hallelujah

Hello loved ones!!

This week was really just a miracle.  In so many ways.  We saw so many good and hopeful things happen.  The sun was out.  We stopped wearing huge jackets (...for like 3 days and then it started to snow again but STILL it kind of counts).  We caught the vision again and know what we're working toward and just feel the Lord supporting and guiding us every step of the way.  We strive to remember Whose work this is and Who we're representing.  We testified and we worked and we ate some liver pancakes (shoutout to my girl Sister Slight for eating them and breaking the two-year vegetarian run...the things we do for the gospel) and learned so much and we loved and prayed and wept.  And it was marvelous.  But the most powerful thing the Lord taught me this week is most beautifully said in these scriptures from Luke 15: 

" 18 I will ^aarise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have ^bsinned against heaven, and before thee,

 "19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

"20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had^acompassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."

This week, Sister Slight and I have been working really hard to make a vision for ourselves based on the Lord's vision and to create standards of faith and work we can hold ourselves to because the Lord deserves more than we feel we've been giving lately.  And day by day, it just came together.  But the crowning event was on Saturday.  That evening, there was an activity at a member's house.  He had invited us and a few of the less-active young adults, including N, who we love and pray for every day but hasn't come to anything having to do with the church for about a year now.  We went, the Morrisons went, a girl named Penny went, AND N CAME!!  That in and of itself was a miracle.  The dinner conversation we had was a little awkward but everything was okay.  We then watched Legacy, which was like 10% cheesy and 90% life-changing.  

Just LOVE that reminder of faith and what it means to trust that the Lord keeps His promises and to LIVE for that.  After we got home, though, we were de-briefing and just got so sad thinking about how maybe it wasn't helpful for him.  As we talked about him and this experience, we started to get pretty emotional.  As we talked about it and tried to see things through the Lord's eyes, we just felt such a different feeling.  I don't even know how to explain it.  We just felt so much divine love for him and for all the people we know here and were bawling our eyes out and just felt SO ACUTELY how much this city and these individuals need the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They NEED the healing and the help and the guidance and the lightening of this miracle.  And we watched the Prodigal Son Bible video.  

And as we did, N called.  And we had a special moment with him and got to testify and apologize.  But mostly, we just felt so surely that the Lord loves this people and that He wants with all His heart to give them the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He reminded me that WE have been the prodigal sons but that through the gospel, He has extended us mercy--and He reminded us how great a privilege it is to get to help others feel that same redeeming love.  It just reminded me what the gospel is all really about.  And it has changed everything.  I know the Atonement is real and that every sacrifice, personal or public, big or small, it takes to live by the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth it because God Himself loves us and wants to heal us--and I know we will only find that in fullness in the gospel and in the church of Jesus Christ.  It's true and it's a miracle.  

Hallelujah. 

Sorry for never telling you stories ever and for sending you cheesy emails but mostly, I love you and I pray for you always.  All the love in the world, dear ones.  May your week be beautiful and may your burdens be swallowed up in the joy of the Atonement. 

Love love love,

Sister Hansen

"неплохо" ("not bad")

(the words of N, who, as a killer and certified and ever so patient teacher, is teaching us kazakh.  there are a bunch of vowels that are just BARELY different and basically unpronounceable for me and after repeating them 12000000 times and getting it wrong every time, he would just smile and say "неплохо".  wooooo learning)

HI LOVED ONES!!

this week in lots of bullet points and few words: 

- experienced mercy when President called and told me about the letter he sent to BYU and wanted to bawl my eyes out.  definitely in some small way felt what is expressed in luke 7:47 

" 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are ^aforgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

and the desire to love much and give much because it's so apparent that the Lord has given me much.  my debt is great and i am so blessed and grateful. 

- got to sing "His eye is on the sparrow"

at a service thing this week and it made me so happy to get to share my real testimony in that way.  the love is real!

- the real love and desire for the blessings of the gospel the Lord let us feel for an investigator that is AMAZING but has had a hard time progressing and that sometimes it wasn't always easy to love

- our meeting with M (who is hands down one of the most Christlike people i've ever met.  she has some medical problems so just limps everywhere and is 22 and both her parents died so she just lives with her two sisters that didn't support her decision to get baptized, but despite all these problems and all the ways life hasn't gone in her favor she just LOVES.  with such a selfless love.  with charity.  in her free times she does volunteer work and just finds so much genuine satisfaction in service and turns outward every chance she gets.  it's just built into her soul and is so beautiful to see)!!  she is a less active sister we've been building a relationship of trust with for a while now.  she's so funny and good and we just love her so much, and even though it's hard to talk about the gospel with her because it's clear that it makes her kind of uncomfortable, after so much prayer and study and a lot of role playing, we got to invite her to re-hear the missionary discussions with us so she can feel that goodness in her life again in fuller measure.  and she said yes!!  seriously a miracle.  the waffles and ice cream we ate with her were pretty miraculous too know what i'm saying

- the times we got to contact this week!!  that is one of the most challenging and best parts about missionary work i'm pretty sure.  some days it seems discouraging but every time we do it and feel the joy of seeking the spirit and heaven's help to touch just one individual soul is such a special thing.  the Lord loves these people so much and getting to experience that in even a tiny measure is joyous.

- our meeting with A--another less-active sister we are working with--and her love for and understanding of the gospel.  also the fact that she was told by a catholic nun that when we're born, it's like an orange that God cuts in half.  we're one half and the other half is our soul mate, who is born either at the same time or five years after our birth.  so in case you were ever wondering how love works, you can stop now because that catholic sister's got it down. 

- talking with Z.  WOW.  she's a member from Mongolia that's been in the church for 10 years and just gets the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses lives and that obedience and the work it takes to live by the gospel is SO WORTH IT because it's just not possible to live without the blessings.  she cried talking about how she sees that it's so hard for the less-active members here and for the members here in general and just prays so sincerely that the church will be able to grow because life here is already hard for these people and she knows the only source of relief is the gospel.  just made me bawl my eyes out hearing this woman essentially testify what the gospel has meant for her, express the pure desire for all people to feel this and think that missionary work is the work of God and the work of angels-

-as manifest through missionaries and all who choose to engage in that work.  this work is just the work of God and the Lord loves these people SO MUCH, and if i had ever forgotten about it, it was the perfect reminder.  i know the people all around us every day are our brothers and sisters, and that we will find a greater joy than we have ever known if we will simply seek to help them along the path to our Heavenly Father and all the goodness He constantly offers us, too. 

last thing is a quote that we're trying reallllly hard to live by and apply in our companionship as of late:

"For those who are struggling with the high standard needed to qualify for the gift of the Spirit’s companionship, I offer this encouragement. You have had times when you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost. It may have happened for you today.

You can treat those moments of inspiration like the seed of faith that Alma described (see Alma 32:28). Plant each one. You can do that by acting on the prompting you felt. The most valuable inspiration will be for you to know what God would have you do. If it is to pay tithing or to visit a grieving friend, you should do it. Whatever it is, do it. When you demonstrate your willingness to obey, the Spirit will send you more impressions of what God would have you do for Him.

As you obey, the impressions from the Spirit will come more frequently, becoming closer and closer to constant companionship. Your power to choose the right will increase." - President Henry B. Eyring

As missionaries and members and children of God, this is my work and your work--and most importantly, this is the Lord's work.  and i know as we seek to go about it with love, really seeing people through the eyes of our Father in Heaven, we will feel both His influence and love for us in our lives and see His hand working in the lives of those around us.

i love you all so much.  i pray for you daily and i know the Lord has got you right in the palm of His hands.  have a beautiful week my dears!!  

all the love,

sister hansen