateful
for that. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anyways, we have been running around giving
trainings and working with President on where this mission is headed.
It is an exciting time!! I feel sooo lucky to be serving at this time
when we are defining how the work is moved forward at an accelerated
pace in our mission and what our goals and plans are as a mission (all
of this relating to hastening the work of salvation). I am learning so
much and having such a good time. I love all of our missionaries (even
when they do stupid things... :) ha ha) We have very powerful, strong,
converted missionaries that uplift and inspire others and are true
disciples of Christ. I love this work and I love my mission. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I will just talk about yesterday for a bit then I
have to go. In the morning we went to the Wells YSA ward and we both
spoke and my companion did a phenomenal musical number "The First Noel"
on the piano. It was so good. Almost everyone was crying by the end.
He is so talented. And I don't think that he realizes that not
everyone can just do that! Especially with no music in front of him and
just pretty much making it up as he goes! It was so good. Then we
left there and went to the Capitol Hill YSA ward and did the same thing!
My talk was better in this ward than the first. It was awesome. Then
we split up and my companion went to the Cannon YSA ward and I stayed in
Capitol Hill and taught Elders Quorum. Did a lesson with the video
clip of Elder Ballard at conference and his invitation to invite one
before Christmas. It was cool. Handed out a note card to each of them
and had them write their name and phone number on the front and on the
back write the names of 2 non-members they know and 2 less-actives that
they know. Then circle the one that you want to invite before Christmas
and on the bottom write the invitation you will give them. We
brainstormed invitations that they could leave. I think it was an okay
lesson. I got a little "up in their faces" to get the point through to
them that an apostle/prophet of God had invited them / asked them to do
this and that we need to apply it now. No more waiting around saying
that we will do it sometime in the future. No more only praying that we
can apply it and then not taking the action required to apply the
principle and doctrine in our lives. So ya. That was fun. Then taught
a girl named Erika about the gospel. She is great. She is an active
member but never really knew much about the church so we are teaching
her and she is asking all sorts of cool questions. For example she
asked us a lot about the second coming yesterday and we had a great
conversation about it. But yeah, then guess who I saw at the Institute
building??? Aaron Young!!! It was so crazy to see him! It has been
like 4 years! He is awesome as usual. He is in a different ward that
attends in that building. So ya. That was a fun side note! Then we
went to the Christmas devotional at the conference center with Marlen
and her friend Laurel! We didnt have tickets but since it was so cold
and snowy there were not very many people there so they just gave us
tickets and let us go in! It was so good!!!! Very cool devotional! If
you didnt get to watch it you should! The music was exceptional as
always and the speakers were very good as well. Then some members of
the Cannon ward brought us some dinner at the office. It was delicious!
Then we went to President's house and worked for the remainder of the
evening. It was a long, but great day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well that is about all that I have time to write. I
love you all soo much!!!! I miss you and hope and pray that everything
goes well with you this week! I hope you know how much I care even
thought my writing is so sporadic. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Have a wonderful week!</div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak the Strategy</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P.S.
Mom and Dad I am doing great. I feel good and am no longer sore at
all. I feel better and we were able to get all our stuff and most of it
is handled. So yeah. Love you!!! </div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-86841007090177094882013-11-27T07:06:00.002-08:002013-11-27T07:06:33.733-08:00Elder Bednar!<div dir="ltr">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I am sorry it has taken so long to
write!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We have been pretty busy.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I started this email about a week ago, but
things kept coming up so I am just finishing it now.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">First off, thank you for your letters and
emails.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I will try to take some time to
reply individually.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I love reading about
what is going on with all of you!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It
gives brightness to my days especially when they are not the best days. So
thanks again :)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">There is so much to talk
about!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I guess I should start with the
most important event. Last time I emailed I was letting you know that Elder Bednar
was coming.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Now it has been about two
weeks!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">So I’ll start by talking about
Elder Bednar.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We did a lot to prepare
for this meeting.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">You would not believe
how hard it was to make sure the building would be ready.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We reserved it 5 weeks before and called the
stake presidency to let them know we would be using it.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We didn’t tell them who was coming so that
nobody else would show up and to minimize the gossip.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">So it was reserved.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We went into the chapel 2 weeks before and
all the pews were being redone!!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We
frantically called them and were like, “Hey we have a very important meeting on
Friday, will it be done??” They said yes and we went to the church building on
Sunday just to make sure.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">All of the
seats were finished and everything looked great. </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We were relieved.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Little did we know what would happen on
Tuesday night when we went to recheck the number of rows and what zones should
sit where.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We open the doors to the
chapel <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_839807562" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Tuesday</span></span> night and all of the huge speakers in the ceiling (which is
like 30 feet up) are on the ground, there is a big ladder going to the organ
pipes, all of the audio ports are taken out, etc…………..</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I just felt this sinking sensation…….</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">An apostle was coming to visit our mission
and we would have to change the building location 2-3 days before????</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">You just don’t do that when an apostle
comes.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Sure if it was a different
visitor who is more able to adapt and has more time to spend with us, but not
when Elder Bednar is coming to the mission! Anyways, we were more than a little
frantic.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Called the stake presidency and
they were like, “oh well that construction and replacement of the audio system
has been scheduled for a long time!”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">But
we had scheduled the whole building (literally) for this event and now they
were telling us that this was already in the plans?!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Ha ha so we called the FM group man who is in
charge of the Salt Lake City general area and informed him of who was actually
coming to this meeting and why it was so important.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">At first he says, “Well maybe you can do it
in a different building? One of these buildings close by might be big
enough!”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We were like “What???” He then
said, “Let me work on some things and see what I can do...”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We were even more frantic at this point.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He called back 3 hours later and let us know
that they hired an extra crew to get all of the work done by <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_839807563" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Friday</span></span>.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was still nerve racking, but it was
finished.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The last worker finished at
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_839807564" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">9:30pm on Thursday</span></span> night! We cleaned the chapel up afterward and checked all
the microphones and got everything ready.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Meanwhile throughout the whole process I was mostly worried about
conducting the meeting!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">ha ha I was a
tad stressed.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">But really overall
everything went great!! :)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We got there early <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_839807565" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Friday</span></span> to prepare. </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Set up microphones, reviewed the talks again,
made sure all the missionaries were coming and sitting in the right places, reserved
parking spots for Elder Bednar and the Mission Presideny, etc. I was still very
nervous to be conducting.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then at about
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_839807566" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">8:30</span></span> President and Sister Hansen, President and Sister Bennett, and President
and Sister Hodson (Mission Presidency), Elder Williams and myself were standing
in the foyer waiting.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">A white car pulls
up and Elder Bednar jumps out and opens the door for his wife.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was raining so Elder Williams went and
opened an umbrella for them and Elder Bednar told him to put it over his
wife.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">They walked up and I am holding
the door for them.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Elder Bednar shakes
my hand and says, “Elder Hansen, where are you from?”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I say Denver, Colorado.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He says, “No, nobody is actually from Denver!
