November 24, 2015 - Craziest Week Yet!

This has been a super crazy week!

So last P-day we went to K1 Speed which is an indoor race track and we had a blast racing little go-karts! Then on Wednesday we went on a temple tour with Jenece and Deon and also a recent convert in the ward, Stanley Pierre. We had an awesome experience at the temple and the Spirit was really strong there. The next day we had a Zone conference in Naples on the West Coast of Florida. It was an awesome conference and we learned that we will be implementing 'Just Serve' down here in Florida! It's going to be a great tool to help us reach out to more people. Speaking of service, this week Elder Becker and I helped a couple of Jamaican women dig some holes to plant flowers in with machetes, so that was pretty exciting.

On Friday we went and visited a referral from the Sisters and taught this super cool Haitian family! They are all new investigators and we are hoping that we will be able to continue teaching them. Our investigators for this week are Gafly, Marie, Shirley, Emerson, Edly, Giesly, Mardo, Gisma and Esther and they are all Haitian! That's a miracle!

On Saturday, Jenece and Deon were married and Baptized! I was able to be a witness for both. The baptism went great and everyone felt the Spirit there. However Jenece had to be baptized 3 times, but it happened! Elder Becker and I are so happy for them. Stanley Pierre, who has only been a member for 6 months was able to baptize them and he did a great job.

On Sunday, I was assigned to give a talk on gratitude and for the first time ever I was the concluding speaker! Btw, preparing talks is a lot more difficult without a computer. Anyway, Jenece and Deon were confirmed and they are now my first Recent Converts! I'm Super Excited!

Then came Pros-Monday (Proselyting on Monday) and it was actually pretty tiring. We helped a non-member move and that was actually great because they got us pizza and donuts!  Then that night we got transfer calls and we found out that every senior companion in the zone is transferring..... including my trainer! So I will let you know how that goes later on down the road.

Last thought comes from President Uchtdorf's April 2014 conference address, he said,

"I don’t believe the Lord expects us to be less thankful in times of trial than in times of abundance and ease... It is easy to be grateful for things when life seems to be going our way. But what then of those times when what we wish for seems to be far out of reach?  Could I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation? In other words, I’m suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be."

In the spirit of thanksgiving try to focus on being grateful in all circumstances and not just for the great deals on black Friday :)

I hope that you all have a fantastic week and enjoy Thanksgiving with your friends and Family!

-- M' rekonesan pou tout bagay (I'm grateful for everything!)

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work

Their first baptism!  

Jenece and Deon first got married and then were baptized!

The happy couple! Matthew was a witness for the wedding and the baptism.

They go to take them to the Fort Lauderdale Temple grounds

At Hallandale Beach

With Elder Edwards

I asked for this picture before he left on his mission! I love it!

I mustache you a question :)

Beautiful! I love the sun shining through the clouds over the water 

He knows I love palm trees!  I sent him pictures of snow, it's a good trade! 

November 16, 2015 - Sunny and 75 Everyday!

Greetings from Paradise! I hope that all of you Idahoans appreciate the seasons because I am dying here! this has been the longest August of my life. There is no way that it is almost Thanksgiving!

Anyway, this week we knocked a lot of doors, which is what we do in this mission, we knock doors for at least an hour each day but usually more.  The people here in Florida are pretty open and accepting of prayers and messages for the most part (if they aren't white) but they have 0 commitment. They accept commitments but never follow through... Ugh frustrating, but still good we will find people.

This Tuesday we had Zone Conference and the big emphasis was having faith to find and that is something that I have been working on this week. It's also crazy to think that I only have a week left in my first transfer! I feel like I just got here! Crazy stuff. Speaking of crazy, ISIS is going crazy! Missionaries are literally the last people to hear about anything so we don't even know what really happened but we get the gist. Sorry I got distracted... anyway, after Zone Conference we had a pumpkin toss where everyone that baptized in the month of Dunktober got to throw pumpkin guts at the Zone Leaders, but since the zone leaders baptized they got to throw pumpkin guts at us as well.... totally unfair... we were only in the zone for 2 weeks of October but we still took it like men... in garbage bags. :)

So now that you are all thoroughly confused... on Wednesday, I went on exchanges with Elder Wolfe and I took over the area which started with a 2 hour oil change.... After that we went out and knocked doors and the first door... we Found Charlotte! Super elect, accepted baptism, wanted us to teach her whole family of 7, needless to say, I was pumped. So follow up appointment, next day 7:00 we walk up and Dwight... Charlotte's husband... tells us that his family is not interested and continues to lie and be a big dummy about the whole thing... So that made Elder Becker and I pretty heated.

