Thoughts on the Atonement

I asked Sis. Hansen to share some of her thoughts with me on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Here was her response:

"Also, the Atonement 

is the most beautiful topic in the whole world!  I feel like a lot of the insights I've had on my mission have been simple and foundational so pardon for not having anything earth-shattering to offer.  But some things it makes me think about...

- Alma 14:6--

" 6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the ^ablindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his ^blying words; and his soul began to be ^charrowed up under a ^dconsciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell."

he [Jesus Christ] suffered the pains of hell, which is the weight of our sins before God.  When we sin against God's laws, it's the natural consequence according to the eternal laws upon which the world is built (2 Nephi 2).  

It just struck me that the pains of hell are when we experience the pain we are doomed to suffer without the Atonement.  Only through the Atonement that pain is alleviated.  In D&C 19, it's made clear that these "pains of hell" and conscience are heavier and more painful than we can imagine, and it's just so unbelievably beautiful to me that the only way to overcome that is to choose Jesus Christ.  Like what President Packer said: 

“There are so many of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt, not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity.”

It's so simple that sometimes it seems complicated.  But repentance and utilizing the Atonement is just the answer to all of our problems.  It's the solution the Lord has given us to every challenge we face in mortality.  All He asks is that instead of condemning or scoffing at the simplicity, we look and live! (Alma 37:38-47) 

" 38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

 39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

 40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

 41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

 42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

 43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

 44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

 45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

 46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

 47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell."

Also, fear in the Bible dictionary.

"Fear

Care should be taken to distinguish between two different uses of this word. The “fear of the Lord” is frequently spoken of as part of man’s duty (Ps. 111:10; Eccl. 12:13; Isa. 11:2–3; Luke 1:50); it is also described as “godly fear” (Heb. 12:28). In such passages fear is equivalent to reverence, awe, worship, and is therefore an essential part of the attitude of mind in which we ought to stand toward the All-holy God. On the other hand fear is spoken of as something unworthy of a child of God, something that “perfect love casteth out” (1 Jn. 4:18). The first effect of Adam’s sin was that he was afraid (Gen. 3:10). Sin destroys that feeling of confidence God’s child should feel in a loving Father and produces instead a feeling of shame and guilt. Ever since the Fall God has been teaching men not to fear, but with penitence to ask forgiveness in full confidence of receiving it."

Repentance--the very thing satan wants us to avoid and feel ashamed of and fear (for this, read "Do not Delay" by President Eyring--TOOOO GOOD)--is the answer for overcoming fear.  

Being clean before the Lord enables us to believe in Him and have real faith in Him and move forward with that to fulfill His will for us and for others.  SO BEAUTIFUL.  

Sorry that was super disconnected and maybe not relevant for you.  Just some stuff from studies lately. 

"Американцы ничего не боятся" ("Americans are afraid of nothing")

(this week's subject courtesy of the man we contacted on the bus last night that was shocked that we just talk to people we don't know all the time.  thanks, man.)

Hi America hi hi hi hi hi.

Welllll loved ones, this was a BEAUTIFUL WEEK!!  We worked really hard and contacted a lot and are just working and praying to find people to teach and to strengthen those that have already joined the church but maybe have forgotten why.  AND IT WAS SO MARVELOUS.  Here are some reasons why:

- A, the woman who originally thought we were a sect (just like a solid 60% of the population) and then felt the spirit and really wanted a Book of Mormon

- the time I got to go to Karaganda with the Morrisons!  

the train to karaganda! (an electric one)