You must be from right around there.” I say you are right, I am from
Louisville.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He says “That is terrific.” It
was so cool, as soon as I shook his hand I felt all the nervousness leave and I
just felt calm! I appreciate what the spirit can do for us in our times of
need.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then we all went into the relief
society room briefly (Elder and Sister Bednar, the Mission Presidency, and
Elder Williams and I).</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The first thing
he says is, “Alright, we are here!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I
only have one question for you.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">What can
we do to help?”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He asked President first
and President answers by saying something like, “I wouldn’t dare infringe on
the revelation and inspiration that you have and will receive, but here is what
we have been doing and talking about.” He went on to describe a couple of
things that the mission was working on.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then Elder Bednar looks at the rest of us and asks again what they can
do to help.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He looks over at Elder
Williams and I and we are just standing there smiling thinking about how crazy
it is that there is an apostle standing with us.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Elder Bednar then said, “Don’t just stand
there and smile, tell me what this mission needs!”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We were both a little shocked and gave some
answers that probably sounded lame but we told him that whatever he could teach
about the atonement would help our mission and I said something about learning
to teach by the spirit.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then Elder
Bednar asked his wife if she was ready. She said yes and he used this phrase;
“Alright, let’s go to church!”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We walked
into the chapel and every missionary stood up. It was silent.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The spirit was so strong.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Elder Bednar is truly called of God.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We get to the stand and I was sitting right
next to Elder Bednar.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">On his left
side.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We sit down and he asks me, “Are
you ready?”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I said yes and again he said
“Alright, let’s go to church!”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">(What a
funny phrase, I wonder if a lot of people know that he says that?</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He might not say it a lot, but he said it 2
or 3 times with us so I think it might be something he says regularly. Just a
funny side-note).</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Conducting the meeting
went well.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I felt pretty good and it all
went smoothly.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I had practiced a bit and
so I don’t think I messed anything up too badly.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He told me I did a good job when I sat
down.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then Sister Bednar spoke
first.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">She talked about her husband’s
apostolic calling and what she had learned because of it.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">She also talked about the Book of Mormon and
about the atonement.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was
powerful!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then Elder Bednar spoke.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Wow………..</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was soo cool.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I will never
forget this experience.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I know I have
talked a lot about the temporal side of what happened, but I will never forget
the feelings that I felt that day and the impressions I received.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was amazing.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He told us not to write down everything that
is said but to write in your “small plates.”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Meaning to write only the impressions that come as they pertain to
spiritual and precious things.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then he
asked us what we had learned from his 3 talks that he asked us to read in
preparation for the meeting.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Elder
Williams and I were running around passing microphones to everyone who was
called on to answer.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was a great
discussion!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Over time it turned into a
question/answer session.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We all were
taught, but not necessarily from what Elder Bednar had said, but from what the
spirit had impressed upon us.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">And that
all was predicated on our personal preparation.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was such a cool experience.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He
taught us how to learn by the spirit and by so doing taught us how to better
teach by the spirit.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Helping us get out of
the way sometimes and let the Lord teach our investigators through the Holy Ghost.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It was a terrific blessing.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I loved every minute of it. And it felt
really fast as well!</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">He shared some
experiences and so did Sister Bednar.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It
was a special meeting, and I believe that what we learned was determined by how
we prepared.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">For this meeting everyone
prepared really well and we were able to learn some truly amazing things and
hear some great things from an apostle that I don’t think he would have said if
we were not ready to be taught.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I was
impressed with our missionaries.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">They
were and are very good! So yeah.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">A
couple things that I learned personally were how to ask inspired questions and
let the spirit teach our investigators more.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I also learned a lot about faith and moral agency.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">What an awesome opportunity.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I don’t think that I will ever get that
opportunity again.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I so grateful for it
and I will never forget the spirit I felt when he was with us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyways,
a lot of other things have been going on! Working
hard in our area and it is starting to pick up (I know I said that last
time,
but we have even more potentials and a few more new investigators we are
starting to teach). We have had some great experiences with a girl named
Marlin
(its pronounced Marleen). She was a referral from temple square and we
have
been teaching her. She is progressing
well. The only problem is that she went to missionary farewells for the
past 2
weeks in different wards so she still hasn’t come to the ward. She is
going to come this week though! And we will meet her brother who is
interested as well. It is different
working in a YSA stake. Usually in other
parts of the mission if you work harder, contact more, and teach better
the
baptisms come in some proportion to what you have been doing. In YSA it
seems like you can work and work
and work and still not see success and then when you do see success it
seems to
have no correlation to the work you have been doing or the people you
are
working with. It is just a blessing
dropped out of the sky. Marlin was one
of those blessings. We were working
hard, but nothing was coming from our work or from anyone we were
currently
working with and then one day a text from temple square and we are
working with
someone who has a desire to progress!
Im not complaining though! I feel
blessed when we see miracles and success in our area especially because
of the
little time that we have to work in it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
days and weeks are starting to blend together so I am
trying to remember what I told you in the last email… Well I don’t have
much time left anyway so I
will just tell you a funny experience that happened while leaving church
the
other day. We were walking out of the U
of U institute building after Capitol Hill ward and we were kind of in a
rush. We were walking quickly to our car
and there was a man standing next to his car parked next to us. I
glanced at him and thought wow he looks
familiar…. Then I looked again and realized who it was! President
Clayton from the Presidency of the
Seventy! We shook his hand and talked
for a minute. The reason it was hard to
recognize him was because he was wearing a sweater / sweatshirt zip up
thing over
his white shirt and tie! He explained
that he had just gotten back from Logan and that he was going to a YSA
ward
quickly but he had to make a few phone calls first. It was pretty
random, but sweet! That is the second time on my mission that I
have met him and talked to him. He is
really good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well I am about out of time for now. I think I will send this and another email
soon. I love you all! As for myself, I got sick for a couple of
days but now I am fine! Always tired,
but what’s new. I love the work and I
love being a missionary. There is no
experience quite like it. I hope all of
you are feeling well and travelling safely for the holidays!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!! We will be only about 25
minutes apart when you are at Paula and Brian’s house! Love and miss you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Godspeed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peak The Strategy</div>
</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-45475350091533348862013-11-17T14:03:00.000-08:002013-11-17T14:03:54.165-08:00Hello!<div dir="ltr">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am sorry I haven’t written for a bit. We have some really great things going
on. The work in our area is finally
starting to pick up a little! We are
seeing some good miracles and some new people come out of the woodwork. I am so grateful when we see success in our
area. All I want is to be an example to
these missionaries and help them to see what they can achieve in their
areas. We sometimes tend to think that
we can do that through trainings and meetings and all this stuff, but honestly
I think that it mostly comes down to hitting the pavement, being the example,
and literally showing them what they can do to see more success. We are focusing on doing more exchanges over
the next couple weeks to try to help some of the zone leaders and district leaders
see how they can approach the work differently to see more success. Or maybe
not even a different approach, but just to be practiced and ready to act and be
led by the spirit. That is something
that I am focusing on right now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyways, life here is great! :) I am so happy and grateful
to be a missionary at this specific time.
So much good is happening. The
Lord truly is hastening his work! And I
get a front row seat and an active role in fulfilling the Lord’s will…. There
is nothing like being a missionary. I
never want to stop being one. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well I cannot take too much time right now because we have
other important things to get done very quickly. So I want to summarize some of what has been
happening briefly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First I will start with the not so great things…. A
couple elders have gone home since I last
wrote… It is sad. Most have gone home for medical reasons which
are really hard. But even harder is that
a couple went home for either plain not wanting to work or
disobedience. It has been really rough to see. I wanted so badly for
these elders to succeed
out here and to feel good about the service they have given, but some of
them
don’t. And others I don’t even feel good
about them going home…… So yeah. That has been one of the hardest
things
lately and one of the saddest. I just
hope and pray that it doesn’t happen as much from now on, and that these
elders
still see the blessings of the gospel in their lives and remain
completely
active in the church. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other than that the rest of these last two weeks have been
terrific! Working hard on the upcoming
mission events and transfers. Speaking
of mission events, let me tell you one that we have known about for a little
while but couldn’t tell anyone until <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1413583362" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Monday</span></span>.
