6/15/2015 Great Week!

This week was great. Danilo received the Aaronic priesthood. He is very happy and very converted. I am proud of him. His testimony is strong. 

The mission, my companionship, and I have the goal to focus on strengthening families. I feel like that is what the Lord wants from me right now. I am trying to give all of my heart, might, mind and strength to His work--to finding families that God has prepared to receive the restored gospel and help them come unto Christ through faith, repentance and making covenants. As I have been focused on that goal, I have felt even greater strength, and love for the work. 

Last night we had a really special experience. We brought two members, a couple, to the house of Alex and Mireli. Mireli is a member and Alex is investigating the church. Manolo and Hada were the members. Hada was recently baptized. Manolo bore powerful testimony of the change the Savior made in their lives and family when as a family they started to focus on living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Obedience to the commandments of God is the key to happiness in this life and eternal life in the next. 

I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He is my redeemer, my mediator, and my loyal friend. I commit my life to being in his service. 

I love you all very much!! Thanks for all of your prayers and support. 

Hermana Hansen

Mosiah 2:41, favorite scripture =)

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I LOVE Dominican Food

Me and Hermana Fife

6/8/2015 Beautiful Day =)

THIS WEEK WAS SO HOT. It may have won for the hottest week of my mission. And there wasn’t even any rain. 

But that’s ok because it was also a really amazing week. Danilo was baptized. He was so happy and ready. His son, Freddy was able to baptize him. There was a great turn out for the baptism. Freddy was able to share his testimony before he baptized his father. Freddy was baptized as a teenager with his twin brother, Alfredo. They both served missions. Freddy has been home from his mission for 7 years now and says that he has continually prayed that his father would follow Christ and be baptized. He shared that he knows that God hears and answers prayers. After Danilo was baptized, Danilo shared his testimony. He said that before he started going to church and learning about Christ he was in the world and unhappy, but now he has found great happiness and peace. 

Here is a little bit of Danilo’s story. 3 months ago he moved in with his son. His son invited him to church every week, but each week he had work. Freddy continued to pray that he would be able to come to church. One day Danilo got home and told Freddy he gotten his day off changed from Sunday. That Sunday they went to church together and Danilo hasn’t looked back since. The first Sunday Hermana Fife and I got to the ward, Freddy asked us to visit his dad. Ever since we started teaching him he has kept every commitment we left with him. And he has truly repented, changed his life, and followed Christ. 

There is a quote by Joseph Smith when he baptized his father. I think of Freddy and Danilo when I read it. It truly was a glorious day. 

"When Mr. Smith came out of the water, Joseph stood upon the shore, and taking his father by the hand, he exclaimed, with tears of joy, 'Praise to my God! That I have lived to see my own father baptized into the true Church of Jesus Christ!'"

The Spirit was strong in the baptismal service. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly does unite and bless families. I feel extremely blessed and privileged to have been one of the servants God chose to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ into Danilo’s life. 

I love you all so much! I know that my Savior lives! He is at the head of this glorious work!

Love 

Hermana Hansen

Danilo & his son Freddy

Danilo & his son Freddy and their neighbors

they always bring to church

Danilo & Freddy

Danilo, Freddy Hermana Fife & Me--Happy Day!!

Happy Birthday to Hermana Valdez. We spent all

week looking for guanabana and guayabana (see below) for Hermana Valdez's birthday, its her  favorite!

Just in time we found out the Stake president had a

guayabana tree and his wife, Hermana de la Cruz, helped us knock some down. A little birthday miracle =)

6/1/2015 This week was Great!

Danilo will be baptized on Saturday! He is so ready and excited to take this step in his life. He says that as he has lived the gospel his life has changed, he feels the blessings of the spirit, he feels good and he can’t wait to be baptized. He has the determination to follow the Savior forever. I am so proud of this man! 

Also we had a mission conference this week. Almost the whole mission came. I absolutely loved the mission tour. I was really inspired. I was taught so much by the Spirit. The Spirit testified to me that I am working hard and giving a lot of myself to the Lord, but there are ways I can give more of myself. I had a change of heart in a sense. And I am trying daily to find ways I can give more of my heart, might, mind and strength.

I really liked Hermana Corbitts question. How do you want people to remember your service? I hope that when people remember my service they remember Christ, His love, and His attributes. It’s a goal that doesn’t come easy. It requires constant effort, humility, and a whole lot of grace.

I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and His power to make me better than I am. I am thankful for my Father in Heaven who sent His Son and watches over me daily, and I am grateful for the Holy Ghost that testifies to me these things are true.  

I love you guys so much!!!

Hermana Hansen

I Love the Rain!!!!  Rain showers make pretty missionaries :)

Hermana Fife (Mi compa) & Me

Hermana Fife (Alaska), Hermana Fuentes (Guatamala) & Me

Zone leaders Elder Rodriguez, California

Elder Turketo, New Zealand

Hermana Valdez, DR &

Hermana Greenstreet, Washington State

5/26/2015 Super Cool Week!

This week we got to go to the aquarium. It was super cool. More than anything I loved the beautiful ocean view. 

Also the rain and mangoes are back in season. I’m in love. 

The work is going well. The members here are working hard! They have a love for sharing the gospel and are really supporting us. 

This week we were able to continue to work with Danilo. His desire to come unto Christ is strong and I am so blessed to be a part of his conversion process. 

We are also working a lot with the family lagranz. I love them a lot. They are a beautiful family with a lot of love, I know that the gospel will bless them immensely. 