Skip forward to Friday, we went on a Shadow Exchange with Elder Hayward the AP, which was fun. That night we had the "Great College Debate" between Utah State and BYU. It ended in a draw since USU won 2 categories and BYU won 2 as well, so the final verdict was don't go to University of Utah!

Jenece and Deon came to church for all 3 hours and both passed their baptismal interviews with President Hoopes. It was awesome! They are getting married and baptized next Saturday at 6:00 and you are all not invited because I will be there and that would be disobedient if any of you came.

Last night we had a dinner appointment with the Russ family were we ate an 'Amber Jack' which is a fish that Brother Russ speared and got to hold his Boa Constrictor again. Pretty awesome dinner appointment.

Okay last thought, 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Fear doesn't come from God so why should we fear? President Monson said in 2009, "Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith!"

Don't be afraid to do anything that the Lord asks of us, especially sharing the Gospel!

I hope you are all having a good time in the Cold weather. Drink some Hot chocolate for me!

-- Pa Bliye Jezikri, sonje alyans nou yo (Do not forget Jesus and remember our covenants)

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work

The Zone having a funeral for this Sister who is going home this transfer.

Elder Hansen and Elder Wolfe

The Zone Leaders having pumpkin guts thrown at them.

I love their helmets! 

Matthew gets in on the fun too!  I'm so glad he covered up.

He's learning the value of doing your own laundry. :)

What a mess!

Okay, rule number one - never touch a snake! 

Rule number two - never put a boa constrictor around your neck! Yikes!

Here is an example of the comically large wheels that people like 

to put on their cars there in Hollywood. :)

November 9, 2015 -Week 4 in Hollywood

Jodi a se Lendi (Today is Monday)

How are all of you! This was a crazy fast week and I will try to catch you up!

This week I got to take part in my first blessing and I did the anointing! Super cool experience but I was super nervous and used like a 1/4 of my oil.... oops!

Also on Tuesday Leslie's mom's boyfriend yelled at us in Haitian and told us that we weren't welcome back because it was "too late" to be knocking on someone's door.... even though we had made an appointment 2 days before. So Leslie won't be getting baptized anytime soon, and it is really too bad because he's super awesome.

Also this week I got to set up an old Haitian couples T.V. while Elder Becker go to know them so that was fun, haha. We also had dinner with the Hamilton's (the family that cuts our hair) and we had pulled pork and mashed potatoes, it was amazing!

On Wednesday we knocked into Rockell (yes mom like your name) and she is pretty cool and we have an appointment with her today! Also twice this week tried to hand out pass along cards with a picture of Christ on the front and they were refused because, "that's not what Jesus looks like, I've done my history!" Apparently in the Bible it says that Jesus is Black. Who knew?!?

This week was Sister Gailey's birthday in our district so we (we/I) made her brownies and had ice cream for a comp study!

This week our miracle was Steven! We knocked into him a few weeks ago but lost contact with him, but he came and contacted us this week! We went and visited him and he and his wife Charmaine both have backgrounds in the Church. He has watched General Conference many times and actually quoted Elder Oaks from 3 Conferences ago! He is super solid, however, Satan is working hard against him and he was unable to come to church yesterday.... but we are still working with him and hope to see him baptized this month!

Also Satan, was working overtime yesterday and Jenece and Deon were unable to come to Church because their plumbing backed up and their room flooded, so they won't be able to be baptized until the 21st of November... but they are still set for that day!

Yesterday 2 different Haitian families gave us food! Fried bananas and Sausage and the Haitian macaroni! Super good and super unhealthy, Haitians love giving the elders food!

This week I have continued studying in Alma and in my reading I came across Aaron's teachings to King Lamoni's Father in Chapter 22 verse 14 where he says, " And since man had fallen‍ he could not merit‍ anything of himself; but the sufferings and death‍ of Christ atone‍ for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave‍ shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory;"

Man cannot merit anything of himself! We need our Savior Jesus Christ in all things! And through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism we can overcome sin and "be swallowed up in the hopes of his glory!"

I hope you are doing well!