We
have a whole mission meeting on Friday of this week (two days from
now) and we are having a guest speaker come.
Guess who it is???
Elder David A. Bednar!!! He is
coming for 3 hours to talk to us and it seems like it will be a
question/answer
session! Isn’t that exciting?!?! The story goes that President Hansen
knows
Elder Bednar on a somewhat personal level and at the MTC when President
Hansen
was there Elder Bednar came up to him and said, “Hey, you know that I
like to
go around and get in front of missionaries.
I would love to come to your mission sometime to talk to your
missionaries, just let me know.” Ha ha
isn’t that sweet?? So they have been in
communication for a while and decided to have it on Friday. We have
known for a while, but couldn’t tell
anyone so that people wouldn’t get overly excited and tell all the
members and
start inviting everyone they know to come.
It is only for our missionaries.
I am so excited!!! There is only
one thing…. I might be conducting the
meeting………….. Remember how I was nervous
about conducting for Elder Clarke?? Ha ha yeah…….. I am more than
nervous for this time. But I think it will be okay. As long as I have
it in front of me to refer
to and I practice it a lot before hand I think I will do alright. So
that is the biggest thing that is
happening. We have some other meetings
coming up but nothing quite as important as this. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other than that we had stake conference for the Pioneer YSA
Stake! It was soo good. Elder Samuel Clark (area seventy / different
than Elder Don Clarke) came and he and his wife spoke. It was phenomenal. They had a really great stake choir as
well. Just a good time. Learned a lot. Then <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1413583363" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday</span></span> guess what we got to do??? Mom
you will be jealous! We went golfing!!! :)
First time I have golfed since we went for a quick round in Tooele. It was so fun. We went with President Hansen and 4 other
Elders. We played 9 holes at a course up
in Kaysville. I actually didn’t play too
badly. It was a beautiful day. On the first hole I hit it onto the collar in
two and a chip to about 12 feet away.
And a made the first putt! It
was so nice to relax for an hour or two.
I am so thankful that President took us out there. He is such a kind man. And he is great at
golf!! He has played all over the U.S.
He shot about 6 strokes lower than I did. So ya.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well I realize that I haven’t talked enough about the actual
missionary experiences that we had so I will summarize one quickly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have been looking for someone new to teach for quite some
time now and it seemed like no matter what we did or how we asked or what
approach we took, we just could not find anyone new to meet with. So the other night we were walking through an
apartment complex trying to contact a couple investigators and I remembered
that when I served in Swahili that I taught a YSA age girl in a building just
around the corner. We decided to stop by
quickly to visit and she was home. We
talked for a couple seconds and she remembered who I was! (I thought she would
have forgotten since we only met a couple times.) It has been almost exactly one year since we
taught her and she was even more open to it this time. She is attending Westminster college and so
we invited her to church <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1413583364" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Sunday</span></span> with us there at the YSA. She said yes! And that she wants to make some more friends
up there. It was so cool to see that she
is prepared now to make a couple more steps toward the gospel and we will be
there to help her along the way. The
Lord really showed me that people can become more prepared over time and that
these people that I used to teach that didn’t progress may now be ready to make
commitments. It was a nice small miracle
for us to see. We are going to teach her
and I am confident that we can help her come into the gospel soon. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alright, I have taken a little more time than
planned. I just had a lot to say I suppose. And I haven’t written for a
while and I
probably won’t have time to write for a little longer. But anyways,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love you all so much!!
Thank you for everything. I
appreciate your thoughts and prayers and the emails and letters that you
send. They really uplift me and help me
continue to work my hardest. I will try
to be better at responding to emails and letters. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have an exceptional week!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Godspeed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peak The Strategy</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
P.S. Mom I got the
package! Thank you soooo much!!!! The journal is perfect and the snacks are
great! We needed those. Since we are
never home we never buy groceries… So it
is nice to have little snacks around so that we can eat if we feel like
it. So thanks!! Love you all.</div>
</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-32724646619653199282013-11-04T21:34:00.002-08:002013-11-04T21:34:36.164-08:00Exceptional!<div dir="ltr">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hello Family!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hope everyone is doing well!
Happy (late) Halloween!!!!!! I
hope that your night was filled with fun and with hot chocolate and donuts as
usual. :)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you for all that you are doing for me and the
emails
and letters you send. They make my days even better! We have been
having a crazy time lately. Just running around from thing to thing
trying to help people along the way as well as help our area and the
wards we
cover be more involved in the missionary effort. It is great though. I
mean exceptional!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Side note – I don’t know if I had mentioned this yet, but
when Elder Clarke of the seventy came to our mission tour he would always ask
how we were doing and we would say “good!” and he would say “NO! You are doing
exceptional! Not just good.” Ha ha so
now when I ask missionaries how they are doing and they say “good” I usually
say, “Are you sure?” “I think Elder
Clarke thinks otherwise!” They have started to catch on and now everyone in the
mission says that they are “Exceptional!”
Just something cool. :)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So. Over the last
week we have seen some great miracles.
We have an investigator that came to church with her recent convert
friend and they came for all three hours.
Not only that, but we had been praying in the car right before church
that someone would show up that we wouldn’t know but that would need our
help
or listen to the lessons or something.
Halfway through Sunday school our recent convert and investigator friend
lean over to us and tell us that they have to leave for a couple minutes
to go
get another friend for sacrament meeting!
So our prayers were answered!!
All three of them came for sacrament.
And listen to what we did. (Elder
Clarke gave us this advice in a meeting a week or two ago.) In our last
lesson with the investigator we
went around the church looking at the paintings and describing what was
going
on in each one and asking questions about them.
At the end we went into the chapel and brought her to the very front row
and sat down and talked to her about the difference between sitting
there and
sitting in the back of the chapel and how much better she could feel the
spirit
and receive revelation and answers to questions up front in the first
row. We committed her to sit there on the very
first row on Sunday. I thought she was
going to say no, but she actually liked the idea and agreed! So for our
next step we called the bishop and
let him know that they would be sitting on the front row and to look for
them
and asked him to greet them right before.
Then we asked who was speaking in the ward that day and asked if he
would mind if we could ask them to do us a favor. He said sure.
So we called up both speakers and asked them if when they were bearing
their testimonies at the end of their talks they would look at our
investigator
and make eye contact as they said part of their testimony! It was pretty
epic. And it worked! The one returned missionary said as he looked
over at her, “I learned on my mission that the Book of Mormon was
true.” It was awesome. And then to add to all of it, the other
speaker came down from the stand afterward and invited all three of them
to
dinner that evening!! What a great ward! It was cool to see how we
could make things
work out even better by making a couple simple changes. Instead of
sitting in the back, take them to
the front row and contacting the speakers beforehand. Both were ideas
from Elder Clarke. So ya.
That was a great experience.
Hmmmm, oh! Then right after that
we went to a different ward and our recent convert Edwin asked me to
ordain him
and give him the priesthood!! It was awesome.