First of all...it was a crazy day.  We woke up at 4:30 am to take Sister Slight to the airport and then after dropping her off, we had like 4 hours until our train left so we just sat in a diner and told life stories (read: I heard their life stories and they gave me life advice.  The Morrisons are seriously the coolest and I hope to be like them when I grow up.  The end.) while Sister Morrison ate a dry Kazakh pastry.  And THEN we were on the train to get there, which was like 4 hours long.  We were nearing the end when I started talking to the woman in the area of chairs next to us.  She had talked pretty loudly throughout the trip and told probably 50 people on the phone that she was going to Karaganda, and she told me the same thing when I talked to her (also, so cool--she found out I was here as a missionary and was like "WHY DIDN'T YOU TALK TO ME SOONER" and had me write down our number and the address of the church heh heh)...so when she got off, we got off too.  We walked through this peaceful little town to a bus stop and had Elder Morrison's phone out to try to figure out how to get to their house (oh p.s. we were in Karaganda because there is a member there!  She got baptized in December in Canada and then moved back here and hasn't had contact with the church since.  We weren't even sure she knew that the church is here.  The Halifax Canada mission office contacted us because she still needed to sign her baptism record) when the woman from the bus saw me.  I smiled and she was like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" and I was like "well helllooo, we're in Karaganda!" and was like "no, this isn't Karaganda.  this is an obscure little village 1.5 hours away from Karaganda."  hahahah WOW.  So with the help of a super, super nice man, we rode a crazy bus for an hour that ended up taking us through obscurity almost exactly to her doorstep.  Neato.  Theeen, we rang her domaphone (the phone connected to her apartment)...and it made the noise it makes when that apartment doesn't exist.  Out of nowhere, a little girl walked down the street and opened the door and let us in.  We knocked on their door and her mom answered, and then A--the member--was like "how can I help you?"  When we told her we were here from the church, I honestly thought she was going to start crying.  She was so happy and excited and surprised that we were here and that we'd traveled all this way just to see her!  They had just been about to leave but instead we all got lunch together and it was so neat.  She has such a cool story and even though her mom is from a different faith, she is such a good woman and it was a good time.  We got back to our train station and had a sleeping compartment this time. 

the bed thing [sleeper car] on the train back home (a steam one)

We almost missed our train (for real...we were running down the track.  hahaha) but we got on and then walked through 5 different cars (and saw people in various stages of...casualness.  Sometimes you get stoked getting glimpses into people's lives and sometimes they make you want to gouge your own eyes out but that's okay too) and got to ours and it was a fun ride home.  That night I got to sleep over at the Morrisons and we woke up at 4:30 the next morning to pick Sister Slight up!  hahahah wahooooooo!

- K, the girl we contacted that was in shock that we have a living prophet.  SO INTERESTING.  She would hear something about what we believed and think for a second and then be like "nope, that's not possible"...but then she kept asking us questions and really listening to our responses.  She is now researching the church and and we really felt the spirit testify through us.  Miracles don't always look like miracles right away, but this one was so good.

- D&C 84:85 and the commitment to really live by this and believe in this promise.  

 "85 Neither take ye thought beforehand ^awhat ye shall say; but ^btreasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be ^cgiven you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man."

This week we're felt a lot of urgency and desire for people's well-being and salvation and it was a blessing of seeking to open our mouths to everything, I think.  And it's been SO NEAT to get to see people through the eyes of the Lord in some small way.  He loves us so much.  It's not something I can comprehend 100% but I feel it and am so so grateful for that. 

- N--a 21 year old less active--QUIT HIS BARTENDING JOB.  We met with him and we just had a super real talk with him and he told us why he's inactive.  He was like "in the beginning, it was probably laziness...but then i just got used to it." and then we asked him how he feels about the church now (does he think it's true, etc etc) and he was quiet and then we were like, "just be honest" and he said "I was just trying to think of a reason why i stopped coming to church.  I don't think my testimony is as strong now as it used to be, but I think the gospel would bless me more now than it did before."  I wanted to cry.  THE LORD IS WORKING CHANGES IN HIM.  And he still didn't come to church yesterday but he did go with us to deliver a Book of Mormon to this woman and we just see how the Lord is leading His work here (in this instances and in a billion other instances this week) because He loves His children.  Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah for Israel.

- Sister Hessenaur, a woman from South Africa, shared her conversion experience with us.  She told us the thing that struck her the most about her missionaries was their patience with her and the Christlike qualities that they embodied.  She wasn't immediately in love with our message and didn't move very quickly but she saw that they were good men and that they really exemplified Christlike love for her and her family.  At the time, her husband was an alcoholic and the contrast really struck her.  She just got very emotional and said, "you know, missionaries can really save lives."  It was so tender and really taught me that who we are and how we treat them is just as important as what we say and share with them.  Working on doing that better.  This week we got challenged by the Torontos to read Jesus the Christ 

and to really imagine Jesus Christ being on our right hand and on our left like it's promised in D&C 84:88 

 "88 And whoso ^areceiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go ^bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my ^cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and mine^dangels round about you, to bear you up."

and it has been SO special.  There is a long way to go to be like Him but it is truly the most glorious journey.  How I love our Savior.  And infinitely more important, how He loves us all!

