Haitian-ing the Work: May 9, 2016

Hello everyone!

I hope that you all enjoyed Mother's Day and that you all did something nice for your Mums. This week was fairly exciting and by exciting I mean moderately diverting. So this week we had an array of exchanges that occurred, which were of no consequence but nevertheless did affect me. On Tuesday I went on exchange with Elder Butterfield and it was fairly uneventful but we did get some delicious food from the Knisely's and we found out how sugar cane turns into sugar. Then on Wednesday we got very wet... Then later in the week I wrecked on my bike and in a spectacular series of flips I landed on my feet!

This week was really slow as far as missionary work is concerned but it was a definite turn around from last week. Last week I was frustrated with the work and didn't know what else to do. Things were not working out, but I learned something this week that changed my attitude towards it. We cannot force people to accept the gospel and we have no control over their agency, but what we can do is do all within our power to give them the best opportunity to accept the gospel. Spencer W. Kimball said, "Sometimes the solution is not to change our circumstance but to change our attitude about that circumstance" (Kimball, Sept. 1974) When we change our attitude we change our disposition to the trial that we are facing. Our attitude directly affects our happiness. This week I changed our finding approach and I feel a lot better about the work that I am doing as a missionary and I feel more fulfilled in my work even though the Key Indicators don't always reflect it.

This week we miraculously found our investigator Ludger that moved (got kicked out) and we had lost contact with. We found him while we were doing service at the soup kitchen, so that was pretty cool. On Sunday I was able to Skype my family and I really enjoyed that. Emailing only goes so far, talking face to face is so much better! It was so great to talk to you guys and Grandma & Grandpa too. :)

For my last thought today I would like to talk about our Eternal Destiny.

We are Immortal beings, living in a mortal experience of Eternal significance.

Let me explain, we are all spirit children of our Heavenly Father and have all been given the opportunity to come to Earth to live in this life with the chance to receive “all that [the] Father hath." (D&C 84:38) In this mortal life we are given the opportunity to receive a physical body and to prove ourselves worthy to be "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16–17) In this life we endure an assortment of afflictions and trials wherein "if [we] endure it well, God shall exalt [us] on high;" (D&C 121:8) What we choose to do in this life directly affects our reward in heaven because, "it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works... and the desires of their hearts" (Alma 41:3)

Many people have made the erroneous assertion that "Life isn't Fair." They desire to have everything be easy and without difficulty, which, as we know, would "destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes... "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." (2 Nephi 2:11-12) Opposition gives us the chance to experience and grow. Life is not supposed to be fair! Neal A. Maxwell teaches that, "Tests by their very nature are unfair" We are tested that we may grow and growth doesn't come in a comfort zone and more often than not comfort doesn't come in a growth zone either! We were sent here to grow and progress that one day we may become "perfect, even as [our] Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) This is our potential, to be like the Father and this life is the only time we have to do so. What we do in this life will be of Eternal importance in the Life to come. So as Joshua directs, "choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Joshua 24:15) For "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24) Finally we should all be very thankful that Life really isn't fair in the respect that we are all given a second chance. Elder Renlund taught us just last April, "If life were truly fair, you and I would never be resurrected; you and I would never be able to stand clean before God. In this respect, I am grateful that life is not fair." (Ensign May 2016)

I add my testimony to Elder Renlund's that I am thankful that life truly isn't fair and that we are all given the opportunity to repent and come unto Christ that one day we may receive, "All that [the] Father hath" and be exalted unto Eternal Life!

I love you all and hope that this thought of mine made sense to you.

Have a great week and stay safe!

-- Kontinye nan l'chemen d'lajistis
(Continue in His paths of righteousness)

Elder Hansen

Florida, Fort Lauderdale Mission

Haitian-ing the Work