Such a great spirit as he received the power to act in the name of our
Father in Heaven. I will never forget
things like that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We also taught a Relief Society lesson on Sunday. It went well.
They all are pumped to do missionary work and invite their friends!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Took some missionaries to the airport that were going to
France! They got their visas and left on
Monday. It was cool. They have only been here for six weeks and
they have learned a lot already. These
young missionaries are getting smarter and smarter every day! Word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Prepared a training for one of our Mission Leader Councils.
It actually went pretty well! I learned a lot from just preparing it. I was a little nervous though…. Oh well.
Then we had some trouble with some missionaries. They were just doing stupid things. Nothing too horrible, but still very
disobedient and just ridiculous. But
President Hansen is amazing. He always knows how to handle things and help
others become better. We have seen a lot
of missionaries change because of what he has done! It is good to see the success in helping
missionaries see their potential and do better.
It is a good feeling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyways,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then Halloween yesterday!
It was pretty awesome. We got to
go to the Bountiful Temple in the morning.
Finally got to see the new film.
I think it is phenomenal!! I was
very impressed with what they have done with it. So yeah.
And I love the Bountiful Temple. The Celestial room there is soo
great. So then after that we had some
sushi for lunch. Then went to the
office, worked on some things. Then
played ping pong for a bit. My new companion has played in competitive
tournament table tennis. So yeah…. He is really good! I never beat him,
but its all good. Then I got a quick haircut and then home to
plan out next week. We couldn’t go out last night because of our rules
here. So we did our weekly planning and
got some things done for upcoming meetings in the mission, next transfer
stuff
and information that new leaders should know, etc. I am really tired
though. We haven’t slept as much as I wish we
would. But its okay, the Lord is
sustaining us. He is keeping us
going. He has really helped to keep my
mind clear and helped me remember all these missionaries way better than
I
could before. There are 214 missionaries in our mission right now. They
are all EXCEPTIONAL!! :) So
that pretty much sums it up. I love
being a missionary. I love all of you
so much and I miss you! I know this work
is real and full of miracles that we see every day. There is one more
miracle that I should share
that I just remembered about. So we were
going to contact a referral, on the way we contacted a man outside and
asked if
he knew anyone YSA age around the area.
He told us of a couple places, then on our way to this door my companion
started jogging over to try to help a young couple bring in groceries
from the
car. They declined, but we asked them
the same question and they gave us a door to go to. My companion was
rushing so we went to the
wrong door, or so we thought. We talked
to this man who is married, but he isn’t LDS. He has cleaned up his life
and
seems to be looking for a new direction to take! Golden.
We set up an appointment and sent the other Elders to teach him. Then
after we were done I told my companion
that we had gone to the “wrong” door and so we knocked on the other one
and it
was a couple guys with long hair (dreadlocks.)
My companion recognized one of them from his home in Houston! It was
great!
We went in and talked to him and got to get his information so that we
can help him come back to church. So yeah.
All because we were trying to talk to a lot of people and trying to give
service. What a blessing to us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay. I love
you!!!!! God loves you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The church is true!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Godspeed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peak The Strategy </div>
</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-2027147238731099912013-10-25T21:33:00.001-07:002013-10-25T21:33:06.391-07:00Hey!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2c3uFlP0OIM/UmtFygqz0HI/AAAAAAAAA7w/L4dSkjvhoQA/s1600/Elder+Hansen+and+Elder+Logan+and+Elder+Williams.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2c3uFlP0OIM/UmtFygqz0HI/AAAAAAAAA7w/L4dSkjvhoQA/s320/Elder+Hansen+and+Elder+Logan+and+Elder+Williams.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am sorry that I have become so inconsistent in writing
you. I need to make sure that I write at
least one thing each week to you. I will
just have to make most of my emails shorter!
Thank you sooo much for your emails and letters. I appreciate them. I am horrible at responding, but I hope you
know that I am thankful for everything you write and that I do read them and am
anxious to know about everything that is happening out there! So thank you!
I love and miss all of you a ton.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay. Well this might
be another long email…… ha ha oh well.
I’ll talk briefly about what we have been doing for the past couple of
weeks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well after conference we had the opportunity to be involved
in a stake priesthood leadership meeting up in Kaysville. The whole mission presidency came! President
Hansen and his councilors, President Bennett, and President Hodson (both
previous mission presidents) and Executive Secretary Brother Craven…. And us…
ha ha it was pretty cool. Had a planning
meeting first with just their stake presidency and then had the meeting a
couple of days later. It was a powerful
meeting. We all learned some very simple
and specific ways that we can share the gospel and be missionaries. It was great!
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next week was spent mostly in preparation for our
Mission Tour on October 15<sup>th</sup>, 16<sup>th</sup>, and 17<sup>th</sup>. We had to get together everything that would
be used, reserve buildings, get materials, learn how to officially conduct
meetings, put together some slides in a powerpoint about where we are as a
mission and where we are headed. Used
key indicators to see where we needed improvement, etc. etc. So there was a lot of preparation for it,
but wow. It was amazing! Elder Clarke of the First Quorum of the
Seventy came all 3 days and helped us.
He trained us for about 6 hours each day. I learned so much. I think I already talked about him in my last
email, but I just wanted to mention again how great it was. His perspective on missionary work is so
clear and defined. So straight forward
and helpful. I learned how to be a
better representative of the Savior. At
the end of each day every missionary would fill out a card with 5 things that
they will change because of what they learned today. I made one both days, and there was so much
more I wanted to put on the list, but it was good to have a simple game plan of
what to do to change after receiving so much guidance and revelation while we
were there. So cool. I love missionary
work. So yeah. I conducted <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_488824561" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span>. I was nervous, but everything ran
smoothly. I learned a bit about
conducting meetings as well. Word. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We also had 2 baptisms since I last wrote! The first was a young girl names Ani from
Armania! She was very prepared. It only took us a couple of weeks to teach
and then she got baptized! I love when
it works out well like this and when I can see their conversion and that they
are being sincere. Ani definitely is. Then a man named Edwin from Kenya was
baptized! He was also very
prepared. The bishop tipped us off and
the missionaries a couple of months ago started teaching him. And then when he was ready he got
baptized! I have a picture from one or
both. I’ll send them<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> with this email.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What else happened…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Transfers
were
this week!! It was crazy. I got a
new companion. Elder Logan was released
and went back to a great area for his last transfer. My new companion
is Elder Williams. He is a
stud. He is from Austin, Texas. He is learning quickly. Has a great
understanding of the gospel and loves being a missionary. I have a lot
to learn from him!</span></span><br /><div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I will write more later, but I figure that I will get this out to you all now and I can send more later. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Love you!!!!</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Godspeed.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">-Elder Hansen</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Peak The Strategy</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. I will send the pictures soon! Just don't have time at the moment. Sorry!</span></span></div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-25397218995056418802013-10-11T17:59:00.002-07:002013-10-11T17:59:43.570-07:00General Conference!<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hello
my wonderful family! I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to email
you all! We have just been so busy around here that we hardly even have
chances to “catch our breath.” </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">First off, thank you
for all the emails and letters! I truly appreciate the time you take to
write. These letters and emails make me so happy because I get to hear
about how and what you are all doing!! So ya. Thanks!</span></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Okay, I had to go back
and reread my last email to see where I left off.... ha ha.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Soo. A lot has
happened since I emailed last. One of the coolest things was a meeting we
had with Elder Clarke of the Seventy. It was just Elder Logan and I,
President and Sister Hansen, and Elder Clarke. It was supposed to be an
hour and a half meeting about our mission tour coming up and plans for it.
