I think the weeks keep getting better and better. This week we saw so many miracles and tender mercies!
Something I've learned this week is that sometimes blessings from Heavenly Father come slowly, and sometimes they are just simply handed to us. I felt like this experience was one of those that Heavenly Father just decided to hand over to us, because he loves us and appreciates the work we are striving to do for Him! So my companion and I are the only missionaries for miles. We cover the entire area ourselves, and we are actually technically over the Pipestone branch too (which is another huge area next to ours that doesn't have any missionaries). We got a call from a lady in the Pipestone branch and she had a referral for us! It was a 12-year-old girl named Jocelia. Her family is also from Africa (I think from Ghana). Her mom is not a member but all of her 4 children go to church, and she allows them to get baptized when they turn 12 because she wants them to be sure about the decision they're making. The oldest son has been baptized and the other 3 are very eager for when they can be baptized as well! We were able to drive up there after district meeting on Wednesday and we were greeted by an amazing member family and Jocelia and her siblings. We taught the Restoration and Jocelia committed to be baptized on September 2nd. We are so excited!!! This experience was such a tender mercy from Heavenly Father.
This week we also had "Trainer--Trainee" which is a conference down in Omaha for all the new missionaries. We drove down on Thursday night and spent the entire day down in Omaha! And know what the best part was?? We slept at our Sister Training Leaders' apartment and guess who also stayed the night there with us?? HERMANA IVERSON!!! It was just like old times. It was so good to see her again and catch up! I love her with all my heart. I pray every day that we'll be companions again because she is my soul sister. The training was amazing. In the MTC we would have devotionals like 2 or 3 times a week, but you don't have that same opportunity in the field of course. So this whole day was truly such a blessing for me because it was just spiritually refreshing! The best part was the president and his wife took us to tour the tabernacle in Council Bluffs afterward!!! My companion and I left late from the Mission Office because we were picking up supplies and stuff, so we ended up getting left behind (whoops). We got super lost on the drive up so we called a sister down in the office and she directed us the entire way over the phone because our GPS broke. By the time we got there we missed like half the tour HAHA classic Hermana Thacker and Hermana Hansen.But it was an incredible day, and it was so amazing to hear the stories of the pioneers.
The pioneers suffered SO much and so many died on the journey. The trials they went through and the amount they sacrificed was insane. Why did they do it? Because they KNEW with their very souls that this church was true. No one in their right minds would have suffered what they did without the knowledge that this church was true. And because of their faith, our church was able to continue and grow! I am so thankful for the pioneers that made the way clear for us.
On Saturday I saw one of the coolest miracles so far on my mission. We had an appointment with a less-active member who lives in like a Delinquent home thing across the street from the library (don't worry he's not dangerous haha). When we went there the doors were locked, so our backup plan was to go to the library and print off this list of less active YSA members and figure out where they live so we could track some of them down. Well, the library ended up being closed too. So we decided to sit on the steps of the library try to find the YSA members through the map on our phone. As soon as we sat down my companion looks up and sees a man walking pretty far down the street, and she goes, "Come on, we're gonna go catch that guy." Suddenly she stands up and literally takes off across the street, literally chasing this guy down!!!! Not gonna lie I was pretty terrified about this approach we were taking. But we caught him, and started walking with him! His name is Kham, and we found out he was having a very hard time in his life and was actually looking for some truth. As we started sharing our message he goes, "do you guys want to go sit down somewhere and talk?" YES!!! YES WE DO!!! We walked to the lake and shared the whole restoration lesson with him. The spirit was SO strong, like stronger than I've ever felt in my life. I literally almost started crying as we shared the first vision with him, because I could see his eyes light up. I know he could tell that what we were sharing was true, and as we talked about Jesus Christ I could tell the message was familiar to him. At the end of the lesson, I popped the question. "Kham, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone that holds the proper authority and priesthood of God?" "Yes." "We are having a baptismal service on September 15th, will you prepare to be baptized on that day?" "Yes." AHHHH!!! I wanted to jump for joy. Literally one of the happiest moments on my mission. So thankful my companion was brave enough to chase him down the street.
A FEW LAST THINGS! Sorry this email is so long. On Sunday Moumouni and his son Peda (the ones that just got baptized) received the Aaronic Priesthood. This was another moment when my heart was so full it was about to overflow. SO SPECIAL. They were so happy and smiley afterward. We taught them a lesson about the temple this week and they kept saying "When can we go when can we go?!" They are GOLDEN. Last thing. I AM TEACHING IN ASL THIS WEEK!!! The lady in my ward (Sister Postma) invited us over for dinner with her brother and his wife and their deaf son as well!!! So excited. Although I tried signing a little bit this week and I think I forgot everything. Gift of tongues applies with ASL too right? I hope?
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Have an amazing week! <3
--Hermana Hansen
Pictures!!!
These are all at the tabernacle!!! The one with the elders -- those are the elders that were in my district at the CCM. It was so awesome to see them again!!! They're like my brothers. It was a nice reunion!
No comments:
Post a Comment