- lastly, two quotes that really struck me this week.  The first is from Elder Bednar, and it's pretty bold so get ready:

"We properly pray for the safety and success of the full-time missionaries throughout the world. And a common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work!

If you and I would truly pray and ask in faith, as did Joseph Smith—if we would pray with the expectation to act and not just to express—then the work of proclaiming the gospel would move forward in a remarkable way."

Wow!  Last week a friend of mine asked how I would have prepared better for the mission and I realized that the answer was just to have shared the gospel more.  I challenge ALL of us to do that better and to love our brothers and sisters in every way--including finding ways to share with them the things that have changed and bless us and can heal and lift them, too.

And then from President Kimball

in a great great talk he gave titled "Jesus the Perfect Leader":

"Each of us has more opportunities to do good and to be good than we ever use. These opportunities lie all around us. Whatever the size of our present circle of effective influence, if we were to improve our performance even a little bit, that circle would be enlarged. There are many individuals waiting to be touched and loved if we care enough to improve in our performance.

"We must remember that those mortals we meet in parking lots, offices, elevators, and elsewhere are that portion of mankind God has given us to love and to serve. It will do us little good to speak of the general brotherhood of mankind if we cannot regard those who are all around us as our brothers and sisters. If our sample of humanity seems unglamorous or so very small, we need to remember the parable Jesus gave us in which he reminded us that greatness is not always a matter of size or scale, but of the quality of one’s life. If we do well with our talents and with the opportunities around us, this will not go unnoticed by God. And to those who do well with the opportunities given them, even more will be given!"

So let's get to it :) I love you all heaps and heaps!  The gospel is true and blesses lives and changes hearts and I am so grateful for the mercy and goodness and strength of our Heavenly Father.  I hope you feel His love and strengthening hand throughout this week and time too, especially as Tay gets ready to go.  I love you with all my heart and pray for you always.  Happy happy happy Monday, dear ones.

All the love,

Sister Hansen

wave of love

wave of love

noun

1. the overwhelming sensation one experiences on p-day reading emails from beloved family members and friends.

2. the random and rich joy the Lord grants people to feel from time to time, especially regarding people.

3. exactly how I feel right now toward all of you and toward my entire mission

IT IS SUCH A DANG GOOD LIFE MY LOVES!! Thanks for being such a happy happy part of it :) 

But really the Lord in His mercy just lets me feel that allll the time, and in the moments when I want to be like Laman and Lemuel and just complain and be faithless, He's so kind to me and gives me a little miracle or helps me feel the wonder of a little miracle He's already given and it just floors me that regardless of how good life is in any moment, it is always infinity times better when we invite the Lord to be a part of it.  Cool, eh?

There were about a BILLION little things this week that touched my heart and helped me grow and feel the Spirit and here are a few of them:

- on Tuesday afternoon Sister Slight and I contacted for four hours (warning: we did a looooot a lot a lot of contacting this week so just don't be alarmed or bored when you keep seeing that phrase) and it was a good block.  We met some really lovely people and some people who were really not interested and we learned some opening lines that work and some that don't work and it was a pretty standard happy-but-sometimes-hard-but-mostly-happy-i-get-to-learn-to-rely-on-the-Lord-and-believe-He-can-work-miracles-here-and-now-and-just-open-my-mouth-woohoo contacting block.  But THENNNN we walked past this really unpretentious woman waiting for the bus.  We said hello and she said hello and we just started talking to her.  It was very unspectacular and seemed to be another small talk convo, right?  She found out we were missionaries and told us she believes in God and already goes to her own church.  We were just talking and out of nowhere, I had the idea (from the spirit but also from Sister Slight who did this a few weeks ago when we were contacting and really inspired me) to ask her what her name is.  She said L and then I just looked her in the eye and said, "L, I know that God loves you and that He knows you and that He knows your situation."  And then this sweet woman just started bawling her eyes out.  She told us that her husband had died a few months ago and that even though she has children that she loves and is overcoming with, it's really, really hard for her.  We got to testify about the plan of salvation and her bus came before we got a chance to invite her to hear more.  But I was just so touched at that moment of vulnerability.  In a world where that doesn't happen very often, it was just so tender and sincere and it meant a lot that Heavenly Father let us be a witness of a tiny show of His great love.  He really does know His children and that was one of a million testaments of that this week.

