Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Hermana Juliet Hansen - Happy Father's Day!!


Good morning!!
 
First I would like to say a CONGRATULATIONS to Meg Fike for getting baptised a couple weeks ago. If you remember she was the lady I mentioned in an email a month or two ago that sent me a letter about how she had attended a Mormon service for the first time. I got a letter this week from her saying that she had got baptised. I love hearing stories like that and knowing that the ward back at home is growing.
 
In church yesterday one of the speakers mentioned how it was Father's Day. One of the things he said was that we ought to thank our Heavenly Father for the things that He has done for us ever day but even more so on this day. I was struck by that because we grow up celebrating our earthly fathers on this day but shouldn't we also celebrate that we have a Heavenly Father as well. I'm really greatful for my earthly father but also I'm extremely greatful that I was raised knowing that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me just as much. So today I would like to say THANK YOU to my dad and my Heavenly Father for everything that they have taught me and given me. I know that without either of them my life would not be the same.
 
One of the coolest experiences this week was with the De Leon family. The other week when we had sister exchanges Hna. Arguello and I had dinner at the De Leon's home and we read with them part of the Proclamation to the Family. We invited them to look at the things mentioned in the Proclamation and pick one that they could work on as a family. About a month or so ago Hna Fish and I had shared a thought on family prayer but they still were struggling with it. And so we were hoping that they would maybe pick that as the thing to work on. And that's what they did. They decided that they would start having family prayer every day before they sat down to dinner. Well...we followed up the next time we had dinner with them a few days ago and they have been successfully having family prayer every night!!! And the 7 year old daughter is super happy that they are now doing it. And what's even better is if they happen to forget before dinner someone always remembers and reminds the family that they need to do it. I was SOOOO excited when I heard that they were seeing success in their desire to be better at family prayer. 
 
Through many of the lessons that we've had this week and just generally during my time on the mission, I've found that true conversion really only comes when gospel principles are taught and learned by the spirit. I know that much of the success that I've seen with my companions has been because we strive to always have the spirit with us.
 
I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish this week. That was a really great moment. I love the scriptures and I really really know that they can help change our lives. And I know that there is comfort in those pages that we really can't find anywhere else.
 
I'm grateful for all of you and the support you give me.
 
Con mucho amor!
 
Hermana Hansen 

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