-- Avek Lanmou (with love)

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work

The District - Elders Lolani, Wolfe, Nielsen, Becker, Edwards, Hansen

Sisters Andrew, Pearson, Tuiolemotu, Gailey

Abinadi and King Noah

The re-enactment! I love the cheetah! Elder Lolani makes a good King Noah :)

Elder Becker and Elder Hansen at the Library

With Elders Becker, Nielsen, & Edwards in the car

Florida wildlife, it's huge!

Caught sleeping again.  I love that he's right in the doorway. 

I think I would cover him with balls too!

Haitian food, sausage, fried plantains and salad (w/ lots of beets)

The golf course they live next to.

Yay, palm trees!  These are just for me :)

Highly disappointing... this is the beach, at night. Not cool!

The Dragon car!  Nice :) 

Their apartment

November 2, 2015 - Week 3 in Hollywood

Kouman nou ye?  (How are you?)

Well, yet again another productive week here in Florida.

So, last P-day after emailing, we all went to the Hamilton's and got haircuts for free and they took us out to get hotdogs after! Pretty sweet deal. Anyway, our investigators for this week are still Leslie and Jenece and Deon. We are trying to work with Leslie's mom but she is being difficult.... but we are getting there. Leslie really wants to be baptized. So do Deon and Jenece. They are the coolest people ever. We taught them 4 times this week and they love everything we tell them. After we taught the restoration we left them with the restoration pamphlet to read and they did. Then on top of that they took an online course to prepare for getting married on the 14th of November! Sooo cool! Then, last night we taught them about prophets and the word of Wisdom and they were totally on board and committed to live it! They do have a coffee problem but I know they will overcome it. 

So for a recap, Jenece and Deon = Super cool.

On Wednesday after district training we went to the biggest buffet in Hollywood, Teppanyaki or something like that, it doesn't matter. We had 5 missionaries there and we ate tons and tons of food! Too much actually but worth it. Afterwards I went on exchange with the Spanish trio. I was working with Elders Wolfe and Lolani. It was pretty cool. We had a dinner appointment with a Spanish family and they made fun of my Spanish because I kept throwing Creole words in.... It's a hard life.

So the next day, on Thursday, we found this cool guy from Belize named Steven and he told us that he was talking to an RM that morning about the church and that he was hoping that some missionaries could come pray for him and his family. So we did, but unfortunately he called us later and told us he didn't want us to come back, so that's lame, kinda mixed signals but it'll all work out!

On Friday, we had the ward Halloween party and it was like any trunk or treat just with more Haitians and less white people. The funny thing was is that the Methodist church right next door was having a similar party at the same time except they had a live band, lots of food, a pumpkin patch and people that actually came. So we went over and visited and everyone looked at us weird... I guess they didn't like our Mormon costumes. :)

On Halloween, we had breakfast at the Menas and it was awesome! Sooo much food! Afterwards we went out to teach with Brother Agapito Pablo. He goes out with all 3 sets of missionaries in our ward every week! This guy is the bomb.com. So we went and taught Larry and his family. The most distracted lesson ever. Both of his kids kept asking about illuminati and devil worship and yeah... spirit gone. So that was sort of disappointing but we went and taught Deon and Jenece and those lessons always go well, so that was great. Then we went and visited a less active and taught her and she came to church yesterday!  

Since it was Halloween we had a 7:00 curfew so we went back to the apartment and ate pizza and soda and had a Bocce Ball tournament and had a grand time. (BTW I won the tournament)

That's basically it for this week

One last thought comes from Alma 13:28  

"But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;"

I can't really add more to Alma's words but I know that as we kneel and pray often and ask for the guidance of the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father will bless us and we can come closer to and more like our Savior, Jesus Christ, becoming "humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;"

I love you all and wish you the best,

-- Love

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work

Elder Nielsen, Elder Hansen, Elder Becker (his companion), Elder Edwards

 His new desk (with his In'vest'i'gator')

All neat and tidy!  We love that Pikachu has a special place on the wall (with the colored pencils?)

The car

 Elders Edwards and Nielsen are the Zone Leaders 

 "The two most uncomfortable beds in the world"

The kitchen/laundry room

The living area and bike storage area. Do all of the apartments have weights?

The bathroom - looks pretty clean :)

We decorated the Zone Leader's room...

 And they returned the favor!

Caught! Sleeping again

Language study/sleeping

 Classic Matthew! I love that he is sleeping in the goal.
I don't think that's what they mean by setting goals! We assume that he does work most of the time. ;)

The Bocce Ball tournament on Halloween

 "You know that's right" (Matthew's words) - He loves to win...