Haitian-ing the Work: October 6, 2015 - On the Home Stretch Now

Sa k ap fet Zanmi mwen yo? (What is happening my friends?)

Today was another... week at the MTC. First off, my heart is saddened by the news of the shooting at Umpqua Community College this past week. I look to those victims as an example to me of being steadfast and firm in their faith in Jesus Christ. My heart and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

At the MTC this week we started off with a devotional on Tuesday night by Claudio R.M. Costa where he talked about the fruits of Missionary work. I will share one quick quote from him. "If you cut open an apple, you can count the seeds inside, but you cannot count the apples inside of a seed." You will never know how many people you affect through the conversion of one person. They can go on to share the gospel with many more people because we were willing to open our mouths. In short, success in missionary work isn't measured by baptisms.

On Wednesday my comp and I got to welcome the new district into the Zone since we're now ZLs, so that was pretty fun. I think that they (the new District) think I am weird but that's okay since I am. :) Also on Wednesday, we had a TRC (Teaching Resource Center) skype session with AJ from Riverton, UT who had just returned from Boston (also a Haitian speaking mission) 5 days before! It was super cool that we got to talk with him.

This week our "Investigator" Manfred got baptized and my comp and I were pretty pumped about that. Bellott would have been baptized but we didn't tell him where church was so he didn't go, soooooooo that's awkward. We are shooting for this weekend now. (Their "Investigators" are their teachers and this is a role-play activity they do to help teach them how to teach.)

On Friday, we got our flight plans which was awesome, and I was right, we have a layover in Georgia. We were all pretty pumped to get those. We're leaving at 3:30 a.m.

Thank you for the awesome package! Our district loves the goodies and pillowcases and we definitely played conference bingo. Conference was super awesome! It was a cool experience to watch it at the MTC but I still prefer watching it in my PJ's. My summary of conference was : Be Worthy. If you aren't, get worthy. There is a storm coming. You need the spirit and are going to need to follow it to stay safe. You need to have faith and having faith is a choice. With the spirit and faith in Jesus Christ you will be able to successfully stay with in the guidelines of the Lord's Commandments.

Last few things that happened. Yesterday I was drinking Tahitian Juice (15% Powerade, 15% Sprite, 70% Lemonade, it's delicious) and my cup slipped out of my hand and fell on Elder Eberhard who was sitting next to me. It was pretty funny/embarrassing. Afterwards we had a devotional by BYU's Vocal Point and that was actually super cool! Then that night we had to use our McGyver skills to break into the new district's residence because they locked themselves out, so that was exciting. Then we had a Zone tie trade and I got a bunch of dope new ties.

Okay, here is what I learned this week outside of conference. In reading 3rd Nephi I discovered a scripture chain that might not be that interesting to you but intrigued me. In 3 Nephi 27:27 Jesus is speaking to his disciples and states, "Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." He also instructs the people in 3 Nehpi 12:48 that, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." Now these 2 statements of Christ's are a lot to take in. I have never been perfect in anything! Often I feel a lot like the people described in Helaman 12:4-5, "O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world! Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom’s paths!" In these scriptures Helaman is describing us, the natural man, and in Mosiah 3:19 King Benjamin teaches us more concerning such, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." King Benjamin teaches us that through the spirit of he Lord we can put off the natural man and become more Christlike! Finally in Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-13 It tells us how the spirit helps us, "And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy."

I testify to you of the truthfulness of these scriptures. Christ asks us to follow his example and be perfect like he is and the only way that we can 'put off the natural man' is by following the Spirit. I know that the only way that we can become perfect is through the atonement of Christ.

Thank you all for your kind messages and emails, it is always great to hear from you! I hope that you all have a good week.

-- Kenbe Djanm (Keep robust!) hee-hee

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work