It turned into three and a half hours of Elder Clarke teaching us about
everything! :) It was soo cool. Elder Clarke took the time to talk to us
about not only the mission, missionary work, how to help our mission
specifically, etc.... but career advice, jobs, business, marriage, life in
general, and principles that will bless us for years to come if we learn them
now. It was amazing. Literally changed my life. I am so grateful
for the time he took to do this. He didn't have to, but he saw that we
could benefit from learning personally from his knowledge and so he gave us the
opportunity to learn. I took some pretty good notes, but even more
important than what I wrote is the feeling that I had as Elder Clarke spoke
personally with us. It was so powerful. Even from the very moment that we
got there we could feel such an incredible spirit that accompanies this man. It
was something I will never forget. It was awesome to meet such a devoted
servant of our Savior Jesus Christ. It showed me how to become more
consecrated and truly serve the Lord with everything I've got to offer.
Not just 100%, more like 200%. Working both diligently and
effectively every hour, even every minute that we have. I have come to
the realization that if I learn to do this, I will be a much stronger and/or
sharper tool in the Lord's hands in achieving all He wants me to. I wondered
recently how President Hansen and other church leaders do it. How they manage
to get everything done and be so diligent and effective and find so much joy
while working so hard and having no time to even "catch their
breath". Now I am starting to understand. I believe that most, if
not all of these men have mastered the principles of complete diligence and
effectiveness that Elder Clarke showed us through his devotion to the Lord and
his work and the spirit he carries with him. It is now one of my goals to
get closer to mastering this principle while on my mission. It is something
that I know will lead me and help me in every aspect of my life. Isn't it
cool that I could learn such a great lesson through the spirit when hardly
anything was actually said about this topic in our discussion with Elder
Clarke? I have also seen that this pattern is how I usually receive personal
revelation. The gospel is such a blessing to us. I don't know what
I would do without it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Anyway, sorry for
rambling on so much about that! It was just one of the coolest experiences!
I felt like sharing it with you because it was so powerful for me.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So much more has
happened... Between working on the upcoming transfers, planning for mission
tour, having like 6 meetings/trainings to work on and lay out. We had
Mission Leader Council. Leadership Training. Another Mission Leader
Council. District Meetings and Zone Meetings around the mission. All this
while trying to stay on top of the plans for the Mission Tour with Elder Clarke
and Transfers. Oh! and General Conference!!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Its been a little ridiculous.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Im looking through my journal now and I will
pull out things that happened that were awesome.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">One thing was a YSA
Fireside.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Guess who was there?!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elder Ballard!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was awesome. He spoke about inviting
friends to come back to institute and church.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">He also talked about a cool experience he had talking to some leaders of
other churches.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Basically at the end of
the experience he said that one of the leaders asked “How is it that your young
people are so motivated to go out and serve missions, or pay tithing, or go to
the temple, or serve in other ways?? What makes them give up all the worldly
things for the values of your church?”</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elder Ballard’s response was clear and straight forward. He said, “The
reason why members of our church are willing to pay tithing and give up
everything in order to serve is because they know the doctrine of our church is
true.” </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So straight forward
and so true.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is the same reason that
our church is in good standing and growing at a rapid pace. The same reason
that our members are willing to do anything to move this work forward. The same
reason we have +80,000 missionaries. It is because they know it is true.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is the true doctrine of God and Jesus
Christ. Our church has the full truth.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
restoration of all things.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The fullness
of the gospel.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elder Ballard then
invited every YSA ward member in all these YSA stakes to “go and find the one”.
To each invite one person to come back to institute and church by the end of
this year.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was awesome.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am so excited for this challenge.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It will help this work move forward a lot
faster.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sorry for rambling again.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This was another one of the great experiences
we have had in the past weeks.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I said in my last
email that I was worried for President and Sister Hansen to leave for the
mission presidents seminar…. Yeah.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
same thing happened as last time they left… Missionaries did some stupid
things.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We had to try to figure out how
to deal with certain problems and try to help while he was away.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Luckily we could still contact him on the
phone every night.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But yeah.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When they got back we were soo relieved.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was so good to see them. :)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Saw some great
miracles with our investigators over the last couple of weeks!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some awesome lessons and good
experiences.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I love teaching about
Christ and His gospel. I wish I could just do that for my entire life and not
have to do anything else… ha ha I still will, but I’ll have other things to do
when I get back as well.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Had some
experiences with random people coming up to us that wanted a quick tour of
temple square and there were no sisters around so we showed them places and
taught them about the restoration.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">They
were nonmembers from New York just passing through.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">They only had a couple minutes, but they were
so prepared!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We taught and bore
testimony and invited them to read the Book of Mormon and meet with
missionaries when they got back home.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">They said yes! I feel confident that they will join the church. Anyway,
as we were leaving temple square that night some protestors talked to us.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">They just wanted to argue and stuff, but my
companion knows one of them and so he talked with him for a bit. While they
were talking the anti-mormon man said, “Why is it that people don’t want to
talk with me??”</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As he was saying this, a
lady walked up to me and introduced herself and said she was from Ogden and
that she would like to meet with the missionaries!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So I got the referral right there in front of
him and my companion told the man, “The reason people don’t come up to you and
want to talk to you is because you do not bring a message of hope.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You do not preach the happiness that comes
from living God’s commandments and being with our families eternally.”</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">My companion pointed to the temple and said
some quick things.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The man seemed a
little shocked, but still didn’t seem to accept what we had said.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Maybe one day he will.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just another cool experience to show that
this gospel is true and that there are people looking for it! (Even in Salt
Lake City, Utah.)</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">On another completely
unrelated note, our mission got 14 new cars these past couple weeks.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We have been picking them up from the garage
under the church office building and driving them back to the mission office.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">They are brand new 2014 Chevy Cruzes……
They’ve got a turbo in them… Ha ha they are pretty sweet!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is funny, I would never have thought that
I would drive such a nice, brand new (27 miles on it) car on a full-time
mission for the church!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But its
good.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The church resells their cars
after 50,000 miles and gets a lot back.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Its cool to see how well the church operates and how good it is
financially.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Like what we learned in the
talk by Elder Bednar in Conference!</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Word.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hmmm, what else….</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oh! Random cool
