casual hello from siberia

Hi hi hi loved ones!!  We only have a couple minutes but I just wanted to say that a) we made it here safely, b) I'm pretty sure I am actually in the best mission in the entire world AND c) I'll email you all more on Monday aka p-day aka Sunday night for you.  Also I go to Kazakhstan on Friday so that's a fun thing.  It's 6:15am on Wednesday and I've been in the same clothes since I woke up Monday morning and we haven't slept very much and also we got hit on by a crazy Russian man at the airport yesterday so I'm going to go take a shower, buuut we're safe and I love you all so so so so much.  Really good to talk to yous yesterday. 

Love yous and pray for yous always!!  Have a happy day and I'll talk to you soon :) 

Sister Hansen

Sis. Hansen and Sis. Martin at airport in DC

Sis. Hansen and Sis. Martin in airplane on way to Russia

surprise

hi.  guess what.

I GOT MY VISA FOR KAZAKHSTAN!!!

oh.  guess what else.

I'M GOING TO RUSSIA ON MONDAY.  WHAT THE HECK.  

no but really.  that's a thing that's happening.  i got the call yesterday!!  Sister Martin doesn't have her Kazakh visa yet but we're both going to Russia together on Monday and she'll wait there for her visa.  I don't know if I'll be going to Kazakhstan without her or if we'll both just wait until she has it but we're going for it.  It's a Christmas miracle!  No but really yesterday was full of those and I'm feeling so so so humbled and SO BLESSED.  Heavenly Father is so incredibly good to us.  Our Savior's love is so real.  And through Him, we don't have to be afraid at all!  So even though this adventure is crazy it's one I'm happy to be on.  I love you all so much and I'll probably call you from the airport on Monday!!  I don't know what time I'll be calling because I don't know my actual travel plans yet so keep your phones on.  I'll probably just call mum's phone like last time.  But yeah.  Super blessed, super grateful and super humbled.  It's all Him.  Also according to Jake Moreno I'll be going to Almaty with Sister Waldie and I am excited.  Still can't get over it...it's happening!  MONDAY!!  But I will "endure to the end" and do all I can here while I have the chance.  The Savior would do that.  I'm sad I don't have more time to email and that I probably won't until week after next but don't let me forget about Irena and my studies yesterday AND also the grandpa that hugged us.  hahahahhaha life and such. 

OKAY I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH.

Loves loves loves!!  And prayers always!

Sister Hansen

sorry i ruined your lives and stuffed 11 cookies into the vcr

Oh hi hi hi loved ones how you doin.

Sooo it was a pretty bad, jubilant week, methinks.  I started out the week super bummish and selfishly as you're all aware, BUT Heavenly Father is still so good to us.  Always always always.

Sis. Hansen (left) in her trio companionship (Washington DC, North)

Number one most important lesson from this week: Luke 2.

I was reading notes from the MTC yesterday and remembered Christmas time and realized that I can have that Spirit all the time!  And we should have that Spirit all the time because it's HIS Spirit.  It struck me in the story that no one has ever found Him seeking "greatness".  People expected Him to be born like a king but they were told they would find Him in a manger.  He was only found when they sought humble and sincere circumstances and a place where the most powerful force was love.  Life is still like that now.  If all I want is to be the best missionary ever I don't think I'll ever find Him or be the missionary He wants me to be.  But if I seek to walk with Him (Moses 6:31-34.

 31 And when Enoch had heard these words, he ^abowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying:^bWhy is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people ^chate me; for I am ^dslow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?

 32 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy^amouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good.

 33 Say unto this people: ^aChoose ye ^bthis day, to serve the Lord God who made you.

 34 Behold my ^aSpirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the ^bmountains shall flee before you, and the ^criversshall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore ^dwalk with me.

Seriously my go-to scripture and story and everything) and to love as humbly and sincerely as He did and seek to serve and use everything I've been given for the benefit of others, then all will be well.  And that's the most beautiful thing ever.  He wants that for us and it's seriously a happy work.  A joyful work.  A work of hope.  Just like Christmas!  And it's the best.

