Hello All!!!
What a terrific time of year. I love Thanksgiving and having the time to think about the things that we're truly grateful for. God really has blessed my life and I know that I would be nothing without him.
I just want to share with you the top 10 things that I'm grateful for this year (in no particular order)....
1. My family....mom, dad, Liz, Kris, Nik, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins.
2. Being a missionary
3. Having the Gospel in my life
4. Trials that God gives us to help us grow
5. The Book of Mormon
6. Being able to speak Spanish
7. All the companions that I've had....Hna White, Hna Williams, Hna Fish, Hna Whetten. These women are so amazing and I love them so much!!
8. Wonderful friends
9. Sharing talents, specifically through song
10. Jesus Christ and His atonement
I also want to share with you a story that Hna Whetten told me this past week during companion study.
One day in class her mission prep teacher shared with them a story about having to rely on the direction received from the Lord when faced with obstacles in life. He shared how his companion had been dealing with some problems from home and one day they were in the middle of a lesson and his companion just gets up and leaves. So he rapidly brings the lesson to a close and leaves the house. He looks around and he doesn't see his companion anywhere. So he prays asking for direction. He felt like he needed to go right. So he walks and he walks and he runs into a forest. He looks at the forest and thinks that his companion wouldn't have gone in there so he prays again. And he feels prompted to go left. So he walks and he walks so more and he ends up at a beach. And he doesn't see his companion anywhere. So he prays again and felt prompted to walk left. He walks and walks and a little way down the beach he finds his companion sitting and crying.
After sharing that story with me we had a wonderful discussion about how the Lord directs us whenever we face obstacles. Sometimes we can't just go from point A to point B and call it good. Sometimes we have to take a few little detours, Point A to point B to point C to point D until we get to the goal. And at every point we may face what seems like a really insurmountable wall but as we seek the Lords guidance we can know how to keep moving towards that goal even if that means going in a new direction.
I know this to be true. Missionary work is never according to how we would like it to be but it is according to how the Lord would want it to be. We make plans but we have to be willing to be patient when the Lord has something else in store.
Much of my time here in Reseda has been teaching me the importance of being patient. This week I found my theme scripture for my time here. It's....
"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." -Alma 26:27
I know that as my companion and I continue to work and have patience through the struggles that we will eventially see success for the Lord has promised it in the scriptures.
I love being a missionary. It's not always easy but it is always worth it.
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Hansen
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