thing. I got my haircut from a $6 place
up 400S and about 1100E. The man who cut
my hair mentioned as he started, “I just cut Elder Oak’s hair only a couple of
minutes ago! You just missed him.” I was
like, “wooaaahh… ha ha I am getting my haircut from the same man who just cut
an apostles hair” (yes, I was over reacting a bit.) Then my companion pointed
out, “Im pretty sure Elder Oaks has hardly any hair…..” ha ha! But yeah. That’s my claim to fame this
week. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Alright, other than
that we just worked a lot with President Hansen.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">With the increase in missionaries we are
getting another 29 missionaries in our mission this upcoming transfer.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That puts us at 43 in June, 35 in July, 37 in
September, and now another 29 in October…….. We split missions in July and have
opened up at least 15 new areas every transfer since… It has been
complicated.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So most of the work we have
been doing is opening areas, trying to find housing, looking at who will train
these new missionaries (side note -> probably about 70% of our missionaries
are training right now.)</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So yeah.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Its a bit complicated.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But the Lord is helping us to see what needs
to happen.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is awesome to receive
inspiration after seeking for some time about specific areas and people and so
forth.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Its not always easy, and it
doesn’t always come quickly, but it comes.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Okay last thing to
talk about. (I don’t think I am missing anything else major and this email is
insanely long.)</span><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">General
Conference!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:) It was sooo amazing. We got to go to 2 sessions in the conference
center. We brought a recent convert and
her friend who is investigating the church the first time. And the
second time we brought an
investigator who moved here from Armenia named Ani. The spirit worked
on all of these
people. We also got tickets for 5 of 6
more investigators and they went with friends from the wards. It was
such a good conference! So much spiritual upliftment. So bold and
strong, but loving and
understanding. It was one of the best I
have listened to. I felt so much
inspiration and love coming from our general authorities. It just adds
to my testimony of living
prophets and apostles today. Some of my
favorite talks were; the one about Exclamation Points! , Elder Hollands
talk,
Elder Bednars talk, Elder Ballards, Elder Oaks, Elder Dube, President
Monsons,
Elder Uchtdorfs and Elder Eyrings. That
turned into a long list...They were all amazing. This conference seemed
to go
so fast for me. We look forward to it so
much and then only a couple hours and its over again! Ha ha but yeah. I
saw some people I knew there. I saw Wade, Bailey, and Keagan
Smallwood! I saw some past missionaries
from our mission including Sister Winn (our last mission presidents
wife/mission mom.) I think I saw a few
others too, but in the craziness I have forgotten a bit. But ya, this
weekend was the best. I learned so much! I have so much to improve
on and so much to do, but through the power of Christ’s atonement I can
have strength
and do all that He asks of me. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well Im sorry that
this email is a little boring…and incredibly scattered. No pictures either! I need to start taking some more. My bad……
hopefully this will brighten your day and please remember that I love
you all and miss you all very much!!!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The church is
true. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">God lives and loves
ALL of his children.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus Christ is our
Savior and Redeemer.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thomas S. Monson is
the true, living prophet on the earth today to guide us and help us gain
eternal life with our families.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Godspeed.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Love you all again!!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Elder Hansen</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Peak the Strategy</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-35225363557750711932013-09-18T18:24:00.002-07:002013-09-18T18:24:20.704-07:00Moving ForwardHey family! I am sorry that I haven't written in a while. We have been
very busy. It is hard to gather all my thoughts and let you know what
has been going on over the last 2 weeks, but I'll do my best. <br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
So <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760706" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday</span></span> the 2nd of September President Hansen called us at about <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760707" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">7:30pm</span></span>
and told us that he needed to talk to us in person and that he wanted
us to come down to the mission home immediately. We were kinda freaking
out. Ha ha, just thinking why he wanted to talk to us. We thought it
was because a Sister missionary in our zone was going home or because
some Elders in our district were doing something disobedient outside of
the mission. We drove down to the mission home and President Hansen
called me in to be interviewed. When we get in the office he just
started asking about the zone and other things so I thought it was just
about one of the things I said earlier, but then he just put it out
there straight up, "Elder Hansen, I want to call you to be one of my
assistants...." I was like.... "uhhhhhhh..." ha ha.</div>
<div>
We talked a lot more and he told me about what the plan was, what
was changing in the mission, transfers, and a lot of other things. Then
he said, "so go home and pack your things because <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760708" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">tomorrow</span></span>
you will be with Elder Logan and Elder Hansen (the current assistants)!
So we went back to Farmington.... I packed all night and got ready..
Didn't really sleep. and at the mission leader council at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760709" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">8:00am</span></span>
the next morning I was with Elder Logan and Hansen. So I got to be
with both of them until transfers. I got to learn a ton from both of
them, but I still wish I had more time to learn from them. </div>
<div>
Then the next couple days after that we had mission meetings where
we presented the new mission vision. It was awesome. I had to conduct
one of the meetings. Its a different feeling to conduct a meeting in
front of half the mission. Side note -> We have a mission tour in
October and Elder Clarke of the Seventy will be there and President says
that both myself and Elder Logan will most likely be conducting those
meetings... no pressure... ha ha</div>
<div>
Anyways,</div>
<div>
Mostly we have been working on transfers. Our
area is the YSA in the Pioneer Stake. But we used to cover the whole
stake. It split 3 ways at transfers and so now we only cover 4 YSA
wards. Its good though. A lot of work. A lot of people to teach! :)
It is interesting working with people that are the same age as you.
Teaching them is pretty awesome because you can explain things in depth
pretty well, but still simple so that they can understand. So yeah.
Its going to be great.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then transfer week happened. Busiest week of my life. Well maybe. But yeah. Got everything done for transfers <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760710" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday</span></span> morning. We created 3 new zones in the mission. We had 35 new missionaries come in <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760711" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span>.
We had 7 missionaries leave. We drove a big 12 passenger van all over
the place. I drove it most of the time. It was huge and somewhat hard
to maneuver, but its all good. So the week was just crazy. I couldn't
even tell you everything that we did because I can't remember it all.
I know we didn't sleep much, but thats okay. People keep saying "you
can sleep when you are dead." I don't know how I feel about that. ha ha I
think I agree though. We still take care of ourselves and sleep some,
just not as much as other missionaries. So don't worry mom. ha ha</div>
<div>
Anyways, there were a lot of errors in the transfer. Especially
with housing and with cars. It was horrible. We just don't have enough
cars! We have people with heart conditions and other major problems and
surgery and all this stuff and there just aren't enough cars. We have
had about 60-70 new missionaries come into the mission in the last 3
months and we have gotten 0 new cars! NONE! Its ridiculous. They
promised that we would have 20 new cars about 6 weeks ago, but they
still aren't ready. We think it is something to do with the General
Authorities coming in for conference. Anyway, enough of my complaining.</div>
<div>
We tried to fix all the problems and worked out some things. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Problems
just seem to come up all the time. President Hansen went out to
Wendover this weekend for a district conference. As soon as he left,
problems with missionaries..... It was crazy. Its kind of scary
because he is going to a mission presidents seminar from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2015760712" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Thursday</span></span>
till Sunday this week and if we have the same thing happen as last time
he left we will be having a pretty rough weekend.... ha ha hopefully
all goes well.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We have been planning a lot of upcoming meetings.