We had a funny and cool experience yesterday. We were walking to an appointment and saw a man struggling in a wheelchair. So we decided to stop and help him get where he was going. We had a nice chat with him and became quick friends. A couple hours later we saw him again and we stopped to help him. As my companion was pushing his chair I noticed that the back of his chair said, La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). His wheelchair had been donated by our church. I felt very grateful to be part of a church where I was taught from my childhood, that “when you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God.” I was also grateful of the reminder that as disciples of Jesus Christ we must always practice what we preach. It was a small but very impactful experience. 

I really enjoyed reading in 2Nephi 2:8 this week.  The message of the restored gospel is such an important message and I am blessed to be able to share it. It is so important that we share with others that only by and through Christ we can have eternal life.  I love the scripture in 1 Peter 3 15. We must always be ready to share with others the reason for the hope that is within us! As we do, we will be blessed one hundred fold. I know that is true because the Spirit testifies to me that it is, and I experience it daily. I invite you all to always be ready to give an answer to all who want a reason for the hope that is within you!

The Spirit also reminded my heart several times the importance of the family. My goal is to be with my family forever in the presence of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I dedicate myself to achieving that goal. I know that it is possible through the atoning power of Jesus Christ, specifically the power that we find in the His holy temples. 

Love you lots!! Keep on being awesome!

I know that God lives and loves each and every one of us. 

Hermana Hansen

Yikes!!!

Me & Hermana Fife

Me & Hermana Valdez

5/18/2015 Finally the rain is back!

This is the DR I love the most =)

We had another great week, it was a little crazy though. We had two companionship exchanges and a meeting at the mission office so basically I wasn’t with my companion all week. 

The work is moving forward well in Los Frailes. Danilo continues to work towards baptism.  He says he feels his heart being changed as he attends church and reads the Book of Mormon. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to share the gospel with him. 

This week I was reminded over and over again of God´s watchful care over each of His children and especially when we are doing His work. Here’s one quick example.  I went to a place called Nueva Amanecer on a companion exchange. We were running very late to an appointment that was about an hour walk away. I was out of water and we walked as fast as we could to an appointment of a super cool family. I said a quick prayer in my head that they would offer us drinks. It is so HOT!!!  Mid prayer the dad offered us water. Before I could say anything, the other sister said no. BUT before we left, he offered us a huge glass of pineapple juice which we quickly accepted. God watches over us =) 

I love you all!!!

Hermana Hansen

Doing Laundry Dominican Style and wearing a Tuvi

 Word to the wise. Always wear sunscreen to zone activities. Both me and Hermana Fife forgot. I cant tell you how many people yelled comments out to us on the street. Rubias you need to get umbrellas!!! Rubias how was the beach??

Rubias what happened to you!

5/11/2015 Happy Mother's Day!!!!

We had a fabulous week! It was great Skyping with the family! You guys looked good! 

This week we kept working with our investigator, Danilo.  He keeps expressing the change that has happened in his heart since he has started attending church.  He desires to be baptized and to follow Christ. I am very blessed to be able to be one of the missionaries that shares Christ’s message with him.

We also found an incredible family! The Family La granz. They have five kids ages 3 to 13. They are a very loving family and have a desire to learn more. I am very excited to work with them. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ will bless their family very much. 

I love the mission. It is incredible. I knew it would be, but it has far exceeded my expectations. The mission is also hard. The hardest thing I’ve ever done in ways I would have never expected. More than anything I was not expecting the change that would be made within me. I am so grateful. Moroni 7:48 says,

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this

love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the

sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope;

that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

As I have dedicated myself to His work, I have tried my best to turn my will over to the Lord.  I am far from perfect, but I really am trying to give Him all of my heart, might, mind and strength. As I do, I have realized the limits of my abilities when I try to do it on my own. When I try to change my heart only using my strength and knowledge, not only do I not progress but I fall.  But when I look to Him, when I do my best and then “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that I may be filled with this love”--or this humility or this faith or this virtue, or this hope, or whichever attribute of Christ I am working on,  I see miracles happen inside me. I am changed, I am cleansed and I become new. I don’t know quite how to explain it, but my heart becomes different than it once was. I know it is not because of my power or abilities but because of Him, my Savior Jesus Christ, and His power and His grace and His mercy.

I commit to dedicating my life to Him and His work. I love my Savior. I want to become more like Him.  I stand all amazed at the love Jesus has for me, and all of Gods children. I am overwhelmed in gratitude by the blessings that envelope my life. 

I know our Savior lives and all who come unto Him will be blessed with eternal happiness and peace. As we turn our will over to Him, He will work miracles in our lives. That I know to be true. 

I love you all!!!!

Hermana Hansen

5/4/2015 Saludos a todos!!

This was a great week. First, my birthday. I can't believe I’m 20!

Then, the temple. It was such a beautiful day. I know the temple is the house of the Lord. It is a place of revelation, learning, peace and joy. 

We have just started teaching an investigator named Danilo. He already has a really strong testimony and has been waiting for missionaries to teach him for a while. He wants to be baptized this month. I am so excited to see him progress! 

I love this area already, and I'm really loving the ocean view. 

I know we have a Father in Heaven who loves and watches over each and every one of us. I am so blessed to be here serving Him, His Son and His children. 

My mission is the best!!!  I love you all!

Hermana Hansen

I'm 20!?!  Birthday Cake, YUM!

Santo Domingo Temple

with my compa Hermana Fife from Alaska

Santo Domingo Temple with President and Hermana Corbitt and the zone of  Las Americas

Just another day in paradise.

I love the ocean!