Monday (2/23/15)
I already told you about the hike (wish I had a picture to send you).
Eventually when Hermana west and I go to print pictures, I can mail
some home or something because she has all the pics on her Camera--my
camera died.
Later we had a bimbo lesson with the 12 year old girl we've been teaching. We talked about baptism as a
commandment and shared the story in 1 Nephi 4 of Nephi going back for
the plates and related it to her. She accepted March 15 as a baptismal
date and seemed to be progressing a lot!
Tuesday (2/24/15)
Zone conference!!! I got to drive on the LA freeway system again!
Without dying haha. No, it was actually easy other than the fact that
I wasn't 100% sure where I was going and neither of us is good with
directions. But we got there in one peace and in really good time.
Zone conference was awesome. In zone conference one thing I learned
was the importance of setting goals and working to attain them. We
also were told that we'll be having a mission conference this next
Tuesday (tomorrow) about I believe a new missionary manual that goes
over wise use of technology. I'm super excited for it and I think
there's a general authority coming. We had a lesson with some formers
who hermanas Westergard and Martinez taught in exchanges. They're an
interesting couple haha. But they're going through a hard time with
the husband having diabetes, dialysis and he's practically blind. They
both like to tell lots of stories and talk over each other. It was
funny, during part of the lesson the spirit was really strong and we
were bearing our testimonies about authority and prophets. The
woman looked like she was actually paying attention and deep in
thought. Hermana Westergard asked her what she was thinking about
because she looked like she was deep in thought. She said all
serious-like, "I was just thinking about this show I saw the other day
with Hercules and about how he was given the gift of authority and was
led by God to do things." *face palm* Haha, it was a little
frustrating because we thought maybe she'd actually gotten it and was
feeling the spirit too, but her mind was actually somewhere else.
We're not sure if they're quite ready yet. She has a lot of problems
accepting the things we teach because she believes they're true, she
just keeps telling us that she was raised catholic by her parents and
doesn't want to go against what they taught her.
Wednesday (2/25/15)
Although most of our appointments cancelled and all the potentials and
formers we went to see weren't home, it was an awesome day because I
worked my hardest and gave it all my heart, might, mind and strength.
If something didn't happen the way we'd hoped it would, I stayed
positive and immediately started talking about and deciding where we
were going next. I really do have a testimony that work is the key and
cure to every problem. It really does make you feel fulfilled when you
give it your all, even when you don't feel like it. We visited a
member and talked about family history work and about sharing a Book
of Mormon with one of her friends who loves to read.
Thursday (2/26/15)
Another morning without a lot of success with appointments. None of
the potentials, less actives or formers we planned to visit were home.
Or they were home and just didn't answer. It was funny, after knocking
a door and no one being home, I remembered something I'd said in he
morning in our companionship prayer, that no matter what happened
today we'd be happy and be able to stay positive. I've really gained a
testimony of letting your prayers and the things you say be led by the
spirit. There have been so many times I've prayed for something maybe
I wouldn't usually pray for just following the spirit guiding my
thoughts, and then seeing how that was answered or manifested later in
the day.
We did get to visit one investigator we had an appointment with. Her
husband is a less active who was recently starting
to come back to church. He left to El Salvador the week before and was
supposed to be coming back in 2 weeks. He was leaving to get dentistry
work done and fix up his house he has there. She told us he's only
called and talked to her once and just to tell her that he's going to
be gone for 2 months now instead of 2 weeks. She was really lonely and
sad. She said he's done this before and once he was gone for one year!
Just as he was making progress. But we're praying a lot for both of
them and visiting her a lot. But we've noticed she also seems more
willing to listen to us now and is really paying attention. She has a
hard time reading, so we're trying to get her to start reading the BOM
every day, but we gave her a children's version also with pictures to
help.
Friday (2/27/15)
Weekly planning. I'm trying to work on being more accountable for my
goals and not forgetting them. I'm keeping track on a chart each day!
This week I want to work on using more inspired questions during
lessons and also doing a self evaluation after each lesson to find
ways I can improve my teaching. We visited an elderly woman in our
Ward. She's been sick and in the hospital a lot.
She doesn't look very good but is feeling a little better. Her son is
living with her and she isn't able to leave the house so we got
someone to bring her to sacrament. We also taught her son while we
were there. He is a former and seems to have some doubts about the BOM
and joseph smith. But we think he doesn't really understand the
doctrine and he mentioned he'd read stuff about joseph smith so we
think he's also gotten into some anti literature. But we can tell he
really wants to follow christ and had lots of potential.
Saturday (2/28/15)
We had correlation and willy brought papousas (idk how to spell them).
Anywho. They're my favorite el salvadoranian food!!! We went to visit
a former investigator. We've tried a few times because he seems like
he has a ton of potential but the apartment complex gate is always
locked and we have no phone number. This time someone let us in. We
found out it was his friend who lives with him. We talked to his
friend. At first he didn't really want to open up and was just
really passive, but with a little persistence he started opening up.
He seems to be going through some hard things right now with feeling
really weighed down with sin. We showed 'gracias a Él" and testified
about the cleansing power of christs atonement. He gave us his number
and what days he has off and we have an appointment for next Sunday
with him. We had a lesson, with the former couple we were teaching, about christ
establishing his church on the earth and more about authority. It went
really well and the woman only shared one story which was actually
relevant. They seemed to understand it a little better this time. We
had a lesson about fasting with the 12 year old girl who is getting baptized.
The first part was really
good. We tried emphasizing it as a way for her to receive more
strength and feel prepared for baptism. Then she went off about how
she wanted to fast that God would help her parents to let her go to a
certain school and they just started fighting after that and the
spirit left. We invited them to come to church and fast this Sunday
and they agreed, but didn't end up going to church. It's like she has
her moments where she progresses but she always falls back into the
same rut!
Sunday (3/1/15)
Fast Sunday!!! I love fast Sunday and getting to hear everyone's
testimonies. We had dinner with a family. They fed us a ton and
also gave me like 9 Lindor chocolates to eat. I felt really sick that
night, and it was probably from the chocolates!! Haha. I'd started
getting a cold and then it rained a ton. Good thing I like the rain!!
We went to see a headquarters referral who our map showed was clear up
at the top of our area, so we went practically up into the foothills
(not quite but almost). But when we got all the way to the top, we
realized the street just ended and the address they'd given us wasn't
real. It was a bummer but it was a nice drive and a nice change to be
able to see all the nice houses on the hill instead of all the
apartments stacked on top of each other like they are here in downtown
glendale.
Monday (3/2/15)
I woke up the morning feeling the same as the night before with a cold,
headache and stomach ache. We went to the gas station and got quarters
for laundry. The dryer is finally working! Yay!!! But the new soap pod
things I bought destroyed one of my undershirts so I'm going to try to
take the soap back and just use regular detergent...We went on a short
run this morning and I thought I was going to puke, so I just walked
most of the way. I'm feeling better now and my cold isn't as bad
either but I've still got a headache. Besides that, it's been a nice
relaxing day. I'll hopefully be sending out a family challenge today
for you all, so be prepared ;) haha
I love you all and miss you tons! Hope you're all doing well. I pray
for each of you every night!
Love you,
Hermana Hansen