Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Week 58: Philippians 4:13

Dear family and friends,
It`s been... a week.  Just remember that in the mission, the emotions are way more extreme than in regular life.  Here`s what made me happy:
1) Multi-zone on Thursday!  I got to see my old comps Hermana Pérez and Hermana Quezada and hear how they are doing.  Also, I got to hear all the news about my favorite people in Granada.  And of course, the actual instruction part of the multi-zone was excellent!  We listened to talks by Presidente and Hermana Russell on obedience, the Area Book, being led by the Spirit, and a whole lot more that I have written in my notes.  Later we had workshops on how to invite the Spirit, introduce the Book of Mormon, use and explain scriptures, and teach people, not lessons.  We even had the special treat of watching ¨Meet the Mormons¨ which was my second time... it`s still just as powerful and trunkiness-inducing as the first time, haha!
2) Wonderful investigators!  Wendy continues to be great and came to church this time without her two boys so she could pay attention.  She enjoyed it again.  Now we just have to start the marriage papers preparation and teach her about Joseph Smith and all the rest... Woohoo!  She`s a miracle.  

The other miracle is Dujardin.  We had walked by his house earlier in the week and there was a ¨vela¨ or pre-funeral gathering.  Here, the tradition when somebody dies is that the whole family and many friends come to stay up all night with the body.  They sit in white plastic chairs and drink coffee and eat bread.  Anyway, we decided to contact the house a few days later to try teaching the plan of salvation.  Dujardin met us (age 30-something, it was his mom that passed away) and we talked at his gate about how he could see his mother again.  He accepted a return appointment, in which we talked about baptism and he accepted a date for August 15th, even though he used to be Baptist and has studied with the Jehovah´s Witnesses.  He walked into church on Sunday on his own.  That was a HUGE miracle!
3) Divisions with Hermana Garfield!  She`s from Oregon (Angie, she used to live in Klamath Falls!) and has six months in the mission.  I enjoyed getting to know her and her area.  I feel like numbers-wise, it wasn`t a very successful division, but I hope that emotionally I was able to help her feel a little happier and successful as a missionary.  We had some funny experiences... our first contact was someone else´s progressing investigator in Managua who had been to church four times and was getting baptized this weekend.  Then a drunk man pleaded with us to help him change... don`t worry, we invited him to church and it was like 3:00 in the afternoon, so no harm done.  And another lady came running out shaking her finger saying, ¨NO hay nadie!¨ (No one is here!) when we yelled ¨Buenas!¨ at her gate where there were very obviously six or seven people sitting in the yard.  Ah, only in Nicaragua...
Things that weigh on my soul:
1) Disobedience of other missionaries that affects every other missionary`s freedom and privileges.
2) NUMBERS.
3) Our area is not doing so hot.  That is to say, WE are not working as effectively as is expected in our area.  With that comes feelings of inadequacy, feeling like other missionaries or leaders are judging you or disappointed in you or think you`re not working or setting the example.  Praying hard and working hard for success and miracles this week!
Don`t worry about me!  I know that God is mindful of me and my worries.  I have seen His hand so unmistakably.  I know that He knows my desires and my efforts.  I can feel all of YOUR love as well!  Thank you for your prayers.  
Remember to be obedient, remember to love and feel loved!  I sure love all of you!
-Hermana Hansen
Photos:
Mom, I got your letter!
With Hermana Garfield
Photo of the multi-zone
Whole mission photo from March.  Can you find me?




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