- scripture study is ACTUALLY LIFE CHANGING and SO RELEVANT.  who knew?!  Last week with Elder Kacher we talked a lot about the scriptures and our responsibility to know them and how they change lives as missionaries.  I have enjoyed the scriptures a lot a lot on my mission, but this week in trying to study them on a different level I have found so many answers and cool insights!!  The Lord is pretty much a genius...who knew.  But for real, here are a few gems:

 - remember how Alma gave that killer sermon on faith in Alma 32?  

The people felt just as inspired as we all do but also felt that same "but uhh....how do I actually do this thing" feeling we sometimes feel.  But Alma gave an answer!  In the shape of four pieces of advice.  The first was prayer.  He talks in a lot of depth in Alma 33 and 34 about the role prayer should play in our life and how we should constantly be bettering our prayers and CONSTANTLY inviting the Lord in and counseling with Him.  Prayer is something I have come to learn a lot about on my mission and will be learning about for my whole life probably but I just love the fact that the Lord's given us a direct and personal link to Him--GOD--whenever we want it.  WHENEVER!!  In any situation or setting and for whatever need.  And He really answers!!  So pray always!  In all things and as often as you can.  The other advice Alma gives is to serve others, be grateful and acknowledge the sweet mercies of God in all things and give the Spirit room in your life.  If we do these things that are 100% possible and in our control, we ARE having faith and we will feel the Lord's influence more in our lives!  And man man man this is true. 

 - the time I read 1: Ne 13:23 

" 23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The^abook that thou beholdest is a ^brecord of the ^cJews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the ^dplates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles."

and thought about how Nephi must have felt during this moment.  He didn't know from the very beginning that the book that would change the whole earth and help all God's people return again to know the Father that loves them so much was the same book he was writing day by day, but I wonder if he started to think about it as he saw this little bit.  I wonder if he realized that the messages he was writing were going to someday be accepted by the descendants of the brethren and people he loved and prayed and begged and toiled for.  I wonder if he got a little emotional realizing that the Lord in His mercy would someday help them accept these truths.  And then I got a little emotional realizing that the Lord is allowing us to do that today by helping people come unto Christ through the Book of Mormon.  He loves these people so much and numbers them and knows them perfectly and I just know He has such a great plan for these people here, even though so many people want us to think that it's impossible here.  How great the plan of our God!

- D&C 64:33...pretty much the motto.  Enough said :)

" 33 Wherefore, be not ^aweary in ^bwell-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of ^csmall things proceedeth that which is great."

- the time these two kids were wrestling in the snow and one of them was clearly stronger and Sister Slight and I were concerned and stopped walking to look back.  We were trying to decide if we should go and interfere when the kid who was getting beat up shouted to us, "мы играем" (we're playing)...hahahah KIDS ARE THE SAME IN EVERY COUNTRY.

okay okay i have to go but i just love you and this world and my heart is full of gratitude and love!!  how grateful i am for the Atonement that can change our natures and hearts as we let it in through little things that improve us and help others every every every day.  LOVE YOU MY DEARS.  thanks for all you do.  love and prayers always :)

love love love,

sister hansen

all hail the winter 2015-16 fall champion of astana

HELLO LOVED ONES!!

wowowowoow i am so happy and excited to write this email!!  HAPPY MONDAY!!  how are all of you?!  this morning i woke up with tears in my eyes because the longer i'm on my mission, the more i feel like 10:30-6:30 is secretly actually only 30 seconds long but during studies i just felt so much SUNSHINE in my soul and now i get to talk to you, people i really love!!  joy of the gospel, you know?!  and the joy of people.  and love.  and relationships.  so many dang blessings.  IT'S A GREAT WAVE.

