HELLO LOVED ONES!!
this day is just a day
of joy. the grass is green and the sun is shining and the ground is clean
and LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.
This week was a really
cleansing one. We had really good goals for this week as far as key
indicators, but as we tried with all our hearts to accomplish them it didn't
really work out. But there were SO many good things that happened and I
just want to share a few of those.
- a girl came to English
on Friday evening and started talking to Sister Slight about what on earth a
"relief society is" because she had read parts of "our
book" and she wanted to come to general conference! The next day she
came and watched a session and stayed and talked with us and it was really
good. She didn't want to give us our number or hear more right now BUT I
know she felt the spirit. An especially strong moment for me was when she
randomly asked about why we don't drink tea. I was thinking about how to
answer her in a way that she would understand and I was worried about the
language because that's something I don't talk about very often and I just had
all these thoughts and doubts because I wanted it to be perfect...and in
perfect peace and love and faith, Sister Slight just opened her mouth and
shared simple and real truths. It was sincere and she explained that she
doesn't know exactly why all the things are the way they are, but that she
keeps it because she believes it from God and the girl was moved. She
said, "that's faith!" and loved that. She was moved and I was
too. Sister Slight is a powerful, loving, faith-filled servant of our
Heavenly Father and I'm glad I got to witness that. As far as the girl,
her name is D and we have lots of hope for what will happen with her!
- we got a referral from
a man who knew a Kazakh girl while she lived in Indiana and took lessons there
and she wants to keep meeting! So we'll meet with her this week!
- we contacted a lot and
it was seriously some miraculous time. We have really sought to develop
the faith to find those that are ready to be baptized and to manifest that in
specific and heartfelt prayers and in action, and we are really seeing a
difference. We're really seeking to talk to all we can in sweet boldness
and Christlike love and even though we don't do it perfectly ever day, we feel
the Lord supporting us and are enjoying the work a lot.
- General
Conference! That was just the answer to every question of my heart.
I had questions about how to help the work here, how to use the Book of Mormon
better, how to finish really being all the Lord wants me to be, how to continue
to find meaning in life after the mission...and the Lord in His mercy just
showered it on me. One moment that meant a lot to me was Friday
night. D had left without agreeing to any return appointments or anything
and I felt like I had ruined it and my heart was just really sad because in
that moment I just felt like I ruin first interactions with people. Just
worrying about D and that maybe I had done something that evening to stop her
from giving us her number or about I and N a few months ago and how they didn't
want to hear more after the first lesson even though they were miraculous and I
just felt sop sad. But rereading President Uchdorf's talk
was just like
an answer to my prayers. He talked about the parable of the sheep and how
it's more than about our duties, but a beautiful illustration of the attitude
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have towards us. The line "the
sheep is worthy of divine rescue simply because it is loved by the Good
Shepherd" just calmed my heart so much. I am so grateful for the
Lord and for His love and patience and for the fact that He is more merciful
that I tend to give Him credit for.
- EVERYTHING!! I
don't know exactly how to explain the changes taking place in the work and in
my life and heart right now but I feel them and I am just so grateful.
This week taught me a lot about to what deep degree I am reliant on the Lord
but also about His perfect love in helping me in that quest to be better for
Him for other people. I just feel so surely that He loves me, that He
loves these people, that His work will go forward here and that He is ready and
walking with us every day--and that He is already working in the faith-filled
steps we are seeking to take forward. And it is just joy. This
morning I read in D&C 109 and especially verses 22, 23, 56 and 57 really
struck me.
" 22 And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them;
"23 And from this place they may bear exceedingly great and glorious tidings, in truth, unto the ends of the earth, that they may know that this is thy work, and that thou hast put forth thy hand, to fulfil that which thou hast spoken by the mouths of the prophets, concerning the last days.
"56 That their hearts may be softened when thy servants shall go out from thy house, O Jehovah, to bear testimony of thy name; that their prejudices may give way before the truth, and thy people may obtain favor in the sight of all;
"57 That all the ends of the earth may know that we, thy servants, have heard thy voice, and that thou hast sent us;"
Even though I'm excited to serve the Lord the rest of my life,
I am SO grateful and in awe for this time to do His work as His servant here in
Kazakhstan. I hope to give Him and them everything I can. And even
though my all is nothing in comparison to our Savior's awe, how much He blesses
and loves us for doing what we can. (that was a huuuge thing I learned from
conference. THE LORD LOVES US. And we should never forget or take
that for granted. And I hope you just feel it allll the time.)
LAST THING is that
yesterday, we got a call from the Almaty phone...FROM E. She wanted the
number of the missionaries down there!! And agreed to meet with me and my
companion when we go down there to serve next week!! She didn't say why
but implied that she wants to meet with missionaries again. AND I WANTED
TO CRY. That is the miracle and the promise and the wonder of the
gospel. That the Lord loves us and that through His boundless love, and
especially through the manifestion of that love through Jesus Christ and His
Atonement, NONE of us are past change, past saving or out of His love.
Love you TOO MUCH my
dear family. Super grateful this weekend for this gospel that binds
hearts and that families are forever. Hope all is well and that you are
working hard and being happy. In the words of Brother Keeley, "we do
our best and then ask for grace." And how grateful I am to be a
recepient of that daily. The church is true, the gospel is a miracle and
the love is real.
Love you and pray for
you ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS.
Sister Hansen
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