Haitian-ing the Work: March 21, 2016 - Finding the Fruits of Our Labors

Hello Everyone,

This week we had a great week here in South Bay, we were able to find and teach 3 new investigators and one of them came to Church! Finally! But I will get to that later. This week began with us going to a Spring Training Baseball game between the Twins and the Cardinals! It was a great time! It was good to take a break from missionary work and watch a sporting event! I enjoyed myself very much.

Then on Tuesday we had Zone Conference in West Palm Beach. It was good and I got to see some of my other friends around the Mission. We were able to watch the new Easter video that the Church put out and that is our push for this week to share that everyone.

This week we also visited Renald who is the Haitian member that we found last week. He is super cool and we hope that he will become a solid Haitian member, because we seem to be lacking in those. Then later on, Elder Shreckengaust and I biked forever away out by the airport to go knock in his area and that was pretty fun. Then one Thursday Elder Prince and I were out knocking and these two little black girls around 6 years old, came up to us and told us how much they hated us because we were white and then they flipped us off. So that was pretty fun and confusing.

We had our Miracle this week on Friday! We have been diligently searching for the last 4 weeks and haven't been able to find anyone really solid, but this week we were able to teach Oscar. He OYM'd us 2 weeks ago and asked why we hadn't come by to teach him. We had never met him before but we got his number and set an appointment with him but weren't able to meet with him. We didn't have his address so we couldn't find his house, but on Friday we were able to find him while he guided us to his house over the phone. We taught him and he is a super intelligent guy and knows his Bible very well. We were able to teach him again Saturday and Sunday with a member and he came to Church! He is definitely a miracle investigator. We were able to stay diligent and finally were able to teach someone! We are super pumped about Oscar, he actually understands what we are teaching him and is open to change. He has had questions and concerns in every lesson but instead of saying that he will never change he just says that he needs to pray to ask God to open his heart to the new things that we are teaching him! It is awesome! We are always excited to teach him. :)

On Sunday morning we were driving to Branch council and we saw these 2 cops chasing this guy in a white shirt across MLK drive and the cops were running into each other and it was kind of comical! Anyway, during sacrament meeting we got 6 calls from this number that we didn't recognize so we called it back after church and it was a Haitian lady calling to get a ride to church. So we went by here house and taught her! Her name is Monique and she is super cool. We have an appointment to go see her again tonight so hopefully she is still cool.

Anyway it was good this week to finally see some success and progression in our area because we have been trying our hardest and finally now we are able to see some of the Fruits of our Labors.

My last thought this week comes from 1 Nephi Chapter 10:17-20 which says,"I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men. For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him. For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost."

When we have a question, or a concern, or a problem, we should always, every time, go to the Lord! Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that we can't even comprehend it in our mortal state! When we ask in faith and when we diligently seek for whatever we may need at that time, we will receive it through the power of the Holy Ghost, which is a gift from God! Through the holy Ghost we are able to understand all things, this is why this is the gift given to us after baptism. The Holy Ghost helps guide and direct us through this life, it is what helps us reach those next steps after baptism and helps us to be able to actually Endure to the End! But, in order to use this Gift, we must diligently seek to have the companionship of the Spirit, we have to live in such a way that we can have it's companionship, and we have to listen carefully and seek it's guidance with diligence because all too often we miss the promptings and guidance that it brings and miss the opportunities that would have been made available for us to learn and grow. I know that our Father in Heaven knows us perfectly and has a plan for each of us but He will not force us to do anything because we all have the right to choose, but I do know that only through the promptings of the Spirit, will we know what is the right thing to choose.

I love you all and hope that you all have a great Spring Break, I am definitely going to enjoy mine here in sunny Florida ;)

-- Toujou sonje kimoun ou ye ak objektif ou

(Always remember who you are and what you stand for)

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work