I kind of had a change of heart this week and since then things have been wonderful.  I still have a long way to go but I know the Lord is working with me.  And I still don't understand it all and I don't know why I'm here [in Washington, D.C. North Mission] but I decided to really be here and to be involved and to care and to begin here and now to be the missionary I want to be.  It's all good.  Also, when you focus on others life seriously is SO much better.  It's the best.

Also, gratitude is a super powerful tool.  I really believe that when we have the faith to take everything the Lord is giving us IN HAPPINESS and GRATITUDE, He blesses us with more.  All good.  

Valentines was cute and happy and I got like 4 Valentines so pretty much my love life is off the chain.  There are so many good members here. 

It inspires me a lot.  Also we had a storm this weekend

Blizzard!

and President Cooke had us all stay inside and I got really sick and threw up yesterday and I'm never eating cookies again and also my calves are broken.  fun facts. 

:(

Ahhhhh I am the worst at managing email time and I have to go but I have seen miracles this week and this IS the Lord's work!  Even in DC.  They're all just people.  Just the Lord's people.  Everywhere.  And how sweet it is.  

I love you all so much.  Thank you for everything.  I hope you all have a wonderful week.  If I can do anything for you, let me know please please please.  Love you heaps and heaps.  

Love,

Sister Hansen


Soz but these are my notes from what I was going to write and I'm just going to leave them here...heh heh.

- miracles (Z, Martina,

- all about the Savior

  - people seek relief from their burdens while He ONLY sought to relieve others of their burdens

  - He is only found when seeking humility.  I get so caught up in wanting to be a great missionary that I forget that He is only only ever found and only ever has been found

  - Moses 4:1-2

1 And I, the ^aLord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That ^bSatan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the ^cbeginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will ^dredeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely ^eI will do it; wherefore ^fgive me thine honor.

 2 But, behold, my Beloved ^aSon, which was my Beloved and^bChosen from the beginning, said unto me—^cFather, thy ^dwill bedone, and the ^eglory be thine forever.

  - *********"how dare we ask for it to be easy if we really want to be called His disciples" -- find this talk

- being sick and never eating cookies ever again and also my calves are broken and we got snowed in

- we are adequate when we walk with Him--Moses 6:31-34 (posted above)

- the reminder that this work is not about how much I can attain but how I can use that to bless the lives of others

- They want us to be HAPPY!!

- I am Neville Longbottom

(Photo credit: Warner Brother Pictures and  http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131017011200/harrypotter/images/8/8b/Nevillelongbottom.png)

- this is a work about people, and it is the BEST.  The other day at the Drivers

- change of heart on Tuesday (understanding that it's all about how we can bless the lives of others and also that we should acknowledge miracles because they ARE real and they ARE happening)

- THANK YOU!!  I'm a bum and act like this is a really hard thing and I miss you all so so so much but at the end of the day I am really so so so blessed and even lucky to be here.  If there's ANYTHING I can do for you, please let me know.  Love and pray for you ALWAYS.

- because I have been given much

the week i realized i don't like toast, i just like warm bread

Story from her personal email to me (regarding bread):

"We only had time for a quick shopping trip the other day so from Thursday-today I've been living off grilled cheese...with muenster cheese!  I am a doofus.  hahahah I got wheat bread, oatmeal, muenster, peanut butter and bananas.  Safe to say I never want to eat those ever again.  hahah but we've had lots of member meals and it's been good."

Photo courtesy Sis. Madisen Robb.  Thank you!  (Utah)

Hahahaha  (Utah, courtesy Sis. Madisen Robb)

HI HI HI DEAR ONES.

Photos Sis. Hansen has taken (so far) of when she arrived in Washington, D.C.

Sorry for having zero time but I just wanted to say that I love you SO much.  I am so happy to have you!  And I am SO happy to have the knowledge and hope of this gospel and our Savior!  Because sometimes things are rough and confusing and all the things. 