We just had a short meeting this morning for Zone Leaders and Sister
Training Leaders. We need to get them on board and pumped and motivated
to baptize weekly and rescue (re-activate) weekly! So this meeting was
devoted to just that. It was very powerful. President Hansen is
amazing. So filled with the spirit. He committed us all to baptize and
rescue weekly, and to go out and find another companionship to follow
us and do the same. The time is now. Things are changing. The Lord
truly is hastening his work. This meeting was held at the Marriott city
center hotel in one of the big conference rooms there. There was a hot
breakfast provided and out cars were even parked for us. Valet
parking. It was way nice. It was good to emphasize the point of how
important this all is and that these missionaries MUST be committed to
their purpose and to accelerating this work in this mission now. It is
the Lord's vision for the mission. Being so close to President I have
already seen that he is always being led by the Lord and that every
direction that he tells us to take is because the Lord wants us to go
that way. Its awesome. What a great opportunity I have to learn from
such amazing leaders right here in Salt Lake City. Im so grateful for
it.</div>
<div>
I love being a missionary. I love the Lord. I love His work.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll
have to wrap this up now. By the way my companion is Elder Logan from
Tampa, Florida. He is such a solid missionary. He always knows what to
do and what to say. He has been an assistant for 4 and a half
transfers. Longest assistant to the President in a long time. I am so
happy for the opportunity to learn from him and try to do my best to
lift, inspire, encourage, and bless these missionaries. They are all so
good. I hope they will have the focus and blessing to see success in
baptizing and rescuing weekly. That is what most of my prayers are for
right now.</div>
<div>
Also, I have been praying for you all especially you Mom and Dad
and Natalie! Please make sure to let me know that everything is okay
out there! All this flooding has been pretty scary to see. I hope you
are all doing alright and that the people out there will be able to
recover from this disaster. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Alright. That was the longest email I think I have
ever written. Sorry my thoughts were all over the place. I love you all
so much! I miss you! </div>
<div>
The church is true.</div>
<div>
God lives and He loves us.<br />
Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Peak The Strategy Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-74069879994291394322013-09-14T08:14:00.001-07:002013-09-14T08:14:30.120-07:00It's kind of lateHey there. :) Sorry for not emailing this week <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_427861285" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Monday</span></span>.
We have been incredibly busy and it just so happens that this is the
first time I have a spare moment to email. A little unconventional. But
I think you will see why. My new companion, while we were working on
finishing up some loose ends, told me that I needed to email right now.
So this is it. Try to find me on this attachment. It is a picture of
the transfer board. Hopefully it will answer some questions.<br />
<div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQKM4DhpP6Q/UjR9PA_FQDI/AAAAAAAAA6c/mYlsB9tpnrQ/s1600/transfer-board-screen-v2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQKM4DhpP6Q/UjR9PA_FQDI/AAAAAAAAA6c/mYlsB9tpnrQ/s320/transfer-board-screen-v2.png" width="154" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /><div>
Love you all!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
</div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak The Strategy</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
P.S. I may not be emailing on Mondays every week now, but you should still get an email once a week. Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-72530155436357364422013-09-03T20:00:00.001-07:002013-09-03T20:00:22.251-07:00Charles Dohse's Baptism
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<br />
Alright. I have very little time to write today because it is Labor day
and we couldn't email at the library so we have to email at a family
history center that is only open for a couple more minutes.... <div>
Sorry.</div>
<div>
Anyway, this week was pretty good. We struggled to
find new people to teach, but we had a baptism. Charles Dohse was
baptized and confirmed. He is 16 years old. A lot of real intent to
know the truth. He is awesome. I'll try to send a picture of the
baptism. So that was great.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The rest of the week was pretty normal. Just
teaching, meetings, exchanges with a district leader. A lot of stuff
crammed into one week. I feel like there is still never enough time to
get everything done that we need to. But we are trying!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sad part of the week. Another sister missionary in
our zone is going home for medical reasons... :( Its pretty lame. I am
really getting tired of seeing missionaries have to go home when they
really don't want to! This is like the 3rd one this transfer. Its
hard. I know the Lord will take care of them and that it is best for
them to be at home getting better, but its just hard to see them go. I
have come to feel love for everyone in the zone here just as I did in
Tooele and Wyoming. And seeing them struggle and have to end up going
home is one of the saddest experiences I have had as a missionary. But
anyway.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have no time left. </div>
<div>
I love you all very much! </div>
<div>
I miss you and hope that all is going well.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The church is true.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak The Strategy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcO1GCVNgiA/Uiah38b7YaI/AAAAAAAAA6E/WbtQ9UDpLnc/s1600/Charles+Dohse%27s+baptism.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pcO1GCVNgiA/Uiah38b7YaI/AAAAAAAAA6E/WbtQ9UDpLnc/s320/Charles+Dohse%27s+baptism.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3kJ_uA0kyrs/Uiah9J2wY-I/AAAAAAAAA6M/Qmwt9lX3Vg0/s1600/the+baptism+of+Charles+Dohse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3kJ_uA0kyrs/Uiah9J2wY-I/AAAAAAAAA6M/Qmwt9lX3Vg0/s320/the+baptism+of+Charles+Dohse.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-63353552201966843772013-08-28T16:10:00.001-07:002013-08-28T16:24:15.498-07:00Baptisms!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFaAZiv7UYI/Uh6C_oHhcdI/AAAAAAAAA44/8YRfi-NRDx8/s1600/Orozco+family+baptism.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFaAZiv7UYI/Uh6C_oHhcdI/AAAAAAAAA44/8YRfi-NRDx8/s320/Orozco+family+baptism.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Alright. This week was nuts.. I have like no time to write today... We are pretty busy these days. I love it. <br />
<div>
Well this week we had 3 baptisms and confirmations.</div>
<div>
One
was a family, The Orozco family. The Mom and Dad (David and Keli) got
baptized. They are amazing! So strong in faith! They are going to get
sealed in the temple and their children will learn and grow. Their son
who is only 7 already wants to serve a mission! So cool. :)</div>
<div>
The other baptism was Christopher Miles. He is also so strong in
his faith. He knows and understands the gospel and already has a
testimony. I actually had the opportunity to confirm him. It was one
of the more powerful experiences on my mission. I could feel his family
specifically his father who was killed right after he was born and how
proud they are of him. Their family will be completed soon in the
temple. I love this church and this gospel. It is so amazing. I will
never leave it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r5B0l2p3EwE/Uh6GfmyWcEI/AAAAAAAAA5k/rN41KgvAdtY/s1600/Elder+Hansen+and+son+hike+to+Flag+Rock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r5B0l2p3EwE/Uh6GfmyWcEI/AAAAAAAAA5k/rN41KgvAdtY/s320/Elder+Hansen+and+son+hike+to+Flag+Rock.JPG" width="240" /></a>I wish I had more time to write and tell you about
everything that is going on, but it just isn't possible. The work is
moving forward. It is getting to the point where we never have enough
time. Yesterday was one of the busiest days of my life. We never
stopped. Spoke in a sacrament, had 3 confirmations at different times,
taught a youth lesson, went to a couple other wards to bear our
testimonies and to meet some nonmembers, had 3 correlation meetings with
all 3 stakes that we cover, grabbed a super quick dinner, taught a
couple lessons, set up another young man to be baptized this <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_538792650" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">coming Thursday</span></span>.
It has just been crazy, and yet the best time of my life. I can't
accurately express how much I love being a full-time missionary. A
disciple of Christ. It is by far the best experience I could have asked
for, and has helped me to grow in ways that I never could have
expected. The church is true.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Alright. I will send some pictures. Love you all!
Thanks for the emails! Wish I could have responded to all of them.
Sorry... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Peak The Strategy</div>
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-74166097567799235572013-08-19T15:58:00.001-07:002013-08-19T15:58:33.135-07:00Fire!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0vWVGKlg5I/UhKihnCil4I/AAAAAAAAA4I/xo1OnVBPeKQ/s1600/Fire+in+Farmington.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O0vWVGKlg5I/UhKihnCil4I/AAAAAAAAA4I/xo1OnVBPeKQ/s320/Fire+in+Farmington.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdeXmw7sxeM/UhKivWx9xFI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/6qJIG8SkTqg/s1600/Fire+in+Farmington2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UdeXmw7sxeM/UhKivWx9xFI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/6qJIG8SkTqg/s320/Fire+in+Farmington2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Hello! Well I am going to make this pretty short because I want to
go play sports. I miss just playing for hours and hours. But we will
do it today. We go to a place called the Sportsplex in Kaysville. It
is free for missionaries and it is basically a whole gym place with an
indoor field and a trampoline park and all sorts of stuff. Im excited.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Anyway, This week was great. Had a leadership training <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1858677868" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">on Tuesday</span></span>.
