I forgot to post this letter from Carrie 11/03/2014 (Be sure and check out her letter from today 11/24/2014-Lots of photos!)

11/03/2014
I think this may have been the best week on my mission so far!

For the past couple of weeks Hermana Meldrum and I have been making goals to elevate the spirituality in our lessons. We weren’t really seeing a lot of progress. But this week something just clicked. WE figured out how to really discern from the Spirit what the people we teach need to hear. Our lessons have been FILLED with the Spirit, we feel it, the members feel it, and our investigators feel it. I am so happy to be a missionary. I have felt the atonement of Jesus Christ heal me in such marvelous ways since I have been on the mission. I feel like this week was a real turning point on my mission. I am committed to always following the Spirit. Listening for it and staying true to it. That is when miracles happen and lives are changed. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father and all He has taught me. I am so very blessed to have the Spirit play such an influence in my life.

Transfers are tomorrow. Hermana Meldrum is leaving for the capital and I’ll stay here and I’ll start the training of a new missionary. I’m a little nervous but very excited.

I am also sad. Hermana Meldrum and I had something very special. We had high expectations and the same vision but different talents to help us get there. She is very special to me, and an incredible missionary and a disciple of Christ who gives her all to Her Savior and His work. I learned so much from her. And am so grateful for the time we spent together. But I know she will be amazing as she finishes her training in the capital city. 

Love you guys! Have a great week!

WooHoo

So I finally found a computer to send pictures. Hopefully they load in time, they’re all from last transfer.

This was a really great week. We have been working a lot with an investigator named Jhoan. Jhoan is amazing. He’s 21 and got interested in the church through friends who are members. He has been so prepared to receive the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. He has a strong testimony of the Savior and is preparing for baptism. Every time we teach him, I see his progress.  He’s happier and he feels the Spirit more. As people come unto Christ they change in extraordinary ways. I love teaching people like him--people with a real desire to learn and keep the commandments. Every time we teach, he asks amazing questions, usually questions we have to study and answer the next visit. I feel so privileged to be the messenger to bring this message to such incredible people. 

I love you guys like crazy. 

God is there. He is watching over each and every one of us. When we go to Him in prayer with faith, He answers us personally and miraculously. The Book of Mormon and the Bible are true. If we follow the principles that are found inside we will be happier, our lives more fulfilling, our hearts filled with peace and eventually we will reach eternal life through the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

I love this gospel. I don’t want to imagine my life without it. I am grateful for a loving father who knows and helps me. 

Love,

Hermana Hansen

Halloween with Hermana Meldrum

(We carved apples!)

Pumpkin Pie Bars!  Thank you, Mommy

My District

 My Zone

Kennedy Branch-Mission Leader, Chestetar

 Rain!!!

Helping Hands Service Project

How Hermana Meldrum and I solve disagreements

soy dominicana ya (I am Dominican!)

Saw this outside after a district meeting

 Mangu at McDonalds. Only in the DR.

Its like mashed potatoes but with plantains

Oh the Dominican Republic, how I love you!

Saludos a todos!

So, pretty much being a missionary is the best thing ever. Have I said that before? 

I would just like to comment on how much I love the Dominican people and their culture. I love them with all my heart. They are so open and loving. They tell it how it is, and are rarely embarrassed. People and relationships are so important to them. They say hi to everyone. They love to laugh. They love music and dancing. They know how to have a good time. They are so happy. They are full of life. They have a strong faith in Christ. I hope I am acquiring many of their traits and customs. I cannot think of a better place to serve. I am so very blessed. 

So nothing  too crazy happened this week. Lots of walking, and lots of work. Just the way I like it. Hermana Greenstreet is awesome. After about 5 times of trying to help people say her name she just says calleverde :) She really is awesome. She is very dilligent and in tune with the Spirit. I love her.

Speaking of the Spirit, I really am learning more and more each day that it is the Spirit, not me, that does the teaching. If I always look for what the Spirit wants me to say and do, I will be guided to say and do exactly what God wants me to, and I can be made a servant in His hands to touch the hearts of His children. 

I love you all! Thank you for your constant love, support and prayers.

Love, 

Hermana Hansen

Another great week here in the DR!

My new companion is Hermana Greenstreet. She is amazing. She is so dedicated and diligent. And she is so ready to work hard. She’s patient and has a great attitude. She struggles with the language sometimes, but she knows a lot for one week in the field. She’ll be talking like a Dominican before she knows it. We are working our best to find and teach people about the Savior here in San Pedro. The Lord has blessed us with really amazing investigators with a desire to follow Christ. I am so blessed to watch their lives change before my eyes as they choose to follow Him. 

The highlight of my week was Familia Vargas. They are inactive members that Hermana Meldrum and I found last transfer. We have been working with them for close to 2 months now. I love this family. We brought the branch president to their house last week and had a really special lesson about God’s love for us and how families can be eternal. Once again, we invited them to come to church. As we sat in sacrament meeting and they weren’t there I said a little prayer in my head that they would be able to come. In the last minutes they came. This family hasn’t been to church in 10 years. But Sunday they came! I know I am doing the Lord's work and I am so grateful to be here. 

God lives. He loves each of His children. 

Hermana Hansen

Baptism of Yaki

Familia Vargas

Nilsa, Nederlin & Friley

Me & Hermana Meldrum-Helping Hands Service Project

Helping Hands Service Project

Goodbye Hermana Meldrum