(Interjecting with another story from her personal email to me to go along with the "rough and confusing" bit):

"This morning I was having a really hard time with a lot of things (oh, btw, met with the KZ [Kazakh] embassy people on Friday and still don't have a visa.  Don't know if I will ever have a visa.  Ha!  They will make a decision by today or tomorrow, and that's never happened before sooo...we'll have to see what happens.) and I was really sad and scared and discouraged last night, but I talked to President Cooke--who is seriously amazing.  I never ever thought I would love my mission president so much.  And whether or not I stay here, I will always think of him as my mission president.  I like the missionaries here but he and his wife are honestly like family to me.--last night and I felt so much better.  He also gave me a blessing and blessed me with understanding that The Lord is guiding this path of mine and with the reassurance of the love and calmness of my Savior, and THEN he blessed my family with the same things.  That was really special to me.  So, life is crazy and I'm freaking out, per usual, BUT LIFE IS ALSO SO GOOD!!"

But I KNOW that as long as we trust Him and seek to stay close to Him and just do our best and trust that He is enough to make up the difference--because He really is--He will help us overcome it all. I know it I know it I know it.  

(Interjecting with her final correspondence about how she views her visa situation in her personal email to me):

"And I know that regardless of how long it ends up being, I should be here.  Like it's not just a waste or an accident.  Maybe I don't know why yet, but I know I will.  It's crazy!  I know He's in charge but that doesn't mean it's always easy to accept.  But it's all good.  I hope you can feel how sincerely I mean that.  And I am happy and working hard and it's all good."

I hope all of you are doing well and that you know that I feel really close to you in a weird abstract way.  And I miss you a LOT.  But I also know this is the Lord's work and that He's watching over us all.

Love yous heaps.  Watch out for a letter or two or maybe seven this week.  

From 

18141 Marksman Circle #204

Olney, MD

LOVES.  The Church is true and God is good.  Life is good TODAY!  D&C 50:40-42 

40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot ^abear all things now; ye must ^bgrow in ^cgrace and in the knowledge of the truth.

 41 ^aFear not, little ^bchildren, for you are mine, and I have^covercome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath^dgiven me;

 42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be^alost.

aaand Joshua 1:9 my loves.

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the ^aLordthy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Last quick quote:

"Choose life even though the forces of death seem strong!  Choose hope even though despair seems close!  Choose to grow even though circumstances oppress you!  Choose to learn even though you must struggle against your own ignorance and that of others!  Choose to love, even though ours are days of violence and vengeance.  Choose to forgive, to pray, to bless another's life with simple kindness. ... I promise that you will feel the abundant love of the Savior." - Sister Chieko Okazaki 

The week Sis. Hansen left the Missionary Training Center

All is well, all is well :)

Sis. Hansen and her companion in the MTC, Sis. Martin

All my prayers and love always always always.  Stay safe and stay happy ya heard.  

Love, Cectpa Hansen

p.s. met a Russian man last night and it was the happiest thing evaaaa

Sis. Hansen and Sis. Martin (Utah)

WHAT THE HECK

okay fun fact: Sister Martin and I just got reassigned to serve in the Washington DC North mission until our visas come, aaaand fun fact: WE LEAVE TUESDAY!!!!!  AHH!!!!  I AM FREAKING OUT IN HAPPY AND WEIRD WAYS AJSRKJSAERKLEJ VAKSELRJEA KSLres what the heck.  But life is gooood.  We leave February 3 and our flight leaves at 8:15am.  I'll deffos call yous from the airport and hope I have everything I need before then...AHH!!!  Anyway sorry this is lame and rushed but just wanted to keep you in the loop.  I might write more later if I can to update you on all the details but if nothing else, yes.  So.  yeah.  LOVE YOU HEAAAPS

We received an email from a very kind brother whose daughter is also serving a mission, and attached was this photo with the comment, "Look what I found she is doing  great."  Soooo grateful for wonderful people in this world, and for tender mercies.  xoxo lh

Sis. Anela Hansen and Sis. Martin, the day before they leave for DC.

Update:  (Feb 03, 2015)  She called us this morning from the airport.  She sounded tired and a little bit nervous, because she's been learning Russian this whole time, and now she's going to DC, English-speaking while she awaits her Russian visa.  :)  But in our brief conversation, she mentioned how quickly time is going by, and how much she wants to enjoy every moment of her mission.  "It's all about love."  

there is sunshine in my soul today

(но серьезно сейчас)  [but seriously now]

the last couple of days have been so happy.  I take that back actually.  Life is just the happiest thing, you feel me?  Even when it isn't.  There are just so many reasons to be grateful and happy каждый день (every day) and I love it.  No bad days club.  Every day is a rollercoaster but for reals, I'm enjoying the ride.  Sorry for sounding cheesy but wowow I am just so so so happy because this gospel is so so so happy and I hope you're all happy too.

