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