Im seeing more and more what it takes to be a better leader. Im still
not very good at it, but I am trying. I feel so blessed to get to try
to help others especially missionaries in this work. It is awesome. So
ya.</div>
<div>
We taught a lot of lessons this week. It was great. We took a
family down to temple square to have a lesson there with the sister
missionaries. We had a short tour there and looked at the temple and
explained to them what is done there and what blessings come from it.
The spirit was strong, and they recognized it and now they have a firm
goal to be sealed in the temple. They are preparing for baptism this <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1858677869" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">coming Saturday</span></span> the 24th. Also a young man named Christopher Miles is going to be baptized <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1858677870" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">this Saturday</span></span>!
He is awesome. Very smart and understands what the spirit feels like.
He is only 11 or 12 yrs old! Way cool. Their family is also looking
to be sealed together in the spring of next year. I love how this work
gets families pointed toward the temple. :) </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Well, other than that we had a fire really close to
us. Just on the mountain in Farmington! I'll attach some pictures. It
was big. It took about a day to get it out. But no damage was done to
any homes. Also this week one of the sister missionaries in our zone
had to go home early for medical reasons. It was sad to see her go.
She is a great missionary and very nice to everyone around, but it is
better that she went home so that she could get better. She may try to
come back out soon. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Side note, I got to listen to Trevor Luke's homecoming
talk! It was very good. He is an awesome missionary! He has come out
to teach with us before and he brings a great spirit with him. So ya. I
also saw the Mannings there! And the Evans family! All families that
have moved here from Colorado. They said hi to you all back home. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Then today we got to go to the temple. :) I always
love those trips. Its so good to just be there and listen and feel so
good. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Okay. Im going to keep it short. I love you all! Keep being awesome.</div>
<div>
God lives and loves us.</div>
<div>
Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.</div>
<div>
The church is true.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Godspeed.</div>
<div>
-Elder Hansen</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Peak the Strategy</div>
<div>
</div>
<span><span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></span>Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1331326848013424925.post-1657578621289553612013-08-16T22:10:00.000-07:002013-08-16T22:28:54.589-07:00...out of ideas...(that's why there are repeats)<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYkineerjfg/Ug8KBpPACtI/AAAAAAAAA3s/azdtjB9JZro/s1600/Whiteboard+visual+for+missionary+training.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYkineerjfg/Ug8KBpPACtI/AAAAAAAAA3s/azdtjB9JZro/s320/Whiteboard+visual+for+missionary+training.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Hello my wonderful family! I miss and love you all. Thanks for the letters and emails. I appreciate it.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Well I am going to make it short this week. Like really short. But I am going to send a lot of pictures. Deal?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Okay. This week we had Mission Leader Council on Tuesday morning. It was pretty long. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1634799201" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">8:00am</span></span> to about <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1634799202" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">1:00pm</span></span>....
Learned a lot though and am very excited about the changes I am making
and the changes that others in the mission are making to become better
disciples and even closer to the Savior in his work. Our mission is
heading in the right direction, I hope it continues to do so and can
accelerate to the goals and the vision that we have seen that the Lord
has for the Salt Lake City mission. Word.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We had zone meeting this week so Elder Lawrence and I
took some time to prepare for the training we would give. We made it
pretty fun and ridiculous, but memorable and I definitely learned a lot
from it so I hope the rest of the zone did as well. I will send
pictures of what we did. In brief explanation we drew a picture of a
mountain with our mission baptism goal by the end of the year at the top
and a little dude at the bottom and a bunch of obstacles he has to
overcome to get to the top and achieve his goal. Here are the obstacles
and the solutions. </div>
<div>
1) a fork in the path -> ask "old man rivers" which path to take (ask everyone we meet for referrals) </div>
<div>
2) a pack of ravenous wolves -> call on the "Local Natives" to help you out. (work in unity with ward and stake leaders.) </div>
<div>
3) "Ranger Rick" is laying beside the trail and needs CPR (Helping
our investigators gain a testimony through Church Prayer + Reading the
scriptures / spiritual CPR.) </div>
<div>
4) Your friends are going down
the wrong path -> Quickly call them to come back (invite
investigators to follow Christ and be baptized EARLY in the teaching
process.) </div>
<div>
5) There is a huge cliff and no way to get around it. ->
Miraculously giant eagles come and fly you across the gap! (Pray for and
expect miracles as you do the Lord's work.) </div>
<div>
6) The Dragon
of doubt comes and tries to attack you and make you think it is
impossible to make it to the top. -> we use the weapon of Faith in
this case a crazy powerful light beam. (We use faith and believe we can
reach our goal to overcome all doubt.)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hopefully you can see all that in the picture. The
point is that as we do all the principles in parenthesis we will
increase in convert baptisms and achieve our mission goal of 750 baptism
by the end of the year. pretty sick. :)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The other part of our training we focused in on working
in unity with ward and stake leaders and had each companionship work
together, the person in front could not use their arms but could see
what was going on and the person behind was the arms and hands but
couldn't see. We had them make brownie sundaes. It was fun. I'll send
a picture of that too. The idea there is that the ward and stake
leaders here are the people in front. They can see what is happening in
the area and hear everything and know what needs to happen. The
missionaries are the arms and hands. We are the work force. We can't
always see the whole picture and know what needs to happen but as we
listen to our ward and stake leaders we can make miracles happen. And
make some pretty good ice cream sundaes :) If we don't listen and heed
their counsel then things go a little differently. It makes quite the
mess. :P</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
So that was our training. I liked it. :)
So much for this being a short email...... Anyways. Other than that we
just taught a lot of lessons. Had everyone come to church! :) It was
such a blessing and we found a new family with a unbaptized child that
is eager to be baptized. They have a very cool story. He is preparing
for the 24th. It was funny, before we went into the lesson we planned
on inviting him for the <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1634799203" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">17th of August</span></span>. But literally as I was inviting him the spirit told me to say the <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1634799204" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">24th of August</span></span> instead.
It turns out that weekend is the weekend that his sister will be in
town and that is what they were hoping for as well. Just little
miracles like that make me happy. :) The church is true.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We gave a youth lesson yesterday and spoke in a
sacrament meeting. The ward we spoke in was the Farmington Ranches 2nd
ward. I am pretty sure I spoke 1 year ago in that ward! ha ha I got to
see some of the people that got baptized while I was here last year and
one lady is going to the temple! Her name is Tiffany Montgomery. She
is receiving her endowment on the <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1634799205" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">28th of August</span></span>.
We are probably going to get to go with them as well. :) They invited
us and I am so excited to see her take this step! :) What a blessing it
is to be a missionary. The best time of my life. I love teaching and
sharing the gospel.</div>
<div>
Well I have rambled on long enough. I love you all! I miss you and hope everything is well. </div>
<div>
</div>
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Have a good week! I know we will. :)</div>
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Godspeed.</div>
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-Elder Hansen </div>
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Peak the Strategy </div>
Christie Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17437478218403504229noreply@blogger.com0