So I really have no idea how to format this email because sometimes I go back and look at my bullet points and see that I conveyed like zero information and -9.6 transformational things (another брат McKay-ism: focus on the transformational, not informational.  Irrelevant but I have had some AMAZING mentors in my life and I am genuinely so grateful that that's continued into the MTC.  From брат McKay to брат Baum to брат Smith to Cectra Jackson to Cectra Albrecht to President Williams to them all.  All the love.) and it makes me sad.  Suggestions are more than welcome ya heard.

Today is the happiest because a) we had an AMAZING devotional last night.  Seriously inspired me so much and that--along with this talk we had from a random man in our sacrament meeting on Sunday--kind of changed my life as a missionary.  And then b) the temple this morning only added to the amazement.  It was incredible.  I had some questions about how I can be a better missionary and I found answers and more than anything, I found hope.  This work is crazy intimidating sometimes and it can be really frustrating to me because I don't know if I will ever be as good as I want to be.  But this is not my mission.  This is HIS mission.  It was His before and it will be His after and I am so privileged to do it with Him.  We're doing this one together.  Like I've seriously come to think of it as a giant mentor meeting with the best most perfect and wonderful Mentor in the universe and I ALWAYS come out of them feeling better and hopeful and at peace and a little bit more the missionary He called me to be.  Faith is amazing too btdubs.  Part of this work will be believing that the Lord ACTUALLY CAN do His work through me.  He trusted me enough to call me to it and I trust Him enough to believe it can happen.  If that makes sense.  Just.  I'm stoked on life.  But in the spiritual way.  And my world is sufficiently rocked.  I'm on a rollercoaster that only goes up, my friends. (hashtag cheesy movies 5ever) (also I'm really feelin that rollercoaster analogy lately) (idk) Also at the end of my temple time I read Alma 26 in the Celestial Room and just.  Yes.  Alma and the Sons of Mosiah are the truest homies and the best examples and I want to be just like them.  In the words of the speaker last night, "don't deny the Lord opportunities to work miracles."  HAVE FAITH!  Because I really believe that this is His work and that He'll come through for us. Limits aren't mine to set.  So let's do this, ya feel me?

AND THEN my day (slash week) was made EVEN BETTER when I read emails from all of you.  I seriously love you all so much.  Thank you for the laughs and casual stories and spiritual experiences and videos (p.s. PLEASE TELL ME SOMEONE STILL USES RUSTY BECAUSE I MISS MY GUITAR SO DANG MUCH) and just all the things.  Love love love love love.

It's funny that yous had an experience with I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go this week because I did too.  On Friday I was a bum and in the worst mood and everything that day just seemed to go from bad to worse.  Things just were rough, our elders from our district (who are seriously just like the homiest.  We have the best little district of 4 ever ever ever) (also I still haven't gotten a usb reader aaand I started using the wifi camera but have like 0 photos on it because there was no memory card so it can only hold like 6 photos at a time hahaha) (so sozzz for the lack of photos) who sadly leave a week before us got their travel plans AND THEN we found out that our Russian visas won't be done in time, which apparently means we will be reassigned temporarily.  We find out where tomorrow.  I don't really know what that's going to mean but we'll see ya feel me.  Anyway I didn't know how to feel about that.  Kind of just all over.  And theeen my comp's been sick so we went to this little clinic and the news was on.  When I saw everything that's happening in the world and remembered again how much is out there--because there is a lot of good and bad and beautiful and real and ahhh i just love this giant beautiful world we live in--I was both sad and confused and happy and just ahhh.  But then I remembered that song and the words and how sincerely I trust the Lord in His tender care and believed it again.  I really will go where He wants me to go, be it Kazakhstan or Russia or somewhere in the US or wherever.  Kind of have no idea what my life is right now.  Kind of still don't know what I feel.  But I know He loves me and I'm seriously the happiest.  What an adventure.  And 20 seconds of crazy insane courage, am I right?

