The work is progressing, our investigators are progressing and so am I!

This week has been a little different! On Thursday we weren't allowed to go out because of elections and how wild it gets during elections! So we stayed in the apartment and studied and planned all day! Interesting day but it was alright! Then our baptism fell through because she is not doing well! She has been in the hospital in Kingston all week so that fell through, but as soon as she gets out we plan on baptizing her!

We have been able to really see miracles this week! Our solid investigator Brother Cooper has prostate cancer and really bad arthritis, so bad that he really can’t sleep, he just has to walk around at night? But anyway we were able to give him a blessing! The next day we met with him he was so excited to tell us what had happened! He said that it worked! The power of God is real! He didn't have any more pains and he is able to sleep at night now! How amazing it was and what a testimony to me of the power of the priesthood! I can’t explain how happy he was and how happy I was as I was listening to him testify of the truthfulness of the priesthood!

Last night was interesting as well! We got a text saying to get off the streets and get inside NOW! So my companion and I are an hour away and down the huge hill to our apartment! We were a little antsy so we start hustling to get in! The reason we had to go in was a recount in the ballots for the elections! I guess it was getting a little out of hand in Kingston and people were angry so we had to be locked up again all night! Hopefully these elections are done soon!!

The work is progressing! Our investigators are progressing and so am I! So everything is great here! I am thankful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord!!

Elder Hansen

Great things are happening!

This week has been great! A lot of great things!! 

This week has been very full! We had Zone Conference on Thursday, trade-offs on Friday, splits on Sunday, and so many more things! It has been great though! We found a super solid guy named Brother Cooper! The first lesson he asked how many times he needs to go to church in order to be baptized! He reads from the Book of Mormon every night and takes notes on everything he reads and feels! He is pretty much the perfect investigator! So he will be getting baptized on March 19th!

We also have a baptism this Saturday in the ocean at Treasure Beach! Her name is Launa and she is the one who has the visions and seizures all the time! She is also so prepared to be baptized! She comes to church every Sunday worrying that she is going to have a seizure in the middle of the road on the way to church! It just shows how much faith she really has and how bad she wants to become a member of our church!

We also have a couple of families who will be baptized in March! They are moving a little slower but will be a great benefit to the branch! This Junction Branch needs faithful and willing to work members! The branch is not very supportive of missionary work because no one has cars. We don't have a branch presidency other than a blind branch president! The other elders in the area do all the branch work! So we are really trying to build up this branch so it can be self sustaining! I think there are two men in the branch including the President who hold the Priesthood!  We are really trying our hardest to find men who are willing to serve faithfully for the branch!

On P-days, we normally our working on our bikes because so much happens with them through the week! I have broken 3 seat posts so far?? So I have to sit super low on my bike and have my knees to my chest! hahaha Makes it a little difficult riding up the big hills! But it's all good because I will be able to get a new seat post today! We normally will just relax and do things around the apartment.

It has still been raining this week! When it rains here it really rains! It feels very good though because it is so hot! My companion and I are really trying our hardest to strengthen the branch and want to double the size of it! Big goals but I know that we can do it as long as we are focused, diligent in all that we do, and are exactly obedient! It is such a blessing to see the Lord help us as we serve with all our might mind and strength!

Elder Hansen

Getting settled in and working Hard!

 I’m starting to get settled in! This week has been a lot better because we are working so hard! We seriously don’t have time for dinner and sometimes only have time for 30 minute lunches. And yea when we are constantly working I’m not homesick so that is good! The area is pretty awesome! We are one of the most outer places of Jamaica meaning that there is no touristy stuff. No American restaurants. Most people are super nice! Everyone is honking because that is how they communicate while in cars. Each honk is some word. Hahaha I’m not sure but everything is so loud! A lot of people have these huge speakers on top of their roof of the car and have Reggae music blaring! A lot of people work at this big aluminum plant that is in our area. But most people farm veggies and fruit and then sell it on the side of the road. Yes there is quite a bit of poverty. Sometimes people will be walking around with practically nothing on. But there are also some people that have money! They drive these sweet diesel Rangers and Hilux around.

 The branch is pretty awesome we don’t do a lot of work with the members just because they are so busy and most of the people don’t have cars or bikes so we really can’t use them in our work. We will still visit them but we can’t bring them along to any lessons or anything of that nature. Our day consists of studies, then riding 6 miles down this big hill to these little villages and then practically mountain bike back into the bush to find other little villages. Meanwhile talking to everyone we come in contact with! We teach around 7 lessons each day and have to ride our bikes a long way each day over rough rough roads and some single track red dirt! We don’t really ever have time to just go tracting because we will just talk to people on the way to lessons, get their number and set up a return appointment! We are going NON stop! But it is so awesome because we have found some really solid people this week. 

My companion is way hard worker. So that is great! He has been out for 5 months and is from Arizona! He is a pretty solid guy! We are getting along and both want to work our hardest! We have committed a lot of people for more baptisms in March so I am looking forward to this week and getting to share more about the gospel with them! It is so great to be able to see people who are truly prepared from the Lord and how we manage to run in to them! I am having a great time now that I can kind of understand what people are saying and am a little more familiar with the area! I know that as we continue forth sharing the gospel we will be blessed and the people will be blessed as well! 

Love,

Elder Hansen

I love teaching the gospel!

I have made it to Jamaica! It is so much different than Texas! But that’s alright! The driving is absolutely ridiculous! Everyone drives so fast and so loud! There are little motorcycles everywhere just zipping in and out of traffic! My trainer got hit on Thursday by a car! But he is ok just some scrapes! I am currently stationed in Junction and it is a super mountainous part of Jamaica! It’s really awesome to look but not so fun to ride a bad bike that is about 5 sizes too small for me and doesn’t shift! 

Our area contains everything from tons of people hanging out at the million bars there are on the side of the road to the shacks that are made of mud and sheet metal. It is so awesome to see these people barefoot with practically nothing on running around! It is so awesome because they are so happy! That is something I have learned this week! Is that when I think I have it bad or people in America have it bad they really don’t! These people are thankful that they have a wonderful land to live in and somewhat of a roof over their head!

It has been hard to understand a lot of the people because they speak so low and mumble. Most of time I have no idea what they are saying so I just nod my head and agree with them and then start talking to them! 

Our branch has about 20 active members and our Branch President is blind! Church was pretty awesome yesterday because it was so small and the meeting was actually great! I love how church no matter where you are, is practically the exact same! That is what is so fantastic about the gospel! That wherever you go the gospel is the same and is for every person! 

Our apartment is a bright pink complex and has no air conditioning. Therefore we have the windows open and have a breeze as our AC. We have 4 Elders in our apartment so it’s different than Texas! 

Don’t have a ton of time but we have committed 8 people to baptisms in February and have some really cool people we teach! The work is a lot more accepting here and it is so awesome! I loving teaching the gospel and inviting people to come unto Christ!

Love,

Elder Hansen