This week we had zone conference with President and Sister Toronto and Elder and Sister Kacher from the area presidency/quorum of the 70 (which was cool bc he pretty much changed my life about a year ago when I was getting ready to leave the MTC and he told us this: "do not deny the Lord the opportunity to work miracles").  SO GOOD.  It alllll started with interviews with President on Thursday night.  Found out some pretty cool news...THERE ARE MORE SISTERS COMING TO KZ!!  Aaaaaand THERE ARE SISTERS GOING TO TURKEY!!  Brothers and sisters, that is truly a miracle.  We were talking about going home (which will happen in July...JULY.  SO DANG SOON.  WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT.) and life after and making decisions and it was happy.  Then we started talking about finishing strong and struggles with feelings of inadequacy and the entire feeling in the room changed.  President started telling me about his own experiences with that feeling and how there have been lots of times in his life when he felt sad--whether as a missionary or a person--because he felt like he was trying to do his best but that it wasn't enough.  He then told me about how at some unidentifiable point in his life, he just realized that the Savior, in His perfect grace, mercy and unbounded love, completed the Atonement for those feelings, too.  And he said he decided to let it in.  And he stopped caring about whether or not he was doing things perfectly and just continued to do his best and let the Savior do what He promised to do and heal him.  He talked about Eve and how she realized that we had to make mistakes if we ever wanted to grow and experience happiness and he said to let mistakes happen because that's how we grow and to just go forward doing my best and with the Atonement.  He said "Christianity is a positive experience"--and I loved that.  It just answered so many of the questions of my heart.  I wish I could just share the peace and the joy I felt.  The spirit was so strong and it was so enabling to realize that these mistakes that plague me so often can be what push me closer to the Lord instead of what keeps us distant--all because of the Atonement.  Reminds me of a quote from Elder Packer:

"I bear witness that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God. He stands at the head of the Church.Through His Atonement and the 

power of the priesthood, families which are begun in mortality can be together through the eternities. The Atonement, which can reclaim each one of us, bears no scars. That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that. There are so many of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt, not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity."

And that is TRUE!!  So good.  We also talked about how the gospel is all about relationships and sincerity and agreed to go on a double date someday in life.  Basically, he is the best and the gospel changes lives.  That's all.

The next day, we had a meeting with everyone and Elder Kacher.  

Elder Larry S. Kacher

A few big themes were faith, boldness and knowing the Lord through scripture study, and the Book of Mormon in particular.  So good!  E. K shared a story about his mission in Tahiti that I looooved (p.s. he was a convert who moved to Utah to ski when he was 17 and wrote an essay at BYU about why he would never join the church.  The gospel changes hearts you feel me).  Once, his president told him he had to go to these islands where there were a bunch of people and no missionaries and just testify.  The boat stopped at each island for like 30 minutes and he was told to get off and just testify to everyone with his whole soul.  The first time he did it, he gave kind of a weak effort and felt really awkward and said he got back on the boat feeling like a failure because he hadn't given his all to the Lord.  so every time he went back, he got better and better and bolder and bolder until he finally felt like he was giving the Lord everything he had to give.  He then said that the greatest joy and satisfaction of his mission wasn't the outward success or the baptisms but simply the feeling of really knowing he had given it all to the Lord.  And that's the DREAM.  I love that.  And I'm working on it.  And a tender truth of the gospel that never ceases to impress me is the fact that as we take whatever tiny steps we can manage to the Lord, He rushes in and multiplies all our efforts and blessings.  Too good.  It reminds me of this quote: 

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but that our power to do has increased.”

Mannnnn okay okay okay time is getting tight but basically, Elder Longin and I won the awards of "most falls" and were gifted ice grips (hahahahah SO DANG EMBARRASSING.  we finished at 13 and 10, respectively)

From Sis. Toronto (Mission President's wife: "These two are the winners of boot grips. Why?? They hold the record for the most falls this winter in Frozen Kazakhstan! We love these two wonderful young people!

President and Sister Toronto")

and I got your package and we contacted a lot and life is a GREAT WAVE.  I just love the gospel.  and being a missionary.  And all of you.  And the Lord.  And it is such a blessing to be here.  The church is true!!  God is good!  1 Thess 2:8 

" 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own ^asouls, because ye were dear unto us."

is the dream and I'm leaving my heart and my regrets in Kazakhstan.  And I just hope that each of you this week feel that same uplifting and healing power of the Atonement as we continue to seek to come unto Christ and be a little more.  His burden is easy and His yoke is light.  And you can do it now :) 

Sorry this is cheesy and long but i just love yous.  Have a happy week my dears!!  Love you and pray for you always always always.

Love,

Sister Hansen