Ah man.  That was a better email.  Sorry I probs won't do too many personal emails after this but I just hope you know the church is true, the love is real, life is good and you are all loved and prayed for so sincerely errday.  I hope your Wednesday is as happy as mine.

Last thing: a poem that Mr. Brown sent me that lowkey inspires me everyday--

I live my life in widening circles 

that reach out across the world.

I may not complete this last one

but I give myself to it.

Life is great.  Love you so much.  So so so much.  Happy Wednesday homeslices.

Sister Hansen

P.S.  Just got this lovely photo from Sis. Kay Paulson with the comment:  "Had a cute visitor today!!  She is great." Thank you, Sis. Paulson!

Sis. Hansen, P-Day, Wednesday, January 28, 2015.  :)

life is sad when open toed shoes are nilzya

fun fact: today all I wanted to do was wear dad's sweater that I stole with my jeans rolled up with wool socks and my hawaiian sandals so I put it on and it just felt right.  It was a moment of serenity in this dismal universe.  And then I remembered that open toed shoes aren't allowed and I shed a single tear.  Now I'm wearing those adorable (and incredibly unmatching with this outfit bc guess who's still wearing rolled jeans and socks) Taos shoes.  and such is life.  жизнь такая.

alright alright so this was a pretty bad jubilant week and I hate email day because I never know how to talk about it.  Why do bad things happen to good people.  But I will try!

- there's this girl here from Ukraine and she is the actual loveliest but I almost never talked to her because a) I only ever saw her in passing and b) she scared me because my Russian is bad.  But I had a real chat with her and another sister going to Russia and it. was. the. best.  She is seriously so beautiful as a human.  Hearing her talk about the members in Ukraine and how strong they are and how the youth are the strongest where Ukraine is most war-torn made me want to bawl.  And then hearing HER say that she knows they will love us and that she knows there are people waiting for us seriously killed me.  Sister Allen and I were just sobbing the happiest tears.  It was such a tender mercy.  People are BEAUTIFUL and I am so excited to be there with them.  Heavenly Father's love for us personally is real and I love it.

- Elder M. Russell Ballard talked to us last night and it was the best.  I don't have time to look through my notes right now but it was wonderful and I am so grateful for prophets.  (actually he did tell us this quick thing: whenever we're feeling discouraged, write a letter to Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail. "Try to cheer him up."  I thought it was interesting that he talked about Liberty Jail because I've been thinking about that a lot this week.  More to come in the billion mile long letter I've been writing the last week or so.  Prepare yourselves.)

- Saturday night our district and the district that came in last Wednesday (because we have the leadership district bc we're the oldest now and have both the ZLs and STLs) (also Brunson Smith comes in next week holla holla) had an impromptu blessing session/testimony meeting and it was beautiful.  However, the thing that hit me the most was when Elder Crabb--an Elder from my district--bore his testimony about how angels helped pioneers, and how we are called to the be angels to the pioneers in Russia.  That went along with the theme of humility and clarity that I had this week because I realized YET AGAIN that this work is zero percent about me.  It's great that I'm kind of a "pioneer" serving in this new part of the world but the real pioneers are these people we're serving.  The opportunity to serve them is so humbling and I am so so so grateful.

- we've had some super cool lessons this week.  I'm learning so much about what it takes to bring the spirit and about how literally EVERYTHING we do should be focused on others.  Like I said...humbling and clear.  But so happy.  I find that I'm really the happiest when I remember that it isn't about me. 

Oh man.  I love yous so much.  And I am so grateful for you.  Only 2.5 weeks left in the MTC!!  Ochen crazy but ochen good.  The love is real.  Thank you for everything, thank you for the packages, thank you for the prayers and thank you for the love.  You're the best.  God bless us, everyone. (lil timmy voice) (<--- hope you read that in a Tom Haverford voice)

this week i ate a kymchee bowl and used some well-washed and also wrapped candy canes as chopsticks so look forward to selfies from that experience.  hahahah love you

Treat yourself.

sister Hansen

Bro. & Sis. Server, missionaries from our Ward, who will be serving for 18 months in Costa Rica, sent us this picture of them with Sis. Hansen when they went to the cafeteria at the MTC.  Thank you, Servers!  xoxo